Servus aus Muenchen! The effects of a game that FC Bayern played two weeks ago vs. Getafe FC can lead a team to play one of two ways – exhausted, lackluster is one, and that would lead to the unraveling of a season’s worth of solid play (similar to a team who played 22 innings the night before and had to travel to play the next day). But after goalie Pato bobbled the ball in front of his own goal and Luca Toni made it 3-2 in the 115th minute, the team picked up its play. In fact, the manner in which they have, demonstrates a team that has picked up a second win, realizes how lucky they were, and look to stamp their place in history. Bayern kept attacking and were able to earn the draw on Toni’s header in the final seconds and move on to the semi-finals. In their next match, Dortmund had no chance. Boom, boom, boom, boom. Goals in the 3rd, 8th, 17th and 22nd minutes and the match was over. And how they scored – crisp passing, explosive runs, teammates in sync – demonstrated more Bayern’s new found motivation than their opponent’s poor play. The Reds went on to beat Frankfurt on the road 3-1 and then beat Dortmund in a replay for the German Cup Final. One trophy down, two more to go (the Bundesliga title is theirs to lose with a 10 point lead and 5 matches left). Thursday’s match vs. formidable Zenit St. Petersburg will take them one step closer to the holy grail of European football – the treble.

And it’s a shame that they will play the match without the person without whom they wouldn’t be in the semi-finals. Luca Toni has scored two goals in each of the last 4 matches. Read that last sentence again. Ronaldo, Rooney, Torres, Crouch, Drogba – none of the big names have done that over the past two weeks in their teams’ respective league and European matches. Toni has scored 35 goals this season in 44 matches, and counting. Analyzing the worth of his goals just a little more: 13 times he’s scored to make it 1-0, one of those times breaking a 1-1 tie that led to a win; 7 multi-goal games, including a natural hat-trick in one match and 4 in another. He’s the leading scorer in both the Bundesliga and UEFA Cup (I can’t confirm who scored the most in the German Cup tournament, but Toni led the team with 5, along with Miroslav Klose.) If you were to ask me who was Germany’s Player of the Year 3 weeks ago, I would have said Franck Ribery. His playmaking skills invigorated an offense that leads the league in scoring and kept the team at the top of table from week 1. But as I look through the whole season, the one name pops up on the score sheet – Toni. And he has the multiple game highlights that end up in the season ending videos that turn into votes. But he won’t play the next match, earning a silly yellow card in the 14th minute of extra time (the highlight came up as I wrote this). If Bayern struggle in the match without Toni, I won’t have any stronger evidence to who should be named ‘Fussballer’ of the year in Germany. Bayern hopes it doesn’t cost them a place in the final. Viel spass beim Spiel (Enjoy the match!) Salman

They came to defend.
Manchester United decided to defend deep and now manager Sir Alex Ferguson looks like a genius after the first leg with United getting a 0-0 draw at Barcelona and the Nou Camp. Their only regret was a missed penalty by Cristiano Ronaldo.
So is this genius or is this unacceptable from a team that many like to think are the best in world.
For me this is clearly the tactics of the first leg of a two legged affair.
A tactical result for United.
Of course Barcelona was going to get the better of the possession and they got even more with the United deep defending tactics but in the end they could not break down United.
Some thoughts:

*Lionel Messi was Barcelona’s most dangerous player in the first half penetrating off the dribble and via the pass. On a handful of occasions he put Barcelona in a place where only the final pass was missing.

*They were somewhat predictable going right at the heart of the United defense making it easy for Rio Ferdinand to stay comfortably in the middle to defend.

*Barcelona didn’t really create many chances and could not come up with the ideas or movement to produce a goal.

*What was he thinking? Man U’s Michael Carrick in the second half got to the end-line beautifully only to elect to shoot with three United players hitting the central part of the penalty area in front of goal. Mind boggling?

*Carlos Tevez, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Wayne Rooney were resigned to “workers and deep defenders’ for Manchester United based on the tactics for Alex Ferguson.

* Barcelona could not come up with the ideas or execution to break down United. Choosing to only attack central played into United’s hands and methodical build-ups made the game slow at times.

Six days from now Manchester United will come out flying against Barcelona at Old Trafford in the second leg. Join us for a game watching party at the Stags Head Pub for the game at Sheperd and 59.

Liverpool thought a Dirk Kuyt goal would stand up at Anfield but disaster struck on nearly the last touch of the game.
Chelsea got in a cross in the final seconds of the match which in bizarre fashion, Liverpool defender Johan Arne Rise decided to defend by going to the ground with his head. Sadly for Liverpool he headed into his own goal.
What made him choose to head a ball that clearly could have been cleared with his feet? Bizarre and deflating for the “Reds”.

Tomorrow you will want to catch Manchester United against Barcelona on espn 2 . The Stags Head Pub near Sheperd and 59 is the host Pub of Dynamo All Access with Glenn Davis and is having Champions League game watching parties.
Today 9 Dynamo players showed up to take in the game along with a few fortunate soccer fans. On hand were Craig Waibel, Bobby Boswell, Stuart Holden, Cory Ashe, Tony Caig, Mike Chabala, Brad Davis, Geoff Cameron and Patrick Ianni.
Some fortunate fans got to mix with the Dynamo players.
More are expected to attend the Manchester United/Barcelona game tomorrow at the Stags Head Pub, you may just find yourself sitting next to a member of the Houston Dynamo. Kick off is at 1:30.

Head over to the Stags Head Pub near 59 and Sheperd for the 1:30 pm Champions League match between Liverpool and Chelsea.
Dynamo players Craig Waibel, Stuart Holden and Bobby Boswell will be there to take in the game and grab a late lunch.
Dynamo fans are encourage to come and the players will sign autographs and chat with you the fan!!!!
Soccer fans unite and head over to the Stags Head Pub for a Champions League classic with Dynamo players!

Head out to the live remote broadcast of Dynamo All Access with Glenn Davis on 790 The Sports Animal tonite at Stags Head Pub near Sheperd and 59.

Dynamo player Brad Davis and head coach Dominic Kinnear will be in attendance plus the show includes an interview with Claudio Reyna of the New York Red Bulls.
Klein High School Coach Allen Baker will also be live at the event. Come down, get some autographs and get the best of soccer talk on the radio.
We will re-cap the Dynamo at LA against David Beckham and Landon Donovan plus more.

Speaking of Donovan are we over-reacting to his reaction to Patrick Ianni after he scored their opening goal?
Was it really that big of a deal?

The real story is how much influence that Brad Davis had on this game. Thoughts?

Heading to the airport and have not yet seen the Dynamo game against LA which I will catch on tape later today in Houston.
Have read game reports only….what is your reaction to the 2-2 draw?

Meanwhile about 12,000 showed up to Giants Stadium for a 1-1 Red Bulls draw against NE.
Jozy Altidore producing a stunning goal that was basically a one man show as he raced through the New England defense shirking off tackles like the Ronaldo of old in his days at Inter Milan. When he reached the penalty area he smashed his finish into the upper corner past a helpless Matt Reis.

The game changed early in the second half with an ejection to Maurico Castro who kicked out at Kevin Goldthwaite after being fouled. The Revs had few chances but tied the game after Adam Cristman drew a foul at the top of the penalty area.
Jeff Larentowicz scored on the ensuing free kick as his shot went under a jumping Chris Leitch who was at the end of the wall.
Never have been a believer in players in a wall jumping giving an additonal option to free kick takers.
The game ended 1-1 with the Red Bulls creating more of the chances.

On an unrelated note Joe Franchino and Gary Flood of the Revolution were involved in an incident that included public urination at Fenway Park during the Yankees/Red Sox game. Nice way to represent the club and I could only believe that the players on the Revolution can’t be too happy about their teammates behavior….Franchino’s trade to LA and subsequent playing time against the Dynamo had nothing to do with the incident as the club said they were trading him anyway.

Don’t forget Dynamo All Access this Monday night at the Stags Head Pub at 7pm near Sheperd and 59. What Dynamo players would you like to see live?

How many times have we seen this team produce points late in matches?
They did it again, the “Red Devils’ buoyed by a header from Carlos Tevez pulled off a point at Blackburn .
U.S. goalkeeper Brad Friedel produced an amazing performance in goal robbing United at least three times with remarkable reaction saves.
Can Friedel not lay claim to being the best American goalkeeper ever?
United was clearly frustrated knowing what was at stake.
United will go a long way to their hopes of titles next week. First they have an amazing encounter in the Champions League with Barcelona and then go to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea in a game that could lock up the EPL title.
Blackburn also started former DC United defender Ryan Nelsen who was solid.

When you are looking for your first league win , every game is important.
The Dynamo have played well at Home Depot Center and I expect the same tonite.
With the midfield now returning players like Brian Mullan, Brad Davis and Ricardo Clark I am thinking tonite on a larger surface could be a break out game for the Dynamo. A little additional space and maybe with see that tempo building passing game really return.
My concern tonite is how the back four deal without Eddie Robinson in the middle.
Patrick Ianni and Bobby Boswell both play better when partnered with Robinson as central defenders. Neither seem to be the dominant personality type center-back yet someone has to take control of that situation in front of goalkeeper Tony Caig.
Look at New York who are dying to find a stronger character as a central defender…….
The concern against the Dynamo is Landon Donovan playing as a forward working against the last line of defense, guaranteed David Beckham will find him on a few occasions.
A good nigh of possession will go a long way to keeping Beckham off the ball and putting pressure on a very suspect LA back line.
Put them under pressure and you will be rewarded. Dynamo win in LA is my prediction provided Beckham doesn’t link up with LD……

Ok I am in New Jersey for the Red Bulls and NE Revolution tonite on HDNET at Giants Stadium 7:30 Eastern time.
Weather is gorgeous, Pope is in town, Rangers knocked the Devils out of the NHL playoffs and all is good. Well except that there is absolutely no coverage in any local papers about the Red Bulls and Revolution.
The Star Ledger, New York Times all draw a blank. Amazing to see that the pro game struggles here so badly.
So who is responsible for the lack of coverage, isn’t it the responsibility of the newspaper? Or are the Red Bulls just having a hard time getting through.
Sad to wake up , grab a newspaper and see nothing. Reminds me of the poor coverage in San Jose all those years they had a championship team and the league’s star player yet the local paper did nothing.
Juan Pablo Angel is expected to return tonite for the Red Bulls which in itself makes the game more interesting.
Jozy Altidore the 18 year old forward for Red Bulls will be my interview guest at halftime on HDNET, what would you like to know from him.
Also I will get an interview with Claudio Reyna to run on “Dynamo All Access with Glenn Davis ” Monday night at 7pm from the Stags Head Pub near 59 and Sheperd. Please join me Monday as I will have Dynamo players in attendance.

The Dynamo Soccer Report with Glenn Davis airs tonite at 9:30pm on Channel 55
Interviews include Dynamo defender Eddie Robinson and Klein High School coach Allen Baker.
The Youth Club spotlight profiles the Cy-Fair Dynamos…..
Rumors, rants and raves and viewer emails also are included in this show along with LA Galaxy preview plus a look at the Superclasico!!!
Tune in tonite!