Dein erstes Forum » schmidt went 1 for 4 and has reached safe

While taking in Thursday nights absorbing scenes and thoroughly unscripted climax from the Bronx as Derek Jeter said his emotional goodbyes to Yankee Stadium, I couldnt help but think of Ryan Giggs. Then thoughts of Frank Lampard crossed my mind, but more on Manchester Citys joint top scorer another time. Giggs, like Jeter, will be remembered as a one club man. The Welshman trotted out at Old Trafford for a remarkable 23 seasons before eventually hanging them up in the spring. For Jeters five World Series rings, he won a pair of European Cups and 13 Premier League titles. Now installed as Louis Van Gaals right-hand man in the dugout, Giggs has certainly endured a baptism by fire since joining the managerial ranks. It wasnt exactly plain sailing after he took over from David Moyes in late April. With ?￡150 million invested in the transfer market and Louis Van Gaal installed as Sir Alex Fergusons Heir Version 2.0, they were certainly meant to improve on last seasons Annus Horribilis. Hardly. The Dutchman likely wishes he could take a can of that vanishing spray and wipe this early part of his tenure off the records. If getting trounced in the Capital One Cup by MK Dons wasnt bad enough, last Sundays second-half meltdown against newly-promoted Leicester must rank as one of the worst moments in recent club history. Perhaps you have to go all the way back to that infamous Denis Law back heel against his former club back in 1974 for a comparable moment. It wasnt so much the calamity Jane-type defending. It was the cavalier attitude from too many wearing one of the first famous jerseys in world sport. And Van Gaals wholly unbalanced team selection provided added motivation. Whether or not Van Gaal took the opponent way too lightly, well never know. If he had any illusions of how utterly competitive the BPL was, they should surely have evaporated away when Ulloa tucked away Leicesters fifth. In the aftermath, Giggs ex-team mate Phil Neville suggested the English giants needed to invest a further ?￡100m over the next two transfer windows for United to be in position to challenge for a title. Not sure the supporters nor the majority shareholders are willing to write off upwards of two more seasons. Van Gaal was bought in to have an impact with immediate effect. It seems by his news conferences that hes spending more time thinking up excuses and laying blame with all others than he is even willing to accept responsibility. His pre-match comments regarding a scarcity of central defenders ahead of Saturday mornings encounter at Old Trafford (against a resurgent West Ham who put Liverpool firmly in their place in East London last Saturday) is his latest. Even our 12-year old recognized in early summer that Manchester United were in desperate need of Grade A centre-halves and the hallmark leadership qualities of the departing Nemanja Vidic. Ive forgot how many trees have been torn down over the months as the football media kept up their incessant write-ups about a desperate and immediate need for central defenders - and yet one didnt even arrive on a Falcao-type loan. If its because Van Gaal couldnt acquire the one or two players he wanted most, then he has no right to plead centre-half poor. Everyone wants Cristiano Ronaldo, but hes not for sale - at least not just yet. Did that prevent United overpaying for Angel Di Maria? Apparently not. Van Gaal might already be ruing his Leicester pre-match comments that only Wayne Rooney is guaranteed a starting place, where it now seems Englands first choice centre-forward will have to get fully accustomed to the midfield role Van Gaal has now bestowed. Any more of this and Wayne might have to slot into central defence. With the Leicester debacle fresh in the minds of 75,000 plus at Old Trafford, West Hams manager Sam Allardyce fears a Manchester United backlash. All Fat Sam has to do after breakfast Saturday is show his team the video of that classic West Ham victory at Old Trafford in the 2001 FA Cup. Paolo Di Canio, in acres of space, slotted away the legendry winner as Uniteds completely exposed goalkeeper Fabien Barthez went the mind game route as he desperately tried to con the referees assistant into awarding an illusionary offside call. Even in defeat, Giggs starred for United that day. You wonder though if he hung up more than his boots last May. Manchester United vs. West Ham is live Saturday on the TSN and TEAM Radio Network with pre-game coverage at 9:30am et /6:30am pt. Noel.Butler@BellMedia.ca @TheSoccerNoel on Twitter Justin Reid Jersey . New York City FC introduced Frank Lampard in Brooklyn on Thursday after signing the 36-year-old former Chelsea midfielder to a two-year contract. Martinas Rankin Texans Jersey . Chelsea ripped apart Hull inside 25 minutes at Stamford Bridge, with the early goals from Oscar and Frank Lampard securing a 2-0 victory. While Lampard had earlier missed a penalty, Roberto Soldado had no such trouble from the spot for Tottenham, scoring on his debut to clinch a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace. http://www.officialauthentictexansstore.com/.Steamboat Ski Resort contends Steamboat Springs, Colorado has long been known as Ski Town, U.S.A., and claims in a new lawsuit that Salt Lake tourism officials violated their trademark when they rolled out the Ski City marketing campaign last month. Aaron Colvin Jersey . Torres scored the first goal by an English team in the knockout phase of the Champions League this season when he met Cezar Azpilicuetas cutback in the ninth minute of their first leg match in the last 16. But Chelsea failed to make the most of its counterattacks and the Turkish champions equalized in the second half after gaining in confidence and cutting out their defensive mistakes. Sammie Coates Jersey . Rockhold." Known as an aggressive striker, Belfort (23-10) instead paced himself as the engaged in the early going and showed restraint by not overcommitting against the larger Rockhold (10-2). But when the opportunity presented itself, Belfort delivered an incredible spinning heel kick that landed flush on Rockholds chin and sent him toppling to the floor. ATLANTA -- Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons wasted no time recovering from a rare two-error inning. "Its a tough when your errors are a little costly, but (Aaron) Harang picked me up and kept us in the game," Simmons said. "The other guys got on base and we ended up winning, so its a good day after all." Simmons drove in four runs, Harang won his third straight start and the Atlanta Braves beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-4 Saturday for their season-high ninth straight victory. Justin Upton added a two-run homer and a third RBI for the Braves, who have won 11 of 12 and are 11 games over .500 for the first time this season. Harang (8-6) has a 3.00 ERA over his last three starts after allowing nine hits and four runs with one walk and one strikeout in eight innings. Arizona, which has dropped eight of 12, lost its 53rd game, most in the majors. Simmons had an RBI single in the first and a two-run double in the fourth. He appeared to turn his left ankle while running the bases in the sixth but stayed in the game. He drove in his fourth run with a groundout in the seventh to make it 10-4. It marked the third time in his career and second time this season that he had four RBIs in a game. Simmons has four straight games with at least two hits. The Diamondbacks went ahead 3-0 in the first on Goldschmidts RBI double, Monteros RBI single and Gerardo Parras RBI single. Parra got an at-bat after manager Kirk Gibson successfully challenged that Aaron Hill, the previous batter, was safe at first on Atlantas double-play attempt. "We had a rough first inning there, but nobody panicked," Harang said. "Our confidence is real high right now, and everybodys feeling good about how were swinging the bats and playing defence. We knew guys were comfortable up there and knew that wed stay right in it." Simmons, named last years Platinum Glove winner as the NLs best defender, had two errors in the first. Simmons began the game with six errors this year. "I told him that how you bounce back frrom those is whats important," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.dddddddddddd"He made some great plays defensively after that inning and also swung the bat. He kept the line moving." After Simmons cut the lead to 3-1 in the first, the Braves made it 3-2 in the third on Jason Heywards RBI single. Atlanta took a 7-3 lead with a five-run fourth off Mike Bolsinger (1-5). Tommy La Stella scored from third when B.J. Upton reached on Didi Gregorius throwing error. Simmons two-run double was followed by Freddie Freemans RBI triple and Uptons sacrifice fly. Bolsinger, who had a 2.70 ERA in his previous three starts, gave up 10 hits, seven runs -- five earned -- and walked two in 3 2-3 innings. He struck out five. Ender Inciarte homered in the fifth to cut the lead to 7-4, but Upton hit 17th homer, a two-run, shot off Matt Stites to make it 9-4 in the sixth. The Diamondbacks, plagued by injuries all season, are reeling. "When we were at our place (last month), we played these guys really good," Gibson said. "Were capable of doing that." Notes: The last time Atlanta had a nine-game winning streak was during a 12-game streak that ended last Aug. 9. ... Goldschmidt went 1 for 4 and has reached safely in 26 straight games. Hes hitting .318 with nine doubles, four homers, 12 RBIs and 28 walks during that span. ... Heyward leaped to catch Goldschmidts fly ball at the top of the right-field wall in the eighth. ... Diamondbacks OF Mark Trumbo, recovering from foot injury, is 5 for 10 with two homers and six RBIs as a designated hitter during his rehab assignment. ... Before the game, Arizona acquired two minor leaguers, OF Zach Borenstein and RHP Joey Krehbiel from the Los Angeles Angels for LHP Joe Thatcher and minor-league OF Tony Campana. ... Diamondbacks LHP Eury De la Rosa, recalled from Triple-A Reno earlier in the day, gave up three hits and one run in the seventh and eighth. ... B.J. Upton has a career-best 11-game hitting streak. ' ' '