Want to Write for England?
By: Rob |
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As some of you might know, As well as this blog, I also help out over at the England World Cup Blog, along with Daryl. Problem is, with both of us having other blogs to do, we’re struggling to give it the time that it deserves. So we’re asking for a helping hand.
If you’re interested, click over to this post right here, and see if you fit the criteria, and drop Daryl and email to join the team.
Is Rafa in trouble?
By: Rob | 9 Comments
So, Liverpool suffered a loss again this evening, to Lyon in the Champions League. At the end of the game, Liverpool fans were chanting for Rafa’s head. Now while it isn’t always a good indication, it does say a fair bit about the situation at Anfield.
After a really impressive season last time around, where they could have won the title had they not drawn against a few lesser teams, expectations were naturally fairly high for this season. And yet, and yet.
They are now facing an uphill struggle to get through the group stage of the Champions League (only points a 1-0 win against group whipping boys Debrecren) and the beach-ball fiasco ensured a fourth loss of the season, and 8th place. Manchester United are the next team on the fixture list.
But is Rafa really in danger of the chop?
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Should the FA do more to protect Skillful players?
By: Rob | 6 Comments
So, after just coming back from injury, and then getting a kicking from Liam Ridgewell, Theo Wallcott will be out for yet another three weeks. I like watching good football. Especially when that good football is coming from an Englishman. So I have to ask the question – should the FA start doing more to protect players who show the slightest bit of skill?
The Premier League has a bit of a reputation for “proper” football. “Proper” in the sense that its tough, takes no prisoners, and that fancy-dan technical ability and flair can take a hike.
I appreciate that. Its part of our history and all. But England produces very few technically skillful players. Joe Cole was one who seemed to magically slip through the net – and it is beginning to catch up with him.
Its 2009. Shouldn’t we be encouraging good football if we aspire to be The Best League in The World EVER? Shouldn’t we try and leave all that Vinnie Jones style, long ball, kick the other guy before he kicks you nonsense in the past where it belongs?
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Which Big Names Couldn’t Cut It in the Prem?
By: Rob | 10 Comments
Thank God that’s over. I’m glad England have already qualified for the World Cup and all – espeically after the Umbrella debacle – but not having to get a last minute goal against Greece, or a draw in Rome made this last round of matches even less interesting than usual.
But one thing that did cross my mind, are the players who were big names before they came over here, and then failed to do the business in the Premier League. Or did the business and looked world class as soon as they left the country. The Shevchenkos, Forlans and Verons of this world.
And then I carried on thinking, and tried to think of some players who might not cut it in the Premier League if they came over here.
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How Many Losses Before You Are Out of the Race?
By: Rob | 12 Comments
So, the big game this weekend finished with Chelsea coming out on top, a much needed tonic after their defeat against Wigan last week. The loss means Liverpool have already lost thrice this season, although Rafa Benitez is still confident that Liverpool are still in the title race.
Which got me wondering how many losses is it before you are totally out of the running? Well after the jump are examples from previous seasons, and it makes for interesting reading indeed.
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The Liverpool/Chelsea Rivalry
By: Rob | 3 Comments
So its another all-big-four matchup this weekend, as Liverpool take on Chelsea. Its probably a bit to much to ask for a game like last seasons Champions League second leg (above), but it does serve as a nice reminder that not EVERY match between these teams is a dreadfully boring draw.
The clubs have, in the post-Mourinho era built up a very interesting rivalry. There does seem to be a genuine dislike between the two clubs, but unlike a simple case of geography, or a historical rivalry, the reasons for these two clubs dislike of each other is genuinely fascinating.
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Category: UncategorizedHas Petr Cech become a bit of a liability?
By: Rob | 5 Comments
Chelsea’s 100% record came to a rather abrupt end this afternoon, after a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Wigan Athletic. It was quite an even game, but the turning point came when Petr Cech was sent off for bringing down Hugo Rodallega in the box and left Chelsea struggling.
So now all the “Big Four” have lost at least one game, and its still early days, its still anyone’s title. Especially now Fernando Torres has remembered to pack his shooting boots.
Chelsea will recover, but there has to be some question marks over Petr Cech, who over the last couple of seasons has gone from being the most incredibly reliable goalkeeper in the league, to someone you might not even trust anymore.
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Correlation, its not always Causation.
By: Rob | 10 Comments
So the big talking point of the day, is the apparent “proof” that Man United get more stoppage time when they’re down than when they’re up. Of course, this has been suspected and pointed out before, but now, apparently it is backed up by statistics.
As Chris on the Front Page via The Guardian has shown, its statistically true than in games where Man United are winning there is less injury time in the games than when Man United are losing. The suggestion is that the ref’s are collectively influenced by Sir Alex Ferguson’s watch-pointing pressure and allow United more time.
But, as we should by now know, there are three kinds of lies, Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics.
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Category: UncategorizedHow close are City to United?
By: Rob | 4 Comments
So typically, Sir Alex Feguson has come out in the press today to announce that he’s never really seen Man City as a rival to Man United, only Liverpool. This is all partly mindgames, I imagine, but also partly frustration at how quickly its all come together at Eastlands.
Playing Man United this weekend is a good benchmark for City, to see how close they are to getting to the Champions. Unfortunately, they have £100m of strikers unavaliable through injuries or suspension, and will have to start up front with Craig Bellamy.
So perhaps this weekend won’t be a good indicator afterall. It’ll still leave the question, how close are City to becoming a proper rival to United, in every sense of the word?
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Whose Fault Was It for The Crowd Trouble at Eastlands?
By: Rob | 2 Comments
There you have the much-watched highlights of Manchester City’s game against Arsenal at the weekend. As you will have seen, City won 4-2, thanks to an eventful day from ex-Gooner Adebayour, who scored, set one up, stamped on Robin Van Persie’s face, and sprinted the full length of the pitch to celebrate a goal in front of his former supporters.
Its the last thing I want to talk about. First off, I’m not defending Adebayour, it was an absolutely moronic thing to do (and incidentally , I was kicked out of my Under 10s School Football Team once for doing something similar) and he really should have been thinking a touch clearer than that.
But really, football supporters are grown men as well. I can understand you would be disgusted at Adebayour for the way he acted, but was it really nessicarry to create such a kerfuffle that a steward left the ground injured? Just as Adebayour lost his self control and acted stupidly, so, surely did the Arsenal support?
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