tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21236312127659655182024-02-07T14:42:07.474+00:00football overdoseI know nothing of football so don't blame me.
Yet more invective, opinion, and even humour, on the most discussed topic in the english language.Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.comBlogger166125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-23415237152457309502009-02-04T12:11:00.001+00:002009-02-04T12:12:49.311+00:00Elfin legend of ZenitArshavin signed after all.<br /><br />Perhaps he decided you can make a decent go of it for wages of 3.75 million after all.Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-20380031852656131562009-02-02T22:18:00.002+00:002009-02-02T22:22:24.491+00:00Elfin legend of ZenitAndre Arshavin will not be playing for Arsenal this season. A source close to Arshavin has said- and I quote- "life in England is more expensive – a car, a house, it's all more expensive in London, and he has to bring his family. He has one kid who is three years old, another who is one year old. It's ridiculous." Yes, ridiculous. How can anyone be expected to live on 3.75 million pounds a year (especially with sterling so low now)? It is simply ridiculous.Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-90103991622620961482009-02-02T17:40:00.003+00:002009-02-02T18:12:07.703+00:00Liverpool 'luckier' than other teams: Its OfficialThe <a href="http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/academic/sportscience/research/">sports science department at Portsmouth Uni </a> have been doing a very interesting study. They have been analysing the refereeing decisions made during premiership games over the last ten years, and made a series of <a href="http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~cook/movabletype/archives/graph_109.png">graphs</a> that measure whether the correct decision was made (according to the majority decision of a panel of amateur ref's who support all Premiership teams watching the games without commentary). The aim is to see whether some teams enjoy good or bad luck regards refereeing decisions. Unsurprisingly to anyone who has watched Liverpool recently, and seen the array of dreadful decisions normally in their favour, Liverpool come out as offically the "luckiest" team in the premiership; and by some margin. They were measured as a staggering 11.8% "luckier" than other teams who have competed in the premiership. <br /><br />Isn't science brilliant?!<br /><br />This of course puts Benitez' rants into perspective. Rafa doesn't need to moan about poor refereeing decisions as much as other managers- because his side are more often than not at the fortunate end of the poor decisions! <br /><br />For your interest most the luck is pretty evenly spread among the other teams. With the so called Big 4 on avergage about 3.7% more fortunate than the lesser gods. Within the margin of error. this did however rise to significant 5.2% for hoime fixtures. Read the results as you will.<br /><br />Relegated teams were about 0.5% unluckier than those that survied the season, which goes to prove that the fickle lady luck does have a big say on our fortunes after all.<br /><br />and who were unluckiest teams- both Sheffield United and Ipswich Town came off badly- 4% worse off than their rivals (on average) the seasons they were relegated. <br /><br />Whether the results of this study will be taken at all seriously by the sport's governing bodies remains to be seen.Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-79942211117667481892009-02-02T17:30:00.005+00:002009-02-02T17:39:16.053+00:00Guest PostA guest post from football betting guru 'Tom Mallows'. At least someone now gets paid for writing on this blog. (probably)<br /><br />In fairness to Tom the article ain't bad at all.<br /><br />Window shopping.<br /><br />There is no denying it; the media love the January transfer window. <br />What would normally be a dull, chilly winters day is transformed into a frenetic dash for players. Agents and chief executives race across Europe to finalise those last minute deals, medicals are going on all over the place, and <a href="http://betting.betfair.com/football/premiership/">football betting</a> goes into overdrive as numerous superstar footballers are “spotted” at grounds across the country. <br />Or so we are led to believe.<br />Sky are the best at it. They have reporters stationed at stadiums and training grounds across the country bringing the “latest breaking news” (they love that little yellow “Breaking News” bar that scrolls along the bottom of the screen) and even an agent in the studio with two mobile phones on the desk. Its pure theatre designed to keep us watching, and it works. Sky Sports News are masters at making stories when there is nothing going on and could happily fill hours of air time of Bryan Swanson telling us that Andrei Arshavin still hasn’t signed for Arsenal<br />But what if you are at work and can’t watch the action unfold? Well don’t worry the BBC website has a clock watch where any old Tom Dick or Harry can text in with their transfer scoop: “My brother’s girlfriend’s uncle works at Old Trafford and he has just seen Kaka in the club shop....” you get the picture. In fact I’m sure I remember Jermaine Defoe finding himself at four places at once on one transfer deadline day.<br />One thing that bothers me though is why try and do it all on the last day? There is something very British about waiting till the last minute to do something, like it is an after thought and you’ve been putting it off for weeks. It’s the footballing equivalent of dashing out on Christmas Eve to get the wife a present, all the stuff she wanted is gone but you hope that because what you get is expensive and gift wrapped she will like it.<br /> Talking of things costing enough step forward Man City. Last’s summers transfer window was turned completely on its head when the Arabs stepped in and started throwing money around. Kaka,Torres,Terry, the names all trickled along that yellow ticker, getting City fans more and more excited. Little did they know that Wayne Bridge and Craig Bellamy would be the highlight of their winter spending. <br />Love it or hate it the one thing that the window and the Sky’s hype does provide is hope - The one thing a football fan could not survive without. Even if their club’s season is going down the toilet they cling to the hope that the rumour about David Villa is true and their team can somehow magic millions out of thin air, beat the <a href="http://betting.betfair.com/football/premiership/">football odds</a> and clinch a dramatic window-busting signing.<br />Most of it is, of course, rubbish. Once the window slams shut we will all go back to work tomorrow and a sense of normality will return. <br />But for one day, we can sit with our fingers crossed and pray that the beautiful Georgie Thompson and her team of transfer hunters can deliver us that dream signing.....Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-76411365269284515942009-01-03T16:58:00.003+00:002009-01-03T17:08:26.817+00:00Mark Hughes has clearly beeneying the growing dole queues (95,000 and counting) in his native Wales with perverse envy. Robinho et al have clearly been on the sauce this new year. Man city 0 Notts Forest 3. No joke. <br /><br />Stack your giant killing cliches here:<br /><br />A Giant Killer came from the Forest this New year in Manchester<br /><br />Not since the days have Brian Clough have the Forest fans beenin dreamland.... <br /><br />OK though- it is this sort of result, unexpected, unpredictable, stained with the impossible, that makes football worthwhile sometimes.Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-31212297328126804842008-12-29T14:46:00.003+00:002008-12-29T14:49:35.040+00:00Feliz Navidadour somewhat random Christmas observations<br /><br />Johnny Evans has been playing. This presumably means, he wasn't allegedly raping anyone at this year's Man U Christmas party.<br /><br />Stevie Gerrard has been arrested, after allegedly bar brawling. He claims it was a fancy dress party and he was going as Joey Barton.Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-13107673142525267232008-12-22T14:40:00.005+00:002008-12-22T14:52:49.125+00:00Madrid replace DiarraReal Madrid have replaced holding midfielder Mahmoud Diarra with holding midfielder Diarra. Diarra has been struggling this season so his replacement of Diarra is seen as a natural choice. Real Madrid however deny that replacing Diarra with Diarra is a like for like measure. Diarra himself says "I do not want to be known as Diarra number 1 or Diarra number 2. Just call me Lass."<br /><br />The two Diarra's situation has been a source of confusion for some time.Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-9603075668816012092008-12-20T17:38:00.003+00:002008-12-20T17:41:12.322+00:00Excerpt From A US History Student's Essay on Womens' Liberation<span style="font-weight:bold;">"Women gained more freedoms as better household products allowed them to have more free time".</span><br /><br /><br />(Excerpted from Spangly Princess blog)Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-39566660278070605272008-12-20T17:24:00.001+00:002008-12-20T17:27:09.949+00:00Paul Ince and Roy Keane are wincing.Blackburn win 3-0.<br />Sunderland win 4-1.<br /><br />That must be a bit like watching your sexy but frigid ex enjoying a rebound gang-bang.Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-26027484309325325232008-12-18T16:22:00.002+00:002008-12-18T16:31:42.845+00:00Premiership PantoPoor Blackburn wants to reach the Promised Golden Land of European Football, but is having no luck getting there. With the hapless assistance of The Guvnor he's been involved in some scrapes but now the joke has gone too far and he's in the evil clutches of the Spectre Of Relegation (It's behind you!). Who Can save Blackburn? None other than reliable hero Shrek! Will he win the day (Oh yes he will) but will Blackburn reach European Football (Oh no they won't), not without the help of a Hairy Godmother, or a handsome Saudi Prince or two.<br /><br />Welcome back Sam Allardyce. <br /><br />PS- Whatever happened to Stuart Ripley?Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-50178933190035456352008-12-11T15:08:00.002+00:002008-12-11T15:11:34.233+00:00Possibly Inadvertent Gay Slur Part 1234 (2)"Nice lad Sol Campell. Get's a bad press sometimes. He's solid at the back. He's not a screamer mind. He just tries to get on with lads in the dressing room and just let what he does on the pitch do the talking. He's not a screamer though."Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-16183585535929029172008-12-11T15:00:00.002+00:002008-12-11T15:03:40.434+00:00Possibly Inadvertent Gay Slur Part 1234"Perhaps Anelka and Drogba will finish off together later on tonight"<br /><br />Possibly.Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-72897634674979591942008-12-09T00:14:00.004+00:002008-12-09T00:47:37.714+00:00Peter Reid was a dire managera man whose reputation as a player, he was a very good player to his credit, carried him only so far. As his reputation faded it was matched only by his inarticulacy. (actually, is that a proper word, or am I being remarkably inarticulate by supposing that 'inarticulacy' is a word, surely phrasing it differently would be wiser- WAS MATCHED ONLY BY BEING AWESOMELY INARTICULATE. Just as well I am not doing a stint on Football Focus otherwise I would look a right gibbering idiot.<br /><br />Anyway, Peter Reid is widely thought of as a crap manager. <br /><br />Then there was Mick Mcarthy. He, like Reid, managed Sunderland. He, unlike Reid was not a great player. And Roy Keane had told him so to. 'you were a crap player and you're a crap manager', or words to that effect splattered with more excessive expletives. Which brings me to Keane. Who was an excellent player, like Reid, and a bad manager, like both Reid and Mcarthy, and had a beard more ridiculous than either of them. Actually the beard was not all that bad, but it was silly. Beards can only be worn gracefully by writers and left-wingers. Preferably both. Anyone else- from Richard Branson to Noel Edmonds, looks like a cock in a beard. I think Keane realised this, only he was too stressed, and too depressed, to shave it off. Either that or he decided Gerry Adams was some kind of fashion icon. <br /><br />Gerry Adams of course can carry a beard- as he is a leftwinger. Oh, by the way, by left winger I mean those who, historically would have stood to the left Louis XVI in court, not those who grace the left of the football pitch and with pace and a touch of maverick genius get into good attacking positions. I've no idea if Gerry Adams, or che Guervara, or, Trotsky, were any good on the football pitch. <br /><br />Perhaps only people who are pretty crap at sport get into politics. But then how would that explain the most awful of breeds- ex sportsmen, or women, who get into politics. David Icke is the only sportsmen who got into politics that I have any time for. And that is because he suffers (or suffered) from an attractive form of dreadful self-delusion. Like he internalised the plot of THEY LIVE...<br /><br />Anyway, I digress. Roy Keane has gone. His managerial record is worse than both Reid's and Mcarthy's. But I reckon it is only a matter of time before someone gives him another chance to prove- in such high jest -dulce est playerium ab shit managerium. Or something.<br /><br />Lovely to see you all by the way.Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-9214994651540077292008-12-08T12:27:00.001+00:002008-12-08T12:28:13.448+00:00This blog will be operating again sometimeExpect a Pre-christmas rush a post Christmas sales.Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-11648699918193033102008-09-26T12:04:00.004+01:002008-09-26T12:22:10.278+01:00For Sale: Mike Ashley Voodoo DollsTense nervous headaches? Worried about the Newcastle chairman's tactics? Worried the team will slip the way of Sheffield Wednesday or Leeds?<br /><br />Then never fear! Find solace in superstition and magic! Buy these Mike Ashley likeness voodoo dolls- complete with sharp pointy pins and other stuff. Buy this avatar for malcontent. Do your bit to ensure Newcastle's future is as glorious as its past. It is not as if you can do anything else.<br /><br />Football Overdose's advice for Mike Ashley: If David O Leary appears to be the footballing answer then you are asking the wrong footballing question.<br /><br />Unfortunately for Newcastle Fans Mr reliable, Alan Curbishely, a specialist in mid-table obscurity- something Newcastle would surely settle on giving on how it is looking for them now- has ruled himself out of the running...<br /><br />The ideal situation would be for the mostly uninspiring mob that are the Newcastle players to somehow start playing like a team without the use of a coach- thereby providing an example to all of us that leaders are not as necessary as we think.<br /><br />I shan't be holding my breath for that one.Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-70368457261035888722008-09-19T22:10:00.003+01:002008-09-19T22:55:22.575+01:00If football was the economy part 1234#After weeks of uncertainty the premier league is set to survive after the collapse of Chelsea prompted speculation that the premier league would fall into the vacuum of its own arse thereby denying the world of football. The government has agreed to give the remaining clubs billions of $ of tax revenue, with no need to pay it back, in order to ensure that there will be football tomorrow. <br /><br />Investment in football leapt at the news and fans are said to be "relieved" that their clubs would be around this time next week, and their season tickets still valid. <br /><br />Government sources said "the prospect of losing the world's biggest clubs would leave the entire future of football in jeopardy. And the world without football is unthinkable." The poor would be left without entertainment, and the rich without tools for staying rich.<br /><br />Whether this government intervention is enough to save faith in football in the long run remains to be seen. One fan, wailing in the desert, said "the government never intervene in anything usually. They say to do so would interfere in the Darwinian style evolution of the 'free-market'. They say there is no money. They refuse to stump up the cash. When they intervene now it seems to prove nothing more than the inevitable necessity of nepotism."<br /><br />Either way it seems that after years of Republican rule in the US the global economy starts going backwards. This time the ruling administration will donate billions of pounds to the world's richest companies in order to help them preserve their self fulfilling status as the world's richest companies. For this we are supposed to be grateful, for the crumbs that intermittently fall from their table.<br /><br />This is our world and this is our history. It is a monkeyfucked fallacy. Football Is Not My God.Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-66365191557228403482008-09-11T13:13:00.003+01:002008-09-11T13:34:22.624+01:00They say a week is a long time in politics.90 mins is a long time in football. In the course of one single match england have gone from sulky underacheiving millionaire no-trys to world beaters once more. 4-1 against Croatia, heady days. <br /><br />A relieved Capello has urged calm, it is after all just one result. The media exalt baby faced assasin II Theo Walcott. Still not quite ready for regular first team action at Arsenal- scoring hat-tricks for England against much fancied opposition. <br /><br />Future headlines about this player could be:<br /><br />Theo and Only<br />Simply Theo Best<br />We Adore Theodore<br />These Boots will Walcott Over You<br />WalcROUT<br />Walc This Way<br />Theo Walcs the Walc<br /><br />In just a few more fine performances Walcott will have to become Walcs. This way the puns will become endless.<br /><br />Meanwhile Wales, dear Wales, have forgotten how to take penalties. Two penalty misses in two games. Lads, lads- just smash it towards the corner, that way even if the keeper guesses right he still can't save it. Practice doing this. Despite the miss Wales were unlucky to lose in Russia.<br /><br />Scotland meanwhile beat Iceland- which they should have done anyway.<br /><br />In the ex Pale territory Northern Ireland got a good draw against the Czechs.<br /><br />Gordon Brown wittered on about the football in his press conference today. Unable to answer a question on Angola but full of praise for 'Walcs'. Just what we need from a PM.Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-48983840171759032922008-09-02T14:18:00.003+01:002008-09-02T14:30:04.025+01:00And now Kevin Keegan is quitting(again).<br /><br />I haven't read the full story yet but I am guessing he will say, in his post-quit press conference "I'm not a quitter, and I love this club, it is a BIG CLUB, and one of the best in the world. My heart is with Newcastle. But I honestly think I have taken the club as far as I can. Someone better than me needs to take over this club, in order to take it where is deserves to be." He'll then prattle on and the words BIG CLUB will contiue to trip out of his gob, every other sentence, or more.<br /><br />Dennis Wise, who reportedly turned down the chance to co-star in the latest Guy Richie film, is tipped to take over.<br /><br /><strong>Keegan's record as manager</strong><br /><br />Newcastle- Quit<br />Fulham- Quit<br />England- Quit<br />Man City- Quit<br />Newcastle- Quit (again)<br /><br />Never has anyone been more skilled in the art of making an exit.<br /><br /><br />Football Overdose is sad to see him go. Together with Schteve Mclaren he is easy target numero uno.Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-8175491399244821832008-09-02T12:51:00.004+01:002008-09-02T13:19:07.629+01:00Transfer Deadline ShocksKuwaiti House Of Sabah buy Stoke City!<br /><br />Potter's fans "stunned" and "delighted" at audacious last minute £500 million purchases of Messi, Ronaldinho, Arshavin, and, weirdly, Robert Earnshaw.<br /><br />Man City's surprise purchase by the Abu Dhabi group also raised a few eyebrows. As did their signing of Robinho for £30 million+. Chelsea's Roman Abramovic is said to be so disappointed at the news, having tried himself to sign Robinho for several fruitless months, he called a disgruntled Peter Kenyon in for an emergency debriefing in his underwater bunker in the Baltic Sea. His finger allegedly hovering over the Pirhanna Pool Trapdoor.<br /><br />Finally,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islom_Karimov">Islom Karimov</a> the brutal Central Asian Dictator has announced he is retiring from politics and acid bathing his opponents and plans instead to buy out Bill Kenright, the cheerful Evertonian theatre empressario. The blue side of merseyside are said to be "dead chuffed like", as his laundered billions will bolster a team who only just managed to sign a crocked Saha and some Belgian who impressed in one game against Liverpool as the transfer window thankfully slammed shut and became airtight for another few months.<br /><br />Can you spot the lies from the reality???!!!Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-15834283587517755912008-08-28T09:32:00.003+01:002008-08-28T09:49:23.253+01:00Liverpool fluke it (again)Liverpool somehow found a way passed a "courageous" Liege team last night, with Dirk Kuyt providing a very late winner. <br /><br />This result is really one of the litany of Liverpool last gasp wins/escapes. It seems every season Liverpool conspire to make the results as close as possible. This makes for high drama, and helps explain the clubs appeal beyond the permed confines of Merseyside.<br /><br />There is a top 10 but because of the constraints of time ie I do this blog while pretending to work- I'm going to concentrate on just three.<br /><br />Liverpool's Top 3 European Seatedgers:<br /><br />3) Madrid 0 Liverpool 1.<br /><br />Alan Kennedy scores in the 82 minute.<br /><br />2) Deportivo Alaves 4 Liverpool 5 <br /><br />I am so glad I went to the pub to watch this one. I have a prize for anyone who can remember, without googling, who scored the winner.<br /><br />1) AC Milan 3 Liverpool 3<br /><br />Liverpool were 3 0 down to a good Milan side at half time, I almost left the pub but stayed to giggle at scouser carnage and shattered dreams. In the canon of greatest comebacks of all time.Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-79653145339544765572008-08-26T10:54:00.006+01:002008-08-26T11:26:05.590+01:00Did anyone else see the olympic send off?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5AdbvD42fRuBhM1pvg1NYuFL5m8J34-x-PY-edmDp1JqQW_QtNgxEb7FS_1F4_wPNIM6HopJ2WyQIFkfsNR6cAKELtX6Iv_IqlJbNqN88GSGi8rZ52wQDqTx_wmkzk_dYStA7zqtWGo/s1600-h/539w.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5AdbvD42fRuBhM1pvg1NYuFL5m8J34-x-PY-edmDp1JqQW_QtNgxEb7FS_1F4_wPNIM6HopJ2WyQIFkfsNR6cAKELtX6Iv_IqlJbNqN88GSGi8rZ52wQDqTx_wmkzk_dYStA7zqtWGo/s200/539w.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238770506278483138" /></a> Johnson: How much is this going to cost?<br /><br /><br />Boris Johnson revelling in the great folding and unfurling of the ceremonial Olympic tablecloth. Ken Livingstone must have been shitting blood as he hissed to himself "it should have been me there!".<br /><br />Oddly enough Britain chose to transport the Olympic message onwards towards London in the form of The Last (and only) Red Convertible Routemaster bus. A strange red contraption with legendary handling, and a roof that peels back to reveal none other than David Beckham and Jimmy Page on demand, as well as weird plastic models of famous British landmarks. The only thing missing was a miniature Stonehenge and dancing midgets. It predictably arrived late into the Birds Nest stadium, much to the consternation of the awaiting all-singing all-dancing Big Issue vendors with umbrellas,(assembled especially for the occasion by none other than Sebastian Coe) who, in the style of contemporary dance, rushed to enter all at once only to discover the doors had jammed. "Can you move down please". They then prostrated themselves on the walls of the vehicle, and enacted some Bosch like rite as Bejing moshed to the strains of Whole Lotta Love. Surreal does not even begin to cover it. Shite is not sufficient either. 'Best of British' probably has it cornered.<br /><br />Anyway, as he waved folded, and unfurled, the ceremonial Olympic tablecloth you could see Boris' horrible doll like shark eyes calculating. "How much is this going to cost?", and he forced a false smile, before being lost once again in the magic of the moment. Roll on 2012.Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-65287074417496792242008-08-21T11:34:00.005+01:002008-08-21T15:05:57.612+01:00I didn't see England play last nightBut I see the scoreline is 2-2. Call me neutral but is that not too bad a result against the Czech Republic? they are a good team. Sure it is the sort of game England should hope to win, but equally, it is the sort of game you will draw or lose sometimes too. These Czechs are no mugs.<br /><br />Or did England play really, really, badly? And were lucky to get off with a draw?Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-4824742453788619332008-08-20T16:31:00.006+01:002008-08-20T16:42:08.469+01:00what is up with Sue Ryder Barker's microphone?That handsfree sponge microphone she wears on her face? It looks like some kind of growth. Why is no else wearing a growth like microphone?<br />What has Gabby Yorath done with her hair? It looks great.<br /><br />Leaving aside important matters like these for a moment- haven't Argentina done well. Felicitaciones chicos. They have reached the Olympic final and I totally expect my pre-competition favourites to duly dispatch of Nigeria.<br /><br />This generation of Argentine footballers are seriously talented. They are akin to england's so called golden generation. Here's hoping that unlike england this group of players pull their fingers out their arse and actually win a major trophy. Or maybe you aren't all hoping that, maybe instead you are all hoping that they crash and burn and fail to deliver. Whatever. As you were.<br /><br />Dale Argentina!<br /><br />PS- I used to live in Argentina- I'm allowed to like them.Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-24539450099055537282008-08-18T08:37:00.004+01:002008-08-18T08:55:55.585+01:00David Moyes is widely credited to have'sown silk purses from sow's ears' at Goodison Park. And while this might be a bit harsh on some talented players- Cahil, Yakubu, and Arteta being some- the overall analysis is accurate. Moyes has proved a canny manager, one of the best, and Everton have kicked above their weight. But for how much longer?<br /><br />Despite relative success when compared to other premiership teams the closed season has seen a grand total of NO SIGNINGS on the transfer market. Everton are without new faces. Meanwhile Everton warhorses, like Carlsely and Johnson, have moved onto to pastures new. So a threadbare squad, that struggled to deliver when key personnel were missing last year, is now even thinner. Oh dear. <br /><br />Just what else Moyes can achieve, when the squads around him are strengthening, is open to debate. Take this weekend's result against Blackburn- Everton eventually succumbed to 3-2. It was a good game by all reports. But this is just the sort of game Everton would have won last season, and failing that they would certainly have salvaged a point. Under Moyes' tenure Everton have made a habit of winning tight games, and if a few of these start running against them we could see the Toffees providing backbone to the other half of the table this season.<br /><br />So new faces at Goodison would inject life and vigour into the squad, create a bit more competition for first team places. And as a unit Everton lack nothing but creativity in the middle of the park. New signings could brings this too. Without fresh faces I fear we could see this ship on the Mersey begin to sink.<br /><br />What is more, having achieved what he has, if I were David Moyes, and there was not even one new signing by the close of the transfer window- I'd quit. How can any ambitious manager move a club forward without any transfer kitty?Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123631212765965518.post-38898183936499053082008-08-14T11:21:00.002+01:002008-08-14T11:41:27.714+01:00League PredictionOne area of controversy here, the rest is guess work.<br /><br />Chelsea<br />Man U<br />Arsenal<br />Villa ?!<br />Liverpool<br />Spurs<br />Man City<br />Portsmouth<br />Everton<br />West Ham<br />Boro<br />Newcastle<br />Fulham<br />Blackburn<br />Sunderland<br />West Brom<br />Bolton<br />Stoke<br />HullChris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03802552540510622816noreply@blogger.com0