Oh boy did Liverpool turn up the heat and top the league once more since that Christmas period, and in what style. One can be forgiven for taking an excitement at the bottom end of the table, but who can blame you given the performance of Aston Villa and Crystal Palace against Chelsea last week and this week, and a scare Fulham gave to Everton? At least up to 34 points, any team can still be sucked in there. The Cottagers were denied by the heroics of Tim Howard to dispatch Everton. Palace could have put away 4 clear balls past Petr Cech.
At least Arsenal turned up and put up a fight against real contenders in Manchester City. They gave us a show that was displayed by Manchester United against Aston Villa earlier on. Villa were also victims of their finishing as the usually lethal Cristian Benteke was lethargic. United's 4-1 win was refreshing just to shake up the mid-table fight with poor Tottenham Hotspur and Everton.
The Liverpool 2-1 win over Sunderland made me feel I was watching champions. For the first time, the Reds feel they have their destiny at their feet. They carry themselves around the pitch like they have won it already and that should worry City. It may be easy to think Chelsea are out, but as with Arsenal, their story is still being told. The Kop was that cathedral of football of old as they slaughtered hapless Tim Sherwood's sorry Spurs.
When it come to the Gunners, I always preached my stale gospel of Benteke. I used to drive the Demba Ba version too. Let me be fresher; Arsene Wenger should shop for Mousa Dembele from Spurs. His usefulness under Tim Sherwood has passed its sell-by date as did Emmanuel Adebayor under AVB. He is the solid Patrick Viera they have lacked in years. Mikel Arteta is a good holding player who can have a role elsewhere in that team. He may be released to forward positions where he can score as he did at Goodson Park.
As for the log leaders, they now impose their play and their attitude is one of arrogance and bullying, synonymous with champions. They have their records but we are for the analysis here. We think it could be decided by the visit of Man City to Anfield. Many factor Chelsea but The Reds do not need to beat Chelsea if they can overpower City and win the remaining fixtures. It is in their own hands, I meet feet.
Showing posts with label Tottenham Hotspurs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tottenham Hotspurs. Show all posts
Monday, March 31, 2014
Friday, March 21, 2014
Spurs football is too sterile
The English Premier League has been a see-saw affair of performances at the top and bottom and the individual team comics in terms of form and consistency. Liverpool and Chelsea do have a better record of late, so do Arsenal. As for Manchester City, the unpredictability is a worry for the gaffer and fans alike.
What catches my attention is the flatness of Tottenham Hotspur. This comes after comments by Tim Sherwood that they had a better game than the Gunners in the London derby. Passing and attacking are one thing and then penetration and scoring another. Spurs play a game flatter than unleavened bread.
The lack of the final telling pass leaves all their work redundant. The killer pass eludes them. For all the ball they see and lay, their entry into the final third causes minimum threat and there is very little to worry the opposition, It is that mode that see them fail in Europe and struggle to threaten the top four sides in the league.
Spurs are a team of interest to the neutral if you consider their run under Harry Redknapp during their days with Gareth Bale. Bale was a great player but the Londoners were a finer unit until the arrival of Andreas Villas Boas. Sherwood has not added value to their play save for team selection. I wonder if the players feel they are undone by the results but there is nothing the football gods can do to reward an uninspiring play.
There is so much regress in their game and one day, they will wake up and smell the coffee. Sherwood needs to upgrade, and fast.
What catches my attention is the flatness of Tottenham Hotspur. This comes after comments by Tim Sherwood that they had a better game than the Gunners in the London derby. Passing and attacking are one thing and then penetration and scoring another. Spurs play a game flatter than unleavened bread.
The lack of the final telling pass leaves all their work redundant. The killer pass eludes them. For all the ball they see and lay, their entry into the final third causes minimum threat and there is very little to worry the opposition, It is that mode that see them fail in Europe and struggle to threaten the top four sides in the league.
Spurs are a team of interest to the neutral if you consider their run under Harry Redknapp during their days with Gareth Bale. Bale was a great player but the Londoners were a finer unit until the arrival of Andreas Villas Boas. Sherwood has not added value to their play save for team selection. I wonder if the players feel they are undone by the results but there is nothing the football gods can do to reward an uninspiring play.
There is so much regress in their game and one day, they will wake up and smell the coffee. Sherwood needs to upgrade, and fast.
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Highlanders and local football must learn
As Liverpool face Tottenham Hotspur today, many see it as a Luiz Suarez versus Gareth Bale, the same way it becomes a Messi v Ronaldo in La Liga El Classico. The inconsistent Liverpool can beat anybody but Spurs are buoyed by incredible performances that have made the world stop and watch, in most cases, Bale.
Statistically, it is with good reason given how Bale scored incredible goals of high importance. Suarez for Liverpool has been a revelation for comparably the same reason, but in this fixture and in all Spurs performances, if one watches football, there is one man of incredible quality and work-rate.
In the whole league, I can only think of his rival as one Yaya Toure but only just. This top-class performer is Mousa Dembele. Bale's individual brilliance is God-given, but the tactical freedom permitting his versatile escapades are a result of the solidity provided by the Belgian. You may have noticed that by now, and if not, take note.
The Orlando Pirates visit to Kaizer Chiefs at the National Stadium (FNB/Soccer City) will be beamed to over a 110 million homes this afternoon. This takes both brands around the world and soon other planets will be interested. It is the work of the clubs, Supersport and the ABSA Premier League marketing ventures that have seen this product in demand or marketed this well.
Pirates need the points much more than Chiefs but their recent form has been questionable as to whether the quest to retain the title is feat achievable. For the neutrals, that is not even important and that is right. I do not want to dwell on the possibilities there but rather admire the abilities of the people from whom neighbouring country leagues could copy and paste.
Highlanders Football Club of Zimbabwe particularly need to take notes. Not all the money generated will be banked by Chiefs as the home team, nor be shared between them and Pirates. There is an individual making a killing as a man. The process, contrary to Bosso beliefs, is not milking. It is called 'busibess'.
Highlanders are perennially broke and have been beggars for time immemorial. They spend most of the time negotiating the structuring of payment or scrapping the bills with debtors. Many years back, we suggested that they engage money-hungry and success-loving people with a strong business acumen to harness the small potential the brand 'Highlander - Bosso' has.
Many of us have tried to approach the club Executive committee with ideas requiring no input from the club, team, players or leadership. The negative responses were that people wanted to take advantage of the club. That is very true and that is exactly business. If a man used Highlanders name to make $10, it surely cost over $7 to make that $10 anywhere in the world, whatever the product. Sharing the remaining $3 with Highlanders on a 50-50 basis is no robbery and that is exactly what the club does not understand.
The Highlanders Executive committee wanted the whole $10 banked in their coffers, a comical understanding of the business mind. Nothing works that way in the world and the 50-50 is the extreme best. The astute businessmen would come up with deals whereby the club benefited 50 cents out of the $3 profit considering the running costs of a business empire. That one enriches himself by banking as much as the team at $1,50 is being naive.
Now, Bosso is not getting $1.50 per item of anything anywhere. They could be getting 10, 100 or 1000 of those, or 10000, a 100000 or even 1000000 from many sources. That should be irrespective of what the source is getting, but in known cases, that has been made clear but the born of contention has always been that people wanted to enrich themselves using the club name.
I would be a billionaire and make Bosso a millionaire and if that is bad, let the woes continue.
Statistically, it is with good reason given how Bale scored incredible goals of high importance. Suarez for Liverpool has been a revelation for comparably the same reason, but in this fixture and in all Spurs performances, if one watches football, there is one man of incredible quality and work-rate.
In the whole league, I can only think of his rival as one Yaya Toure but only just. This top-class performer is Mousa Dembele. Bale's individual brilliance is God-given, but the tactical freedom permitting his versatile escapades are a result of the solidity provided by the Belgian. You may have noticed that by now, and if not, take note.
The Orlando Pirates visit to Kaizer Chiefs at the National Stadium (FNB/Soccer City) will be beamed to over a 110 million homes this afternoon. This takes both brands around the world and soon other planets will be interested. It is the work of the clubs, Supersport and the ABSA Premier League marketing ventures that have seen this product in demand or marketed this well.
Pirates need the points much more than Chiefs but their recent form has been questionable as to whether the quest to retain the title is feat achievable. For the neutrals, that is not even important and that is right. I do not want to dwell on the possibilities there but rather admire the abilities of the people from whom neighbouring country leagues could copy and paste.
Highlanders Football Club of Zimbabwe particularly need to take notes. Not all the money generated will be banked by Chiefs as the home team, nor be shared between them and Pirates. There is an individual making a killing as a man. The process, contrary to Bosso beliefs, is not milking. It is called 'busibess'.
Highlanders are perennially broke and have been beggars for time immemorial. They spend most of the time negotiating the structuring of payment or scrapping the bills with debtors. Many years back, we suggested that they engage money-hungry and success-loving people with a strong business acumen to harness the small potential the brand 'Highlander - Bosso' has.
Many of us have tried to approach the club Executive committee with ideas requiring no input from the club, team, players or leadership. The negative responses were that people wanted to take advantage of the club. That is very true and that is exactly business. If a man used Highlanders name to make $10, it surely cost over $7 to make that $10 anywhere in the world, whatever the product. Sharing the remaining $3 with Highlanders on a 50-50 basis is no robbery and that is exactly what the club does not understand.
The Highlanders Executive committee wanted the whole $10 banked in their coffers, a comical understanding of the business mind. Nothing works that way in the world and the 50-50 is the extreme best. The astute businessmen would come up with deals whereby the club benefited 50 cents out of the $3 profit considering the running costs of a business empire. That one enriches himself by banking as much as the team at $1,50 is being naive.
Now, Bosso is not getting $1.50 per item of anything anywhere. They could be getting 10, 100 or 1000 of those, or 10000, a 100000 or even 1000000 from many sources. That should be irrespective of what the source is getting, but in known cases, that has been made clear but the born of contention has always been that people wanted to enrich themselves using the club name.
I would be a billionaire and make Bosso a millionaire and if that is bad, let the woes continue.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
United beaten by Norwich as Arsenal gun Spurs
Manchester United earned my praises last week and went on to flop. I hammered Arsenal and they proved me wrong. I can tell you both of these cases are temporary.
United were disjointed by a gutsy Norwich top-drawer performance that was capped by a wonderful goal that was preceded by a mouth-watering build-up of intrinsic inter-passing.
The Gunners were gifted easy goals by Tottenham Hotspur defence that leaked elephants. Never will you see more atrocious defending, even if they tried harder to beat their own record.
The 1-0 loss to Norwich meant United will serve coffee to their 'winning neighbours' until they decide to restore order. Manchester City clobbered Aston Villa 5 without reply. I was very much disappointed for the find of the season contender, Benteke. That is a fantastic player.
Spurs proved that they are not fighters and their tactical quality was so questionable as they failed to have a meaningful plan to turn their one man numerical disadvantage into something. It was left to Gareth Bale individual brilliance to light up things a little.
5-2 was a modest result, given the Gunners turned up and played a much positive game. Only that Arsene Wenger's men do not know the league is 38 matches long, they could easily dispatch a lot of teams with that performance. We await the team that will turn up in their following matches.
City were a little solid and bulldozed a bemused Villa team that was nervous. They conceded the 2nd and 3rd goals when they could have comeback into it.
Let us mention Liverpool. A two goal salvo by the unpopular Luis Suarez saw the Reds run away 3-0 winners. I only want to talk a little about Sterling. What a young talent. I pray he stays in good hands that will believe in him. I am reminded of one Harris from West Ham, some season or two ago.
Whatever happened to that star. I hope he will resurface somewhere sometime soon.
United were disjointed by a gutsy Norwich top-drawer performance that was capped by a wonderful goal that was preceded by a mouth-watering build-up of intrinsic inter-passing.
The Gunners were gifted easy goals by Tottenham Hotspur defence that leaked elephants. Never will you see more atrocious defending, even if they tried harder to beat their own record.
The 1-0 loss to Norwich meant United will serve coffee to their 'winning neighbours' until they decide to restore order. Manchester City clobbered Aston Villa 5 without reply. I was very much disappointed for the find of the season contender, Benteke. That is a fantastic player.
Spurs proved that they are not fighters and their tactical quality was so questionable as they failed to have a meaningful plan to turn their one man numerical disadvantage into something. It was left to Gareth Bale individual brilliance to light up things a little.
5-2 was a modest result, given the Gunners turned up and played a much positive game. Only that Arsene Wenger's men do not know the league is 38 matches long, they could easily dispatch a lot of teams with that performance. We await the team that will turn up in their following matches.
City were a little solid and bulldozed a bemused Villa team that was nervous. They conceded the 2nd and 3rd goals when they could have comeback into it.
Let us mention Liverpool. A two goal salvo by the unpopular Luis Suarez saw the Reds run away 3-0 winners. I only want to talk a little about Sterling. What a young talent. I pray he stays in good hands that will believe in him. I am reminded of one Harris from West Ham, some season or two ago.
Whatever happened to that star. I hope he will resurface somewhere sometime soon.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Manchester United will get it
No matter how you look at it, this one for Manchester United is in the bag. For the umpteenth time this season and for almost forever in their life time, the Red Devils benefited from from the middle man's decisions. Not that there is anything wrong with that, or that there is something they do outside football to benefit.
Teams make up their own luck and for those decisions to be given, United take the ball to the crucial areas at the right time. While other teams may feel under the same circumstances, they needed the benefit of the doubt from the referees, United are the chosen ones.
As they are largely the recipients of the all necessary mercies of the whistle, the biggest victims had been Tottenham Hotspur, who may have been title contenders to date. Queens Park Rangers may play in a different league for being unlucky and for having played United yesterday.
The most exciting layer for me in the league for the past three seasons has been Ashley Young. Young was clearly offside yesterday. He was off balance when that minimum contact was made. The referee was convinced the player was pushed off the ball and the penalty, dispatched by Wayne Rooney, was awarded and the offender sent off.
All comments and opinions on United are academic to the Red Devils faithfuls. To the rest, the question of the quality of United as a team, Sir Alex Ferguson as a manager and Wayne Rooney as a top striker come into play.
As any athlete aided by wind, United are unstoppably cruising. For their quality, arch-rivals, Manchester City did not do themselves any favours by losing to a determined Arsenal who played their match of the season. City should know the United luck well enough to have dug deeper.
At the moment of truth, they buckled and warped. As in any flat platform without a hierarchy, the expensively assembled team of over payed players became pre-occupied in restoring the order without paying much attention to the slipping title.
As of now, it is gone. Gone with the wind. Until another team stumble on the luck of United, the English Premier League will be predictably boring.
For now, the battle for third is far more interesting than what many think is the best league in the world. Or is it?
Teams make up their own luck and for those decisions to be given, United take the ball to the crucial areas at the right time. While other teams may feel under the same circumstances, they needed the benefit of the doubt from the referees, United are the chosen ones.
As they are largely the recipients of the all necessary mercies of the whistle, the biggest victims had been Tottenham Hotspur, who may have been title contenders to date. Queens Park Rangers may play in a different league for being unlucky and for having played United yesterday.
The most exciting layer for me in the league for the past three seasons has been Ashley Young. Young was clearly offside yesterday. He was off balance when that minimum contact was made. The referee was convinced the player was pushed off the ball and the penalty, dispatched by Wayne Rooney, was awarded and the offender sent off.
All comments and opinions on United are academic to the Red Devils faithfuls. To the rest, the question of the quality of United as a team, Sir Alex Ferguson as a manager and Wayne Rooney as a top striker come into play.
As any athlete aided by wind, United are unstoppably cruising. For their quality, arch-rivals, Manchester City did not do themselves any favours by losing to a determined Arsenal who played their match of the season. City should know the United luck well enough to have dug deeper.
At the moment of truth, they buckled and warped. As in any flat platform without a hierarchy, the expensively assembled team of over payed players became pre-occupied in restoring the order without paying much attention to the slipping title.
As of now, it is gone. Gone with the wind. Until another team stumble on the luck of United, the English Premier League will be predictably boring.
For now, the battle for third is far more interesting than what many think is the best league in the world. Or is it?
Thursday, March 22, 2012
The moment of truth
Amongst the many things we have always
believed and wanted to believe, wouldn't it be nice for a while to honour up
and face the moment of truth? There are simply things that we cannot change,
like it or not.
To make it flow better, I will start with
the sore truth, though it is like swallowing a complete fully-grown half-matured
prickle pear. Tottenham Hotspur are finished. They are not good enough.
Arsenal are back with a bang. This, I
was told and deliberately refused to heed. The Gunners tried to convince me
that they would be back.
This is as painful as typing that
Manchester United are the real deal. It does not matter how they play and who
the referee is, they lead the English Premier League. I am not counting out
Manchester City out yet, but, why in the world are United on top?
I would have been convinced to say
Liverpool are back, but there is so much negativity about the reds. The Suarez
stories of racism and their failure to send a 'get well soon' message to
Fabrice Muamba on time, if ever the finally did, is one thing, but their
blowing hot and cold with the chilling consistency needs mention. Exactly when
you think they are back, they are gone.
One performance by their Captain
Fantastic made them think they own the world and started the blasphemy that
Steve Gerrard is the best ever at Anfield. Well enough and all are forgiven for
thinking that since they had forgotten how to play Liverpool. Those who know
the game, will tell you that you did not watch the 1980s squad to say that
statement. It did not need Liverpool supporters to know John Barnes, Ian Rush,
Peter Beardsley, Jan Molby, John Aldridge and Bruce Grobelaar among others.
Anyway, that's off topic.
Folks, like we have always said about
how bad South African was, underlined by Orlando Pirates' loss to Angolan
champions, we hereby bow and accept the Barclays Premier League is mediocre. I
take a sip of water as I say this, as it does not go down well even with me.
The idea that La Liga is just a two
horse race and that the EPL is the real deal, given that the 'minnows' account
for the scalps of 'giants' once is a while, and that the race is always decided
at the end, is over-rated. How many English teams remain in the Champions
League? How many are in the Europa League? Only Chelsea are still in the
Champions League.
The English champions are not even good
enough for the semis of the European second tier Cup. By contrast, La Liga has
two representatives in each and may win both. Real Madrid and Barcelona may
even play the final. Valencia and Athletico Madrid may take the Europa.
La Liga boast of the World Player of
the Year, and has consistently produced one over time. They have produced more
European Champions.
And by the way, another hard one to
take for many, Lionel Messi is the greatest player of all time and Manchester City need Carlos Tevez.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Man U won when they had to and Spurs lost the match they needed to lose.
In the interesting weekend events are highlighted by the
final arrival of Wayne Rooney to the goal scoring charts and the baby cry from
Spurs over their loss to Stoke City. Both teams are my favourite in the English
Premier League and for different reasons.
Firstly and more importantly, Manchester United stood up to
be counted and played a match they deserved to win on the balance of play. It
could have been a result of a wake up call after the Red Devils found themselves
booking a Europa League ticket when they had the opportunity of the real deal,
the UEFA Champions League.
Barely a week after I tore their football behaviour to
shreds, they picked themselves up, dusted off old form and scored a vital
victory that even put neighbouring arch rivals off balance. Moneyed Manchester
City came unstuck against a determined Chelsea and lost 1-2 on Monday night to
keep United just 2 points behind them.
Victory for the Blues saw them climb to 3rd,
replacing Tottenham Hotspur who lost a thriller at Stoke. Spurs are 4th
on goal difference but they will be back and this is why.
For the few days before the next match, manager Harry Redknapp
will be at pains to complement a good effort the team made and how the obvious
blunders cost them an arm and a leg. He will tell the players they did a good
job. That psychological massage has a sell-by date - the first half of the next
match.
Spurs will feel like doubling their efforts to fend off
committed teams and incompetent officials to make a statement about the Stoke
match. The first 45 minutes of that match will show a resolute spirit of a
wounded lion. Whether they will have anything to show for their sweat and
blood, is another story.
The manager will get into that dressing room bellowing and
barking at everyone about either failing to score half a dozen goals or just a
single one for that matter. Either way, his point would be, ‘you think you have
done enough, you think you are playing well. Do you think this is acceptable?
Have you forgotten all your toil at Stoke City? What have you to show for it?
Nothing! Nothing! You think I will accept this? No! Never! I want more and now.
This will be so regardless of the goals Spurs will have
bagged by then. This line of thought will be the Spurs technical department
strength and weapon. This makes Spurs more dangerous to play against. The
problem will be the match officials who may want to prove a point. The referees
may decide to compete with the inept officiating that was so embarrassing that
the diplomatic Harry forgot his art of being a Mr Nice guy.
Let’s forget about bad jobs and talk about the good job
Stoke did. City came in charged and with a particular game plan to make Spurs
not to play. That killed all the flow Spurs would have. Gareth Bale, Rafael van
der Vaart and Luka Modric never arrived till half time. Aaron Lennon was
isolated and that eliminated Emmanuel Adebayour. To note, Scott Parker
contributed more to Stoke’s cause and he donated possession with his usual
precision.
That aside, the usual suspect in long throw-ins, Delap, was
benched and that was enough to fool Assou Ekotto to push balls out for
throw-ins. In the first half alone, and from the same spot, there were over 5
dangerous throw-ins by Shotton. Two of those were fatal.
Many can say that Redknapp was fed his own medicine. He has
always been a fan of Peter Crouch. He loves target men who have an eye for
goal. Crouch did not have to do much, but in Gallas and Kaboul, you could see
Harry’s fear in them. They had no solution to his threat. Etherington, being
ex-Spurs, like many others, cherished punishing the former pay master.
As much as Spurs toiled in vain and were surely robbed in
broad daylight and with so many people watching, and the officials erred big
time, Stoke worked well for their victory. It is not like it came on a silver
platter. They should be commended for the way they made Spurs not play football
for a moment, that when they actually did, City had goals to show for their
efforts.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
What football is the world watching?
Being bemused that United are out of the Champions League shows you are not watching football that is being played by the reigning Barclays Premier League champions, or the Barclays Premier League for that matter. The cyber space is literally littered with surprise comments and stories concerning the exit of faded Manchester United and moneyed Manchester City from the UEFA Champions League. United fans are basically shuttered while their foes are in jubilation.
Taking the current season by storm, City gave people the impression to be the real deal, which they might be soon, but for now, we have seen the separation of boys from men. Football is not played by hearts and emotions. Man U have not played football in ages and I have said it a million and one times, attracting the wrath of their faithfuls. Those receptive to facts and truth will attest to these claims.
There is two types of playing badly and winning. Sir Alex Ferguson has given us both in his colourful stay at Old Trafford. Only that now United have made it a tradition week in and week out to dish out the stale stuff and the bullied teams have just showed up and donated points. This charity only lasted in the Premiership. There are no favours in Europe.
To draw the contrast, on a regular basis, Manchester United have been well below par and that is being polite, because frankly, they have been boring. There is not much to say if the team is winning. However, there is Tottenham Hotspur, who will be out of sorts and pull off a stunt or two to win the match. The difference is the genuine failure to impress because their opposition come better prepared. Other teams make it a priority to stop Spurs from playing. United play badly no matter what.
Arsenal, who qualified well in advance, had the same problem of playing badly because al else went out to make their match unplayable. In those days, they also lost matches playing well sometimes. As for now, as a very mediocre team, writing about the Gunners is a strength supping exercise. You need a very good heart to finish their story.
Arsene Wenger has done well to win it with a match to spare and he had actually predicted the hard times at Manchester in qualifying. The superstitious will feel jinxed but then, who wanted to see the boring UEFA Champions League matches in the knock out stages! Well, as for Chelsea, it was a job well done, but frankly, the jubilation is only limited to qualifying. There is no rightful fan who will be banking on their passage after their inconsistency that is rumoured to emanate from dressing room issues.
Many believe that coach AVB is being undermined by seniors at Stanford Bridge because of his youthfulness. I do not buy that. Either it is his football or the general sabotage from his backroom staff. His troubles are a shade worse than Roberto Mancini of Manchester City. While the Citizens are sitting pretty on the EPL log, I am not convinced all is at peace. Carlos Tevez is finally going to Italy and he will surely fire parting shots soon.
Leading the EPL standings is a good feat and we will be asking questions when push comes to shove. The staying power will be vital and given the false impression that both Manchesters will perform better in the league as they devote their time and undivided attention to the domestic game, that may actually be their undoing. Chelsea have the experience to take the advantage of the dropped heads at both camps. It was going to be Arsenal and Liverpool's time to rise and shine, but they are far off the pace.
As much as I like the Spurs play, for them to have a say will need great character and an extra ordinary 4 months to win the Championship. If their game is anything to go by, this could be their time. I will not count them in but it is not impossible, but this is not about the England, but Europe.
This whole picture tells a story. The runaway leaders of the league and the reigning champions are out of Europe; the most feared teams with huge budgets. Is the league now so small? Maybe not, given that the nobodies of the league as in Chelsea and Arsenal are in with a shout.
Frankly, both will surprise me by passing through the next round. It will take a miracle. I think either England is finished or the rest of Europe is coming up. Generally, the English game has been a faded history affair since the 1966 FIFA World Cup. The national team has been near, yet so far in both the World Cup and the European Championship.
I would hate to gon political, but unavoidably, there may be a man grinning ear to ear at this strange state of affair. Recently, there has been racial stories rocking the English game and then FIFA President , Sepp Blatter of Switzerland. United lost to a Swiss side, Basel, in Switzerland, the land of Blatter.
The English FA has been accused to be soft and moving slowly in dealing with the John Terry and Luis Suarez racial issues while calling for the FIFA boss, Blatter, to resign. It sounded hypocritical but could his toasting at the trivial victory of the loss of the English team be justified? I guess he can say he is having the last laugh. Many believe he hates England and he is football enemy number one.
Thinking for a moment that United and City will have the advantage in the domestic game, or that they had diminished interest in the competition is notorious. They wanted it so bad and now that they are out, they are doomed, United more than City. Even the Europa League they will participate in will take a toll on them. They may want to use the league as a punch back for their fringe players.
The concept may work or kill the rhythm of the team. The merits of the state of affairs will be seem in not so distant future. At the end of the day, fans and foes of United seem to be feeling hurt and celebrating respectively. SAF was quoted as saying, "Of course we are disappointed. There is no other way you can feel. We had so much possession and opportunities in the last third but the finishing part of our game, you have to say, has let us down. We were careless. We let ourselves down badly."
With all due respect, this is a very dishonest statement. The respected mentor should have known ages ago, before last season, that his non-deserved wins will catch up with him. If I saw it, come on, SAF should have known better, and not just yesterday or last year. The writing has been on the whole in flashing LED coloured flashing lights.
What is boring about this is the general observation of United’s mediocrity only now by so many. I don’t know what football the world is watching.
Taking the current season by storm, City gave people the impression to be the real deal, which they might be soon, but for now, we have seen the separation of boys from men. Football is not played by hearts and emotions. Man U have not played football in ages and I have said it a million and one times, attracting the wrath of their faithfuls. Those receptive to facts and truth will attest to these claims.
There is two types of playing badly and winning. Sir Alex Ferguson has given us both in his colourful stay at Old Trafford. Only that now United have made it a tradition week in and week out to dish out the stale stuff and the bullied teams have just showed up and donated points. This charity only lasted in the Premiership. There are no favours in Europe.
To draw the contrast, on a regular basis, Manchester United have been well below par and that is being polite, because frankly, they have been boring. There is not much to say if the team is winning. However, there is Tottenham Hotspur, who will be out of sorts and pull off a stunt or two to win the match. The difference is the genuine failure to impress because their opposition come better prepared. Other teams make it a priority to stop Spurs from playing. United play badly no matter what.
Arsenal, who qualified well in advance, had the same problem of playing badly because al else went out to make their match unplayable. In those days, they also lost matches playing well sometimes. As for now, as a very mediocre team, writing about the Gunners is a strength supping exercise. You need a very good heart to finish their story.
Arsene Wenger has done well to win it with a match to spare and he had actually predicted the hard times at Manchester in qualifying. The superstitious will feel jinxed but then, who wanted to see the boring UEFA Champions League matches in the knock out stages! Well, as for Chelsea, it was a job well done, but frankly, the jubilation is only limited to qualifying. There is no rightful fan who will be banking on their passage after their inconsistency that is rumoured to emanate from dressing room issues.
Many believe that coach AVB is being undermined by seniors at Stanford Bridge because of his youthfulness. I do not buy that. Either it is his football or the general sabotage from his backroom staff. His troubles are a shade worse than Roberto Mancini of Manchester City. While the Citizens are sitting pretty on the EPL log, I am not convinced all is at peace. Carlos Tevez is finally going to Italy and he will surely fire parting shots soon.
Leading the EPL standings is a good feat and we will be asking questions when push comes to shove. The staying power will be vital and given the false impression that both Manchesters will perform better in the league as they devote their time and undivided attention to the domestic game, that may actually be their undoing. Chelsea have the experience to take the advantage of the dropped heads at both camps. It was going to be Arsenal and Liverpool's time to rise and shine, but they are far off the pace.
As much as I like the Spurs play, for them to have a say will need great character and an extra ordinary 4 months to win the Championship. If their game is anything to go by, this could be their time. I will not count them in but it is not impossible, but this is not about the England, but Europe.
This whole picture tells a story. The runaway leaders of the league and the reigning champions are out of Europe; the most feared teams with huge budgets. Is the league now so small? Maybe not, given that the nobodies of the league as in Chelsea and Arsenal are in with a shout.
Frankly, both will surprise me by passing through the next round. It will take a miracle. I think either England is finished or the rest of Europe is coming up. Generally, the English game has been a faded history affair since the 1966 FIFA World Cup. The national team has been near, yet so far in both the World Cup and the European Championship.
I would hate to gon political, but unavoidably, there may be a man grinning ear to ear at this strange state of affair. Recently, there has been racial stories rocking the English game and then FIFA President , Sepp Blatter of Switzerland. United lost to a Swiss side, Basel, in Switzerland, the land of Blatter.
The English FA has been accused to be soft and moving slowly in dealing with the John Terry and Luis Suarez racial issues while calling for the FIFA boss, Blatter, to resign. It sounded hypocritical but could his toasting at the trivial victory of the loss of the English team be justified? I guess he can say he is having the last laugh. Many believe he hates England and he is football enemy number one.
Thinking for a moment that United and City will have the advantage in the domestic game, or that they had diminished interest in the competition is notorious. They wanted it so bad and now that they are out, they are doomed, United more than City. Even the Europa League they will participate in will take a toll on them. They may want to use the league as a punch back for their fringe players.
The concept may work or kill the rhythm of the team. The merits of the state of affairs will be seem in not so distant future. At the end of the day, fans and foes of United seem to be feeling hurt and celebrating respectively. SAF was quoted as saying, "Of course we are disappointed. There is no other way you can feel. We had so much possession and opportunities in the last third but the finishing part of our game, you have to say, has let us down. We were careless. We let ourselves down badly."
With all due respect, this is a very dishonest statement. The respected mentor should have known ages ago, before last season, that his non-deserved wins will catch up with him. If I saw it, come on, SAF should have known better, and not just yesterday or last year. The writing has been on the whole in flashing LED coloured flashing lights.
What is boring about this is the general observation of United’s mediocrity only now by so many. I don’t know what football the world is watching.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Arsenal only win when United win
In 7500 BC, boats made of reeds were being manufactured and used in the Middle East. It is not clear whether that is the reason the region has been blessed with the fuel to propel these. However, the first ever known beer was being brewed in Mesopotamia about 6000 BC, the same time that the wheel is believed to have been inverted in Sumeria. I agree with you here that the whole point was to transport the beer as the boys were getting tired of rolling huge drums of the alcohol. (Source; Jim Cowan)
My last look at the Barclays Premier League showed how bottom teams are cramped at the bottom. Bottom seems a little harsh given that there is basically no base at the anchor. I say this because, Wigan Athletic, though occupying that position, can be 7th 4 matches later. That is assuming all teams above them do not register more than 7 points each in that period. That is very much possible. By the same token, the 7th placed Bolton are just as relegation candidates.
Wigan begin that bid at home against a team that is central-defenceless and preparing for the biggest match of their lives, a UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernebeu, next week. Birmingham will host Bolton Wanderers, while Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea travel to West Ham, West Brom and Stoke City respectively. These are not easy matches for the big boys. Arsenal and Manchester City will have the privilege of playing a home fixture against Blackburn and Sunderland, very tough customers indeed.
As we all know by now, the Gunners will have an outstanding performance, but, as for the result, it will depend on others. Arsenal will have a handsome win provided Manchester United will win. Any draw and lose for United will see a bad result at the Emirates. Chelsea and Liverpool are just unpredictable. You can bank on a depleted Spurs beating any team before a Champions League match. We all know what happens after all the hype of a good show they will put against the Galatico.
I await your respected opinions about the weekend.
My last look at the Barclays Premier League showed how bottom teams are cramped at the bottom. Bottom seems a little harsh given that there is basically no base at the anchor. I say this because, Wigan Athletic, though occupying that position, can be 7th 4 matches later. That is assuming all teams above them do not register more than 7 points each in that period. That is very much possible. By the same token, the 7th placed Bolton are just as relegation candidates.
Wigan begin that bid at home against a team that is central-defenceless and preparing for the biggest match of their lives, a UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernebeu, next week. Birmingham will host Bolton Wanderers, while Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea travel to West Ham, West Brom and Stoke City respectively. These are not easy matches for the big boys. Arsenal and Manchester City will have the privilege of playing a home fixture against Blackburn and Sunderland, very tough customers indeed.
As we all know by now, the Gunners will have an outstanding performance, but, as for the result, it will depend on others. Arsenal will have a handsome win provided Manchester United will win. Any draw and lose for United will see a bad result at the Emirates. Chelsea and Liverpool are just unpredictable. You can bank on a depleted Spurs beating any team before a Champions League match. We all know what happens after all the hype of a good show they will put against the Galatico.
I await your respected opinions about the weekend.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Today Spurs represents
For a moment tonight, friends and foes gather in spirit from several parts of the world at White Hart Lane. Many are in high spirits after Tottenham Hotspur beat 6 time UEFA Champions at the San Siro. Spurs are having their first shot at the Cup in modern times. The others are of heavy spirit after a dismal Arsenal performers who bowed out to superior Barcelona 24 hours ago.
For all Engish football lovers, Spurs have to revenge the Gunners tonight. All the hype and fuss is not unfounded. Spurs are capable. After so many doubts of their abilities, they pulled off a string of astonishing results and records. With their last victory coming in the absence of Gareth Bale, there is no doubt that their abilities are anchored on team work. Bale may play a part tonight, byt Rafael van der Vaart is the man to do the damage.
Spurs have been very unlucky with injuries and for them, this fixture is a fun game and that relieves all the pressure to perform. AC Milan have a reputation to prove. Some men can stand up and be counted when it matters the most and there is nothing to suggest this will be their moment. Spurs have a crawd, the ground and the players behind them. Not to reward evil, there is no way Gattusso's antics will be unpunished by the Creator.
At the end of the day, Harry Redknapp has all the keys and buttoms he needs to land the Londoners on the moon tonight. All ye Spurs, can you feel it?
For all Engish football lovers, Spurs have to revenge the Gunners tonight. All the hype and fuss is not unfounded. Spurs are capable. After so many doubts of their abilities, they pulled off a string of astonishing results and records. With their last victory coming in the absence of Gareth Bale, there is no doubt that their abilities are anchored on team work. Bale may play a part tonight, byt Rafael van der Vaart is the man to do the damage.
Spurs have been very unlucky with injuries and for them, this fixture is a fun game and that relieves all the pressure to perform. AC Milan have a reputation to prove. Some men can stand up and be counted when it matters the most and there is nothing to suggest this will be their moment. Spurs have a crawd, the ground and the players behind them. Not to reward evil, there is no way Gattusso's antics will be unpunished by the Creator.
At the end of the day, Harry Redknapp has all the keys and buttoms he needs to land the Londoners on the moon tonight. All ye Spurs, can you feel it?
Monday, January 17, 2011
Spurs were the losers, but SAF strokes 'Arry'
With all Barclays Premier League matches drawn this Sunday, the biggest winners in the stalemates were Manchester United, and of course, the losers Tottenham Spur. In an entertaining and blood warming romance between the two protagonists, it turned out to be just a sterile affair, both teams spilling wide of the target finishing 0-0.
United were obviously the beneficiary of 'soon-to-be-fair-refereeing' (I am trying hard to be polite here) having travelled, got a point, maintained an unbeaten run and shot to the summit of the league above neighbouring arch rivals, Manchester City. By contrast, Spurs were at home and could have overtaken Chelsea for the top four spot. Despite what happened, Harry Redknapp was not ready to call any decision a 'farce'.
As we have come to expect, Spurs will not be surrendering points easily, as they refused to be charitable to championship contenders. Any good coach knows that if you are to win it, one has to beat fellow aspirants yourself and win home and away. For that reason, Spurs will be hoping someone beats United for them and that is not a championship material mentality at all. They, however, did not give much away.
Sir Alex Ferguson, usually expected in big match mind games, went straight between his opposite number's legs, gently stroking Redknapp's balls, saying Spurs are the contenders. Fortunately Harry is experienced and a realist enough to tell you somebody will have to give it to them. Spurs are not yet good enough to subdue City, Arsenal, Chelsea and United beside party spoilers, over the stretch of the season.
Both managers showed respect for each other on the pitch, fortifying the rear to protect the point they had at kick-off. The tactics seemed to unfold simultaneously to cancel any decisive offensive raids. They praised central defenders of both their sides. Spurs felt a little undone by failing to score, and rightly so, but gave United a lot of respect. Any team failing to beat United now are average and that is not what Spurs need to be, both for their Premiership campaign and the UEFA Champions League.
Kenny Daglish started off well with a point after a home 2-2 derby draw against Everton. The fading Reds have been notorious for changing coaches like nappies and hopefully, the former icon and Liverpool legend will see them through tough times. Sunderland and Newcastle finished 1-1, as did Birmingham City and Aston Villa.
United were obviously the beneficiary of 'soon-to-be-fair-refereeing' (I am trying hard to be polite here) having travelled, got a point, maintained an unbeaten run and shot to the summit of the league above neighbouring arch rivals, Manchester City. By contrast, Spurs were at home and could have overtaken Chelsea for the top four spot. Despite what happened, Harry Redknapp was not ready to call any decision a 'farce'.
As we have come to expect, Spurs will not be surrendering points easily, as they refused to be charitable to championship contenders. Any good coach knows that if you are to win it, one has to beat fellow aspirants yourself and win home and away. For that reason, Spurs will be hoping someone beats United for them and that is not a championship material mentality at all. They, however, did not give much away.
Sir Alex Ferguson, usually expected in big match mind games, went straight between his opposite number's legs, gently stroking Redknapp's balls, saying Spurs are the contenders. Fortunately Harry is experienced and a realist enough to tell you somebody will have to give it to them. Spurs are not yet good enough to subdue City, Arsenal, Chelsea and United beside party spoilers, over the stretch of the season.
Both managers showed respect for each other on the pitch, fortifying the rear to protect the point they had at kick-off. The tactics seemed to unfold simultaneously to cancel any decisive offensive raids. They praised central defenders of both their sides. Spurs felt a little undone by failing to score, and rightly so, but gave United a lot of respect. Any team failing to beat United now are average and that is not what Spurs need to be, both for their Premiership campaign and the UEFA Champions League.
Kenny Daglish started off well with a point after a home 2-2 derby draw against Everton. The fading Reds have been notorious for changing coaches like nappies and hopefully, the former icon and Liverpool legend will see them through tough times. Sunderland and Newcastle finished 1-1, as did Birmingham City and Aston Villa.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
The English Premiership Football, Ronaldo scores 4 at rampant Real Madrid.
Following the hectic full Champions League program, football giants in England and Spain were involved in boring encounters, that is, of course, if you are not fanatical about everything your teams does. You are excused. For football lovers, the best match for today was arguably the West Ham versus Newcastle encounter. Carlton Cole scored his first goal in ages after being set up by Puiqionne but Nolan cancelled that with a cool but tricky finish after Andy Carrol out jumped the West Ham defence to set up his skipper.
A 69th Barton cross gave Carrol his 5th goal of the season as he scored a header. Carrol started the season with an incredible hat-trick and has been ordinary until today. The match was the best of the Premiership but globally, La Liga's Real Madrid were rampant as they subdued their smaller opponents win convincing pin-fall. They practically choked the less fancied Racing Santander to asphyxiation.
Barcelona were a pale shadow of the team that won the 2010 FIFA World Cup, scoring a couple of scrappy goals against Zaragoza through a resurgent Lionel Messi. Apart from the goals, there is nothing to talk about match. On the other hand, Real Madrid looked a little more solid for a team that had a bruising weekend. Higuin outpaced the defenders and slotted the ball under the advancing goalie in the 10th minute.
Cristiano Ronaldo showed his hunger of old as he finished off a Higuin cross, 5 minutes. Ronaldo scored 12 minutes later, taking advantage of his offside position. Madrid are just enjoying their football and are a joy to watch. Racing Santander looked so lost in the Santiago Bernebeu as Ronaldo continued with his individual show and even lost count how many goals he scored. Ozil got the one of the 6 Madrid scored but Pepe Diop had a thunderbolt to unleash in the 73rd minute to save face in a 6-1 scoreline.
Chelsea collected maximum points in a pedestrian affair to go 5 points clear of the top of the Barclays Premier League. They walked past Wolverhampton with a 2-0 scoreline with a Flourent Malouda goal that made the Frenchmen a joint top scorer with Man City's Carlos Tevez, as well as a goal by substitute Salomon Kalou. Didier Drogba was back from injury and the champions did not show they had fresh men who did not play during the week.
Tottenham Hotspur were up against a stubborn and yet determined Everton side. They dealt with the frustration of match officials and will feel lucky to scrap a home point. It was obvious how the Inter Milan match supped some energy out of the team as they struggled to match the Everton strides. It took a rare Tim Howard goalkeeping error. Peter Crouch rose to drop the ball across the goal line for in form Van der Vaart to rip off the net. A point took Spurs to 3rd and 3 points would land them the 2nd spot.
Sunderland had charity to thank as a record own goal from Richard Dunne, his 8th, gifted them the points against a spirited Aston Villa side. Villa fought in vain for the share of the spoils and Sunderland soared in the standings to 8th.
The biggest story in England though, is the Marc-Antoine Fortune and Yousouf Mulumbu goals that sent West Brom the 4th position of the log after a 2-1 win over Fulham at the Hawthorns. Fulham’s woeful away record continued as they had no answers when it mattered most as they have not won away since August 2009. Wigan and Bolton shared the spoils 1-1. Birmingham City were 2-0 victors over Blackpool.
It is still to be seen how a record contract signed by Wayne Rooney will play for Manchester United against Stoke City tomorrow. Liverpool's new owners will be eager to see the impact of their bail-out when The Reds engage Benjani Mwaruwari's Blackburn Rovers at Anfield. The game of the week will always be Arsenal versus Manchester City for one reason. Arsenal are perennial under-achievers on their way down while City are as much underachievers given their resources but they are on the ascendance.
A 69th Barton cross gave Carrol his 5th goal of the season as he scored a header. Carrol started the season with an incredible hat-trick and has been ordinary until today. The match was the best of the Premiership but globally, La Liga's Real Madrid were rampant as they subdued their smaller opponents win convincing pin-fall. They practically choked the less fancied Racing Santander to asphyxiation.
Barcelona were a pale shadow of the team that won the 2010 FIFA World Cup, scoring a couple of scrappy goals against Zaragoza through a resurgent Lionel Messi. Apart from the goals, there is nothing to talk about match. On the other hand, Real Madrid looked a little more solid for a team that had a bruising weekend. Higuin outpaced the defenders and slotted the ball under the advancing goalie in the 10th minute.
Cristiano Ronaldo showed his hunger of old as he finished off a Higuin cross, 5 minutes. Ronaldo scored 12 minutes later, taking advantage of his offside position. Madrid are just enjoying their football and are a joy to watch. Racing Santander looked so lost in the Santiago Bernebeu as Ronaldo continued with his individual show and even lost count how many goals he scored. Ozil got the one of the 6 Madrid scored but Pepe Diop had a thunderbolt to unleash in the 73rd minute to save face in a 6-1 scoreline.
Chelsea collected maximum points in a pedestrian affair to go 5 points clear of the top of the Barclays Premier League. They walked past Wolverhampton with a 2-0 scoreline with a Flourent Malouda goal that made the Frenchmen a joint top scorer with Man City's Carlos Tevez, as well as a goal by substitute Salomon Kalou. Didier Drogba was back from injury and the champions did not show they had fresh men who did not play during the week.
Tottenham Hotspur were up against a stubborn and yet determined Everton side. They dealt with the frustration of match officials and will feel lucky to scrap a home point. It was obvious how the Inter Milan match supped some energy out of the team as they struggled to match the Everton strides. It took a rare Tim Howard goalkeeping error. Peter Crouch rose to drop the ball across the goal line for in form Van der Vaart to rip off the net. A point took Spurs to 3rd and 3 points would land them the 2nd spot.
Sunderland had charity to thank as a record own goal from Richard Dunne, his 8th, gifted them the points against a spirited Aston Villa side. Villa fought in vain for the share of the spoils and Sunderland soared in the standings to 8th.
The biggest story in England though, is the Marc-Antoine Fortune and Yousouf Mulumbu goals that sent West Brom the 4th position of the log after a 2-1 win over Fulham at the Hawthorns. Fulham’s woeful away record continued as they had no answers when it mattered most as they have not won away since August 2009. Wigan and Bolton shared the spoils 1-1. Birmingham City were 2-0 victors over Blackpool.
It is still to be seen how a record contract signed by Wayne Rooney will play for Manchester United against Stoke City tomorrow. Liverpool's new owners will be eager to see the impact of their bail-out when The Reds engage Benjani Mwaruwari's Blackburn Rovers at Anfield. The game of the week will always be Arsenal versus Manchester City for one reason. Arsenal are perennial under-achievers on their way down while City are as much underachievers given their resources but they are on the ascendance.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Let's Take A Very Serious Look At The English Premiership.
The direction of the Backlays English Premier League is a hard one to predict for an ordinary fan. For fortune tellers, it is the easiest. Unfortunately, coaches do not predict, we study the game. While you fret and curse as Arsenal lose or Manchester draw, it is no surprise if one is more objective. Through away your supporters tag and follow me only for this moment.
If walk into a new job today, say you have to coach, one thing for you to know and for players to digest, is that good teams win home and away. This must be over emphasised at Old Trafford. Sir Alex Ferguson has hammered on this point time and again, but players forget these things as soon as Chelsea walk into the stadium. This must be followed by training meant to unlock a defeatist mentality of saying Anfield is home ground and then Blackpool come to teach a lesson. Never learn that way.
Arsenal have been a personal favourite for a long time until they passed their sell-by-date. I stuck with them a year extra and wasted my energies. Arsene Wenger is one to know that the championship hopefuls must beat fellow contenders. Those handshakes after the weekend fixture were meant to say 'well done champions, we will be contenders once more next year.' Honestly, if you are not beating the team that want your title, you are in the wrong league.
Good performance with results boosts morale and is a message greater than any known therapy. Teams beating fellow contenders sends shivers down the spines of smaller teams. These smaller teams lay down a red carpet for great performers. They will also fight to beat their peers for you. The next time Chelsea play the next league match, that team will leave it to the Blues' ability. Drogba's troops will have to exercise their will to win. When it comes to Arsenal, teams will accept bribes and go on to win the match nonetheless. This is all the Emirates' fault.
Things do not get worse for Arsenal. Nigel De Jong has broken a bone. His crunching tackle revives sad and unsightly memories the Gunners are now familiar with. Very hard tackles which usually turn to be bad terrifies them to death. Any small teams will have their knees knocking against each other. Remember Viny Jones of Wimbledon FC of the 1980s, who went on to create a very controvential movie of the 'Hard Men Of Soccer'? His 'take no prisoners tackles' are something we must never witness in football, but the competence of the referees these days is horrendous, because De Jong was unpunished for breaking a leg.
Small teams like Stoke City have been accused by the Professor-turned -nutter of rough and tough tackles. Like Wimbledon FC of old, they are usually driven by nothing but team spirit. Their budgets are tiny and their salaries shameful. All they to do is played for each other and hope for bigger contracts by impressing the likes of Wenger, and of course, it goes horribly wrong more often than not. This is regardless of a poor paying habit of the Gunners. Of course they are aware Manchester City and Roman Abramovic are watching.
Talking of Manchester City, the premiership teams are creating a monster they might fail to destroy in the next decade. The Man City victory over Chelsea last week may engrave an air of arrogance and intimidation in their character that they will go around bullying smaller teams to the detriment of the traditional big 4. As soon as City find their rhythm, they will be uncontainable. They are getting that scarce confidence at an alarming rate. A charismatic coach in the mould of Jose Mourinho and Frank Rikjaard will be necessary to elevate them to another energy level shell for better bonding. City are the best talent with man-like character and well paid such that their second position on the log will set them to believe they are worth a second look by the rest of the Premiership.
Before we forget the traditional top 4 issue, Liverpool are gone and walking alone. Even in alphabetical order, they have never sunk that deep. They are fading with lighting speed as evidenced by their relegation zone position. Actually because we do not know much about Albert Einstein's relativity theories, so let's keep it within footballing terms. They sink only just slower that Tottenham Hotspur are claiming the number 4 slot. Spurs are accelerating at a fast paced progression while being hammered left, right and centre by both the injuries to key personnel and inexperience in dealing with Champions League pressure. Under any standards, they would be justified to lay back and relax, and start counting their achievements of having reached the FA final last season, their UEFA Champions League progress and a decent start to the current campaign.
Keeping heads cool under those conditions needs a cool coach. There is no better guy that Harry Redknapp. Arry is a very practical Manager with a rare ability to use the players' strengths to rub off onto each other's confidence. He is quite conservative when it comes to buying and his salaries are not crazy. It is one area he does better than Wenger. Before we leave Wenger, he has some work to do. The Gunners keep checking the fixtures list and medical records of other teams to see who is likely to kick them. That focus loss cost them the consistency of a good team. They are remanufacturing themselves into a substandard product. That, however, becomes the difference between the boys and men, i.e. themselves and Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United.
The Premiership story cannot conclude without mention of the big story of Stoke City. Small minds think it is a fluke they are 7th. They are the best team in the league by far and I said it before, if you remember. They are a team with a potential to retrieve tha ball from anyone earlier than any team in the Premiership. They had to sort out the details of dealing with the balls they win. Their biggest fault was surrendering it with the same consistency, following by lack of support for Kenwyne Jones when the ball landed forward. Stoke took leaps and bounds addressing that and are being rewarded by the points they pick. If they do not regress, Arsenal may find themselves on 6th position in May 2011.
Manchester United are hoping to welcome Owen Hargreaves from injury. The great English midfielder arrived from Germany amid media revs and as the man Man U needed to cement their authority as the kings of English football, a few seasons back. Solid as he is, he has spent almost his entire stay since then with the doctors and surgeons than with Sir Alex. How the long lay-off will help United will be seen the day he finally arrives. How much impact he will have playing against footballers who have been on the pitch since he arrived in England is yet another issue. All we can do, is wish him and Man U the best.
Other players in dire need of our prayers are Robin van Persie and Fernando Torres. RVP had a long spell out last season and the Gunners felt they had no better excuse for letting the championship go than blame his injury. Justified but still very few will remember that. van Persie is a sharp shooter who scores less than one thinks he should. He appears dangerous and scores great goals. His scoring rate is far lower than a man in his class. However, he is so valuable and his presence is something Wenger will do with and now. Personally, I would trade him at the soonest possible window, not because of the injuries, but to protect the Gunner machine. His presence at this point will dwarf the growth and confidence of youngsters finding their feet at the Emirates, the way Thierry Henry did with Emmanuel Adebayour. Talking of these two, Henry went away a little too late while Adebayour went a little too early for Arsenal to harvest their full potential.
With Torres, Liverpool are regretting not sell this top marks man. He has been a victim of injuries largely due to the way The Reds play. It is no longer his style. Torres does not win the ball neither does he track down and fetch the ball. He is a pure finisher. Unfortunately, all the teams that wanted his signature were not ideal for him. Torres is a Barcelona type of player. There is a class of midfielders and fellow strikers to do all the donkey work before they can lay it along the goal-line for him to tap in. As for now, both parties will go on, one of them both injured and frustrated, and the other frustrated and broke, and looking for a buyer.
Theo Walcott is one player injuries will have to excuse. His red-hot the beginning of this season will suffer the break, and finding the rhythm to be in sync with players who are consistently playing will draw him miles back. I genuinely wish him well and now. Arsenal would really do with his scoring and the threat of his speed. If he could have a consistent comeback, the Gunners may have a shout next season, provided they get Itumeleng Khune as their goalkeeper. Fabianski is a good goalie and may actually prove the goalie Wenger needs, not matter how much he mistrust him. At the end of the day, it is too early to say, as you would like me to believe. I will agree with you for now, but believe you me, teams must make hay while the sun shines and it is almost getting cloudy.
Let's Take A Very Serious Look At The English Premiership.
The direction of the Backlays English Premier League is a hard one to predict for an ordinary fan. For fortune tellers, it is the easiest. Unfortunately, coaches do not predict, we study the game. While you fret and curse as Arsenal lose or Manchester draw, it is no surprise if one is more objective. Through away your supporters tag and follow me only for this moment.
If walk into a new job today, say you have to coach, one thing for you to know and for players to digest, is that good teams win home and away. This must be over emphasised at Old Trafford. Sir Alex Ferguson has hammered on this point time and again, but players forget these things as soon as Chelsea walk into the stadium. This must be followed by training meant to unlock a defeatist mentality of saying Anfield is home ground and then Blackpool come to teach a lesson. Never learn that way.
Arsenal have been a personal favourite for a long time until they passed their sell-by-date. I stuck with them a year extra and wasted my energies. Arsene Wenger is one to know that the championship hopefuls must beat fellow contenders. Those handshakes after the weekend fixture were meant to say 'well done champions, we will be contenders once more next year.' Honestly, if you are not beating the team that want your title, you are in the wrong league.
Good performance with results boosts morale and is a message greater than any known therapy. Teams beating fellow contenders sends shivers down the spines of smaller teams. These smaller teams lay down a red carpet for great performers. They will also fight to beat their peers for you. The next time Chelsea play the next league match, that team will leave it to the Blues' ability. Drogba's troops will have to exercise their will to win. When it comes to Arsenal, teams will accept bribes and go on to win the match nonetheless. This is all the Emirates' fault.
Things do not get worse for Arsenal. Nigel De Jong has broken a bone. His crunching tackle revives sad and unsightly memories the Gunners are now familiar with. Very hard tackles which usually turn to be bad terrifies them to death. Any small teams will have their knees knocking against each other. Remember Viny Jones of Wimbledon FC of the 1980s, who went on to create a very controvential movie of the 'Hard Men Of Soccer'? His 'take no prisoners tackles' are something we must never witness in football, but the competence of the referees these days is horrendous, because De Jong was unpunished for breaking a leg.
Small teams like Stoke City have been accused by the Professor-turned -nutter of rough and tough tackles. Like Wimbledon FC of old, they are usually driven by nothing but team spirit. Their budgets are tiny and their salaries shameful. All they to do is played for each other and hope for bigger contracts by impressing the likes of Wenger, and of course, it goes horribly wrong more often than not. This is regardless of a poor paying habit of the Gunners. Of course they are aware Manchester City and Roman Abramovic are watching.
Talking of Manchester City, the premiership teams are creating a monster they might fail to destroy in the next decade. The Man City victory over Chelsea last week may engrave an air of arrogance and intimidation in their character that they will go around bullying smaller teams to the detriment of the traditional big 4. As soon as City find their rhythm, they will be uncontainable. They are getting that scarce confidence at an alarming rate. A charismatic coach in the mould of Jose Mourinho and Frank Rikjaard will be necessary to elevate them to another energy level shell for better bonding. City are the best talent with man-like character and well paid such that their second position on the log will set them to believe they are worth a second look by the rest of the Premiership.
Before we forget the traditional top 4 issue, Liverpool are gone and walking alone. Even in alphabetical order, they have never sunk that deep. They are fading with lighting speed as evidenced by their relegation zone position. Actually because we do not know much about Albert Einstein's relativity theories, so let's keep it within footballing terms. They sink only just slower that Tottenham Hotspur are claiming the number 4 slot. Spurs are accelerating at a fast paced progression while being hammered left, right and centre by both the injuries to key personnel and inexperience in dealing with Champions League pressure. Under any standards, they would be justified to lay back and relax, and start counting their achievements of having reached the FA final last season, their UEFA Champions League progress and a decent start to the current campaign.
Keeping heads cool under those conditions needs a cool coach. There is no better guy that Harry Redknapp. Arry is a very practical Manager with a rare ability to use the players' strengths to rub off onto each other's confidence. He is quite conservative when it comes to buying and his salaries are not crazy. It is one area he does better than Wenger. Before we leave Wenger, he has some work to do. The Gunners keep checking the fixtures list and medical records of other teams to see who is likely to kick them. That focus loss cost them the consistency of a good team. They are remanufacturing themselves into a substandard product. That, however, becomes the difference between the boys and men, i.e. themselves and Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United.
The Premiership story cannot conclude without mention of the big story of Stoke City. Small minds think it is a fluke they are 7th. They are the best team in the league by far and I said it before, if you remember. They are a team with a potential to retrieve tha ball from anyone earlier than any team in the Premiership. They had to sort out the details of dealing with the balls they win. Their biggest fault was surrendering it with the same consistency, following by lack of support for Kenwyne Jones when the ball landed forward. Stoke took leaps and bounds addressing that and are being rewarded by the points they pick. If they do not regress, Arsenal may find themselves on 6th position in May 2011.
Manchester United are hoping to welcome Owen Hargreaves from injury. The great English midfielder arrived from Germany amid media revs and as the man Man U needed to cement their authority as the kings of English football, a few seasons back. Solid as he is, he has spent almost his entire stay since then with the doctors and surgeons than with Sir Alex. How the long lay-off will help United will be seen the day he finally arrives. How much impact he will have playing against footballers who have been on the pitch since he arrived in England is yet another issue. All we can do, is wish him and Man U the best.
Other players in dire need of our prayers are Robin van Persie and Fernando Torres. RVP had a long spell out last season and the Gunners felt they had no better excuse for letting the championship go than blame his injury. Justified but still very few will remember that. van Persie is a sharp shooter who scores less than one thinks he should. He appears dangerous and scores great goals. His scoring rate is far lower than a man in his class. However, he is so valuable and his presence is something Wenger will do with and now. Personally, I would trade him at the soonest possible window, not because of the injuries, but to protect the Gunner machine. His presence at this point will dwarf the growth and confidence of youngsters finding their feet at the Emirates, the way Thierry Henry did with Emmanuel Adebayour. Talking of these two, Henry went away a little too late while Adebayour went a little too early for Arsenal to harvest their full potential.
With Torres, Liverpool are regretting not sell this top marks man. He has been a victim of injuries largely due to the way The Reds play. It is no longer his style. Torres does not win the ball neither does he track down and fetch the ball. He is a pure finisher. Unfortunately, all the teams that wanted his signature were not ideal for him. Torres is a Barcelona type of player. There is a class of midfielders and fellow strikers to do all the donkey work before they can lay it along the goal-line for him to tap in. As for now, both parties will go on, one of them both injured and frustrated, and the other frustrated and broke, and looking for a buyer.
Theo Walcott is one player injuries will have to excuse. His red-hot the beginning of this season will suffer the break, and finding the rhythm to be in sync with players who are consistently playing will draw him miles back. I genuinely wish him well and now. Arsenal would really do with his scoring and the threat of his speed. If he could have a consistent comeback, the Gunners may have a shout next season, provided they get Itumeleng Khune as their goalkeeper. Fabianski is a good goalie and may actually prove the goalie Wenger needs, not matter how much he mistrust him. At the end of the day, it is too early to say, as you would like me to believe. I will agree with you for now, but believe you me, teams must make hay while the sun shines and it is almost getting cloudy.
Let's Take A Very Serious Look At The English Premiership.
The direction of the Backlays English Premier League is a hard one to predict for an ordinary fan. For fortune tellers, it is the easiest. Unfortunately, coaches do not predict, we study the game. While you fret and curse as Arsenal lose or Manchester draw, it is no surprise if one is more objective. Through away your supporters tag and follow me only for this moment.
If walk into a new job today, say you have to coach, one thing for you to know and for players to digest, is that good teams win home and away. This must be over emphasised at Old Trafford. Sir Alex Ferguson has hammered on this point time and again, but players forget these things as soon as Chelsea walk into the stadium. This must be followed by training meant to unlock a defeatist mentality of saying Anfield is home ground and then Blackpool come to teach a lesson. Never learn that way.
Arsenal have been a personal favourite for a long time until they passed their sell-by-date. I stuck with them a year extra and wasted my energies. Arsene Wenger is one to know that the championship hopefuls must beat fellow contenders. Those handshakes after the weekend fixture were meant to say 'well done champions, we will be contenders once more next year.' Honestly, if you are not beating the team that want your title, you are in the wrong league.
Good performance with results boosts morale and is a message greater than any known therapy. Teams beating fellow contenders sends shivers down the spines of smaller teams. These smaller teams lay down a red carpet for great performers. They will also fight to beat their peers for you. The next time Chelsea play the next league match, that team will leave it to the Blues' ability. Drogba's troops will have to exercise their will to win. When it comes to Arsenal, teams will accept bribes and go on to win the match nonetheless. This is all the Emirates' fault.
Things do not get worse for Arsenal. Nigel De Jong has broken a bone. His crunching tackle revives sad and unsightly memories the Gunners are now familiar with. Very hard tackles which usually turn to be bad terrifies them to death. Any small teams will have their knees knocking against each other. Remember Viny Jones of Wimbledon FC of the 1980s, who went on to create a very controvential movie of the 'Hard Men Of Soccer'? His 'take no prisoners tackles' are something we must never witness in football, but the competence of the referees these days is horrendous, because De Jong was unpunished for breaking a leg.
Small teams like Stoke City have been accused by the Professor-turned -nutter of rough and tough tackles. Like Wimbledon FC of old, they are usually driven by nothing but team spirit. Their budgets are tiny and their salaries shameful. All they to do is played for each other and hope for bigger contracts by impressing the likes of Wenger, and of course, it goes horribly wrong more often than not. This is regardless of a poor paying habit of the Gunners. Of course they are aware Manchester City and Roman Abramovic are watching.
Talking of Manchester City, the premiership teams are creating a monster they might fail to destroy in the next decade. The Man City victory over Chelsea last week may engrave an air of arrogance and intimidation in their character that they will go around bullying smaller teams to the detriment of the traditional big 4. As soon as City find their rhythm, they will be uncontainable. They are getting that scarce confidence at an alarming rate. A charismatic coach in the mould of Jose Mourinho and Frank Rikjaard will be necessary to elevate them to another energy level shell for better bonding. City are the best talent with man-like character and well paid such that their second position on the log will set them to believe they are worth a second look by the rest of the Premiership.
Before we forget the traditional top 4 issue, Liverpool are gone and walking alone. Even in alphabetical order, they have never sunk that deep. They are fading with lighting speed as evidenced by their relegation zone position. Actually because we do not know much about Albert Einstein's relativity theories, so let's keep it within footballing terms. They sink only just slower that Tottenham Hotspur are claiming the number 4 slot. Spurs are accelerating at a fast paced progression while being hammered left, right and centre by both the injuries to key personnel and inexperience in dealing with Champions League pressure. Under any standards, they would be justified to lay back and relax, and start counting their achievements of having reached the FA final last season, their UEFA Champions League progress and a decent start to the current campaign.
Keeping heads cool under those conditions needs a cool coach. There is no better guy that Harry Redknapp. Arry is a very practical Manager with a rare ability to use the players' strengths to rub off onto each other's confidence. He is quite conservative when it comes to buying and his salaries are not crazy. It is one area he does better than Wenger. Before we leave Wenger, he has some work to do. The Gunners keep checking the fixtures list and medical records of other teams to see who is likely to kick them. That focus loss cost them the consistency of a good team. They are remanufacturing themselves into a substandard product. That, however, becomes the difference between the boys and men, i.e. themselves and Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United.
The Premiership story cannot conclude without mention of the big story of Stoke City. Small minds think it is a fluke they are 7th. They are the best team in the league by far and I said it before, if you remember. They are a team with a potential to retrieve tha ball from anyone earlier than any team in the Premiership. They had to sort out the details of dealing with the balls they win. Their biggest fault was surrendering it with the same consistency, following by lack of support for Kenwyne Jones when the ball landed forward. Stoke took leaps and bounds addressing that and are being rewarded by the points they pick. If they do not regress, Arsenal may find themselves on 6th position in May 2011.
Manchester United are hoping to welcome Owen Hargreaves from injury. The great English midfielder arrived from Germany amid media revs and as the man Man U needed to cement their authority as the kings of English football, a few seasons back. Solid as he is, he has spent almost his entire stay since then with the doctors and surgeons than with Sir Alex. How the long lay-off will help United will be seen the day he finally arrives. How much impact he will have playing against footballers who have been on the pitch since he arrived in England is yet another issue. All we can do, is wish him and Man U the best.
Other players in dire need of our prayers are Robin van Persie and Fernando Torres. RVP had a long spell out last season and the Gunners felt they had no better excuse for letting the championship go than blame his injury. Justified but still very few will remember that. van Persie is a sharp shooter who scores less than one thinks he should. He appears dangerous and scores great goals. His scoring rate is far lower than a man in his class. However, he is so valuable and his presence is something Wenger will do with and now. Personally, I would trade him at the soonest possible window, not because of the injuries, but to protect the Gunner machine. His presence at this point will dwarf the growth and confidence of youngsters finding their feet at the Emirates, the way Thierry Henry did with Emmanuel Adebayour. Talking of these two, Henry went away a little too late while Adebayour went a little too early for Arsenal to harvest their full potential.
With Torres, Liverpool are regretting not sell this top marks man. He has been a victim of injuries largely due to the way The Reds play. It is no longer his style. Torres does not win the ball neither does he track down and fetch the ball. He is a pure finisher. Unfortunately, all the teams that wanted his signature were not ideal for him. Torres is a Barcelona type of player. There is a class of midfielders and fellow strikers to do all the donkey work before they can lay it along the goal-line for him to tap in. As for now, both parties will go on, one of them both injured and frustrated, and the other frustrated and broke, and looking for a buyer.
Theo Walcott is one player injuries will have to excuse. His red-hot the beginning of this season will suffer the break, and finding the rhythm to be in sync with players who are consistently playing will draw him miles back. I genuinely wish him well and now. Arsenal would really do with his scoring and the threat of his speed. If he could have a consistent comeback, the Gunners may have a shout next season, provided they get Itumeleng Khune as their goalkeeper. Fabianski is a good goalie and may actually prove the goalie Wenger needs, not matter how much he mistrust him. At the end of the day, it is too early to say, as you would like me to believe. I will agree with you for now, but believe you me, teams must make hay while the sun shines and it is almost getting cloudy.
Let's Take A Very Serious Look At The English Premiership.
The direction of the Backlays English Premier League is a hard one to predict for an ordinary fan. For fortune tellers, it is the easiest. Unfortunately, coaches do not predict, we study the game. While you fret and curse as Arsenal lose or Manchester draw, it is no surprise if one is more objective. Through away your supporters tag and follow me only for this moment.
If walk into a new job today, say you have to coach, one thing for you to know and for players to digest, is that good teams win home and away. This must be over emphasised at Old Trafford. Sir Alex Ferguson has hammered on this point time and again, but players forget these things as soon as Chelsea walk into the stadium. This must be followed by training meant to unlock a defeatist mentality of saying Anfield is home ground and then Blackpool come to teach a lesson. Never learn that way.
Arsenal have been a personal favourite for a long time until they passed their sell-by-date. I stuck with them a year extra and wasted my energies. Arsene Wenger is one to know that the championship hopefuls must beat fellow contenders. Those handshakes after the weekend fixture were meant to say 'well done champions, we will be contenders once more next year.' Honestly, if you are not beating the team that want your title, you are in the wrong league.
Good performance with results boosts morale and is a message greater than any known therapy. Teams beating fellow contenders sends shivers down the spines of smaller teams. These smaller teams lay down a red carpet for great performers. They will also fight to beat their peers for you. The next time Chelsea play the next league match, that team will leave it to the Blues' ability. Drogba's troops will have to exercise their will to win. When it comes to Arsenal, teams will accept bribes and go on to win the match nonetheless. This is all the Emirates' fault.
Things do not get worse for Arsenal. Nigel De Jong has broken a bone. His crunching tackle revives sad and unsightly memories the Gunners are now familiar with. Very hard tackles which usually turn to be bad terrifies them to death. Any small teams will have their knees knocking against each other. Remember Viny Jones of Wimbledon FC of the 1980s, who went on to create a very controvential movie of the 'Hard Men Of Soccer'? His 'take no prisoners tackles' are something we must never witness in football, but the competence of the referees these days is horrendous, because De Jong was unpunished for breaking a leg.
Small teams like Stoke City have been accused by the Professor-turned -nutter of rough and tough tackles. Like Wimbledon FC of old, they are usually driven by nothing but team spirit. Their budgets are tiny and their salaries shameful. All they to do is played for each other and hope for bigger contracts by impressing the likes of Wenger, and of course, it goes horribly wrong more often than not. This is regardless of a poor paying habit of the Gunners. Of course they are aware Manchester City and Roman Abramovic are watching.
Talking of Manchester City, the premiership teams are creating a monster they might fail to destroy in the next decade. The Man City victory over Chelsea last week may engrave an air of arrogance and intimidation in their character that they will go around bullying smaller teams to the detriment of the traditional big 4. As soon as City find their rhythm, they will be uncontainable. They are getting that scarce confidence at an alarming rate. A charismatic coach in the mould of Jose Mourinho and Frank Rikjaard will be necessary to elevate them to another energy level shell for better bonding. City are the best talent with man-like character and well paid such that their second position on the log will set them to believe they are worth a second look by the rest of the Premiership.
Before we forget the traditional top 4 issue, Liverpool are gone and walking alone. Even in alphabetical order, they have never sunk that deep. They are fading with lighting speed as evidenced by their relegation zone position. Actually because we do not know much about Albert Einstein's relativity theories, so let's keep it within footballing terms. They sink only just slower that Tottenham Hotspur are claiming the number 4 slot. Spurs are accelerating at a fast paced progression while being hammered left, right and centre by both the injuries to key personnel and inexperience in dealing with Champions League pressure. Under any standards, they would be justified to lay back and relax, and start counting their achievements of having reached the FA final last season, their UEFA Champions League progress and a decent start to the current campaign.
Keeping heads cool under those conditions needs a cool coach. There is no better guy that Harry Redknapp. Arry is a very practical Manager with a rare ability to use the players' strengths to rub off onto each other's confidence. He is quite conservative when it comes to buying and his salaries are not crazy. It is one area he does better than Wenger. Before we leave Wenger, he has some work to do. The Gunners keep checking the fixtures list and medical records of other teams to see who is likely to kick them. That focus loss cost them the consistency of a good team. They are remanufacturing themselves into a substandard product. That, however, becomes the difference between the boys and men, i.e. themselves and Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United.
The Premiership story cannot conclude without mention of the big story of Stoke City. Small minds think it is a fluke they are 7th. They are the best team in the league by far and I said it before, if you remember. They are a team with a potential to retrieve tha ball from anyone earlier than any team in the Premiership. They had to sort out the details of dealing with the balls they win. Their biggest fault was surrendering it with the same consistency, following by lack of support for Kenwyne Jones when the ball landed forward. Stoke took leaps and bounds addressing that and are being rewarded by the points they pick. If they do not regress, Arsenal may find themselves on 6th position in May 2011.
Manchester United are hoping to welcome Owen Hargreaves from injury. The great English midfielder arrived from Germany amid media revs and as the man Man U needed to cement their authority as the kings of English football, a few seasons back. Solid as he is, he has spent almost his entire stay since then with the doctors and surgeons than with Sir Alex. How the long lay-off will help United will be seen the day he finally arrives. How much impact he will have playing against footballers who have been on the pitch since he arrived in England is yet another issue. All we can do, is wish him and Man U the best.
Other players in dire need of our prayers are Robin van Persie and Fernando Torres. RVP had a long spell out last season and the Gunners felt they had no better excuse for letting the championship go than blame his injury. Justified but still very few will remember that. van Persie is a sharp shooter who scores less than one thinks he should. He appears dangerous and scores great goals. His scoring rate is far lower than a man in his class. However, he is so valuable and his presence is something Wenger will do with and now. Personally, I would trade him at the soonest possible window, not because of the injuries, but to protect the Gunner machine. His presence at this point will dwarf the growth and confidence of youngsters finding their feet at the Emirates, the way Thierry Henry did with Emmanuel Adebayour. Talking of these two, Henry went away a little too late while Adebayour went a little too early for Arsenal to harvest their full potential.
With Torres, Liverpool are regretting not sell this top marks man. He has been a victim of injuries largely due to the way The Reds play. It is no longer his style. Torres does not win the ball neither does he track down and fetch the ball. He is a pure finisher. Unfortunately, all the teams that wanted his signature were not ideal for him. Torres is a Barcelona type of player. There is a class of midfielders and fellow strikers to do all the donkey work before they can lay it along the goal-line for him to tap in. As for now, both parties will go on, one of them both injured and frustrated, and the other frustrated and broke, and looking for a buyer.
Theo Walcott is one player injuries will have to excuse. His red-hot the beginning of this season will suffer the break, and finding the rhythm to be in sync with players who are consistently playing will draw him miles back. I genuinely wish him well and now. Arsenal would really do with his scoring and the threat of his speed. If he could have a consistent comeback, the Gunners may have a shout next season, provided they get Itumeleng Khune as their goalkeeper. Fabianski is a good goalie and may actually prove the goalie Wenger needs, not matter how much he mistrust him. At the end of the day, it is too early to say, as you would like me to believe. I will agree with you for now, but believe you me, teams must make hay while the sun shines and it is almost getting cloudy.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Premiership: Chelsea And Manchester City In Great Home Wins.
Didier Drogba and Alex scored for Chelsea as the time to separate boys from men came face to face with Arsenal and they failed the men test. There was deserved celebrations at the City of Manchester Stadium as Man City dispatched Newcastle by a 2-1 scoreline. Liverpool were a usual disappointing lot of nowadays with a humiliating loss to Blackpool. The Reds sank 1-2.
The weekend that so a sensational 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur victory over Aston Villa in a Backlays English Premier League at White Hart Lane is characterised by Manchester United's worst performance in years. The Red Devils failed to cope withe pedestrian pace of the match and Sunderland were very unlucky to drop the 2 points.
The Premiership teams are getting their rhythm now and a true picture is emerging. It is usually for late surprises and surges by teams and average teams like Spurs, Villa and Everton will do themselves a lot of favours to garner points now. Ruthless Chelsea, toothless Manchester United and spent Liverpool are great side still to hit their peak.
European championships are taking their toll but good teams must have the depth and wits to come out unstuck. Spurs have the mantle and pedigree to do well. They have the players and coach to deliver. Their inexperience in dealing with a congested fixture will lower their potential level of performance by the divided attention.
Do you think Arsenal are on the right track?
The rest of the results: Chelsea 2 - Arsenal 0, Liverpool 1 - Blackpool 2, Man City 2 - Newcastle 1, West Ham 1 - Fulham 1, West Brom 1 - Bolton 1, Stoke City 1 - Blackburn 0, Birmingham City 0 - Everton 2, Wigan Athletic 2 - Wolverhampton 0.
The weekend that so a sensational 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur victory over Aston Villa in a Backlays English Premier League at White Hart Lane is characterised by Manchester United's worst performance in years. The Red Devils failed to cope withe pedestrian pace of the match and Sunderland were very unlucky to drop the 2 points.
The Premiership teams are getting their rhythm now and a true picture is emerging. It is usually for late surprises and surges by teams and average teams like Spurs, Villa and Everton will do themselves a lot of favours to garner points now. Ruthless Chelsea, toothless Manchester United and spent Liverpool are great side still to hit their peak.
European championships are taking their toll but good teams must have the depth and wits to come out unstuck. Spurs have the mantle and pedigree to do well. They have the players and coach to deliver. Their inexperience in dealing with a congested fixture will lower their potential level of performance by the divided attention.
Do you think Arsenal are on the right track?
The rest of the results: Chelsea 2 - Arsenal 0, Liverpool 1 - Blackpool 2, Man City 2 - Newcastle 1, West Ham 1 - Fulham 1, West Brom 1 - Bolton 1, Stoke City 1 - Blackburn 0, Birmingham City 0 - Everton 2, Wigan Athletic 2 - Wolverhampton 0.
Premiership: Chelsea And Manchester City In Great Home Wins.
Didier Drogba and Alex scored for Chelsea as the time to separate boys from men came face to face with Arsenal and they failed the men test. There was deserved celebrations at the City of Manchester Stadium as Man City dispatched Newcastle by a 2-1 scoreline. Liverpool were a usual disappointing lot of nowadays with a humiliating loss to Blackpool. The Reds sank 1-2.
The weekend that so a sensational 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur victory over Aston Villa in a Backlays English Premier League at White Hart Lane is characterised by Manchester United's worst performance in years. The Red Devils failed to cope withe pedestrian pace of the match and Sunderland were very unlucky to drop the 2 points.
The Premiership teams are getting their rhythm now and a true picture is emerging. It is usually for late surprises and surges by teams and average teams like Spurs, Villa and Everton will do themselves a lot of favours to garner points now. Ruthless Chelsea, toothless Manchester United and spent Liverpool are great side still to hit their peak.
European championships are taking their toll but good teams must have the depth and wits to come out unstuck. Spurs have the mantle and pedigree to do well. They have the players and coach to deliver. Their inexperience in dealing with a congested fixture will lower their potential level of performance by the divided attention.
Do you think Arsenal are on the right track?
The rest of the results: Chelsea 2 - Arsenal 0, Liverpool 1 - Blackpool 2, Man City 2 - Newcastle 1, West Ham 1 - Fulham 1, West Brom 1 - Bolton 1, Stoke City 1 - Blackburn 0, Birmingham City 0 - Everton 2, Wigan Athletic 2 - Wolverhampton 0.
The weekend that so a sensational 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur victory over Aston Villa in a Backlays English Premier League at White Hart Lane is characterised by Manchester United's worst performance in years. The Red Devils failed to cope withe pedestrian pace of the match and Sunderland were very unlucky to drop the 2 points.
The Premiership teams are getting their rhythm now and a true picture is emerging. It is usually for late surprises and surges by teams and average teams like Spurs, Villa and Everton will do themselves a lot of favours to garner points now. Ruthless Chelsea, toothless Manchester United and spent Liverpool are great side still to hit their peak.
European championships are taking their toll but good teams must have the depth and wits to come out unstuck. Spurs have the mantle and pedigree to do well. They have the players and coach to deliver. Their inexperience in dealing with a congested fixture will lower their potential level of performance by the divided attention.
Do you think Arsenal are on the right track?
The rest of the results: Chelsea 2 - Arsenal 0, Liverpool 1 - Blackpool 2, Man City 2 - Newcastle 1, West Ham 1 - Fulham 1, West Brom 1 - Bolton 1, Stoke City 1 - Blackburn 0, Birmingham City 0 - Everton 2, Wigan Athletic 2 - Wolverhampton 0.
Premiership: Chelsea And Manchester City In Great Home Wins.
Didier Drogba and Alex scored for Chelsea as the time to separate boys from men came face to face with Arsenal and they failed the men test. There was deserved celebrations at the City of Manchester Stadium as Man City dispatched Newcastle by a 2-1 scoreline. Liverpool were a usual disappointing lot of nowadays with a humiliating loss to Blackpool. The Reds sank 1-2.
The weekend that so a sensational 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur victory over Aston Villa in a Backlays English Premier League at White Hart Lane is characterised by Manchester United's worst performance in years. The Red Devils failed to cope withe pedestrian pace of the match and Sunderland were very unlucky to drop the 2 points.
The Premiership teams are getting their rhythm now and a true picture is emerging. It is usually for late surprises and surges by teams and average teams like Spurs, Villa and Everton will do themselves a lot of favours to garner points now. Ruthless Chelsea, toothless Manchester United and spent Liverpool are great side still to hit their peak.
European championships are taking their toll but good teams must have the depth and wits to come out unstuck. Spurs have the mantle and pedigree to do well. They have the players and coach to deliver. Their inexperience in dealing with a congested fixture will lower their potential level of performance by the divided attention.
Do you think Arsenal are on the right track?
The rest of the results: Chelsea 2 - Arsenal 0, Liverpool 1 - Blackpool 2, Man City 2 - Newcastle 1, West Ham 1 - Fulham 1, West Brom 1 - Bolton 1, Stoke City 1 - Blackburn 0, Birmingham City 0 - Everton 2, Wigan Athletic 2 - Wolverhampton 0.
The weekend that so a sensational 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur victory over Aston Villa in a Backlays English Premier League at White Hart Lane is characterised by Manchester United's worst performance in years. The Red Devils failed to cope withe pedestrian pace of the match and Sunderland were very unlucky to drop the 2 points.
The Premiership teams are getting their rhythm now and a true picture is emerging. It is usually for late surprises and surges by teams and average teams like Spurs, Villa and Everton will do themselves a lot of favours to garner points now. Ruthless Chelsea, toothless Manchester United and spent Liverpool are great side still to hit their peak.
European championships are taking their toll but good teams must have the depth and wits to come out unstuck. Spurs have the mantle and pedigree to do well. They have the players and coach to deliver. Their inexperience in dealing with a congested fixture will lower their potential level of performance by the divided attention.
Do you think Arsenal are on the right track?
The rest of the results: Chelsea 2 - Arsenal 0, Liverpool 1 - Blackpool 2, Man City 2 - Newcastle 1, West Ham 1 - Fulham 1, West Brom 1 - Bolton 1, Stoke City 1 - Blackburn 0, Birmingham City 0 - Everton 2, Wigan Athletic 2 - Wolverhampton 0.
Premiership: Chelsea And Manchester City In Great Home Wins.
Didier Drogba and Alex scored for Chelsea as the time to separate boys from men came face to face with Arsenal and they failed the men test. There was deserved celebrations at the City of Manchester Stadium as Man City dispatched Newcastle by a 2-1 scoreline. Liverpool were a usual disappointing lot of nowadays with a humiliating loss to Blackpool. The Reds sank 1-2.
The weekend that so a sensational 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur victory over Aston Villa in a Backlays English Premier League at White Hart Lane is characterised by Manchester United's worst performance in years. The Red Devils failed to cope withe pedestrian pace of the match and Sunderland were very unlucky to drop the 2 points.
The Premiership teams are getting their rhythm now and a true picture is emerging. It is usually for late surprises and surges by teams and average teams like Spurs, Villa and Everton will do themselves a lot of favours to garner points now. Ruthless Chelsea, toothless Manchester United and spent Liverpool are great side still to hit their peak.
European championships are taking their toll but good teams must have the depth and wits to come out unstuck. Spurs have the mantle and pedigree to do well. They have the players and coach to deliver. Their inexperience in dealing with a congested fixture will lower their potential level of performance by the divided attention.
Do you think Arsenal are on the right track?
The rest of the results: Chelsea 2 - Arsenal 0, Liverpool 1 - Blackpool 2, Man City 2 - Newcastle 1, West Ham 1 - Fulham 1, West Brom 1 - Bolton 1, Stoke City 1 - Blackburn 0, Birmingham City 0 - Everton 2, Wigan Athletic 2 - Wolverhampton 0.
The weekend that so a sensational 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur victory over Aston Villa in a Backlays English Premier League at White Hart Lane is characterised by Manchester United's worst performance in years. The Red Devils failed to cope withe pedestrian pace of the match and Sunderland were very unlucky to drop the 2 points.
The Premiership teams are getting their rhythm now and a true picture is emerging. It is usually for late surprises and surges by teams and average teams like Spurs, Villa and Everton will do themselves a lot of favours to garner points now. Ruthless Chelsea, toothless Manchester United and spent Liverpool are great side still to hit their peak.
European championships are taking their toll but good teams must have the depth and wits to come out unstuck. Spurs have the mantle and pedigree to do well. They have the players and coach to deliver. Their inexperience in dealing with a congested fixture will lower their potential level of performance by the divided attention.
Do you think Arsenal are on the right track?
The rest of the results: Chelsea 2 - Arsenal 0, Liverpool 1 - Blackpool 2, Man City 2 - Newcastle 1, West Ham 1 - Fulham 1, West Brom 1 - Bolton 1, Stoke City 1 - Blackburn 0, Birmingham City 0 - Everton 2, Wigan Athletic 2 - Wolverhampton 0.
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