January 2012
31 posts
26 tags
It is time for FIFA to back The F.A. on this...
He’s slightly renowned for his controversy: he’s a man that can fall to the ground admirably – if it was a re-enactment of a battle scene from the Somme and not an Ivorian footballer putting his hand to Barton’s head – and plead he was punched in order to see the aforementioned sent off; yet, when he stands within centre metres of another footballer and moves his forehead forwards, he’s aggrieved...
27 tags
What Theo Walcott and Mark Schwarzer have in...
Frustratingly, if you’re a football fan, a football player or involved in football in any way at any level, you can expect to be sniggered at and have your intelligence questioned: the game is seen as the game of idiots, and it is no surprise considering what some players get up to and the level of intellect they display on and off the pitch.
When asked if he was volatile, David Beckham chose to...
30 tags
More transfers, taller players and a lot of...
Transfers
Whilst most of the world’s industries continue to struggle in the aftermath of one recession, at the same time as riding through the current financial crisis which threatens to send the world into another one, European football ignores Katie Price’s - more accurately her corporate sponsor’s - concerns for the economy, her glee at “China’s latest GDP figures” and her solution to it all...
25 tags
To ever be considered great, Neymar must move to...
He’s not yet 20, he’s yet to make 100 domestic appearances for his club and he’s yet to make a considerable impact outside of his homeland; however, his wages are paid for, mostly, by his country’s bank and Post Office, he rakes in £150,000 in wages per week and he’s already accumulated the same amount of individual honours as his age in years, 19, including: the Brazilian Golden Boot, Player of...
30 tags
Why Arsenal haven’t met expectations, Norwich are...
Believe it or not, Arsenal were the best performers in the Premier League last year. According to statistical analysis, composed and interpreted by Opta Sports Data and CIES Football Observatory, Arsenal were the only side in the top 5 European leagues – England, France, Spain, Italy and Germany - that were the top performers in their division, but didn’t finish as the Champions.
Assessed on five...
13 tags
It’s the year of The Ox: but is it too late for...
When Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain left my dear Southampton F.C I was of mixed opinion: whilst I tried to believe all that said £15m (£12m+£3m) was a great deal for the club, considering he was yet to kick a ball outside of the third tier of English football, and I wrestled with the view that we had kept our prized asset in the form of 23-year old Adam Lallana, I couldn’t help but feel disgruntled that...
15 tags
Can Southampton be next season’s Swansea?
As Swansea continue to light up the Premier League with their fresh approach, considering they are a newly promoted team and thus expected to play more defensively to avoid a “Derby”, there is a number of parallels to be drawn between the South Wales side and the South coast side, Southampton.
As emphasised in yesterday’s article, Swansea’s passing style has been credited as their flagship trait...
26 tags
How Swansea are proving that the Championship can...
Swansea is a Championship team no more: in fact, they’re sitting in the top half of the Premier League; they’re unbeaten at home since November, that being their only loss at the Liberty Stadium all season; they’ve conceded fewer goals at home than all but Manchester City in the Premier League and all with much of the team that secured them promotion via the play-offs from the n-Power...
17 tags
Why Papiss Demba Cisse could be Pardew’s most...
When Alan Pardew, but ultimately Mike Ashley who holds the strings to the purse, failed to replace the likes of Andy Carroll, Jose Enrique, Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton, to the tune of what they amassed in departing – just over £40m – some fans hadn’t quite factored in what Yohan Cabaye, a continually improving Cheick Tiote, Demba Ba and an out of position Ryan Taylor could offer an Alan Pardew...
13 tags
Surely this is the perfect final destination for...
“I’m very proud of the time that I’ve spent with the Galaxy and it might continue.” These words, tentatively chosen and teasing in delivery, weren’t an admission that David Beckham has indeed had his head in the clouds for the past 5 years, it was the Peckham-born star saying, “I could stay, but I’d rather move and just in case no one wants me, I’ll make sure I don’t offend.” It turns out he chose...
3 tags
100% record comes to an end as FCI see Red
Last week’s win, the first of, hopefully, many doubles, saw FC Independence extend their lead at the top of the table by two points to nine. With six league games left of FCI’s inaugural season, the Black and Blues went into their away clash with Waterside B on 24 points after eight wins on the bounce and a win today would all but ensure the league title goes to the newly-formed side.
...
23 tags
He who dares wins – but which Championship team...
The first half of the Championship is well and truly over: the January transfer window is entering what Southampton boss Nigel Adkins calls the, “critical stage,” meaning the last two weeks, and a team that were 14/1 for the title at the beginning of the season are at the top, whilst the two favourites, relegated West Ham and Birmingham, sit in 2nd place and 7th place respectively. Meanwhile,...
15 tags
Why Shifting Carlos Tevez will prove difficult for...
On the pitch, Carlos Tevez is a talent that epitomises all that is good among his generation of Argentines: he is determined, he is skilful and he is a match-winner. However, the only winning he has been doing of late involves rounds of golf in his homeland. It is well documented how Carlos Tevez went from Manchester City’s hero, who added even more credibility to his cult status by sharing the...
25 tags
Three Ways in which Everton could overcome their...
Back in the summer, Everton made the headlines for a failure to spend yet again: in fact, since signing Jonny Heitinga for £6.2m in the 2009 summer transfer window, Everton are yet to spend over £1.5m in combined transfer fees. Well, that was the case until they signed Manchester United’s Darron Gibson on January 13th, conveniently hours before Everton’s official site released a blog written by...
26 tags
Seeing Red amidst the mist of Subjectivity
If it’s true that some things never change – a leopard doesn’t change its spots, Big Sam will always ferociously chew gum, Mark Hughes doesn’t lack ambition – then it is no surprise that Sir Alex Ferguson was playing mind games after all and bad things will always come in three.
When, on Sunday morning, Paul Scholes was named among the substitutes for the Manchester derby in the third round of...
28 tags
Could these Former Ferguson Ever-Loyals be this...
Whilst others read Harry Pearson’s blog on The Guardian, entitled “Why Sir Alex Ferguson’s rejects are tickled pink to be leaving” and leapt to the dramatic measures of screaming libel, lies and lexically superfluous, I took it how it was meant to be taken, with a tongue firmly placed in cheek, and proceeded to read the comments. The article itself, sarcastically suggested that if Wayne...
30 tags
The Nostalgia League: Hughes, Henry, Scholes – and...
Whilst the Premier League gives up faith on the current crop of multi-million pound stars that are unable to find the back of the net, tie up a midfield that boasts international wingers and ball-hungry strikers or manage a team suitably financed by a Malaysian air tycoon: the fans are understandably double-checking their screens amidst a quiet warbling of Rocky Horror’s lyrics, “Let’s do the Time...
24 tags
How the African Cup of Nations will affect the...
This January may lead to a bit more activity than the last one, with clubs scurrying about frantically to secure quick, or short term, cover for their African stars, who have now departed for the biennial Africa Cup of Nations tournament that has only one saving grace to the Premier League: Egypt, Cameroon and Nigeria have for the first time in recent history, failed to qualify for the tournament...
22 tags
Does any footballer really command an £83.5m price...
I am well aware that money and football seem to be two entities that when together combust ferociously, exploding to magnitudes constantly higher than the one before it and capable of sparking even bigger and bigger with gentle encouragement from the other; however, every time I see an article linking Porto’s Hulk to another top European football team, I always run a double take on the figure he...
17 tags
Mancini: Tottenham can win the league, Simpson:...
If, on October 23rd 2011, you had a heavy blow to the head and all knowledge of Premier League campaigns were simultaneously erased from your memory, you may have stood aloof at your television/betting slip/friend in the pub and sanctimoniously proclaimed that this year the Barclay’s Premier League was a one-horse race. However, a one-horse race, by definition, is one in which only one of the...
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How to keep the Magic of the F.A Cup
Honestly, when I saw the starting XI and the seven substitutes for my club’s F.A Cup third round tie against Coventry at a rather quiet and seemingly sporadically populated Ricoh Arena, I only had two thoughts: we don’t seem too fussed about winning this and it’ll be good to see how the kids get on. Among the newly-announced “Best Player of the Championship,” Adam Lallana, according to...
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Will we be adding Some Samba, Latin Flair and...
Figures discovered back in August 2011 as the Premier League kicked off and Bolton, scoring 4 past a “capitulated” QPR, fired their way to the top of the league, a sure sign that the only way was down, revealed that out of the 1465 players that could’ve been picked for their respective Premier League clubs that weekend, only 42% of them are English. Amongst the other 849.7 players, we’ll presume...
21 tags
Five things we learned about Manchester City this...
In a game that looked full of life for a whole 686 seconds, there was a lot to be learned about a very impressive Manchester City side: Samir Nasri hasn’t been worth the £25m he cost The Citizens, despite his electric start to life at The Etihad; although they lost, City can consider Manchester United as the underdogs next time they visit; and, as Roberto Mancini said, “I think more than ever that...
27 tags
Pouring Petrol on the Suarez Situation
Much like a heated debate between a Mancunian and Scouse family, but not quite as romantic as the Montagues and Capulets, the mother hen has got involved, Peggy Mitchell style, and it’s not the first time one has stepped in for a Liverpool player and defended their perfect, pretty boy son. Obviously seeing what such a brilliant reception Carol Konchesky got for her defence of her son Paul,...
5 tags
FCI all but End Hedge's title hopes
The 6-1 win against Hedge End Blues, their third successive victory against the newly-formed team, ensured that not only did FCI go into Christmas and 2012 at the top of the table, but they did so with an 100% win record still intact and a 7-point lead over today’s opponents, Hedge End St. Lukes.
The Christmas period was sorely needed for some, in particular; Jordan Florit who was in...
19 tags
Patience is a virtue, but who will give in first -...
Seemingly, the one striking difference between Arsenal and Chelsea this season (pardon the pun and potential scope to argue over Van Persie’s general lack of support in attack and the general lack of support for Torres), apart from the 5-3 scoreline, the honesty in fans admitting exactly how much faith they have in the manager and the honesty in the players admitting exactly how much faith...
21 tags
Why Arsenal fans need to get behind this boo-boy...
As a Southampton fan, it’s been quite a pleasing season as far as the Championship goes, but even the Premier League has managed to suitably satisfy my footballing palate: Nathan Dyer has been terrifying opposition defences with his speed and agile dribbling style at Swansea, Andrew Surman is finally getting a decent run of games in the Norwich line-up popping up with the odd goal and...
21 tags
Could this Villain be on the move,...
Unfortunately for Aston Villa, the one change that current pantomime Villain, Alex McLeish, made in bringing in Darren Bent for Marc Albrighton did not pay off: in fact one word used to describe the decision was “clueless.” However, having been scrutinised earlier in the month for shopping whilst injured, as his team mates played a PL fixture, it seemed that his return was as warmly...
21 tags
The Barca Model - how the expensive side is funded
Barcelona are admired throughout the world for their ability to create a team, which has won 13 of the last 16 trophies they have been entered into, on the strong foundations of home grown players, from their illustrious “La Masia.” La Masia is arguably the best at what it does – consistently produce young players year upon year for the first team – and in 2010 its strength was highlighted as...
15 tags
Young Arsenal Star leaves on Loan
Last night, in his post-match interview as seen on Match of the Day, Mick McCarthy confirmed that Emmanuel Frimpong was joining Wolverhampton Wanderers on loan until the end of the season, in a deal that the Wolves boss described as, “fantastic” adding that he was, “delighted because he’s a terrific young player.” For Emmanuel Frimpong it will provide the much-needed...
14 tags
Forget January - is this Liverpool's most...
At a grand total of £0.00p, £35m less than 4-goal Andy Carroll, Craig Bellamy is already level with his team mate when it comes to the goals tally, but in 11 fewer games and furthermore, Carroll’s goal to minutes ratio, during this PL campaign, of 1:435 is dwarfed by Bellamy’s contribution of 1:127 - a goals to minutes ratio that isn’t bettered by any other Liverpool player,...
