Football, Life and Journalism

Sunderland ready to push up table

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:28:00 +0000

It has been all change at the Stadium of Light this summer and not the first time in recent years the team has had a makeover.

Sunderland fans have become accustomed to periods of upheaval that started when Roy Keane took charge.

That tradition has been continued by Steve Bruce who has seen nearly 60 players join the club since 2006.

But whereas Keane was building a squad fit for a purpose (promotion and, latterly, Premier League survival), Bruce now appears to be building a balanced, settled squad that can be built upon, rather than rebuilt next summer.

Ellis Short hasn't handed out cash readily in 2011, Bruce has had to earn it.

Indeed it's a new age of relative prudence at the Stadium of Light - reducing the wage bill and profiting from player sales all in the name of balancing the books is the priority.

Expect players such as Nyron Nosworthy, Matthew Killgallon and George McCartney to move on. Marcos Angeleri has done little to get into Bruce's good books and may also find himself leaving.

The sale of Darren Bent in January caused upset among fans but the money raised from the sale - and Bent's salary being taken off the wage bill - has allowed Bruce to move quickly and decisively in the transfer market.

Jordan Henderson soon followed Bent out of Wearside as he headed to Anfield in a sale which made the club a huge profit on a player who came up from the youth team.

Henderson's exit led to people questioning the vision and ambition of the club - selling two prized assets leaving behind a rather thin squad, they said, didn't seem like the actions of a club wanting to grow.

Bruce was quick to rectify that.

His first move was to make Ahmed Elmohammedy's loan deal permanent while Kieran Westwood was signed in a move that seemingly pushes Craig Gordon, who has one year left on his contract, towards the exit.

Craig Gardner signed for £6 million with Sebastian Larsson and David Vaughan both joining on free transfers.

All rather solid signings so far, but the real star attractions were still to come.

Sunderland beat Liverpool to the signing of starlet Connor Wickham from Ipswich, who joins South Korean Dong-Won Ji in the new-look attack and at the back, John O'Shea and Wes Brown were persuaded to swap Manchester for Wearside.

Along with the influx of new signings, the emergence of academy talent has caused excitement in the club.

Jack Colback impressed in midfield towards the end of last season, while centre-back Louis Laing has caught the eye during the team's pre-season tour of Germany.

Sunderland had one of the youngest squads in the Premier League last season, and they've now added experience.

A nice blend of flair and steel should see them improve on last season's 10th place finish.

Avoiding the perennial disastrous mid-season losing streak will also be high on their wish list.

Prediction: Seventh - this team should be good enough to better recent finishes of 13th and 10th, with added steel to their spine in Gardner, Vaughan, Brown and O'Shea, a finish of seventh should be achievable.

Key man: Stephane Sessegnon. Linking midfield and attack, the Benin international could help take the pressure off the Sunderland forwards.

Defensive lapse sees Wenger’s boys hand trophy to Henry and co

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 09:03:00 +0000

Arsenal finished their last Premier League campaign with a run of two wins in ten games, perfecting the habit of snatching draws and defeats from the jaws of victory.

With the new season just two weeks away, Arsene Wenger’s side seem to have taken that form into the Emirates Cup, conceding a late own goal to draw 1-1 against New York Red Bulls and hand the Americans the trophy in the process.

The build-up to the game wasn’t about winning the competition however, or Arsenal’s form, it was all about the return of Thierry Henry.

The Frenchman ran out on the pitch on his own and was met with a standing ovation and rapturous applause from the stands.

Rumours were abound before kick off that Henry was going to appear in an Arsenal shirt for a portion of the match and Wenger, who expressed his delight at seeing Henry again, confirmed that he had planned a ‘surprise’ for his former striker in the form of a five minute cameo.

“He was desperate for it,” he admitted. “But the referee stubbornly turned it down.

“They say great clubs never die and great players never die as well because Thierry has shown us today that he’s still top quality with his feet and with his head.”

Henry himself claimed that he was disappointed not to appear in an Arsenal shirt once more because of the "stupid rules" of the competition.

The game itself was a turgid affair with Arsenal failing to find a way to turn their dominance into a win against New York, a team Robbie Savage compared to a "pub team.”

Arsenal were forced into an early change when Jack Wilshere was taken off with a minor knock to his ankle to be replaced by youth player Benik Afobe.

The substitution was merely a precaution though, with Wenger confirming Wilshere will be out for a week.

“He’s a quick healer usually and a tough boy,” he said.

The first half was played almost exclusively in the American half as Arsenal kept hold of the ball like a greedy child in a playground.

Their usual trait of edge-of-the-box tentativeness was on show once more, though with van Persie flanked by Afobe and Gervinho, they did look somewhat more direct than at times last season.

The home side eventually took the lead after 41 minutes when Tomas Rosicky floated a free-kick into the penalty area and Robin van Persie, carrying on his tremendous goal-scoring record in 2011, leapt in front of Roy Miller to head past Frank Rost in the New York goal.

The Emirates had to wait until the 85th minute for the next goal, however. Henry slipped a precision pass through to Juan Agudelo who ran to the by-line fired a cross across goal which was duly smashed into his own net by substitute Kyle Bartley.

Wenger admitted that he was frustrated that the game was “forwards against defence” though said that he was happy with the competition as in pre-season, the “most important thing is to prepare.”

“Overall I am very happy with the two days because we were confronted with two teams who played very committed, very physical and very strong defensively and both days we played for an hour and we have not more to offer at the moment, hopefully that will change in the next two weeks.”

With his side booed off the pitch at full-time, and the futures of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas still in doubt, Wenger will be hoping that any possible moves for Phil Jagielka, Juan Mata and Christopher Samba are concluded sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile in the earlier kick off a youthful Paris Saint-Germain team swept aside Boca Juniors in a tepid 3-0 win.

It took Leonardo’s men only eight minutes to take the lead, with Jean-Eudes Maurice beating Boca goalkeeper Augustin Orion to the ball and diverting the ball into the net with an acrobatic karate kick. Half an hour later, the lead was doubled.

An unmarked Guillaume Hoarau ran in-between Boca centre-backs Gaston Sauro and Matias Caruzzo to get on the end of Maurice’s cross and head past Orion with ease.

The game was wrapped up with twelve minutes to go when Marcos Ceara curled in a delightful free-kick from 30 yards.

It swerved majestically over the wall and into the top left corner of Orion’s goal with little anyone could do about it.

Spurs sweep aside Werder Bremen to qualify for last 16

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 12:05:00 +0000

It was a momentous night for Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane; not only did they secure a spot in the knock-out stages of the Champions League, eliminating a dire Werder Bremen side in the process, but Harry Redknapp’s men achieved their first clean sheet since August.

Spurs bossed the game from the start and took the lead after just six minutes. Bremen failed to clear a simple corner and Aaron Lennon picked up the loose ball before dribbling past Dominik Schmidt and pulling a cross back for the unmarked, and in-form, Younes Kaboul to sweep home with ease.

Their lead was doubled at the end of the first half as Luka Modric filled the void left by the injured Rafael van der Vaart and latched on to the end of a Peter Crouch knockdown. The Croatian delightfully fooled Sebastian Prodl and smashed a right-footed shot past the helpless Tim Wiesse.

Despite their half time lead, Redknapp wasn’t overly impressed with his side’s first half performance.

"I thought we played within ourselves in the first half to be honest," he admitted.

"It was difficult. They filled up the midfield but every time we got it out to Gareth or Aaron it looked as though we were going to create a chance."
Spurs started the second half as they finished the first as they sought a third goal with Gareth Bale crashing a free-kick against the crossbar in the 51st minute after Prodl was booked for a foul on Lennon.

Minutes later, a penalty was awarded for a trip by Felix Kroos on Modric. Regular penalty taker Roman Pavlyuchenko handed the responsibility to Bale but the Welshman’s powerful effort was saved with ease by the busy Wiese.

"I don’t know why he [Pavlyuchenko] didn’t take the penalty," the Spurs manager said afterwards.

"He normally takes them but he gave it to Gareth. He didn’t fancy it tonight, he missed one last week."

Wiese’s opposite number, Heurelho Gomes, was rarely troubled. Marko Marin was trapped in isolation on the left wing and Sandro Wagner, so impressive in the U21 European Championship final against England in 2009, could only contribute a spectacular ‘air-kick’ as he missed the ball completely.

The home side secured the win in the 79th minute with Lennon, back to his dribbling best, added a touch of flair to proceedings before laying the ball off to Peter Crouch to score his twelfth Champions League goal in 29 appearances, rounding off a miserable night, and a torrid campaign for Thomas Schaaf's team.

Despite securing safe passage to the knockout rounds, Redknapp stated his intent to end the stage at the top of Group A.

"We’ve enjoyed it so far and hopefully if we can get a result at Twente and win the group.

"I’d like to progress as far as we can. The crowd love it, I love it, it’s great for the football club to be back in Europe again and we want it every year."

Redknapp and co. travel to Holland in two weeks time as they look to beat Rafael Benitez’s Inter Milan in the race to the summit of Group A and will be hoping Werder put in a better performance in Germany to help them succeed.

The Hangover

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 15:50:00 +0000

After one of the most disappointed derby days in Tyne-Wear history for Sunderland fans and one of the most humiliating, I thought I'd share this, I know I'm feeling a lot like this...

Wenger struck by irony as Wilshere sees red

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 10:42:00 +0000

The irony was lost on no one at the Emirates on Saturday. Arsène Wenger wrote in his programme notes about the demise of the “technique of the tackle” before his Arsenal side’s 2-1 win over Birmingham City, but it was his team that ended the game with ten men.

Jack Wilshere, who put in an otherwise outstanding performance, was sent off in the 92nd minute for an ugly one-footed tackle on Birmingham striker Nikola Zigic.

The 18-year-old slid in over the top of the ball with the studs on his left boot raised and connected with the Serbian’s right ankle.

“He mistimed his tackle, he got a red card he deserved but it was his first tackle in the game,” admitted Wenger.

“He didn’t spend his whole game trying to kick people, he played football and was one of the best players on the football pitch today.”

Birmingham City manager, Alex McLeish, claimed Zigic was lucky not to get a “badly damaged leg” as he was reminded of Martin Taylor’s challenged on Eduardo da Silva two years ago.

“You know, we’ve had to put up with the Eduardo stuff for the last couple of years, every time we play Arsenal. In the programme today the interviewer is saying he’s going to go and interview Eduardo on ‘that’ tackle. It’s scandalous,” admitted the former Rangers manager.

“Martin Taylor, as we said at the time is not a dirty player but it was a mistimed tackle and it caused terrible damage to Eduardo, but that tackle could have caused Zigic a lot of damage but we know Jack Wilshere is not a dirty player, but it does show you that players can mis-time in this hurly burly game of football.”

Wenger was happy with the result, as goals from Samir Nasri and Marouane Chamakh rescued the three points after Zigic had put the away side ahead, though the Frenchman admitted that his team played with nerves.

“It was never comfortable today and you could see that and feel that in the way we played.”

Spurs comeback ensures no European hangover

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 17:32:00 +0000

Raphael van der Vaart scored his first goal for Spurs as Harry Redknapp’s side came from behind to avoid another European hangover and overcome a spirited Wolves side.

Redknapp sought to avoid a repeat performance of the home defeat against Wigan but he made only two changes from the side that started in Bremen with Robbie Keane and Younes Kaboul replacing Aaron Lennon and Vedran Corluka.

The away side started well and should have had a penalty when Matt Jarvis was brought to the ground by William Gallas though referee Michael Jones dismissed the fervent appeals.

Wolves took the lead in the 45th minute as Kevin Foley, played onside by a hobbling Kaboul, crossed for Steven Fletcher to nip in front of William Gallas and tap the ball past Carlo Cudicini.

The home side equalised in the 77th minute when Raphael van der Vaart scored a penalty after Alan Hutton was felled by Stephen Ward.

The home side took the lead 10 minutes later. Ward’s attempted pass hit the referee and the loose ball was played to Aaron Lennon. His cross deflected into the path of the previously anonymous Roman Pavlyuchenko finished emphatically.

The comeback was completed in the 90th minute as Hutton raced into the box and lost control of the ball. Richard Stearman’s attempted clearance deflected off the Scot and lobbed Hahnemann to make it 3-1.

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy admitted he was disappointed with the nature the defeat but wasn‘t surprised by losing to a team in the Champions League.

“We’ve contrived to give that away. We were the architects of our own downfall by allowing them to open us up and then get the pen.

“I think it fabulous that we’ve come to Spurs and took a one goal lead and I’m disappointed we’ve lost, but they are Champions League, aren’t they?”

Harry Redknapp was happy with the way his side came back from a goal down.

“I came in at half time and I wasn’t at all disappointed at how we played, I was disappointed to be one nil down obviously, but I couldn’t come in and criticise the players.

“It was always going to be difficult…but overall it was a great result for us.”

A Wembley Double Bill

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Wed, 26 May 2010 18:38:00 +0000

I'd never been to Wembley before. I was too young as a Sunderland fan to attend the 1998 Play Off Final and had never made an England international before. So, when I was offered a complementary ticket for the Championship final on Saturday, I was delighted to accept.

I was sat in the Cardiff end, looking out over a sea of tangerine flags bathed in sunlight. It was a spectacular sight as the contrast between the blue of Cardiff and organs of Ian Holloway's side both dominated one end of the stadium.

It was certainly an event which matched it's surroundings as Blackpool won promotion to the Premier League and, along with a free sandwich or two, a thoroughly enjoyable day.

I also made the trip to North West London to see England take on Mexico on Monday. Sat along with some old uni friends, we watched the game from Gods at the back of the stand behind the goal.

With the England fans clad in free t-shirts, the effect was impressive. If only the team could have obliged with a performance that matched.

Watching from a height, it gave me a chance to look at the positioning of players, the runs made and the tactical discipline of Fabio Capello's charges.

It is for that reason, that I was so surprised by the reaction to Steven Gerrard's performance. He had a poor first half, leaving Leighton Baines open to attacks from the right flank meaning Wayne Rooney was forced to help defend.

In the second half, the Liverpool captain was shifted to a more central role where he looked more comfortable but far from the player we know he can be. On occasion.

Two trips to Wembley in three days have left me impressed with the home of English football. Inside, the cauldron-esque shape of the stands echoes a Roman amphitheatre and the atmosphere on both occasions was highly impressive.

World Cup Guide - Portgual

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Fri, 21 May 2010 10:03:00 +0000

The Team:

Semi-finalists last time around there is a distinct lack of optimism surrounding Carlos Queiroz’s side for the 2010 competition.

Drawn in a qualifying group with Denmark and Sweden as the major threats, Portugal qualified through the Play Offs after three successive scoreless draws against Albania and Sweden, twice.

It is this lack of goals that worry the Portugal fans. Cristiano Ronaldo has failed to replicate his scintillating form at club level for his country and though Liedson has made an impressive start to international football with three goals in seven caps, there is a feeling that if Captain Ronaldo isn’t scoring, no one else will be either.

Creating chances surely won’t be a problem for Queiroz’s side. With Deco, Joao Moutinho, Ronaldo, Simao and Nani all potentially playing in the same side, if should lead to some very exciting football.

Portugal have played a 4-3-3 formation in the last three major tournaments, so don’t expect a change this time around.

With two marauding wingers in Ronaldo and former Manchester United teammate Nani, the full-backs don’t have the creative license they would have in other teams. Left exposed by the lack of width in midfield, the job of Paulo Ferreira and Miguel will be to defend and make sure that the team holds it’s shape.

The Seleccao das Quinas have always had an impressive array of attacking talent, and they appear to be solid in defence with Bruno Alves and Ricardo Carvalho joining the aforementioned duo, playing in front of Eduardo.

They key game for Portugal will be their opening match with the Ivory Coast, seemingly their rivals to finish behind Brazil. If Queiroz and his charges can get three points from that game, then qualifying should be a formality. It is what lies beyond that worries the fans.

The Manager:

Carlos Queiroz has coached Manchester United, managed Real Madrid, South Africa and is currently in his second spell in charge of his home nation. He wasn’t a popular appointment and fans still don’t believe he is the man to lead them into a major tournament. He will have to harness the undoubted individual talent of his players if they look to at least replicate the semi-final display of 2006.

Star Player:

There is no doubt Portugal have a talented group of players, which makes it even more impressive that Ronaldo stands out as the major talent. The Real Madrid man has been one of the World’s best players in recent years and enjoyed an impressive debut season in La Liga, despite being out-shone by Lionel Messi. If Portugal are to enjoy any success this year, Ronaldo will have to start scoring the goals that have proved, recently, so elusive on the international stage.

>Prediction:

Drawn along with Brazil, Ivory Coast and North Korea, the Seleccao das Quinas certainly have a tough task. Their first game against Sven Goran Erikson’s men will be the litmus test of their tournament. Second Round exit.

World Cup Guide - Germany

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 13 May 2010 22:22:00 +0000

The Morning Star have asked me to do some guides for the World Cup. First up, Germany.

The last time Germany failed to reach the quarter-finals of a World Cup was way back in 1978, when their current manager was just 18.

The third most successful club in World Cup history are seasoned tournament experts and will be expected to challenge once more after an impressive qualifying campaign. Having scored 26 goals in ten outings and remained undefeated throughout, Low guided his side to qualification with relative ease.

However, Low has a serious dilemma with his striking options. Miroslav Klose, Lukas Podolski and Mario Gomez have only scored fifteen goals in eighty-one games between them in their respective domestic seasons.

Alternative options Stefan Kiessling and Cacau have an impressive 34 goals in 58 games but only eight international caps and have not found the net on the world stage yet.

Low can call upon experience everywhere in other departments, with Michael Ballack, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Arne Friedrich all present, although it is the young Thomas Muller that is causing some excitement.

After an impressive debut season, the Bayern Munich player has endless energy supplies and a keen eye for goal.

Against the better teams in the competition, expect Low to put out a 4-2-3-1 formation with Ballack and Schweinsteiger holding in midfield behind Muller, Mesut Ozil and Podolski. The German boss has put his faith in Klose, who seems ever-impressive in an international tournament, so it would be no surprise to see the Munich striker keep his place despite a poor domestic season.

But Low is tactically astute enough to have an alternative. Against the weaker teams, Low may favour a 4-4-2 with Ozil moving to the left of midfield and Kiessling or Gomez played as the extra striker.

Germany favour to attack on the left flank through Lahm, Podolski and the left-drifting Ozil. They should provide more than enough crosses for the aerial threat of Klose.

One area of weakness is in defence. Low has yet to decide who is best to partner Per Mertesacker in the centre of defence and although Lahm is arguably Germany’s best player, the other full-back position is up for grabs with Manchester City target Jerome Boateng favourite to start.

The Manager:

Joachim Low was Jurgen Klinsmann’s number two at the 2006 World Cup, and the tactician took the main job after Germany’s extra time defeat in the semi final against Italy. Modern-thinking and more often than not, tactically spot on. Then again, he is German.

Star Player:

Philipp Lahm impressed at the European Championships two years ago and has been impressive for Bayern Munich, though his form can waver. His slight frame can sometimes be a problem, but given space to roam and attack, he is a potent threat.

Prediction:

Quarter-Finals at least. They are seasoned, strong and have a nice balanced blend of youth and experience. If they get the odd extra-time goal and penalty shootout, they could go all the way.

Heroes and Villans

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 13 May 2010 20:13:00 +0000

Best moment of the season
They may not be fashionable, but kudos must go to Rochdale for achieving promotion, ending a 36-year spell in English football's bottom tier.

Worst moment of the season
The sacking of Mark Hughes. The Welshman had only lost two league games before he was informed of his impending departure during the half time break of his side's 4-3 win over Sunderland. He was instantly replaced by a manager who couldn't even speak English.

Manager of the season
It's been a split between Harry Redknapp and Roy Hodgson so far, and there's no doubt that they've both done wonderful jobs at home and abroad this season, but my award has got to go to Hodgson. He's taken a club on the verge of relegation to the Europa League final, beating the hosts of the final, the defending champions and Juventus on the way. Incredible.

Team of the season
They've scored 103 league goals, reached the FA Cup final and only dropped five points at home all season. Chelsea have been magnificent this year. Drogba, Anelka, Lampard and Malouda have been incredible. Oh, and they managed it all despite having John Terry as their captain.

Best player
Frank Lampard. The man is class. He's an energetic, hard-working goal-scoring midfielder. Since Carlo Ancelotti ditched his diamond formation, the England midfielder has shone. He is the Premier League's top-scoring midfielder, has made the most assists and he hasn't even been booked.

Shouldn't be playing in the Premier League
No matter what Stoke fans or Tony Pulis say, Mamady Sidibe does not belong in the top flight.

Villain of the year
It was very nearly Richard Scudamore and then John Terry, but I've plumped for Garry Cook. What a man. Not only for his role in the sacking of Hughes, but his classless summer pursuit of John Terry. Anyone who agrees with spending nearly £40 million on Joleon Lescott and Roque Santa Cruz needs to have a look at himself.

Favourite chant
"John Terry? Are you my Dad?" Some harsh banter from the Stoke fans at Stamford Bridge, but one of the few chants that was actually printable.

Favourite quote
"Speculation about me must stop. I will not leave. I think I will stay five years, 10 years. My only focus is Manchester City. I love the fans and I love it here! It is very beautiful." Robinho, December 2009.

Arsenal vs Fulham

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 13 May 2010 20:10:00 +0000

Arsenal wrapped up a disappointing season with a comprehensive win over a distracted Fulham side as elsewhere in London their rivals romped to reclaim the Premier League title.

Roy Hodgson was without Europa League heroes Damien Duff, Brede Hangeland and Bobby Zamora ahead of Wednesday’s final with Atletico Madrid, while Zoltan Gera and Danny Murphy were unused substitutes.

Arsene Wenger made two changes to the side that lost at Blackburn as Andrei Arshavin and Gael Clichy replaced Carlos Vela and Armand Traore.

The Cottagers started well, in their typically well-organised, compact style, but their minds wandered as Arsenal soon broke them down.

After 21 minutes, Mark Schwarzer received a back-pass from Chris Baird, but a lapse of concentration handed the ball to Arshavin. The Russian twisted and turned past the Fulham keeper, ignoring Robin van Persie’s cries for a cut-back before firing the ball past last-man Chris Smalling. Schwarzer complained about the ball bobbling, according to his manager, who called the mistake “uncharacteristic.”

The home side doubled their lead five minutes later as the impressive Emmanuel Eboue sliced the Cottagers open with an incisive throughball for Theo Walcott to run on to. The winger crossed first time to van Persie whose shot hit Schwarzer’s legs, bounced off the crossbar and then landed at the feet of the Dutchman who placed the ball home at the second attempt.

Arsenal made it 3-0 before half time as Walcott’s right-wing cross was back-heeled by Eboue and Baird misdirected his clearance past his keeper.

Hodgson admitted that he thought he was “looking at a rout” at half time, but was impressed with his team’s second-half performance. The away side managed to contain Arsenal until the 84th minute when Samir Nasri once again slid a precision pass for Carlos Vela to run on to before delightfully dinking the ball over Fulham’s Australian stopper.

Arsenal manager praised Carlo Ancelotti for his championship victory, but was also quick to praise his players for their attitude and “strong character” this season.

“For us it is important to finish well and we did it. I am very happy that after the World Cup we don’t have to play a (Champions League) qualifier,” admitted the Frenchman.

While Wenger will now focus on transfer targets pre-season and the next campaign, Hodgson will switch his focus to the ash cloud and his side’s trip to Hamburg. Fulham are expected to depart for Germany on Tuesday morning and the former Internazionale manager will be keeping his fingers crossed that the trip to Germany will be ash free.

Allo, Darlin'

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:32:00 +0000

I've been shouting about this band for a while now, sometimes a bit too obsessively, but still, they are bloomin' marvellous.

So, imagine my delight when the were invited to record a session with the BBC at the Maida Vale studios!

Have a gander at their MySpace or their website to find out more about gigs etc...

Marathon Men

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 19:21:00 +0000

The race for the Premier League approached the final bend yesterday as Chelsea regained top spot with an emphatic 7-0 win which left Tony Pulis’ Stoke City panting as some struggling runners were still on London Marathon duty.

With Arsenal having dropped out of the leading pack and Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham hitting a wall long ago, Chelsea saw their sole challengers Manchester United overtake them on Saturday but the win at Stamford Bridge meant that Carlo Ancelotti’s men regained the lead in this long-distance competition as the finish line came into sight.

This was Chelsea in scintillating form and they sprinted into the lead thanks to three first half goals. They took the lead after 24 minutes as Florent Malouda crossed for Didier Drogba to exquisitely control the ball when it seemed to be beyond his reach. With a nonchalant flick of his right leg, he brought the ball down before his cross was met with a sublime diving header from Salomon Kalou to score the first of his hat trick.

Kalou made it 2-0 as he capitalised on a spillage from Thomas Sorensen but as he slid in, he made contact with the Dane and left him with a dislocated elbow. It appeared as though Kalou challenged with his studs up but the referee took no action as Stoke replaced him with Asmir Begovic.

Chelsea’s ‘other’ Ivorian also had a hand in the third goal as he was comically felled by Robert Huth before Lampard converted the resulting penalty.

The Chelsea faithful were in fine voice but had to wait until the 68th minute for number four as Stoke were punished once more for a high defensive line and slack marking.

Kalou raced onto the end of Lampard’s high ball and beat Begovic at the second time of asking after seeing his first effort parried.

Lampard was on hand to make it 5-0 with a majestic finish after 81 minutes; finding space at the back post and using the outside of his right foot to guide Sam Hutchinson’s cross beyond the Stoke goalkeeper.

Substitute Daniel Sturridge scored his first Premier League goal to make it 6-0 six minutes later and Malouda tapped in number seven with ease in the final minute of the ninety.

This was the third time this season alone that Chelsea have scored seven at home a habit which must leave Roman Abramovic purring. If the Italian manager ever wanted to find favour with his boss, this was surely it.

“We score a lot of goals, we are happy. We are showing during this season fantastic attacking play we have scored maybe 93 goals in the Premier League and it is a very good record for us,” Ancelotti admitted.

The result means that should the title race come down to goal-difference, Chelsea have an eight goal advantage over their northern rivals. However, the Italian manager dismissed it as unimportant.

“It is a good thing [having a superior goal-difference] but I don’t think that is important to decide who will win the title.

"There will be one team that arrives in the first place and one team that arrives in the second place and the goal difference I think that not so important.”

Ancelotti can see the finish line and has it firmly in his sights. It is simple for Chelsea; don’t slow down or trip up and the title is theirs. But be warned, Sir Alex is close behind and has a keen eye on title number 19.

Chris Waddle Was Right

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 08:15:00 +0000

Theo Walcott is an impact player. He does not warrant a place in England's starting XI, or even Arsenal's for that matter.

Walcott suffers from 'Aaron Lennon' syndrome; an inability to make a decision concerning the 'final ball'. A syndrome which its creator has seemingly recovered from.

He does not have, as Chris Waddle said, a 'football brain'.

"I just don't think he's got a football brain and he's going to have problems. Let's be honest, good defenders would catch him offside every time. I just don't know whether he studies the game, learns the game, or what. He's at a great club where they play fantastic football week-in, week-out, and I'm just surprised he's never developed his game."

His hat trick in Zagreb aside, the former Southampton player has shown few signs of having developed his thinking on the pitch. His finish at the Emirates last Wednesday was the perfect example.

After a piercing pass from Nicklas Bendtner, Walcott's pace took him past Maxwell - all good so far, marvellous running from the winger - but then his shot was hit tamely at Victor Valdes and snuck underneath the Spaniard.

I may be setting my standards too high, but it was far from a brilliant finish, and lucky to have found the back of the net. It was hit straight down the middle of the goal, straight at Valdes. If that was Jussi Jääskeläinen, Jose Reina or, on current form, Craig Gordon, I expect that would have been mere fodder.

Walcott's obvious asset is his searing pace. He utilised this against Barcelona, coming off the bench to give the Catalan defence, who had played 70 frantic minutes, an end to the game they could have really done without. (This is also why he should go to the World Cup, as an impact player).

It would be marvellous to see Walcott become the match-winner tonight, the man who helped Arsenal achieve what only Rubin Kazan have done this season. It would be wonderful to see the youngster make such an impact in the World Cup as he did in the second half at the Emirates last week. It would be fantastic to see the 21-year-old fulfill his potential and become a world-class player. But, for the time being, all he has is potential and the ability to cause confusion with his speed.

What do you think? Am I being too harsh on Theo, does he deserve a starting place in the Arsenal and England line-ups?

Follow me on Twitter @mikegrady87

Unfair-Lee done?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 11:09:00 +0000

Lee Mason should go down in Sunderland folklore. On his two trips to the Stadium of Light this season, the Lancashire born referee has awards the team in red and white five penalties.

Granted, only three of those penalties have been converted, but his contribution to Sunderland's cause shouldn't be overlooked.

It should also be noted that in 19 matches this season, Mr Mason has only awarded five penalties. All to Sunderland, and all at the Stadium of Light. Surely this is one referee you can not criticise as a Sunderland fan.

At the match on Saturday, fans were directing all sorts of abuse at Mr Mason for his failure to caution any Spurs players. This abuse should have been met by bemusement by fellow supporters, but it was met by approval.

I, for one, found it baffling how a referee could be criticised so readily when he has already awarded three penalties to the home side in little more than an hour.

How did you think Lee Mason did on Saturday?

Follow me on Twitter @mikegrady87

Match of the Day?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 12:29:00 +0000

Match of the Day has often annoyed fans; from the choice and 'insight' of pundits to the hyperbolic commentators, the show is far from a perfect model of a football program. But last night, it was the decision of what order games should appear in that was baffling.

The match between the top two, Manchester United and Chelsea, was always going to be the first match aired; between the two clubs, they must have the largest audience in the country, and the importance - in the football world - was paramount.

However, when looking at results elsewhere in the Premier League, one would have presumed that the other Manchester team would have been next up. An obscene 6-1 away win at Burnley, including three goals after seven minutes, was surely the most entertaining game of the day.

Failing that, Sunderland's 3-1 home win against Champions League hunters Tottenham Hotspur, which also included two missed penalties and a disallowed goal, would have been a wise choice.

But no, the MOTD bods chose Arsenal's 1-0 win over 10-man Wolverhampton Wanderers as their second game.

Tradtionally, the games shown first and second are the features matches - with extended highlights and insight. Surely it would be better to spend twenty minutes talking about the seven goals at Turf Moor or the four at the Stadium of Light than the solitary late effort at the Emirates.

My question is, how the the BBC select that matches? If goals and entertainment make way for league position and gravitas, doesn't that bring the value of an analytical football program down?

Connected

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:28:00 +0000

So, I have now finally got a working laptop and the internet in my flat. Hoorah! This is the moment most other people achieved in 1995.

Now, it was oddly liberating not to have the internet in one's flat. To rely on newspapers, radio and books, I don't bother with TV, feels like post-war Britain. Either that, or like 2010 during a power cut.

I found myself reading so much more than I normally would, I read every single word in the Guardian. I even completed the crossword on a daily basis (that's what reading does for you). Su Doku became a doddle as well.

My friends, family and colleagues found it baffling how I could cope without being online, but I got used to it pretty quickly. A lot quicker than the noise of the generator outside of my bedroom window, as it turns out.

I would come home from work, leave GMail, Twitter (I use it for work purposes, honest) and Spotify at the office and totally switch off. It was wondrous.

So, imagine my shock when my flatmate should text with the code for our new wireless router.

My initial surprise receded and I starred my new globally-connected front door down. I daren't enter.

I did. And here I am. Blogging. It took 187 minutes from me walking into my bedroom to posting this.

The books, newspapers and radio are in a heap in the corner of my room. I can no longer hear the generator over the glorious sound of Spotify and my tip-tapping on Twitter.

Just like that. My analogue habits are cast aside by a digital revolution. The past few hours have been like the last 20 years in fast-forward.

The season so far...part two...

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:55:00 +0000

The following weeks have seen me cover Spurs vs Liverpool and Chelsea vs Spurs - I've written about both stadia before, so I won't bore you again.

The only other new stadium I've been to this season is Upton Park AKA The Boleyn Ground. I covered West Ham vs Spurs in a game which the Hammers bossed but threw away the lead thanks to some sloppy mistakes.

It was a great experience though with a fantastic atmosphere - when the music is switched off to 'Forever Blowing Bubbles' to leave only the crowd chanting, it is simply electrifying - and the facilities, staff and food were modest, but thoroughly pleasant and utterly enjoyable.

The season so far...

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:50:00 +0000

Well, I've neglected the blog for a while, so I'm going to do a season catch-up so far...

Opening day of the seaosn, I covered QPR vs Blackpool. It was a fairly dull 1-1 draw in which Blackpool took the lead against the runof play before QPR found the equaliser. A point a piece was a fair reflection on an uneventful game which was seen as a distraction from the Ashes which was screened in the press box!

The facilities were somewhat limited at Loftus Road and the press box was incredibly badly designed. The staff were lovely throughout though and the press conferences were incredibly intruiging...

Silver lining.

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sun, 17 May 2009 17:35:00 +0000

Blackburn Rovers manager Sam Allerdyce praised his players despite going down to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Chelsea.

Rovers were outplayed and outclassed during Guus Hiddink’s final game at Stamford Bridge, but Allerdyce was pleased with the performance.

“I think that today we hadn’t anything to play for but the lads went out and tried their best and I think that Chelsea’s team was the strongest they had available to play and they won the game,” he said.

“Our injury situation didn’t help, I though we were still in the game at half time but after we had to bring off Ryan [Nelson] and Gael [Givet] that it made life very difficult for us as we saw in the second half. But the first half I was pleased with apart from obviously giving the goal away.”

The former Bolton manager went on to express his delight that his side secured their Premier League status last week with a 2-0 win over Portsmouth.

“I was delighted that we had nothing on for today’s game. At any stage of the season playing at Stamford Bridge is never going to be easy with the quality of players they’ve got. I was looking fro a reasonable performance and I think I got that form the players, I think they gave everything they possibly could but it wasn’t enough against a very good Chelsea team.”

Chelsea vs Blackburn Rovers.

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sun, 17 May 2009 14:13:00 +0000

I'm at Stamford Bridge today covering Guus Hiddink's last game in charge of Chelsea in front of their home fans. No doubt parading round in their new kit, Hiddink's last game promises to be a celebration of the job he has done since his arrival in February.

11 Premier League games later with only one defeat, a minute away from a Champions League final, Chelsea fans have a lot to thank the Dutchman for and he'll be a huge loss next season when he returns to the Russia national job. There appears to be only one man big enough to fill his shoes...The Special One...however unlikely that may be.

Press access: Tottenham

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:48:00 +0000

I covered the Spurs vs Newcastle game for the paper last week at a White Hart Lane that was bathed in sunshine.

When you walk into the ground, journalists have to enter through the same entrance to the ground as the players do, Bill Nicholson Way, so as you walk in you do have to avoid the odd Aston Martin or Porsche. The press box is housed in the West Stand, which backs on to the High Road.

The press box is just behind the dug outs as you can see from the photo below so you always get a good sense of what's happening from the two managers.

Opposite the West Stand is the East Stand, blighted by the original pillars of the ground which was designed by Archibald Leitch.

To the left of the press box is the North Stand:

And to the right is the South stand, which houses both home and away fans:

At each end of The Lane are impressive TV screens which show the games live and replays of the important action.

All in all, White Hart Lane is a great stadium with a good atmosphere, at times, and with the original features still scattered around the ground, it has fantastic character.

Hyperbole aside...

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:51:00 +0000

Federico Macheda's goals for Manchester United on Sunday was sublime. He's been compared to George Best, Wayne Rooney and even Steve Bruce as the press fall over themselves to hail him as the next big thing. They may be right.

One interesting thing I noticed about the situation was Alex Ferguson saying:

"I got Ole to tell him if he did well last Monday he might be on the bench yesterday. He scored a hat-trick."

The game in question was a 3-3 draw at Newcastle Reserves and each goal was taken with aplomb. This is the kind of attitude you want to see from young players, eager to impress and desperate to play. Giovanni Dos Santos caused fuss at Barcelona because he felt he should be earning more money and playing more games, ahead of Ronaldinho, Xavi and Iniesta. Fast forward to today and he's currently in the treatment room at Spurs following a loan spell at Ipswich. Read into that what you will.

The curtain isn't drawn just yet

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:19:00 +0000

Is it just me, or is all of this hype about Michael Owen's international future boring? So what, he didn't get called up as a replacement for Heskey, Darren Bent did. Put it this way, Bent has made 17 starts, 11 appearances as a subsitute and scored 10 goals in the Premier League this season. He's fully fit and played in Spurs' recent games. Michael Owen has made 16 starts, five appearances as a substitute and scored eight league goals. He didn't play in Newcastle last game and has recently come back from a long spell on the sidelines.

Owen didn't get a call up because he's not in form and not fit. Cappello isn't stupid. He knows when someone is useful to him - as he proved when he recalled Beckham to his Real Madrid starting XI. Owen has got a future, if not because he deserves one, but because of the dearth of striking talent elsewhere in the England squad.

Wide open?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:07:00 +0000

Apparently, the title race is back on after Manchester United suffered their second consecutive Premier League defeat at Craven Cottage as Liverpool put in a stellar performance to stroll to a 5-0 win over Aston Villa at Anfield.

Personally, I'm not convinced. United have a game in hand and I just can't see them throwing the title away. Unfortunatley it looks as though the traditional "Top Four" have maintainted their dominance over English, and seemingly European football despite the efforts of Villa and Everton.

However, it's not over yet. Who's to say The Toffees won't sneak into fourth place as United lose to Villa and Liverpool leapfrog them to snatch the title, extending their record of league wins.

At the bottom, it seems as though WBA and Middlesbrough are doomed, as for the third club to go down, it could be Newcaslte, Sunderland, Blackburn, Bolton, Portsmouth, Hull or Stoke. It's awfully tight down their, but I'd be tempted to plump for Newcastle. It's a club swamped in misery and doom. I'd like to see them survive so there's at least one North East derby next season, but perhaps a relegation is what is needed to have a spring clean at St James'.