Football, Life and Journalism

Sunderland ready to push up table

2011-08-08T16:28:00.000+01:00

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

2011-08-05T10:03:00.002+01:00

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

2010-11-25T12:05:00.001Z

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

2010-11-01T15:50:00.004Z

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

2010-10-17T11:42:00.002+01:00

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

2010-09-18T18:32:00.003+01:00

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

2010-05-26T19:38:00.001+01:00

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

2010-05-21T11:03:00.000+01:00

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

2010-05-13T23:22:00.000+01:00

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

2010-05-13T21:13:00.000+01:00

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

2010-05-13T21:10:00.000+01:00

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'

2010-04-28T17:32:00.000+01:00

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

2010-04-25T20:21:00.000+01:00

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

2010-04-06T09:15:00.000+01:00

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?

2010-04-05T12:09:00.000+01:00

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?

2010-04-04T13:29:00.000+01:00

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

2010-03-08T19:28:00.000Z

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...

2009-09-29T15:55:00.001+01:00

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...

2009-09-29T15:50:00.000+01:00

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.

2009-05-17T18:35:00.000+01:00

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.

2009-05-17T15:13:00.000+01:00

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

2009-04-24T10:48:00.000+01:00

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...

2009-04-07T11:51:00.000+01:00

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

2009-03-30T17:19:00.000+01:00

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?

2009-03-25T15:07:00.000Z

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'.

A fantastic sojourn

2009-03-25T14:52:00.000Z

I didn't cover a game this weekend as I was in Barcelona for a few days staying with a cousin. Barcelona is an amazing city, extraordinary architecture and beautiful food. It seemed very relaxed as we walked around the city taking in sites such as the Gaudia-inspired Sagrada Familia, the beautiful Port and the Camp Nou (see below)

The photo shows Barca taking on sixth placed Malaga. I was expecting a tight game, but Barca turned on the style and won 6-0. I've always said Leo Messi was the best player on the planet, but seeing him live for the first time was bewildering. His goal was outstanding and his contribution vital. Eto'o bagged two while Henry, Daniel Alves, Iniesta and Messi got the rest.

It was 3-0 after 20 or so minutes and by half time it was 4-0. The Camp Nou was not full, but the atmosphere was impressive and the stadium itself was awe-inspiring. Still though, nothing on the Stadium of Light.

Press access: Chelsea

2009-03-16T09:40:00.000Z

It was a beautiful day for the ‘clash of the cash’ between Chelsea and Manchester City. As you approach the stadium from Fulham Broadway tube station you walk along with the Blues fans until you come to the stadium.

The stadium was buzzing with activity from early on and it’s not surprising for this intriguing game. As for the stadium, Stamford Bridge is, on the outside, beset by corporate dealings with restaurants, hotels, bars and shops all dominating the exterior and around the Shed End. As you walk past Marco Pierre White’s restaurant you approach the press entrance.

Inside the stadium is extremely impressive. The stands are close to the pitch, resembling the proximity of a lower league club rather than Old Trafford or the Emirates. The press box is in the East stand, in just behind the dug outs.

To the left is the famous Shed End which houses both home and away fans and the area where the banter is at its best.

And to the right, is the Matthew Harding Stand, named after the former director who helped transform the club in the 1990s before he was killed in a tragic helicopter accident. It is arguably the loudest in the stadium.

And this is the view from the press box - that's Kevin McCarra's head you can see.

The sun shines on Hiddink and The Bridge

2009-03-15T23:00:00.000Z

The last time Michael Essien played at Stamford Bridge it was on a sunny August afternoon.

On Sunday, both he and the sunshine made a welcome return to west London.

The Ghanaian scored the only goal as Guus Hiddink's side secured their fourth successive league win, completing the double over Mark Hughes's Manchester City in unseasonable warmth. Essien was full of energy, storming up and down the pitch as Chelsea controlled the game from the off.

It only took 18 minutes for the hosts to take the lead thanks to a spot of genius and a dose of luck.Frank Lampard's clever free kick was played low and quick to Essien, who was in acres of space on the edge of the penalty area.The Ghanaian's shot ballooned off his shin and beyond the stranded Shay Given.

Hiddink's men were impressive, looking assured in defence and stroking the ball around well.

The second half continued in the same vein and the home side could have doubled their lead in the opening minutes when Didier Drogba was denied by a fantastic saving tackle by Nedum Onouha and then a typical reflex save from Given.

They came close to doubling their lead once again in the 63rd minute when Michael Ballack thundered a shot against the post.

The away side lacked any urgency and never really went in search of an equaliser. They seemed happy enough with the scoreline while Chelsea breezed about the pitch, passing the ball with ease, but failed to find that elusive second goal.

Hughes and the City fans will be left frustrated by another poor performance from Robinho. The Brazilian cast himself out in the shade on the left wing and failed to influence a game that never seemed to interest him. He was finally put out of his misery in the 81st minute when he was replaced by Valeri Bojinov to cries of "What a waste of money" from the home supporters.

Hiddink will be delighted with the three points, which took his side above Liverpool into second place, albeit on goal difference. Hughes, meanwhile, must figure out some way to turn City's and Robinho's impressive home form and turn it on away from Eastlands.

Chelsea vs Manchester City

2009-03-15T11:37:00.000Z

I'm writing this as I sit in the press room at Stamford Bridge having just polished off a cracking full english as provided by the marvelous catering staff here. The stadium was hustling and bustling even two and a half hours before kick-off on a beautiful Sunday morning in West London. It promises to be a great game today and lets hope it lives up to the standards set by Liverpool yesterday.

Transparency.

2009-03-11T16:01:00.000Z

It’s so comforting as a Sunderland fan to have a chairman in Niall Quinn who is willing and able to come out and talk to the press/fans addressing the issues that affect the club. Under Bob Murray, Sunderland fans didn’t have a clue what was going on behind the scenes such as why money wasn’t invested when the club finished 7th in consecutive seasons yet so much was ploughed in after they finished 17th.

With Quinn at the helm, it appears as though he’s quick to drum up support for the club and just as speedy to clear up any issues surrounding the position of the club, the future of the staff and the concerns regarding the ownership of the club. Granted, with the latter, he wasn’t as prompt as the fans would have liked him to be, but it’s just nice to know what’s going on at the club. Kudos Niall.

Press access: Watford.

2009-03-03T15:14:00.000Z

On Saturday I was sent to cover the London clash between Championship sides Watford and Crystal Palace at Vicarage Road. I was looking forward to this as it has been almost a year since I last covered a game in the second tier when I followed Preston North End for my University course.

Watford seemed like a nice enough place, the folk were friendly and I finally managed to find my way to the ground, by luck/chancethe help of a Hornets fan (spotted from a distance thanks to his garishly yellow Watford shirt)

Vicarage Road just sneaks up on you. The end you approach first is the Vicarage Road stand, which houses both home and away supporters.

The press box is in the Main Stand, currently awaiting demolition as it has been deemed unsafe, although the press areas have been strengthen and reinforced so it is perfectly safe! The view from the press box looks out on to the two-tiered Rous Stand, which is home to the directors and dignitaries.

The final stand, opposite the Vicarage Road end is the newest addition to the Vic. The Rookery is clearly the loudest section of the stadium.

The press box was surprisingly impressive considering it was situated in a condemned stand. Widescreen televisions hung from the roof, individual lamps were available and it wasn’t too cramped (unlike Craven Cottage!)

Hello...

2009-03-03T15:11:00.000Z

It’s been a while since I last wrote one of these, but before I start my properly, let me just re-introduce myself. I am Michael Grady, a 22-year-old journalism graduate and I currently work for as a web editor in London and I also work as a freelance football reporter for a national, albeit small and ever so slightly niche, newspaper. My first match was the Chelsea vs Liverpool clash on 26/10/08 and since then I have been covering matches on an increasingly regular basis.

I moved down to London from Newcastle in September and have juggled many, many jobs in my short time in the capital including stints handing out flyers and working behind a bar. I was living with my sister and her fiance for a few months before I found my own place, now I am living next door to a pub in North London with two girls; Kit and Kat. You couldn't make it up.

This blog, as the title gives away, will give me a chance to air my views and what’s been going on in my life.

Cheers for reading,

Mike.

A new tide of calm

2009-01-31T08:47:00.000Z

When Roy Keane resigned as manager of Sunderland, he left a club that he himself had made fashionable once more, a club that was given great attention by the media, a club in a state of hyperactivity and restlessness. With Keane came the media circus, which was no bad thing when raising the profile of a once mighty club.

Keane had done a tremendous job at in the North East, raising the club from the doldrums of the Championship to establishing them as a Premier League side once more, attracting some high profile players in the process.

It has been some time since Sunderland have been able to attract players of the calibre of Djibril Cisse, Steed Malbranque and Anton Ferdinand. Aside from a healthy wage and the attraction of playing under one of the greatest midfielders the Premier League has seen, these new signings highlighted the ambition of Keane and Chairman Niall Quinn as reasons to sign on the dotted line.

However, when Keane departed, many worried that the big names would soon follow. Now I’m not saying that won’t happen in the summer, who knows what the rest of the season has in store for Sunderland, never mind the rest of the league, but with Kenwyne Jones signing a new deal and Cisse declaring that he wants to stay at the club after his loan spell, Sbragia must be doing something right.

Phil Bardsley, in an interview with the Guardian has praised his new manager, he said: “He's a tremendous coach. But the most important thing is that he's brought in a bit of calm. Everyone was getting a bit heated at the time the manager [Keane] went. Ricky's brought in a bit of unity. The players didn't really know where we were going before.”

And so it appears. Sbragia knows the club well following his time as reserve team coach under Mick Buxton and Peter Reid, working with Quinn in the process. He was entrusted with the reserves at Manchester United and the first team at Bolton, working under Sir Alex Ferguson and Sam Allerdyce, picking-up both vast tactical knowledge from his time at United to the getting to grips with 21st century technology at, what was called, The Reebok.

Sbragia has been quick to clean out with squad with Graham Kavanagh, Ross Wallace and Liam Miller all leaving to find first team football. What is interesting about Bardsley’s comments about bring “calm” to the dressing room are the subsequent departures of Pascal Chimbonda and El Hadji Diouf.

Both have reputations a being mercenary’s of the football world, who on their day can be class acts, but more often than not, frustrate and disrupt. Chimbonda had a public spat with Nyron Nosworthy following the 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough and more recently, Diouf allegedly criticised his teammates after the 1-0 win over Fulham, for which he was dropped to the bench.

Few Sunderland fans will rue the loss of the two after neither made a real impression on the first team, especially after a tidy profit was made on Diouf.

It will be interesting to see how Sbragia copes with the loss of a defender having already highlighted his lack of options in that area. With only days left in the transfer window, Wearside waits to see who comes through those much-used front doors at the Stadium of Light.

Gone are the days...

2008-08-30T00:57:00.001+01:00

Football isn’t like it used to be. We all know this. The majesty, glory and pride has largely gone from the game.

Well, en mass, that may be a tad harsh on a lot of footballers, but it does appear that way doesn’t it?

Even the pundits are terrible. I’m sorry, I may be young, inexperienced in the world of broadcast football, but when I watch TV, I want to hear form opinionated, knowledgeable people, be them ex-pros or not, I just want to hear something worth hearing, and not Alan Shearer brown-nosing Alan Hansen.

Efan Ekoku during the African Cup of Nations was highly impressive, Leonardo during the World Cup and even Marcel Desailly were better pundits than Lee Dixon, Mark Lawrenson and the aforementioned Shearer.

Having someone who isn’t afraid to put their point across would be fantastic for the sport. The majority of people watch their football through Sky or the BBC, and it is my opinion that with that, they carry some responsibility, a responsibility to show undoctored material, material that hasn’t been put through PR agents.

Well that wasn’t easy…

2008-08-28T00:05:00.000+01:00

The last time Sunderland won a League Cup match was at home against Cheltenham in September 2005. A goal in the second minute of extra-time from on loan striker Anthony Le Tallec won the match for Mick McCarthy’s men.

Interestingly enough, Sunderland’s next League Cup win would come against lower League opposition, with a winner scored in the second minute of extra time by a new arrival.

This time around, David Healy, who cost a reported £2million from Fulham pounced on a loose ball after Paul Smith parried a Grant Leadbetter shot.

Nyron Nosworthy and Danny Collins were the only two survivors from the last cup win who lined up to face Nottingham Forest on a wet Wednesday evening in August.

Now, having played Forest in pre-season, no Sunderland fan was expecting an easy time, but the Tricky Trees were superb in defeat.

Passing the ball around like the Argentineans, Colin Calderwood’s side looked extremely comfortable against Premier League opposition.

Sunderland created more chances, something rarely said about a Sunderland side, but failed to make them pay through poor finishing or quality defending and saves from Forest.

With no Kieran Richardson, Timo Tainio and the loss of Steed Malbranque early on through injury, the away side lost some midfield guile and found themselves facing a losing battle in midfield. Whitehead carried out his defensive duties but did little else, apart from bursting through from midfield to be denied by a smart save from Smith.

Andy Reid played well and used his nifty footwork to create space and spread the play time after time, but Miller and Diouf/Murphy weren’t at the races.

Diouf looked flustered at times and to be totally honest, I wasn’t even aware that he was on the pitch in the second half – neither did I notice the loss of Murphy.

His replacement, David Healy, making his Sunderland debut also failed to impress. Despite scoring the winner, the ex-Fulham striker didn’t do enough running and was often seen strolling aimlessly.

Pascal Chimbonda came back into the side, but didn’t do enough o suggest he’ll be starting against Manchester City on Sunday. It wasn’t until the final twenty minutes until the Frenchman finally got going.

His compatriot Djibril Cisse was full of running, and despite looking jaded in extra time, put in a good nights work and with a bit of time getting used to the EPL once more, he should prove to be a fantastic acquisition.

All in all, it was an exciting match between two teams both wanting to improve on their cup form, but in the end, it came down to the away side making more chances.

I’d love to say that Sunderland played better, that the scoreline flattered Forest, and that I always knew they would win…but that would be lying.

I was extremely impressed with the performance of Calderwood’s side, especially that of Julian Bennet, James Perch, Guy Moussi and Robert Earnshaw. Saying that, Smith, Morgan (The Mighty Oak) and Chambers all looked impressive as well.

On this showing, Forest should be in with a shout of the play-offs this season, and Sunderland showed the fight and heart to come back from a goal down, and I’m sure that on this wet night at a Championship ground, Roy Keane learned a lot about his players.

Man of the match – Andy Reid/James Perch.

Cockney rebels...

2008-03-16T21:34:00.000Z

We lost, yet again. But this time it was different.

In the past, when we have been beaten, defeat has gone hand in hand with a poor performance, simple errors or just downright bad luck. This time round, for the large part, we played Chelsea, not quite off the park, but certainly into a small corner.

Roy Keane continued to baffle everyone with his team selection. No place for Chopra, Murphy or Richardson, players who would normally be considered first choice. Instead, Leadbitter partnered Whitehead in midfield, Edwards returned to the right wing and Reid completed the midfield that played in front of an unchanged back four.

Roy O’Donovan was welcomed back from injury and was rewarded fro a solid performance for the reserves midweek with a place in the starting line up, pairing up with Kenwyne Jones.
It all started brightly and we weren’t “hunting for autographs” as we were at Pompey. The passing was direct, the tackling tough, but still, there was no real penetration.

That was until O’Donovan pounced on the hesitancy of John Terry, got his body in front of the former England captain and was hauled down, but of course, no penalty, no, not against Chelsea, or indeed against “Captain fantastic”.

Had the shoe been on the other foot, and Jonny Evans had molested Drogba in the box at Stamford Bridge, it would have been a foul and an immediate red card. No questions asked.

As a result, Chelsea attacked, won a corner, and then John “I never complain about anything” Terry popped up above Kenwyne and powered a header home. 1-0 after ten minutes…oh dear.
But buckle we did not. The players kept their heads up and fought a dogged game, as dogged as an old Yorkshire terrier with one its owners slippers.

Everyone expected a rout, lets face it, I bet even Keane thought that we were looking at another “Goodison” disaster.

What really annoyed me, was that we lined up with an attacking formation, with two natural wingers and two forwards who could cause problems. We played well and were applauded off the pitch. But why couldn’t we do this against Everton, Derby or Blackburn.

Keane seems to favour the 4-5-1 line up, even at home. But this is just negative tactics, looking not to lose. If we can play this well against the might Chelsea, imagine what we could have done to Derby or Everton?

The press say that we can take positives out of the performance, but you know that in the next few games versus Villa, West Ham and Fulham the dreaded 4-5-1 will return.

If we are going to lose by playing a defensive formation, I would much rather lose and actually take the game to the opposition.

The Backlash.

2007-12-01T01:45:00.000Z

So, 7-1, it wasn’t exactly the best scoreline was it? It was one of those days where you though: “3-1 at half-time, a late goal to put us back in the game, this is either going to end the same, or we might push for another.” How naive we all are.

But anyway, it ended 7-1, we were appalling, dreadful and basically every other term you could use under the sun. It was a day that will either be blocked out because if was too painful, or more likely, be etched into the memories of every Sunderland everywhere.

Nevertheless, onwards we go, and onwards to Derby. If ever there was an opportunity to bounce straight back, it is now. In front of an expected crowd of 43,000, with a nigh-on fully fit squad all riled up from last week with a point to prove, against a Derby team struggling to find anything cohesive, or indeed anything resembling form.

There will be a new man standing in the dugouts for the Rams on Saturday. With Paul Jewell taking the reigns from Davies. A bit off the mark I know, but I am completely baffled as to why the board at Pride Park sacked Davies. He completely over-achieved with the team last year, and clearly this year was just for the experience. The club benefited from the money, and will continue to when receiving the parachute payments.

There is no one in the world of football management who could have helped Derby survive. No one. So why sack a manager who won promotion in the first place. If there was ever a manager to lead the team back to the top flight again, it would have been Davies. He was expected to avoid relegation just as much as he was expected to part the seas or turn water into wine.

Anyway, back to Sunderland. Everyone was surprised to hear how placid Keane was following what can only be called a drubbing. He seems to have that slight “psycho” element to him, whereby staying quiet, calm and collected he intimidates everyone more. If he had flown off the handle, the critics would have swarmed round him like alledged 'illegal' donors round the Labour party.

As the season goes on, it becomes more and more evident how much more quality we need in the squad. The team resembles a colander at times. We’ve got a good set up, 75% of a good team, but there are so many gaps. I think the most men have had more joy shoe shopping than Halford has at right back this season. McShane had a howler last week, but he has been immense so far. Higginbotham hasn’t really looked completely comfortable since his debut vs Man Utd and we still don’t have a proper left back.

With Richardson still out, we have yet to see what one of our biggest signings can do. He was out of place at Old Trafford, but excelled at West Brom so perhaps he could do the same at the S.o.L.

The good news is that Carlos and Dean are back and getting match fitness, and Leadbitter has been solid this season. Yorke is effective in short bursts, at certain times, when you need the knowledge he possesses. Etuhu seems to have a complete lack of tactical awareness and his passing is somewhat to be desired.

Jones has been a real plus this season, it is fair to say he has taken everyone by surprise. His partner, Chopra, has looked lively, but isn’t getting the goals he needs, he really ought to have a few more by this time of the season, and that miss last week didn’t help.

It really does show the lack of class we have. Strength in depth yes, class, no. With need a CB, LB, CM and a FC, all of which need to have an element of class – be it experience or potential, we need both.

But, keep the faith we must, and I’m sure we all do. With the set-up we have, the Manager-Chairman partnership working out and the transfer kitty, it should fall into place soon enough. We just have to beat Derby.

Mike Grady.
FTM.