Sunday, September 16, 2007
An interesting day in the premiership
I've been a secret admirer of Everton for a while, thinking David Moyes is not that far from forging a side that can seriously threaten the Big 3 + Chelsea. Lescott has looked impressive in defence while a finely balanced midfield offers Arteta's guile and Carsley's grim determination. Up top Yakubu looks to be the final piece in the jigsaw providing a battering ram to supplement Johnson's pace. Moyes is developing a fine spine and I was hopeful Everton could do some damage to a slow starting Manchester United.
Oh well. Everton started brightly enough but United took control with Ronaldo effortlessly slipping into panto bad guy mode with his diving, needless stepovers and oh so wasted free kicks. Scholes showed his reputation as possibly the worst tackling midfielder in the history of the world is well deserved with a couple of clumsy challenges within moments of each other. He deserved red and people get sent off for less but it is refreshing when a ref shows common sense and feels a stern word is better than a card.
Vidic won the game for United from a corner and they deserved it. Everton all but disappeared, I forget what role Yakubu had second half, and their keeper looks like a bit part player in a 70's porno flick - so a friend commented last night. 1-0 to Man U again, grinding out results gets you just as many points as free flowing football. Fergie will look at the table and feel satisfied. Not so Moyes. Missing Carsley, Cahill and Gravesen meant they were light in midfield thus depriving the forwards of meaningful supply. Next weekend sees United play Chelsea. 0-0 please!
Next up was the biggie. Arsenal away to the nearly men of English and what do you know? They nearly beat us! One nil down at half time and I swear not a single Gooner was worried. Be serious, it's Spurs! They blow leads like 5 year olds blow out candles on a birthday cake. Of concern to Wenger perhaps might be the positioning of the wall and Almunia getting beaten on the near post. Shades of the Champions League Final? 75% of goals conceded this season are down to goal keeping errors, the other was Kanu's wierd looking affair which was more luck than judgement. Yeap, they all count but after having doubts about our defense this season it seems things may not be so bad. Certainly Gilberto and Toure both played well in the centre while Sagna continues to impress. Clichy, nothing to add. Mr Consistency on the left.
Second half and Tottenham had the chances to finish us off. I'd like to say a big thank you to D. Bent esq, formerly of Charlton Athletic, for proving that transfer fees do not match a players ability. 16.5 million pound and that finish would have you dropped from my Sunday League team. For a player with international ambitions Bent put his cause back a few months, especially with Owen and Heskey gelling recently. I rate Defoe so was delighted he didn't play.
Cracking goals from Adebayor and Fabregas but inevitable. Spurs were 1-0 up but the noise was coming from the Arsenal fans. They have, of course seen it all before. Like many an Arsenal fan, stick at it Martin, you're doing a grand job sir! Oh, and we are top of the league. Nice to see but I'd rather be there in May but a good start was important for us this season. Just as important was getting golas from midfield and Fabregas is doing so for fun. Next up Derby. I predict a 1-0 to the Arsenal with the Derby keeper playing a blinder and Toure scrambling the winner 7 minutes from the end.
Blackburn are going to have a major say in this years' title race. They're not going to win it but they are going to be up for every game against the Big 3 + Chelsea. Witness the game against Arsenal. Yesterday they went to the Bridge and held Chelsea 0-0, two consecutive shut outs for Jose's mercenaries. With grizzlies like Samba and Nelson at the back and Savage and Dunn in the middle they are not going to bottle many challenges. They are also not going to challenge for the big silverware until they can take those fighting qualities and face teams like Reading and West Ham like they would Arsenal and Chelsea but they are heading in the right direction and I do fancy they could do something in one of the cups.
Liverpool and their legion of fans have been flying high since rattling 8 goals past the likes of new boys Derby and Sunderland but yesterday came back to earth at Pompey. But it's all right 'cos it's all a conspiracy by the Premier League against Rafa and his merry band and he has a heap of evidence to prove it. I'm tired of Rafa and his continual habit (can there be any over sort?) of getting his excuses in early and I hope they win nothing under him. Liverpool's failings last season were inconsistency: could the same happen this season? Beating Derby at home is a given for the Big 3 + Chelsea I'm afraid. The acid test of their Championship credentials will come against the likes of Blackburn and Everton, not some newly promoted team 'doing' the 19 before relegation. Still, expect more hype from the passionately pro Liverpool media as their next three games are against Wigan, Birmingham and Tottenham.
Oh well. Everton started brightly enough but United took control with Ronaldo effortlessly slipping into panto bad guy mode with his diving, needless stepovers and oh so wasted free kicks. Scholes showed his reputation as possibly the worst tackling midfielder in the history of the world is well deserved with a couple of clumsy challenges within moments of each other. He deserved red and people get sent off for less but it is refreshing when a ref shows common sense and feels a stern word is better than a card.
Vidic won the game for United from a corner and they deserved it. Everton all but disappeared, I forget what role Yakubu had second half, and their keeper looks like a bit part player in a 70's porno flick - so a friend commented last night. 1-0 to Man U again, grinding out results gets you just as many points as free flowing football. Fergie will look at the table and feel satisfied. Not so Moyes. Missing Carsley, Cahill and Gravesen meant they were light in midfield thus depriving the forwards of meaningful supply. Next weekend sees United play Chelsea. 0-0 please!
Next up was the biggie. Arsenal away to the nearly men of English and what do you know? They nearly beat us! One nil down at half time and I swear not a single Gooner was worried. Be serious, it's Spurs! They blow leads like 5 year olds blow out candles on a birthday cake. Of concern to Wenger perhaps might be the positioning of the wall and Almunia getting beaten on the near post. Shades of the Champions League Final? 75% of goals conceded this season are down to goal keeping errors, the other was Kanu's wierd looking affair which was more luck than judgement. Yeap, they all count but after having doubts about our defense this season it seems things may not be so bad. Certainly Gilberto and Toure both played well in the centre while Sagna continues to impress. Clichy, nothing to add. Mr Consistency on the left.
Second half and Tottenham had the chances to finish us off. I'd like to say a big thank you to D. Bent esq, formerly of Charlton Athletic, for proving that transfer fees do not match a players ability. 16.5 million pound and that finish would have you dropped from my Sunday League team. For a player with international ambitions Bent put his cause back a few months, especially with Owen and Heskey gelling recently. I rate Defoe so was delighted he didn't play.
Cracking goals from Adebayor and Fabregas but inevitable. Spurs were 1-0 up but the noise was coming from the Arsenal fans. They have, of course seen it all before. Like many an Arsenal fan, stick at it Martin, you're doing a grand job sir! Oh, and we are top of the league. Nice to see but I'd rather be there in May but a good start was important for us this season. Just as important was getting golas from midfield and Fabregas is doing so for fun. Next up Derby. I predict a 1-0 to the Arsenal with the Derby keeper playing a blinder and Toure scrambling the winner 7 minutes from the end.
Blackburn are going to have a major say in this years' title race. They're not going to win it but they are going to be up for every game against the Big 3 + Chelsea. Witness the game against Arsenal. Yesterday they went to the Bridge and held Chelsea 0-0, two consecutive shut outs for Jose's mercenaries. With grizzlies like Samba and Nelson at the back and Savage and Dunn in the middle they are not going to bottle many challenges. They are also not going to challenge for the big silverware until they can take those fighting qualities and face teams like Reading and West Ham like they would Arsenal and Chelsea but they are heading in the right direction and I do fancy they could do something in one of the cups.
Liverpool and their legion of fans have been flying high since rattling 8 goals past the likes of new boys Derby and Sunderland but yesterday came back to earth at Pompey. But it's all right 'cos it's all a conspiracy by the Premier League against Rafa and his merry band and he has a heap of evidence to prove it. I'm tired of Rafa and his continual habit (can there be any over sort?) of getting his excuses in early and I hope they win nothing under him. Liverpool's failings last season were inconsistency: could the same happen this season? Beating Derby at home is a given for the Big 3 + Chelsea I'm afraid. The acid test of their Championship credentials will come against the likes of Blackburn and Everton, not some newly promoted team 'doing' the 19 before relegation. Still, expect more hype from the passionately pro Liverpool media as their next three games are against Wigan, Birmingham and Tottenham.
# posted by Me @ 3:18 PM 
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"Arsenal away to the nearly men of English and what do you know? They nearly beat us!"
Heh! :)
Am disgusted, completely disgusted. Ah well, no surprise at this stage...
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Heh! :)
Am disgusted, completely disgusted. Ah well, no surprise at this stage...
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