For some it has been an exellent week but for others, such as the family and friends of Alan Ball, a true footballing legend, it has not and i send my condolences to them. He really was a magnificent player and was many peoples man of the match in the World Cup Final, 1966. Although i never got to see him live, i have seen the World Cup Final many times, and he was definately one of the best, and at such an early age. His one touch movement, was extraordinarily like that we see today and his passing was excellent. He will be missed in the football world.
I'd like to think that an all english final is approaching in the Champions League but i'm not so sure. Manchester united have got a hard task of beating or at least scoring at the San Siro and im not sure they can do it. Milan are bound to score one which means united will have to score as well but i don't see it happening. Even with the likes of Ronaldo and Rooney.
As far as the other semi goes, i think it will be tight but i believe Chelsea will get their revenge this time and knock Liverpool out. They have one of the strongest defences in the league and will go to anfield, undoubtedly for a 0-0 and will probrably get it. The first leg was boring as it was always going to be, two very strong, defensive sides.
I apologise to anyone who wanted to read a report from Charltons match at home to Sheffield United, i have been literally, snowed under with coursework, i'd much rather do this but i can't. I won't be doing a report on that game, however, i am going to Ewood, so i will have 6hours on the way back with nothing better to do but to write a football report, so i can guarantee that one will be on here, if not sunday then monday at the latest. As far as the game goes, it is a crucial, must win for Charlton, and with Blackburn having nothing but pride to play for, and a very probable half-empty staduim, exept the Charlton fans, i think Charlton can win this. They have the desire and passion that Alan Pardew has injected into the team and i think they can stay up. Fulham being my prediction to suffer as a result.
Thursday, 26 April 2007
Monday, 23 April 2007
Watch this space....
I will be posting again very shortly, i have been very busy with school work as you can imagine, so i havn't had the chance yet, i will also be posting my match report from saturdays game at charlton, so keep looking i should have something on within the next couple of days...
Thursday, 19 April 2007
The Modern American Revolution
The number of foreign owners in the Premiership is now at six and counting, three being American, and now i see that it is hugely likely that another billionaire buisiness tycoon Stan Kroenke is going to invest in Arsenal, making the number seven from twenty, almost half.
Roman Abramovich set the ball rolling back in 2003 when he became the owner of Chelsea, and now it seems that within 10 years of that, all clubs will be under foreign, if not billionaire ownership. I myself can see the attraction, if i had that money i would love to invest in my own club, but as a fan, not as a hobby or a buisiness arangement. Football is there for fun and to provide entertainment, the players should be playing because they enjoy it, and not because of how much they will make out of it. Soon football will not be seen as a proper sport, it will just be an entertainment, like the WWE and wrestling is now.
However i am not saying that this is an entirely bad thing and i am not saying that all foreign owners are investing as a buisiness opertunity, i am merely saying that if we carry on like this, football will lose all of it's competetiveness, and it will be just about the making money.
It could be a good thing but what i do know is that, as a result of the latest take-over bid, a man had quit or lost his job. A man who is extremely powerfull in English football and who is very good at his job, David Dein. It is just pure madness how a club like Arsenal, who are in need of rebuilding and Dein's guidance through this, that they should give him his marching
orders or let him quit like that. Dein is the best thing that Arsenal had going for them off the pitch, he was instrumental in bringing Arsene Wenger to the club in 1996 and also the appointment of Sven Goran Errikson into the England job in 2001. Losing someone so powerfull in the game can only be bad for Arsenal. Not only this but he held a very strong relationship with Arsene Wenger and there has already been speculation that he will follow Dein out of the exit, although i don't think he will. It's a massive blow to Arsenal, and maybe now fans can look forward to a take-over bid, to improve things on the pitch, and then surely will improve off it.
*Picture: They've gone and Dein it now havn't they!
Roman Abramovich set the ball rolling back in 2003 when he became the owner of Chelsea, and now it seems that within 10 years of that, all clubs will be under foreign, if not billionaire ownership. I myself can see the attraction, if i had that money i would love to invest in my own club, but as a fan, not as a hobby or a buisiness arangement. Football is there for fun and to provide entertainment, the players should be playing because they enjoy it, and not because of how much they will make out of it. Soon football will not be seen as a proper sport, it will just be an entertainment, like the WWE and wrestling is now.
However i am not saying that this is an entirely bad thing and i am not saying that all foreign owners are investing as a buisiness opertunity, i am merely saying that if we carry on like this, football will lose all of it's competetiveness, and it will be just about the making money.
It could be a good thing but what i do know is that, as a result of the latest take-over bid, a man had quit or lost his job. A man who is extremely powerfull in English football and who is very good at his job, David Dein. It is just pure madness how a club like Arsenal, who are in need of rebuilding and Dein's guidance through this, that they should give him his marching
orders or let him quit like that. Dein is the best thing that Arsenal had going for them off the pitch, he was instrumental in bringing Arsene Wenger to the club in 1996 and also the appointment of Sven Goran Errikson into the England job in 2001. Losing someone so powerfull in the game can only be bad for Arsenal. Not only this but he held a very strong relationship with Arsene Wenger and there has already been speculation that he will follow Dein out of the exit, although i don't think he will. It's a massive blow to Arsenal, and maybe now fans can look forward to a take-over bid, to improve things on the pitch, and then surely will improve off it.*Picture: They've gone and Dein it now havn't they!
Tuesday, 17 April 2007
The Weekends football
So it'll be a United Chelsea FA cup final. Im not sure this is good news or bad. I was kind of hoping that it would be Watford Blackburn so that everyone would say it was an insignificant final, being the first at the new Wembley and next years would be the proper one, like a dress rehearsal. Not to be though, and i suppose it is a good thing, the first final at Wembley being a showcase event, although of course i'd rather it was Arsenal or Charlton.
The Premiership was exiting as usual this weekend, and i think now that the relegation battle has been cut down again - to four teams - only one going down. In my opinion West Ham and Watford are already down and its between Charlton, Sheffield Utd, Wigan and Fulham for the last spot, and i think, although they have the most points from their games out of all those teams, that Fulham will be the team that goes down. Their remaining fixtures are about the hardest they could have at this time of the season, they don't have any 6 pointers and they have tough away games with Arsenal and Blackburn, while they polay host to Liverpool and Middlesborough. I can see them maybe picking up one or three points form the Boro game, and none anywhere else. Its going to be tight but i think the other teams will pick up points elsewhere, Charlton are in form and i think will beat Sheffield United on saturday, and Wigan are looking good, form wise, and i can't see Sheffield going down after their excellent display against West Ham.
As far as Europe is concerned, i think Arsenal have now bagged fourth and could go on to take third although it really makes no difference. And i think Tottenham are looking good for the UEFA Cup spot created by two teams already in Europe being in the FA Cup final. They will join Bolton and Everton, who diserve their places, after two seasons of nearly there or failure as far as Everton are concerned.
To end i'd just like to mention the C-word. Cricket. As i am writing this, England are being destroyed by South Africa in the World Cup and Sajid Mahmood is officially the WORST bowler in the world, EVER!! Two overs at a cost of 28 runs!!! It really is abismal and i'd like to make a protest, kick him out please, why is he in the England squad when we have people like Matthew Hoggard who could do ten times better. The build up to this game had been quite promising, with the whole squad standing up to be counted for once in their careers, bu
t i was a fool to believe it would ever happen. We have all been let down by some very average England cricketers. Although, i did expect better from Kevin Pietersen, out for 3?? Whats going on? He has the England bug thats what. Its like in football. Put Cristiano Ronaldo and Drogba in England shirts and they'd be like two kids having a kick-about at the park. I don't know what it is about England but everyone who plays for them, no matter how good they are, they never seem to be able to gel or get the consistancy they do for club or county. Its the same in all sports. The rugby was an exeption for a year or two, they must have thought they were Australian or something, then they all realised that they aren't meant to play well for England and turned into the shite we all know and see from England teams week in, week out.
*Picture: Mahmood trying to do the YMCA, i'm sure he'd be better at it that Cricket.
The Premiership was exiting as usual this weekend, and i think now that the relegation battle has been cut down again - to four teams - only one going down. In my opinion West Ham and Watford are already down and its between Charlton, Sheffield Utd, Wigan and Fulham for the last spot, and i think, although they have the most points from their games out of all those teams, that Fulham will be the team that goes down. Their remaining fixtures are about the hardest they could have at this time of the season, they don't have any 6 pointers and they have tough away games with Arsenal and Blackburn, while they polay host to Liverpool and Middlesborough. I can see them maybe picking up one or three points form the Boro game, and none anywhere else. Its going to be tight but i think the other teams will pick up points elsewhere, Charlton are in form and i think will beat Sheffield United on saturday, and Wigan are looking good, form wise, and i can't see Sheffield going down after their excellent display against West Ham.
As far as Europe is concerned, i think Arsenal have now bagged fourth and could go on to take third although it really makes no difference. And i think Tottenham are looking good for the UEFA Cup spot created by two teams already in Europe being in the FA Cup final. They will join Bolton and Everton, who diserve their places, after two seasons of nearly there or failure as far as Everton are concerned.
To end i'd just like to mention the C-word. Cricket. As i am writing this, England are being destroyed by South Africa in the World Cup and Sajid Mahmood is officially the WORST bowler in the world, EVER!! Two overs at a cost of 28 runs!!! It really is abismal and i'd like to make a protest, kick him out please, why is he in the England squad when we have people like Matthew Hoggard who could do ten times better. The build up to this game had been quite promising, with the whole squad standing up to be counted for once in their careers, bu
t i was a fool to believe it would ever happen. We have all been let down by some very average England cricketers. Although, i did expect better from Kevin Pietersen, out for 3?? Whats going on? He has the England bug thats what. Its like in football. Put Cristiano Ronaldo and Drogba in England shirts and they'd be like two kids having a kick-about at the park. I don't know what it is about England but everyone who plays for them, no matter how good they are, they never seem to be able to gel or get the consistancy they do for club or county. Its the same in all sports. The rugby was an exeption for a year or two, they must have thought they were Australian or something, then they all realised that they aren't meant to play well for England and turned into the shite we all know and see from England teams week in, week out.*Picture: Mahmood trying to do the YMCA, i'm sure he'd be better at it that Cricket.
Monday, 16 April 2007
Thanet Blog list
Hello everyone, i'd just like to point out that i have now been added to The Thanet Blog List. So you can find me on there, i believe im top of the Home page at the moment.
And to let you know that i will be adding a review of the weekends football shortly, i have been busy this weekend so i hav'nt had a chance yet.
And to let you know that i will be adding a review of the weekends football shortly, i have been busy this weekend so i hav'nt had a chance yet.
Thursday, 12 April 2007
UEFA Cup and Operation Ewood
Firstly i would just like to say that Totenham put up a very brave performance agianst an excellent and tactically astute Sevilla side. They fell apart in the first ten minutes, which cost them, big time. Had they not conceded so early on, i think they would have definately gone on to win the tie. However Sevilla did deserve to win in the end i think, Juande Ramos, the Sevilla boss, getting his tactics spot on. These being to go out all guns blazing, snatch one or two goals and then sit back. It worked perfectly. Its a shame Totenham are out, and i do genuinely mean that, despite having such a keen dislike to them, considering Arsenal are my family team. They played excellently during this years competition and deserved to get this far, I have enjoyed watching them.
Moving on to some good news that i found out on Saturday in the Charlton programme, they have announced Operation Ewood! Its brilliant news considering the success of last years Operation Riverside. It will be great to see so many travelling Charlton fans there, and who knows there will probrably be more of us than them. Ill certainly be going. Balckburn will be shocked at the turnout.
It strikes me that in a few years time, the Premiership will be entirely foreign owned. The next target of corse being Arsenal and Kroenke Sports Enterprises buying further into the club. They are thought to be close to securing one of the club's majority shareholders Danny Fiszman's shares, in excess of 25%, which would take them well over the 30% threshold needed to make a formal bid. I dont know whether this is good or bad news. It means more oney and therefore better players in the Premiership so its probrably a good thing but im not convinced.
Moving on to some good news that i found out on Saturday in the Charlton programme, they have announced Operation Ewood! Its brilliant news considering the success of last years Operation Riverside. It will be great to see so many travelling Charlton fans there, and who knows there will probrably be more of us than them. Ill certainly be going. Balckburn will be shocked at the turnout.
It strikes me that in a few years time, the Premiership will be entirely foreign owned. The next target of corse being Arsenal and Kroenke Sports Enterprises buying further into the club. They are thought to be close to securing one of the club's majority shareholders Danny Fiszman's shares, in excess of 25%, which would take them well over the 30% threshold needed to make a formal bid. I dont know whether this is good or bad news. It means more oney and therefore better players in the Premiership so its probrably a good thing but im not convinced.
Wednesday, 11 April 2007
Champions League football
A good weeks football for English clubs as far as the Champions League. Well i say good, when really i should be saying magnificent, three of our clubs in the semi-finals of the Champions League is absoulutely brilliant for English football and proves that our league is the best in Europe.
It is easy to say that Manchester United didn't need to play well against Roma to win like that because they had an absolute shocker but to be fair to the Roma team as well as the Manchester United team, this really wasn't the case. Although, defensively Roma looked scarily like Charlton earlier in the season, the rest of the team put up a good fight with one player in particular standing out for me, Francesco Totti. Even as Roma were made to look like little boys, Totti still managed to look world class. Roma had 55% of the possesion and they has 15 shots on goal. Not bad for a team beaten 7-1! Them aside though, United were another class, anything that came their way, they seemed to put away, and with ease too. The way they created the chances too were superb, showed perfectly in Alan Smith's goal on 20 minutes. Every pass in the move was one-touch, orchestrated by the danger trio, Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo in particular had a stormer of a game, and its the best i think i've ever seen United play in my short life. He for me is by far the best player in the world right now.
Chelsea, for me played their tactics almost to the opposite of United. They came our with a very cautious approach that for me had trouble written all over it. And this was proven in the first half when Fernando Morientes hit the post with a powerfull effort then soon after he scored, leaving the Chelsea team in dissaray. The turning point came in the second half when Jose Mourinho's men were sent out with a much more positive attitude for me, won them the game. Their play in the second half was much more attacking and this helped them through, Michael Essien was the key.
Then after a good night last night, Liverpool rounded it off, seeing of a luckless PSV side, who really only turned up to restore pride, Ronald Koeman said after the first leg that he would be stupid to think they could go through after their display, i agree but i also think that it was stupid of him to say so. It automatically puts a negative perspective in his players minds, after all anything can and does happen in football. Arsenals 6-3 win at Anfield would have been enough to put them through after a 3-0 defeat at home, and if they can do it, PSV can, but it wasnt to be, not that Koeman can be blamed, he was after all right, they did have no chance. More than anything because Liverpool are in the form of the season at the moment and they are not going to give up their last chance at a trophy that easily.
So really, overall an excellent week for English football and really sticks it to Guilleme Balague who said that the Spanish League is still the best in the World. Lets hope Totenham go through in the UEFA Cup, on Thursday, Englands last hope there.
It is easy to say that Manchester United didn't need to play well against Roma to win like that because they had an absolute shocker but to be fair to the Roma team as well as the Manchester United team, this really wasn't the case. Although, defensively Roma looked scarily like Charlton earlier in the season, the rest of the team put up a good fight with one player in particular standing out for me, Francesco Totti. Even as Roma were made to look like little boys, Totti still managed to look world class. Roma had 55% of the possesion and they has 15 shots on goal. Not bad for a team beaten 7-1! Them aside though, United were another class, anything that came their way, they seemed to put away, and with ease too. The way they created the chances too were superb, showed perfectly in Alan Smith's goal on 20 minutes. Every pass in the move was one-touch, orchestrated by the danger trio, Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo in particular had a stormer of a game, and its the best i think i've ever seen United play in my short life. He for me is by far the best player in the world right now.
Chelsea, for me played their tactics almost to the opposite of United. They came our with a very cautious approach that for me had trouble written all over it. And this was proven in the first half when Fernando Morientes hit the post with a powerfull effort then soon after he scored, leaving the Chelsea team in dissaray. The turning point came in the second half when Jose Mourinho's men were sent out with a much more positive attitude for me, won them the game. Their play in the second half was much more attacking and this helped them through, Michael Essien was the key.
Then after a good night last night, Liverpool rounded it off, seeing of a luckless PSV side, who really only turned up to restore pride, Ronald Koeman said after the first leg that he would be stupid to think they could go through after their display, i agree but i also think that it was stupid of him to say so. It automatically puts a negative perspective in his players minds, after all anything can and does happen in football. Arsenals 6-3 win at Anfield would have been enough to put them through after a 3-0 defeat at home, and if they can do it, PSV can, but it wasnt to be, not that Koeman can be blamed, he was after all right, they did have no chance. More than anything because Liverpool are in the form of the season at the moment and they are not going to give up their last chance at a trophy that easily.
So really, overall an excellent week for English football and really sticks it to Guilleme Balague who said that the Spanish League is still the best in the World. Lets hope Totenham go through in the UEFA Cup, on Thursday, Englands last hope there.
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