Rare biased "at the pub" blog post
At the pub soaking the first City DOUBLE over United in almost 40
years. Love it
10 February 2008
09 February 2008
I know I know I said that I would quit
From the Kickette
You do not have to sell things to be marketing. How is this not taking advantage of the Munich Air Disaster? What a fucking awful image.
City is not without its own fault in taking advantage of some slick marketing, but they've not eploited one of the symbols of the event. Look at this picture too, it's like a snapshot. Very understated and that's what United should have done.
Sunday's tomorrow and I know this is wearing thin. :) In the meantime, DO check out this post from the Philadelphia Weekly's blog Philadelphia Will Do about how even Americans got offended and join in in the shared tragedy, over a use of the Munich Memorial in a contest in the US version of Metro. (I'm not linking to this just because I'm mentioned in it either btw)
08 February 2008
To start your weekend
US Sports should do this. They used to in the 80s, if you remember "Buddy's watching you" by the Philadelphia Eagles etc. They need more Super Bowl and World Series Singles.
While you were worried about Villa playing in Suriname
The Premier League went ahead and approved a 7 deep subs bench, which is something Rafa Benetiz and his overpriced rotation system was asking for ages ago. It was brought to vote by Spurs' Chairman (according to last nights 5 Live Football Daily).
Anyway, the reasoning seems to be "giving young people a shot". Old cynics like us here think it's because naming more overpaid supersubs to the bench might attract more people to a particular club and help the rich ones play "buy all the players so no one else could get them" ala CSKA Chelski.
Administrivia
http://www.keepyups.com/ will get you to this site. I decided I liked the name enough to spend a tenner to register it. Update your bookmarks and tell your friends!
Cities best suited for Premiership Clubs WAATPS
There's a fantastically lollerific piece from Who Ate All the Pies on the 20 cities for Premiership Matches. A Definite must read.
A few examples of the ones that made us chuckle.
Manchester United - Calais
Closer than Old Trafford for most United fans.
Sunderland - Dublin
Everything else about the club is Irish, including the chairman and manger, so the home ground might as well be.
Wigan - Las Vegas
Titus Bramble's Travelling Slapstick Show would be the hottest ticket in town.
07 February 2008
English Premiership Clubs to play games abroad??
The 20 Premier League clubs are reported to have agreed in principle to a radical plan that would see each team playing an extra match a season abroad.--SkySports
Under the proposal, cities such as Hong Kong, New York, Los Angeles, Singapore, Sydney, Johannesburg, Dubai and Beijing would stage matches between two Premier League sides.
As excited as I am about the prospect of getting a match in the US, I can not help but think this is just one more nail in the coffin of English Football. Tom Hicks has said that he's bought Liverpool because of the tremendous television and internet deals involved. This is for marketing and money and that can only be a bad thing. Are they going to start Bye Weeks as well? Some of those cities above are horrible distance from England.
Jesus this is such a Bad Thing (tm)
Manchester United insists the world must share in their tragedy
Manchester United have confirmed the minute's silence will go ahead at the Manchester derby despite the jeers that were heard at Wembley. The news comes after Wednesday night's minute silence at England's friendly clash with Switzerland was cut short by 20 seconds after disrespectful fans whistled and jeered towards the end of the tribute-- TeamTalk
I agree that it is disrespectful to boo and jeer during the moments silence. BUT WHEN YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ISN'T IT DISRESPECTFUL TO GO ALONG WITH THE PLANS. It just serves to further the Manchester United Pity Party. As I said yesterday, I am no fan of shared tragedy. If it didn't effect you there is no need to fucking commerate it. But Manchester United are setting themselves up to be "Poor Manchester United, we're so picked on because we're the best, those beastly City supporters can't even respect what animals". Nothing pisses me off more than that bullshit.
Truly respectful for those who died at Munich would be to stop trolling it out to put you all in the spotlight again. How much additional positive press has United gotten over the past 4 weeks? Don't tell me it's not marketing just because they're not selling the shirts.
Truly respectful would be to not let booing idiots ruin the moment of silence by having a moment of applause instead.
Truly respectful would not be using this as another reason to get into the fucking spotlight.
AND THAT'S finally all I have to say about it. I avoided it for a month but now you have it.
06 February 2008
RIP Mathew Upson's Beard
*moment of silence*
Olaf Melberg is the only one left, and he's going to Juve this summer.
I vote for Crouch to grow one next.
05 February 2008
Cut rate striker for half the price!
Apparently Manchester City was able to sign Benjani not for the 7mil they agreed to for 3.87mil. I'm not quite sure how or why this happened despite the window closing before everything was completed but good on city for turning a potential disaster panic buy into something less costly.
But seriously, unless you're interested in Munich, Benjani, or Africa Cup of Nations this week has been BORING. Roll on tomorrow when we can all bemoan how shit England is.
But seriously, unless you're interested in Munich, Benjani, or Africa Cup of Nations this week has been BORING. Roll on tomorrow when we can all bemoan how shit England is.
I don't do shared tragedy
so you'll forgive my lack of Munich Tribute. God forbid I do not perpetuate the bullshit. The whole thing does more to disgrace what happened than it does to commemorate it
04 February 2008
Jimmy Bullard
Long time readers (well Chris O) will know that I have nothing but love for one James Bullard. He's quality on the field and off.
Was glad to see that he scored an injury time winner against Villa for Fulham today. Have been looking for a youtube clip but can't find it.
In lieu of that, here's a video of the legend himself in dirty laundry with someone's jock strap on his head.. I do hope it was his.
Was glad to see that he scored an injury time winner against Villa for Fulham today. Have been looking for a youtube clip but can't find it.
In lieu of that, here's a video of the legend himself in dirty laundry with someone's jock strap on his head.. I do hope it was his.
01 February 2008
Typical City
This Benjani deal is just typical fucking City it's not even funny.
That said, I'm not sure if City really wants Benjani, and if this isn't a panic buy. He's hit a good run of form but he's not the quality striker in my opinion that City want. He's certainly not worth 9m.
Feel bad for Redders though, he's now got two overpriced strikers!
That said, I'm not sure if City really wants Benjani, and if this isn't a panic buy. He's hit a good run of form but he's not the quality striker in my opinion that City want. He's certainly not worth 9m.
Feel bad for Redders though, he's now got two overpriced strikers!
31 January 2008
KK 6/1 for the sack!
Keegan now third favourite for chop behind Coppell and Benitez
LATEST BETTING; Next Premiership Manager To Leave
Rafa Benitez 2/1
Steve Coppell 5/1
Kevin Keegan 6/1
Gareth Southgate 6/1
Roy Hodgson 8/1
Gary Megson 12/1
Alex McLeish 14/1
Harry Redknapp 14/1
Steve Bruce 16/1
Roy Keane 20/1
Paul Jewell 25/1
Alan Curbishley 25/1
Mark Hughes 33/1
Martin O'Neill 40/1
Avram Grant 40/1
David Moyes 50/1
Sven Goran Eriksson 66/1
Juande Ramos 66/1
Alex Ferguson 66/1
Arsene Wenger 100/1
I'm not used to a City Manager being such high odds to be fired.
OH JUST SHUT UP!
“If I could apologise and go back and change history I would do. But the goal is still a goal, Argentina became world champions and I was the best player in the world. I cannot change history, all I can do is move on.” – Diego Maradona on the “hand of God” goal.
30 January 2008
West Ham 1 - 0 Liverpool
Jamie Carragher is a thug. How many times has he gotten away with dirty tricks in the box and not conceded a penalty? While it is heartbreaking to drop to 7th place in such a fashion, it's a well deserved win for the Hammers who just outplayed Liverpool all night.
I reckon though that Liverpool will probably still finish 4th because Everton really don't have the depth and Villa and City will "fall apart" at the end of the season. City is already starting (a draw away to Derby?? jesus).
Watch this space for some more indepth posts on a couple of topics screaming to get out of my head tomorrow.
I reckon though that Liverpool will probably still finish 4th because Everton really don't have the depth and Villa and City will "fall apart" at the end of the season. City is already starting (a draw away to Derby?? jesus).
Watch this space for some more indepth posts on a couple of topics screaming to get out of my head tomorrow.
29 January 2008
What is an outside agent? Or Outside Agents not about Willie McKay
ESPNsoccernet - England - Roberts: Balloon or Baffoon?
Let me make it clear, as a neutral I fully enjoyed Sheffield United's giant-killing act as I called the game on ESPN, but at the risk of being considered officious: rules are rules! The big blue book clearly states that if the ball touches an 'outside agent' while in play, the referee must immediately stop play and re-start the game with a dropped ball where the contact was made.
Tough luck if the FA Cup Final last minute winner strikes a dog on the goal line on its way to the back of the net, the ref has to disallow the goal and award a dropped ball on the edge of the 6 yard box, though I'd not like to have to call that one.
FIFA qualify an 'outside agent' in the 2007/08 Laws of the Game publication as, 'Anyone not indicated on the team list as a player, substitute or team official.' Match officials, corner flags and goal posts are also thrown into the list of exclusions, but no mention of balloons.
Just wanted to quote this because other than the above I haven't seen any mention of the fact that it was more than an amusing goal, but a dubious one.
Man City have written the FA about the fact that the balloons haven't been cleared off the pitch by the referee, but shouldn't they have written the fact that the goal should have been disallowed as well? Does anyone know why that wasn't mentioned as well?
Quotes of the Week
One of the funniest Quotes of the Week roundup in a long time. And not just because it's got Coronation Street Trash talking.
28 January 2008
FA Cup Draw
Despite the fact that the FA Cup is for all intents and purposes over here is the 5th Round Draw
Bristol Rovers v Southampton
Cardiff City v Wolves
Sheffield United v Middlesbrough
Liverpool v Barnsley
Manchester United v Arsenal
Preston v Portsmouth
Coventry City v West Brom
Chelsea v Huddersfield Town
The round where the premiership catches up. There will be at the very least 3 non Premiership teams in the quarterfinals which doesn't seem as crazy as 10 non premiership teams in the octofinals. So the draw goes the FA's way then, because who the HELL wants to see Cardiff and Soton at Wembley, Or another Championship side (or league one I guess is still possible) representing England in the UEFA Cup?
They've even got that exciting match of Utd v Arsenal so that people will actually still pay attention past the 4th Round! Hopefully that will be more exciting than the FA Cup Final in 2005.
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