End of Season round-ups

It's getting close to that time with the end of the Premiership season drawing to it's conclusion this weekend, and the Championship nearly wrapped up after the playoff final and the Champions League final clash in bit over a week.

The review shows will be full of the goals at Old Trafford when United destroyed Arsenal, and then again for when City destroyed United. It will show the tears of the Wolves and Blackburn fans relegated and the t-shirts of support for Suarez (before his 8 game ban), it will have a montage of Fabio Capello's tenure as England boss, and some of Roy Hodgson's head banging antics in the WBA dugout.

Bloggers, journo's and twitterers will all have their say on the season so here is mine...

This is a great time to look back on my good, bad and the ugly for the season.

The good - Papisse Demba Cisse, 'The Cockney Mafia' the 'Toon'.

He's been a revelation for a wonderful Newcastle side this year, with his 9 million pound move in January showing that smart and effective deals can be done in the window and guys that score in German can score in England. His second goal at Stamford Bridge a couple of weeks ago during Newcastle's brilliant 2 nil win has my vote for goal of the season, with Peter Crouch's stunning chest and volley against Manchester City a close second, and Luis Suarez's long distance blast against Norwich picking up the bronze. Cisse has scored remarkable goals since his move, bettering Alan Shearer's record for goals in his first 12 games, NOT an easy feat. Newcastle have been terrific for the majority of the season, and although I think Alan Pardew is a complete weapon, it's hard to argue with the job that he, and the Cockney Mafia have done at St. James, oops, I meant the Sports Direct Arena this season. Will it finish with Champions League football a year after being in the Championship? We will see.  Pardew has done a good job and is in the running for manager of the year, he's not my cup of tea however and I'm interested to see how he fares next season now other teams are aware of Newcastle and they will probably sell some players this summer.

Swansea have been sensational too, and I really enjoyed watching Paul Lambert's Norwich City.




The bad - Liverpool (and Arsenal)

Arsenal haven't been good, like Chelsea and Liverpool this season, when a lot was expected from them. A truly terrible start from them including the refund inducing performance that ended in a 8-2 hammering at Old Trafford where a pissed up Tony Adams would have offered more backbone than the players on show looked like it could end Arsene Wenger's time in charge of the Gunners. He survived and so did they, but without the goals of RVP they wouldn't be anywhere near the Champions League places, and it's only really down to his goals and the poor play of the other teams around them that they are in with a shout. Tottenham should have had 3rd spot, or 2nd sown up. Chelsea have had a mad season sacking AVB, bringing in Di Matteo, winning the FA cup final, losing 3rd, 4th, or even 5th in the league, by solely concentrating on the Champions League final, which they won't win. Arsenal, will be there or there abouts, because they do have the PFA player of the year and golden boot winner RVP (for now at least). Liverpool with that man would probably be where Arsenal are now. Instead they have a 35 million quid caveman who didn't score enough, a Urugyuan superstar who missed 9 games of the season through suspension at a crucial time and fires hot and cold, and a squad of piss-poor players. Everton may well finish above their city rivals this year for the first time in recent memory, fans will blame long cup runs, and bad luck in front of goal this season for not getting more points on the board. 30+ times the Reds have hit the woodwork at home this season, and missed more penalties than anyone else, but so what? You have to get the ball in the net and make your own luck. Dalglish's signings (Adam, Henderson, Downing, Carroll) haven't lived up to expectations or been anywhere near good enough all season. It's back to the drawing board for King Kenny as he finds his team as close to the relegation zone as they are to the Champions league spots. Not good enough for a moneyball inspired team of highly paid players. Without the cup runs (and in truth, even with them) this has been a bad, bad, bad season for Liverpool.




The Ugly - Blackburn Rovers, Steve Kean & Venky's.

Steve Kean has held 'dignity' in the face of torrents of abuse throughout the whole season. Venky's the Indian poultry firm stood firm with him even after protests, sit in's and planes flying over head with messages of distaste for the Scotsman. The Venky's group bought the team with promises of Champions League football within 4 years, they achieved relegation and the hate of most of the home support within 2. The rumour mill had them signing players like Ronaldinho, but instead the agent put in charge of the clubs transfer dealings signed his own son (who is yet to play a first team game), and put one of the men he represents, Steve Kean, in the hot seat. Steve Kean should step down, there is nothing heroic in what he's doing, pledging to stay on. It's been an awful season, he's been an awful appointment and sadly for Blackburn, if it'doesn't make changes, will turn into a truly awful club. All this after good old Jack Walker had helped win them the Premiership in 1995 (still one of only 4 teams - soon to be 5, to do so). Steve Kean said "We're absolutely devastated. The players are numb inside the dressing room" after the turgid defeat to Wigan (who have been excellent over the past 8 games in comparison to Blackburn's hideous form). Kean seems to be 'numb' himself to the reality that surrounds him. As long as he is at the helm and Venky's run the club, there will be a poisonous atmosphere around the club. Kean looked like a drowning rat during Monday night's defeat and subsequent relegation, sadly for Blackburn he doesn't look like he's going to jump ship!
Wolves were crap, Bolton too.

The 'Magic' of the FA Cup final - Dwindling

The FA cup final used to be the only game televised all year when I was a boy on my terrestrial TV back in England, and it was the season's best game (because it was the only one everyone could see!) It was the biggest of the footballing calender, something that everyone would be at least aware of if they weren't watching the game live.  Nowadays you can watch 50+ games from across the world's top leagues in just one week!  Maybe it's this or rise of the Champions League and the money of the Premiership but England's, and the worlds oldest club competition, has steadily declined in sync with the Premier and Champions Leagues' ascent.

Steven Gerrard has just realised that Stewart Downing has 3 years left on his current deal

Now the FA Cup kick off is shifted around on a day with Premiership games.  It's almost an afterthought after both semi finals have been hosted at Wembley.  I refer to it as Wembley, and not 'the new' Wembley like so many, seeing as it's not that new anymore having opened in 2007.  Two big teams fought out this seasons 2012 Budweiser sponsored FA Cup, Chelsea and Liverpool.  These two teams are no strangers having played over 30+ times against each other in the past 8 years which is quite staggering.  Maybe it was the fact that it was these two teams playing each other, again, the late kick off, the fact Liverpool aren't very good or that Chelsea have one eye firmly fixed on the Champions League final but there was no spark or excitement surrounding the build up to this game, compared to say, that of the recent Manchester derby or the Champions League semi-finals first and second legs.


The first hour of the game was incredibly dull.  After Jay Spearing gave the ball away in a bad area for the 6,000 time this season Ramires' energy and pace put him past a decaying Jose Enrique and his shot straight at Pepe Reina was straight through the Spaniard (who's suffered his worst season in his 7 at Anfield this year) and that was the only moment of note in a slow, and bland first 45.  After Didier Drogba had his customary Wembley goal Liverpool looked completely dead and buried.  The introduction of Andy Carroll did change Liverpool's attacking impetus and finally Luis Suarez had another red shirt inside the opposition half with him!  Jordan Henderson, Jay Spearing and Stewart Downing all had atrocious games and one wonders what was ever seen in them.  Spearing was a product of the Academy (which doesn't bode well as he's dire) and the other two were signed for close to 40 million quid by good old King Kenny!  Incredible to think about that waste of finances for two players who wouldn't stand out in a league 2 side.  The 'Caveman' Carroll got his second Wembley goal in a matter of weeks (adding to his semi final winner over Everton) and his decent return in big games (he also scored on his England debut at Wembley) but alas, it was too little, too poor, too late for the Reds, and Chelsea, by default rather than incredible play, were rightly Cup winners for the 4th time in the past 7 years.

Chelsea. FA CUP Winners...again

I miss the magic of the FA Cup, the giant killings, the small minnows of the non-league taking on the big dogs of the top tier, the support, Wembley way, the suits, the walking out onto the Wembley pitch, the iconic trophy being hoisted aloft after the long trudge up the Wembley steps for the valiant losers... These are all distant and past memories like the Crazy Gang beating Liverpool in '88, Charlie George in '71 and Crystal Palace taking Man U to a 3-3 draw in 1990.
Even the cup final of 1992 between Liverpool and Sunderland was more exciting.  I was up at the crack of dawn wearing my full Liverpool kit, drinking squash out of my Liverpool mug and swinging my Red scarf around my head as I went nuts in the living room 6 hours before the game even kicked off.  The anticipation was extraordinary.  I barely remember the game or the goals, but I can clearly remember the excitement of it all, the fantasy of one day maybe I'd be playing in final, what it would be like to lift the old trophy and get a medal from a member of the Royal family.  All that magic is still alive in me, but not for the current versions of the FA Cup, I wonder if  kids nowadays whip themselves into a frenzy for this game, or if they'd rather play out their own cup final on the Playstation on FIFA 2012?!  I must be getting old and bitter as I'm reminiscing about the 'good old days' of FA Cup finals and football, but I don't think I'm the only one that wants to recast the magical spell of the FA Cup back over English football once again.  

Whether it's wright, or it's wrong... it's Woy

England team under Woy the Boy Hodgson: Wobinson; Wichards, Tewwy, Wio, Bwidge; Gewward, Cawwick, Wodwell, Bawwy; Cawwoll, Wooney????????????????????????

Regal, educated, articulated and gentlemanly all words that would not have been associated with the England Manager had 'Arry Redknapp been offered, and taken the poison chalice. Instead it's old man Roy Hodgson who fluffed his lines at Liverpool and got the sack quicker than you can say 'King Kenny' and has instead turned his hand to doing what he does best, taking smaller clubs with poor sides and make them over-achieve, so there is hope for England in the Euro's yet!


At the FA's unveiling of Hodgson the press pack were already sharpening their knives, they had to really, after clearly backing their buddy, Redknapp, and now seeing this intruder they'd all written off in the big chair in front of their camera's, pen's and professional reputation. They've subsequently slaughtered him. The English press are a wonderful bunch really, fickle, one minded and over-reactionary. They think that just because they helped get a manager fired (Capello) they have the right to hire his successor. Of course the dismally run FA had different ideas and in their true 'up yours' to the press, and general public they didn't even interview the man the bookies had stop taking bets on 8 games ago! It was also cheaper for the FA with Hodgson out of contract this Summer and Redknapp with an expensive buy out clause with Tottenham, and after the money pissed away on Capello, the FA could probably do with balancing the books a little.


Is Woy the right man for the job? Sure, why not? He fits the bill. For starters he's English, so that's good, second he's experienced in International football with Switzerland and Finland and did relatively well with both (getting Switzerland to the 1994 US World Cup - something Graham 'Turnip' Taylor failed horrifically to do with England) and has won a plethora of trophies during his time in Sweden, Denmark, Italy and the UAE. He's managed two truly 'BIG' clubs in Inter Milan and Liverpool and had mixed success in Italy (losing the 1997 UEFA cup final on penalty's) and had a well documented failure at Liverpool. Redknapp's 'BIG' clubs, a emerging Tottenham side and West Ham?! Not quite on the same level some might argue. A look at their CV's shows Hodgson has more experience and a better win percentage to boot 

Roy Hodgson
Halmstad
Allsvenskan (2): 1976, 1979


Malmö FF
Swedish football champions (2): 1986, 1988
Allsvenskan (5): 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989
Svenska Cupen (2): 1985–86, 1988–89


Inter Milan
UEFA Cup Runner Up (1): 1997


Copenhagen
Danish Superliga (1): 2000–01
Danish Super Cup (1): 2001


Fulham
UEFA Europa League Runner Up (1): 2010
Individual


LMA Manager of the Year (1): 2010


Harry Redknapp
Bournemouth
Football League Division Three: 1986–87
Football League Trophy: 1983–84


West Ham United
UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1999


Portsmouth
Football League Division One: 2002–03
FA Cup: 2007-08


Tottenham Hotspur
Football League Cup runners up: 2009
Premier League Manager of the Year: 2009-10

But, it's what these lists don't mention that is the real problem here.  Harry isn't a great coach, and in fact famously does very little on the training ground other than having a natter on his blower and a bit of a giggle with Kevin Bond before disappearing into his office to get a copy of the Racing Post out and ave a flutter.  Redknapp wouldn't show any interest in the new National Football Center at Burton and would just do the job in front of him without any long term planning or thought.  He is a man of the moment, famously excellent at motivating players and keeping them as happy as any modern manager can keep an over-paid and uneducated footballer 'happy'.  He's charismatic, funny and a little bit cheeky.  Whereas Hodgson will be trying rope around players to get them in a strict bank of 4 on the training ground, 'Arry is more likely to put the players in touch with his slippery accountant from the East End!  The other main problem with international football and Harry Redknapp? Transfers- you can't do them, there's no selling, wheeler dealing or any of that, you've got what you've got and have to make the most of it...

I like Harry, and I'd have liked him more as England manager as he would have bought some of the fun of international football back to the national side, something we haven't seen since Venables in the mid 1990's.  Instead we will have a dignified and almost apologetic failure at this summers fast approaching Euro's with a man at the helm with all the qualifications, but none of the verve or joie de vivre of football that Harry may well have seen in.  Spurs fans are happy as the curse of the England job is lifted (they had a horrible run with no away goals in 4, and only a small amount of points after Redknapp was linked with the job by the press) and WBA fans will be pleased to say that their manager went on to the England job.  If Woy can do what he did at West Brom with England we'll be in fine shape.  We're the equivalent of a West Brom or Fulham on the national stage, and maybe that makes England the perfect job for Woy, formerly of the (Blackburn) Rovers, and now top of the pile in English football.

notBigSam ‏ @TheBig_Sam

Look at the state of Hodgson at this press conference. He looks like an elderly GP who's been accused of manslaughter.

The Manchester Derby

I'm a little late getting to the party on this one as every conceivable angle has been taken, dissected and discussed in pubs, offices and in column inches about this mega Manchester derby, so I'll keep it short, (without the sweetness).

The build up was borderline ridiculous with everyone and their dog having a say on what was labelled the biggest game in Premier League history and certainly the biggest Madchester Derby in over a generation.  With all the media hype including twitter feeds blowing up with talk of what was actually a bit of a damp squib of a game showed the power of the brand of the Barclays Premier League in full effect.  The most exciting things from the game, for me, were...

• The appearance of El Diego at the Eithiad. He knows how to make anything a spectacle and certainly added to the drama of the occasion from his box on high. Also his facial hair and smile make me happy.
• Fergie and Mancini nearly coming to blows in the technical area after giving it the bunny hand gesture for their verbals to the 4th official, and then Fergie's bright red hooter looking on the verge of blowing as he told the mop headed Italian to 'Fuck off" in his finest Glaswegian snarl.  Class.
• The support.  The Blue half of Manchester has waited in the wings for a while now, but with their new wealth, stadium and superstar roster they are known as the 'noisy neighbours'.  At the Etihad on Monday night they were deafening.  At half time, moments after Captain fantastic Vincent Kompany had nutted them into the lead, the place was jumping.  It was almost as if they'd won the league there and then.  The atmosphere from those fans made it the occasion it was, because regardless of the on-the-field actions, the crowd made the evening one to remember, and their noise, joy and energy transcended across the Atlantic and into my TV as I watched, mesmerized by the passion, humour and love for the Citizens.
• Liam Gallagher.  They play his music before the games, they play his music at half time, but at the end, they played his favourite band, The Beatles, and 'Hey Jude'.  Watching the Beady Eye front man belt out the "Naa Naa Naa na na na NAA!" at the top of his lungs with the rest of the home support was amazing, and so were his comments after the game. "I love Mancini, he's nearly as cool as me" he said, and I'd agree.
• Sir Alex.  He said he's never sent his team out to play for a draw and wouldn't for this game.  He lied.  United were terrible, didn't have a shot on target or even at goal and Joe Hart was rarely called into anything like action.  It's amazing how a midfield containing Scholes and Giggs is called "classy" and "experienced" when they win, but labelled "old, past it" and "gone" when they lose.  Fergie should blame the Glaziers who bought his beloved club and rather than channeling some of the income of the biggest, richest club in the world into the playing staff, they have used it to make money and moves on other ventures resulting in Ferguson signing the Reserve team Coach to his side this season, and a few other players who he signed after getting rid of many in a summer clear out (De Gea and Jones came in for decent money, but Gibson, Obertan and Brown were all sold, Neville, van der Saar and Scholes* all retired, freeing up money from the wage bill. (Scholes was the Reserve Team Coach when he re-signed with United 15 games ago.)  If City do go on to win the league even with their tough run in (Newcastle away - who are chasing Champions League football, and QPR who are scrapping for their lives compared to United's rather easy run in with Swansea who could only draw with a relegated Wolves last weekend and a Sunderland team who started their Summer holidays about a month ago) Ferguson will put severe pressure on the Glazier's to break open the cheque book and spend big this summer.
• Vincent Kompany - Not considered a mercenary in a team of multi-millionaire players.  I'm sure he's on a few quid a week but his attitude, application and aptitude on and off the pitch has made him a man loved by the home fans and respected by opposition players and fans a like. His headed winner was simple enough by a player of his standard, but it's potential impact on where the league trophy goes this season cannot be underestimated.  It may well be the most important thing he's done in his career
• Super Mario - He managed to stay off the pitch and out of the news.  That's note worthy in itself.

This is leads us to the last 2 games of the season. Hopefully City beat Newcastle to keep it interesting and it all comes down to the last day.  That's the drama the neutrals want, and I'm sure that the blue half of Manchester would take that, especially after being 8 points behind their red neighbours 4 games ago!

Champions League Semi Finals

What a pair of games these two turned out to be.  In no ones wildest dreams can anyone have envisaged a 10 man Chelsea come back from 2 down to draw 2-2 away at the mecca of modern football, the Camp Nou.  Surely not many thought that Bayern could overturn the away goal against a Real team fresh from winning their first El Clasico in a while?

No many would have predicted it, and that's what makes it all the more entertaining and stunning.


Barcelona will be left feeling empty and robbed after completely battering the Blues from West London over the two legs but without being able to book themselves into the final on May 19th in Munich.  Roberto Di Matteo who three years ago to the day was overseeing a MK Dons team lose to Walsall in League 2 certainly has pulled on all his previous experience to help push the aging and 'over the hill' Chelsea old guard over one last hurdle to reach their second ever Champions League final.  Pep Guardiola may not be in his job at the end of the season as he makes a decision on his future, sadly for Di Matteo, a man who has helped transform Chelsea in his 15 games in charge, may not get the full-time managers job even if Chelsea do go on to win the Champions League! It's tough at the top!

After that shock Barca defeat Real Madrid we're already etching their name on the famous trophy for the 10th time as they were 2 nil up within no time at all in their home leg at the Bernabeu.   Those efficient Germans had other ideas however and deservedly went through after playing with invention, guts and attacking flair, as well as taking some a few better penalties.  Ronaldo and Kaka a pair of the worlds most expensive and well known players fluffed their lines in the penalty shoot out with Manuel Neuer saving each penalty kick comfortably.  It was a crazy semi final stage and one of the most entertaining and interesting from a neutral perspective in recent memory.




Before the first leg everyone and their dog had written Chelsea off, during the first half onslaught of the second leg, that chance was even less.  Fair play to Chelsea though as they showed real fighting spirit (and not the kind John Terry was involved in when he kneed Alexi Sanchez square in the back off the ball) but the kind of steely determination and never say die attitude that used to so very British and for a night at least was again thanks for an expensively assembled team with players from all over the world selected by an Italian and man handled by a Russian Oligarch... so as British as it gets really.  The scenes of jubilation after the match we the type that money can't buy, fitting then that Abramovich wasn't even there to see it, must have been busy doing something else I suppose!?

All this leads us up to the final itself in Bayern's home stadium in a couple of weeks time.  Surely it won't live up to the games that got them there? But I'm sure both sides will give it a good go...

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Teammates turned Enemies

This past weekend showed just how important every game is to every player of every team in the Barclay's Premier League.  At the business end of the season the emotion, frustrations and passions of players run especially high.  Andy Carroll stormed off the St. James Park pitch after having a complete nightmare against his former club. As the 35 million pound man paced off the pitch and passed his manager to a chorus of ironic cheers, boo's and a few laughs he was swearing bloody murder for all to see.  The big man couldn't wait to get down the tunnel and rip his shirt off to be alone and bare in his desperation. 
There were 3 other incidents of frustration/passion/anger/desperation boiling over this weekend, but unlike Carroll, these players took their anguish out on a fellow teammates in what has become a more and more regular occurrence in the modern game and something more suitable to the ring than the pitch.


When talking of on the pitch combat between players there are always a few belters that spring to mind.

Kieron Dyer v Lee Bowyer - This is the best of the best. Two teammates going at it, swinging punches ripping shirts and getting sent off as they both have a good old tear up! 10/10

Bruce Grobbelaar v Steve McMananman - The curly haired winger gets to grips with the crazy Zimbabwean goalkeeper after whiffing a clearance and getting a torrent of abuse and a slap for his troubles. 8/10

John Hartson v Eyal Berkovic - Although this doesn't strictly count as it was only a training ground bust up (which are as common as muck) it's still a classic. Big John lets the little Israeli know what he thinks with his size 10. 7/10

(Sorry for the poor quality) 

Schumacher v Coke - It's not just in the Premiership where footballers get their knickers in a twist over the most simple of things, like who takes penalty's as Bury recently showed when their players had a good argument over a spot kick which was converted by the rightful kicker! 4/10

David Batty v Graham Le Saux - Le Saux liked a rumble, but probably picked the wrong man when he squared up to David Batty. Lucky for Le Saux this was on the pitch and not down a dark alley! 5/10

Ben Foster v Peter Odemwingie.

After being peppered all afternoon the ex-Manchester United and on loan from Birmingham keeper let the Nigerian know exactly what he thought about his defensive efforts (or lack of). This resulted in some hand bags with both players looking rather silly as they half arsed the physical nature of the arguement and instead gave dirty looks to get their message across.

4/10 - As bad as West Brom's defending

Roger Johnson v Wayne Hennessy.

Times are tough at the bottom. Welsh international Hennessy has been getting abused all season with a defence more interested in getting pissed up than stopping opposition players scoring (Johnson the Wolves Club Captain was sent home from training last month after turning up a little worse for wear and still half cut after a decent night out prior). Again, handbags, but the lanky Wolves center half didn't look dominating or over-powering in his 'dust up' against his keeper, which is in keeping with his performances at the back this season!

3/10 - As awful as Roger Johnson's defending

Mario Balotelli v Aleksandar Kolarov

This was my favourite by far. Super Mario (a hilarious and super entertaining individual in my opinion) having a go at Kolarov over who was going to take a few kick on the edge of the Sunderland box. Mancini looked bemused as he saw his players physically ripping the ball from each others hands, before Balotelli admitted defeat and sulked on the edge of the 18 as Kolarov bent his effort into the side netting for a goal kick. Balotelli will now, of course, feel justified for his actions as the Serbian missed and the Italian will have been overly confident that he would have buried it.
8/10 - For comedy reasons