1. The time has come
for the FA to take action at club owners
Even in a Premier League littered with foreign owners, dodgy takeovers and a shameless lack of loyalty, the situation currently unfolding at Cardiff has taken things to yet another low. Let us move past the obvious details, given I think any sane football fan can see Mackay deserves to be lauded, not sacked, for his efforts with Cardiff. Instead I want to focus on the current lack of respect that is afforded to managers up and down the country; certainly in comparison to the unrivalled player power that is now on offer. It used to be you got sacked for having a bad season, which in recent years has evolved into simply having a bad run. This year however, you can get sacked off the back of a single result (AVB) or simply for not being the new owner’s “choice.” Incredibly, after being told to “resign or be sacked” – Mackay has been given a stay of execution as his clueless owner was presumably visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future during his long haul flight back into the country. AVB on the other hand, was not so lucky. I myself was guilty of slamming his teams efforts last week (it was, quite literally, the worst performance I’ve ever witnessed) – but the facts are that this was a manager with the best points per game average of any Spurs manager in over 100 years. He was sacked with his team a mere 3 points from the Champions league places and into the quarter finals of the League Cup and last 32 of the Europa Cup. Many would argue that if you lose the dressing room you have to go, and AVB certainly didn’t do himself any favours with some of his tactics, but the point still stands that managers are now getting sacked for not achieving things that the club they’re managing has NEVER ACHIEVED BEFORE. That, quite frankly, is ridiculous. It is time the FA got involved. Fining, or better still, deducting points for clubs who fire their manager’s mid-season. Yes they are protected by big payouts, but they still earn considerably less than the players and it wrecks careers with far more frequency. The mentality of “when a club is doing well it’s the players and when they’re doing badly it’s the manager” simply has to change. The Telegraph wrote this weekend that “Arsene Wenger is the only true manager left in the league.” On this evidence, it’s hard to disagree.
Even in a Premier League littered with foreign owners, dodgy takeovers and a shameless lack of loyalty, the situation currently unfolding at Cardiff has taken things to yet another low. Let us move past the obvious details, given I think any sane football fan can see Mackay deserves to be lauded, not sacked, for his efforts with Cardiff. Instead I want to focus on the current lack of respect that is afforded to managers up and down the country; certainly in comparison to the unrivalled player power that is now on offer. It used to be you got sacked for having a bad season, which in recent years has evolved into simply having a bad run. This year however, you can get sacked off the back of a single result (AVB) or simply for not being the new owner’s “choice.” Incredibly, after being told to “resign or be sacked” – Mackay has been given a stay of execution as his clueless owner was presumably visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future during his long haul flight back into the country. AVB on the other hand, was not so lucky. I myself was guilty of slamming his teams efforts last week (it was, quite literally, the worst performance I’ve ever witnessed) – but the facts are that this was a manager with the best points per game average of any Spurs manager in over 100 years. He was sacked with his team a mere 3 points from the Champions league places and into the quarter finals of the League Cup and last 32 of the Europa Cup. Many would argue that if you lose the dressing room you have to go, and AVB certainly didn’t do himself any favours with some of his tactics, but the point still stands that managers are now getting sacked for not achieving things that the club they’re managing has NEVER ACHIEVED BEFORE. That, quite frankly, is ridiculous. It is time the FA got involved. Fining, or better still, deducting points for clubs who fire their manager’s mid-season. Yes they are protected by big payouts, but they still earn considerably less than the players and it wrecks careers with far more frequency. The mentality of “when a club is doing well it’s the players and when they’re doing badly it’s the manager” simply has to change. The Telegraph wrote this weekend that “Arsene Wenger is the only true manager left in the league.” On this evidence, it’s hard to disagree.
2. Ross Barkley and
Adam Lallana have to be on the plane to Brazil
Sometimes experience really does count for nothing. Roy Hodgson has a tough job narrowing his squad down to the 23 players who will go out in the group stage, but two names that should be etched in ink onto his sheet are that of Barkley and Lallana. The two stand out performers (Coleman and the reanimated corpse of Adeboyer aside) of the weekend; both combined grace, skill and a dead eye for goal in all round displays that showed all sorts of ability. The way Gary Neville waxed lyrical about Lallana’s vision suggested he should already be reaching for his passport. He was everywhere in a performance that gave new credence to the phrase “did not deserve to be on the losing team.” Barkley meanwhile capped off a lively all round display with a brilliant free kick that propelled his team into the top four. England need players who compete without fear in Brazil… and those players aren’t those who have frozen in the headlights countless times before (Lampard take a bow). Lallana and Barkley are the two most inform English players in the entire league alongside Wayne Rooney. If either of them don’t make the trip on account of Tom Cleverly somebody needs to be assassinated.
Sometimes experience really does count for nothing. Roy Hodgson has a tough job narrowing his squad down to the 23 players who will go out in the group stage, but two names that should be etched in ink onto his sheet are that of Barkley and Lallana. The two stand out performers (Coleman and the reanimated corpse of Adeboyer aside) of the weekend; both combined grace, skill and a dead eye for goal in all round displays that showed all sorts of ability. The way Gary Neville waxed lyrical about Lallana’s vision suggested he should already be reaching for his passport. He was everywhere in a performance that gave new credence to the phrase “did not deserve to be on the losing team.” Barkley meanwhile capped off a lively all round display with a brilliant free kick that propelled his team into the top four. England need players who compete without fear in Brazil… and those players aren’t those who have frozen in the headlights countless times before (Lampard take a bow). Lallana and Barkley are the two most inform English players in the entire league alongside Wayne Rooney. If either of them don’t make the trip on account of Tom Cleverly somebody needs to be assassinated.
3. Sunderland are
probably going down
Despite a moral boosting win over Chelsea in the League Cup this week, the Black Cats chance of survival is looking bleaker and bleaker with each passing fixture. The initially promising victories over Newcastle and Manchester City have now faded into obscurity by a run of six games without a victory. Sunderland haven’t scored in four of those matches. That is hardly a surprise when you possess the league’s worst striker in Jozy Altidore and continue to pick Seb Larsson in every… single… game… no matter who the manager is for no possible… reason… on… earth. Sunderland have Everton away before a run of matches against teams in the bottom half that they simply have to get some points in. Gus Poyet was right this week when he said Sunderland were looking unlikely to get to the 40 point mark. The good news for any Mackems out there however, is that with so many teams challenging for the top spots, it is likely that 34-36 points could well be enough this time around. On the evidence of the last fortnight however, Sunderland will do well to get even that.
Despite a moral boosting win over Chelsea in the League Cup this week, the Black Cats chance of survival is looking bleaker and bleaker with each passing fixture. The initially promising victories over Newcastle and Manchester City have now faded into obscurity by a run of six games without a victory. Sunderland haven’t scored in four of those matches. That is hardly a surprise when you possess the league’s worst striker in Jozy Altidore and continue to pick Seb Larsson in every… single… game… no matter who the manager is for no possible… reason… on… earth. Sunderland have Everton away before a run of matches against teams in the bottom half that they simply have to get some points in. Gus Poyet was right this week when he said Sunderland were looking unlikely to get to the 40 point mark. The good news for any Mackems out there however, is that with so many teams challenging for the top spots, it is likely that 34-36 points could well be enough this time around. On the evidence of the last fortnight however, Sunderland will do well to get even that.
4. Cabaye is increasing
his value by the week
Following a bid so embarrassingly low it could have been made by David Moyes, there were a few comments in August that Cabaye was not good enough to go and play for Arsenal. The irony is with a sea of creative midfielders now added to by the talismanic Mesut Ozil, that may now be the case. But that doesn’t change the fact that the Frenchman’s stock is rising by the week. He has been the central figure in a Newcastle surge that has carried them to just six points from the top spot. Indeed, the Geordies are now a full 9 points clear of Stoke who sit in 10th and are very much a part of the “upper echelon” of a tight knitted league. Cabaye has score three and made three in that run of games but he is far more than the sum of his parts. He is a delightful footballer to watch, full of shoulder drops and caressed passes. Pardew’s formation is working wonders, especially away from home where Cabaye is afford more space and is central to everything that is good about Newcastle right now. Keeping him at the club at January is of vital importance to any hopes Newcastle have of European football next season. Without wanting to agree with Garth Crooks, he is currently making the £27m paid for Fellaini look laughable. And while we’re on the subject…
Following a bid so embarrassingly low it could have been made by David Moyes, there were a few comments in August that Cabaye was not good enough to go and play for Arsenal. The irony is with a sea of creative midfielders now added to by the talismanic Mesut Ozil, that may now be the case. But that doesn’t change the fact that the Frenchman’s stock is rising by the week. He has been the central figure in a Newcastle surge that has carried them to just six points from the top spot. Indeed, the Geordies are now a full 9 points clear of Stoke who sit in 10th and are very much a part of the “upper echelon” of a tight knitted league. Cabaye has score three and made three in that run of games but he is far more than the sum of his parts. He is a delightful footballer to watch, full of shoulder drops and caressed passes. Pardew’s formation is working wonders, especially away from home where Cabaye is afford more space and is central to everything that is good about Newcastle right now. Keeping him at the club at January is of vital importance to any hopes Newcastle have of European football next season. Without wanting to agree with Garth Crooks, he is currently making the £27m paid for Fellaini look laughable. And while we’re on the subject…
5. Thus far, Fellaini
hasn’t been the worst signing of the season
It’s true. Despite contributing a single red card and a handful of performances so bad he has made his manager play a defender and a pensioner ahead of him, Marouane Fellaini has not been the most questionable signing of the season to date. Step forward Erik Lamela. The Argentinean has plenty of time on his side to prove his doubters wrong, but after 15 appearances he is now starting from a level of base zero. £30m is an awful lot of money, even in today’s inflated market, and it is not an amount where players are afforded time to “grow” without at least some criticism. I wasn’t expecting Lamela to hit the ground running, but I was at least expecting to see some sign of any natural ability. He has been unequivocally dreadful since signing with the possible exception of a single half in a cup game that didn’t ultimately matter. Nani at least tries to be good before he falls over or slices horribly wide. Even Willian has smashed in a couple of strikes and shown flashes of ability to suggest he may be worth around a tenth of the price Chelsea paid for him. Lamela has offered literally nothing. I’m not sure he completed a pass before he was hauled off against Southampton this weekend and his substitution was the catalyst for Spurs to go on and win the game. He looks so short of confidence he seems unable to even run, let alone dribble, cross or show anything like the form which lit up Serie A last year. There are many conclusions that can be drawn from this. The first is he’s an imposter. The real Lamela has been kidnapped and replaced by somebody who may or may not be Bebe. The second is his performances last year were doctored by a highly skilled marketing executive and, in reality, he only actually played twice. The third is that Serie A is now a league so bad most Championship clubs would compete for the top four spots. Personally I hope it’s all three…
It’s true. Despite contributing a single red card and a handful of performances so bad he has made his manager play a defender and a pensioner ahead of him, Marouane Fellaini has not been the most questionable signing of the season to date. Step forward Erik Lamela. The Argentinean has plenty of time on his side to prove his doubters wrong, but after 15 appearances he is now starting from a level of base zero. £30m is an awful lot of money, even in today’s inflated market, and it is not an amount where players are afforded time to “grow” without at least some criticism. I wasn’t expecting Lamela to hit the ground running, but I was at least expecting to see some sign of any natural ability. He has been unequivocally dreadful since signing with the possible exception of a single half in a cup game that didn’t ultimately matter. Nani at least tries to be good before he falls over or slices horribly wide. Even Willian has smashed in a couple of strikes and shown flashes of ability to suggest he may be worth around a tenth of the price Chelsea paid for him. Lamela has offered literally nothing. I’m not sure he completed a pass before he was hauled off against Southampton this weekend and his substitution was the catalyst for Spurs to go on and win the game. He looks so short of confidence he seems unable to even run, let alone dribble, cross or show anything like the form which lit up Serie A last year. There are many conclusions that can be drawn from this. The first is he’s an imposter. The real Lamela has been kidnapped and replaced by somebody who may or may not be Bebe. The second is his performances last year were doctored by a highly skilled marketing executive and, in reality, he only actually played twice. The third is that Serie A is now a league so bad most Championship clubs would compete for the top four spots. Personally I hope it’s all three…
Merry Christmas
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