1. Happy 25th Anniversary Sir Alex.
In amongst all the accolades and awards this week, Fergusons latest starlets turned in a performance so abject that they could only have beaten a team managed by Steve Bruce. Star struck and dizzy, as if they’d just met the manager not played under him for years, Utd even have to rely on an old player to score for them in a game that was generously called “terrible” by one paper the next day. Still, a win remains a win and that has what Ferguson has done for a quarter of a century. I’ve never personally been interested in comparing managers and players to other eras which I didn’t witness. Ferguson is the best manager of my generation, period. Comparisons to anyone who managed in the main before him are ultimately irrelevant, but in his current role he has seen off many peers over my lifetime. He has lost the occasional battle, but always the subsequent war. His last challenge may be his sternest yet though. Many people thought beating this great Barcelona team would be the one thing left on his CV to achieve, but the neighbours from the across the road have given Ferguson a more immediate and pressing challenge. And 25 years or not, continuing to play Wayne Rooney in central midfield just isn’t gonna cut it.
In amongst all the accolades and awards this week, Fergusons latest starlets turned in a performance so abject that they could only have beaten a team managed by Steve Bruce. Star struck and dizzy, as if they’d just met the manager not played under him for years, Utd even have to rely on an old player to score for them in a game that was generously called “terrible” by one paper the next day. Still, a win remains a win and that has what Ferguson has done for a quarter of a century. I’ve never personally been interested in comparing managers and players to other eras which I didn’t witness. Ferguson is the best manager of my generation, period. Comparisons to anyone who managed in the main before him are ultimately irrelevant, but in his current role he has seen off many peers over my lifetime. He has lost the occasional battle, but always the subsequent war. His last challenge may be his sternest yet though. Many people thought beating this great Barcelona team would be the one thing left on his CV to achieve, but the neighbours from the across the road have given Ferguson a more immediate and pressing challenge. And 25 years or not, continuing to play Wayne Rooney in central midfield just isn’t gonna cut it.
2. Ryan Taylor is surely worth an England cap.
In an England squad inexplicably not containing the figure of Micah Richards, currently the best right back in the league (although in fairness, Kyle Walker is also playing brilliantly) – one should probably not be surprised that nobody has seen fit to mention why no-one in the best defence in the league should be worthy of a call up for a couple of friendly matches. Leighton Baines has not cut it at International level and we all know how good Ashleigh Cole is, so why not see if Ryan Taylor can do a job at being a long term backup solution on our troublesome left flank. A tenacious and pacy defender, Taylor reads the game brilliantly and has a delivery every bit as good as Baines (he has more assists than any defender so far... apart from Richards). He has been reborn at Newcastle in a back line featuring 3 young Englishmen. In a squad featuring a police probed John Terry, an out of form Gary Cahil and a marauding right back who isn’t a right back in Phil Jones, Capello could have done a lot worse than just pick the Newcastle back line.
In an England squad inexplicably not containing the figure of Micah Richards, currently the best right back in the league (although in fairness, Kyle Walker is also playing brilliantly) – one should probably not be surprised that nobody has seen fit to mention why no-one in the best defence in the league should be worthy of a call up for a couple of friendly matches. Leighton Baines has not cut it at International level and we all know how good Ashleigh Cole is, so why not see if Ryan Taylor can do a job at being a long term backup solution on our troublesome left flank. A tenacious and pacy defender, Taylor reads the game brilliantly and has a delivery every bit as good as Baines (he has more assists than any defender so far... apart from Richards). He has been reborn at Newcastle in a back line featuring 3 young Englishmen. In a squad featuring a police probed John Terry, an out of form Gary Cahil and a marauding right back who isn’t a right back in Phil Jones, Capello could have done a lot worse than just pick the Newcastle back line.
3. Liverpools Midfield is abject.
So far this season King Kenny’s home form has been worse than under Hodgson, which given he’s spent millions redesigning his own midfield, is pretty damning. It is still early days (although Hodgson was being crucified by now), but four home draws have shown that Liverpool’s new look midfield is struggling trying to break teams down. Adams and Lucas are a solid central base, but it is on the flanks where Pool have really struggled with Henderson neither one thing nor the other and Stuart Downing yet to create or score a single goal since his absurd 20m transfer from Villa. Downing has always been a player who’s treaded a thin line between brilliance and ineptitude and in his defence, he has laid on several decent crosses for Carroll to miss. But even still, Kenny would have wanted much more from his unit to date given they are all proven Premiership players. Gerrard and Kuyt both need to play to inject some urgency into proceedings and the decision to move on Raul Merilles, an infinitely better player than either Downing or Henderson, now looks more bizarre than ever.
So far this season King Kenny’s home form has been worse than under Hodgson, which given he’s spent millions redesigning his own midfield, is pretty damning. It is still early days (although Hodgson was being crucified by now), but four home draws have shown that Liverpool’s new look midfield is struggling trying to break teams down. Adams and Lucas are a solid central base, but it is on the flanks where Pool have really struggled with Henderson neither one thing nor the other and Stuart Downing yet to create or score a single goal since his absurd 20m transfer from Villa. Downing has always been a player who’s treaded a thin line between brilliance and ineptitude and in his defence, he has laid on several decent crosses for Carroll to miss. But even still, Kenny would have wanted much more from his unit to date given they are all proven Premiership players. Gerrard and Kuyt both need to play to inject some urgency into proceedings and the decision to move on Raul Merilles, an infinitely better player than either Downing or Henderson, now looks more bizarre than ever.
4. Spurs are made of sterner stuff.
After a haunting start to the season being taught a lesson in finishing by the Manchester clubs, Spurs have won 7 out of 8 and drawn the other in a run only matched by City. Their midfielder was always a strength and Scott Parker has only made it better, but it’s at the back that Spurs have been much improved so far this season. They have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat twice already away from home, with the sort of rearguard showings not associated with this club for decades. Brad Friedel may only be a short term signing, but he’s an inspired one and was the man of the match yesterday in a game Spurs really should have lost, let alone won 3-1. Kaboul has silenced his doubters and the full backs are both playing with strength and guile. 6 into 4 doesn’t go now that Arsenal have refound their mojo but in the battle for the Champions League places Spurs are looking ominously good. I rated them on a par with Everton before the season began. A comparison that now looks absurd. And yes, this entry was mostly written just to annoy Gareth Stockey...
After a haunting start to the season being taught a lesson in finishing by the Manchester clubs, Spurs have won 7 out of 8 and drawn the other in a run only matched by City. Their midfielder was always a strength and Scott Parker has only made it better, but it’s at the back that Spurs have been much improved so far this season. They have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat twice already away from home, with the sort of rearguard showings not associated with this club for decades. Brad Friedel may only be a short term signing, but he’s an inspired one and was the man of the match yesterday in a game Spurs really should have lost, let alone won 3-1. Kaboul has silenced his doubters and the full backs are both playing with strength and guile. 6 into 4 doesn’t go now that Arsenal have refound their mojo but in the battle for the Champions League places Spurs are looking ominously good. I rated them on a par with Everton before the season began. A comparison that now looks absurd. And yes, this entry was mostly written just to annoy Gareth Stockey...
5. All hail the “all new” match of the day studio. Not.
Both match of the days celebrated a makeover this weekend following a move to Manchester which Lineker appeared to imply was in direct homage to Alex Ferguson. What is more likely is that the licence payers were on their backs for continuing to fly and taxi their entirely Northern based punditry team down south every week. Whilst a studio remains a studio, all be it a curiously camp one, the real comedy was drawn from the show’s “flashy graphs” that looked like they were created on Microsoft excel circa 1995. Splitting the screen, producing pie charts and generally looking really pleased with themselves; almost everything about the new format was seemingly done to distract you from the people talking. Of course, when Alan Shearer returns to the couch that can only be a positive thing; although it still doesn’t mean it’s very good...
Both match of the days celebrated a makeover this weekend following a move to Manchester which Lineker appeared to imply was in direct homage to Alex Ferguson. What is more likely is that the licence payers were on their backs for continuing to fly and taxi their entirely Northern based punditry team down south every week. Whilst a studio remains a studio, all be it a curiously camp one, the real comedy was drawn from the show’s “flashy graphs” that looked like they were created on Microsoft excel circa 1995. Splitting the screen, producing pie charts and generally looking really pleased with themselves; almost everything about the new format was seemingly done to distract you from the people talking. Of course, when Alan Shearer returns to the couch that can only be a positive thing; although it still doesn’t mean it’s very good...
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