Point Proven (once again)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/table/default.stm

(See: http://floatlikeabutterflysting.blogspot.co.uk/2008/05/getting-point-38-not-40.html)

Kick it out

So BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Pat Nevin says that Eden Hazard was correct to kick the Swansea ball boy who antagonised him? Well I agree. And Eric Cantona was equally right to kick the hooligan who shouted personal abuse at him. The FA must apologise to Eric immediately and repay the £20,000 he was fined. Either that or, to be consistent,  Hazard should be banned for an equivalent period of nine months.

Happy New Year?

RIP Darlo...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16493533.stm

Don't believe what the Scousers say

Evra has never played the race card:

http://therepublikofmancunia.com/how-patrice-evra-has-never-played-the-race-card-and-why-assumptions-are-dangerous/

The Penney Drops

He's a rubbish manager - always has been, always will be:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bristol_rovers/9417489.stm

It is now...

Or perhaps not. Ah well, there's always 2030 - the hundreth anniversary of the tournament, so an appropriate time to host it at 'the home of football'TM

They think it's all over...

So David Beckham is a bit of a joke? Well he's just made a speech which I suspect may win England the World Cup in 2018:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/9250670.stm

Football vs. Football

I saw Darlo for the first time in ages last weekend, playing at Mossley in the 4th qualifying round of the FA Cup. The game itself was spoiled by the unnecessary 'double-punishment' rule (their goalkeeper was adjudged to have brought down our player in the penalty area, resulting in both a red card for the keeper and a penalty kick), but a 6-2 win is a 6-2 win. Also a reminder of the good old days, when I could watch Darlo for £7 - the £20+ I've paid to see them against the likes of Accrington Stanley and Bury in League Two is just ridiculous.

Now for this weekend, something completely different: San Francisco 49ers vs Denver Broncos at Wembley Stadium...

World Cup Ramblings (6)

So it's semi-finals time. I'd like to see a Holland v Spain final, simply because I think they're the best two teams never to have won the tournament. But (based upon what I've seen so far) Germany would be the most deserving winners.

World Cup Ramblings (5)

So my pre-tournament prediction that Engerland would definitely make the quarter-finals was wrong (even I didn't appreciate quite how bad they were). The inquest has already started, but I suggest that, instead of blaming the manager, the system, the linesman, etc., people just read this post from a couple of years ago:

http://floatlikeabutterflysting.blogspot.com/2008/06/42-years-of-hurt-and-counting.html

World Cup Ramblings (4)

Same old story - one minute the Engerland team are hopeless losers (and let's be honest they did look woeful against Algeria) the next they're going to beat Germany. In fact most of the callers to the Radio 5 phone in after the Slovenia game seemed to be of the opinion "now we're going to win it"!

To be honest, a victory against Germany wouldn't surprise me - but if they beat Germany, then Argentina, then Spain, then Brazil, even I will have to concur that they're deserved winners!

World Cup Ramblings (3)

Still sticking to my pre-tournament prediction that Engerland will definitely reach the quarterfinals, and probably the semis. The parallels with 1990 are scary: ridiculed after the opening 2 games, players force manager to change system, relatively easy route to the semis, come home as heroes..

World Cup Ramblings (2)

Some thoughts at the end of the first group stage matches:

Germany: I suspect they may have peaked too soon. Historically, teams which start really well don't go on to win the World Cup

Argentina: As I said before the tournament began, they are probably the best value odds to win the tournament (still around 7/1)

Engerland: It wouldn't surprise me if Robert Green ended up being the quarter/semi final penalty kick hero...

Ivory Coast & France: The dream scenario remains that Engerland get knocked out by Sven’s side, and that France win the whole thing. Unfortunately, I don't see either of those things happening. Ivory Coast probably won't get through the group of death, and France may also go home early

Spain: Usual calamitous start to a World Cup. However, one would expect this group of players to be a bit more resilient than in the past, and it will be interesting to see if they can turn it around. No team has ever won the competition after losing their opening game, so if they did manage to pull it off it would be a tremendous achievement.

Brazil: Arguably the best team in the tournament, but the best team doesn't always win. Sometimes mediocre teams win - which is why Engerland still have a chance…

World Cup Ramblings (1)

I hope:

France win the tournament: it would be poetic justice for all those corrupt/inept people who run the game if a team which blatantly cheated to get to the finals (and was allowed to get away with it) goes on to win the trophy.

Engerland get knocked out by the Ivory Coast: Sven is a great manager, and is unjustly maligned for his international record - guiding England to the World Cup quarterfinals in both 2002 (losing to the eventual winners) and 2006 (losing on penalties); losing only five competitive matches during his tenure; taking the team to a ranking of No.4 in the world. It would be sweet if he came back to haunt the FA and all those fans with completely unrealistic expectations of the national team.

I think:

Argentina are the best value odds to win the tournament: Messi, Tevez, Heinze, Veron, Mascherano, etc. but currently rated by the Bookmakers at 7/1.

Engerland will: Definitely get to the quarterfinals; probably get to the semi-finals; and possibly get to the final. They're one of the best 8 teams in the tournament, but not one of the best 4; however, they're due a bit of luck in the quarters/semis (e.g. winning on penalty kicks, being awarded a dubious goal; opponents having a player sent off). But let's be honest (however far they get) they don't compare with the likes of Spain in terms of skill, talent and flair.

I suspect (and hope):

The tournament will be decided by a controversial decision: this would (once again) highlight the need to adopt some of the ideas employed in American Football which prevent cheating and ineptitude. And hopefully force the authorities to finally act.

Like I said (2 years ago)...

(31 would have been enough this season)

http://floatlikeabutterflysting.blogspot.com/2008/05/getting-point-38-not-40.html

Forlan Hero

Justice was done last night when Liverpool were knocked out of the Europa Cup. It's completely ridiculous that teams who come 3rd in the group stages of the Champions League are given the safety net of entry into the Europa League. Okay, I know Athletico Madrid also benefited from that crazy European loophole - but it was clearly a case of the lesser of two evils (and the fact that Forlan scored the decisive goal was poetic). Plus, for consistencies sake, I hope Fulham thump them in the final.

Change the Rules! (No. 4) - Sweet FA (Cup)

Lots of talk this past weekend about the Football Association needing to revamp the FA Cup. The solution to reviving interest in the competition is simple: when the draw is made, the team which is lowest in the football pyramid at that moment should automatically be designated the home side. This would increase the potential for upsets - which, after all, is where the main interest in the competition really lies. A non-league or lower-league team at home to, say, Chelsea, is always going to be of far greater interest than if the fixture was at Stamford Bridge (where the outcome is usually pretty much pre-determined - no non-league side has ever knocked out a top flight club away from home, and it's pretty rare for a lower league side to achieve this feat). Plus, it would be a far greater achievement for a team like Chelsea to win the competition, having to play most if not all of their fixtures on the road. And we certainly wouldn't have to wait another 30 (or more) years for a team from outside the top division to win the trophy.

The day football died

Make no mistake, football didn't die because it's too corupt, because there are too many cheats playing the game. It died because nobody in authority is prepared to do anything about it. Henry would not have been able to get away with such a blatant breach of the rules if he'd been playing 'American' football - there are multiple officials on the field, and even when they fail to spot an obvious infringement, video replays are used. Players are also punnished retrospectively after the completion of games. So that's it for me - until the world footballing authorities decide to act, I'm sticking to watching the NFL.

The greatest?

Robbie Blake began his professional football career at Darlington, signing on from the club's youth academy. Fifteen years later he scores the winning goal in a Premiership game against the reigning champions Manchester United (and what a goal it was too - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P29dA9wgi4w) . Does this single act make him Darlo's most accomplished player - ever? I think it just might.

Final prediction

Here's hoping my uncanny ability will work one more time: Barcelona to win a disappointing game.