Premiership Review: April Title Race On

Home	Football	Blogs	Other Sports	Links	Archive

Winners And Losers In the Premiership Season

16th May

The winners were of course Manchester United, Ferguson and the Glazers. On the field the biggest winner appears to be Ronaldo granted a platform to have a record number of shots, or close to it surely, he produced. He also produced big winning goals and generally was unscathed from petty catty jealousy led attacks from weak opposition managers and piss poor pundits. Like a $2 whore given $2 he only goes down with a reason, for me.

Wayne Rooney despite his most complete season went backwards in terms of how high his ceiling is viewed. WE finally settled in our own minds he is a front striker and a good but not likely to become great player. He also enhanced our view of him as a person despite his continued referee baiting. So a mixed season for this country's biggest star.

The country's [England] best player Lampard seems to have gone so far back he'd be lucky to get picked over Joey 'Cunt' Barton by the English public. Yet he again offered a solid return of 11 goals and 9 assists and was clearly worn out after a world cup and 68+ games. Maybe at 29 he has peaked but he along with the Drog carried Chelsea in the months when they had no Cech and Terry was weaker. Probably the season's biggest loser as his England place looks gone as well. Sheva is still a national hero in some hamlets.

Contrast Lampard with Steven Gerrard whose manager did finally put him in a big game against Chelsea in the centre. Where to be honest he did dominate. He also made the PFA top 6. However here is the rub he produced 7 goals and 2 assists. No wonder he was so fresh against a bedraggled Chelsea. Anyone who says they'd take Gerrard over Lampard for more than a small run of games is basing that on faith not any form he has shown in his 27 years. A winner in terms of getting Lampard's central role but don't try and convince me he is worth more than Lampard.

Ashley Cole got his money and was what he is a small full back who is Ok defensively but not as good a footballer as say Wayne Bridge.

Petr Cech probably came out the winner in terms of people seeing how important he is. Ironically Berkshire Based Hunt who crippled him accidently (not playing the ball, his head or anything apparently) raised his profile through that act of villainry.

Steve Coppell was a trendy pick as manager of the year and deserves the plaudits. Berbatov has got all the headlines but he only became effective away from home when Robbie Keane replaced a player who I could call a loser but I never rated in Jermain Defoe - captain lightweight. Robbie the sleeper of the vintage.

Sam Allardyce may not have got a big job in terms of prestige but he can ride Shepherd for 3 million a year in his retirement fund. Bolton the big losers in his leaving. Kevin Davies as well seems to have no luck getting a mention as what England need to partner the short Rooney, Lennon and Joe Cole. With Bolton likely to regress he probably never will now. Seriously when England played Israel, Macedonia, Portugal, Croatia et al say that he would not have been better giving us a physical threat that Crouch cannot by height alone or Rooney by referee baiting.

Joey Barton was a big winner for half a season before his acts of cuntery including laying out a team mate and an achillis rake on Man City's favourite punch bag Pedro Mendes returned him to villain and retained his place in our bad boys 11. Ben Thatcher was also a sinister villain and showed Pardew's tossery by somehow getting a 2nd chance at a top flight club - or at least till they got relegated.

Pardew showed his true colours shaking his fist at Wenger acting like the yaa boo boorish bore he is. He then took Charlton down as Curbs showed he was the big winner in all this. Harry Redknapp good football played simply, a legend. David Moyes again. Roeder, Pearce, Southgate, Coleman and Jol did nothing to enhance and many went back wards in the public affections.

West Ham may have stayed up but that club will no longer generate good will. Quite how a few end of season performances changed the perception of Tevez so markedly is beyond me. Are Madrid really going to pay £30 million for him? Euros even? US Dollars? Bollocks.

Scholes had a great winter bar his air shot on 'Shabby' Alonso. Giggs for me is a better player than he ever was in the 90s where his main effect was his pace forced teams to open space for Beckham and co but his play was often excreable. Essien showed he is a player anyone would want. Makelele looked old. The Drog was the only 20 goal player and went from under valued for his team work to being recognised, rightly, as the foremost striker in the division.

Although I don't think he has been harmed generally I have to say that the biggest fall in my eyes was Jose Mourinho. I have just had enough. He turns everything winning, losing, drawing, cups, titles, etc. into a cup of puss. Leave, Please.

10 Chelsea Players Are Better Than 11 Arsenal

6th May

Finally the title race is over. I personally am staggered it went on this long given how few heroes Chelsea have had this year: Drogba, Lampard, Cech, Essien and Ricardo Carvalho are the only ones to have plus seasons. Mikel has shown promise without demonstrating he has the nouse to play deep in midfield. Kalou is still a curate's egg seemingly neither striker or winger. Bridge is a decent player. Ashley Cole decent but limited. Joe Cole a plus if he can stay fit next year. Terry is not what he was and let's hope sense prevails and England rest him and Lampard this summer. Phillips maybe could be used more but is surely not a starter.

The summer signings Sheva, Ashley, Balls and Boulahfool mostly reeked or added nothing. The lack of a centre half worthy to back up the top 2 was a weakness compounded by losing Essien out of midfield. For a team with the most expensive full backs ever they could not field a genuine right back with again stripping Essien. If Chelsea spend money they could spend a lot less and do more by addressing playing not marketing needs. Besides who'd buy an Ashley Cole, Balls or Sheva shirt????????

Chelsea have a lot to decide. Getting 2 players who can play and cover centre half would be a start. They wasted Essien in defense and this put more pressure on Lampard's legs. A full season on this evidence from Joe Cole will help. However ditching the expensive mistakes, Sheva certainly. Ballack could be used to rest Lampard but he should not be used again to stop width playing.

On the game Chelsea showed it is better to have 10 men than 10 and 1 less than committed. Maybe Boulahrouz picked by Arnesan and self interested spivs over Gallas and Micah Richards is unable to play because the manager has made him feel as welcome as head lice. Nonetheless although they got counter play against a tired and desperate Chelsea late Arsenal were shown up by Chelsea 2nd half 11 v 10.

The real head scratcher here was why Mourinho put Sinclair on for Phillips. Maybe it was a height thing but throwing an 18 year old on like that for a player who is certainly more deserving of trust than Arjen Robben made no sense.

For me it would be best for everyone if Mourinho and the older players moved on and they started to develop more organically but no one plays the long game anymore by choice. Vidic, Carragher and Ricardo Carvalho rose whilst arguably the view of their partners stayed level or declined. Terry looks less than he was however you excuse it or justify it.

Man City Un-Loveable Losers

5th May

Fans' weakness was never more demonstrated when Barton's 'Big Me' Richard Dunne was named player of the year. If you want to know why Man City are losers it is when you identify with populists who slag their team mates off - at least unlike Barton this self serving has brought him something more tangible than showing you can beat team mates up.

The game opened with a Man City attack on Ronaldo by at least 3 players. As usual with foul play the referee did nothing. Seriously is Michael Ball not a bigger cheat than any diver with a cheap shot jumping on someone's chest - sounds like something Barton might do to a team mate... at least when he has not got a lit cigar at any rate.

Hamaan just kicks Carrick and no booking. You wonder if they sold 'Gentle' Ben Thatcher because he was not hard enough. Styles did not stay a 'top' referee by booking people early in big games even when he should. This is what Gray and Sky have reduced our refs to where the likes of Poll and Wylie are considered the gold standard not the bronze. Nice to see rugby style advantage being played mind.

City with nothing to lose naturally started like the away team. They also seemed intent to have more bodies on the floor than a WWE Royal Rumble.

To show he is a cheat Ball despite being bang to rights tried to protest that amazingly his kicking was somehow not a penalty. OK OK I am being sardonic.... However he has been shown up as a classless player and deserved inheritor of Gentle Ben's left back slot.

Styles has let City players make 4 or 5 deliberate the guy is past me I am going to stop him fouls without penalty. This kind of cheating makes the game stop start and reduces it to a series of set pieces with the ball in play less. Why commentators and ex player pundits are so happy with this stuff is beyond us. Seriously when you grew up dreaming of being a player did your fantasies include fouling people continually because you were outclassed? Call me a purist, it is a compliment.

On the first half what must City fans think when their team has gone out merely to avoid a stuffing. What total contempt this club has shown to its fans. Give them a free scarf and nothing to cheer except foul play. No wonder they are losing support faster than Jose Mourinho's fan club.

Heinze's form must concern United fans he seems easier to go by than a Little Chef. Evra has been great going forward but one of my mates reckons he is as poor a United player as he has seen since Kleberson. Heinze was criminal at times v Milan.

You have to wonder what Pearce said before the game "Lads, we have a full stadium so go out there and foul until booked, let them play the ball around and stay 9 deep and keep them to 1 for as long as possible". No wonder the rumours of Big Sam and Coleman have so much credibility. Maybe he hates Jose Mourinho as well....

72 minutes in and Ferguson takes off Smith for Fletcher - not the right thing to do if they let a somnambulaic city back in. Then also finally 73 minutes Styles like all bad refs starts carding deliberate fouls knowing the so called sages will always be able to say it was for multiple foul play rather than 1 incident he could get wrong. Bollocks refereeing.

Dickov has come on to make a filthy tackle from behind that FIFA rightly tried to rule out even in the 80s. However such is the poverty of referees deliberate fouling is almost rewarded rather than a cancer to be removed. Personally good hard genuine attempts for the ball should be allowed whether they are a person's 1st or 5th but not considered so called professional rhythm breaking cheating.

Amazingly, not, Ball cheats for a penalty, after all the City fans chants of cheat, at Ronaldo and Styles falls for it. Maybe United should have gone and taken the game rather than take the chance. Van Der Sar steps up. Mourinho got his reward for seeding referees against Man U especially Styles who failed to give one against United at home to the Blades.

City now exploiting some late nerves and United's lack of a forward outlet. Why United have sat back and why City have waited so long probably says a lot about the mentality of both managers. One to not get stuffed. One who ultimately falls short in Europe in tight contests.

Ferguson now has the white flag at the top of the flag poll with Rooney for O'Shea. Without an outlet you are letting them push up on you. In the end they hold out and the only moment of concern was caused by City cheating - they are a classless unwatchable shower.

Home	Football	Blogs	Other Sports	Links	Archive