It's all gone a bit Messi...

It's that time of year again, where Messi and co need to pull their socks up and start getting them points on the board for the Argies! 

This pattern seems to repeat itself every time qualification comes around, After an impressive 2014 world cup, you could be forgiven to think they were gonna walk their qualification group, especially considering how poor Brazil had been! 

The little man has been none existent in the last few matches, starved of the service he is so used to! Could we really have world cup without Messi??? That would be up there with the biggest crimes of modern times! 

It's not just Team Messi thats struggling either, when you consider how great The Red Hot Chilli Peppers have been! 2 x Copa America titles on the spin, yet they find themselves down in sixth place... Lets hope Sanchez find's his shooting boots in time to save a rather poor qualification campaign! Its been rumoured that Sanchez is struggling due to playing for a rather average club side, that winning mentality has dried up! 

As for Neymar, it looks like he is heading to Russia in a strong position, Anyone for Brazil and England in the same group???  

The FA Cup... Is the magic back?

Its Sunday so its time to grab that cup of tea, get them biscuits out, and lets take a look into how the FA Cup has got its sparkle back! 

 Cast your mind back a few seasons... Everything in terms of the Footballing bible was ringing true - 'Money brought success.' Man City proved testament to this. Teams that had to sell to survive ended up falling further and further behind. 'Instant success' was what the fans and the media alike wanted. Managers chopping and changing teams, Arsenal & Chelsea signing individual players costing more than most Championship teams are valued at as a business! It looked like the gap between the divisions was never going to be breached, a similar pattern and fait to what WBA faced in the early 00's 'Boing boing, Baggies Baggies...' Flittering between the two divisions for almost a decade! You could guaranty at least one club coming up from The Championship would end up going straight back down the next season. 

The priority for clubs up and down the country was to make sure they stay in their respective leagues! In theory The FA Cup was a distraction that managers could do with out. *Wigan proved this theory right in 2012/13 When they managed to beat City in the final, only to be relegated a few weeks later! Wigan have not been close to returning to the top tier since. In fact teams of a 'lower' profile that have made it to the final in recent seasons, have ended up being relegated either that season or the following..... Things don't look to good for Big Sam and Palace at the moment! 

After the third round of fixtures it looked nailed on that it was going to be the same old 'Billionaire clubs' making it to the latter stages... But then things started to get interesting, Sutton United and Lincoln City started to cause the odd tremor amongst the lower tier teams. This effect managed to spread across the footballing network and then BOOM! The term 'shock' became less of a shock, Liverpool were fed to the Wolves in their own inclosure, and The Lions who came up against massive off the field distractions made short work of The Cherries and The Hornets (You can also add The Foxes to that list too) and as if by magic The FA Cup started to trend once again... 

Now we're half way through the weekends fixtures concerning the Fifth round, and my gosh its been fun! The early kick off between a solid Burnley at Turf Moor against the non league 'have a go heroes' of Lincoln City. Now no disrespect to the Imps but the biggest test they had faced so far in the cup this season was High flying Brighton in the Championship. (A distraction Brighton could do with out) No one not even the BTSport pundits had given them a chance, The Imps management team of the Cowley brothers, looked calm and collective as they approached the dugout, Danny representing a modern day version of the Legend that is Brian Clough, jogging bottoms and a distinctively coloured top, applauding the traveling fans as he took his seat. 

Before long it was a full on old fashion fight to the death! The script was written for the pantomime villain otherwise known as Joey Barton... Lets just say he got his lines right and hopefully he will end up getting retrospective punishment for being a total tool! Rhead was outstanding for Lincoln and although it must of been tempting to put a cheeky number on Barton the old fashion centre forward restrained himself, allowing for his team to continue with 11 v 11...Something the Burnley lads hadn't expected! 

With time almost up and a replay looking likely, The Imps found themselves with a corner, prior to this set piece it would be fair to say that the others hadn't really gone to plan... The TV cameras focused on the crowd, fans praying for the final whistle so they could walk away with a replay... 

The rest they say is history, and the name Raggett will be talked of for years and years to come! 

  

The Midweek's Team Of The Year

It's that time of year again where we look back and pick out our heroes and moments from 2015.

In footballing terms it's been a random year of results, signings, sackings and look-alikes! Who'd have thought the likes of Neville & Sheringham would get a crack at managing? Considering Neville's first job is that of guiding Valencia up into the Champions League places - its school boys own stuff! It gives hope to all of us playing championship manager! As for Teddy it's proving a harder pack of assorted nuts to crack! Stevenage haven't kicked on under him and although the Hertfordshire team have been understanding in letting Teddy do things his own way, If they carry on sliding down that table towards the trap door that is non-league football ,that understanding will be pushed to the limits! I've heard a rumour that the Stevenage board have got the Midweeker on speed dial!
Now it wouldn't be an end of 2015 year blog with out mentioning Jose... Well we just have and that's all we are saying on the man (If you flick back to a few posts to an earlier blog we've covered all what we needed to!)

Right then down to the fun part  - wait for it... t's our team of the year! 11 players that have sexualised football fans throughout 2015! Making punters spill their tea all over the person sat in front of them! Forget the half time Pie this is all about the side portion of mash! 

We're gonna make this post short and sweet - Due to everyone wanting to get the first round of tea's in early doors ahead of NYE - But first we fill the keeper in our team needs a special mention!

This player has been outstanding throughout his career although things took a bit of a nose dive in the late part of 2014, finding himself on the bench at a club he had been at since 2004! During the summer he had a big question to ask himself! "Do i sit here at the Bridge on the bench playing with my iPhones drum app or do i find a new challenge?" After a lot of definitely maybes the big man got his switch across the capital to Arsenal.  

"Last summer, things changed and I understood I was no longer the first-choice keeper, but I felt it was not the right time for me to go. During the season it became clear that my situation would not improve and, as I know I am not at the stage of my career where I want to be on the bench, I made my decision to move on and look for new challenges." Čech 

It was claimed by some that Petr Čech was coming to the end of his career, that he was past his shot stopping best. "The helmet had finally gone to his head" This didn't stop Arsene spending £10 million on him, and what a signing it's turned out to be. For the unbelievers and Chelsea fans all i can say is that Arsenal are heading into 2016 as league leaders, from a neutral point of view it's sickening as Wenger shouldn't still be in footballing management he looks more like a school teacher! 

The main reason Arsenal are doing so well this season.. it's simple it's all down to a man named Čech!

Right you lucky bunch lot of footballing fans! lets get down to business! The remaining 10 places in our team of 2015! There's no room for the likes of Terry, Bony, Walker or even Radamel Falcao (I know Falcao has been electric this season and it may come as a bit of a surprise but he ain't gonna force his way into our team.) So after a good few minutes of thinking here's are team of the year! 

Two Men Walk into a Pub....

 The Mourinho Blues

Eight weeks in & those two old school pundits The Midweeker and The Weekender finally find a decent pub for a cheeky Sanchez burger and cup of tea/bottle of cider combo to sit down and chew the cud.

Midweeker - So what's going on with the British teams in Europe? Anyone would think that UKIP have branched out into football management!

Weekender - The Arse threw it away! Wenger showing his hands by dropping Cech or as some are saying 'resting' the big man! Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho is having much fun @ the Bridge! The way the Blues are playing they will be down @ the docks before the season has even really got going! Will it be a case of Costa coffee for Diego? If United & City don't pick up some points the Prem is in danger of losing a Champions League place!

MW - What about the Prem though? Chelsea have the blues, while those sly foxes have shocked us all and have ransacked the top of the table and even the Happy Hammers are Slaven away getting massive results near the top of the tree as well!

WE - It's pure madness! The way things are going Noble could be named in the next England squad (it's been overdue). The Foxes? Wow! Seven games in and they are practically safe already, who'd have thought of that from the Tinkerman?? Vardy is electric!

Not sure what's going on with Villa though? Thought Sherwood would be a hero for the Villains, he needs a new gillet and an Adebayour or Lerner will show him the Adebay-door!

MW -  Where has this Leicester striker appeared from? I'd Vardy heard of him last season?! Now he's an England striker??

What about Nolan & Big Sam @ the Boleyn Ground? An old school tough tackling bites yer legs midfielder and an even older school no nonsense football manager, surprised they haven't found new home already

WE - 'Arry to Newcastle? The Wally with the Brolly can't have much time left! The Looney Toons are in deep! Along with the Mackems, old Kaboul hasn't really done much! And Dick must be finding it hard with the amount of balls hitting the Sunderland net, could Big Sam end up @ the Stadium of Light??

MW - 'arry couldn't handle the commute! His old North London club are up & down like a hoe's drawers! Spurs threw it away against the Woolwich Wanderers playing Fazio in the back four when they were willing to pay his cab fare before the season started to ship him off to West Brom! It's was all doom and gloom with City due @ The Lane and Pochettino's men spank 'em 4-1!

WE - Yeah who saw that coming?! Even Kane scored! - I still think he won't hit double figures this season. Meanwhile Liverpool look proper w*&k! Rodgers must be glad Sturridge is back in the goals with rumours that Ancellotti is being lined up as the next boss of the Scousers

MW - Klop! Klop? Who's there? It's Jurgen the German banging on the Premiership door! Could he end up on Liverpool's doorstep?

Apparently Rodgers has lost the dressing room - he's been wandering around behind the scenes @ Anfield like a little lost sheep, surely it's signposted?? Someone point him in the right direct....

And with that, burgers polished off tea drank and cider downed there's a flurry of movement as sheepskins are donned and trackie tops done up to the chin. They are off into the now autumnal night parting with a firm handshake and murmurs of doing a podcast, (it's what the kids listen to nowadays apparently) they'll be back in a few weeks to do it all again

The Weekender

After a bumper festive season The Weekender is donning his new sheepskin jacket Father Christmas bought him and is heading out for another two days of footballing merriment.
The Boxing Day schedule was enough to keep the cold turkey @ bay but a full weekend fix is in order!
With no Christmas Card from Fergie this year he's going for West Brom to pull off a shock @ Old Trafford, but it's not looking good for the chasing pack either......
He has better news for The Toon though where Mike Ashby welds the sack like Santa Claus on a can of red bull and a 'arry Christmas for the Super 'oops with a win @ last against Liverpool!

Unsung Hero - Laurie Cunningham

Ok, Pub Quiz............

Who was the first black player to play for England? Viv Anderson? Wrong! It was Laurie Cunningham, first player black player to play for England @ any level (Under 21) and in a competitive match.

First English player to play for Real Madrid then? John Charles? Wrong! He was Welsh.......Laurie led the way again on the England front when he went to Spain in 1979.

The Mighty O's of Leyton must have rubbed their hands with glee as Arsenal turned away the Archway schoolboy and @ Brisbane Lane Cunningham soon honed his blistering wing play, creative spark and deadly finishing that was to make up his game. Inevitably this sort of talent didn't go unnoticed and it was West Bromwich Albion who came calling with a chance for Laurie to take the next step up in his career.

When Big Ron came bowling into town in '78 he would not only turn the teams fortunes around but unite Cunningham with two fellow black players, Cyrille Regis & Brendon Batson christening them "The Three Degrees"*

With attitudes different back then (although after recent events you wouldn't know it!) having three black players in one team was a revelation for a football team, but this was no gimmick as they could play a bit too. West Brom arguably played the best football of their existence during that period and it was one particular performance during the UEFA Cup that changed Cunningham's footballing destiny forever.

The 90 minutes he put in against the Spanish side of Valencia promoted him on a bigger stage, attracting Real Madrid in the process. One of the rumours @ the time suggested that Cunningham heard of their interest and popped in to see the President @ the Bernabeu while on his holiday to hurry the deal through!

With the deal sealed in Big Ron's living room the former Baggie made an instant impact in Spain, it was also at this time that his first England call up came.

At the age of 22 he won the League & Cup double in Spain and was earning rave reviews, but then the injuries set in. These along with the pressure of putting in top quality performances that had become expected of him week in week out stated to take it's toll.

After four years abroad and with his fall down the pecking order he was eventually reunited with Big Ron this time on loan @ Man Utd only an injury prevented him from playing in the '83 FA Cup final, but it was to be the '88 FA Final that would prove to be his swansong from the English game after coming on as a sub for Wimbledon in their historical win over Liverpool.

Now a bit of a journeyman footballer Cunningham was on the verge of resurrecting his career in Spain with Rayo Vallecano after firing them to promotion, but alas he was tragically killed in a car accident before he could see that through.

Although never really reaching his full early potential, he was an inspiration to many a black football fan who saw his performances and decided to give it a go themselves a generation of players did just that........

 

 

*an all black girl group big in the seventies...........ask yer Dad!

Anyone other than Giggs

It's over 20 years now since the first ball in the Premiership was kicked, and during that time we've had players move left right and centre, from Jurgen the German to Kung Fu Eric, it's rare to find a true one club man. Normally players are only more than happy to do a cheeky bosman to their local rivals *Sol Campbell springs to mind, what a c**t! Even the most modest of men can't help but follow one last big pay packet, just ask Liverpool fans what they think of one time hero Owen.......

So at the latest It's a football thing gathering down the local, we decided that we would take a look at our top 5 premiership one club wonders. *Due to terms and conditions we will not be including Ryan Giggs in this count down........

5 (FIVE) In @ number five Is Tony Adams otherwise know as 'Donkey' Now if he had played more games during the Premiership era he would of been higher up on the list, i mean what a cracking player, one of the greatest defenders England have ever produced and it's Big Tony who holds the record of most appearances by a single player @ Wembley. He was solid in the tackle and would pop up with the odd goal, and in 98 against Everton, Big Tony scored a screamer, beating the offside trap like a vintage centre forward before smashing the ball past the keeper into the net and everyone inside Highbury was going radio rental! Oh that may also have something to do with the fact they had just won their first Premiership title. A proper old school type of player!

4 (FOUR) Fourth choice on our list will please the blue & white side of North London as it's Ledley 'Ledders' King! The most complete central defender of the modern era that England hardly ever had, loyal with a capital 'L' rose through the youth system @ Spurs and went on to inspire the likes of Michael Dawson and Anthony Gardner! Born with no knees, his positioning and reading of the game meant he would slot straight into the side even though he hadn't trained for the week! If it wasn't for his injury problems he would have gone on to become the black Bobby Moore for the national side and who knows possibly have lifted that elusive World Cup trophy we've strived years to recapture.

3 (THREE) Up @ numero three we see Matt Le Tissier! If ever there was a BIG fish in a small pond Le Tiss was that Chub! Spurned the advances of amongst (ironically) Spurs, he stayed on the coast and languidly kept The Saints marching on. If ever there was a one man team it was Southampton with his solo efforts against Blackburn Rovers & Newcastle ranked up with the best seen in The Premiership. Probably England's most talented midfielder since Glen Hoddle it was England manager 'God' himself who scuppered his international career.
Could still perform at the top level even today........after all he didn't really do much running!

2 (TWO) How hard? Gerrard! This man is a modern day great a leader amongst men. In years to come people will be talking about Gerrard just like they do about Mark Lawrenson..... i mean King Kenny! Nothing is a lost cause in this mans eyes, time and time again he has pulled Liverpool back from the brink, and was outstanding during Liverpools Champions League winning season in 2005. A pleasure to watch (not in that way) and an icon to many of my generation, its just a shame he has been unable to repeat his club form for England, although there is still time! just think he hasn't even hit his mid 30's yet!


It's a pain that Ryan Giggs copyright agreement along with his image rights have meant we can't mention him in our top 5 without having to pay upwards of £100,000 pounds! What a shame! So who have we got sat at the top of the tree as our all time one club wonder? Could it be Gary Neville???????? of cause it aint!

1. (ONE) The ginger ninja, the pocket rocket it's Paul Scholes of course! The greatest comeback since Lazarus has seen Mr Scholes walk back into the Man Utd team after half a season of retirement and only an appearance for his kids school Dad's team as way of a warm up! Even on the verge of an International return if only someone had bothered asking him, our best tough tackling goal scoring midfielder since Bryan Robson. Always able to pop up with that crucial long range goal to save the day, along with the odd two footed challenge to see him off for an early bath! One of Fergie's fledglings that managed to keep his feet on the ground and let his football do the talking.Will go down as one of United's greatest ever players and a Premiership legend too boot!