ThereWeSaidIt

Roman Abramovich allegedly had a epiphany watching Beckham come off the bench in the futile cause as Ferguson’s war on his own player reached absurdity and a half fit Veron played ahead of Beckham. He saw the wonder and joy of owning a football club. A year later he saw his manager bring on a half fit Veron and lose (then watched Mourinho mess up with a half fit Arjen Robben for 2 years before descending into absurdity himself).

However I think if Ferguson was watching tonight at old Trafford he saw another vision his Chelsea team in a few years time.  Milan a bunch of old players and prematurely aged players were no match for United. Indeed once again it showed that English clubs when the pressure is not on in the last 4 are just too fit, mobile and powerful  for opponents – it’s a shame our mental qualities cut in at that point.

It makes perfect short term sense for Chelsea to extend Joe Cole, Ballack and Anelka as of course to buy players is hard. All they seem to have the budget for  these days is a succession of injury prone full backs and wide outs. With managers counting their time to a pay off in months no one wants to buy unbroken talent like Rooney and Ronaldo and wait a few years. Seriously 10 to 20 million gets  you squad fillers and full backs like Zhirkov, C’Ash Cole, Bosingwa, Malouda and Anelka or Rooney and Ronaldo not to mention Nani and Anderson of course. Only one of those Chelsea players a genuine starter and an injury prone one at that. Time for Arnesan to deliver. Indeed if Chelsea keep having mid week games till the end of the year they will probably resemble Milan as they did in the 2nd half v City.

One sidebar for me what would have happened had England especially and United thrown off their addictions to Beckham and a poacher in a naive 442 in 2000 not 2005 [RvN]? I am sure I’ll cover that more in the next week.

written by twsi \\ tags: Abramovich, Anelka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ferguson, Joe Cole, Rooney

I don’t know if we Brits have become a nation of simpletons or if our media is simplistic because it thinks we are or if are so insecure in our opinions we cling to simplifications to maintain a broad consensus so we can talk of common sense and pretend it means we are right.

The spark for this was the suggestion by Arsene Wenger and not denied by people in football that Arsenal’s injury record stems from teams playing and being allowed to be over aggressive towards Arsenal. Yet the response even from educated people I know is to whittle on about malice in the case of Ryan Shawcross’s tackle – responding to what they think was said not what was actually said. It’s like otherwise intelligent people with far better usage of words than myself suddenly have an English comprehension problem.

Now that was not what Wenger said. He merely dismissed the notion that Shawcross was not that type of player in terms he did not care what he was rather than suggesting malice – although as I said Shawcross has been a malicious player as his tackle on Adebayor last year showed, in touch perfect ankle take out and completely unnecessary. Even if neither challenge was intended and I am not even sure Shawcross could tell us both were over aggressive challenges he does not make if he is not over hyped up.

I don’t know why malice is so important to English players, journalists and fans. We all assume there is no malice. It’s like the Chris Rock mocking of people who claim to be a “Good Father”, “You’re supposed to be a good father”.  It’s like expecting praise for not spitting on people. It’s a hook to hang on and pretend the English game does not have a problem with a cowed referee core and over aggressive young players who panic when they have put their team in trouble like Shawcross – John Terry would have taken a booking and blocked Ramsey off with his hands in the air like that means anything.

Clearly Shawcross is a reckless over aggressive tackler who plays Russian Roulette with other people’s careers. His lack of sendings off merely a reflection of a culture and the so called Respect Agenda where referees allowed so much fouling they were forced into 10 sending offs one weekend as players began to stretch the envelope even further.

If Shawcross continues to tackle above the ankle, as Gallas and Diaby did earlier this year, does it matter one jot if he is malicious?

written by twsi \\ tags: Aaron Ramsey, Adebayor, Diaby, Gallas, Premier League, Referees, Respect Agenda, Ryan Shawcross, Tabloid Culture, Thug

Kevin Pietersen has had a poor run made worse by a slew of injudicious shot choices when he has got in. However this has been in the context of serious injuries and the loss of captaincy. It’s also quite ridiculous to start lining up our most talented batsman for the drop.

The sad thing for bloggers and journalists is this the best people to judge a player in the England team are the captain and coach for precisely the reason they should not select the side overall as they spend over half a year with them. By the time a batsman plays a statistically significant  number of knocks he will have aged at least a year. It is therefore a matter of judgement.

The other matter is the cupboard is bare in terms of English or naturalised batters and KP is not the first batter you’d drop it’s the player who can only bat 6 (Ian Bell).

My only caveat is that KP’s value is arguably less than Collingwood’s unless he becomes a top class batter again. As his fielding is mixed, his running between the wickets reeks and his bowling less important.  In baseball parlance he is a first baseman and Collie a shortstop. We need to make adjustments for people who only bat in an era where fielding is now much more advanced.

written by twsi \\ tags: Bell, Fielding, KP, Selection

The result turned out nice and England players certainly showed their normal bottle when after getting an equaliser suddenly all the little under dogs all wanted the ball. This is not the first time that England have got on top in a friendly 2nd half and one should consider the 1st half far more valid.

The familiar weaknesses on display were:-

• Right back. Wes Brown one assumed would never play again after the Brazil game. It really is hard to believe that it is a conscious plan to leave John Terry isolated 5 times a game one on one out on the right. Whilst Brown finally combined to put Wright-Phillips away for the 3rd goal he was uniformly dreadful otherwise. Continually out of position and standing still. It’s hard to see how he still gets selected. It’s lazy selection.
• Confidence. Until England equalised it was amazing how little anyone moved. Lampard or Barry would look up and it was like that childhood game where you open your eyes and everyone stopped moving. England did move a lot more after they equalised and one wonders if players are hiding or need to feel right? They play like robots at times.
• Keeper. Although he warmed up as the team did Green was again a frightened rabbit first half. Barely able to clearance kick to half way. One error in a World Cup and he will be gone.
• Barry could not pass water first half. It’s not like Lampard and Carrick were exactly good but Barry should be the deep anchor not giving the ball away.
• Walcott. Without that hat trick where the ball and game fell his way there seems no evidence he should be in the squad. Even Wenger will have a decision if everyone gets fit next year. He started brightly but was disappeared for the final 50 minutes of his appearance. Wright Phillips looked better but his technical ability is poor and he will always look better against tired opponents late on. Lennon simply must play and not sure I’d take the other 2 or Beckham personally.
• Defoe. England were arguably set up to counter attack 1st half with a 4231 but with Defoe and Walcott Rooney was isolated and the ball came back quickly. Defoe may be a bench option late but I have no idea why anyone as good as Fabio Capello thinks England should line up 3 short up front.
• 442. I just do not see with a short team, largely paceless team, weak keeper and full backs even in our first choice team that we can play light in midfield. It’s not like Rooney now has not played up front on his own all year.
• Another worry was at 1-1 with a Egyptian free kick in the 2nd half England had 11 men behind the ball. Can you extrapolate such craven mental weakness into a big game at a World Cup? England a team who had fatally conceded leads by dropping too deep in each campaign I can recall (96,98,00,02,04,06 and 08). It implies Capello’s not cracked their fear yet.
• Given many of the team played on the pitch on Sunday it was staggering ineptitude by Terry and Upson and cost a goal that they could not get a firm footing. It does seem reflective England players are reactive and have to be told what to think and even to get their studs right.

In the end I was shocked at lazy selections like Brown. I thought it bizarre that the limited Bridge would seemingly have stepped in for C’Ash. Like Brown a selection based on club and so called experience not what they do on the pitch. Quite what experience means when you are as poor a player as Brown is my question.

Not sure what we learned that we should not already have known.

The lack of confidence is still the most worrying thing.

written by twsi \\ tags: Ashley Cole, Capello, Carrick, Defoe, Gareth Barry, Lack of Confidence, Lennon, Robert Green, Terry, Walcott, Wayne Bridge, Wes Brown, Wright Phillips

The media are quoting the great man as saying that Footballers get too much money too young  and this leads to behavioural problems.  Although obviously Wayne Bridge and the media are unaware footballers are not Vestal Virgins.

Why do the media print any inanity like they are receiving the 10 commandments from a celestial being?

Next Fabio will explain how tomorrow is Thursday which should fill inches of columns and untold airtime.

written by twsi \\ tags: Capello

Tiger Woods’ physician Dr. Anthony Galea is being held for having HGH and an assortment of illegal drugs.

The doctor is also noted for blood spinning where by Blood is removed from the body and placed back in the body which is not allowed by WADA – mainly to prevent blood doping whereby say a cheating cyclist will have an extra half pint of blood added back to his body – that is why no other top cyclist will publish the data on their blood work that Bradley Wiggins did as they would not look quite as clean as the great man.

What will be interesting is that with top baseball players like Jose Reyes, Alex Rodriquez and Carlos Beltran implicated if the US authorities turn the page or just let it lie. Ageless swimmer Dara Torres was also a patient.

Certainly golf will be in no hurry to find out the extent and types of treatment Woods had never mind ban him. Woods did confess to quite a general definition of cheating not restricting his apology to his marriage.

I suspect as with the Spanish and their tennis players, footballers and cyclists caught but let go after Operation Puerta nothing will come of it. The US has a very naive culture and the public seem pretty tolerant when it comes to drug and other forms of doping.

It will be interesting if we get a sabbatical like Michael Jordan took from Basketball for 2 years which has caused much speculation over the years.

With all the doctors in the world as with the Fränk Schleck what made all these athletes choose this one?

written by twsi \\ tags: Blood Spinning, Bradley Wiggins, Cheating, Corruption, Dodgy Doctors, Drugs, Frank Schleck, HGH, Michael Jordan, PEDs

Clarke Carlisle won the quiz to find “Britain’s Brainiest Footballer” in 2002 and an episode of Countdown this year. So that makes him cleverer than Becks, JT and The Big Man I guess?

Not so fast snobodanovich.

Watch him on a football field and compare his positional intelligence with that of John Terry. Now Terry may not be able to program his phone or video as he once memorable showed. Indeed one wonders if that is why he got married since his other activities include losing money at the bookies, screwing delicious French models, losing friends and not influencing people. Indeed Terry may be the best footballer in the country overall in terms of technical skills with both feet and head. In his pomp he dominated the box and could get his head, it seemed, on any ball in despite his lack of pace and not being that tall. Carlisle is often not in the right place and as he showed on Saturday his decision making is terrible. Now Terry may be a cheat on a football field but he does it in such a way he is rarely sent off and uses his bookings wisely shall we say.

Even the self called ‘The  Big Man’ Wayne Rooney a man notable for being a big man for the small occasion so far in his career tops Carlisle on the pitch. All that stops Rooney being among the best footballers in the world is a shortfall in motor skills – his lack of the technical ability in terms of passing and shooting touch – ironically may have passed Terry as a headerer of the ball in the England team. Given his head this year Rooney has suddenly mastered being where it counts when it counts and that is not possible without thinking.

Even Beckham’s under rated simplicity is not an easy skill to replicate. He can answer nastier and thornier questions without a briefing than certain brutal thug self aggrandising over educated know nothing Prime Ministers called Brown that I can think of. Honestly who would foreign leaders rather meet and talk with Brown or Beckham? I’ll wager an Olympics I know.

Education and the ability to do well in it is over rated in terms of being a determinate of intelligence. Essentially the skills gained are being able to tell someone something they already know until one gets to even quite high levels of education – my MSc hardly was a piece of innovative science.

IQ tests measure what? IQs? What are they?

In the profession they are dedicated to the guys at the top are often cleverer as much as better. If they need to pay me thousands to program their videos just leave a comment and I’ll be there, on expenses of course.

written by twsi

Forced myself to watch Shawcross on Ramsey a few times.

It’s really just far too aggressive a challenge for the part of the field it was in. The two players were coming at 90 degree angles and Ramsey does not protect himself in any way. In many respects it was a challenge a centre half does not make much – coming forward on to the ball at full pace. It was deep in the opposition half and with both players running in with considerable momentum. Shawcross’ foot was raised and only one of the ball or Ramsey was going beyond him. It may even be safe to say he might not get a booking just a lecture if no injury occurs in the culture of the Premiership – that is not to defend such a challenge in such a place, it’s indefensible.

Arguably an accident but equally not the accident of David Buust which was people desperately competing for the ball in the 6 yard box. It was certainly more ball park than Martin Taylor’s on Eduardo where Eduardo’s leg and the ball were so far apart.

The point being Stoke’s over aggressive attitude encouraged by the refereeing of this game and last year’s with the culture of the Premiership creates these situations. Just as Berkshire Hunt’s challenge on Cech was a I’ll just buzz the keeper up players still think it’s acceptable to put one on people given the chance. Whether the aim is serious injury or not is moot.

In the context of football this was a Defender’s equivalent of the Forward’s challenge. In the context of the Premiership it was ballpark. In the context of it’s a game of football it was far too aggressive.

The thing to ignore is intent. It’s clear that the worst injuries come from over aggression not people setting out to injure. The difference may be some crumb of comfort to Ryan Shawcross but in reality the difference between an over hyped over encouraged player out of his depth and comfort zone breaking your leg and someone choosing to do so is a nano skin of difference.

The fault is not Shawcross alone there but for the grace of chance go 100s of players playing in a culture where man or ball is equally valid as a target of a tackle.

written by twsi \\ tags: Aaron Ramsey, Foul Play, Ryan Shawcross, Violence

Arsene Wenger last year after 3 players were injured by Stoke tackles with zero attempt to play the ball was lined up and mocked by Tony Pulis and others on Sky Sports News.  He was mocked in the media. He’s now had 3 players reduced to badly broken legs in under 5 years by such tackles.

What Wenger said was self evidently true none of the challenges that injured had any chance at the ball. Does anyone believe that Rory Delap can catch and tackle Theo Walcott from behind?

In this season’s reprise Ryan Shawcross caught Aaron Ramsey late and slightly high and looks to have broken his lower leg badly. Tony Pulis says he’s not that kind of player if I could watch it again  I’d have proof otherwise. I did feel it was a football accident but one fueled by the over aggressive tactic regularly allowed to be deployed by Arsenal’s opponents.

As said before whether the miserable Shawcross meant it or not it does not matter. Indeed malicious players who choose to tackle like that can stop.

Watching Eduardo’s crippler Martin Taylor’s former team Birmingham’s Liam Ridgewell go through a Wigan player it’s clear that the over aggressive culture of violence still is the defining characteristic of mid table premiership sides.

It’s all very well people saying they are trying to outlaw tackling but I’d love to know what era they are harking back to. Never have players been so big, fit and fast. Never have so many clean tackles been made. In the rose tinted past people prattle about defenders did not tackle they just fouled. English Football crowds began to shrink quicker than a steroid user’s balls. This is the best football we have ever had in almost every facet except some of the grounds are too expensive and full.

There is no excuse for the physical effort people put into throwing themselves at the ball. It’s not tackling to throw your legs at the ball with studs showing. You can likely only do 2 things give away a free kick and/or cause injury.

It’s not to damn Pulis or McLeish who I have a ton of respect for despite mocking nicknames. Their views are in line with the prevailing culture merely to point out tackles like this in the middle or corner of the park serve no good purpose.

It’s a sad fact that I have not yet seen an actual leg breaker in an area of the field where it really mattered who won the ball.

written by twsi \\ tags: Aaron Ramsey, Liam Ridgewell, Martin Taylor, Rory Delap, Ryan Shawcross, Stoke, Stoke City, Theo Walcott, Tony Pulis, Wenger

The Premier League is to make manager interviews mandatory. So rather than some nice fellow Match of the Day viewers will be treated to S’Alex whining referee baiting.

Progress is slow in football and this is a step back to the dark ages.

written by twsi \\ tags: Premier League, Whining