Tuesday 18 October 2011
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Sunday 18 September 2011
Nishaad's Weekly Arsenal Blog ...
Regression
God said, “Let there be light”, and a flame flickered, wavered, and was conveniently put out. That has been the story this past week for Arsenal FC. When the new look squad took the field against Swansea, one could glimpse of sliver of hope begin to regenerate among fans. There was hope that the new signings would bed in and Arsenal would quickly regain the lost confidence after the infamous defeat at Old Trafford. They scraped what can only be called a lucky win, although it was always going to be difficult after what had happened in the last few days of the transfer window.
Their confidence restored a little, the players then headed to Borussia Dortmund for what was definitely the toughest game in the Champions League group stage. Dortmund were very impressive, but a goal from van Persie pegged them back, only for Perisic to steal a point in the last five minutes with a spectacular effort. Arsenal had defended like lions, and had only gone down to a wonder goal. That game did a lot towards regaining that lost confidence. It was a good away point and the team looked strong.
Going into the Blackburn game, there was a positive buzz about the team probably for the first time in months. All the new players (bar Park) had been given a run and there was genuine excitement surrounding the game. Arsenal would finally be able to play their own slick, passing game. Blackburn were a side that had little confidence going into this fixture – three losses and a draw isn’t a record that anyone can be proud of, and surely this was on their minds. One would have thought this was the perfect opportunity for Arsenal to pounce and further deepen the gloom at Ewood Park, while furthering their own rehabilitation.
Arsenal looked as though they were on course to do just that. In the first half, they had a massive 66% of possession, and the crowd were treated to some vintage flowing moves. Mikel Arteta contributed with his technical skills in central midfield, and Ramsay had a solid half as well, keeping it relatively simple. The attacking was very easy on the eye and finally one caught a glimpse of the Arsenal of old. The goal came as a result of an amazing through ball from Alex Song that Gervinho latched onto, swiveled, and shot right into the bottom left corner. It was a fantastic finish from an unlikely angle.
Arsenal were completely dominating in all parts of the field when Blackburn, out of nowhere, found an equalizer. The goal was typical of Arsenal too – new left back Andre Santos, handed his first start, was playing Yakubu onside (remember how Clichy used to play the exact same game), and Yakubu finished well before Szczesny could react. It must be said though that this was Santos’ first full game, and so communication was always going to be a problem. However, this was a problem in the Dortmund game as well, when countless through balls were threaded through the central defense. More on the defense later.
The goal, meanwhile, did little to stem the flow of the game. Arsenal still continued to attack and dominate play, and it was little surprise they scored the next goal.
Song was once again involved as he released Ramsay on the right, who spotted Mikel Arteta’s run into the box and cut back for him. The Spaniard scored with an emphatic finish, his first goal in the red and white. The first of many, I hope. We finished the half on a high, and this looked the perfect game to get our confidence back. Everyone had played their part, and we looked coherent in attack, a first this season. Everyone had set roles and the communication between midfield and attack was great. Things were on the up.
At half time, though, something happened. Maybe they replaced the drinks with something else. As we took the pitch in the second half, we looked a different team. Back came the uncertainties that were so visible in the Dortmund game. We were still enjoying majority of the possession, but somehow seemed less confident on the ball.
Arshavin was in the mood to show off his defensive skills, and soon conceded a free kick outside the box on the right. The zonal marking we have deployed was in place. The ball came in and two players missed the subsequent header a little way off the near post. The second ball then hit the unsuspecting and surprised Alex Song, who had no time to react. The ball bounced off him into the net. 2-2 Blackburn. They had equalized once more. The goal was entirely down to rotten luck, and there was really little Song could have done about it.
Out we went in search of a goal again. Somewhere along that quest, we lost Bacary Sagna – probably one of the players of the season so far. He has been a rock defensively and that had been the case in this game as well. To replace him we had Johan Djourou, a player completely lacking in confidence, being played out of position as right back.
Things went from bad to worse when Blackburn scored their third to take the lead. Hoillet’s corner was met with a low shot from Nzonzi way outside the far post, which was drilled straight into the path of Yakubu, who promptly finished. Yakubu was in an offside position, but the linesman obviously missed it, and we were behind. Fortune, when it doesn’t go for you, is cruel, and we were facing its full wrath. An own goal and an offside goal is about as bad as it gets, right?
Wrong. Arsenal pushed forward in search of an equalizer, but this was always going to leave them vulnerable to a counter attack. That was just what happened. After a failed Arsenal attack, Nzonzi’s clearance found Olsson, who beat Djourou and Song and cut into the box from the right. There was almost no one in support and he attempted a pretty poor cut back. However, in the way of the ball was Kocielny who, instead of putting his boot through the ball, somehow almost tapped it into the open net. The ball was coming at a great pace, but at this level, you have to get your priorities right – that ball has to be booted out, not controlled and passed! Arsenal, in an amazing turn around, found themselves 4-2 down in a game they had absolutely dominated midway through the second half.
There was a huge element of luck involved in all the goals, but that cannot hide the fact that we were defensively naïve. We just cannot defend as a unit. In that case, one wonders what is the logic behind using the zonal marking system on set pieces, since working as a unit is essential for it to be successful. The defense needs some serious sorting out, and I just cannot see what steps Wenger has taken towards that. There isn’t a defensive coach, and there is little chance there will be one. Why this is so, especially when we have Steve Bould already at the club is beyond me. We rely too much on defending intelligently and intercepting balls, and even Blackburn found ways to get past that. No disrespect to Blackburn, of course, but they are not at their best by any means right now. Hell, their fans had even planned for a massive protest against the manager!
Marouane Chamakh, that goal scoring machine, came on for the last fifteen minutes or so, and a candle was extinguished in my heart. This game was beyond us. Just as I was coming to terms with that, however, Chamakh scored. It was a brilliant header, to be honest. He jumped between two defenders and steered it into goal.
We had about ten minutes to get level, but we just could not find the net a fourth time. We came close, mind, with Mertesacker heading over when he should have scored. Chamakh and van Persie also had late half chances that they failed to convert. The pick of the lot was the last one though, with Walcott almost through on goal. He was at full speed when he took the ball away from goal and was brought down by the keeper. At least it seemed like he had been. However, that little piece of action went unnoticed, as the referee had no intention on getting involved in controversy. Sky replayed it just once. Frankly, nobody even cared.
So there it was 4-3. Arsenal had lost, courtesy of two own goals, and an offside strike. Some might argue, however, that winners make their own luck, and if they did, I would agree. There is simply no excuse for a performance like that. We were all over the place defensively and the second half was a horrible nightmare. It was amazing to see the contrast in our play in the two halves, but right now, the first half is almost irrelevant.
It simply beggars belief that we conceded an astonishing four goals against Blackburn, a team that came into the game with little confidence. It also beggars belief that we scored three goals and still ended up losing!
The defeat is not just bad on paper. It exposes all kinds of flaws inside the club. The fact is that a lot of the new players we bought on deadline day were panic buys – we got them solely because of that 8-2 loss and because we were getting nowhere with primary targets. Why that was so will remain a mystery. The question of why we didn’t spend the 50-odd million pounds sitting in the bank gains more relevance. A lot of that has to do with the way Wenger went about the transfer window. Apparently, he has full control over transfers, which I find very odd. Why is that? What, then, is the board doing? We are stuck with terrible commercial deals where we lose between 30 and 50 million pounds a year.
Stan Kroenke, the majority shareholder, is silent as ever on issues concerning the club. He hasn’t even been to a match since purchasing 66.7% of the club! His reluctance to speak out is worrying to say the least. There is little clarity on his vision for the club. The presence in the background of Alisher Usmanov, the Russian billionaire in control of 29.5% of the club, adds to this uncertainty. He is getting more and more support from the fans, as he is certainly someone who comes across as being interesting in investing in the team – a sugar daddy, if you will.
The issue of ownership is one that clearly needs to be settled soon, and yet I can’t see that happening. That will certainly decide our long-term future as a top-level club. The management has been very poor over the last few months, both in terms of transfer business, and things not directly related to matters on the pitch. As a lot of people have rightly said, 50 million in the bank isn’t going to defend on the pitch. Surprise, surprise, it actually doesn’t!
The board members are not the only ones to blame – Arsene Wenger must surely shoulder some of it, since he makes the decisions on transfers, and is the one who decides on tactics. His reluctance to change his tactics is befuddling. We have just one formation we work with – a 4-2-3-1. We are simply incapable of playing in any other way, and a successful team is surely one that can work with different styles of play, a functional plan B or even C. We simply do not have that adaptability.
I wonder how bad things need to get to ring in the changes big time. I keep thinking time and again that we have hit rock bottom, but I am always proven wrong on that! The only way right now doesn’t seem to be forward. There are doubts everywhere you look. We desperately need some direction, and it would be the perfect time for Stan or the board to come out and declare exactly what their plans are.
I have a feeling that only when matters are clearer off the field will we start shining on the pitch. Our record speaks for itself – 14 goals conceded in 5 games. We conceded 18 in the entire ’98-99 season. At the moment, that fourth spot looks completely unlikely.
The sad part is, this situation was unthinkable last season and completely avoidable. Now I fear it might be too late. We have a good squad, mind, and will hit form at some point, but by then will it be too late? It just might. Even panic buying in January might not help. I really hope it doesn’t come to that.
As the season progresses, it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep defending Arsene. I am not saying we get rid of him, as that will only serve to make things even muddier. We need something to happen, something to lift our morale, because we are in a dark, dark place right now. There isn’t any light at the end of the tunnel.
The hope that things, at least potentially, can get better keeps me going. It is going to be a long season, and as I write that, I realize I’ve said it more than once in my previous ramblings. It is the truth, though. For the sake of the club, I hope we hit rock bottom soon and the rebuilding can start.
Today was a step back. We have regressed. A way back isn’t clear at all at the moment. Try as I might, I just cannot end this on a positive note. So here is something that might be helpful. I hope Liverpool fans don’t mind me using this – it is perfect for a club like Arsenal right now: http://bit.ly/5mUnv.
And on that note, I take my leave.
God said, “Let there be light”, and a flame flickered, wavered, and was conveniently put out. That has been the story this past week for Arsenal FC. When the new look squad took the field against Swansea, one could glimpse of sliver of hope begin to regenerate among fans. There was hope that the new signings would bed in and Arsenal would quickly regain the lost confidence after the infamous defeat at Old Trafford. They scraped what can only be called a lucky win, although it was always going to be difficult after what had happened in the last few days of the transfer window.
Their confidence restored a little, the players then headed to Borussia Dortmund for what was definitely the toughest game in the Champions League group stage. Dortmund were very impressive, but a goal from van Persie pegged them back, only for Perisic to steal a point in the last five minutes with a spectacular effort. Arsenal had defended like lions, and had only gone down to a wonder goal. That game did a lot towards regaining that lost confidence. It was a good away point and the team looked strong.
Going into the Blackburn game, there was a positive buzz about the team probably for the first time in months. All the new players (bar Park) had been given a run and there was genuine excitement surrounding the game. Arsenal would finally be able to play their own slick, passing game. Blackburn were a side that had little confidence going into this fixture – three losses and a draw isn’t a record that anyone can be proud of, and surely this was on their minds. One would have thought this was the perfect opportunity for Arsenal to pounce and further deepen the gloom at Ewood Park, while furthering their own rehabilitation.
Arsenal looked as though they were on course to do just that. In the first half, they had a massive 66% of possession, and the crowd were treated to some vintage flowing moves. Mikel Arteta contributed with his technical skills in central midfield, and Ramsay had a solid half as well, keeping it relatively simple. The attacking was very easy on the eye and finally one caught a glimpse of the Arsenal of old. The goal came as a result of an amazing through ball from Alex Song that Gervinho latched onto, swiveled, and shot right into the bottom left corner. It was a fantastic finish from an unlikely angle.
Arsenal were completely dominating in all parts of the field when Blackburn, out of nowhere, found an equalizer. The goal was typical of Arsenal too – new left back Andre Santos, handed his first start, was playing Yakubu onside (remember how Clichy used to play the exact same game), and Yakubu finished well before Szczesny could react. It must be said though that this was Santos’ first full game, and so communication was always going to be a problem. However, this was a problem in the Dortmund game as well, when countless through balls were threaded through the central defense. More on the defense later.
The goal, meanwhile, did little to stem the flow of the game. Arsenal still continued to attack and dominate play, and it was little surprise they scored the next goal.
Song was once again involved as he released Ramsay on the right, who spotted Mikel Arteta’s run into the box and cut back for him. The Spaniard scored with an emphatic finish, his first goal in the red and white. The first of many, I hope. We finished the half on a high, and this looked the perfect game to get our confidence back. Everyone had played their part, and we looked coherent in attack, a first this season. Everyone had set roles and the communication between midfield and attack was great. Things were on the up.
At half time, though, something happened. Maybe they replaced the drinks with something else. As we took the pitch in the second half, we looked a different team. Back came the uncertainties that were so visible in the Dortmund game. We were still enjoying majority of the possession, but somehow seemed less confident on the ball.
Arshavin was in the mood to show off his defensive skills, and soon conceded a free kick outside the box on the right. The zonal marking we have deployed was in place. The ball came in and two players missed the subsequent header a little way off the near post. The second ball then hit the unsuspecting and surprised Alex Song, who had no time to react. The ball bounced off him into the net. 2-2 Blackburn. They had equalized once more. The goal was entirely down to rotten luck, and there was really little Song could have done about it.
Out we went in search of a goal again. Somewhere along that quest, we lost Bacary Sagna – probably one of the players of the season so far. He has been a rock defensively and that had been the case in this game as well. To replace him we had Johan Djourou, a player completely lacking in confidence, being played out of position as right back.
Things went from bad to worse when Blackburn scored their third to take the lead. Hoillet’s corner was met with a low shot from Nzonzi way outside the far post, which was drilled straight into the path of Yakubu, who promptly finished. Yakubu was in an offside position, but the linesman obviously missed it, and we were behind. Fortune, when it doesn’t go for you, is cruel, and we were facing its full wrath. An own goal and an offside goal is about as bad as it gets, right?
Wrong. Arsenal pushed forward in search of an equalizer, but this was always going to leave them vulnerable to a counter attack. That was just what happened. After a failed Arsenal attack, Nzonzi’s clearance found Olsson, who beat Djourou and Song and cut into the box from the right. There was almost no one in support and he attempted a pretty poor cut back. However, in the way of the ball was Kocielny who, instead of putting his boot through the ball, somehow almost tapped it into the open net. The ball was coming at a great pace, but at this level, you have to get your priorities right – that ball has to be booted out, not controlled and passed! Arsenal, in an amazing turn around, found themselves 4-2 down in a game they had absolutely dominated midway through the second half.
There was a huge element of luck involved in all the goals, but that cannot hide the fact that we were defensively naïve. We just cannot defend as a unit. In that case, one wonders what is the logic behind using the zonal marking system on set pieces, since working as a unit is essential for it to be successful. The defense needs some serious sorting out, and I just cannot see what steps Wenger has taken towards that. There isn’t a defensive coach, and there is little chance there will be one. Why this is so, especially when we have Steve Bould already at the club is beyond me. We rely too much on defending intelligently and intercepting balls, and even Blackburn found ways to get past that. No disrespect to Blackburn, of course, but they are not at their best by any means right now. Hell, their fans had even planned for a massive protest against the manager!
Marouane Chamakh, that goal scoring machine, came on for the last fifteen minutes or so, and a candle was extinguished in my heart. This game was beyond us. Just as I was coming to terms with that, however, Chamakh scored. It was a brilliant header, to be honest. He jumped between two defenders and steered it into goal.
We had about ten minutes to get level, but we just could not find the net a fourth time. We came close, mind, with Mertesacker heading over when he should have scored. Chamakh and van Persie also had late half chances that they failed to convert. The pick of the lot was the last one though, with Walcott almost through on goal. He was at full speed when he took the ball away from goal and was brought down by the keeper. At least it seemed like he had been. However, that little piece of action went unnoticed, as the referee had no intention on getting involved in controversy. Sky replayed it just once. Frankly, nobody even cared.
So there it was 4-3. Arsenal had lost, courtesy of two own goals, and an offside strike. Some might argue, however, that winners make their own luck, and if they did, I would agree. There is simply no excuse for a performance like that. We were all over the place defensively and the second half was a horrible nightmare. It was amazing to see the contrast in our play in the two halves, but right now, the first half is almost irrelevant.
It simply beggars belief that we conceded an astonishing four goals against Blackburn, a team that came into the game with little confidence. It also beggars belief that we scored three goals and still ended up losing!
The defeat is not just bad on paper. It exposes all kinds of flaws inside the club. The fact is that a lot of the new players we bought on deadline day were panic buys – we got them solely because of that 8-2 loss and because we were getting nowhere with primary targets. Why that was so will remain a mystery. The question of why we didn’t spend the 50-odd million pounds sitting in the bank gains more relevance. A lot of that has to do with the way Wenger went about the transfer window. Apparently, he has full control over transfers, which I find very odd. Why is that? What, then, is the board doing? We are stuck with terrible commercial deals where we lose between 30 and 50 million pounds a year.
Stan Kroenke, the majority shareholder, is silent as ever on issues concerning the club. He hasn’t even been to a match since purchasing 66.7% of the club! His reluctance to speak out is worrying to say the least. There is little clarity on his vision for the club. The presence in the background of Alisher Usmanov, the Russian billionaire in control of 29.5% of the club, adds to this uncertainty. He is getting more and more support from the fans, as he is certainly someone who comes across as being interesting in investing in the team – a sugar daddy, if you will.
The issue of ownership is one that clearly needs to be settled soon, and yet I can’t see that happening. That will certainly decide our long-term future as a top-level club. The management has been very poor over the last few months, both in terms of transfer business, and things not directly related to matters on the pitch. As a lot of people have rightly said, 50 million in the bank isn’t going to defend on the pitch. Surprise, surprise, it actually doesn’t!
The board members are not the only ones to blame – Arsene Wenger must surely shoulder some of it, since he makes the decisions on transfers, and is the one who decides on tactics. His reluctance to change his tactics is befuddling. We have just one formation we work with – a 4-2-3-1. We are simply incapable of playing in any other way, and a successful team is surely one that can work with different styles of play, a functional plan B or even C. We simply do not have that adaptability.
I wonder how bad things need to get to ring in the changes big time. I keep thinking time and again that we have hit rock bottom, but I am always proven wrong on that! The only way right now doesn’t seem to be forward. There are doubts everywhere you look. We desperately need some direction, and it would be the perfect time for Stan or the board to come out and declare exactly what their plans are.
I have a feeling that only when matters are clearer off the field will we start shining on the pitch. Our record speaks for itself – 14 goals conceded in 5 games. We conceded 18 in the entire ’98-99 season. At the moment, that fourth spot looks completely unlikely.
The sad part is, this situation was unthinkable last season and completely avoidable. Now I fear it might be too late. We have a good squad, mind, and will hit form at some point, but by then will it be too late? It just might. Even panic buying in January might not help. I really hope it doesn’t come to that.
As the season progresses, it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep defending Arsene. I am not saying we get rid of him, as that will only serve to make things even muddier. We need something to happen, something to lift our morale, because we are in a dark, dark place right now. There isn’t any light at the end of the tunnel.
The hope that things, at least potentially, can get better keeps me going. It is going to be a long season, and as I write that, I realize I’ve said it more than once in my previous ramblings. It is the truth, though. For the sake of the club, I hope we hit rock bottom soon and the rebuilding can start.
Today was a step back. We have regressed. A way back isn’t clear at all at the moment. Try as I might, I just cannot end this on a positive note. So here is something that might be helpful. I hope Liverpool fans don’t mind me using this – it is perfect for a club like Arsenal right now: http://bit.ly/5mUnv.
And on that note, I take my leave.
Sunday 11 September 2011
Simon Goodyear's Footy Blog ...
My father, David Goodyear, was a well known Midlands football and cricket writer and Aston Villa (including ‘Aston Villa – A Complete Record’) match day steward, Aston Villa official Historian and Archivist. He was also secretary of the Aston Villa Former Players Association during the 1990s.
When David passed away aged 70 on October 8th 2008, he left a legacy to me which is quite amazing. Soon after his passing I was sorting through dad’s belongings and found a really old England shirt and some photos of people I vaguely recognised. Looking more closely, I identified the pictures were of Gerry Hitchens, the former Shropshire miner and Aston Villa football icon (1957 – 1961). The shirt must have belonged to him and I thought to myself, “What on earth are they doing here?” Several days later, I tried to track down the family of Gerry, knowing he had passed away many years ago. And to cut a long story short I managed to locate Gerry’s widow, Meriel and subsequently his eldest son Marcus. We chatted about my dad and his connection with the Hitchens family and of course about his dad, Gerry. Then came the purely out-of-the-blue question to Marcus, “Can I write a book about your dad?” His reply was, “Have you written a book before?” He must have thought I had been drinking but if I’m honest it was a sincere question.
The rest, as they say, is history.
From that day on, Marcus, Meriel and I worked on a biography of Gerry Hitchens. I quickly realised that his story was something quite amazing; a miner born to play football at the highest level. Gerry was a Villa fan and he pushed himself hard enough to fulfil his dreams of not only playing for Aston Villa, but for England and one of the greatest club sides in the world, Inter Milan. Through pure persistence and a bit of luck, we managed to ask no other than Gerry’s England colleagues Jimmy Greaves to write a Foreword and for Sir Bobby Charlton and Jimmy Armfield to write about Gerry, along with some of Gerry’s Villa team mates like Peter McParland. Not only that, the Italian football icon and current Italy international manager Gigi Riva wrote a touching piece and so did some of Gerry’s other team mates like Mario Corso, Giancarlo Cella and the legendary Luis Suarez (not the Liverpool striker). The book sold 2500 copies. Not bad for a rookie author? Incidentally, the football magazine rated it 4 out of 5 stars in a review of the book (December 2010).
Furthermore, during the compilation of the book, Marcus introduced me to piece of old 8mm cine film he had copied onto video in the 1990s. It showed Gerry in Chile during the 1962 World Cup along with behind the scenes footage (in colour) of a young Bobby Moore, Bobby Charlton, Jimmy Greaves and the entire England party (trying to) enjoy themselves before, during and after matches. It was at that point I asked Marcus if I could try to find a way for the film to be used commercially.
Sadly, one week before the book launch the lovely Meriel passed away and her funeral was held on October 8th 2009 (which by some amazing coincidence would have been Gerry’s 75th birthday). The book launch took place in Birmingham and local BBC and ITV news channels dedicated a few minutes each to the book launch and to the life of Gerry. The next day, several national newspapers dedicated upto one full page each to some still photos I had passed to a news agency and suddenly the name of Gerry Hitchens was on everyone’s lips once more – see link -http://www.dailymail.co.uk/
A few months later I managed to talk to IMG Media in London (they produce tv programmes for Sky like Futbol Mundial) who were keen to find interested parties to use the footage. In the coming months leading upto the 2010 World Cup, both Marcus and myself were interviewed on Sky Sports FIFA Futbol Mundial and a BBC tv production and the rare piece of footage got a couple of airings.
It was all rather surreal for Marcus and I both being in the local and national media. During this period I got to meet some of Gerry’s team mates at Villa and also managed to meet the legendary Jimmy Greaves himself, and presented him with a book (see attached photo).
Now I had the writing bug. I was approached to pen the story of Bobby Thomson , Gerry’s team mate at Villa and ‘The Real Bobby Dazzler’ was published in October 2010, with Mike Summerbee providing a superb Foreword.
My latest book, ‘Memories Made in Aston’ is being launched on.....October 8th 2011 at Villa Village. The book is a compilation of fans, celebrities and ex-players memories of anything to do with Aston Villa, some history, facts and figures and even some Villa related poems. Ian Taylor has written a Foreword and other Villa greats have contributed – the likes of Gordon Cowans, Gary Shaw, Ken McNaught, Chris Nicholl, Peter McParland, Jimmy Brown and Pat Heard to name but a few. Of course Marcus Hitchens has a slot in the book and so has Nigel Kennedy.
Suffice to say, I aim to continue writing and no doubt my dad will continue to follow my progress, along with other ‘Holte-enders in the sky’ from ‘up above.’
Simon Goodyear
Saturday 10 September 2011
Midlands Results Round Up ...
Everton 2 Villa 2 - A great battling point for the Villains with a Petrov rare goal from 30 yards.
Stoke 1 Liverpool 0 - Great result for the potters
Wolves 0 Spurs 2 - shame for the wolves at home
Barnsley 1 Leicester 1 - A fair result
Saints 3 Forest 2 - Unlucky forest with a late goal.
Notts county 2 Walsall 1 - Lee hughes on the scoresheet again.
Cheltenham 2 Macclesfield 0 - Great Home result.
Northampton 0 Torquay 0 - Just couldn't get the breakthrough.
Oxford 2 Burton 2 - Not a bad away point.
Plymouth 0 Port Vale 2 - Great away win at struggling argyle.
Shrewsbury 3 Hereford 1 - A great derby match for the home team.
Afc Telford 1 Stockport 1 - shame there wasn't a winner
Kiddi 2 Ebbsfleet 2 - shame kiddi couldnt get the win on home soil.
Lincoln 0 Kettering 2 - Great away 3 points for town.
Tamworth 2 York 1 - Great home result v city.
Coventry v Derby - Late Kick Off!
Stoke 1 Liverpool 0 - Great result for the potters
Wolves 0 Spurs 2 - shame for the wolves at home
Barnsley 1 Leicester 1 - A fair result
Saints 3 Forest 2 - Unlucky forest with a late goal.
Notts county 2 Walsall 1 - Lee hughes on the scoresheet again.
Cheltenham 2 Macclesfield 0 - Great Home result.
Northampton 0 Torquay 0 - Just couldn't get the breakthrough.
Oxford 2 Burton 2 - Not a bad away point.
Plymouth 0 Port Vale 2 - Great away win at struggling argyle.
Shrewsbury 3 Hereford 1 - A great derby match for the home team.
Afc Telford 1 Stockport 1 - shame there wasn't a winner
Kiddi 2 Ebbsfleet 2 - shame kiddi couldnt get the win on home soil.
Lincoln 0 Kettering 2 - Great away 3 points for town.
Tamworth 2 York 1 - Great home result v city.
Coventry v Derby - Late Kick Off!
Thursday 8 September 2011
Rich Tullis Weekly Leicester City Blog
Another away trip beckons for the Foxes faithful. This weekend sees the team make the trip north to visit the Oakwell Stadium. Saturday will be the 106 occasion between the teams, the two clubs have a history which dates back to September 1898. So 113 years later and the two teams are still going strong. The teams have played each other in the Premier League, The Championship, Division 1, Division 2 (old), The FA Cup as well as the English Zenith Data Systems Cup.
Although we are in a new season, Leicester played Barnsley only 7 months ago in the closing stages of the 2010/2011 football season. Leicester were at home and won 4-1 with goals coming from Paul Gallagher (15) Andy King (43, 58) and Kyle Naughton (89). Now a new season is upon us and this season’s team is certainly different from last seasons. This Saturday should hopefully see the first outing for Jermaine Beckford, Leicester’s final acquisition of the transfer window.
So how do the two teams line up statistically?
Leicester have a good record against the Tykes whether they are playing at The King Power Stadium or Oakwell. Leicester have an impressive tally of 50 wins (all competitions) against Barnsley. The Tykes themselves have only just managed to amass a win total of 24 against Leicester (all competitions). Over the years there have been 31 draws.
Barnsley last victory over Leicester came on Tuesday 26th January 2010, a single 77th minute goal from Hugo Colace ensured victory. That victory for Barnsley at Oakwell took their home victories against the Foxes to 16 games, in comparison Leicester have won 19 times when playing the Tykes on their own patch. The single Goal from Colace just gave
Barnsley the edge with goals scored at Oakwell. To date Barnsley have scored 66 goals past Leicester when at home. Leicester is only one goal behind on 65
The highest aggregate of goals between the two clubs is 7. This was on 2nd October 1991 in the English Zenith Data Systems Cup. Leicester beat Barnsley 4-3 Aet.
The highest Leicester score currently sits at 6 goals. This came on Saturday 16th November 1946 when at home Leicester won 6-0.
In comparison Barnsley highest goals scored is only 3. This was Tuesday 17th September 1991; Barnsley at home beat Leicester 3-1.
Head to Head at Oakwell
A total of 52 games at Oakwell,
Leicester has won 19 of the 52 matches. Barnsley has won 16. There have been 17 draws.
Leicester has scored 65 goals giving a goal per game of 1.25 compared to Barnsley’s 66 goals with an average of 1.27 goals per game.
The bookmakers certainly have Leicester as the favourite this weekend. At the time of writing the odds are:
A Barnsley win is 13/5
A Draw is 5/2 and a Foxes victory is an unbelievable 1/1.
Richard Tullis
@Rich_Tullis
Although we are in a new season, Leicester played Barnsley only 7 months ago in the closing stages of the 2010/2011 football season. Leicester were at home and won 4-1 with goals coming from Paul Gallagher (15) Andy King (43, 58) and Kyle Naughton (89). Now a new season is upon us and this season’s team is certainly different from last seasons. This Saturday should hopefully see the first outing for Jermaine Beckford, Leicester’s final acquisition of the transfer window.
So how do the two teams line up statistically?
Leicester have a good record against the Tykes whether they are playing at The King Power Stadium or Oakwell. Leicester have an impressive tally of 50 wins (all competitions) against Barnsley. The Tykes themselves have only just managed to amass a win total of 24 against Leicester (all competitions). Over the years there have been 31 draws.
Barnsley last victory over Leicester came on Tuesday 26th January 2010, a single 77th minute goal from Hugo Colace ensured victory. That victory for Barnsley at Oakwell took their home victories against the Foxes to 16 games, in comparison Leicester have won 19 times when playing the Tykes on their own patch. The single Goal from Colace just gave
Barnsley the edge with goals scored at Oakwell. To date Barnsley have scored 66 goals past Leicester when at home. Leicester is only one goal behind on 65
The highest aggregate of goals between the two clubs is 7. This was on 2nd October 1991 in the English Zenith Data Systems Cup. Leicester beat Barnsley 4-3 Aet.
The highest Leicester score currently sits at 6 goals. This came on Saturday 16th November 1946 when at home Leicester won 6-0.
In comparison Barnsley highest goals scored is only 3. This was Tuesday 17th September 1991; Barnsley at home beat Leicester 3-1.
Head to Head at Oakwell
A total of 52 games at Oakwell,
Leicester has won 19 of the 52 matches. Barnsley has won 16. There have been 17 draws.
Leicester has scored 65 goals giving a goal per game of 1.25 compared to Barnsley’s 66 goals with an average of 1.27 goals per game.
The bookmakers certainly have Leicester as the favourite this weekend. At the time of writing the odds are:
A Barnsley win is 13/5
A Draw is 5/2 and a Foxes victory is an unbelievable 1/1.
Richard Tullis
@Rich_Tullis
Sunday 4 September 2011
Jermaine Paul Alexander Beckford ...
Jermaine Paul Alexander Beckford By Rich Tullis
So Leicester City made the final signing of the summer transfer window with the capture of a Mr Jermaine Beckford.
On 31 August 2011 Everton rejected a rumoured £3m bid from Leicester City but subsequently accepted a £2.5m bid late on the deadline day. Jermaine arrived at the King Power Stadium just 40 minutes before the transfer window closed to sign a 4-year contract. He became Sven's 12th summer signing.
Leicester signed the Premiership striker for £4 Million (£2.52M + Add ons reported). For an age all eyes were on Bristol City and their formidable striker, Nicky Maynard. It was evident that no matter how much money Leicester presented to Bristol their man was going nowhere.
So have Leicester obtained the 20 goal a season man they were so desperately seeking. After signing a 4 year deal and being contracted until 30/06/2015 Leicester City certainly seem to think they have the right man.
The Stats and Facts of Jermaine Beckford:
Jermaine is an out-and-out striker or if you prefer a centre forward. His first club was Wealdstone FC. From here he moved to Leeds United in 2006, he stayed with Leeds until 2010. In 2010 Everton took the striker to the Premiership where he remained until he was captured by the Foxes.
The one thing all Leicester fans were looking for was a goal scorer. As mentioned previously fans had hoped Nicky Maynard would have been that provider. For Everton Jermaine played a total of 40 games (all competitions) and scored 10 goals. This gave an average of 1 in 4. The overall Premiership average was 2.8 to 1. Jermaine’s career as a striker has enabled him to obtain a goal average of 1 in 1.91. In comparison Nicky Maynard has carved a career goal scoring average of 1 in 2.67.
Premier League
34 games, 8 goals, 2 assists, 3 yellow cards and 0 reds.
Averaged 176 minutes per goal.
FA Cup
11 games, 9 goals, 5 assists, 1 yellow and 0 red.
Averaged 95 minutes per goal.
The League Cup
8 games, 5 goals, 1 assist, 0 yellow and 0 reds.
Averaged 99 minutes per goal.
Championship
10 games, 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 yellows and 0 reds
League 1
83 games, 57 goals, 7 assists, 8 yellow, and 1 double yellow/red.
Averaged 119 minutes per goal
League 1 Play Off
5 games, 0 goals, 0 assists, o yellows and 0 reds
So Leicester City made the final signing of the summer transfer window with the capture of a Mr Jermaine Beckford.
On 31 August 2011 Everton rejected a rumoured £3m bid from Leicester City but subsequently accepted a £2.5m bid late on the deadline day. Jermaine arrived at the King Power Stadium just 40 minutes before the transfer window closed to sign a 4-year contract. He became Sven's 12th summer signing.
Leicester signed the Premiership striker for £4 Million (£2.52M + Add ons reported). For an age all eyes were on Bristol City and their formidable striker, Nicky Maynard. It was evident that no matter how much money Leicester presented to Bristol their man was going nowhere.
So have Leicester obtained the 20 goal a season man they were so desperately seeking. After signing a 4 year deal and being contracted until 30/06/2015 Leicester City certainly seem to think they have the right man.
The Stats and Facts of Jermaine Beckford:
Jermaine is an out-and-out striker or if you prefer a centre forward. His first club was Wealdstone FC. From here he moved to Leeds United in 2006, he stayed with Leeds until 2010. In 2010 Everton took the striker to the Premiership where he remained until he was captured by the Foxes.
The one thing all Leicester fans were looking for was a goal scorer. As mentioned previously fans had hoped Nicky Maynard would have been that provider. For Everton Jermaine played a total of 40 games (all competitions) and scored 10 goals. This gave an average of 1 in 4. The overall Premiership average was 2.8 to 1. Jermaine’s career as a striker has enabled him to obtain a goal average of 1 in 1.91. In comparison Nicky Maynard has carved a career goal scoring average of 1 in 2.67.
Premier League
34 games, 8 goals, 2 assists, 3 yellow cards and 0 reds.
Averaged 176 minutes per goal.
FA Cup
11 games, 9 goals, 5 assists, 1 yellow and 0 red.
Averaged 95 minutes per goal.
The League Cup
8 games, 5 goals, 1 assist, 0 yellow and 0 reds.
Averaged 99 minutes per goal.
Championship
10 games, 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 yellows and 0 reds
League 1
83 games, 57 goals, 7 assists, 8 yellow, and 1 double yellow/red.
Averaged 119 minutes per goal
League 1 Play Off
5 games, 0 goals, 0 assists, o yellows and 0 reds
Saturday 3 September 2011
Sat 3rd Sep 2011 Midlands Results & League Positions ...
Notts county 3 Bournemouth 1 11th
Walsall 0 Brentford 1 14th
Afc Wimbledon 3 port vale 2. 12th
Aldershot 1 Cheltenham 0. 11th
Burton Albion 2 Plymouth 1. 10th
Gillingham 0 shrewsbury 1 5th
Southend 2 Northampton 2 22nd
Kettering 2 fleetwood 3. 21st
Southport 3 Afc Telford 2. 5th
Wrexham 2 Kidderminster Harriers 0 3rd
Walsall 0 Brentford 1 14th
Afc Wimbledon 3 port vale 2. 12th
Aldershot 1 Cheltenham 0. 11th
Burton Albion 2 Plymouth 1. 10th
Gillingham 0 shrewsbury 1 5th
Southend 2 Northampton 2 22nd
Kettering 2 fleetwood 3. 21st
Southport 3 Afc Telford 2. 5th
Wrexham 2 Kidderminster Harriers 0 3rd
Friday 2 September 2011
Carl Ziemann's Weekly Port Vale Blog ...
The result of the JPT game at Tranmere was cruel, going out on penalties after conceeding an equaliser just 3 minutes from full time.
However the result and disapointment pales into comparision when looking at the terrible injury that has befallen Lewis Haldane. Jumping for a header he fell inoxuiously and suffered a double spiral leg fracture. A lengthy delay ensued and he left on a stretcher to a standing ovation from the home Tranmere fans, always a sign of a bad injury when home fans do that to a visiting player. Lewis has undegone one operation and will need another before he hits the recovery trail, my personal best wishes go out to Lewis who is a nice guy on & off the pitch and didnt deserve this bad luck having had a wretched season with injury last year.
The mounting injuries (Rigg, Loft, Haldane, Richards) has prompted Adams to delve into the transfer market and has signed what on paper could be a very astute signing....welcome to Andrew Little on loan from Glasgow Rangers, described as either a full back or striker he has SPL experience and has played for "norn 'iron" at international level. He should on paper make an impact on L2.
In light of our recent defensive woes id put him straight into the team, possibly as a right back given that we have looked suspect down the flanks thus far.
Wimbledon have had a tough start to season but will im confident improve during the season, this will be a stiff test for Vale and id be happy to see us return with a point and something to build on....its important we dont conceed early, if we do it could be another long afternoon like last week.
Prediction 1-1
However the result and disapointment pales into comparision when looking at the terrible injury that has befallen Lewis Haldane. Jumping for a header he fell inoxuiously and suffered a double spiral leg fracture. A lengthy delay ensued and he left on a stretcher to a standing ovation from the home Tranmere fans, always a sign of a bad injury when home fans do that to a visiting player. Lewis has undegone one operation and will need another before he hits the recovery trail, my personal best wishes go out to Lewis who is a nice guy on & off the pitch and didnt deserve this bad luck having had a wretched season with injury last year.
The mounting injuries (Rigg, Loft, Haldane, Richards) has prompted Adams to delve into the transfer market and has signed what on paper could be a very astute signing....welcome to Andrew Little on loan from Glasgow Rangers, described as either a full back or striker he has SPL experience and has played for "norn 'iron" at international level. He should on paper make an impact on L2.
In light of our recent defensive woes id put him straight into the team, possibly as a right back given that we have looked suspect down the flanks thus far.
Wimbledon have had a tough start to season but will im confident improve during the season, this will be a stiff test for Vale and id be happy to see us return with a point and something to build on....its important we dont conceed early, if we do it could be another long afternoon like last week.
Prediction 1-1
Steve Robinson's Weekly Aston Villa Blog
The End of the Transfer Window – Aston Villa
Welcome to the first blog for Aston Villa! What a week it’s been for Aston Villa. Looking at the various forums about the internet it is unclear as to what villa supporters feel as a whole. What I have found is that the one thing Villa fans can’t do is agree. Some are joyful of Makoun’s release and some feel it’s the loss of a great player. What follows is my interpretation of the week’s comings and goings – I’m not claiming to give a uniting opinion of the fans. That would seem an impossibility!
Let’s start with the Carling Cup game versus Hereford. This was the perfect opportunity for some of the previously underperforming players to stake a claim. This was also a chance for the fans to be thrilled by a classy performance against a team of a much lower quality. The first half was a complete disappointment. Bent received no service, Albrighton was marked out of the game and Villa seemed to have a one track mind and play it through the middle. Makoun and Ireland both started and was an opportunity to shine. In this game Makoun sealed his Villa fate. Poor passing and always a couple of steps behind the play. It was clear he wasn’t ready for the pressures of premier league football.
I have read some interesting blogs about Ireland’s performance and some said he showed the class he was capable of. I did not see this. He rarely tracked back into his own half. Chased nothing and his passes were often of a poor quality and not linking play but in fact ending it. There were glimpses of brilliance but with as many wasted opportunities he had it was clear he is not yet back to the form we saw at Man City. One must hope that he finds this soon. Bannan was the star and asked McLeish why he isn’t in the first team already (a perfect swap for the underperforming Petrov).
Delfouneso came on to try and spice things up and he did but the real starlet was Weimann who had pace and vision and always found some space to get into. I don’t know whether Delfouneso was blind to Weimann’s runs or simply ignored them but this lack of vision held Villa back. It was Weimann’s vision that set Delfouneso up and I wanted to see more of him. I hope that Weimann gets the action he craves at Watford and comes back ready for first team action!
So Makoun went – a good wage cut and Luke Young moved to QPR for a fee in the region of £2 million. A great shame to lose one of Villa’s regular performers but it was no secret that he wanted a move back to London and would have gone for free next summer. I never wanted him to leave but if he was going we may as well get some money for him. Hogg was the surprise exit for me but looking at it he is 22 and hadn’t really broken into challenging for the midfield place he craved. Yes he didn’t really get a chance but we may just have to trust McLeish’s decision here.
As deadline day approached Twitter was engulfed with speculation and the day proved fruitful for Villa. First of all – Enda Stevens. This was the “one for the future” that Mat Kendrick from the Birmingham Mail had been told to look out for. Whilst it is fair to say no one had heard of the lad the more research you do into him shows him to be a real promise and he is getting Europa League experience before he joins us. I believe a valuable acquisition at a bargain price.
Alan Hutton – it was of no surprise that we signed him. A Scotland International who has pace and power. Also a previous relationship with McLeish. At 26, with many years on his career, and undoubtedly on a lower wage than Luke Young I believe he can be a signing that will be a Villa regular and really support the defence and attack alike. The only negative is it puts back the progress of Chris Herd who had proved to be quite promising at these early stages of the season.
Finally – Jermaine Jenas. A quality midfielder who has found hard times but has previous England experience. Yes he has been rotting in Spurs’ reserves after injury. However, I don’t think it was his lack of quality keeping him out of Spurs side but that his style of play doesn’t fit that of Tottenham. McLeish is trying to bring variety to Villa’s play and as long as he can stay fit I believe that Jenas can be part of a change of culture and style at Villa Park.
Let’s see if these signings can make the difference.
Up the Villa!
Let’s start with the Carling Cup game versus Hereford. This was the perfect opportunity for some of the previously underperforming players to stake a claim. This was also a chance for the fans to be thrilled by a classy performance against a team of a much lower quality. The first half was a complete disappointment. Bent received no service, Albrighton was marked out of the game and Villa seemed to have a one track mind and play it through the middle. Makoun and Ireland both started and was an opportunity to shine. In this game Makoun sealed his Villa fate. Poor passing and always a couple of steps behind the play. It was clear he wasn’t ready for the pressures of premier league football.
I have read some interesting blogs about Ireland’s performance and some said he showed the class he was capable of. I did not see this. He rarely tracked back into his own half. Chased nothing and his passes were often of a poor quality and not linking play but in fact ending it. There were glimpses of brilliance but with as many wasted opportunities he had it was clear he is not yet back to the form we saw at Man City. One must hope that he finds this soon. Bannan was the star and asked McLeish why he isn’t in the first team already (a perfect swap for the underperforming Petrov).
Delfouneso came on to try and spice things up and he did but the real starlet was Weimann who had pace and vision and always found some space to get into. I don’t know whether Delfouneso was blind to Weimann’s runs or simply ignored them but this lack of vision held Villa back. It was Weimann’s vision that set Delfouneso up and I wanted to see more of him. I hope that Weimann gets the action he craves at Watford and comes back ready for first team action!
So Makoun went – a good wage cut and Luke Young moved to QPR for a fee in the region of £2 million. A great shame to lose one of Villa’s regular performers but it was no secret that he wanted a move back to London and would have gone for free next summer. I never wanted him to leave but if he was going we may as well get some money for him. Hogg was the surprise exit for me but looking at it he is 22 and hadn’t really broken into challenging for the midfield place he craved. Yes he didn’t really get a chance but we may just have to trust McLeish’s decision here.
As deadline day approached Twitter was engulfed with speculation and the day proved fruitful for Villa. First of all – Enda Stevens. This was the “one for the future” that Mat Kendrick from the Birmingham Mail had been told to look out for. Whilst it is fair to say no one had heard of the lad the more research you do into him shows him to be a real promise and he is getting Europa League experience before he joins us. I believe a valuable acquisition at a bargain price.
Alan Hutton – it was of no surprise that we signed him. A Scotland International who has pace and power. Also a previous relationship with McLeish. At 26, with many years on his career, and undoubtedly on a lower wage than Luke Young I believe he can be a signing that will be a Villa regular and really support the defence and attack alike. The only negative is it puts back the progress of Chris Herd who had proved to be quite promising at these early stages of the season.
Finally – Jermaine Jenas. A quality midfielder who has found hard times but has previous England experience. Yes he has been rotting in Spurs’ reserves after injury. However, I don’t think it was his lack of quality keeping him out of Spurs side but that his style of play doesn’t fit that of Tottenham. McLeish is trying to bring variety to Villa’s play and as long as he can stay fit I believe that Jenas can be part of a change of culture and style at Villa Park.
Let’s see if these signings can make the difference.
Up the Villa!
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