I don't know if there has been a weekend where not only any of the top five in the premier league won, but didn't score a single goal.
I certainly can't remember one in my short lifetime, can you imagine the monumental odds you could of had on that with a bookmaker, it would of been a case of name your price.
What makes it even more incredible is the fact high flying Liverpool and Chelsea both had relatively easy home games against sides Fulham and Newcastle.
It's a shining example of the strength of the premier league, long gone are the days where there was the regular whipping boy relegated by christmas, that is apart from Derby last year of course.
This season is the most competitive the league has ever been, the three newly promoted sides have looked at home in the top flight. Stoke vs West Brom on Saturday didn't have the feel of a relegation six pointer.
Despite West Brom being rooted to the bottom, it only takes a couple of wins and they will propel up the the table because of the nature of the league.
It is so condensed, everyone on their day is able to beat each other, just look at Hulls miraculous win at the Emirates.
And it genuinely looks like the big four's monopoly and stranglehold at the top of the league is under threat with underachieving Arsenal being leapfrogged by Villa on the weekend.
I hope this just goes to show that the tycoons dominance, flooding cash into the top clubs isn't quite having the same effect as first thought.
And now clubs are being rewarded for genuine hard work and a good team ethos, thats what footballs about, not the money spinning business it's being turned into.
So get down to your local bookmakers and have some money on Blackburn to go down at 7/2, because I've got a feeling we might be seeing Stoke and Hull again next season.
Monday, 24 November 2008
Tuesday, 18 November 2008
Argentinean FA not quite on the ball, but it's good for the game.
As Diego Maradona prepares his side to take on Scotland in Glasgow on Wednesday night, I just can't help thinking what must go through the heads of the Argentinean FA.
No coaching experience, well known hot head and a man that has been on his death bed a few times is hardly the ideal candidate.
I think it's the equivalent of the English FA replacing Capello with a rehabilitated Paul Gascoigne.
South Americans are well known for their undoubted level of passion and I think this is a quintessential case of how not to vote with your heart instead of your brains.
But do you know what I don't care, I think it's brilliant for the game that someone of his passion and love for his country is in charge.
I can't wait to see little Diego when things don't go his way, immediate touch line ban springs to mind, remember his celebrations at the last World Cup in Germany, jumping up and down in the stands nearly crying when Argentina scored.
I have a feeling we might just see the biggest crash and burn ever seen in International Management, probably resulting in him storming off in a sulk.
Or it could just be that fairytale run of national icon leading his beloved country to World Cup glory, I hope it's the latter.
Terry Butcher has already said he is going to refuse to shake Maradona's hand, great let the controversy commence.
What a breath of fresh air Maradona's appointment will bring to the game, I'm bored of the archetypal expert tacticians that litter the sport at the moment.
I can't imagine Diego has much if any tactical knowledge, but you never know his overt passion and enthusiasm might propel the national side to great things.
I got a sense of what it's going to be like in todays press conference and I think Diego's going to bring a lot of fun to the world of football, but not necessarily quality.
No coaching experience, well known hot head and a man that has been on his death bed a few times is hardly the ideal candidate.
I think it's the equivalent of the English FA replacing Capello with a rehabilitated Paul Gascoigne.
South Americans are well known for their undoubted level of passion and I think this is a quintessential case of how not to vote with your heart instead of your brains.
But do you know what I don't care, I think it's brilliant for the game that someone of his passion and love for his country is in charge.
I can't wait to see little Diego when things don't go his way, immediate touch line ban springs to mind, remember his celebrations at the last World Cup in Germany, jumping up and down in the stands nearly crying when Argentina scored.
I have a feeling we might just see the biggest crash and burn ever seen in International Management, probably resulting in him storming off in a sulk.
Or it could just be that fairytale run of national icon leading his beloved country to World Cup glory, I hope it's the latter.
Terry Butcher has already said he is going to refuse to shake Maradona's hand, great let the controversy commence.
What a breath of fresh air Maradona's appointment will bring to the game, I'm bored of the archetypal expert tacticians that litter the sport at the moment.
I can't imagine Diego has much if any tactical knowledge, but you never know his overt passion and enthusiasm might propel the national side to great things.
I got a sense of what it's going to be like in todays press conference and I think Diego's going to bring a lot of fun to the world of football, but not necessarily quality.
Monday, 10 November 2008
Britains greatest ever boxer!
Now the dust has settled at Madison Square Gardens it's time to reflect on the career of simply a boxing great.
It looks as though Joe Calzaghe will retire within the next couple days and he leaves behind a legacy matched by no other British boxer in the history of the sport.
His convincing points win against Roy Jones JR, 118-109 marked by all three judges, marks the probable end of a run which has seen the Welshman unbeaten in 46 fights.
Calazaghe hit the deck in the first round after he was floored by a right hand from the American.
But a bloody nosed Calazaghe came out in the second and never looked back landing an avalanche of punches to take the next 11 rounds.
Many people have questioned Calazaghes career for the lack of career defining fights, why didn't he fight Hopkins or Jones earlier in his career and why did it take him so long to fight in America.
The critics said Calazaghe was in a no win situation on Saturday, lose and he was never as good as the massive faith Britain and his fans have always showed in him, win and he was only beating an ageing legend well past his best.
But for me the manner in which Calazaghe disposed of the American in his own back yard after being knocked down in the first equaled one of his best ever performances and was his career defining fight.
I hope he goes on to retire now, there isn't such a thing as a fairytale ending when it comes to boxing, rarely does it pay to go on fight after fight.
Calazaghe has built a legacy which means he should go out on top, not many boxers have that chance, Lennox Lewis did it, but so many have had a career tarnished by losing their last three or four fights.
But It won't surprise me if Joe has just one more fight, I certainly wouldn't betting against him winning.
It looks as though Joe Calzaghe will retire within the next couple days and he leaves behind a legacy matched by no other British boxer in the history of the sport.
His convincing points win against Roy Jones JR, 118-109 marked by all three judges, marks the probable end of a run which has seen the Welshman unbeaten in 46 fights.
Calazaghe hit the deck in the first round after he was floored by a right hand from the American.
But a bloody nosed Calazaghe came out in the second and never looked back landing an avalanche of punches to take the next 11 rounds.
Many people have questioned Calazaghes career for the lack of career defining fights, why didn't he fight Hopkins or Jones earlier in his career and why did it take him so long to fight in America.
The critics said Calazaghe was in a no win situation on Saturday, lose and he was never as good as the massive faith Britain and his fans have always showed in him, win and he was only beating an ageing legend well past his best.
But for me the manner in which Calazaghe disposed of the American in his own back yard after being knocked down in the first equaled one of his best ever performances and was his career defining fight.
I hope he goes on to retire now, there isn't such a thing as a fairytale ending when it comes to boxing, rarely does it pay to go on fight after fight.
Calazaghe has built a legacy which means he should go out on top, not many boxers have that chance, Lennox Lewis did it, but so many have had a career tarnished by losing their last three or four fights.
But It won't surprise me if Joe has just one more fight, I certainly wouldn't betting against him winning.
Wednesday, 5 November 2008
Rugby League - The joke of all World Cups!
I'm an ardent sport's fan, football and Liverpool crazy, Partial to a good game of rugby union and I mean union and I was thrillingly excited by Lewis Hamilton's triumph in Formula 1 on the weekend.
However there are some sports I simply cannot stomach, one of them is cricket, I can't stand the game. A test match I think is about as worse as it gets in terms of a sporting spectacle.
But nothing compares to Rugby League and you only have to look as far as the current World Cup to see what a joke of a sport it is.
It's ludicrous format is the most outrageous set of rules I have ever seen.
Group A of three consists of four teams where the top three in the group automatically qualify for the semi-final.
That's three of the four semi-final spot's taken up and there's still two groups left, what kind of set up is that?
The other remaining two groups which consists of three teams sees the winners from each group face each other in a playoff to qualify for the one remaining semi-final spot, hardly fair is it!
So what do the RFL do? They shove the apparently three best teams (England, Australia and New Zealand) in group A with unheard of rugby league minnows Papa New Guinea who become the whipping boy's of the tournament.
Why don't they just cut the middle man out and put those three sides straight into the semi-finals, it's basically what there doing anyway.
What happened to a good old fashioned random World Cup draw?
All they have to do is beat New Guinea and there you go well done you have reached a World Cup semi final, what a farce!
Whereas Ireland and Scotland have to battle it out winning three games on the trot before they reach the latter stages.
And England didn't even beat Papa New Guinea that convincingly then got stuffed by Australia, maybe the RFL should think about revising the list for the exclusive Group A club.
I'll be watching a lot of Sport this weekend, but the Rugby League certainly won't feature on my agenda, how could it it's the start of the Union Autumn internationals.
However there are some sports I simply cannot stomach, one of them is cricket, I can't stand the game. A test match I think is about as worse as it gets in terms of a sporting spectacle.
But nothing compares to Rugby League and you only have to look as far as the current World Cup to see what a joke of a sport it is.
It's ludicrous format is the most outrageous set of rules I have ever seen.
Group A of three consists of four teams where the top three in the group automatically qualify for the semi-final.
That's three of the four semi-final spot's taken up and there's still two groups left, what kind of set up is that?
The other remaining two groups which consists of three teams sees the winners from each group face each other in a playoff to qualify for the one remaining semi-final spot, hardly fair is it!
So what do the RFL do? They shove the apparently three best teams (England, Australia and New Zealand) in group A with unheard of rugby league minnows Papa New Guinea who become the whipping boy's of the tournament.
Why don't they just cut the middle man out and put those three sides straight into the semi-finals, it's basically what there doing anyway.
What happened to a good old fashioned random World Cup draw?
All they have to do is beat New Guinea and there you go well done you have reached a World Cup semi final, what a farce!
Whereas Ireland and Scotland have to battle it out winning three games on the trot before they reach the latter stages.
And England didn't even beat Papa New Guinea that convincingly then got stuffed by Australia, maybe the RFL should think about revising the list for the exclusive Group A club.
I'll be watching a lot of Sport this weekend, but the Rugby League certainly won't feature on my agenda, how could it it's the start of the Union Autumn internationals.
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