tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5409791595766040202024-03-13T09:56:33.287-07:00RamblingsFull Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-86594107299817682332013-02-02T04:46:00.004-08:002013-02-02T04:46:50.824-08:00Manchester United have lost their identity but it won't be long until it all comes together
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Wednesday night's display at Southampton was a poor one from United. The sloppiness and lethargic nature of the performance, especially in the second half, will give United fans many concerns as we head into the crucial stage of the season. But, despite what was a worrying performance, let's not panic just yet.</div>
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The problem this season for United has been that we have lost our identity – a set way of playing. The same could be said of City or Chelsea. But if you look lower down the league, you see teams who play a certain way and have a clear strategy. Swansea, for example, like to play their passing game at a quick tempo, Arsenal are the same while Spurs use their wide players to great use. The difference is that United, City and Chelsea have better players and more quality – just look at how Robin van Persie or Juan Mata have made the difference time and time again. The problem with that, though, is that it creates a mess. United don't have any obvious way of playing this season and that's why you get performances like we saw on Wednesday. </div>
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In the past, Sir Alex Ferguson has used width to great advantage with skillful, pacey wide players – such as Nani, Valencia, Giggs – creating havoc. Look at the stats over the last few seasons – in 2011/12, Valencia had 13 assists in the league, more than any other player at United, the same goes for Nani the year before (14) and Giggs the year before that (9). This season, the assists have very much been shared with Rooney leading the way on 7, RvP on 6, Evra 5 and Valencia 4. </div>
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The difference this year is that SAF has attempted to implement the diamond, partly due to the arrival of Kagawa and the emergence of Cleverley and partly due to how out of form or injured our wingers have been. It has had mixed results. The performance and win against Newcastle saw the benfits of the diamond – with Carrick dropping deep to protect the defence while Cleverley and Kagawa brought guile and energy in midfield and Rooney played in his best position behind the hard-working Welbeck and the brilliant Robin van Persie. But it's not always easy to change the way the team plays, it takes time to bring in – especially when that team are in a transiation phase like United currently are. While SAF has an extremely strong squad, players are still bedding in. For example, Kagawa is still very much finding his feet, Cleverley is still developing while Smalling, Jones, Welbeck and Powell are all still growing and learning. </div>
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Eventually, though, United will find their identity. The young players will gain that crucial experience needed, our wingers will inevitable find some form and players like Kagawa will, at some point, fully settle in and have maximum affect in our best XI. Once that happens, we'll start to compete with the best in Europe once again. </div>
Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-83871529894815285052012-04-27T10:16:00.002-07:002012-04-27T14:46:13.796-07:00The travesty of Chelsea’s colossal triumphIt was a remarkable
night in Barcelona. Chelsea, after experiencing a fairly miserable season,
achieved something truly astonishing. It was a memorable, stunning night of
football. But, sadly, not everyone is capable of enjoying such an incredible
achievement.<br />
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Chelsea arrived in
Spain with few people giving them any chance of beating one of the greatest
sides to ever play the game. But they had a plan, and it worked. It was a truly
wonderful team effort. Camped inside their own half for virtually every second,
Chelsea produced a superb rearguard performance to somehow, almost
unbelievably, beat the reigning European Champions. And they played with ten
men for most of it! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Not everyone
appreciates it, however. <o:p></o:p></div>
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“Anti-football” they
cry. “Ruining the game” I hear. Absolute rubbish.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Yes, a team with a £250million starting XI beating a largely home-grown,
beautiful-on-the-eye footballing side may not seem much to shout about, but
that couldn’t be further from the truth.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Chelsea’s monumental
effort to defeat Barcelona was a simple staggering effort. The Spanish giants were
not at their best, granted, and Chelsea did need their luck, but the sheer grit
and determination shown by a bunch of millionaires thrown together from all
around the world was extraordinary.
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I love watching
Barcelona play. It’s wonderful to witness the Catalans in full flow, but it is
only one way to play the game. The slick passing and movement between Messi,
Xavi, Iniesta and co. is quite something but, only because that’s the way they
play, it doesn’t mean everyone else has to follow. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Chelsea’s style may
not have looked pretty but let us not forget – defence is 50% of football.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Defending is always
overlooked. I mean, just look at the PFA Player of the Year nominations –
Sergio Aguero, Robin Van Persie, Wayne Rooney – all strikers. Yes, all have had
superb seasons and deserve their place on the list, but what about the likes of
Vincent Kompany? Rio Ferdinand? Nemanja Vidic was arguably the best player in
the world a few years ago, but was he even close to winning the Ballon D’Or?
Don’t be silly.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is what
infuriates me. Defending is an art. It’s frustratingly overlooked and only ever
picked up upon when someone makes a mistake. Every great football team needs a
strong defence. <o:p></o:p></div>
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And Chelsea produced
one of the greatest defensive performances of all time on Tuesday evening. Every single player in white put in
their all to keep Barca out. Bodies were being thrown around everywhere, it was
a wall in front of Petr Cech.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Barcelona may have had
over 80% of the ball, but Chelsea had 60% of the goals and that, at the end of
the day, is all that matters. Chelsea deserve their place in the final, it was
a simply staggering effort. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So please, don’t try
to tarnish what was a phenomenal effort. Jealously isn’t pretty, bitterness is
ugly. Just accept – Chelsea were outstanding.<o:p></o:p></div>Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-58746295772991959152012-02-10T09:25:00.000-08:002012-02-10T09:27:13.649-08:00What is happening to our beautiful game<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When I was a kid, football was a simple game. It was something to be cherished and enjoyed. It was about my team being better than yours, our players being more skilful than yours, our stadium being louder than yours. It was something that kept you going through the school week, knowing your team was playing that weekend. If your team won then you’d go into school the next day with a smile on your face, if you lost then you tried to fake being ill so you wouldn’t have to face all the mocking.</span></span><br />
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</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But in recent times it feels like football is losing its soul. People are forgetting what the game is all about. It’s a 90-minute match played between 22 men that try to kick a ball into a net, it’s as simple as that. But it’s poisoned; the arguments rage and the insults are never-ending.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Arguing about football is natural and it’s part of the reason we love the game but we should be arguing about who’s the better player, which goal took the more skill or whether a manager played the right team. It shouldn’t be about referees and lambasting them because they made an honest error. It happens to all of us. Players and managers make mistakes all the time but never receive the same criticism as referees. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then there’s the racism issues, a plague that’s threatening to destroy everything I believe in. It beggars belief to see a football club defending a player for making a racist remark and claiming he’s done nothing wrong or to see a manager defending his crowd from booing a player who was the recipient of a racist remark. What is this? Because it certainly isn’t sport.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tell me, if a man walked up to another guy in the street and kicked him because “he is black”, would people defend him? Of course not! But because it’s football, fans feel they must defend their players or their team no matter what. Then it results in more arguing, more name-calling, more racist remarks. It’s not pleasant at all.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If one of my players was accused and found guilty of racism or violent conduct or anything along those lines then I’d want him banned and taught a lesson. Ignorance is no excuse, because it was in the “heat of the moment” is no excuse. Tell that to the people who have been tortured and killed because of the colour of their skin. This is football, a game, it was invented so people could have fun. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The problem isn’t a single manager or player or even a club, it’s the staggering mass of people who actually feel something like racism is acceptable because their player did it. The fact that they’ll defend him tooth and nail and not for one second dare to consider the possibility that their player, their hero, was actually in the wrong. It’s understandable to support your players and your club but there’s a line. After all, football is not only a sport, we’re talking about people’s lives. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Money is another evil that is threatening to turn football into a soulless sport. Millions and millions, even billions, of pounds are being exchanged and wasted without anyone battering an eyelid. It’s sad, but will only get worse. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love arguing about football, who doesn’t, but not like this. You have to ask yourself, what is happening to football? Songs mocking the dead, fans aggressively arguing with each other over a refereeing decision or a four-year-old kid believing calling someone a “negro” is alright because one of his heroes said it. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It’s a sad state of affairs, all the pleasure of football is gradually seeping. Something needs to be done, and quickly. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 75.0pt;"><br />
</div>Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-53151922253276376432011-09-04T17:52:00.000-07:002011-09-04T17:58:13.847-07:00The start of a new era for English footballEngland fans a fickle folk. One minute it's all doom and gloom and the next we're going to win the World Cup. But England's impressive 3-0 win in Bulgaria last Friday gave fans a reason to be optimistic about the future.<br />
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It was a new style of football not witnessed by England fans before. Fabio Capello, and many previous England managers, have stubbornly used the rigid and orthodox 4-4-2 formation. There's nothing wrong with this but it doesn't suit the way English players play and the players that the national side have had down the years.<br />
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Traditionally English players have played with pace and power. They're not technical players, it's a very unique way of playing but it's our way of playing. Too often in the past have we been attempting to play the continental style of keeping the ball and patiently building an attack. We should be playing to our strengths, instead of trying to beat other teams at their own game.<br />
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You look at the options England have available - Ashley Young, Theo Walcott, Aaron Lennon a few examples - and there's so much pace there, no other national side in the world can boast such options.<br />
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I'm not going to get hopeful and giddy with a win over a poor Bulgaria side but it was the way the team was set up and the manner of the victory which should give English fans hope for the future. The rigid 4-4-2 had gone and instead there was a more fluid, flexible 4-2-3-1 formation.<br />
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England played with two holding players win the shape of Scott Parker and Gareth Barry who protected the back four, exerted a lot of energy and hassled the Bulgarians into mistakes. This was what allowed the front four to play with such freedom and expression.<br />
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Walcott was on the right, Downing on the left with Young playing in behind Wayne Rooney. That is a formidable front four with an abundance of pace and versatility. Instead of having to stick to their individual positions, these four were allowed to make runs from anywhere, causing havoc amongst the defence.<br />
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It also allowed Rooney to play with freedom, this is when he's at his best and most effective. One of Capello's greatest frustrations is how he continues to play players out of their best position. Rooney is without question England's best player, he's one of the best in the world on his day but so often he has under-performed with England.<br />
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But on Friday he scored two goals and looked at his best. He was allowed to play with that freedom. Rooney is the type of player who's desperate to be involved and get his foot on the ball but he cannot do that when he's stuck to one position. This wasn't the case against Bulgaria. The three behind him meant he could drop off at times to get involved in the play but also play as the traditional number nine. It's when he's at his peerless best.<br />
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It's early days but there's promising signs for England. There's a new breed of players coming though, the likes of Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, Tom Cleverley, Jack Wilshere and more, and they're a different type of player to the previous generation. They're more technical and have a more intelligent footballing brain. They're capable of keeping the ball better, it's an exciting thought when thinking of the future of English football.<br />
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Below is a very probable England team in a few years. Not only is the formation different, but the style of play is different, as is the type of players compared to the previous generation. There's plenty of fluidity upfront along with a great abundance of energy in central midfield as Wilshere and Cleverley will run all day long. The players are far more technical, better on the ball. Even the defenders like Smalling and Jones. The amount of pace and power in there is frightening.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CkBpjlTyXj2tOvv892HfANXOD0VIy6baV8-82QHWpofvsH6f6rkeFoxUu-gH6zbmnLC1rWig4-2mdJfct11PCyDodhMQt4Xz0GoWu9blY89PZYanKkKlBgkpPgvGeBq1s9qo8qRWtO4/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-09-05+at+01.42.26.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CkBpjlTyXj2tOvv892HfANXOD0VIy6baV8-82QHWpofvsH6f6rkeFoxUu-gH6zbmnLC1rWig4-2mdJfct11PCyDodhMQt4Xz0GoWu9blY89PZYanKkKlBgkpPgvGeBq1s9qo8qRWtO4/s320/Screen+shot+2011-09-05+at+01.42.26.png" width="217" /></a></div><br />
Players are capable of playing in different positions and swapping with each other. Young can move out to the left, Rooney can drop off and play a deeper role while Walcott could cut inside and take it on himself or power down the line, beating men and putting in a cross. It's what England have lacked in recent years. We've been far too rigid in the past and that's been a big reason for our downfall.<br />
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The other advantage of this system is how the full-backs will be allowed far more freedom to bomb down the wings and get involved in attacks as they are fully aware that they have plenty of protection in the shape of the two holding midfield players. There are so many positives to this style and it's when England play their best football. They look solid at the back and threatening in attack. The players coming through have plenty of talent but it's all about transferring it to the big tournaments, and if they can do that then there's exciting times ahead.Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-1013763360407677322011-08-11T06:29:00.000-07:002011-08-24T14:28:45.766-07:002011-12 Football season predictions<div class="MsoNormal">2011/12 Premier league predictions:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Manchester United</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Manchester City</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Chelsea</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Arsenal</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Liverpool</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Spurs</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Bolton</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Everton</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Fulham</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Sunderland </li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Aston Villa </li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Stoke</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Wigan</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">West Brom</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Norwich </li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Wolves</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Newcastle</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">QPR</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Blackburn</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Swansea</li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">5 points – Correct Place</div><div class="MsoNormal">3 points – 1 or 2 places out</div><div class="MsoNormal">-5 points – wrong by more than 5</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">FA Cup: United (5)<br />
League Cup: City (5)<br />
Champions League: Barcelona (5)<br />
First Premier League manager to leave his job: Steve Kean (5)<br />
Premier League top scorer: Wayne Rooney (5)<br />
Championship: West Ham (5)<o:p></o:p></div>Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-70703943169024836412011-08-07T17:26:00.000-07:002011-08-07T17:52:05.801-07:00Community Shield analysis: United's fluidity and flexibility crush sloppy CityThe Community Shield is only a friendly, yes, but it's a good indicator for the new season. It may not mean much and the losers will brush it off as nothing more than a friendly defeat but it helps to gage where a team is at. And, based on yesterdays game, the two teams were poles apart. United looked fluid, they were versatile and sharp. They had options, kept the ball well and played with passion, desire and as a team. City looked like a bunch of individuals thrown on the pitch, there was no drive, almost like they didn't want it. City were outplayed just as much as United were outplayed barely three months ago at the hands of Barcelona.<br />
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It may have no bearing on the destination of the Premier League title but the Community Shield gave us a clear signal - United are going to be very tough to dethrone. They bossed the game and displayed so many qualities which are needed for a title winning side.<br />
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The most impressive aspect of the performance, in my opinion, was the fluidity and flexibility of the front line, especially after the break. The movement and understanding between them was exceptional. Ashley Young and Luis Nani constantly switched flanks and cut inside, causing mayhem and confusion to City's defence. Tom Cleverley and Anderson controlled the midfield with energy and precise passing. Wayne Rooney pulled the strings in the free role, he repeatedly found the ball in space before producing a vital pass. Danny Welbeck's pace and strength saw him cause trouble to City as he was never in the same position. It was an inter-changing front six, unlike before when it's been a rigid 4-4-2.<br />
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The second goal showed just this. It was a quite brilliant goal, a goal which Barcelona would be proud of. In fact, had Barcelona scored that goal, no-one would stop talking about it. The touch and movement from Rooney, Cleverley and Nani was stunning. The spacial awareness and anticipation made the goal, they were all on the same wavelength, knowing where each other each going. It was a magnificent, wonderful goal.<br />
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There are so many players you could pick out from this performance. Chris Smalling was once again outstanding, Anderson bossed the central midfield, Welbeck showed pace and hunger, but I was particularly encouraged by Nani and Cleverley.<br />
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I've always been a great fan of Nani. He is greedy and can be extremely frustrating at times but he produces moments of genius that turn games. He has pace and trickery, he scores goals and can put in a wicked cross when he wants to. His finish for United's second goal was sublime before he showed great composure to round Hart and win the match in the final minutes. He was good last season, this year he could become a world beater.<br />
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Cleverley produced perhaps the most encouraging individual display. Last season, United badly lacked a central midfielder who was capable of putting in a tackle but also getting up the other end and creating goals. Cleverley showed he could be that player. He has the complete package. He showed his quick feet and sharp thinking, his passing was accurate throughout and he tracked back time and time again, always putting in a tackle, showing great energy and desire.<br />
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The strength in depth was evident, too. It's almost come out of nowhere. There's been raging debates all summer on how badly United needed a central midfielder, but that was far from the case at Wembley. All over the pitch United have two players competing hard. It's the most important factor for a title winning side.<br />
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And the most frightening aspect was how young the side was. Sir Alex's genius continues to amaze. It was only a matter of months ago when there was an issue of an ageing squad with the likes of Scholes and Van Der Sar retiring. Now, there is a squad who could go on to dominate for another 10 years. There was a 20 minute period of the match where the average age of the United XI was a mere 22 years. Amazing.<br />
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It's a message of intent from United to all their rivals. They will not rest on their laurels, the squad is hungry for yet more success, Ferguson is as motivated as ever. He's building a new United squad, a young, fresh squad ready for the challenges.<br />
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As for City, they'll brush it off as a meaningless friendly, and rightly so. But it was clear to se their problems. They lack a creative midfielder to go alongside Silva as well as some width. City may have money to spend at will but money alone cannot buy success. You need that hunger and desire, that motivation to win trophies.<br />
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As I said, the Community Shield is completely meaningless in terms of glory but it can set the tone for the season ahead. It can give you huge confidence and bring a side together. United were extremely impressive at Wembley and, if that performance is anything to go by, there will be a 20th league title on it's way to Old Trafford come May.Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-6689574595964618542011-07-28T17:37:00.000-07:002011-09-11T15:42:48.581-07:00My first ever under par roundIt's been an aim of mine my whole life, everything I've worked for - shooting an under par round. I love golf, it's a quite brilliant sport. Frustrating, yes, but ever so rewarding when it all comes right.<br />
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So, it was Monday afternoon and I was off for a fun round with my mate as we do once or twice a week. It was at my local course, as ever. It's not a difficult course but neither is it easy. It's challenging, you have to plot your way around and good iron play is crucial.<br />
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I walked down for the first hole, relaxed, looking forward to an enjoyable round in the sunshine. Seven iron on the simple first hole, the shortest par 4 on the course. I was determined to leave myself a good distance in, but I pulled it left. Swing felt stiff and rusty. Maybe it was going to be a long day.<br />
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I was left with only a wedge in, but I was right behind a tree. It was a crisp strike and it landed softly. Right of the pin but had a 12 footer to get my round off to the ideal start. When through my usual routine, this was a great chance to start perfectly. Lined it up, solid stroke.... BANG! Straight in the middle. Few better feelings than seeing a birdie putt hit the bottom of the cup. I fist pumped and got the adrenaline running, maybe this could be the day for that under par round.<br />
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Onto the second, a very difficult, long, uphill par 4. Sweetly struck my drive but pushed it right. Left myself with a 7-iron in from 160 yards. Again, struck it beautifully but pulled it. It was a tricky up and down left, and a poor chip left me a 10 footer for par....oooo! Shaved the hole. Back to level.<br />
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Third hole. Tricky, downhill par 3 with a two-tier green. Not easy. Got an 8-iron out, didn't hit it cleanly but it was straight and stopped a whisker short of the green leaving me a 20 footer for another birdie. Huge swing off the right but I fancied it. As soon as it left the putter face, it was in. Curled beautifully into the centre of the cup, back to under par and I was feeling confident. Especially now we were entering a very friendly stretch of three holes, all are birdie chances.<br />
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First is a 480 par-5. Good drive, set myself up for a 5-wood approach that left me 30 yards short. Another birdie chance. Hit a decent pitch to leave me a make-able 20 foot birdie putt to get to -2 but I left it high.<br />
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Now came two short par 4s, and I played them both immaculately. A solid drive down number five left me with a sand wedge in, I had a 12 footer for birdie but pushed it. To number six and again, I laid up of the water with a soft 8-irion leaving myself a sand-wedge in. Crisp strike and had yet another 12 footer for birdie. I didn't fancy it, outside left and quick, very quick, but it rattled in. Another fist pump, now two under. I was feeling good.<br />
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The seventh hole is, in my opinion, the toughest on the course. A 410-yard dogleg left par-4 which was playing into wind. A narrow entrance to the green with a bunker left and right, it's tough. I took my 3-wood off the tee, my usual choice as I don't carry a driver due to my consistency with the 3-wood, and it pinged of the face but right and in the rough. Took a 5-wood but came up a good 20 yards short to leave a tricky up and down. My chip was good, if not spectacular, leaving me with a testy 15 foot par putt.... straight in the middle again!<br />
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This was the moment when I began to realise that something special could happen, I was -2 and feeling relaxed heading onto the eighth tee. Another great par-4, not long but not easy. Another good drive set me up but I miss-judged my second shot and left a long, bendy putt up the hill for birdie. I struck it well, it looked good and curling towards the hole, I thought it was in....but it just held up a fraction short. Tap in par, that'd do nicely.<br />
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The ninth is a long par-4, a couple of sweetly struck shots gave me a 30 footer for birdie. Again, the stroke was good but it trickled by. I tapped in for a third straight par and was thrilled with my front nine, 34 shots, two under par.<br />
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It's a long walk to the tenth, plenty of time to gather my thoughts. I prefer the back nine but I've struggled on it of late. The tenth is a middle range par-4. Two heavy irons left me short but a neat chip gave me a further tap in par to remain at -2 and heading onto a very reachable par-5.<br />
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I smashed a drive down the middle but the wind into face made reaching the green in two difficult, I failed but was only 20 yards short. I chipped to within 8 foot, could have left an easier putt but I rolled it in firmly. Another first pump and suddenly.... I was -3!<br />
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The 12th is ranked the most difficult hole on the course but it was playing downwind and a straight drive put me in prime position. I had a 6-iron left, wasn't my cleanest strike but it was straight and I had yet another make-able birdie putt from within 15 foot. I was scared of it. Left it a good three feet short. No matter, I confidently rolled it in to remain at three under.<br />
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The 13th is a challenging par-3, I was half a club short with my tee shot but I had a 25 footer for birdie. Again, my stroke was good but it tailed off to the right, leaving me with another par - five in the last six holes.<br />
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I felt in control. This was it for me, an amazing chance to achieve a dream of mine. Usually, I think too far ahead when scoring well and that's my downfall. Not this time. I had a nice rhythm and was striking the ball well. Most importantly, I felt confident with the putter. I took each hole as it came, it wasn't until the 14th tee when I started to play with fear.<br />
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It's a par-5 and a presentable birdie chance, but I was scared of the trees down the right, which resulted in me pulling my tee shot well left. Safe but left. Again, my second shot I pushed right, fearing the ditch on the left. I was now faced with a 140-yard shot from the rough, over a lake. This was the most nervous I felt during the whole round. I was so close, but there were still four holes to go to achieve my ambition. I stepped over the ball, I said to myself 'confident, free flowing swing' and.... bang! It was a beauty. Right over the pin, giving me a 15 footer to go -4. It trickled off to the right but I was content enough.<br />
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The 15th is a gorgeous hole. A short par-3 but a narrow, long green and a huge bunker at the front make it tough. I hit my 8-iron dead straight but well short. It left me with a long, snaky, uphill putt from 40 foot for birdie. All I wanted was a two putt. I lined it up and was determined not to leave it short. I didn't. As soon as it left the putter, I knew it was good. It tracked beautifully, dead straight the whole way. Rolling, closer and closer until....bang! Another birdie! It nearly bounced out but I couldn't care less as I leaped in the air and let out a huge roar and a fist pump. Now FOUR under with three holes left.<br />
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Just three pars James, that would make me more than happy. Sixteen is tough, very tough. Narrow and long with a ditch in front of the green. I pushed my tee shot right, leaving me with 175-yars left from the rough and facing some trees barely 20 yards in front. Shall I play safe and just lay up or hit the green? I went for it.<br />
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And I got it. I was determined to play confident, natural golf and not be scared of any shot. I hit my trusted hybrid and stuck it to 15 foot. This was the moment when I knew I'd done enough, 17 and 18 are not difficult holes. I knew, at this moment, that I was going to be under par. I fancied the putt but left it a fraction short. I stayed at -4 heading onto my favourite hole on the course, the short 17th.<br />
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My drive left me with a 9-iron in and I hit it as clean as you can get. It was straight down the pin, and I was left with a 4 footer for birdie. I missed! I thought it was in, I took a step thinking it was in but it lipped out. I tapped in but, despite my current score, I wasn't happy. I wanted to shoot as low as possible.<br />
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But now for the final hole and a glorious par-3. It really is a fantastic finishing hole. Short, uphill, over a lake with bunkers and a small green. So picturesque. I took out my 8-iorn and hit another beautifully struck, precise shot to within 15 foot.<br />
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I had dreamt of this moment for years, walking onto the final green with a putt for a round sub-70 and under par. It was even better than that, it was for a 66. I didn't particularly like the look of the putt but I was determined to finish with a flourish. I did. It was speedy but straight into the centre of the cup. YES! I shouted. COME ON! I bellowed. Fist pumps galore. A round of 66, I was in disbelief. My playing partner and friend was in shock.<br />
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I will never forget it. A dream realised.Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-66625730335395397582011-05-29T18:03:00.000-07:002011-05-29T18:03:42.070-07:00Donald completes miraculous turnaroundLuke Donald became world number one on Monday after his victory in BMA PGA Championship at Wentworth, an astonishing thought given where he was a year ago.<br />
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A string of consistent performances have seen him gradually rise in the ranking. It all began in the Fedex Cup last year when he was narrowly pipped to the $10million prize by Jim Furyk, before producing the best golf at a remarkable and unforgettable Ryder Cup.<br />
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The 33-year-old continued his impressive form at the start of this year, winning the WCG matchplay, before finishing tied fourth in the Masters, and then coming runner-up to Ian Poulter in the second World Matchplay event.<br />
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His consistency is summed up with this one stat - Donald has finished in the top 10 in 14 of the last 15 events. A staggering and brilliant statistic. <br />
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It's difficult to pinpoint exactly where and how Donald has improved so dramatically in such a short space of time.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9MewD04QvRuv00d15HI_BCeriQnHkHU43Xla8LuhnrZfZM8OakRffaSMSWbtgQX6Xi9rq0dJjRtzuLjsUUgPPlZqj9_jv3sEtpECH39-MdJ_YeQ59uUErDhFMd78Soed9OsBXdqbtOHo/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-05-30+at+01.25.23.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9MewD04QvRuv00d15HI_BCeriQnHkHU43Xla8LuhnrZfZM8OakRffaSMSWbtgQX6Xi9rq0dJjRtzuLjsUUgPPlZqj9_jv3sEtpECH39-MdJ_YeQ59uUErDhFMd78Soed9OsBXdqbtOHo/s400/Screen+shot+2011-05-30+at+01.25.23.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Luke Donald has undoubtedly been the best player on the planet in 2011. His silky smooth swing never causes him to be off balance and rarely does he hit a wayward shot. </span></div><br />
He has the all round game to someday win a major, there can be little doubt of that. Probably the current best putter in the game, Donald has displayed some incredible golf in recent months. Having won the matchplay without being behind is a remarkable achievement.<br />
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Many attributes make up a top class golfer but perhaps the most important is putting. It's the one area where Donald has improved. He rarely misses, in fact it's more rare for Fernando Torres to score a goal than for Luke Donald to miss within ten feet.<br />
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The calmness and composure of the man is another noticeable and major factor in his rise up the rankings. Rarely does Donald show any emotion. He quietly gets on with the job while others fret and panic around him. Even when he was making serene progress up the leaderboard on the last day of the Masters, there was little emotion. Only when he chipped in for birdie on the last did he react with a fist pump or two.<br />
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In the past, that absence of emotion has been mistaken for a lack of passion or willingness to win and succeed. But it's the type of guy he is. Comes across as laid back whereas in fact he's a passionate, hard-working golfer, who's desperate to succeed at the highest level.<br />
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The achievement of getting to world number one is even more remarkable given the modern game. It's becoming more about the big hitters, something which Donald is certainly not. He plots his way around the course, playing to his strengths and working out the best way to go about things.<br />
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Donald proves that you don't have to be a long hitter to succeed. As proved by the fact that he has played par 5s third best out of everyone on the PGA Tour this season.<br />
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Now he is number one, it's time for the ultimate goal - a major. He has the game and mentality to do it. To win a major you have to remain calm and composed and not get ruffled when the going gets tough. You also need that grit and determination to see yourself through that inevitable bad round.<br />
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Donald has these attributes in abundance, and he proved that during his PGA Championship win. He was far from his best but time and time again, he got himself out of trouble, displaying the steely grit and will to win needed to claim the top prizes.<br />
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And he didn't bottle it when it mattered. Playing the play-off hole against the number one golfer at the time, Lee Westwood, he produced four immaculate shots to birdie the hole and win the competition.<br />
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Now he has to bring all parts of his game together in a major championship, only then will he be remembered as a true great.<br />
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Donald has achieved an awful lot and, at 33, still has time to really impose himself into the golfing history books. There's no doubt he has the temperament and the game to win a major, but, as proved with Lee Westwood, it is never easy winning that first one.Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-22917651380683190832011-05-05T07:32:00.000-07:002011-05-05T07:34:28.666-07:00How to beat the mighty Barcelona<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There are easier tasks than this. Finding a way to beat one of the best teams ever to walk onto a football pitch is not easy but Sir Alex Ferguson and his Manchester United team must find a way of doing that if they are to lift the European Cup at Wembley.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These are my propositions providing everyone is fit and available. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">First things first, United win the defensive battle. If Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic are fit then that will be a huge boost. United have only conceded four goals all competition, half than Barca, so there's already reason to be in confident mood.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But here's the conundrum: How do you stifle that Barcelona midfield but attack them at the same time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The best way to get at Barcelona is down the wings with pace, so I would definitely start Antonio Valencia on the right. His pace, crossing, dribbling ability, defensive work and finishing would cause any team problems.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the left I'd have Park Ji Sung, purely for his tenacity and longevity. He can harry and hassle that Barcelona midfield all night long while others take advantage of the space that it creates. Park did this supremely well in the first leg against Chelsea and it proved vital.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The dilemma left is who and how many you play in central midfield to stem that unbelievably strong Barca midfield as well as having enough players to go forward and create chances for yourself. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>You can attack....</b></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
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</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0dqTNi4gwtwkloLHysseTJZHms4vE_OUDuluTO-xulX1eb3Gdlxgs-79480f_3Ite3uxEGaZw31gAADSoJTmpnvMybK2YZBSdEuKGPkbTChQoL5S6qTsF96g71tNyqumx3e4wQRCli4/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-05-04+at+23.58.30.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0dqTNi4gwtwkloLHysseTJZHms4vE_OUDuluTO-xulX1eb3Gdlxgs-79480f_3Ite3uxEGaZw31gAADSoJTmpnvMybK2YZBSdEuKGPkbTChQoL5S6qTsF96g71tNyqumx3e4wQRCli4/s400/Screen+shot+2011-05-04+at+23.58.30.png" width="242" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One way to go about it would be to sacrifice a central midfielder and play Rooney off Hernandez with Giggs and Carrick in the middle. This may be a risky strategy against a team with Barcelona's prowess in midfield but it would give United more attacking options, something which Arsenal suffered badly from when they played Barcelona in the Nou Camp. </div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In that game, Robin Van Persie was completely stranded up front and had very little support from the Arsenal midfield, thus allowing Barcelona to take control and continue to attack wave after wave. With Rooney playing behind Hernandez, you would not have the same problem because Rooney would act as the linkup man between the midfield and attack.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The problem this leaves, though, is the vulnerability of the midfield. When you have the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta up against you, you need all the midfielders you can get. However, Arsenal used a similar lineup to this at the Emirates and it paid off as they won the game 2-1, albeit courtesy of some wayward Barcelona finishing. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you were to play this team then the key would be to score first and take a lead into the second half where you can then use your replacements to hold onto that lead. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My bench would be: Kuszack, O'Shea, Smalling, Fletcher, Scholes, Anderson, Berbatov. If United were leading on the hour mark then I would bring Fletcher on for Hernandez and play a five-man midfield with Rooney up top on his own. I'd also be inclined to bring the anergy of Anderson on for Giggs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><br />
<b>Or you can pack the midfield and sit back...</b><br />
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I think this strategy would prove successful in preventing Barcelona's making forward progress. The energy and tenacity of Fletcher, Anderson and Park would stifle that midfield but the problem you have is who would support Rooney up front.<br />
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</b><br />
If you were to do this then I'd also consider to perhaps start Nani ahead of Park, purely for his attacking outlet and ability to create something out of nothing. But his lack of defensive qualities would count against him.<br />
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This choice of lineup would force you to flood the bench with attacking options, the likes of Berbatov and Hernandez would have to be there.<br />
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<b>My choice...</b><br />
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My starting XI would be somewhere in the middle, you need the energy in the midfield but you can't afford not to have an attacking outlet. The other key decision is who to start at right back; John O'Shea or Rafael Da Silva. I'd edge towards O'Shea, purely for his experience.<br />
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I also feel that Giggs has to start. He maybe getting on a bit but a man with two Champions League's winners medals cannot be left out. He was the star of the show against Chelsea and the United midfield can look lost without him. I'd start him behind Rooney so he can play the free role, linking up between the striker and midfield.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-lqayjvMVv8ubLzK7XluQ_eYKixDBdm1FMopCjXkDoGUDcW4P9xdnHLPMDldgEWLxVJ9GR6hGJtzelXLgbwRq6w7oJK7-bqWkFfsUQe2L_HaWZb_Fcy6eS7PxHfv0peqGQHG4ylKtx34/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-05-05+at+14.16.55.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-lqayjvMVv8ubLzK7XluQ_eYKixDBdm1FMopCjXkDoGUDcW4P9xdnHLPMDldgEWLxVJ9GR6hGJtzelXLgbwRq6w7oJK7-bqWkFfsUQe2L_HaWZb_Fcy6eS7PxHfv0peqGQHG4ylKtx34/s400/Screen+shot+2011-05-05+at+14.16.55.png" width="243" /></a></div><b><br />
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<b>Bench: Kuzsack, Smalling, Fabio, Anderson, Scholes, Nani, Hernandez. </b><br />
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Having conceded four less goals than Barcelona in the competition and gone unbeaten so far, there are plenty of encouraging signs for United fans as we look ahead to a European Cup final against the mighty Barcelona at Wembley. And it does not get better than that.<br />
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</b>Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-3328185473270175672011-04-27T10:53:00.000-07:002011-04-28T15:02:41.525-07:00Wayne Rooney - The most complete footballer on the planetAccording to some people, Wayne Rooney is having a bad season. He has 14 goals and 12 assists, he has a better minutes-to-goal/assist ratio than he did last season, where he scored 34 goals in 44 games, and he has been a vital cog Manchester United's title run-in and European charge.<br />
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Rooney has been superb in recent weeks, I'd go as far to say that he's produced the best football on the planet in the last month, even better than the magical Lionel Messi or the mesmeric Cristiano Ronaldo.<br />
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They are three players who you cannot compare because they're all too different. What sets Rooney apart are his defensive qualities. It's a part of his game that perhaps explains the reason why he is rarely mentioned as being the best player on the planet.<br />
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Others prefer the magic of Messi or the sheer brilliance of Ronaldo. Rooney, though, is a natural footballer. You could put him in any position of the pitch and he'd be good enough to play at the highest level. Could you do this with Ronaldo or Messi? Never.<br />
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In my view, Rooney has been more influential in United's season this year than last. He has added an extra-dimension with his ability to drop deep and play the free role. His partnership with Hernandez has been a pleasure to watch because they work perfectly together and compliment each other like a jigsaw puzzle.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyq6iJbp4j6dAkmRoM_4kWMfIhCS5_uH-aMxbBple53P3rIg67pHYcxAFPjvzbjf6jsRhOcmiOoUqrAybWQAxuklG_EwghYkN8YDFIYGxXW84LdEY62SKqI4If2HT7z0MFnaSOkF_P1o/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-04-27+at+18.23.07.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyq6iJbp4j6dAkmRoM_4kWMfIhCS5_uH-aMxbBple53P3rIg67pHYcxAFPjvzbjf6jsRhOcmiOoUqrAybWQAxuklG_EwghYkN8YDFIYGxXW84LdEY62SKqI4If2HT7z0MFnaSOkF_P1o/s320/Screen+shot+2011-04-27+at+18.23.07.png" width="302" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Rooney's return to top form has been largely due to his re-poisitioning and partnership with Hernandez, which has the potential to become the most feared attacking threat in the world.</span></div><br />
They have such a great understanding. Both work hard and give everything to the team, meaning they are always working hard for each other and rarely do they find themselves on the wrong wavelength. Hernandez is similar to Owen in many ways, except he's stronger and better in the air, something which plays into Rooney's hands.<br />
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His role of playing behind Hernandez suits Rooney down to the ground. It allows him to run riot and play where he likes. He can express himself, picking up the ball from deep and driving at the defence or producing a raking ball. His passing ability is hardly ever talked about despite it being world class.<br />
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His vision is a freak of nature. He can spot and then produce the most wonderful pass with just a quick glance. His performance in the Champions League first leg at Schalke was magnificent. Time and time again he picked the ball up in between the midfield and Hernandez and picked out an exquisite ball to either Antonio Valencia or Hernandez.<br />
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The first goal was all Rooney's making. He collected the ball midway through the Schalke half, powered towards the defence with intent before side-stepping an opponent and sliding in a sublime pass to Ryan Giggs who finished. And then, just two minutes later, he showed the other part of his game. His movement and finishing. Hernandez and Rooney linked up well which resulted in Rooney receiving the ball in space in the penalty area and cooly finishing into the bottom corner.<br />
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In just these two instances you can understand just how a complete and wonderful player he is. He has a wonderful football brain as well, always capable of picking out the right pass or taking the right option.<br />
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He seems to be happier in recent weeks too. The enjoyment and and satisfaction of playing football is back, it's something which plays a big role in how well Rooney performs. He loves the game of football but he has a very short fuse and recent events in his life has taken all the fun out of his football. Now that's it's back, the world should fear Wayne Rooney.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinqy5s3vD0noAomkqLpQsKH9MLo7-kZI8QRPL8W9cbQlkdg7LjONElNRmx8xwyZU5vSxW-_taiNvw4lH83zwOBJ5KQQ120cBshaBDGjScBVlimNVa70L5zsntP0hmILdLFqgSjw4-_EF4/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-04-27+at+13.19.38.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinqy5s3vD0noAomkqLpQsKH9MLo7-kZI8QRPL8W9cbQlkdg7LjONElNRmx8xwyZU5vSxW-_taiNvw4lH83zwOBJ5KQQ120cBshaBDGjScBVlimNVa70L5zsntP0hmILdLFqgSjw4-_EF4/s400/Screen+shot+2011-04-27+at+13.19.38.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The enjoyment is back in Wayne Rooney's football. He produces a rare smile before going to congratulate the supplier for the second goal in United's victory over Schalke.</span></div><br />
The two chalkboards below highlight perfectly how Rooney's role has changed from last season to this and how it benefits the team more. Last year, Rooney was the main striker. He scored plenty of goals but in doing so the team suffered as a lot of his other attributes went to waste. Scoring goals was obviously key to the team but this season he has assisted and created many more goals for other players. As a result the team has benefited as a whole.<br />
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On the left you see Rooney's passing from the home win over Everton last week. You can see that he made a lot of passes, this was because he picked the ball up from deep and used his superb vision and technique to pick out a pass. On the right is United's home win over West Ham last season. In this game Rooney made a measly 23 passes compared to the 74 he made against Everton, showing the difference from last season to this.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRx2QkUQ6oh-o3QUtve6J3gZ3s3VV5t9mq2jWkebCLn4WNMSA5jrNzrQeiG97HTu2rTc3b6-MvUoEl_9KKh18GUt_F2TPRiAK-WYIxm6x7V3R8WpubjXSy07ZGyUOeDL7T8gXt5XIcHsE/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-04-27+at+01.17.28.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRx2QkUQ6oh-o3QUtve6J3gZ3s3VV5t9mq2jWkebCLn4WNMSA5jrNzrQeiG97HTu2rTc3b6-MvUoEl_9KKh18GUt_F2TPRiAK-WYIxm6x7V3R8WpubjXSy07ZGyUOeDL7T8gXt5XIcHsE/s400/Screen+shot+2011-04-27+at+01.17.28.png" width="242" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMMn9EhedAn9r7PjuC_ohk4oxiYlIk2-81oxnlFB51ra8mwEkeyPxQ-zeIszoZZXlP-Xi1TY13fLRU3_Mrwui2yX4NRkKR84ynjXifPfO5_a2UL5z9ALEJv4B0V5Zh7lY-__35oCOU2E/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-04-27+at+01.19.58.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMMn9EhedAn9r7PjuC_ohk4oxiYlIk2-81oxnlFB51ra8mwEkeyPxQ-zeIszoZZXlP-Xi1TY13fLRU3_Mrwui2yX4NRkKR84ynjXifPfO5_a2UL5z9ALEJv4B0V5Zh7lY-__35oCOU2E/s400/Screen+shot+2011-04-27+at+01.19.58.png" width="245" /></a></div><br />
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Rooney in recent months has played in the position where United have struggled for quality over the past 18 months. The position behind the strikers where you link up play between the midfield and attack. These players are usually terrific passers with an immaculate first touch as well as a goalscoring ability. Rooney in a nutshell. This is what United lacked last season.<br />
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Of course, the arrival of Hernandez has made a massive difference. Not only are the Mexican's goals crucial but his positioning and the runs he makes allows Rooney to drop deeper and play in that role where more can be made of his ability. Here, he can pull the strings and play the defence splitting passes, a skill which very few players in the world possess.<br />
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His goal tally shouldn't be affected by this role either. It makes him even more dangerous when he's making them late, threatening runs into the penalty area, making it almost impossible to pick him up.<br />
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Add the touches of brilliance to his season and you really begin to understand the value of Rooney. The glorious overhead kick winner against rivals Manchester City was one but the magical hat-trick against West Ham was even better. The one thing that Rooney cannot be accused of choking in the big games. He always stands up and produces his best when the team most need it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKcm2p_DZZuliMypOsdgxCgprKyco8p_zPfHNNVGNK2u9opj1JJjcLopT1ihO3pinHL-ec3BitRch6uYExlRRw5D_ijBmc4EnLV1JTafSjZ7PzV7K1vqBufGvCis2H7iCLploJeSOVwa8/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-04-27+at+18.20.35.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKcm2p_DZZuliMypOsdgxCgprKyco8p_zPfHNNVGNK2u9opj1JJjcLopT1ihO3pinHL-ec3BitRch6uYExlRRw5D_ijBmc4EnLV1JTafSjZ7PzV7K1vqBufGvCis2H7iCLploJeSOVwa8/s400/Screen+shot+2011-04-27+at+18.20.35.png" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Rooney's displaying his brilliance with a glorious overhead kick to win the Manchester derby in February. </span></div><br />
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What else that has to be admired about Rooney is his willingness to defend and help out his teammates. Almost every time he loses the ball, Rooney will chase back and be determined to win it back. The desire and hunger of the man cannot be questioned, however this can sometimes be mistaken for arrogance or petulance.<br />
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He's hardly a clean character, always seeming to be in the headlines for one thing or another but the main reason for this is not his anger or hate, but his desire and desperation to impress and play well. He easily gets frustrated, it's not a bad thing to have because without it he wouldn't be the same player.<br />
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Rooney is the most complete player of his generation. Sublime to watch and a managers dream. He's everywhere on the pitch, and could probably play in any position you want. He gives everything to the team for every minute of every game. He may not score as many as Ronaldo or Messi but if I had a choice between the three, I'd pick Wayne Rooney every single time.Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-37699543505228776472011-04-25T16:04:00.000-07:002011-04-25T17:44:05.274-07:00End of season awardsThe 2010/11 Premier League season has been one to savour. The standard at the top of the league may have fallen but it's not stopped the excitement, passion and tension of every Premier League weekend.<br />
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In previous years we've had standout performers - the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Steven Gerrard and Ruud Van Nistelrooy - but the same cannot be said for this year. It's been a year where several players have stood out and produced some brilliant performances but there is no obvious winner for player of the season. Here are my awards:<br />
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<b>My contenders:</b><br />
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Van Der Vaart - An incredible piece of business from Harry Redknapp having bought the Dutchman for £8million on transfer deadline day. Van Der Vaart has 12 goals this season and with his ability to link up play between attack and midfield, he has been key to Tottenham's season. Without him they wouldn't even be close to the top four.<br />
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Luis Nani - A remarkable exclusion from the PFA POTY but he gets the recognition he deserves in my list. The fact that he's been the most influential player for the side currently six points clear in the Premier League says it all. With 18 assists and nine goals, Nani is having a tremendous season. His pace and trickery have been too much for many defenders. He can be frustrating and petulant at times but that shouldn't count against him when looking at his technical ability, something which he has a lot off.<br />
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Scott Parker - If West Ham stay up this season then it'll be almost single-handedly down to Scott Parker. An inspirational leader on and off the pitch. His desire, will and sheer guts to produce his best and all for the team cannot be matched elsewhere in the league. He had plenty of talent as well, harrying and hassling player. Closing them down from all angles, preventing opponents from gaining further ground.<br />
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Kevin Nolan - Rather surprising to me that he's not been mentioned for an award this season. Another player for whom his team would be not where they are now without. He has 12 goals from midfield and is another authoritative, in-your-face leader who will give everything to his side.<br />
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Leighton Baines - Again another one who has seemed to escape all the attention. Baines has had a wonderful season. His mazy dribbles upfield have seen him rack up 11 assists and score four goals. He also has a wicked left foot, taking a large amount of set pieces for his side with his ability to whip in crosses which frighten defenders. He could perhaps tighten up defensively but there's no doubt in my mind that he has been a top performer this year.<br />
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Vincent Kompany - A reliable defender and a rock for Manchester City this season. Defenders rarely get the credit they deserve and Kompany is a perfect example. All the talk has been about Silva or Tevez but Kopmany has held City's season together. He makes so few mistakes, just sits in the defence, seeing out any danger while happy to come forward with the ball. The fact that City have the second best defensive record in the league is testament to the dogged and determination of Kompany.<br />
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Joint winners - Kompany & Nani<br />
Second - Van Der Vaart<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfzrDTV2Tgp3LA9CfQn3bfTvVfAXofcMiT0oJFoJLFxY1a6bPbCxmEmgXqFeuxbo4Oy2X8L6coqkA2XYhx0cDS6Q8oiocPhpUHZqxzCLn6ikb_DG1nWba93YRMv-y7D_BmZ7vuICzqK0/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-04-26+at+00.08.11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfzrDTV2Tgp3LA9CfQn3bfTvVfAXofcMiT0oJFoJLFxY1a6bPbCxmEmgXqFeuxbo4Oy2X8L6coqkA2XYhx0cDS6Q8oiocPhpUHZqxzCLn6ikb_DG1nWba93YRMv-y7D_BmZ7vuICzqK0/s320/Screen+shot+2011-04-26+at+00.08.11.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Other worthy mentions - Nemanja Vidic, David Silva, Carlos Tevez, Luka Modric, Raul Meireles and Samir Nasri.<br />
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<b>Young POTY nominations:</b><br />
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Jack Wilshere (19) - Wilshere has made gigantic strides this year. He's stepped up into Arsenal's first team at the start of the season and hasn't looked back since. The key to Wilshere's impressive season has been his composure in the midfield. Being able to control the play with some key interceptions before creating attacking chances for his own side with his sweet left foot.<br />
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Javier Hernandez (22) - Hernandez could arguably be a contender for the main award after a stunning first season in the Premier League. He has 12 goals and the best minutes-to-goal ratio for any player who has ten goals or more. The movement and pace has caused panic to defences across Europe and, at 22, he will only continue to improve.<br />
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Andy Carroll (22) - It's very much been a season of two halves for the England man. He was outstanding for Newcastle, scoring 11 goals before he picked up an injury in Janurary and moved to Liverpool. Since, he hasn't been the same as he looks off the pace but still managed a brace against Man City to showcase the huge potential he has.<br />
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Winner - Javier Hernandez<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6598a_hm2aIYsWepaxoaUEKzY7IKUBKwqzH8B8gg-36mBrf3Xie8ehkULPBzrT_1pRtLeC8BV_AGHgTOroWWfPn989zQQUBBI8IPrN9ziFI1sgbz5WCK1hRNRR8jp_FrI_3dWrmdvi2I/s1600/article-0-0BC87342000005DC-62_468x286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6598a_hm2aIYsWepaxoaUEKzY7IKUBKwqzH8B8gg-36mBrf3Xie8ehkULPBzrT_1pRtLeC8BV_AGHgTOroWWfPn989zQQUBBI8IPrN9ziFI1sgbz5WCK1hRNRR8jp_FrI_3dWrmdvi2I/s320/article-0-0BC87342000005DC-62_468x286.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<b>Best buy</b><br />
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Best buy - Javier Hernandez (£7million) - Very tight call between him and Rafael Van Der Vaart but the Dutchman's knack of picking up niggling injuries as well as the age difference just gives Hernandez the edge. His incredible ability to read the play and be in the right place at the right time has brought him 12 goals in just his first season in England.<br />
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<b>Other awards:</b><br />
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Most improved player - Luis Nani<br />
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Ones to watch next year - Tom Cleverly, Danny Welbeck, Phil Jones and Jack Rodwell.<br />
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Manager of the year - Owen Coyle<br />
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<b>Team of the year </b><br />
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GK - Edwin Van Der Saar - It may be his last season but it'll be one to remember having pulled off a string of stunning stops and has saved his team on numerous occasions.<br />
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RB - Seamus Coleman - Maybe a left back by trade but the distinct lack of top class right backs this season means Coleman gets the spot for me. A speedy player, capable of causing havoc in opponents half.<br />
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CB - Nemanja Vidic - Consistent and reliable are the two words that sum up Vidic the best. Rarely makes any errors and would go straight in any world team of mine.<br />
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CB - Vincent Kompany - Similar to Vidic in many respects. Leads well and never fails to be stood up and be counted for his side, always producing his best at the most vital of times.<br />
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LB - Leighton Baines - Speedy, skilful and a wicked left foot makes Baines a dangerous full back while also having the defensive ability to fit in well at left back.<br />
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CDM - Scott Parker - The tenacity, energy, desire and drive of Parker makes him the perfect defensive midfielder. Has showed terrific passion and determination this season.<br />
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CM -Van Der Vaart - Twelve goals from midfield and seven assists in an injury-hit season tells you a lot about the class of Van Der Vaart. Always prone to pop up in the right place at the right time and cynically finish when his team most need it.<br />
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LM - David Silva - David Silva oozes class. The sign of a class player is the amount of time they appear to have on the ball and Silva seems to have an age.<br />
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RM - Luis Nani - The Portugese international has had a class and very consistent season. Capable of producing moments of magic as well as being able to deliver a wicked ball and hit a fierce strike.<br />
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CAM - Wayne Rooney - Controversial pick no doubt but Rooney has had a very impressive season, especially since christmas. He has 12 assists and 10 goals along with being very influential in United's season. Hernandez is a class player but Rooney adds more to any team. His ability to drop deep and pick out a raking 40-yard ball is one possessed by very few strikers. The season started poorly for Rooney but in the last few months he has been outstanding, his hat-trick v West Ham a particularly impressive moment.<br />
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CF - Carlos Tevez - Without Tevez, City would be struggling to make top six. A proven goalscorer and someone who will always work hard for his side. The 19 goals in 28 appearances tell the story.Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-60210409849226485622011-04-10T18:02:00.000-07:002011-04-12T02:37:42.254-07:00Schwartzel wins, Woods dazzles and McIlroy implodes in compelling MastersThe 2011 Masters was the best I've ever witnessed. Not just for the standard of golf or quality of field but because it had everything. Drama, tension, excitement, nerves, skill, a talented youngster crumbling under the pressure and a wounded American fighting his way back. We also had a surprise winner but not an undeserved one.<br />
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For me the Masters has always been a truly special event, and this year was no exception. We went into the tournament with most of the field capable of winning, and there were still 10 names who could be wearing that green jacket going onto the back nine on Sunday.<br />
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It ended up on Charl Schwartzel's shoulders, a 26-year-old South African, who finished on -14 but that doesn't even begin to tell the story.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEillEuaieV9mxCVH8SgZ_V-5hipwZz8pcR23mEvLmXJpivIRMm7QWBKFEP8EBEBuEv5zhLL532ccaVK0cBDiwLdqOc0_GG3QHTo70bHLAG0UI_D8i2_J6pFcxAXxOLniyya0lgf57BaLCA/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-04-11+at+01.32.28.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEillEuaieV9mxCVH8SgZ_V-5hipwZz8pcR23mEvLmXJpivIRMm7QWBKFEP8EBEBuEv5zhLL532ccaVK0cBDiwLdqOc0_GG3QHTo70bHLAG0UI_D8i2_J6pFcxAXxOLniyya0lgf57BaLCA/s400/Screen+shot+2011-04-11+at+01.32.28.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Charl Schwartzel shows his euphoria after claiming by far the biggest win of his career</span></div><br />
Going into the final day it was Rory McIlroy's to lose, and boy did he lose it. It took just one hole for his overnight four shot lead to be halved as Schwartzel brilliantly chipped in for birdie while McIlroy bogeyed. And then on the second Schwartzel produced perhaps shot of the tournament to eagle and tie the lead, it was the moment were you sensed it was his day.<br />
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Tiger eagled eight, Scott, Day, Choi, Cabrera birdied several and Mcllroy bogeyed to leave the destiny of the green jacket in anyones hands. At one point there were six players tied at the top on -10 before Mcllroy's began his descent into free fall.<br />
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And then an Englishman came into contention in the form of Luke Donald. Some immaculate putting and precise iron play put Donald just two shots off the pace before it all went wrong at twelve when he put his tee shot in the water and double bogeyed.<br />
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But he fought back resiliently, birdying 15, 16 and chipping in for a three at the last to give himself a glimmer of hope.<br />
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It looked to be heading for a tight finish with Scott, Day and Schwartzel fighting it out for the coveted prize before Schwartzel produced some of the best golf of the day. He superbly birdied 15, 16, 17 and 18 and no-one had an answer.<br />
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He walked onto the final green with every young golfer's dream; a 20 foot putt to win the Masters. He duly rolled it in to become the champion and pick up a cheque of $1.4million.<br />
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It was a great shame for McIlroy. He has such talent, such guts but ultimately he wasn't ready for this moment. He played some tremendous, breathtaking golf in the first three days but the thought of becoming a major champion was too much for him.<br />
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There is no doubt in my mind that he'll go onto win majors, he's too good not too, and he'll only learn from this experience. It all began to go wrong on ten when his drive smashed into a tree just metres ahead and cannoned 100 yards left. Two three putts followed from within 12 feet and the chance of becoming a major champion had gone, for now.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGuJTFGsISKXz7Ul-3q9BUwphFsvd7Y5fiM-07ZfFCBqAKHFS-o__vHncIhuMaO7DVWIOWyAia4UijjCDTjKZofduOsoUTQgdhBKYjKuysMsE6bg8IpPb_y5U-huVmCwEdXXs5OrptPNk/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-04-11+at+01.33.45.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGuJTFGsISKXz7Ul-3q9BUwphFsvd7Y5fiM-07ZfFCBqAKHFS-o__vHncIhuMaO7DVWIOWyAia4UijjCDTjKZofduOsoUTQgdhBKYjKuysMsE6bg8IpPb_y5U-huVmCwEdXXs5OrptPNk/s400/Screen+shot+2011-04-11+at+01.33.45.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Mcllroy cuts a lonely figure as his drive on ten goes hundred yards left and proves to be the beginning of his downfall</span></div><br />
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Another home player to just miss out, albeit in an entirely different manner, was Luke Donald. The Englishman was consistent throughout and did well to finish where he did considering he was three over after 13 holes on the first day.<br />
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It's a mystery to me why he hasn't won more. In my opinion Donald is currently the best putter in the game, he rarely misses from inside six feet. His swing is silky smooth and his touch around the greens in up there with the best. What Donald lacks, though, is length, a key part of the modern game.<br />
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He showed plenty of guts and determination on the final day at Augusta. After going in the water at 12 he looked pretty much out but birdies at 13, 15 and 16 displayed such resilience that has been lacking from his game. Donald is another Brit that I feel will not have to wait long for a major.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbhdNPgCcKq9z7VT-Kp_0a3kS4RZA7xKQOByyTjz6HAaUqutdDPdC4Vkt8zaYKin0Zk4IRmUaqPv1CnZmVuvGZM6BaPkKvdM5KoaPAkH3EBs1BW3YfdS0Nlwx_OQQBJXOGfJyKBvLY9_s/s1600/LUKE+DONALD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbhdNPgCcKq9z7VT-Kp_0a3kS4RZA7xKQOByyTjz6HAaUqutdDPdC4Vkt8zaYKin0Zk4IRmUaqPv1CnZmVuvGZM6BaPkKvdM5KoaPAkH3EBs1BW3YfdS0Nlwx_OQQBJXOGfJyKBvLY9_s/s400/LUKE+DONALD.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Luke Donald again showed his class with four consistent rounds of golf that came up just short</span></div><br />
As for Woods, he'll be disappointed not to win but he can take heart and encouragement from a return to form. He produced flashes of genius, moments of magic but inconsistency proved to be his downfall. The old Woods was back for periods.<br />
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He displayed some stunning golf, his second shots to eight and fifteen were spectacular, but he had his swagger back. The confidence and arrogance returned which made Tiger such a feared player to begin with. This performance should give him belief and confidence that he is coming back to some form and that should be a major worry to every other player.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CrOTzp-H9ftR1t5_pmvQ9FZqY4GdcUFsFy2ykgbTsvYjG5Y9iWaM5e01YUSuh9rEmF5-wFf6HJVx09Ds-AcTQcvKMFMwPw2-C2Z_0d7hAnR9i1_4NHY0Os9GyQBE_3adt1EapFi6lig/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-04-11+at+01.33.58.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CrOTzp-H9ftR1t5_pmvQ9FZqY4GdcUFsFy2ykgbTsvYjG5Y9iWaM5e01YUSuh9rEmF5-wFf6HJVx09Ds-AcTQcvKMFMwPw2-C2Z_0d7hAnR9i1_4NHY0Os9GyQBE_3adt1EapFi6lig/s320/Screen+shot+2011-04-11+at+01.33.58.png" width="309" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Tiger shows some emotion after holing an eagle putt on eight to get into a share of the lead</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">The 2011 Masters will go down as one of the best in history and it will never be forgotten by me. The last day provided us with entertainment galore, it gripped millions of people worldwide and showed to the planet why golf can be such a thrilling yet nail biting sport.</div></div>Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-54206284576743128732011-04-08T02:48:00.000-07:002011-04-08T02:55:45.926-07:00Carrick given freedom to express thanks to energy of Park and assurance of FerdinandJi Sung Park and Michael Carrick are hardly household names in world football, they aren't even considered big names at Manchester United, but Wednesday's 1-0 win over Chelsea in the Champions League showed why they are rated so highly by Sir Alex Ferguson.<br />
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It was a terrific team performance from Ferguson's men, displaying courage, class and determination, all qualities they'll need to even have a a chance at winning the treble.<br />
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The return of Rio Ferdinand added assurance and stability at the back alongside Vidic, while Ryan Giggs brought experience and calmness, his exquisite touch leading to Wayne Rooney's goal, and Rooney himself produced moments of magic.<br />
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But it was the tenacity of Park and intelligence of Carrick which was key to the victory as they controlled the midfield battle against Lampard and Essien.<br />
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Carrick is often described as a confidence player, someone who only performs when his confidence is high. But in my view this is not the case. He is a team player, someone who does what's best for the team and not himself. It's clear that Carrick's best attribute is his passing, highlighted perfectly when he floated an inch perfect ball to Giggs for Rooney's goal, but he has seldom had the chance to show off his passing ability this season.<br />
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The reason for this is because he has been playing a much deeper role. His job is to defend, break up moves and then set his team up on the counter. It is something which he has excelled at. However, this means that he cannot produce the raking passes he has been in previous years because he cannot do the job of two midfielders at once.<br />
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But the return of another underrated player on Wednesday allowed Carrick the chance to express himself more. Ji Sung Park has been a big loss to United this season, his commitment and enthusiasm has been missed.<br />
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However, against Chelsea his tenacity and harrying of players freed up space for Carrick to push up the pitch and play a more attacking role while also tracking back and defending. The graphics below highlights this point. The left chalkboard shows Carrick's passing in United's 0-0 draw with Tottenham in January while the right is Wednesday's win over Chelsea.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGyUFpOM9nHroX6qA1-RtmJ05ajI7x6ttITEj2kkGbbbzq7VTJ2RNauhL7G6n_T8L0jMsUf058nr1RYk5Uov2VD69zzyGb2Qv7OCjHLO2u1l7sraVwtgDwLiOsjMyzUjs4FejMxrYQP8/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-04-08+at+10.09.21.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGyUFpOM9nHroX6qA1-RtmJ05ajI7x6ttITEj2kkGbbbzq7VTJ2RNauhL7G6n_T8L0jMsUf058nr1RYk5Uov2VD69zzyGb2Qv7OCjHLO2u1l7sraVwtgDwLiOsjMyzUjs4FejMxrYQP8/s320/Screen+shot+2011-04-08+at+10.09.21.png" width="268" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dCRG6EK-4kD4_gYBReqkZ-dRaUrrvvGBx2UT274v04n5bk9Tce37Qk97dLjPwFy6rYkq3d-3Rs9wY4Wt64PZF3t-5iPP-SPWiJ8sVullcGLM_SoMNhZTDCm0jSBxah8UWKvY7y2U2WQ/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-04-08+at+10.09.55.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dCRG6EK-4kD4_gYBReqkZ-dRaUrrvvGBx2UT274v04n5bk9Tce37Qk97dLjPwFy6rYkq3d-3Rs9wY4Wt64PZF3t-5iPP-SPWiJ8sVullcGLM_SoMNhZTDCm0jSBxah8UWKvY7y2U2WQ/s320/Screen+shot+2011-04-08+at+10.09.55.png" width="192" /></a><br />
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You can clearly deduce from these the difference in the position Carrick is playing. Against Tottenham he played a deeper role where his job was to prevent Spurs making any forward movement and therefore he made less forward passes and very few inside the opponents half. Whereas against Chelsea he was given the freedom to play higher up the pitch and become more directly involved in attacks, with the example being his wonderful pass to Giggs for the goal.<br />
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The stats from Wednesday's game only help his cause. Carrick had a highest pass rate, between 88-95% (depending on which source you use), he covered by far the most distance on the pitch, 11.31km, and made by far the most interceptions with seven.<br />
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Defending is the one area where Carrick is grossly underrated. Out of every player in this year's Champions League, he has made by far the most interceptions with 36, a stat which he also leads in the Premier League, while also having a tackle success rate of 70%.<br />
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There were countless times against Chelsea where you saw the value of Carrick. One specific example was when Drogba made a threatening run heading towards the penalty area but was halted by Carrick, who had sprinted back from his sides' own attack to stop the threat.<br />
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Carrick has the complete package for a midfielder. He has the passing, the tackling, anticipation and fitness to become a regular starter for one of the best teams in the world. The only slight downfall of him is his lack of shooting. But there is little doubt in my mind that if United go onto win trophies this season, Michael Carrick would have had a big hand to play in it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9CCOSWbK41GTz_LnMFg0gqLH9U8ZeqHalcq16LaZW0YvBz4d6bqGXqxy9ZBJ7XRJb0wCYiUPJNq_uhATmX3zH6tV2W39ftvoX7P-nYgMPz2OmqJAFEmAQ2HhEFIFrA21vD587YnbXBIc/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-04-08+at+10.09.41.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9CCOSWbK41GTz_LnMFg0gqLH9U8ZeqHalcq16LaZW0YvBz4d6bqGXqxy9ZBJ7XRJb0wCYiUPJNq_uhATmX3zH6tV2W39ftvoX7P-nYgMPz2OmqJAFEmAQ2HhEFIFrA21vD587YnbXBIc/s320/Screen+shot+2011-04-08+at+10.09.41.png" width="267" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Carrick's first half passing was simply outstanding. Made only 19 passes but nearly everyone leading to an attack for his team.</span></div>Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-22006465582994426882011-04-05T16:36:00.000-07:002011-05-04T17:05:33.503-07:00Javier HernandezWhen Javier Hernandez, a 21-year-old Mexican playing for Guadalajara, signed for Manchester United in April 2010 for a fee worth around £7million, I was sceptical to say the least.<br />
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Sir Alex Ferguson is, without question, a genius and one of the best managers around at nurturing young talent but even he is susceptible to bringing in players who struggle to cut it at the top level. <br />
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However, Hernandez has perhaps turned out to be one of Ferguson's greatest ever buys. It may be a bold statement considering the Mexican has played less than one season in the Premier League but it is a season which has seen him score 17 goals in 35 games, with 17 of those appearances coming from the bench.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKQ3ECB_Z3Fu5-kVgVrlaI12R-dd61GRHzPPvsMj_NGvdNoVrEozDRX1d_PDO4x954DbWTD2e_FZqKAJEFyd0AAzsUomophtoHwH2AhYj269XJRGsjaO5tpSu8C3625EVclqk-JaK6wY/s1600/article-0-0BC87342000005DC-62_468x286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKQ3ECB_Z3Fu5-kVgVrlaI12R-dd61GRHzPPvsMj_NGvdNoVrEozDRX1d_PDO4x954DbWTD2e_FZqKAJEFyd0AAzsUomophtoHwH2AhYj269XJRGsjaO5tpSu8C3625EVclqk-JaK6wY/s400/article-0-0BC87342000005DC-62_468x286.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Hernandez has been a revelation for Manchester United this season</span></div><br />
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Not only is it his ability to score which has impressed, but also the knack he has of scoring crucial, match winning goals.<br />
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Take the match at Stoke City back in October for example. It was a game which United had to win to keep up with Chelsea at the top-of-the-table, and it also came at the end of a week where Wayne Rooney had said he wanted to leave the club, only to sign a new contract two days later.<br />
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Hernandez was handed a rare start for the game and he took his chance with no hesitation. His two goals emphasising his class and ability when in the penalty area.<br />
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It was his first goal which was particularly memorable. The backwards header that displayed his quickness of thinking and fantastic ability to improvise on the spot. His second goal, and winner four minutes from time, may have been less impressive but again showed aptitude and knack of being in the right place at the right time. Emphasising the fact that he is a natural born goalscorer.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURG7JnSEHE5aU4rXpMuJaoAaACuEXuwKtgMdcxHAIiU2w04EE43TF373uLTmr2OxHjF0nOQZ_TO0pvn16gUPon9s9QShrFgFXwO-yeB3hGJ1n7_R4NkPxi919mB-m576_kqAmWfybD58/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-04-05+at+17.47.04.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURG7JnSEHE5aU4rXpMuJaoAaACuEXuwKtgMdcxHAIiU2w04EE43TF373uLTmr2OxHjF0nOQZ_TO0pvn16gUPon9s9QShrFgFXwO-yeB3hGJ1n7_R4NkPxi919mB-m576_kqAmWfybD58/s400/Screen+shot+2011-04-05+at+17.47.04.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Hernandez showing superb improvisation to give United the lead at Stoke.</span></div><br />
Them two goals may prove vital in United's season as well as the other 15 he has scored. The stats aren't bad either. Hernandez has 11 goals from a ridiculous 15 shots on target with an average of a goal every 103 minutes in the Premier League - the best for any player who has scored more than 10 goals.<br />
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What makes Hernandez so good is his reading of the game. His ability to anticipate where to run and where to position himself is something which very few strikers posses. It's all well and good getting yourself in the right place and the right time, a trait which is unquestionably the key to good forward play, but it's only half the story. You need to be able to remain composed when the ball arrives to your feet and to then have the presence of mind to know where to place the ball. It is all of these attributes that makes Hernandez a natural goal scorer.<br />
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His attitude is also something which is admired greatly by players and fans alike. He always plays with a smile on his face, keeping his head down and letting his football do the talking.<br />
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It's still too early to know exactly how far Hernandez can go with his career but if the little Mexican can continue the way he has started then he will undoubtedly become a United legend.Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-79551213595728578262011-03-16T15:13:00.000-07:002011-03-16T15:24:37.250-07:00The taken-for-granted brilliance of CarrickThe key to football is having the ball. It may seem an obvious statement but one that is understated by many. Barcelona are the masters of it and success comes as a result.<br />
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If you keep the ball then you create chances, score goals and, most importantly, don't concede. If you do this well then you win a football match.<br />
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To have a good football team, you need players who are capable of passing the ball to a player in the same colour. Whether it's three-yards backwards or a 40-yard wonder ball, keeping the ball ultimately wins you matches.<br />
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It is a trait which Michael Carrick is very good at. The Englishmen has been a vital part of Manchester United's trophy machine for the past five seasons, playing 143 times since his move from Tottenham in 2006.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8K-ikPGbdajBwSK6V-imZrXICQilGozcaKZV5Hd47xF57ilucG1vMeiTKWvPFWR-IPsYUx5qek3XGZOHoSdyvS0WDaiLJz0n0q4lJwg5KEzgR1okoYCIC04bKqmXzPVlPyxTt5kYnmVs/s1600/f27a6af6a5332c859a37a41ec48689b9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8K-ikPGbdajBwSK6V-imZrXICQilGozcaKZV5Hd47xF57ilucG1vMeiTKWvPFWR-IPsYUx5qek3XGZOHoSdyvS0WDaiLJz0n0q4lJwg5KEzgR1okoYCIC04bKqmXzPVlPyxTt5kYnmVs/s320/f27a6af6a5332c859a37a41ec48689b9.jpg" width="223" /></a></div><br />
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There can be no doubt that he was one of many reasons why United won the league three times in a row between 2006 and 2009, his superb range of passing creating many goal scoring opportunities.<br />
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Since then, though, Carrick has played in a different role. It was a move forced upon Sir Alex by the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the best player in the world, and Carlos Tevez in the summer of 2009.<br />
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But what hasn't changed is the quality he brings to the side, it may not be as obvious but just as important as before.<br />
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Carrick's job now is to sit in front of the back four, break up moves and begin an attack for his own team. It's something which he excels at but is yet criticised by many observers.<br />
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Perhaps the stats will explain why he is considered such a valuable member of the team. Not only does he boast the highest amount of interceptions a game at 4.38 but he also has the highest pass success ratio of any starting regular in the league having completed 780 out of 898 attempted passes, in other words 86.9%.<br />
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Now, they're pretty impressive stats by anyones standards but it won't satisfy some people. The main criticism of Carrick is that, although he passes well, he only passes it backwards or 3 yards.<br />
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Not only is this view reactionary but it also comes back to what I stated earlier. Football is all about keeping the ball, it is vital in the modern game. Passing the ball to defenders and fellow midfielders is what you do in order to start moves.<br />
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There's no point of picking the ball up in your own half and then attempting a 40-yard pass which will more than likely fail. Why not keep your composure and simply slide it a few yards to your left or right and slowly create an attack.<br />
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Anyway, this view of Carrick is simply not true. Take a look at these graphics below from the Champions League match with Marseille. The chart on the left is particularly interesting as it shows that Carrick completed four out of seven 'long' passes and 30 'medium' range passes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplVqycW8UJA0rxD0FRT1tga_szBEjeM6GjMRPoOREJUZ9yLmEBPjvjoDPEW1sGD7mHNG-Wav9P_zlPDmIxGTdXPWSpisJh7IIn4FLbjtGDCU8ghgDTWltV2KGFimf0iNf8qFI0wV0WH4/s1600/carrickmedium-passes.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplVqycW8UJA0rxD0FRT1tga_szBEjeM6GjMRPoOREJUZ9yLmEBPjvjoDPEW1sGD7mHNG-Wav9P_zlPDmIxGTdXPWSpisJh7IIn4FLbjtGDCU8ghgDTWltV2KGFimf0iNf8qFI0wV0WH4/s1600/carrickmedium-passes.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixLyCVD1PInFzDF015fxz6vf8173HgExUYWYr1s2k7cAAHcnXkvfSLbh4M5B8P-cCSTtkXz3WDN6KcwxhZVkTmIfkw8raMCHoiW1elxVSO4AsrPwufGg87j0amFYGOWRFW7FvvashyphenhyphenTcg/s1600/carrickpassing.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixLyCVD1PInFzDF015fxz6vf8173HgExUYWYr1s2k7cAAHcnXkvfSLbh4M5B8P-cCSTtkXz3WDN6KcwxhZVkTmIfkw8raMCHoiW1elxVSO4AsrPwufGg87j0amFYGOWRFW7FvvashyphenhyphenTcg/s1600/carrickpassing.png" /></a></div><br />
You can also see that from the graphic on the right, Carrick is very willing to play the ball to the wide men, thus allowing for an attack to build.<br />
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Another criticism of Carrick is that he's not very mobile and stays central. Well again this is simply not true. On Tuesday, he travelled the most distance than any other player on the pitch, 11.5k, emhpsasing his superior fitness and desire to succeed.<br />
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Add to this that Carrick is very disciplined, having not picked up a single yellow card all season, and you have the complete defensive midfielder. Yes, he may not be as directly involved in goal scoring opportunities as he was in previous years but he is just as important, perhaps more, in his new role.<br />
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Maybe a fourth league title in five years since he joined United will convince fans that he is an integral part of the side and will be for years to come.<br />
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Chalkbaord from Total Football App<br />
Passing Distribution stats thanks to uefa.comFull Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-48005403831818226092011-02-25T14:16:00.000-08:002011-05-29T13:26:46.021-07:00Donald one to watch for 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgcHId24B3mclzsSaZGC-JHbfcodbSRq1_yKshHZ3TGRA13uK-re0AKN5O8jXyRZYQ2c_fKbOC12XHQt1TSxQdorqQN83Xm6kyYDYV23LqfXXZGkL2tZEk59HGS0aAMzR_4FKjVnrtN80/s1600/Luke-Donald-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgcHId24B3mclzsSaZGC-JHbfcodbSRq1_yKshHZ3TGRA13uK-re0AKN5O8jXyRZYQ2c_fKbOC12XHQt1TSxQdorqQN83Xm6kyYDYV23LqfXXZGkL2tZEk59HGS0aAMzR_4FKjVnrtN80/s400/Luke-Donald-001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Donald has one of the best swings in the game and is a perfect example to any aspiring golfer.</div><br />
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A year ago, it would have been absurd to think that Luke Donald would be ranked higher than Tiger Woods and Phil Mickleson.<br />
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But a win in the Accenture World Matchplay and he would take a huge leap up the rankings, right up to third, ahead of both Americans.<br />
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The Englishmen's game has improved drastically over the past 12 months and is certainly one to look out for in 2011. Donald has always had a silky smooth swing and that combined with a tremendous short game has had many questioning why he hasn't won more but it may only be a matter of time until we see him lifting more trophies.<br />
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It's his mentality which is the main reason behind Donald's drastic turn in fortunes. Having turned professional in 2001, the father-of-one has won well over £15million with five victories on the PGA and European tours.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ISKduIIfB1bEHkYFM_YcbQo10siOkH-ap4T5iKIE6jSyjtjRmANW3wWWl7zc2ZxdvawUh4PZ6YLiRBQcWJ3ESTTeHLGuE-zOrM4jcDv5RSkMcGqSFL_iYMVX8b4YAP3Qrz2vbhwKp7Q/s1600/Luke-Donald-Madridre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ISKduIIfB1bEHkYFM_YcbQo10siOkH-ap4T5iKIE6jSyjtjRmANW3wWWl7zc2ZxdvawUh4PZ6YLiRBQcWJ3ESTTeHLGuE-zOrM4jcDv5RSkMcGqSFL_iYMVX8b4YAP3Qrz2vbhwKp7Q/s320/Luke-Donald-Madridre.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Luke Donald winning the 2010 Madrid Masters, ending a four year winning drought.</span></div><br />
He's always been described as a 'choker' when it comes to the major tournaments, someone who is happy just to turn up at an event, play a round of golf, pick up his pay cheque and go home.<br />
<br />
You can argue that someone with Donald's ability should have won more titles but in this modern age of big-hitters and improving technology, he struggled to compete with the likes of Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer.<br />
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It's almost certain that Donald would have won more had he been playing a few decades ago, when the game was more about accuracy, temperament and being consistent. All qualities which Donald posses in abundance.<br />
<br />
The 33-year-old is misunderstood by many. He wants to win and succeed at the game he loves. His record in the Ryder Cup is mightily impressive having never lost a foursomes match in seven attempts.<br />
<br />
Halfway through 2010, he was having another average season, just easing through each event, going largely unnoticed before something clicked and the real Luke Donald stood up.<br />
<br />
He finished the year on fire in the Fedex Cup play-offs, coming so close to winning the $10million prize but was pipped by a single stroke by Jim Furyk, before producing arguably the best golf in one of the greatest ever Ryder Cups.<br />
<br />
And he's continued that form at the start of 2011. He's played three matches at the Accenture World Matchplay and is yet to be behind at any stage. His swing is a please to watch, you could watch a DVD of it all day and never get bored. It has such a beautiful tempo, never losing control or getting frustrated even when things aren't going his way.<br />
<br />
Putting is another strong point of his game, there's not many better from within six feet.<br />
<br />
Donald is really starting to show what he is capable of and this could be the year where he finally proves it in the shape of trophies.<br />
<br />
Consistency has never been a problem for Donald but now it's time to start proving it in the major events and there's no better place to start then the Masters in just a couple of months time.Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-55535045927511332582011-02-17T13:03:00.000-08:002011-02-17T13:06:13.156-08:00Football really is a crazy old gameThe phrase 'football's a funny old game' gets used all the time but in this case, it really does hold true.<br />
<br />
You are about to read possibly the most bizarre and craziest end to a football match ever. It was a game played between Barbados and Greneda in the Shell Caribbean Cup in 1994.<br />
<br />
Going into the last game of the group stages, Barbados needed to beat Greneda by two clear goals to qualify for the finals. Anything less than that and Greneda would progress with a draw resulting in extra-time and golden goal.<br />
<br />
It's seems simple enough at the moment. But then, for someone unknown reason, the organisers decided that in this particular situation, if it was a draw then the scorers of the golden goal would be awarded a 2 goal win.<br />
<br />
Barbados raced into a 2-0 lead before Greneda pulled it back to 2-1 with seven minutes remaining.<br />
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The Bajans were heading out of the competition unless they scored a goal to make it 3-1 or if the scores were to become level, which would give themselves a chance of going though via golden goal in extra time.<br />
<br />
There followed the farcical situation of Bajans smashing the ball past their own keeper to score the equaliser, hoping it would then stay for that for the remainder of the match so they could go into golden goal.<br />
<br />
Of course, the Grenedians kicked off and had three minutes to score a goal, any would do.<br />
<br />
If they scored they won 3-2 and if they conceded they would lose 3-2 but still qualify. As a result, the Bajans then divided their players and proceeded to defend both their own and their opponents goal lines to stop the Grenedians scoring at either end.<br />
<br />
They managed to achieve this, taking the game to extra time and just four minutes in Barbados scored the golden goal to start wild celebrations in the National Stadium in Bridgetown.<br />
<br />
As you would expect, afterwards the Grenedian coach was livid with what had just happened, saying: "I feel cheated, the person who came up with these rules must be a candidate for the madhouse. The game should never be played with the players so confused, our players did not even know which direction to attack. Our goal or theirs."<br />
<br />
Football can be a sublime, wonderful and beautiful game but sometimes it can just be down right mad.Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-32647116302557632652011-02-14T15:25:00.000-08:002011-02-14T15:51:20.262-08:00Smalling has big future<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSsSFpCFsL6RqdiGT8nCoUIzm8Tx5e9ti6LPker8k0s0QnhqNWvdI2c-__zbebeYxuLNSJ5LuqYrfcfgdFYJcn6F-4LQb1Vywnaxu7YodwaWWckuHEW85jzx1hUSkOW_R0g5WCqvzj9w/s1600/chris-smalling_1824048c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSsSFpCFsL6RqdiGT8nCoUIzm8Tx5e9ti6LPker8k0s0QnhqNWvdI2c-__zbebeYxuLNSJ5LuqYrfcfgdFYJcn6F-4LQb1Vywnaxu7YodwaWWckuHEW85jzx1hUSkOW_R0g5WCqvzj9w/s320/chris-smalling_1824048c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
When Rio Ferdinand was ruled out of the Manchester Derby on Saturday I felt, as did many onlookers, that it was a big blow to United's chances.<br />
<br />
Ferdinand has been far from spectacular this season but he brings authority and assertion to the back four that gives his teammates that extra bit of confidence, knowing they have an experienced, strong and assured England centre-back behind them.<br />
<br />
Despite often being injured and many describing him as past his best, I still believe that Ferdinand has a crucial role to play in United's title charge and he would be a big miss in Saturday's vital game. But, instead, a new star was found in the form of Chris Smalling.<br />
<br />
When he was bought from Fulham for £5million, many were taken by surprise and questioned the move, me included. Will we ever learn?<br />
<br />
Now it looks to be another bit of genius from Sir Alex. In my opinion, Smalling was man of the match against City, he displayed such maturity and assurance at the back, like he had been playing there for years.<br />
<br />
His most impressive attribute was his ability to read the game and anticipate the play, a valuable skill for a defender to have. Tevez never had the chance to get the ball in space with Smalling always kept tight to the Argentinian, refusing to give him any time on the ball.<br />
<br />
There was one tackle in particular that I recall, which showed his ability. Having already won the ball in the air, he was quick out to Kolarov, who was 30 yards out and threatening when Smalling charged in and took the ball and man in a crunching tackle, saving his side from the danger.<br />
<br />
Smalling also showcased a tremendous passing ability, often switching the play out wide to Giggs or Nani with a precise pass, setting up several moves. He showed the calmness and assurance you need to be a top class defender and there's every chance he'll be a regular for club and country for years to come.Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-53064739456379409252011-02-07T14:32:00.000-08:002011-02-07T14:33:26.736-08:00Wolves end United's runSo it has finally arrived, Manchester United have lost and ended their 29 match unbeaten run. The way this season has gone it shouldn't really come as a shock that their first defeat came against the bottom club.<br />
<br />
Just earlier that day we saw the madness of the Premier League. Arsenal letting a 4-0 lead slip at Newcastle in one of the most remarkable games in English footballing history, Everton and Blackpool playing out another 8-goal thriller and the unexpected classic at the DW stadium where Wigan beat Blackburn 4-3.<br />
<br />
But, arguably, the result of the day was the defeat of the league leaders and title favourites. United have never looked convincing away from home during any point this season but they have been able to grind out results.<br />
<br />
At Wolves it was different. Despite Nani giving them the lead after just three minutes, United never threatened to score again. It will be a worry to many fans while others will be unsurprised by the result.<br />
<br />
It doesn't come as a shock to me, not only because United have been poor away from Old Trafford but also due to the ability of Wolves to up their game against the top sides. They have now beaten Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and United; an extraordinary stat when you consider their position of 19th in the table.<br />
<br />
It was a laboured performance from United, they played at walking pace. It was as though they expected to win without having to play well, there was no spark or creativity from anyone. The lapse in concentration for the opening Wovles' goal is perhaps the biggest concern. Had Rio been there then I don't think that would have happened.<br />
<br />
But, despite the result and performance, it doesn't worry me. Considering Arsenal's slip and Chelsea's loss, this weekend could have gone a lot worse.<br />
<br />
The defeat does now make this week's Manchester derby just that bit bigger. United will be desperate to bounce back and will fancy their chances with it being played at Old Trafford, where they have only dropped two points all season.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWZLL_LrCX4RnCzFleI9jESepZIaL1H5fqoqXCvdE5-929BwKwNqCwznxHZIeau3z54t-9KfXp9TMZ9KAgCh5_i98e75tp4JnJxhVd_MjnYHtXZlueEri9UFk_fl-dFE5ySRGM644Bos/s1600/manchester-city-vs-manchester-united.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWZLL_LrCX4RnCzFleI9jESepZIaL1H5fqoqXCvdE5-929BwKwNqCwznxHZIeau3z54t-9KfXp9TMZ9KAgCh5_i98e75tp4JnJxhVd_MjnYHtXZlueEri9UFk_fl-dFE5ySRGM644Bos/s400/manchester-city-vs-manchester-united.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
It has the potential to be a season-defining game for both sides. A win for United will surely put City out of the title race while their rivals will have edged closer to the magical 19th title but a win for City and things will open right up.<br />
<br />
I expect Mancini to play for a draw as he did against Arsenal. While I think United will look to play a 5-man midfield with perhaps Park Ji Sung back into the side following his return from the Asian Cup.<br />
<br />
Whatever the tactics, it's going to be a huge and tense occasion with both teams desperate to get one over on their rivals and strike what could prove to be the telling blow in this season Premier League title race.Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-91171204567932367202011-01-23T10:15:00.000-08:002011-01-23T11:02:34.830-08:00Top male tennis players of all time<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidVL6RrkH45pMopYCBaYcLWaFn1tyVnYoJ-0rNn0VnYxGg1yCBw-WrOLRhETEJoHjqGZ9Mu8uKNCngm2jqHoNfbyGjy8BeU_vYiB76CYhKGUtXicDV_59MM0WZqNfuVjHwksEUN_47WE/s1600/Federer2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidVL6RrkH45pMopYCBaYcLWaFn1tyVnYoJ-0rNn0VnYxGg1yCBw-WrOLRhETEJoHjqGZ9Mu8uKNCngm2jqHoNfbyGjy8BeU_vYiB76CYhKGUtXicDV_59MM0WZqNfuVjHwksEUN_47WE/s400/Federer2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Is Federer the greatest ever? Vote on in the poll on the right</div><br />
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> 1)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Roger Federer – A genius with a racquet in his hand, anything he can’t do on a tennis court isn’t worth knowing. Regarded by many as the greatest player ever with a record 16 grand slam titles and an insatiable appetite for success at the highest level. A true legend in the history of tennis.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> 2)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Rod Laver – Rated as the best player ever by many tennis experts, Laver is the only player ever to have twice won all four grand slams in the same year. Laver was a master of the serve-and-volley game and won a career total of 11 grand slams, putting him 4<sup>th</sup> in the all time list.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> 3)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Pete Sampras – The American was a master of Wimbledon with seven victories and known as a wonderful serve-volley player. His all-round court ability was admired by many and many people though that his 14 major titles would never be surpassed until a certain Swiss same along.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> 4)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Rafael Nadal – The stats might not show him to be up there with the best but let us not forget that Nadal is only 24 and has been plagued by knee injuries. With that in mind, his record of nine grand slams is mighty impressive and the clay-court specialist has the unlimited ability to win many more.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">5)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Bjorn Borg - He may have only had a short career but Borg achieved so much in the game. He had the highest percentage of Grand Slam entrees to wins (11/27) and won a record five straight Wimbledon’s and four consecutive French Opens to stamp his class on the sport, before announcing his shock retirement at the age of 26.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> 6)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Boris Becker - Becker won his first grand slam at just 17 years of age when he lifted the Wimbledon crown. Winner of six majors, Boris was adored for his passion and incredible ability to fire winners from the most outrageous positions. He won over many fans with his courage and risk-taking.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> 7)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Andre Agassi - Known as the best returner in the world of tennis, Agassi won 8 grand slams and has the Career Golden Slam by winning all majors and the Olympic gold. He had attitude problems on and off the court but always provided great entertainment.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> 8)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Jimmy Conors – Winner of eight slams, Connors had tremendous spirit on the court and that combined with his wonderful two-handed backhand was a match for anyone. His best moments came against the likes of McEnroe and Borg where he produced stunning tennis in some memorable matches.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> 9)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>John McEnroe – Probably the most naturally talented player of all time and maybe the most passionate. He lost some fans with his eccentric antics but he never failed to entertain and seven grand slam titles is hardly a bad return.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> 10)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Ivan Lendl – Lendl was one of the dominant players of the 1980s and tallied a total of eight grand slams during an illustrious career. He was a masterful tactician, and a superb athlete with a one of the best running forehands ever seen.<o:p></o:p></div>Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-23848313845627831052011-01-18T09:42:00.001-08:002011-01-18T09:42:49.106-08:00Pre-season predictions<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<div class="post-body entry-content" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 566px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #171717; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 22px; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">2010/11 Premier league predictions:</span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">Chelsea</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">Man Utd</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">Man City</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">Tottenham</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">Arsenal</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">Liverpool</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">Aston Villa</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">Everton</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">Fulham</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">Newcastle</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">West Ham</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">Bolton</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">Stoke</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">Birmingham</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">Blackburn</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">Sunderland</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">West Brom</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">Wigan</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">Wolves</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">Blackpool</li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">5 points – Correct Place</div><div class="MsoNormal">3 points – 1 or 2 places out</div><div class="MsoNormal">-5 points – wrong by more than 5</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">FA Cup: Man City (5)<br />
League Cup: Man United (5)<br />
Champions League: Real Madrid (5)<br />
First Premier League manager to leave his job: Martinez (5)<br />
Premier League top scorer: Wayne Rooney (5)<br />
Championship: Cardiff City (5)<span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Numbers in brackets tell how many points for each correct answer</div></div>Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-12912895987920553972011-01-11T06:02:00.000-08:002011-01-11T06:02:50.129-08:00England aim for 20/20 record<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUv9ddB0yCTFBelT5CcLJz-_waXm7PYUcUjOKz-6PpQCWgcs8zIKrs9vl89hIXdUD4263UHoOTdEsnFJWOixFfKsmtx0J0gbMjwD_9zLL2rI0yPiztgw1m5SfGHGhRX5xPBfaa9VnWAM/s1600/_50746229_colly466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUv9ddB0yCTFBelT5CcLJz-_waXm7PYUcUjOKz-6PpQCWgcs8zIKrs9vl89hIXdUD4263UHoOTdEsnFJWOixFfKsmtx0J0gbMjwD_9zLL2rI0yPiztgw1m5SfGHGhRX5xPBfaa9VnWAM/s400/_50746229_colly466.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
England will be aiming to set a new Twenty20 record for most consecutive wins when they play Australia tomorrow in Adelaide.<br />
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Having won their last seven matches, the world champions can win a record eighth as they play Cameron White's side in the first of two Twenty20's.<br />
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England captain Paul Collingwood said: "It's not easy to win that many on the trot in Twenty20.<br />
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"The guys are focused and ambitious and these are two huge games for us."<br />
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Vote to who you think will win the Twenty20 series on the right.Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-86457058176817318052011-01-07T09:43:00.000-08:002011-01-08T12:18:40.236-08:00How the Ashes heroes rate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAzv9SSc33hsj2vonGbtC-T0bvGQDYARqMmLwt_qbrL5snWP8Co6ggUb4oHB1M32YWON-UOe2uZtQOIME15l8PqBJlye7Wsn22KQuMNHai4AL8IhY0yxaeiXfHOI315Wn0SsXcUiTeTU/s1600/celebration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAzv9SSc33hsj2vonGbtC-T0bvGQDYARqMmLwt_qbrL5snWP8Co6ggUb4oHB1M32YWON-UOe2uZtQOIME15l8PqBJlye7Wsn22KQuMNHai4AL8IhY0yxaeiXfHOI315Wn0SsXcUiTeTU/s400/celebration.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
After out-batting, out-bowling, out-fielding and outplaying the Australians to win the Ashes 3-1, here are my ratings for the England team:<br />
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Andrew Strauss - 8 - Compared to the likes of Cook and Trott, his average of 43.8 doesn't seem that special but his runs at the top of the order led England on their way. His captaincy is more accomplished than ever and he never let his side get carried away at any stage of the tour.<br />
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Alistair Cook - 10 - Ashes man of the series with over 700 runs at an average of 127, which sums it up. Batted with ease and never looked out of his depth. He's taken giant strides over the past six months after a poor summer.<br />
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Jonathan Trott - 8 - Since Michael Vaughan's retirement, England have been searching for a suitable number three to replace him and Trott has proven his worth. Scored 445 runs in the series at an average of 89. His runs at the top of the order along with Strauss and Cook made sure England got off to a strong start on almost every occasion.<br />
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Kevin Pieterson - 8 - Only got the chance to bat six times due to the top three but in them innings he has scored 360 runs with an average of 60 and his double century in Adelaide suggests he is coming back to his best form.<br />
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Paul Collingwood - 7 - Will be disappointed with less than 100 runs but his contribution to the team cannot be underestimated. Plays a crucial role within the squad with his experience and love of the game. Bowled important overs to allow the seamers to take a rest and his last ever delivery in test cricket was the dismissal of the obdurate Mike Hussey. Best fielder on the side and took the most catches (9) in the series including the one of Ponting in Perth below:<br />
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Ian Bell - 8 - Like KP only had six chances to bat but contributed a great deal in those innings. Over 600 runs, averaging 65 and scored his first Ashes century makes it a very satisfying tour the Warwickshire batsman.<br />
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Matt Prior - 8 - Improved immensely with both bat and gloves over the past 12 months. Again averaged over 50 to bolster the lower order and took a whopping 23 catches. He has become a valuable member of this England side as shown during this series.<br />
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Tim Bresnan - 8 - Very impressive during the last two matches. Came in for the expensive Finn to control the runs and did just that with an economy rate of only 2.6 with an average of 19. Also took 11 wickets in only his two matches and will be a important part of the England set up in future years.<br />
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Graeme Swann - 8 - Bowled well on flat pitches but didn't have the effect everyone expected prior to the series. Australia seemed to take to much time working out how to play Swann and forgot the seamers. Still managed to take an impressive 15 wickets as well as keeping things very tight. Also added runs with the bat.<br />
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James Anderson - 10 - Was magnificent throughout. To take 24 wickets in a five match series is impressive but to do it in Australia is a superb effort. Put the ball in the right place every time, caused mayhem amongst all Australians and will be the spearhead of this fine bowling attack for a while.<br />
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Chris Tremlett - 9 - Only got his chance due to injury but he took it emphatically. Bowled wonderfully and caused problems to every Australian batsmen. Took 17 wickets in three matches but with a bit more luck it would have been a lot more.<br />
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Stuart Broad - 6 - Struggled in the first two matches, taking just two wickets. Unfortunately had to go home due to injury but Tremlett more than stood up to the mark.<br />
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Steven Finn - 7 - Expensive but took 14 wickets in his three matches. Showed his inexperience at times with some wayward bowling and needs to learn to pitch it up. Only 21, though, so will be a big part of the English team in the future.Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-81627139268412446262011-01-06T16:56:00.000-08:002011-01-06T16:56:53.421-08:00Another memorable Ashes comes to an end<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCmeW9KiqTswjxvChiAu6eS4674szEkedxe598OjAaOiHdclwJ8mlqa5ydO7jcqu6MQ3plK85qXgFCDguGHLGIBgcOJshPilL0JKsC2M4JB9-EAAXcoSQ9guhlWR3nZWVrFTp2Urb4R4/s1600/208829895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCmeW9KiqTswjxvChiAu6eS4674szEkedxe598OjAaOiHdclwJ8mlqa5ydO7jcqu6MQ3plK85qXgFCDguGHLGIBgcOJshPilL0JKsC2M4JB9-EAAXcoSQ9guhlWR3nZWVrFTp2Urb4R4/s400/208829895.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Paul Collingwood will not be featuring for England in tests again but his stunning catch to remove Ponting in Perth is just one of many highlights for England in a inspiring series.</span></div><br />
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For so many years the Ashes was a symbol of pain and torture for England fans. Australia steamrolling every team that stood in their path and dominating the famous series for nearly 20 years, they were the power house of world cricket. How times change.<br />
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England have completely and utterly destroyed Australia in the past three months. They have outplayed, outthought and out-coached their greatest nemesis to record a memorable 3-1 victory and that is a joy to watch for any English cricket enthusiast.<br />
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And now it has come to an end. It all started back in November when Andrew Strauss fell third ball before Peter Siddle took a hat-trick and every England fan was getting that all too familar sinking feeling. It was built up as our greatest chance of an Ashes win down under and we were getting hammered after just one day.<br />
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Who would have thought that on the 4th day of the final test Graeme Swann would be smashing 20 runs of a Mitchell Johnson over to guide England to their highest ever score in Australia having already secured the Ashes?<br />
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It's been another unforgettable series. Up and downs, twists and turns all the way with England coming out on top by a distance.<br />
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And a tribute to the departing Collingwood. England have made some giant strides in the game of cricket and much of that is to do with the ginger stalwart. His drive and desire to succeed matches that of anyone to have played the game. He always puts the team ahead of himself and never let his success get to his ahead.<br />
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He retires with a very healthy average 40.56 - better than Atherton, Stewart, Hussain and Gatting - also scoring over 4,000 runs. His average of above 50 against the power houses of world cricket - India, Pakistan, South Africa and Australia - shows that he always made runs went it mattered most and that is a sign of a great player.<br />
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I once again feel privileged to be growing up at a time when English cricket is on such a high and to witness another inspiring series.<br />
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England - You have done your nation proud, very well played!Full Speed Aheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17319550636177919855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540979159576604020.post-45124115461056092652011-01-05T15:11:00.000-08:002011-01-05T15:40:12.450-08:00True legend ends test careerPaul Collingwood has announced his retirement from tests before the 4th morning of the 5th Ashes test in Sydney.<br />
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The 34-year-old said: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #464646; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">"Representing England has always been a dream of mine and I've been fortunate enough to have enjoyed some amazing highs throughout my Test career. I'm proud of the fact that I've always given my all for England but I feel that this is the right time to leave Test cricket having reached some very special achievements, none more satisfying that retaining the Ashes in Australia. I also feel now is the time to ensure some of the younger players are given an opportunity as we have a wealth of talent pushing for places. I still feel I have a huge amount to offer in terms of limited overs cricket and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to continue leading the Twenty20 squad and playing a significant role in England's ODI team."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #464646; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #464646; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">From BBC Sport: Paul Collingwood retires with a healthy average of 40.56 - better than Mike Atherton, Alec Stewart, Nasser Hussain and Mike Gatting - and 4,259 Test runs. That puts him 29th in the all-time England list, between Mark Butcher and Robin Smith. He took some of the finest catches among cricketers of his generation, and if he does not bowl in the second innings he will remember his last ball in Test match cricket - it bowled Mike Hussey.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/10772.html">Collingwood stats</a><br />
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He will be remembered as one of the greatest fielders to have ever played the game, here is a selection of his best catches:<br />
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