Englands World Cup 2014 Squad

This picture was printed in the Daily Mail in 2007 and predicts England's world cup squad for the 2014 World Cup. If ever you needed proof that the Daily Mail are full of horse shit, then look no further. What a baffling array of woefully poor football players this team consists of. I will give them the benefit of the doubt on Theo Walcott who will definitely be in the squad in Brazil, but is by no means guaranteed to start

This picture is pretty self-explanatory, but I do have a couple of questions to ask the author of this article. Firstly WHERE IS WAYNE ROONEY?! Surely, having seen the rise of Wayne Rooney since his debut, even a retarded cocker spaniel could see that at 28, he would be 'quite important' to England. I also struggle to see how Michael Johnson could ever be conceived as being better than Steven Gerrard and why Ashley Cole isn't still in there.

2007 is a year that a lot of people in football will want to regret. Portsmouth will no doubt regret signing John Utaka. Liverpool will regret signing Andriy Voronin and Man Utd were prolific and definitely regret signing Anderson, Nani and Owen Hargreaves. I suspect, someone at the Daily Mail wish they'd pulled the plug on this as well/

World Cup 2014 Draw

It has just been announced that England will play Uruguay, Costa Rica and Italy in the Group stages of next years World Cup. All over my Twitter feed and Facebook timeline are people saying: 

"England might as well book the plane home now"

Frankly, these people have seen the names Uruguay and Italy and proverbially shit themselves. England are more than capable of topping that group. Whether they will or not is frankly another matter but we'll wait and see on that one. I want a bit of "this is our year" positivity. 

Firstly, I think Italy present a far bigger threat that Uruguay to England, despite all this talk of "OMFG South American teams!!!". Think back to the Euro's last year, we lost to Italy in a shite game where neither team did very much. In horrendously hot and humid Manaus at 2am GMT, noone is going to fancy that one. Italy will be just as annoyed with the group as us, and we certainly shouldn't fear them. 

As for the Uruguayans, did noone watch the Confederations Cup in Brazil not long ago? Uruguay were utter shite, and I mean that politely. Look down their teamsheet and you'll see 3 stand-out names; Forlan, Cavani & a certain Luis Suarez. Forlan is well past it and I personally think Edinson Cavani is grossly over-rated. As for Suarez, all we need is Stevie G to run through him in the last Liverpool training session before he goes. If not, chances are he will be suspended for biting a black pensioner in Toxteth anyway. 

Then when we come away from Group D top with 7 points, we'll have a favourable draw in the second round with Ivory Coast probably being the bookies favourite. Like I said, a bit of English positivity please.

I actually rather like the draw. Group G will be great to watch but for me Group B wins it. The long awaited rematch of the horribly ugly 2010 World Cup Final will be a great watch. Something tells me Howard Webb might not get that gig.

Fuck that haters. Come on England

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro

Since 2008, I have rated Cristiano Ronaldo as the best player in world football. I will explain why later on. However, he is my idol for different reasons for that. I will explain that too.

Ronaldo has publicly thanked his childhood friend Albert Fantrau for his success. If you don't know the story, allow me to fill you in. When Sporting Lisbon scouts came to watch Ronaldo's team play, they said that the player who scored the most goals will be accepted into the academy. The team won 3-0 with Ronaldo scoring 2 and Fantrau scoring the other. At 2-0, Fantrau went 1-on-1 with the keeper, rounded him and instead of tapping the ball into an empty net, passed to Ronaldo, who scored and therefore was taken to the Sporting academy. After the match, Fantrau told Ronaldo "You're better than me." and thats why he passed. If you were to go to Albert Fantrau's address now, you'll find a gorgeous house, nice car and a very rich, unemployed man. All gifts from Cristiano. This is why I admire Ronaldo so much.

On the pitch, Ronaldo is the single most complete footballer in the world. Physically, his speed, power and endurance can be matched by noone. He is a threat with his left and right foot, as well as being an talisman in the air, no defence in the world can contain him. He revolutionised the way free kicks are struck and can make the ball do things that seem physically improbable. In recent years, his goalscoring record speaks for itself, 206 goals in 2014 games for Madrid is simply indescribable. Ronaldo has proved himself in different countries, with different teams, coaches and managers. Where his rivals struggle to make an impact at International level, he single-handedly drags Portugal to tournament after tournament. This year alone, Ronaldo has outscored every Premier League on his own, and as of today has scored 8 goals in this seasons Champions League.

If Cristiano Ronaldo does not win the Ballon D'Or this year, then I will lose what little (very little) respect I have for FiFA.

My 3 Favourite Cristiano Ronaldo Goals

3) Man Utd v Portsmouth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smnOWsLmXI8
2) Real Madrid v Sevilla
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mtrdg1qMMF0
1) Porto v Man Utd
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JLkI7AUFo0

6 Real Life Wonderkids

It is always risky to predict the future stars in football. Injuries can hamper progression or they can simply go the same way as Francis Jeffers or Freddie Adu. However, from the extensive football I watch and follow, I have found 6 players that should be right at the top of world football in 5 to 10 years time. I have tried to choose some of the less obvious names. It doesn't take a genius to work out that Neymar and Gareth Bale with still be 'quite' good in 2018. Fingers crossed on this one!


Stephan El Sharaawy (21)
Ludicrous hair for a player with ludicrous potential, 21 year old El Sharaawy has broken into the AC Milan set up in the last 2 or 3 years. A speedy winger who possesses great skill and an eye for goal, it is hardly surprising that he has adready made it into the Italian national set up, although he tends to be used from the bench at this stage. Rumour has it that Milan are allowing El Sharaawy to leave the San Siro in the near future, and Premier League clubs such as Liverpool & Chelsea are keen. Don't go there Stephan, you're better than Liverpool and won't get played at Chelsea!


Álvaro Morata (21)
21 year old Álvaro Morata has the potential to be something really special at Real Madrid. In his tenure, José Mourinho chose to leave Morata in Real Madrid's 'Castilla' (Reserves), a decision that proved unpopular in the Spanish media. On his first full appearance for the senior team, Morata scored after 60 seconds of coming on, securing a 2-1 away win - talk about an introduction! His goalscoring record is exceptional... 45 goals in 83 appearances for Real Madrid Castilla and 11 goals in 9 games for Spain U21s. This guy has the potential to be something really special. At present he is used off the bench as a more than capable replacement for Karim Benzema, but I think he's good to start from time to time. Come on Ancelotti, take the chance on him. When Morata is the next Raul, you heard it here first!



Gerard Deulofeu (19)
You have probably heard of 19 year old Gerard Deulofeu because of his current loan spell with Roberto Martinez at Everton from Barcelona B. I would not be surprised if he is kept

at the Nou Camp long term though. Barcelona have a rich history of integrating youth team players into their first team set up, usually as back up. Look at the likes of Christian Tello and Pedro. However, should he not be kept at Barca long term, he could be a hell of a catch for other clubs. In the 2012/13 season, Deulofeu scored 18 goals in 33 appearances for Barca B, not bad considering he is an out-and-out winger. I want to see him play more for Everton, and so most probably to Barcelona. I believe he's been loaned to them to toughen him up before he comes back to become a big hit in Spain.



Zakaria Bakkali (17)
Bakkali is next on the conveyor belt of young Belgian wonderkids. Currently plying his

trade at PSV in Holland, the 17 year old is most famous for becoming the youngest Eredivisie player of all-time to score a hat-trick, at the age of 17 years and 196 days. Having scored 7 goals in 9 games for Belgium U17s, Bakkali has recently been promoted to the Belgium U21s. In this list, Bakkali is the youngest, has little first team experience and hasn't proved himself yet. But I have a feeling he will.



Raphaël Varane (20)
Having played 28 times already for the Real Madrid first team, Varane is already showing

his class and can only get better and better. I am not sure why Carlo Ancelotti chooses Pepe over Varane in honesty because I believe in the long run, he could turn out being the best central defender in the world. Standing at 6'3'', but still possessing a decent turn of pace, no striker will fancy going up against him. His height also makes him a goal threat, proven when he scored a towering header in El Clásico last year. Irritatingly, he's French. 



Julien Draxler (20)
Draxler is considered as a well- rounded attacking midfielder with massive future talent,

who has the ability to be a game-changer in any given moment. He has already played for the German national team and he’s viewed as the future of the squad. He has already been linked with Chelsea, Bayern and Real Madrid in recent years, not bad all before your 21st birthday. Ze Germans speak of him very highly indeed, with good reason. Looking at the young german midfielders, to be mentioned as the future star is some accolade. I hope for his sake that he doesn't jump off the Schalke ship too early, as a move to a big club too soon could stifle his progression if he isn't a regular starter. Just what the world needs, another German wonderkid... 

Racism in Football

Having not posted on this blog for a while, I was watching the CSKA Moscow v Man City game and searching for a new topic when sky announce that Yaya Toure is the subject of monkey chants from the home supporters. This sent my mind into a spasm of depression and rage at a whole manner of different parties.

Firstly this latest incident comes from a set of fans that support CSKA Moscow, a Russian team whose first choice strikers are pictured below. I typed the word "laughable" to describe that fact, but it isn't laughable at all. To be honest, I genuinely am lost for words.

Seydou Doumbia & Ahmed Musa - CSKA Moscow players

This comes in a country that is notorious for racism. Below are just three incidents that I've thought of off the top of my head. There are likely to be many more that barely even make the headlines.

1) Roberto Carlos - In an away match for Anzhi Machachkala at Krylia Sovetov , Roberto Carlos received a pass from the goalkeeper and was about to pass it when a banana was thrown on to the pitch. He walked off the pitch immediately, indicating that this was the 2nd time this kind of incident had happened. 


2) Chris Samba - In a similar incident, Chris Samba had a banana thrown at him playing away at Zenit St Petersburg.

3) Zenit Fans Letter - When Zenit first announced the signing of Hulk, the Zenit fans wrote an open letter to the club, in which it said, "We're not racists but we see the absence of black players at Zenit as an important tradition,". (See here for full story - http://ind.pn/UDbOmD)

As you probably know, Russia have been elected to hold the 2018 FIFA World Cup (At England's expense I might add!). This can be added to the already mammoth list of baffling decisions and stupid choices that FIFA make. As much as I would like to, I won't be talking about that decision here. Instead, I will slaughter UEFA's policy for punishment for this kind of offence.

It is likely that CSKA Moscow will be fined a few thousand pounds for this, the media will call it an outrage, nothing more will be done and we'll have another racism issue in Russia in about 2 months time. What should happen is that CSKA Moscow should be fined heavily, and they should be kicked out banned from the UEFA competitions for a couple of years. I am willing to bet all that I own that Spurs will be fined more than CSKA for the flair incident earlier this week. UEFA are just as bad as the fans for failing to address the issues in European football.

As if to insult us all, during half-time in the Man Utd game later on, a 'No To Racism' advert, endorsed by the worlds best footballers is shown. I wanted to punch the screen. 

UEFA, you're a joke. Russia, you're a joke. Racism, no joke

Not quite all European football...

Read about todays abuse at the expense of Yaya Toure here - http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/23/manchester-city-yaya-toure-racist-chanting

Are Sunderland Making The Same Mistake Twice

It has broken today that Gus Poyet is set to be unveiled as the new Sunderland manager,

after the recent sacking of the ever-amusing Paolo Di Canio. Compare the CVs of the two men and you find a lot of similarities. You could call both foreign hot heads who, whilst playing in good premier league teams in the 90s, have no elite experience in management.

Make no mistake, Poyet has done a great job at Brighton. He took them from a mediocre League One team to a Championship team with playoff aspirations, transforming their playing style in the process. Poyet won 86 of his 194 games as Brighton manager, leading them from League One to the Championship play-offs last season, where they lost out to eventual winners Crystal Palace.

Sunderland chairman Ellis Short heavily hinted that Di Canio's appointment last season was a short term fix and keeping them in the Premier League was his only task. But what next for Sunderland Football Club? Their squad contains players too good to be battling relegation this season. The likes of Emanuele Giaccherini, Adam Johnson and Steven Fletcher are simply too good to be battling relegation over and over again. 

For the record, I do not think that Sunderland will be relegated this season, and Poyet can look to build a new Sunderland with increasing amounts of foreign flair and vigour.

The Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup Shambles

Sepp Blatter has today reiterated that the World Cup in 2022 will definitely take place in Qatar, despite the debate surrounding the countries summer temperatures and recent reports of 'slave-like' working conditions. FIFA have also announced that they are setting up a 'task-force' who will look into a winter-held tournament for the first time ever and make a decision in about 12 months.

Qatar 'won' the right to hold the 2022 world cup in December 2010, almost 3 years ago. I CAN believe that its taken  FIFA 3 years to find Qatar on a map, but can't believe that noone thought that it might be hot in the Middle-East in summer. 

I am a firm believer that moving the Qatar World Cup to

winter is a poor idea. When talking about this, my friend Luke made a point that I completely agree with. When the issue first arose and a winter tournament was considered, Qatar should have had to rebid for the World Cup against Japan, South Korea, USA & Australia with their bid centred around being held in winter. Then, if they won the bid, they could go ahead and mess with the world's football calender. The fact of the matter is, noone voted for a winter World Cup in 2022.

Qatar's Crazy Stadia Designs

I believe that the USA should have won the right to hold the World Cup, although obviously I don't know the specifics of the bid. Russia won the bid over the UK because FIFA thought that the tournament could invigorate football in Russia. By that same logic, 'soccer' would see a huge surge in popularity across the pond if all the world stars came calling.

Saying that, who is surprised to see FIFA, with Sepp Blatter at the helm, make questionable choices. The man is an idiot.

"What Am I doing?" - Sepp Blatter

Midweek Fixtures - Champions League & Championship

Here are a list of tonight's matches. I will discuss a couple of the bigger games in a little more detail.

Champions League - Tuesday 1st October

Group E

Basel v Schalke - KO: 19:45
Steaua Bucharest v Chelsea - KO: 19:45

Few would have predicted Chelsea losing at home to Basel in week 1, leaving their trip to Romania this week much more important than they'd have hoped. With Mourinho still struggling to find his way back in the Chelsea dug-out, anything other than 3 points will set alarms bells ringing in fans' ears, as failure to get out of this group would be a disaster. Basel were impressive in London but face another tough test in a typically organised Schalke side who regularly dispose of average teams at this level.

Group F

Borussia Dortmund v Marseille - KO: 19:45
Arsenal v Napoli - KO: 19:45

Both games will be fast-paced and exciting in my opinion here. Dortmund & Marseille both lost in week 1, and if you can have must win games this early on in the competition, this is surely one of them. Mesut zil tweeted earlier this week "Looking forward to meet on tuesday Higuain, Albiol and Callejon. But: sorry. We have no presents...". He is clearly relishing the task of beating his former team. A strong Napoli setup will probably be Arsenal's toughest test so far this season.

Group G

Zenit St Petersburg v Austria Vienna - KO: 17:00
FC Porto v Athletico Madrid - KO 19:45

Im expecting a really exciting game between Porto & Madrid. Both picked up wins in matchday 1 and will be looking to move clear at the top of the table. I watched the Madrid derby at the weekend and Athletico were fantastic. Going to the Bernabéu and keeping a clean sheet is a feat not many can boast. Couldn't call this, but Porto at home are notoriously hard to beat and I think Madrid will take a point.

Group H

Celtic v Barcelona - KO: 19:45
Ajax v AC Milan - KO:19:45

Cannot see beyond two away wins in this group. Despite the absent Lionel Messi, Barcelona should prove superior in Glasgow. Ajax put up little resistance in Barcelona and I think Milan will be too strong again this week.

Championship


Barnsley v Reading - KO: 19:45
Birmingham v Millwall - KO: 19:45
Blackburn v Watford - KO: 19:45
Brighton v Sheffield Wednesday - KO: 19:45
Charlton v Nottingham Forest - KO: 19:45
Derby v Ipswich - KO: 19:45
Doncaster v Burnley - KO: 19:45
Leeds v Bournemouth - KO: 19:45
Middlesborough v Huddersfield - KO: 19:45
Yeovil v Leicester - KO: 19:45
Blackpool v Bolton - KO: 20:00

One of the most unpredictable leagues in world football, where anyone can beat anyone. Gonna stick my neck out and say I expect wins for Brighton, Forest and Leeds

Is Özil Arsenal's saviour?

Ever since the £42 million deadline day capture of Mesut Özil, there seems to be a new sense of positivity surrounding Arsenal Football Club. It would seem that finally Arsène Wenger has caved to fans pressure and spent big to make them competitors for silverware, is Özil the missing piece to the Gunner's silverware jigsaw?

As I have been reminded by my many Arsenal fan friends, they currently lead the way in the Premier League having won their last 5 league games after a disappointing opening fixture defeat to Aston Villa. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Gunners recent form is the way they've started considering the players they have unavailable through injury. Lukas Podolski, Santi Cazorla and Mikel Arteta would all be right in the mix of the first team without pre-season injuries.

However, if you look at the last 5 games, they have beaten Swansea, West Brom, Stoke, Fulham and Spurs. Tottenham aside, those are sides that Arsenal should be beating. Compare that to the start of Man Utd who have already visited Anfield, the Etihad and hosted Chelsea, my warning to Arsenal fans is to not get too complacent just yet. I would go as far to say that Özil is Arsenal's only world-class player but look through their squad and you find a lot of talent. Jack Wilshere is rated as probably the best young

Ramsey: Who saw this coming

Englishman since Wayne Rooney, Aaron Ramsey recent transformation has Arsenal fans purring with delight and Olivier Giroud's goalscoring start to the season has been just what the doctor ordered. I still think Arsenal possess some weak links. Wojciech Szczęsny always has a mistake in him, and I if was an opposing manager I would always be targeting the left-back area. Kieran Gibbs is a liability in defence, and Per Mertesacker has the turning circle of a medium sized ocean liner.

Despite their good start with several players missing, I still think Arsenal lack the strength and depth in their squad to win the Premier League. All it takes is for 1 tackle for Wilshere to be out for another long period. I also think that an injury to Olivier Giroud would knock all the wind out of Arsenal's sails. Lukas Podolski is not a player I would want to have as my leading striker in a team, which is what they're left with without Giroud. In the games he has played in an Arsenal shirt, Mesut Özil has a lot of space to influence the game. Against the top teams, I will be interested to see if he has the same effect or whether he is starved of the ball and the game passes him by.

For the last 3 or 4 years, Arsenal have had to fight to get into the top 4, but I think they can finally start at least challenging for the top 2 now. I don't think Arsenal win finish this season with any trophies, but that prediction has the potential to come back and bite me come May. I am more sure that Arsenal are still a long way away from being competitors with ambition to win the Champions League. Perhaps with the addition of someone like a Robin van Persie...

Note: His name is pronounced 'eurgh-zil', NOT 'oh-zil' or 'oh-zeel' <- Someone tell the commentators

Are Spurs The Real Deal?

Who could honestly say that we would even be asking ourselves this question 3 months ago If someone told us they would lose Gareth Bale to Real Madrid one day before the close of the transfer window? 

This week, Tottenham drew at home to Chelsea, a game they dominated in the 1st half and rightfully took the lead, prompting Mourinho to change tactics in order to get back into it before a horrible refereeing decision led to a Torres sending off and 10 minutes of Spurs pressure before the final whistle meant a deserved 1 point each. The game itself, and certainly the first half makes me confident that Spurs, particularly at home, can compete with anyone in the league. 

Do I think that Spurs are ready to mount a serious challenge for the Premier League title? Short answer: No. I do like the spurs team though.

If you go down the Spurs team, you find a lot of good players. Lloris is a very competent 'keeper now that he's found his feet in a Spurs shirt. The back 4 is still, in classic Tottenham style, shaky. Kyle Walker is a defensive liability at right-back, as is Danny Rose at left-back. They are decent prospect for Spurs and England, but I don't rate them nearly as highly as the likes of Sagna, Zabaleta, Cole and Evra. The centre back partnership of Michael Dawson and Jan Vertonghen is more solid than the wing backs. However, I still have to compare them to the likes of Kompany, Vidic etc and i'm not sure they pack that kind of punch. I would never bet on Spurs to keep a clean sheet in the league, even though the John Terry header yesterday was the first goal they've conceeded this season. 

Moving upfield, I'm not sure that Andre Villas-Boas knows his strongest midfield yet. Against Chelsea he played a fluid 5 in midfield consisting of Paulinho, Andros Townsend, Moussa Dembélé, Glyfi Sigurdsson and Cristian Eriksen. The first thing I notice about this is the lack of out-and-out wingers, the threat of which comes from the oncoming Walker and Rose. I rate Paulinho, Dembélé and Eriksen very highly indeed. Paulinho and Dembélé are both capable defensively but can also drive Spurs forward from deep. Eriksen is a different player; clever, tricky with the ability to create and unlock defences. Andros Townsend is a similar player to Dembélé in my opinion, and i'm unsure of how important he is to Spurs at this moment. Sigurdsson has really found his eye for goal at the start of the season, which cannot be undervalued while new front-man Roberto Soldado finds his feet in English football.

The biggest change I see in this Spurs team to previous seasons comes when you look at the options AVB has on the bench. Record signing Erik Lamela is joined by Jermain

New Boys: Soldado & Lamela

Defoe, Lewis Holtby and Nacer Chadli and really allow Spurs to bring something new off the bench to change a game - Something they did very well against Cardiff when they scored a last minute winner. Personally I think spending so much money on an unproven winger like Lamela is a huge gamble. The English game is unique in it's physicality and rigidity of teams, which leaves many European wingers struggling. That is part of the reason I rate Cristiano Ronaldo as the best player in the world, and why I also think Chadli and Lamela are best suited as impact subs to the bench before leading the line.

The only problem I have with Spurs is that I don't think they'll be able to perform as well as the other contenders over a 38-game season. When I envisage Spurs playing away Stoke or Hull on a cold tuesday night in February, I don't think they'll be as competitive as a Chelsea, Man Utd or Man City. 

With Arsenal & Liverpool both improving too this year, I can see Spurs having to fight harder than even get into the Champions League, before they can eye up bigger prizes

What on Earth is going on at QPR?

For a lot of people, once a team is relegated from the Premier League, they might have well fallen off the face of the Earth. This may well be the case for some readers but the transfer dealings of QPR this summer has been nothing more than baffling.

Everyone remembers the summer of 2012 when QPR won the Championship and in that transfer window, bought every man and his dog that had ever seen a football under Mark Hughes. When they found themselves bottom of the league a few months later, they proceeded to buy another shed-load of players, and when they went down in the summer 2013, everyone predicted a mass clear-out and a totally now squad. However, if you take a look at the QPR squad for this season, you will still see a bizarre array of talent that quite frankly should not be playing in the 2nd tier of English football.

Júlio César
What Júlio César is doing in the QPR reserves is one of the biggest mysteries in football at

the minute, and a conundrum I will never solve. The fact that he is behind Rob Green in the pecking order is strange enough. But in a years time, footballs most illustrious tournament will be held in Brazil. Before the start of this season, César was Brazil's number 1 by some margin but I cannot see how he can keep that shirt with a year of no
football. I don't know what him and his agent have been doing over the summer, but if it is the case that he's happy to get paid every week as his chance to represent his country in a home world cup diminishes, he sums up everything that is wrong with modern football.

Joey Barton

On the 9th April 2013, Joey Barton tweeted

"Some strange people think that i'll be playing in the Championship next season. Good one! QPR might, I wont! #fact"

On the 4th August 2013, Barton was named in the starting lineup in the opening day fixture at home to Sheffield Wednesday and has been in the first team setup ever since. 

Love or loathe (and I certainly loathe) Barton, he is still a good player and should be playing in the Premier League. Why he isn't, or why he didn't stay in France, I don't know.

Niko Kranjcar
Thats right, Niko Kranjcar is playing the Championship. This is obviously down to Harry Redknapp, having bought him at Portsmouth, Spurs and now QPR, but it is shocking to hear this kind of name with a Championship club.

Other names in the QPR squad include Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Gary O'Neil, Danny Simpson, Richard Dunne, Andy Johnson (Yes, THE Andy Johnson from years ago), Shaun Wright-Phillips, Jermaine Jenas, Junior Hoilett, Alejandro Faurlin and Bobby Zamora. All these players have had fairly long or successful spells in Englands top division. 

QPR have also brought in some of the Championships top talent including ex-Blackpools Matt Phillips, ex-Wolves captain Karl Henry and Championship leading goalscorer last season Charlie Austin (who I do not rate by the way).

As many may expect with that squad, after 9 games QPR are 3 points clear at the Championship and remain unbeaten with 7 wins and 2 draws. That said, they have hardly set the division alight with Premiership quality football. QPR have only scored 10 goals so far in those 9 games, and scraped victories against lowly Yeovil, under-achieving Bolton and only managing 1-1 away to Huddersfield ;).

They are yet to be really tested against the big-hitters of the division and I will be interested to see how they fair at places like Nottingham Forest and Watford.

Would I like to see QPR back in the Premiership?

Pains of Manchester

I am writing this on the night of the 28th September 2013, shortly after David Moyes' Man Utd lost at home against West Brom. This leaves them 12th with 7 points after 6 games including 3 losses against todays opposition, Liverpool and Man City. This underlines a thoroughly underwhelming start to life in the fast lane for David Moyes and has a lot of United fans concerned as to just what the post-Fergie era has in-store. 

I must admit, when news broke of Sir Alex's retirement, I was desperately against the appointment of David Moyes. My (slightly ambitious) best case scenario was José Mourinho taking over and bringing a certain Cristiano Ronaldo over with him. On paper, David Moyes had a fantastic track record at Everton, but his lack of 'big time' management, as well as no European experience worried me. As it was, he was picked and I tried to be optimistic.

If I was David Moyes, on day 1, I would have turned to the board and said:

"Listen, it is VITAL that post-Fergie, we prove to everyone that this club is still at the top of the world and to do that, I want to be strong in the transfer market and make at least 1 marque signing. I want to stamp my authority on this team and this season."

Instead, we got half-arsed attempts to sign Thiago Alcantara and Gareth Bale, as well as embarrassing pursuits of Leighton Baines (WHO THEY DO NOT NEED), Cesc Fabregas and Ander Herrera. This left them with Marouane Fellaini secured bang on deadline and the farcical summer display left us a laughing stock.

On the pitch, pre-season results were pretty terrible, but noone really read much into that. In the Community Shield, the not-so-shocking win over relegated Wigan and decent display away at Swansea in the first week left us thinking 'maybe we'll be ok'. But since then, both performances and results have been thoroughly unacceptable. Part of the blame lies with the players, the selection and the management. 

We looked clueless against a defensive Liverpool side, posed no threat to Chelsea at home and looked like a pub team at the Etihad.

----------------------------

So now I'm going to name and shame the players I have issues with, as well as praise the few (very few) that deserve to wear the famous red shirt. If a player isn't mentioned, it's a positive thing.

Phil Jones & Chris Smalling

These two are grouped together because they are exactly the same. I think they are 2 talented English young players with great potential. However, neither of them are anything more than incompetent at right-back. Phil Jones is the worst right back in the league. The boy can't even pass, and every time he crosses the ball I feel like kicking an orphan child to death in rage. Please get well soon Rafael.

Anderson & Nani
Sir Alex signed Anderson and Nani signed back in 2007 and in my opinion have both proved to be completely wasted potential and are now useless. On the plus side, Fergie recognised this and already penciled their names on the team sheet under the heading 'BENCH'. Moyes has recently given Nani a new contract and he is firmly in the 1st team setup, something I despise. I would have sold them both in the summer and delighted to recoup anything around £15mil between them.

Ryan Giggs & Tom Cleverley
It pains me to say this but Giggsy's time is finally up. I am pleased to see that he is involved in the coaching side of the team but he's no longer good enough to play at this level. Unfortunately for Cleverley, he was and probably will never be good enough to play at this level. He contributes very little next to Michael Carrick and is a waste of a shirt. He is part of the reason I don't mind that we have signed Fellaini, as noone can do as little as Cleverley.

Wayne Rooney

I will openly admit that I was wrong about Rooney. In the summer after he said he wanted to go, I said 'fuck it, let him go, hes been overrated for 2 years.' Since then, he has found his hunger and passion that I hadn't seen since 2010. The only success Moyes has had this season so far is his handling of this situation.

Shinji Kagawa
Please play him Moyes, please fucking play him.

Actual quality players - De Gea, Vidic, Evra, Carrick, Valencia, Rooney, van Persie

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Man Utd will not win the Premier League this season. I said that at the start. I just pray that Moyes & co figure out what the fuck they're doing soon because 7 years of this will ruin Manchester United Football Club.

Sidenote: So far, La Liga is a better league to watch than the Premier League this year

About Me

I am a 21 year old footballing fanatic called Ash. I will be blogging about anything and everything football orientated, with particular reference to my beloved Huddersfield Town as well as Man United. That said, I will vent my anger and discuss all avenues of the beautiful game. 

Hope you enjoy