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Holden Out Some Hope
I realize that since I am going to be completely ignored here but I feel the need to voice my frustration. I am a Scotsman living in America which is pretty crap at times when I have to watch the US national team. I am in no way a US soccer fan but I am blown away that no one has made anything of the De Jong tackle on Stuart Holden.
I am a huge Arsenal fan, and even with all of my emotions coming from this weekend, I will say that the Shawcross tackle had nothing on this filthy cheat De Jong. With Holden left with a broken leg, and the tackle being much more vicious than Shawcross', I am wondering why there has been no attention given to this AT ALL.
De Jong should have been sent off at the very least. How come the media has made nothing of this? Why do we only hear about this sort of thing when it happens to a player on a big club? Or is it just because it didn't happen on English soil that we don't care? I'm sick of this biased approach to reporting football. Holden is left with a crap injury and noone care. Ridiculous.
Anthony (Charlotte, North Carolina)
...Young Premier League midfielder, just making an impact at his club and breaking into the first team, winning praise for his performances, see his leg broken in 2 places after a late, studs up challenge by a tough tackling but 'not that sort' of player. No, not Aaron Ramsey, but Bolton's Stuart Holden, injured in the Holland vs. USA game in the week by Nigel De Jong.
Funny how no one's mentioned it...I guess Bolton don't have enough plastics to moan about conspiracy theories and lengthy bannings for the offender. Can't link the tackle as I'm at work but it is on Youtube, and worse than Shawcross'. Meaningless international friendly or not I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned more, but I can only imagine the furore if this had happened to a Sky Four player.
Jimmy (forgot the 3rd paragraph...) O
What's The Fixation With Walcott?
After reading a day's worth of slating commentary, negative press and emails coming in from all corners on how bad Walcott is, it occurred to me that I've no idea why most people are so fascinated with him after this game and trying to give a young player a kicking.
Yes, he hasn't improved this season, but that's exactly what you'd expect from a 20 year old with only a handful of starts. He lives a relatively quiet life, keeps himself out of the press (bar making some positive comments about Shawcross' tackle on his teammate) and also doesn't try to mask over the fact that he has struggled this year, so I don't see why the attacks on him are so personal?
He played exactly how you would expect any player out of form and fitness to play and more importantly wouldn't have played if Lennon was fit.
For me, this smacks of nothing but trying to focus on one small thing that will in no way affect our chances in the World Cup to mask over the real issues like;
1) Defoe needing 3 chances to score, which is never going to work at international level
2) Gerrard being seriously out of form
3) Lampard not being sure where he's supposed to be playing
4) SWP looking great against teams when they've opened up but as we all know in the World Cup there is no chance of that happening
5) England looking like exactly the same team that entered into the last five tournaments with exactly the same flaws
Personally I don't think Theo is going to make the grade at Arsenal, even though his proper position is clearly as forward, but that doesn't mean we have to completely destroy a player's confidence when all he has ever tried to do is make himself available for the national team (including the U21's where he picked up his injury!)
Richard, London
Anyone But England
On Wednesday night I tried to see if I could become an 'Anyone But England' supporter and found it a lot easier than I was expecting. Especially considering how upset I've been in the past about England losing. I remember not speaking for two days after the exit from WC98. Last night there were a couple of excited heartbeats when Crouch scored (one of the few England players I like) but I managed to suppress them pretty easily. I really hope I can keep this up and with Theo out of the team (what a shocker he had) it should be doable.
So why would such an ardent fan decide to stop supporting England? Well I don't feel they represent me any more. I love England the country, but I hate England the football team (full of t*ssers that I wouldn't spit on if they were of fire), the English press (minus F365 of course), the FA (spineless idiots) and the English refs (even more spineless idiots). Add to this people like Fat Sam, Tony Pulis, Phil Brown, Joey Barton, Dennis Wise, Ryan (4 major injures caused in 4 years) Shawcross and it's clear why I no longer want to be associated with the footballing side of this country. I don't buy this 'support your country at all odds' bullshit. That's for people with no mind of their own.
Of course you will all say you don't need people like me supporting England and that's fair enough. What I can say though is that when England inevitably get knocked out of the World Cup, I'll be laughing my head off while you all mope around crying into your beer.
Adonis (Arsenal>England) Stevenson, AFC
Twaddle
Please remind me, who were the teams that Waddle was Manager of ? and what did he do to set the football world a light ? As I recall he had "one leg and a Swinger" if the ball came to him on his right leg he didn't know what to do !! So the words " glass, houses, stones and throw spring to mind.
Malcolm Mackenzie
...Waddle 'Walcott doesn't possess a footballing brain'
What next, Waddle declares 'Bestie likes a drink', 'Hansen sits on fence', 'Rix likes to play as soon as there's grass on the pitch'?
Stop giving this 'has been' air time for stating the obvious.
Thom, Newport
The Real Victim
"Ryan's been away and he's had a fantastic couple of days with England.
"I've made sure I've spoken to him every day and he has been fine and the players have been fantastic." Tony Pulis
I mean what the f!ck? He's fine! He's fine! Who had the career changing injury here?
I can kind of accept Pulis saying it wasn't that bad a tackle. I can just about stomach the "he's not that kind of player" bullshit, but what I cannot take is an attempt to make Shawcross out as the real victim!!!
What sickness of the Anglo Saxon mind is it that being talented and skillful equates to weakness while brute force and sheer idiocy is seen as a sign of true British strength?
This goes beyond the Ramsey injury. Why is Arsenal's football always described as "tippy tappy" when they put an empasis on passing and playing the game right?
Rant over
John
An Impartial Answer For Conor Byrne
Why is Walcott included at the expense of Young? Probably for the same reason that Leslie Grantham is no longer in Eastenders. By that I obviously mean that they both failed to demonstrate sufficient ability when called upon by the new man in charge. Oh, and the whole 'w**king on webcam' thing.
thayden
Big Fans Of Wassim
I just wanted to drop a line and thank Wassim the Egyptian for his comprehensive mail on the CAN champions.
The Egypt side has been something of a mystery to me for some time - close to unbeatable on their own continent without managing to get to a World Cup in recent memory.
It would be good if we could get similarly detailed run downs of some of those teams in the world cup that tend not to be analysed to a great degree in this country.
Are there any other international 365 readers out there who can help? Uruguay? Japan? Paraguay? Chile? Honduras? Finally, I know this is something of a long shot..... is anyone reading from North Korea?
Mathiveattack
...Just like to say to Wassim of London and Beirut, thanks for a fascinating and instructive breakdown of the Egyptian team. Seriously that was excellently written and clearly you should be the official F365 African football correspondent (although you live in England)
James (learnt a lot there)
...Just wanted to praise Wassim, London/Beirut on a cracking letter. It's always really interesting to get an in-depth look at football in another country from the view of one of their fans. More of the same from fans of other countries? Get writing in, you lot!
Joe BWFC
Trophies Over Morals
James. Of course it does. When hasn't it??
What would you rather be talking about in a year's time? How brilliant it was for England to win the world cup or how we didn't make it past the group stages but at least that cad John Terry wasn't there.
If Wayne Rooney had done it do you think the England fans would be clambering for him to be left out of the squad so someone who has been slagged off all season for being a bit sh*t could go to the world cup?? No of course they wouldn't.
Everyone is praying Ashley Cole is fit, but hold on didn't he cheat on Cheryl, so he can't go. We've all read the stories about Wayne and a certain granny, so surely he can't go. The man who captained England on Wednesday was in court recently. That's no example to be setting so he can't go either.
Do you want to win the world cup or do you want a team of saints ???
As far as I'm aware the England team has never been picked on moral grounds and it never will be. Just grow up and get over it.
Andy Bull
Why No Playoffs?
Just thought i'd show my complete confusion as to why the play off idea for the final CL place has been quashed? As far as I understand, it takes 14 clubs to say yes to it for it to be implemented or discussed further. The top 4 are understandably against it since they don't want to risk coming fourth at the end of a tough season and play more matches, but that means 16 clubs are left. So who are the two against it? Big Sam argued against it, claiming it's bad incase a team like his, Blackburn, 'accidently' end up in the CL (nice show of ambition there, Sam). So this leaves one other and for the life of me I don't know which club would.
On a side note, should Portsmouth get a vote on this? They are as good as relegated and probably wont be seen in the top flight for another few years, so why should they have any input over this?
Third paragraph: a play-off would be good preperation for the last qualified team anyway going into the CL. And those few matches would generate some more income, so even if they didn't make it in, they would still have more money to spend and improve going into the next season.
Mike Nixon
Wingers Need A Reputation
Reading the Theo Walcott debacle for approximately the 1 000 000th time on F365, I wondered why the boy was THAT bad. I long considered this and compared him to other wingers who have better fortunes than him (quite many if you ask me).
I reached a seemingly solid conclusion that wing play is an art, an art which, if mastered, will turn a player into a Cristiano Ronaldo prototype and if not mastered, a Theo Walcott. An important factor in this argument is that players do create reputations from the way they play and it is no surprise that players back away when Cristiano Ronaldo gets the ball. Though not a winger, the same can be said for Paul Scholes.
Not many players rush in to mark him as they know his excellent touch and turn may leave them embarrassed. Such a reputation does "buy" said player time and space on the ball and is critical for one to be an excellent winger. Consider Theo Walcott. Opposing players know he possesses no attributes whatsoever and are therefore eager to shut him down when gets the ball and, 10 out of 10 times they succeed. Aaron Lennon is beginning to create one for himself and I personally expect him to improve as a winger as more players shy away from marking him. That's the sort of reputation that young Theo should be striving for. For now he's a complete w**ker but I believe he has the potential, like THAT big sneeze someone mentioned the other day.
Louis (how often do you see Jacob Zuma mentioned on F365) Msindo
Grumpy Old Johnny
I remember 10 odd years or more so ago when I started reading F365 and Johnny Nich's columns (don't know if he was here then or not but it feels like he has been here the whole time), he was the cooler older guy, rock dude, talked about the drugs and the groupies and the good times being had by all and sundry. Then he transitioned into the maturer older bloke, like my Da, who I can have a great chat about things with and whose opinion I highly value but when it came down to the parties etc. and he regales you with the stories of the good old days it was more in a "I've still got it" kinda way. Everybody looking at the ground in their discomfort trying not to make eye contact.
Now it's finally happened John Nich has gone full blown Victor Meldrew on us. The curmudgeon has started writing a column simply to complain about things that annoy him. All he needs to do is finish every column with an "I don't believe it." As Pink Floyd once noted, "The sun is the same in a relative way, but your older, shorter of breath and one day closer to death."
Brian L, Singapore
And An Answer For Johnny
In his rant this morning, Johnny asks the question:-
"Alright then, tell me who the hell is that sort of player?"
... in relation to Shawcross not being "that sort of player."
Well, Johnny, the answer is Chris Morgan. Simples.
Javed, LFC (bully bully, bully bully, bully bully)
Very Good
Usually I read John Nicholson's column and I think I'm lovin' it as it does exactly what it says on the tin. But after reading his column today I'd have to ask John Waaasssuuupp? Why the ranting? It's like a secret lemonade drinker who's run out of lemonade or a bloke who's eaten too many pretzels because they were jolly good and is now not feeling so well. He need to go compare his column today with some previous columns. I'm sure that John still has enough Juice loose aboot this hoose to realise that by keeping it simples he can maintain the quality of his prose. I'm confused. Com pared to earlier efforts it doesn't seem like John is enjoying life so much these days. Maybe he can find himself a nice Scottish Widow and get her to cheer him up.
Cliff Mallinder
Villa/Villa
I always see the word "Villa" in headlines and automatically think of the Spanish striker banging in the goals in Valencia or wherever else he happens to be playing, then am surprised when I find out it's really talking about the English club contending for a European place. Does this happen to anyone else? Is this proof Villa is not a big club?
Pablo, Sandwich, USA
Not Happy With Sky
Sky have just moved Newcastle's away game to Plymouth (over 817 mile round trip and I think the biggest distance between league clubs) to a Monday night. They really do care for the fans don't they? It's such an outrageous and cynical decision that even Newcaslte United @Stjamessuperdomestarbucks FC have complained...and they don't even like us!
This has probably happened to other clubs, but I can't remember to quite this extent. I also know that the cup replay between us was mid-week, but that was the cup and that happens as a matter of course, not because tv say so. It boils my p***!
On a more positive note, excellent e-mail by Wassim yesterday, I wish there were more like that.
Paul, Newcastle
Mailbox Bingo
A mate of mine and I have started a mailbox bingo. Full house is achieved when in a week, posts contain the following phrases:
- '(Insert Witty Remark)'
- Conor Byrne (reference)
- Conor Byrne (post)
- Fantasy League
- Man Yoo
- *An MC response
- '3rd Paragraph'
- Wolves
- Wigan
- 'This won't get posted but...'
- 'Wenger must go'
- Almunia/ Jenas/ Walcott slating
- The word 'pants'
- Champ Man/ Football Manager
You'd be surprised how few posts in takes to get a full house but I wonder if anybody can get them all in one...
Stuart (Dinkpassing, Multimegging) Bell
