Something a bit off topic....

This is a bit off topic but I recently came across a friends blog and anyone who is also interested in the Mod/Punk/Scooter scene or is involved or would like to be involved in a Scooter Club then check this out its a great read with events and the sort on it.....follow it if you want its a new blog so he will be very busy constantly updating

http://mysterytourssc.blogspot.co.uk/

APOLOGY FOR LACK OF ACTIVITY

I apologise for the lack of posts or any activity the past few months I have been very busy with other projects plus I have had many internet problems but I will be back posting now! Time to get those views back up and the activity booming again!

Lower League Quality

In the lower leagues in English football, the players are considered far inferior to their Premier League counterparts, yet there are some out there that could probably play in the Premier League and fit in well. Every weekend in the Football League you see volleys from 30 yards fly into the top corner or a player going on a one man mission taking on 5 or 6 defenders before beating the keeper with a cheeky chip or low drive in the bottom corner, and theses players are consistently doing this too only they are considered inferior due to their clubs status now. Whilst it it in fact true that not many could genuinely make it in the Prem, the point is a handful can and they are looked over by many clubs as the majority  of Premier League clubs look to Europe to sign their new talent. There have been a few good examples of players coming from the basement into the top division recently and one of them is Jermaine Beckford. He signed for Leeds and did very well for them and then a few years later Everton came knocking after he knocked Manchester United out of the 3rd round of the FA Cup with a great strike at Old Trafford. He scored a few good goals for Everton and his pace caused many defenders problems and was all in all a good Premiership player who came from lower down. If Premiership clubs looked to the Football League clubs for more players then the English game can only get stronger too as the majority of players in these leagues are home grown and could handle the pace and toughness of the top division and maybe they could unearth a few new England players in the process. It seems we are taking a backward step in our big for World Cup glory since all the England players only come from one league and in their club teams foreign players are more plentiful. It is good however to include many foreign players for your club of course as it adds something different to your game but for an England perspective, the lack of choice for the national team is astounding.

The Carling Cup

Would it just be fantastic if there was a big derby in the last few of the Carling Cup this year? Of course it would. A perfect tie would be Burnely vs Blackburn or Everton vs Liverpool because all these clubs there is, in all honesty, no silverware to be won apart from the Carling Cup, so why not win it the best way possible? By knocking out your main rivals of course! After coming through yet another tough tie against lower league opposition, Burnley have seen their way through and have the potential to face their fiercest modern day rivals, Blackburn Rovers. The fixtures in the Premier League saw arrests from both sets of fans after hooligans went on the rampage both times, and the hostility in the ground was definately evident. Everton vs Liverpool, the Merseyside derby, is seen as the "Friendly Derby" but only to the main sections of the media. It is far from it and the fact that that grounds are both a stones throw away from each other doe not help. The two clubs strive to be the best in Merseyside yet only Liverpool have really achieved that even though Everton have had a successful spell before. The hostility between the two is very much apparent as every time they play each other they play for bragging rights as well as points as Everton are (mostly) always up there contending for Europa League places. Everton of late have not been as good but saying that neither have Liverpool. Both may end up playing each other to decide the Europa League places or even the Champions League places this year, and do not put it past them as both teams will fight to the end as always. Everton have no money and Liverpool are lacking pride after their appaling start to last season and being tipped by many for relegation after their form. They pulled it back however and are now back at their best after showing their class in a 4-0 win against Tottenham whilst Everton, having won or drawn all of their top flight games except that of QPR, are on form at the moment and are set to carry on that form after some people are calling for the board to be more supportive after the lack of funds.

A Manchester Divide?

This weekend the top two teams in the Premiership played two relatively tough games against competitive oppenents that is certain. Despite Fulhams not so good start to the season and general inconsistency when playing Man City, they were still capable of bringing the end to City's 100% start to the campaign, and they did just that. With United, they faced a Chelsea side who were previously unbeaten in the league and with a few fresh enigmatic faces such as Juan Mata running midfield it was set to be one hell of a game and it did not disappoint. The only problem is for City is their inconsistency, just like Fulham are against them. While United hosted the tougher of the two opponents and won with a convincing victory, City let their 2 goal advantage at Craven Cottage slip to draw the game 2-2. This could not have come at a worse time for City as they blew their lead at the top of the table and United overtake them by 2 points and with the Manchester derby not a long time away, City will need every single point they can get in order to topple the dominance of United as the main force in Manchester and England. Could this spell a divide for the two teams as United continue their typical form and City suffer the odd defeat or will they bounce back and challenge all the way for the Premier League title? Whatever happens it is definately going to be an exciting race to the finish line for both teams.

Your thoughts are welcome

Champions League

Was last nights 2-2 draw at the Nou Camp in the Champions League between Barcelone and AC Milan all that surprising? All the papers seem to think so, but I however, do not. Now Barcelona are a truly fantastic team and rightly considered to be one of the best teams there has ever been but the fact of the matter is, they ARE beatable. Manchester United are proof of that in 2008, and so are Inter Milan when they knocked them out of the competition in 2010 before winning it themselves. It would appear the newspapers have this image of Barca being indestructable and impervious to conceding goals and that the mere thought of beating them is straight up impossible. The newspapers are clearly biased towards the best team then because they failed to credit the performance of AC Milan who in my opinion deserved a draw. They were lucky to score in the third minute of injury time, that cannot be disputed but then again every team needs a bit of luck on their side, even teams like Barcelona. When I ask my friends about this seasons Champions League every one of them thinks Barcelona will it. They might do. They definately have the team to repeat the success of last season but so do others and I cannot see how other teams have been just disregarded as non contenders. Before a ball was kicked in the Champions League, I predicted that the final would consist of one of these two teams, maybe even both - Manchester United or AC Milan. They are both tremendously experienced sides in Europe and very hard to beat at either of their home stadiums and are a formidable force away from home too. People cannot also rule out Inter, or Chelsea for that matter. Chelseas time will come but the only problem is predicting when. They have reached a final and been beaten, reached a semi final and were unlucky and they seem to be pushing around that mark where one good game could see them in another final and potentially victorious. Against Barcelona in the semi final a few years ago I thought they were robbed of their place in another final. A draw at the Nou Camp and a draw at Stamford Bridge until Iniesta scored that screamer sent them out but it was not without controversy. Chelsea attacked all game when they won the ball back and had it in and around the Barca area a good few time and definately without a shadow of a doubt should have had at least 3 penalties that game, which is why I believe they were robbed. Rubin Kazen seem to be Barcelonas bogey team and they always draw against them home and away in the Champions League, but fortunately for them this time round they will not be facing their Russian adversaries in this competition. All this goes to show that Barca are definately beatable if you play the right tactics and with a bit of luck on your side, so taking this into account the Champions League will hopefully seem like a less one sided affair now and hopefully people will realise theres more teams in contention than just one.

Thoughts please?

Manchester - Football Capital of the World

Is Manchester truly the football capital of the world? The evidence would certainly suggest so with both Manchester United and Manchester City competing for dominance on a domestic and European level. Whilst the rest of the teams in the Premier League chase them and each other, the Manc teams are running away with it so far brushing past all who face them with relative ease. Look at what happened not long ago when Manchester United played Arsenal at home. They beat them 8-2 and Sir Alex Ferguson even said he hoped his team did not score any more as to not humiliate his respected rivals anymore. Man City on that same day were away at Tottenham and put 5 past the London side which is very hard to do especially at White Hart Lane. With City winning the FA Cup last year relatively easily and United winning a record 19th Premier League title, many are tipping the title to stay in Manchester this year but for which club? City with their millions have spent very wisely this season bringing in talent such as Sergio Aguero and United have also bought well, not spending as much as City but buying new faces and making them settle in just as well as Aguero has for City. Both squads are stronger and it should be a tasty affair when both teams meet in the league and City will want revenge for their Wembley nightmare as United drew first blood winning the charity shield after City went 2-0 up in the first half. After 35 years of winning nothing, many feel the next few years will be Citys time to fill their dusty trophy cabinet and United will want to do whatever it takes to stop this and win the trophies themselves. United will have the advantage in Europe having more experience and a slightly easier Champions League group, but City will certainly aim to make an impressive European debut in the so called 'group of death'. If City can navigate their way through to the round of 16 then some will feel they have a genuine chance of possibly winning the most prestigious tournament in club football, if however they can manage to find their way past the might of Barcelona and the same goes for United. To win the Champions League would certainly assure the citys status as the football capital of the world with City being debutants in the competition, and United looking to add to yet another appearance in the final in such a short amount of time. Whatever happens domestically or in Europe this season, you can bet your bottom dollar either United or City will be up there testing the best that they can throw at them and it is set to be one hell of a battle to prove the dominance in Manchester, and not just the world.

Your thoughts please!