tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26345022258458483632024-03-14T00:45:30.810-07:00Victor Ludo Analysing Sports from around the World.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12307376829635863755noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634502225845848363.post-23929422620239697452013-08-27T15:54:00.001-07:002013-08-27T15:56:00.352-07:00A Tactical Analysis of Manchester United vs. Chelsea<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>170</o:Words>
<o:Characters>972</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>8</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>1193</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">The much-anticipated clash between Chelsea and Manchester United at
Old Trafford last night signaled the return of big match football to the Premier
League this season. Jose Mourinho arrived with a three-point lead in the table
courtesy of a narrow victory over Villa in mid-week and the psychological
advantage of never having lost to David Moyes in his previous stint with
Chelsea. Moyes had seen his side get off to the best possible start at Swansea
on the opening day of the season and was hoping to follow that up with a win in
his first competitive game in charge at Old Trafford.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">Chelsea set up in the same shape as they did against Hull and Villa in
a narrow 4-2-3-1 formation with Oscar, Eden Hazard and Kevin de Bruyne hoping
to support surprise selection, Andre Schurrle, up front. In their earlier game
against Hull, Chelsea moved the ball brilliantly between their front four, with
the interplay between Hazard, Oscar and de Bruyne a particular highlight. The
intelligence in their movement between the Hull midfield and defense and their
ability to find space in such a congested area was excellent, highlighted by
Chelsea’s particularly well-worked first goal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
<!--EndFragment--></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBXGmzzXDDtqKBm5hoP5PggNDKgMwx7UGR6gHoL5vBq_lEWRQB7xz2qZJIxOgygrxfd-jx6VWJULoUvwyPJ8qgccGVEYa7NWqOmJVrrCz5Efp7Ef8gFJnmTtkjAfEqWZXJt8TxSjQHA/s1600/Utd+vs+Chelsea+starting+XI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="489" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBXGmzzXDDtqKBm5hoP5PggNDKgMwx7UGR6gHoL5vBq_lEWRQB7xz2qZJIxOgygrxfd-jx6VWJULoUvwyPJ8qgccGVEYa7NWqOmJVrrCz5Efp7Ef8gFJnmTtkjAfEqWZXJt8TxSjQHA/s640/Utd+vs+Chelsea+starting+XI.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The starting positions of the two sides. Oscar and Rooney are the only two players without a natural marker and it is no surprise that they had the most influence on the game.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>107</o:Words>
<o:Characters>611</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>5</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>750</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">This area ‘between the lines’ is certainly an area
that Chelsea would look to target in any game given their strength in that
position.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn1" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[1]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
However, having watched United’s display against Swansea, it was speculated
that Chelsea would have specifically targeted this area as one to exploit. Despite
the excellent 4-1 score line, United owed their good result more to the quality
of their finishing than their defense. Time and again United were undone by
Swansea with Michu, Wayne Routledge and Nathan Dyer repeatedly finding space in
behind Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverly in midfield. With Rio Ferdinand and
Nemanja Vidic unsure whether to step out and close Swansea down, Swansea were
able to create some quality goal scoring opportunities.</span>
</span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br clear="all" />
</span><br />
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
</span></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Ies1dVaNP8qa0qSCxguYjVxiUv5M4JsOUfs_paKzdRj0t-2fCaGHg9UcVTPcQ9j7qG7gsNix3m9FxZR764T6uZkoPA18hzHloxjejILTdbCNN_An7__Pi-_tMEDhih4wJKfisyGP_A/s1600/Utd+vs+Chelsea+Utd+att.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Ies1dVaNP8qa0qSCxguYjVxiUv5M4JsOUfs_paKzdRj0t-2fCaGHg9UcVTPcQ9j7qG7gsNix3m9FxZR764T6uZkoPA18hzHloxjejILTdbCNN_An7__Pi-_tMEDhih4wJKfisyGP_A/s400/Utd+vs+Chelsea+Utd+att.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If Hazard doesn't cover Jones, it leaves Valencia and Jones <br />
two on one vs. Cole. Ditto on the other side.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>75</o:Words>
<o:Characters>433</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>3</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>531</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">By contrast United would attempt to exploit
Chelsea’s lack of natural width. All of Chelsea’s wide players like to drift
inside with the ball and United were hoping to exploit this tendency by getting
the ball wide as quickly as possible. If Hazard or de Bruyne were to shirk his
defensive responsibilities then United would be able to use their overlapping
fullbacks to double up out wide on the exposed Ivanovic and Cole to create
crossing opportunities for United’s potent strike force of Rooney and Van
Persie to exploit.</span><!--EndFragment-->
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ufwhZj8RKNLp3JCe5lHTfeXksfilAbtlUuQvjn9gMehBRSv35qfqX8QF1QhH7VCpOJV3jvPRBTSHZcgeTszrZ2yzU8kHMSBq_ipvmN4R-U4GhZbst3eDM1ZFx2X1loiCOIcS1aKpMw/s1600/Utd+vs+Chelsea,+C+poss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ufwhZj8RKNLp3JCe5lHTfeXksfilAbtlUuQvjn9gMehBRSv35qfqX8QF1QhH7VCpOJV3jvPRBTSHZcgeTszrZ2yzU8kHMSBq_ipvmN4R-U4GhZbst3eDM1ZFx2X1loiCOIcS1aKpMw/s400/Utd+vs+Chelsea,+C+poss.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Utd squeeze the play with their two banks of 4, not allowing Chelsea to<br />
play between them. Chelsea respond by trying to play Schurrle in behind<br />
their high line.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>121</o:Words>
<o:Characters>694</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>5</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>852</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The game got off to a hectic start with little
pattern to the play to begin with and few of the creative players able to get
onto the ball. Slowly however a few things did begin to emerge. Chelsea knew
that, to compensate for their weakness between the lines, United would try to
keep the gap between them to a minimum by playing a high defensive line. 4 or 5
times in this early period Chelsea attempted to exploit United’s high defensive
line by attempting long through balls for Schurrle to run on to. These passes
were mostly unsuccessful however, well read and covered by the excellent Vidic
and Ferdinand, culminating in Chelsea surrendering possession too easily in the
early stages. United’s own attacking efforts in the wide areas were thwarted by
the high energy and work rate displayed by Hazard and de Bruyne in the early
stages.</span><!--EndFragment-->
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>68</o:Words>
<o:Characters>391</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>3</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>480</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">With the wide players on both sides under strict instructions, on and
off the ball, the only players on either side with any tactical flexibility
were Oscar and Rooney. Oscar was to be found all over Chelsea’s midfield,
sometimes dropping deeper than Lampard and Ramires to pick up the ball and at
other times playing up along side Schurrle in attack. It was no surprise then
that the first real chance of the game fell to Oscar after 20 minutes but his
shot skewed wide. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
<!--EndFragment--></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22JPVDdN3DmTfpQLw70El4nkO2GEd9ozl5wzu9mEy-ijX-DyTfGuv9hS5XyOO0_ZchgWzQTQE3NiQ-0GFMG7tPK8sVsrT-8uU7xjs7k4DXMSTcosIqxavT5qmfUBtMFWc1T1KlzElpg/s1600/Utd+vs+Che,+Utd+into+feet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22JPVDdN3DmTfpQLw70El4nkO2GEd9ozl5wzu9mEy-ijX-DyTfGuv9hS5XyOO0_ZchgWzQTQE3NiQ-0GFMG7tPK8sVsrT-8uU7xjs7k4DXMSTcosIqxavT5qmfUBtMFWc1T1KlzElpg/s400/Utd+vs+Che,+Utd+into+feet.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By staying wide in attack it allows the midfield pairing of Carrick and<br />
Cleverly to play the ball into the feet of the strikers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>100</o:Words>
<o:Characters>573</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>4</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>703</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">After 25 minutes of the game United’s width began to create dividends
up front. By keeping their wingers wide, Chelsea’s fullbacks were unable to
cover their centre halves allowing United to isolate Rooney and van Persie
one-on-one with Cahill and Terry. As the half went on Cleverly and Carrick
began to feed the ball into the strikers’ feet, giving them the chance to
create opportunities. First Rooney spun Cahill but couldn’t generate much power
on his shot, then a flick round the corner nearly put Van Persie through. When Chelsea
did narrow their defense to prevent the pass into the strikers, United moved
the ball wide and Cleverly fired over following a headed clearance from Terry. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
<!--EndFragment--></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>87</o:Words>
<o:Characters>498</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>4</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>611</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">On the counter Chelsea were still dangerous. Stealing the ball in
midfield, Oscar was able to set up de Bruyne to cross and after a blocked
clearance it fell kindly to Oscar but De Gea comfortably saved his snap shot. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">After half time the game opened up a fraction as the players tired but
chances were still extremely rare. United were beginning to make most of the
running with Chelsea happy to sit back on the counter, hoping to pounce on a
mistake. Welbeck began to cut inside, rotating positions with Van Persie and
Rooney with good effect, eventually working a couple of wasted shooting
chances. </span><!--EndFragment-->
</span><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>437</o:Words>
<o:Characters>2496</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>20</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>4</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>3065</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiem5pvm-pEvQmJhd_AEooCD-BfHagoVkDynI9raIlCkbNHBYVSlNBH_WU6HUcBdXLLG0ww-_wyWsjkbttnBPfOlJrTcrkMAiJ9uspcxgZaNw3IGUt3Gteqbx2r1pruHIe372p4pJr67w/s1600/Utd+vs+Che+Schu+in.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiem5pvm-pEvQmJhd_AEooCD-BfHagoVkDynI9raIlCkbNHBYVSlNBH_WU6HUcBdXLLG0ww-_wyWsjkbttnBPfOlJrTcrkMAiJ9uspcxgZaNw3IGUt3Gteqbx2r1pruHIe372p4pJr67w/s320/Utd+vs+Che+Schu+in.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Schurrle catches Evra too high up the field but can't take<br />
advantage as he is called offside.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>148</o:Words>
<o:Characters>847</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>7</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>1040</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">Schurrle had been ineffective for much of the game, partially due to a
lack of striker’s instinct, but mostly because of the excellent work of
Ferdinand and Vidic. When Schurrle drifted wide into his more natural right-sided
berth it almost gave Chelsea their best moment of the match. Schurrle snuck in
behind the unaware Evra and fired against the bar but the play was brought back
for offside. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">Both teams changed personnel throughout the half in an effort to
trigger a moment of inspiration but neither side was willing risk changing
tactically to go after the win. The late introduction of Torres did give
Chelsea more of a target up front than Schurrle had, allowing Chelsea to start
their attacks from higher up the pitch but overall little was to change tactically
for the remainder of the game. Interestingly most of the substitutions came in
the wide areas highlighting the high work rate required for the tactical
discipline demanded by the managers (de Bruyne, Hazard, Welbeck and Valencia
were all substituted). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
<!--EndFragment--></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>233</o:Words>
<o:Characters>1331</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>11</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>2</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>1634</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">Rooney continued to be the heart and soul of United’s performance, an incredible effort given the speculation about his future. A particular highlight was his track back and tackle on Ramires down by his own corner flag, followed by a fantastic outlet pass to Van Persie to change defense into attack. However despite this,
and despite a number of long-range efforts that only mildly troubled Cech, Rooney
was unable to provide the moment of magic this game needed to spark a goal. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">In summary both sides played a conservative game based on tactical
rigidity, hoping to exploit the frailty of the opponent without exposing their
own. Neither manager picked a negative lineup with plenty of attacking talent
on display but there was too much respect between both sides for either side to
risk throwing caution to the wind. United were perhaps the more adventurous but
in truth there was little to choose between the two sides. By the end both
sides were happy to settle for a point, unwilling to lose to such a close rival
at this early stage of the season. John Terry, man of the match as voted for by
Sky, expressed as much in the post match interview. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">This stalemate was in truth to be expected with Mourinho and Moyes at
the helm. Though Moyes likes to play attacking football, it was always highly
unlikely that he would gamble and risk losing his first home game in charge. By
contrast Mourinho has always been a defensive coach, preferring to operate from
a strong defensive base initially to ensure that his sides don’t lose before
trying to engineer a win. You didn’t think that just because Mourinho is the
league’s most entertaining manager that his teams played the most entertaining
football did you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--></span><br />
<!--EndFragment-->
<br />
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[1]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> New signing </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">Willian,
Juan Mata and Schurrle all prefer to play in-between the lines as well creating
somewhat of a logjam at the position leading to speculation that Mata, 2 time
Chelsea player of the year, may be moved on to fund the signing of a striker to
Jose’s liking. It was certainly a damning indictment of Chelsea’s striking
options that Jose chose to pick Schurrle, a natural winger, over more
established striking options (Torres, Ba and Lukaku) for the biggest game of
this young season. </span></div>
</div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12307376829635863755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634502225845848363.post-25639785261179036142013-08-21T08:40:00.002-07:002013-08-22T13:32:09.117-07:00Can the Newly Promoted Teams Stay Up?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>2003</o:Words>
<o:Characters>11418</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>95</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>22</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>14022</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<h3>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-weight: normal;">After a tough opening weekend for the promoted teams, can any of them
survive this season or is their goose well and truly cooked?</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">First a quick recap. On Saturday afternoon Cardiff were the first
promoted side offered up at the Premier League’s feast of football. A comfortable starter
for West Ham, Cardiff were (welsh) lambs to the slaughter. A rejuvenated Joe
Cole opened the scoring with a quality low finish on the turn and an excellent
team goal saw Kevin Nolan double their lead. Cardiff ended up easily stuffed,
two goals to nil. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/xUEg8pC7XUqpZ.8UmMTa1w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTU5NA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptussowexperts/176734198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/xUEg8pC7XUqpZ.8UmMTa1w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTU5NA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptussowexperts/176734198.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great work from the Palace faithful. Lets just hope no-one's<br />
foot gets sawn off in a trade off to save<br />
Palace from relegation...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">Unfortunately for the promoted sides their plight was to get worse as
the main meal was yet to come. First Crystal Palace, then Hull City were spit
roasted for Sunday lunch by London’s big boys (I am purely using cooking
terminology here, not implying that there were any extra curricular activities
after the game…). Palace were egged on by a partisan crowd whipped into Saw style frenzy
by their return to the Premiership. Scrambled by the pace and trickery of
Lennon and Chadli and the movement of the supreme poacher, Roberto Soldado,
Palace were eventually beaten into submission by a dodgy penalty leaving
manager Ian Holloway to stew in his <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZdAOyLKy90" target="_blank">mildly unhinged juices. </a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">This was followed by the main event at Stamford Bridge, Jose Mourinho’s
return to Chelsea. The sacrificial bull at the Bridge was the hefty Steve Bruce
and his tiger striped Hull side. Blitzed early on into surrendering a two goal
deficit by the excellent movement and interplay of Chelsea’s midfield, Hull
were slow cooked for the rest of the game as Chelsea allowed their intensity
and pressing to dissipate, sparing themselves the energy. The feast was done,
each promoted side offered up to the slaughter with barely a whimper in
response. All in all it was a horrible return for the promoted sides as they
crumbled in the pressure cooker of the Premier League but do any of them have
what it takes to stay up?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/XZ9CNZy1NrtqO0D78he7Vw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYwMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/gettyimages.com/chelsea-v-hull-city-premier-20130818-164821-083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/XZ9CNZy1NrtqO0D78he7Vw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYwMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/gettyimages.com/chelsea-v-hull-city-premier-20130818-164821-083.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A casual afternoon's work and a sweet return for Jose. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 63.8pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">One of the major downsides of watching large
amounts of football is listening to lowest common denominator punditry. They
either state the obvious (what else are pundits for?!?) or spout popular wisdom
that is mostly either wrong or chronically out of date. As most pundits are
ex-players from an era before sport science and technology it is very rare that
any of them actually do any analysis at all based on statistics of any kind. Sky’s
coverage of ‘Soccer Sunday’ was fronted by two such ‘veteran pundits’ in the
form of Graeme Souness and Glen Hoddle. Both agreed that the main key to
survival for promoted sides is scoring plenty of goals. Both thoughtfully
pointed out, with the insight of a blind Andy Townsend, that none of the
promoted teams have ‘goals in the team.’ Effective translation, “I have never
seen any of theses guys play so couldn’t tell you if they are any good.” The
perceived wisdom, repeated every season by inane talking heads, is that if you
have goal scorers in the team you will stay up. The problem here is that the
perceived wisdom is a load of bollocks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">Since the 2002-03 season 30 teams have been promoted. All of those
teams, barring possibly Newcastle in 2010-11, were tipped to go straight back
down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though this is considered a
safe bet for pundits willing to do little to no analysis, a basic glance at the
figures will tell you that only 13/30 have gone straight back down, a rather
small percentage given the regularity with which they are backed to fail.
Statistically, as only 43% of teams of teams are relegated the season after
they are promoted, only one or two of the three clubs should go back down. What
then is the most reliable indicator of success in the Premier League?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">If you take a look back at the results of the newly promoted teams
over the last 10 years in their first season in the top flight it becomes very
clear that simply scoring plenty of goals, contrary to Hoddle and Souness’
speculation, is not the most important element to staying in the top flight. An
excellent example of this is Blackpool’s campaign for survival under Ian
Holloway in 2010-11. Blackpool scored a barnstorming 55 goals in that season, a
total that made them the 8= highest scorers in the premiership tied with Spurs
who finished fifth. Despite their goal scoring exploits, their gung ho attitude
going forward led to holes at the back large enough that you could fit Holloway’s
ego through (though only just). <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iADgdVi3Cw4" target="_blank">This chronic defending</a> left them with a goal
difference of -23 and got them relegated. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">Similarly, Southampton scored a total of 49 goals last season, ending
up in 14<sup>th</sup>. The Saints scored 14 goals in their opening 9 fixtures,
roughly 33% of their total goals in just 23% of their games. `You would suspect
this was a profitable period of the season for them if you followed the logic
that merely scoring plenty of goals will keep you up. Instead this fruitful
period in front of goal yielded a mere 4 points in total and a goal difference
of -12. The Saints finally got their act together defensively with the return
of Jack Cork from injury and the introduction of Luke Shaw, allowing them to
record a goal difference of 1 for the remaining 28 games. It wasn’t scoring
goals that Southampton and Blackpool found difficult, it was preventing them.
The difference was that Southampton solved their defensive problems and
Blackpool didn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">The numbers back up this anecdotal evidence. Promoted teams that were
relegated in their first season in the last 10 years scored an average of 38.31
goals per season. Sides that have stayed up, as you would expect, have scored
an average of 44.71 goals per season, an increase of 17%. While this is a fair
increase, it pales into significance when measured against the goals conceded
per season. Teams that stayed up conceded a respectable average of 50.35 goals
per season whereas teams that were relegated conceded a whopping 70.38 goals
per season, an increase of 40%. It is clear then that a solid defense rather
than a potent attack is a far better indicator of Premier League survival. With
that in mind, whilst not forgetting to point out any other indicators, let us
look at this season’s candidates. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i2.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/article5391473.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/caulkkkeer-5391473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://i2.walesonline.co.uk/incoming/article5391473.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/caulkkkeer-5391473.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A. Cardiff changed their shirt colour from blue to red.<br />
B. Their nickname is still the bluebirds.<br />
C. These two things are incongruous.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">Cardiff have wisely added the talented young centre back Steven
Caulker from Spurs for a club record £8m.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn1" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[1]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
This should help to improve a largely inexperienced (in premier league terms) back
line. As noted with Southampton previously, it can take a number of games for
players to get up to speed in the Premier League if they have not experienced
its intensity and quality before. Luckily for Mackay, Cardiff do have the raw
materials to field a decent Premiership defense. Cardiff defended well in the
Championship last season, conceding 45 goals in 46 games, a total that left
them 2<sup>nd</sup> overall in goals conceded. This previous defensive solidity
bodes well for this season and their playing style may help them too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">Stylistically Cardiff will be looking to follow in the footsteps of
their archrivals, Swansea. Swansea’s attractive short passing and possession
based style has won many plaudits, and more importantly, points in the last two
years and Cardiff seem to be looking to replicate that. As my father always
used to say to me, if your team has the ball the other team can’t score.
Cardiff will be hoping to alleviate the general lack of premier league experience
in their squad through keeping as much possession as they can, in the hope that
this will prevent the build up of too much defensive pressure. Despite the
score line, to some extent this worked against West Ham with Cardiff keeping
hold of 56% of possession, an excellent figure away from home. (One major
caveat here would be that West Ham’s rather direct playing style means that
they concede possession far more regularly than most sides in the Premier
League, suggesting that the figure of 56% may not be sustainable.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">One problem for Cardiff when you look at last season in the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">Championship is the lack of Premier League experience. Only Caulker
and the aging Craig Bellamy have played significant games in the Premiership, a
problem that will be difficult to overcome. Coupled with a difficult opening
fixture list, this may signal a tough start for Malky Mackay’s men. Winning is
a habit and Cardiff won a great deal last year as they cantered to the
Championsheep. If they can take their lumps early and learn from them, there is
no reason the drop cannot be avoided, but if morale nosedives and their lack of
experience cannot be overcome then they could be in trouble. On balance, in a
rarebit of positivity, I think Cardiff will succeed in staying up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">Hull are the hardest of the three to read. Of the three promoted
managers, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bruce has by far the
most Premiership experience as a manager having taken charge of nearly 450
games in previous stints managed at Birmingham, Wigan and Sunderland. Bruce
will not have been expecting to get anything away at Chelsea but the ease with
which they were shredded in the first half will have worried him. (It must be
noted that better teams than Hull would have been taken apart by Chelsea’s
opening salvo. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hppHJRo4AcE" target="_blank">The 2-0 final score belies the utter dominance Chelsea showed in this game.</a>) Bruce will have to use all his experience and contacts in the league
to keep Hull up this season. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">Hull finished last season with the fourth best defensive record in the
Championship but with a goal difference of only +9. This goal difference was
the worst in the top 6 with goal scoring an obvious issue. Unusually Hull did
not have a single player that surpassed 10 goals in the season with their
highest scorer being Captain Robert Koren from midfield with 9. Hull
compensated for this weakness with a stout defense and a competitive spirit in
tight games where they were able to grind out positive results. This spirit may
be vital to Hull this season, as it will help them stay in games and allow a
chance of stealing some unlikely points. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">One major positive is that, of the three promoted sides, Hull have the
most experienced defense. Paul McShane, Liam Rosenior, Ahmed Elmohamady and
Abdoulaye Faye have all got Premier League experience and this will very
important in keeping solid at the back. If they can establish some defensive
solidity, (a regular feature of Bruce’s sides, especially at Birmingham), it
may allow Hull to grind their way to safety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.premierleague.com/content/dam/premierleague/site-content/News/2013-14/August/m-tom-huddlestone-hull-city-signing-shirt.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.490.338.margin.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" src="http://www.premierleague.com/content/dam/premierleague/site-content/News/2013-14/August/m-tom-huddlestone-hull-city-signing-shirt.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.490.338.margin.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can Huddlestone keep Hull up? Fro sure...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">Bruce may have designs on something more expansive than grinding
though. Bruce has made some interesting signings to help his side in midfield
with Jake Livermore (on loan) and the cultured Tom Huddlestone both signed from
Spurs. Danny Graham has been brought in up front to provide the goals and Bruce
will hope that he can return to the form he showed at Swansea rather than the
anemic performances he displayed at Sunderland. Sone Aluko, brother of England
Women’s Eni Aluko, looks to be a lively winger and George Boyd has been
destroying lower league defenses for years. If Bruce can mould these players
into a side capable of scoring 40 goals and the defense can keep things tight
then Hull have a chance of staying up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">For Crystal Palace however the prognosis is much bleaker. Defensively
Palace were a shambles at times last season conceding 62 goals, the highest in
the top 11 teams. Little has changed since then with Danny Gabbidon, hardly a world-beater
in his time in the Premiership with West Ham and QPR the only member of the
back four with any premiership experience at all. It would be very difficult to
see Palace showing much improvement this year without a massive commitment to
their defensive responsibilities, something unlikely for a Holloway managed
side. To give credit where it is due, Palace were defensively stout against a
talented Spurs side but they invited pressure on themselves, as they were
unable to hold onto the ball for any kind of extended period. Spurs will make
mugs of much better teams than Palace this season but what was worrying for the
Eagles was how uncomfortable on the ball they looked, only managing a 41.7%
share of possession. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">In typical Holloway style, Palace relied on their goals to fire them
into the Premiership scoring 73, the highest total in the Championship. However
much of that firepower is now unavailable to Holloway with top goal scorer
Glenn Murray out with a long-term injury and Wilfried Zaha sold to Manchester
United. This really showed on Sunday as, despite playing at home, they
struggled to penetrate Spurs defense or even hold the ball for an extended
period. In replacement for Zaha and Murray, Palace have signed the
inexperienced <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF8BGJJXLIA" target="_blank">Dwight Gale, a raw talent who was playing non-league football last year.</a> It will be a massive ask for Gayle to be expected to carry the
weight of the goal-scoring burden this season. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">A further problem is that Palace are playing a 4-3-3 with the three
central midfielders all specializing in breaking up play. Whilst Jedinak,
Dikacoi and Garvan were impressive in their roles, creativity will be at a
premium if Holloway persists in picking all three of them. Huff and puff may
not save these little pigs. A lack of premier league and experience, especially
in defense will really cost Palace this season. If no other investment were
forth coming, either at the back or in creative midfield, I would expect Palace
to really struggle this season. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;">Despite what I have written it is quite possible that any of the three
promoted teams will go down. It is just incredibly unlikely statistically that
all of them will go down together. Pundits that previously predicted the demise
of the surviving team(s) will praise their spirit, the manager and whoever
scored the most goals. So when this inevitably happens at the end of the
season, spare a thought for the defense whose efforts will have done much more
to ensure Premier League survival than anyone gives them credit for. It’s all
food for thought anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[1]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> You could argue that Caulker was the best signing of the summer in
the entire premier league. Given the statistical importance of defense in
staying up, the serious upgrade in quality that Caulker represents and the
money that Cardiff will make if they stay in the premier league, Caulker could
easily repay the £8m Cardiff spent on him with one good season. </span></div>
</div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12307376829635863755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634502225845848363.post-22190815918330709752013-08-16T04:05:00.000-07:002013-08-16T05:09:51.939-07:00Preview of the Season: Manchester City<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>764</o:Words>
<o:Characters>4357</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>36</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>8</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>5350</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 3.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Neo:
What are you trying to tell me? That I can dodge bullets?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 3.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 3.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Morpheus:
No, Neo. I'm trying to tell you that when you're ready, you won't have to. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">In this scene Morpheus is trying to
explain to Neo that he can bend the rules of time and space in the matrix
because it isn’t real, just part of a computer program. Neo can ignore the
usual way of things if he can just tap into his power within. This season it is
time for Manchester City to reach inside themselves and turn the talent that
they have into a title. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">If the league were decided purely on
total talent level then it would be hard not to argue that City would be
champions every year. City have such a rich abundance of talent that their
bench is often valued at more than the oppositions squad in entirety. What this team has
lacked for a long time is an identity, a guiding hand on ideology and player
selection that will mould a coherent and complimentary group. Last week I
accused QPR and Mark Hughes of signing players in the same way. QPR have
learnt their lesson and shipped out the riff raff, including Hughes, and now things are beginning to change in
the blue half of Manchester. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://clsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Manuel+Pellegrini+SuperSport+United+v+Manchester+YSOrNeIZ_jTx-770x472.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="196" src="http://clsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Manuel+Pellegrini+SuperSport+United+v+Manchester+YSOrNeIZ_jTx-770x472.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heeey, How you doin'?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Two factors will help City to be
successful this season, their appointment of Manuel Pellegrini to replace Roberto Mancini and
the rising influence of Txiki Begiristain in his role as Director of Football. Chilean born, Pellegrini is a
consummate tactician who has excelled previously in Spanish football at Real
Madrid, Villareal and Malaga. Villareal and Malaga also performed
brilliantly on the European stage under his guidance despite their relative lack of resources, reaching the semifinals and quarterfinals respectively. The Champions League is an area that City
will be targeting for improvement following their terrible performances under Mancini in the last two seasons. Last season’s displays, albeit in a tough group containing Madrid, Dortmund and Ajax,
where so abject that they failed to secure a single win in the group stages. Mancini’s
autocratic style alienated him from the senior management and players last
season, particularly Ballotelli and Tevez, and I expect that the urbane and
jocular Pellegrini will be a vast improvement at creating the necessary squad
harmony required in title winning sides. The City management certainly think so as they described Pellegrini's approach as 'holistic.'<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">This harmony has extended to the
boardroom where he is working hand in hand with Begiristain. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">In the past City have signed players like a five year-old choosing toys by stamping their feet and screaming, “I don’t care how much it costs, I want that one!” This year some method has been applied to the madness. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">Begiristain has a history
of success, especially at Barcelona where he was one of those who helped run La
Masia, Barcelona’s famed youth </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">academy. These roots in Barcelona’s tiki taka
ideology and footballing <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/63760000/jpg/_63760570_begiristain_getty2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/63760000/jpg/_63760570_begiristain_getty2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Txiki Begiristain - Did his parents just throw <br />
letters at a wall to come up with that name?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
philosophy can be seen in City’s confident early
dealings in the transfer market this season. Two attacking maestro’s from Seville,
Negredo and Navas, certainly fit the Spanish style that Begiristain is trying
to replicate. Both have long been part of the Spanish squads, dominated as they
are by Barcelona players, which have replicated the flair and style of the
Catalans. Both should have little trouble adapting to what their coach will
want from them and I would expect their connection and understanding with David Silva to help
ease their transition into the side.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Another attacking forward brought
in to replace the loss of Tevez and Ballotelli from last year is Stevan
Jovetic. A creative forward with instinctive finishing skills, Jovetic has been
coveted by many of the top clubs in Europe for some time. Capable of leading
the line but most comfortable in the role of deep lying striker, (look how often he picks up the ball in deep positions in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcgMQ4bA_xQ" target="_blank">this video</a>), Jovetic plays
in a similar way to Dennis Bergkamp. Jovetic, being of Eastern European stock,
should have little trouble with the physicality of the Premier League but may
initially struggle with the pace of the game given that he has come from the
glacially paced Serie A. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/article8648505.ece/ALTERNATES/w460/62-Fernandinho-mcpa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/article8648505.ece/ALTERNATES/w460/62-Fernandinho-mcpa.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For those of you who have never seen this mystery £30m man!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Along side these signings is
Brazilian centre midfielder Fernandinho. Surprisingly ignored in the media,
despite being the Premier League’s most expensive signing this summer,
Fernandinho is a key component of City’s new vision. As a box-to-box
midfielder, Fernandinho’s energy and ability to transfer the team quickly from defense
to attack will be a massive improvement the on the aging and increasingly static
Gareth Barry. Fernandinho’s excellent motor, especially his ability to cover
the back four, will have the added bonus of allowing Yaya Toure to release
forward much more regularly, often a sign of when City are at their most
dangerous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/3484/4dp7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="130" src="http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/3484/4dp7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't try this at home kids...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Pellegrini has all of the options, all of the tools. Pellegrini
himself said that, “</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #151515; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I think we
have the best squad in England. We already had a very good team and, with these
four players, we improved."</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"> It is all down to
Pellegrini to get it right tactically and acclimatize to the League quickly. They
start with Newcastle at home, a team they cremated twice last season, and
follow it up with games against relegation candidates Cardiff, Hull and Stoke.
If they can get off to a flying start confidence will flood into the side and
then anything is possible. I would be incredibly surprised if City were not
challenging for the title on the final day of the season. Pellegrini shouldn't need to dodge bullets, his squad is so talented he shouldn't have to.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12307376829635863755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634502225845848363.post-79779811689311753282013-08-07T03:29:00.000-07:002013-08-07T04:07:00.699-07:00Preview of the Season: Liverpool<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>588</o:Words>
<o:Characters>3354</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>27</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>6</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>4118</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 21.0pt;">Neo: Mr. Wizard. Get me the hell out of here!</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 4.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 4.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">By contrast Liverpool are about as far
away from Stoke’s direct style as it is possible to get in the premier league.
Managed by Brendan Rodgers, very much the man with a plan, Liverpool have a
clear and concise passing style and philosophy. The fans at Liverpool appreciate good football and bought into that style
last season giving Rodgers much more of a chance than Hodgson got before the appointment
of Dalglish.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 4.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 4.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Last summer was spent installing Rodgers’
new passing style and system. The tiki taka style system, though at times
seeming to lack penetration, gave Liverpool the 3</span><sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">rd</span></sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;"> highest possession statistics in the
league at 57%. Liverpool also took the most shots in the league per game, both
home and away, scoring the second highest amount of goals from open play in the
league. The addition of Daniel Sturridge for the second half of last season and
his burgeoning partnership up front with Luis Suarez finally gives Liverpool
the potent strike force that the Kop has been yearning for since Fowler was
sniffing lines and Owen was still a baby faced assassin. Given these
statistics, it is little wonder that the Anfield faithful are keeping faith with
the Rodgers experiment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 4.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/01/28/article-2269556-1738832F000005DC-506_634x457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/01/28/article-2269556-1738832F000005DC-506_634x457.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coutinho - A star in the making.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 4.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">This season the system should be
ingrained in the players allowing Rodgers to focus on the minor tactical
adjustments necessary to win matches in the Premier League. The supremely
talented Coutinho, a player who supplied 5 assists in a mere 12 games, will
supplement Steven Gerrard in his role as the creative driving force. In
defensive midfield it will be hoped that Lucas has fully recovered from last
season’s chronic knee injury to the fans-player-of-the-year level he was in
2011-’12. It is hoped Jordan Henderson will begin to justify his exorbitant
£25m transfer fee. In addition to the £20m spent on new recruits,
(ex-Sunderland keeper Mignolet to replace Pepe Reina, experienced centre half
Kolo Toure replacing Jamie Carragher and Spanish starlets Iago Aspas and Luis
Alberto to strengthen the forward areas) Liverpool’s policy of playing and
developing young players is also really beginning to pay off. With the likes of
Raheem Stirling, Suso, Nathan Wisdom and Martin Kelly emerging through the
youth system all should be sweetness and light at Anfield. Except it isn’t.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 4.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://footballaction.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Luis-Suarez-wants-to-leave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="http://footballaction.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Luis-Suarez-wants-to-leave.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"What big teeth you have"<br />
"All the better to bite you with..."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>24</o:Words>
<o:Characters>139</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>1</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>170</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 4.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;">Despite all of the team philosophies brought in by Rodgers, darkness
reigns. Liverpool are dependent on one man, Luis Suarez, and he wants to get
the hell out of there, thank you Mr Wizard.</span> With
Suarez Liverpool are lively, buzzing, always a threat. Without his guile and
invention, Liverpool are static and lifeless, unsure how to progress. Suarez
scored 23 league goals last season and contributed 5 assists. Despite his
serious misdemeanors on the pitch, he is Liverpool’s only world-class player
and Liverpool would be in serious trouble without him, especially if he were to
go to one of their rivals. Arsenal are flashing their Champions League status
like a Bugs Bunny toting a carrot and Suarez’s is desperate to have a bite.
It’s true that a player of Suarez’s quality is too good not to be playing
European football, food tastes better abroad they say, but he seriously owes Liverpool for the way that they stood
by him when he darkened Patrice Evra’s name. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 4.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 3.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i4.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article859010.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Brendan%20Rodgers%20poses%20for%20a%20photograph%20as%20he%20is%20officially%20unveiled%20as%20new%20manager%20of%20Liverpool-859010" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://i4.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article859010.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Brendan%20Rodgers%20poses%20for%20a%20photograph%20as%20he%20is%20officially%20unveiled%20as%20new%20manager%20of%20Liverpool-859010" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Last week Arsenal bid £40m and a pound to
trigger a clause in Suarez's contract allowing Arsenal to talk to the striker
and it scared the bejeezus out of Liverpool. This can be seen in the rush of
talking heads appearing on Sky Sports News from the Liverpool hierarchy
decrying Arsenal's perfectly legitimate pursuit of the player. Rodgers has even
accused Arsenal of 'lacking class' for 'playing games' over their bid. It has
become clear that Liverpool need Suarez more than Suarez needs Liverpool. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 3.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 3.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">If Suarez can be appeased and kept, a
massive if given his recent comments and desire to be transferred, Liverpool
have an outside chance at Champions League football, (stranger things have
happened, say, um, a player getting sent off for biting someone…). If not
Liverpool will be struggling once again with Everton for that final European
spot. These days ‘this is Anfield’ and it is reliant on the febrile mind of
Luis Suarez. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12307376829635863755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634502225845848363.post-42263348354314411582013-08-07T03:23:00.001-07:002013-08-16T04:24:58.822-07:00Preview of the Season: Stoke<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>880</o:Words>
<o:Characters>5018</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>41</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>10</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>6162</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 21.0pt;">Switch<span style="color: #1d1d1d;">: Not like this. Not like this.</span></span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">In this scene Switch, a minor character, is about to be killed
in the matrix by having her connection severed between her mind and body by
Cypher, a traitorous crewmember back in the ‘real’ world. Knowing she is about
to die, and having already seen her boyfriend Apoc die, Switch is disconsolate
with despair. I would imagine most Stoke fans are in a similar state of mind
looking ahead at the coming season.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Sitting in the garden at a mate’s house having some BBQ, I was
shown three predictions of the final table for this year’s Premier League that
had been made earlier. There was little overall consensus but one thing stood
out: the importance of the manager in their final league position. They all
thought Chelsea would win the league with the experience of Mourinho. They also
thought that Mark Hughes would take Stoke down.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Long time manager Tony Pulis, overseer of the most sustained
period of success in Stoke’s history, has been let go. There are a number of
good reasons why Stoke may have wanted to move on from him at this stage, the
major one being his inability or unwillingness to change his overly direct
style of play. Rumours abounded last season that Pulis was fighting an internal
war against his chief scout and former ally, Lindsay Parsons, over playing
style. This is said to have severely damaged Pulis’s support from owner Peter
Coates and may well be a contributing factor to his dismissal.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/01/03/article-2081790-0F51D3AF00000578-747_306x450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/01/03/article-2081790-0F51D3AF00000578-747_306x450.jpg" width="217" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tallest man in the Premier League<br />
plays for Stoke. Coincidence? </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Secondly, Coates may have decided that whilst Pulis’s direct
style was effective in keeping Stoke in a lower mid-table berth, that was the
its limit. This is reflected in their finishes since their return to the top
flight in the ’08-’09 season. Stoke have finished 12</span><sup><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">th</span></sup><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">, 11</span><sup><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">th</span></sup><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">, 13</span><sup><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">th</span></sup><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;"> and 13</span><sup><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">th</span></sup><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;"> showing little
to no improvement in aesthetic style or results despite Coates’ substantial
investment in the team. A miserable run of 5 points in 13 games towards the end
of last season contributed heavily to the mutual termination of Tony Pulis’s
contract.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Following his dismal efforts with QPR last season most fans
would have avoided Hughes like sensible people avoid cholera. Not so, the
management at Stoke. Despite having the whole footballing world to choose from
at the start of this summer, Stoke quickly plumbed for English football’s
pariah, Mark Hughes, in what looked to be a panicked appointment. It appeared
from the speed at which the appointment was made that Coates feared being left,
like Wolves were when they sacked Mick McCarthy, with nobody wanting the job.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://totallycoolpix.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/20121119_coolest_sports_pix_2012_week46/sports46_039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://totallycoolpix.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/20121119_coolest_sports_pix_2012_week46/sports46_039.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Premier League's most dominant aerial threats go, <br />
ahem, head to head...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Nobody wanting the job could have been a serious possibility
given the make up of the squad and the lack of spending money apparently
available this summer. Stoke were by far and away the most direct/long ball
side in the division averaging a mere 43.3% possession. Stoke also has the
lowest pass success rate (70.2%) in the league, another key indicator of their passing game resembling a spot the ball competition. The final statistic that shows
their reliance on the long ball and set pieces is that Stoke won 28.9 aerial
duals per match, 7.8 higher than West Ham the placed second team, whilst contesting 1853 aerial duals in the season, 50% more than the average. This style is often
defended as being a ‘percentages game’ but the stats don’t add up to that.
Stoke had the least shots in the Premier League last season, averaging a measly
10.2 per game and a chronic 8.7 away from home. It will be difficult to remove
this entrenched style and encourage a more aesthetically pleasing (and more
effective in an attacking sense) short passing style on this squad.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">If the goal at the Britannia Stadium was to replace Pulis’s
direct style with a more aesthetically pleasing passing game then why did they
appoint Hughes, a coach with no fixed style or ideological beliefs in how
football should be played? That Hughes has no abiding concept of how he wants
football to be played is shown by his haphazard signings at QPR last season.
Like a Fifa player indiscriminately signing players based entirely on
individual talent rather than their suitability for his system, Hughes created
one of the least motivated and coherent teams the Premier League has ever seen.
There was no shortage of individual talent in the likes of Djibril Cisse, Park
Ji Sung, Adel Taarabt, Estaban Granero and Shaun Wright-Phillips but there was
no cohesion or guiding tactical principal in their acquisition. A mish mash of
disparate parts, QPR played like a group of perfect strangers for the majority
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/article8432689.ece/BINARY/original/Mark-Hughes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/article8432689.ece/BINARY/original/Mark-Hughes.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tough job for Sparky. Can he he put a charge into his<br />
new team and ignite a push for mid-table?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
of the season, ending up regularly getting beaten like a red headed stepchild.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Some managers make up for a lack of tactical skill with
excellent motivational and man-management skills. Sir Alex Ferguson, though an
under-rated tactical mind, never brought any tactical innovation or distinctive
style to the league. His strength was to be able to consistently motivate his
players to win. The motivational aspect will have to be Hughes’s strong point
this season. Stoke, unlike most of the other mid-table clubs, have not made
significant investments so far this transfer window. Hughes will have to mould
the existing squad, a squad entirely fashioned to play direct football, with care
and diligence. Stoke were the only team last season to score more goals from
set pieces than open play. If Hughes tries to change things too fast it may
have a disastrous effect of removing the element of their play that made them
competitive without replacing it with any effective substitute.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Hughes has had a tough time as a manager recently and this
season will be his biggest yet. Hughes won’t have a lot of rope to play with
and changing the style won’t be easy. A teething period is to be expected but given
his recent track record his honeymoon period will be shorter than Peter
Crouch’s list of conquests. A mid-table finish, with this Stoke side, could see
a form of redemption for Hughes. Failure and relegation, or maybe even the
threat of relegation, will almost certainly see him forced to renew his career
as a manager in the lower tiers of English Football.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12307376829635863755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634502225845848363.post-25184610400625774602013-08-07T02:08:00.000-07:002013-08-16T04:25:54.357-07:00Preview of the Season: Norwich<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>701</o:Words>
<o:Characters>4000</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>33</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>8</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>4912</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 21.0pt;">Neo: Guns. Lots of Guns.</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Asked by Tank how he is what he is going to need in his upcoming mission, Neo replies that he needs weapons. Lots of Weapons. As the racks of guns come zooming out of the blank white space of the empty program, it is evident that Neo's available choice is endless. (He then just picks the three closest guns to hand without considering magazine capacity or suitability for the job). Norwich were in a similar situation this summer, with so many potential weapons to choose from.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Last Season was an odd one for Norwich. Chris Hughton’s Norwich team were tough to play at home last
season </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">winning 31 points </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">but relegation candidates away, only managing to
accrue 13 points in their 19 away games. This 18 point differential was the third largest
in the Premier league behind only West Ham and Everton. Interestingly all three of these teams play a version off 4-4-2 which suggests that whilst being aggressive at home and committing men forward was a successful strategy for them, it was a real negative away from home as it invited pressure onto the defence and left them a defender short. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Luckily for Norwich then, the strength of the team was the defence. This may not seem the
case with Norwich having conceded 58 goals last season but Norwich’s defensive
stats were deceptively bad due to the number of times they got thrashed. 6 times
Norwich conceded 4 0r more goals in a match, accounting for 27 of the 58 they
conceded in total. This means that they only conceded 31 in their remaining 32
games, definitely few enough to remain in contention in all of those games.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">This solid defense was predicated on the strong and combative
performances of Sebastian Bassong, Michael Turner, Javier Garrido and Russell
Martin. The ‘Leeds connection’ midfield trio of Jonny Howson, Bradley Johnson
and Robert Snodgrass gave tireless and committed displays, up and own like yo-yo's. Snodgrass and
Anthony Pilkington, the other wide man in Hughton’s strict 4-4-2, both had
excellent seasons going forward, Snodgrass providing 6 goals and 6 assists with
Pilkington getting 5 goals and 3 assists.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">The problems for Hughton started and finished in the final third
last season. Target man Grant Holt, slowly ossifying as he became ever more static, was still the top scorer with 8 league goals and a
wide variety of other striking options all contributed with a couple of goals
each bringing their final tally to 41 in all. When your Bassong is your fourth
highest scorer with 3, you have serious problems. Like Neo, Hughton needed some
firepower.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/R9tznjJO.lMpCssIEw4qsg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9MzYwO2NyPTE7Y3c9NjQwO2R4PTA7ZHk9MDtmaT11bGNyb3A7aD0zNTU7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_GB/Sports/Eurosport/924156-15325770-640-360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/R9tznjJO.lMpCssIEw4qsg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9MzYwO2NyPTE7Y3c9NjQwO2R4PTA7ZHk9MDtmaT11bGNyb3A7aD0zNTU7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_GB/Sports/Eurosport/924156-15325770-640-360.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can anyone explain to me why only half his hair has <br />
started going grey?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Hughton has spent some serious money on a new little and large
combo in an attempt to rectify this. Gary Hooper has recently signed for £5.5m
from Celtic. A natural finisher, Hooper is a diminutive striker in the mold of
Michael Owen. Though not as quick as Owen, Hooper’s instinct for goal and his
intelligent movement in the box made him the top scorer in the Scottish
Premiership last season. Striker Ricky Van Wolfswinkel (owner of European
football’s second best name after Jan Venegoor of Hesselink) signed from Sporting
Lisbon for a club record transfer fee of £8m. Van Wolfswinkel (the Wolf) scored
45 goals in 88 appearances in Portugal, an excellent strike rate.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://e2.365dm.com/13/01/660x350/Gary-Hooper-celeb-Celtic-v-Motherwell_2881001.jpg?20130102170123" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="169" src="http://e2.365dm.com/13/01/660x350/Gary-Hooper-celeb-Celtic-v-Motherwell_2881001.jpg?20130102170123" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am sure that he is engaging in a philosophical debate<br />
on the nature of existence, a subject that Norwich fan<br />
Stephen Fry would appreciate, rather than just abusing<br />
someone for cutting off the hair on the side of his head...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">It could be argued that the Portuguese and Scottish leagues are
not as tough as the Premier League and that their performances there are no
indicator of success in the Premier League. Accepting the validity of that
argument as I do, I would counter it with a few factors lead me to think that
both Hooper and the Wolf will adapt well to the premier league. In Hooper’s
case the sheer weight of goals throughout his career suggest that he is a
natural finisher. This is a valuable skill in the Premier League as many of the opportunities he will get will be half chances at best. For a penalty box striker
Hooper is a good link up player as his low centre of gravity and strong legs
allow him to hold up the ball and bring other players into the game. These
attributes should allow him to thrive in the physicality of the Premiership.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.edp24.co.uk/polopoly_fs/sf_wolfswinkel_signing_06_1_2258900!image/1245106298.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_630/1245106298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://www.edp24.co.uk/polopoly_fs/sf_wolfswinkel_signing_06_1_2258900!image/1245106298.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_630/1245106298.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YES! My career goals are complete! I am playing<br />
for Alan Partridge! AH HA!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">By contrast the Wolf is a Dutch striker who likes to lead the
line. This type of player has traditionally done very well in the Premier
League with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Robin Van Persie
all springing to mind suggesting that the Wolf won’t have to adapt his game too
much. Secondly, the Wolf’s performances in European competition, often a more
accurate assessor of talent and performance level, have been great scoring 17
goals in 32 matches. It would be foolish to think that both of these players
will score in the volume and quantity they were used to before, but if they were
able to score between 25-30 goals between them </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">this season</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">it would substantially increase
their chances of top 10 finish. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Whether they can manage 25-30 goals will be as much down to
their supply as it will be their own talents. To adapt the old Shaun Goater chant, If nobody feeds the Wolf, how
will he score? As previously noted Snodgrass and Pilkington had excellent
seasons in the wide areas but both are very similar players. Neither has
exceptional pace to go past defenders, instead relying on trickery and
technical skill to create chances. This led to an over reliance on set pieces, with 18 of their 41 goals coming from dead ball situations. Nathan Redmond, the youngest player ever to
play for Birmingham and the only player to come out of England U21’s tournament
debacle in Israel with any credit, has been signed to provide that pace.
Hughton will be looking for him to have a similar impact that Raheem Stirling
had for Liverpool last season. In central midfield new signing Leroy Fer,
nicknamed the Bouncer, will play a physical holding role allowing other
midfielders to attack with more freedom than last season. My prediction for this team is a top ten finish. Hughton has his guns;
can he make them fire?</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12307376829635863755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634502225845848363.post-53326841735529874312013-08-05T16:08:00.000-07:002013-08-16T04:26:30.086-07:00Preview of the Season: Aston Villa<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>728</o:Words>
<o:Characters>4155</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>34</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>8</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>5102</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 21.0pt;">Morpheus: <span style="color: #1d1d1d;">I'm trying to free your mind,
Neo. But I can only show you the door. You're the one that has to walk through
it.</span></span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">In this scene Morpheus is mentoring Neo, trying to help him
fulfill his potential as the One. This bares comparison with the role that Paul
Lambert is playing at Aston Villa. Lambert took a huge gamble last season,
playing an exceptionally young squad, barely out of nappies by Premier League standards, doing just
enough to stay up. Injuries robbed Villa of experienced senior players like
Richard Dunne (missed the season) and captain Ron Vlaar (missed 10 games).
Cancer forced club captain and club legend Stilyan <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02182/petrov_2182138b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02182/petrov_2182138b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">True Legend. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Petrov into an early
retirement. Without these old heads to rely on, the playing squad’s collective
lack of experience cost them huge away defeats at Chelsea, Man City and
Southampton early in the season. Ill discipline, often an indicator of a lack
of experience, plagued the side with Villa finishing behind only Stoke and
Newcastle as the leagues dirtiest side with 72 yellows and 3 reds. Despite this,
Lambert’s confidence, publically at least, never wavered in his squad.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">As the season wore on results improved as Lambert was able to
instill some confidence and know-how into his young side. The pacey duo of
Gabby Agbonlahor and Andreas Weimann behind young Drogba clone, Christian
Benteke, began to strike fear into opposing defenses (the three of them combined
for 35 of Villa’s 47 league goals). Villa were especially lethal on the counter
attack, scoring 6 goals in this way, equal second in the premier league. This
firepower culminated with a 6-1 destruction of Sunderland and 15</span><sup><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">th</span></sup><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;"> place in the
league.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">This season
Lambert will look for progression from his young team. With Richard Dunne
having been shipped off to QPR and Petrov retiring, Villa will need some of
their youngsters to step into a leadership role to support Vlaar. Promising
centre halves, Ciaran Clarke and Nathan Baker, and defensive midfielder Ashley
Westwood will all look to progress in this department and improve their
discipline as they become more experienced. Surprisingly both Clark and Baker
were in the top 10 in the league for both blocks and clearances, with Clark
leading the league in clearances per match. This says something about the
promise the pair showed but it also highlights the pressure Villa invited onto
themselves on a consistent basis. Though outmatched for much of last season the
experience will hold all of them in good stead for this season and Lambert will
confident of progression being made in a defense that conceded 69 goals, higher
than any other team that wasn’t relegated.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/67345000/jpg/_67345455_benteke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/67345000/jpg/_67345455_benteke.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Benteke playing a team of dwarves dressed in a Sunderland kit.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Primarily, however he will be concerned about a lack of squad
depth, especially in the forward positions. Benteke was a beast last season for
Villa last season scoring 19 league goals in his first season, amounting to 40%
of Villa’s total goal tally. This figure is the highest in the league by some
distance. If Benteke were to miss an extended period of time Villa would
seriously miss his goal threat and his link up play. Benteke was brilliant in
the air last season providing 4 assists and winning 7.9 aerial duels per match,
putting him behind only Andy Carroll and Peter Crouch. Lambert will be
delighted to have fended off interest from Spurs in Benteke in exchange for an
improved contract for the big man.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Benteke’s lively wingman Weimann is just as important to the
Villa cause. Weimann played in 26 games last season, winning 10. In the 12
games he missed Villa failed to register a single win. Though his stats, 7
goals and 2 assists, aren’t gaudy, its clear that his movement, work rate and
ability are of vital importance to Villa’s chances next season. Local boy,
Gabby Agbonlahor, also had a good end to the season with 6 of his 9 goals
coming in Villa’s last 10 games. The alternatives to Weimann and Agbonlahor
last season, N’Zogbia and Albrighton, failed to assert themselves when on the
pitch last season and that is a cause for alarm.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Lambert has realized that without these two for any extended
period next season Villa may struggle. To counter this Lambert has strengthened
these areas with signings of Aleksandar Tonev (£3m left winger from Bulgaria)
and Nicklas Helenius (£1.5m centre forward from Denmark). Lambert has also
added four other players in a variety of positions, the most prominent of which
is Okore, a young centre half costing £4m. All of these players are under 23,
fitting the Villa transfer strategy of buying young talent in order to develop
it.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1.birminghammail.co.uk/incoming/article2991581.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Paul-Lambert-2991581.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://i1.birminghammail.co.uk/incoming/article2991581.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Paul-Lambert-2991581.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul Lambert shouting at kids.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">This concept of development was the key to Villa’s last season
and will be the key to the coming one as well. Signs of progression on last
season’s performance will be the signifier of success this season. Any
improvement on 15</span><sup><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">th</span></sup><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;"> will be difficult, as Villa have not invested as much
as the other clubs around them such as Southampton and Norwich but 12</span><sup><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">th</span></sup><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;"> is out of the
question. Villa and Lambert are giving youth a chance; it is up for them to
take their opportunity.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12307376829635863755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634502225845848363.post-48190153523572105322013-08-05T15:23:00.000-07:002013-08-16T04:26:54.652-07:00Preview of The Premier League: Arsenal<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>3629</o:Words>
<o:Characters>20690</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>172</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>41</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>25408</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I
Know Kung Fu<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">It’s that time again! The football
league season has begun again, specifically at Brammall Lane (the world’s oldest league
ground) in a match between Sheffield United and Notts County (the world’s
oldest professional football club). The match ended 2-1 to the home side; a
result largely influenced by an <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFqLHnwXjwI" target="_blank">early red card</a> for Notts County centre half, Gary Liddle, for a brutal Kung Fu kick to Kevin McDonalds’s ribs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kick got me thinking about The Matrix, probably my all
time favourite action movie and almost certainly one of the most quotable
movies of all time. With this in mind, I decided to link my season preview of
the Premier League to quotes from the film (huge spoiler alert). If you haven’t
seen the film, watch it first then thank me later. Without further ado and in
no particular order, here are a few thoughts and predictions about each team, one or two per day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 3.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Agent
Smith: You hear that Mr. Anderson? That is the sound of inevitability... It is
the sound of your death... Goodbye, Mr. Anderson...<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Neo:
My name... is Neo.</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">At this point in the movie Hugo
Weaving’s devilish Agent Smith is holding down Mr. Anderson/Neo on a railway
track. As the train approaches Neo is at maximum jeopardy in the film. In order
to evade death, Neo is forced to abandon his doubts, reject his former self
(Mr. Anderson) and embrace his destiny as the One (Neo). In doing so Neo is
able to defeat Agent Smith and begin his journey towards his almost divine
status as the One. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Arsenal are at a similar crunch
point. For a few years now, Arsenal have not been competing for the title. Much
has been made of the variety of financial factors that have factored into <a href="http://www.sincearsenallastwonatrophy.co.uk/" target="_blank">this decline</a>. Since Arsenal last won a trophy, they have
had to pay off their shiny new stadium, Ashburton Grove, thus making them unable
to spend big money on world-class players. Arsenal are also one of the few
remaining Premier League clubs where an individual is not in majority ownership
of the club. Each of the major shareholders have to agree making major
investment harder than the sugar daddy model employed by their rivals. This
makes the club prudent but indecisive and risk averse, not a good combination
for acquiring world-class talent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">As I have <a href="http://victorludo.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/the-art-of-war-on-far-eastern-tour-sun.html" target="_blank">written before</a>, the
financial restraint this put on the club also forced them to sell their top
players to their rivals, E.g. Van Persie, Fabregas, Clichy and Nasri. Second
and third-rate players, such as Giroud, Santos and Gervinho, have consistently
replaced these quality players creating a cultural acceptance of Champions League
football as the priority target. It has got to the point where financial
prudence may be actively damaging the club. With their major rivals like Spurs,
City, Chelsea and United prepared to spend major cash in order to improve their
sides, Arsenal’s consistent financial prudence off the field may soon lead to
the loss of their Champions League spot on the field.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ugandapicks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/arsene-wenger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="http://www.ugandapicks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/arsene-wenger.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arsene's happy face...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">One major side effect of this
financial pressure is that it appears to have worn out Arsene Wenger in the
last few years. Wenger has managed more Premier League games than all the other
managers in the league combined. This is experience but it is also age. Constantly
having to fight with one armed tied behind his back, Wenger has begun to lose
his va va voom. The knowing smile and twinkle in his eye as he ‘did not see the
incident’ have been replaced by a permanent puffer jacketed scowl. As an old
man, used to challenging for titles, it has become harder and harder for Wenger
to get motivated, especially as he is now annually having to settle for 4<sup>th</sup>.
The production line of talented youngsters that used to dominate the league
cup, once a source of pride for Wenger, has dried up. The doubts will be
creeping in, as they have already amongst a restless fanbase. Has Wenger lost
that appetite for success that made him so good? Can he repeat the success of
the late nineties and early noughties? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ugandapicks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/arsene-wenger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="http://www.ugandapicks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/arsene-wenger.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arsene's sad face</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">The signs of recovery are coming.
Arsenal haven’t sold a major player this summer for the first time since Wenger last cracked a smile. Giroud and Podolski are likely to improve in their second season having
acclimatized to English football. Santi Cazorla will continue to be the best
two-footed player in the league (I really can’t work out if he is naturally
left or right footed). Mertersacker and Koscielny’s centre back partnership was
much under-rated last season and was crucial to Arsenal’s late season run to 4<sup>th</sup>;
a run so good that, had the season started in February, Arsenal would have been
top. With Arsenal’s British core of Wilshire, Walcott, Ramsey and Chamberlain
all receiving new contracts last season to stave off outside interest,
Arsenal’s core is strong but lacking in belief. None of this squad has ever won
the Premier League before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130322015411/matrix/images/a/a7/Subway_Fight_End.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130322015411/matrix/images/a/a7/Subway_Fight_End.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neo dodging AVB.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">It is vital then that they
supplement this summer with world-class talent to give that belief to the
squad, manager and fans. Having missed out on Higuain, their focus is now
entirely on Suarez. Suarez has game changing talent and plays as a deep lying
striker and would be the focal point of Arsenal’s 4-2-3-1 system. Without
Suarez, a tough season beckons with Spurs and possibly Liverpool snapping at their heels. However signing Suarez
could signal the resurgence of an Arsenal title challenge. Wenger and the board
need to believe in themselves and reaffirm themselves as challengers before
they get run over by the oncoming north London tube train driven by Andre
Villas Boas.</span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12307376829635863755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634502225845848363.post-35362974812989854622013-07-27T05:35:00.001-07:002013-07-27T05:45:26.692-07:00The London Jaguars?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>1560</o:Words>
<o:Characters>8895</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>74</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>17</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>10923</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="Section1">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">It’s
been a slow news week in sport. The third test of this increasingly one-sided
Ashes series does not start until next week and the transfer saga outlined <a href="http://victorludo.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/the-art-of-war-on-far-eastern-tour-sun.html" target="_blank">here</a> is no closer to resolution, so I have decided to focus today on football from
across the pond.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 17.0pt;">A
much under reported story this summer was the new ownership of Fulham Football
Club. Mohammed Al Fayed, owner of Harrods and the Paris Ritz, had been the
owner, since 1997 when he bought the club outright for £6.25m.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn1" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[1]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Fulham quickly climbed the leagues and became a Premier League side in 2001
under the guidance of Jean Tigana. Since then Fulham has become a solid and
occasionally spectacular mid-table club with a great home record, mainly due to
the cramped and unusual nature of Craven Cottage, often mercurial players and a
dubious away record.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.football365.com/13/07/800x600/Mohamed-Al-Fayed-Shahid-Khan-Fulham-owner-pa_2972489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://images.football365.com/13/07/800x600/Mohamed-Al-Fayed-Shahid-Khan-Fulham-owner-pa_2972489.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Al Fayed is the one with the comedy moustache. No help?<br />
Khan is the one on the right.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 17.0pt;">Al Fayed is now 84 and had personally <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/may/19/premier-league-finances-black-hole?INTCMP=SRCH"><span style="color: #0000f6;">invested, as of 2011, £187m in interest free loans to
Fulham.</span></a> In order to recoup his money, (and by all accounts make a
profit) Al Fayed sold his stake to Shahid Khan, an auto-parts billionaire
of Pakistani origin, now based in Jacksonville, USA. On the face of it this
merely appears to be two foreign billionaires exchanging an expensive plaything,
a toy for their egos.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn2" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[2]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 17.0pt;">Except this is not Khan’s </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">first foray into sports
ownership: In January 2012 Khan acquired the Jacksonville Jaguars, an NFL team,
from Wayne Weaver. On the face of it these two facts are unremarkable. The
Glazers own the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Manchester United. Randy Lerner owns
Aston Villa and used to own the Cleveland Browns. Stan Kroenke, the largest
shareholder in Arsenal, owns the St Louis Rams and a myriad of sports
franchises in Colorado. It is not the dual ownership that is remarkable; it is
the deal that Khan signed with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell immediately after
gaining ownership of the Jacksonville Jaguars that is significant. In August
2012, less than six months after taking ownership of the Jaguars, Khan
announced they had finalized a deal to play one regular season home game each
year between 2013 and 2016 at Wembley Stadium. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A9iiX9vCAAAJO1v.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A9iiX9vCAAAJO1v.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roger Goodell. So unpopular he has a meme.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">What’s the big deal about one game some people
will ask? Remember the outcry when the Premier league suggested a <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/feb/14/newsstory.premierleague" target="_blank">39th game </a>to be played abroad every year? This is a whole lot worse. The NFL
has a 16 game regular season, eight of which are played at home. Giving up one
game a season for the next four seasons is a huge sacrifice for the fan-base. The
average fan will now only get to see his team play live 7 times in a year, a
reduction of 12.5%. If I was a Jaguars fan I would be angry about this for one
season, for four seasons it would like being given a shit sandwich. So why has Khan slapped
his own fan-base in the face?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://turnonthejets.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/MJD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://turnonthejets.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/MJD.jpg" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maurice Jones Drew. Running back and<br />
the Jaguars best player. Rushing <br />
touchdowns last season? <b>1</b>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Khan claims that the decision to play in London
is to increase the fan-base of the Jaguars. This is not a wholly unreasonable
argument as Jacksonville is only the third largest city in the State of Florida
(behind Miami and Tampa). Though Jacksonville is a relatively large city of
775,000 people it only has a small area of suburbs, making Jacksonville a small
market team in comparison to the larger metropolis’ that dominates US sport. In
order to increase their market share the Jaguars do need to get creative.
Playing in Toronto, Canada, has helped the Buffalo Bills increase their revenue
and fan-base by becoming more of a regional team. The Jaguars could potentially
think about playing games in Mexico or Puerto Rico given the number of Hispanic
residents of Florida. Instead Khan has volunteered his team to be the resident
home team in London, on the face of it a vast untapped market full of potential
Jaguar fans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Except the Jaguar’s fan-base is exceptionally
unlikely to increase substantially by playing in the UK for two major reasons.
Firstly the Jags currently suck. They tied for the worst record in the NFL last
season and have the worst cumulative record in the NFL over the last three
seasons. It is highly unlikely that a team is going to gain many new fans in
the UK by repeatedly playing terrible football in front of them. Secondly, the
fans that go to watch the NFL games in London almost all have a team already.
On game day Wembley is littered with people in shirts of teams that aren’t
playing, with people mostly attending due to a love of the sport rather than an
affiliation with the teams actually playing. Both of these problems are widely
documented and this helps to disprove the theory that increasing the fan-base,
whatever Khan has said, is the reasoning behind the Jaguars London trips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">In reality it appears that Khan is loading
things up for a run at the London Jaguars.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn3" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[3]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
The new links to Fulham and London will help Khan to pull in sponsorship for the
new team and will help him build contacts to do business in the UK. The Jaguars
trips to London have nothing to do with strengthening the Jaguars brand, rather
they are to reinforce our familiarity with their players, as they will be the
only holdovers from the Jacksonville incarnation of the team. The team will be repackaged
and redesigned, with new kit (uniforms), club badges (logos) and nickname.
Presumably a PR company will be paid millions to come up with a name that is
both forceful and British, something that could be done by a small child, (or
me or you, any suggestions?).<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn4" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[4]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://profile-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hprofile-prn1/c41.0.443.443/s160x160/46092_144063098961282_1951983_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://profile-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hprofile-prn1/c41.0.443.443/s160x160/46092_144063098961282_1951983_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just buy out the ice hockey team and<br />
you are away!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">A franchise in London isn’t just the pipedream
of Shahid Khan either. The NFL actively wants this to happen. Everything the
league has done in the last few years signals that this is no passing fancy–
including increasing regular season games to two annually and making the
Jaguars annual tenants. Roger Goodell, the League Commissioner (a position
created by the 32 owners to run the league in such a way as to make as much
money as possible for the said owners) has created an International Committee
to provide detailed updates on the NFL in London. Committee member Eric
Grubmann is reported to have said that, “We want to have a team in London – Our
goal is to get a team there and make this happen.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn5" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[5]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Why is the NFL so keen on this idea? The
domestic US market is tapped out. The TV deals are signed through 2020 and the
only large market without a team is LA.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn6" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[6]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
The Buffalo Bills are expanding into Canada and occasionally play Mexico as
well. That leaves only London. <a href="http://victorludo.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/the-art-of-war-on-far-eastern-tour-sun.html" target="_blank">Last time</a> I looked at how the Premier
League teams have used the Far East to expand their fan-base and revenue
streams; the NFL is viewing London in the same way.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn7" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[7]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
At this point it is important to note that the NFL is a profit sharing League.
Any money that the league/individual team makes goes in the pot, which is then
divided up equally at the end of the season. A strong London franchise with its
potentially massive marketing, merchandizing and television deals is worth a
great deal more to the league and its owners than the small market of
Jacksonville.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn8" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[8]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Rather than deprive Jacksonville of its team,
why not expand the amount of teams to include London and LA? Again this idea of
profit sharing comes in. The owners don’t want their piece of the pie cut up
any smaller than it already is. Therefore any way of making the overall pie
larger, as a European franchise definitely would, is much more appealing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">There is no denying that there are potential
problems with a franchise in London. The most critical of these would be a lack
of fan interest. The NFL certainly does not see this as a problem at the
moment. Some argue that this is just novelty factor and that London is still
not ready for a franchise. If this were the case that novelty should be wearing
off by now as this is the seventh season in which regular season games have
been played in London. All of the Wembley matches so far have been sellouts and
this looks set to continue this year despite the pressure of adding a second
game. Commissioner Goodell is so confidant of success that he has recently put
forward the idea of a third game being played in London, potentially with the
Jaguars playing host again.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn9" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[9]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
It does not seem that a lack of interest will stop London from playing host to
a franchise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Another huge potential problem is US players
not wanting to live in the UK. Andrew Whitworth, offensive lineman and Players
Union rep of the Cincinnati Bengals threatened to retire if he landed on a team
that moved to London. As the most connected player in regards to how the team
feels due to his position in the players association his words carry weight
when he says that, </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">"I
don't see that a lot of guys would want to do that," he said. "I
don't see any players that would enjoy that. Sure, you may find a handful of
guys that say, 'Oh, hey, that'd be cool,' but the rest of them wouldn't."<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn10" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[10]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">This is a massive problem that it will be difficult to overcome.
Many of the NFL’s signings come from free agency and the draft. If draft picks
won’t sign for the team and they are unable to recruit in free agency it will
be almost impossible for a London franchise to field a competitive team in the
long term. Continuously poor on-field results could easily lead to fans growing
disillusioned with the team and the NFL losing its hard gained goodwill. Of all
the problems facing a London franchise this is the most insoluble, as there
appears to be no obvious solution. Throwing money at the problem (maybe a bonus
paid by the NFL to anyone who signs for the team in free agency?) could
persuade some players but the foreign nature of the UK could really put off a
large proportion of players.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Some people have raised the difficulty of
travel but I don’t really see this as much of an issue. The league would make
scheduling as friendly on the team and their opponents as easy as possible in
order to make this work. In fact to make this work In addition the flight from
London to New York is not that much longer than San Francisco to the Big Apple
but nobody is complaining about that are they?<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn11" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[11]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
This is definitely the easiest problem to solve though.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://0.tqn.com/d/nashville/1/0/6/1/3/130121740_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://0.tqn.com/d/nashville/1/0/6/1/3/130121740_10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"D..... Fence" clap, clap, clap. Rubbish. Just rubbish. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">A London franchise is a ‘when’ not an ‘if.’
Will it be the Jaguars? I think it is incredibly likely. Will they be
supported? A straw poll of friends interested in the NFL (6 people) suggested
that half would support a new London team, 33% would look out for them as a
second team and one person would love to hate them. Given the love/hate
relationship Brits usually have with our sports teams this seems to be a
perfect balance! I am all for change and new things, I will use the terminology
of the sport I am following even if I wince when they pronounce route (root) as
rowt. I will hold big ridiculous signs so inane that remind me of wrestling. I will shout pathetic chants
like, “lets go Jaguars!” over and over again with all the wit of a 4 year old.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn12" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[12]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
I just won’t call football, Soccer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="ALL" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: auto;" />
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[1]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US">Technically a shell company
in the tax haven of Bermuda called Mafco owned the club but it was controlled
and owned by Al Fayed.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[2]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> Khan’s fortune is estimated to be $2.5b. By contrast Al Fayed’s is
a mere $1.2b...</span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title="">[3]</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn3" title=""><!--[endif]--></a></span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"> If they kept the name, which I doubt, think of the sponsorship deal
they could get with Jaguar!</span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title="">[4]</a>No points for the sillynannies... tut tut.</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US">It is almost certain
they would change the name of the franchise on arrival in London. Off the top
of my head, I like the British Blitz or the London Bulldogs. Suggestions in the comments please.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title="">[5]</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn5" title=""><!--[endif]--></a></span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"> According to NFL insider Jason La Canfora on CBS sports.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title="">[6]</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn6" title=""><!--[endif]--></a></span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"> It’s always been a basketball and college football town, hence why
the city lost its Rams franchise to St. Louis in 1994. In some justification
California still has the Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers and San Francisco
49ers.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title="">[7]</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn7" title=""><!--[endif]--></a></span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"> The Premier League teams have also done the same in the US selling
out 80,000 seat stadiums at $100 a ticket for glorified run-arounds. </span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title="">[8]</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn8" title=""><!--[endif]--></a></span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"> One of the smaller markets, maybe San Diego, Oakland or St. Louis
may be on its way to LA for the same reasons.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title="">[9]</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn9" title=""><!--[endif]--></a></span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"> http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/american-football/22780936</span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title="">[10]</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn10" title=""><!--[endif]--></a></span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"> http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2013/06/06/andrew-whitworth-cincinnati-nfl-london-team/2397571/</span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title="">[11]</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn11" title=""><!--[endif]--></a></span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"> Actually some people are. There is some statistical analysis that
early kickoff games played in the west are advantageous to the home team… Maybe a British team would do well at home but struggle with the time difference away.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn12" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title="">[12]</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn12" title=""><!--[endif]--></a></span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"> This is an area we Brits can teach the Yanks a thing or two.
American chants are worse than terrible. If we had our own team, British chants
would pretty soon be the best in the league, no argument.</span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12307376829635863755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634502225845848363.post-29512499681752075942013-07-19T04:07:00.002-07:002013-07-21T13:45:16.233-07:00The Art of the War on a Far Eastern Tour; Sun Tzu’s guide to the English Transfer Window.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>1575</o:Words>
<o:Characters>7246</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>154</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>25</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>11026</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">It has
become customary these days for the top teams in the Premier League to open
their seasons with a tour to the Far East. This is remarkable because the Far
East is almost entirely unsuitable as place to go to regain fitness and match
sharpness. The humidity and heat are stifling and the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2353388/Barclays-Premier-League-clubs-clock-200-000-air-miles-pre-season-tours-Asia-Australia-South-Africa-United-States.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">travel distances</span></a> </span>are
extreme. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Players often complain
that they come back in worse condition than they left. The reason that the
teams put their reluctant players through this tour, of course, is money.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38035000/jpg/_38035381_beckham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38035000/jpg/_38035381_beckham.jpg" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For a
long time Asia, especially the Far East was a vast untapped market in Football.
Despite its huge population, burgeoning economies and the predominance of
globalization, Asia was the land that Football forgot. There were no great
Asian players and there appeared to be very little interest shown by anyone of
importance in establishing the game in the region. This all changed when FIFA
decided, in Sepp Blatter’s only known good decision, to give the 2002 World Cup
to Japan and South Korea. The tournament was wildly successful with every game
a sellout and ardent fandom shown towards stars like David Beckham and Ronaldo.
Above all it showed the world that the appetite for the game in the Far East
was there if only it could be tapped into.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Marketing
managers of the Premier League clubs<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>were the quickest to grasp the size and value of the Far Eastern Market
and many clubs made concessions in an attempt to increase their market share in
the region. The first method was to buy players from the country you wanted
support from. Manchester United signed the inept Dong Fangzhou from Chinese
side Dalian Shide in 2004, the workaholic Korean Park Ji Sung in 2005 and the
talented Japanese playmaker Shinji Kagawa in 2012. I feel it is no coincidence that these three players just happen to come from the three largest Asian
markets. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Arsene
Wenger had managed Nagoya Grampus out in Japan before getting his Arsenal job
and came to a similar conclusion as United, signing the average Junichi Inamoto
in 2002. He barely played and was quickly moved on to Fulham. Yesterday it was
notable that Ryo Miyaichi, a player whose last two loan moves have corresponded
with that teams relegation (Bolton and Wigan), made a rare appearance in the
second half of Arsenal’s pre-season game against Vietnam. Is he good enough to
play for Arsenal? No. Is he a good marketing tool for Arsenal? Absolutely.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Arsenal
beat an Indonesian XI on the weekend and thrashed Vietnam 7-1 yesterday.
Chelsea played a best-of–the-Thai-league team, winning 1-0. Man United are now
in Australia having already been to Thailand. With all of these top sides
encouraging fans in the East to look west for their inspiration, it seems that
they have found some inspiration themselves from some ancient eastern wisdom.
Given the way the way that this transfer window has been unfolding I have a
sneaky suspicion that many of the participants have been reading Sun Tzu’s ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Art of War</i>.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<h4>
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #131313; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“Victorious warriors win first and
then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win”</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The key
to the transfer strategies being displayed this summer is that it is not just
enough to just strengthen your own squad. In strengthening your own squad you
must weaken your opponents. This isn’t the first time teams have done this. In
recent years Manchester City in particular and Manchester United have ripped
the heart out of Arsenal’s challenge by constantly poaching their best players.
Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy and Emmanuel Adebayor went as players to City, club
legend Patrick Viera went as head of City’s elite development squad. Like a bad
school drama, the new kid (City) picked on another kid (Arsenal) to get respect
from the other teams (United, Spurs and Chelsea). In turn, last summer, United
forced the sale of Robin Van Persie. Arsenal appeared weak and, for the last
few years, before the league had even started, Arsenal had lost it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #131313; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“When the Enemy is relaxed, make
them toil”</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #131313; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">The man under the most pressure this summer is David Moyes.
Taking over from the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford would be tough
for anyone; it’s even tougher for someone who has never managed a team with
title aspirations. Given the pressure, Moyes would have hoped this summer would
be uneventful, allowing him to get his feet firmly under the table. Instead the
most experienced premiership managers at the top, Jose Mourinho and Wenger have
rattled United’s cage by targeting Wayne Rooney. This has put Moyes under serious
pressure early on in his United career and it will be vital to his future that
he responds in a positive and decisive way so as not to appear weak. If
Mourinho, the best at this game, feels that he can get under Moyes’s skin then
it could be a difficult debut season for the new United boss.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<h4>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“Hence
that general is skilful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend;
and he is skilful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.”</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtHUkj-9k1N3dTpS3zuqciLpg9XmJQt9vVfdrS7upS-vS0kjWEl3n_7VNB5hVQJuJvQwYy0roFSK0UjvA2uF67X3TZZJFuFec3soFiNBIkW5MRgWd7xu9jm-EvvbwKdA0d0M6xi65WTmg/s320/Jose-Mourinho.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtHUkj-9k1N3dTpS3zuqciLpg9XmJQt9vVfdrS7upS-vS0kjWEl3n_7VNB5hVQJuJvQwYy0roFSK0UjvA2uF67X3TZZJFuFec3soFiNBIkW5MRgWd7xu9jm-EvvbwKdA0d0M6xi65WTmg/s200/Jose-Mourinho.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If Jose is having fun the<br />
Premiership had better watch out.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #131313;">In recent days Mourinho and Chelsea have publically had a bid
for Rooney turned down. Mourinho then upped the ante by stating that Rooney is
their only target and that it was </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><a href="http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/222183.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">“Rooney or bust.”</span></a> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #131313; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Despite the fact that this
is obviously a bigger lie than Clinton’s denial of Lewinsky, this creates a
massive problem for Moyes. Either he keeps Rooney and has a constant
destabilizing influence in the dressing room thus exacerbating the pressure, or
Moyes sells Rooney and looks weak because it appears that he has been bullied
into it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1138374/thumbs/o-WAYNE-ROONEY-DAVID-MOYES-570.jpg?7" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="183" src="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1138374/thumbs/o-WAYNE-ROONEY-DAVID-MOYES-570.jpg?7" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A misleading picture.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #131313; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">The genius of Mourinho in this situation is that it is certain that
Moyes wants to sell Rooney. By publically declaring his interest for Rooney,
Mourinho has backed Moyes into a corner from which he can’t escape. Moyes wants to put his
own stamp on the team and needs to show the dressing room he is the boss. An
ideal way to do that would be to sell a disgruntled star like Rooney to show
that the club cannot be held to ransom by any player. As Sir Alex used to say,
“nobody is bigger than the club.” Now Moyes has been forced to come out and say
that he doesn’t want to sell Rooney, leaving an “angry and confused” Rooney in
United’s dressing room. Either way this pans out, I think Mourinho gets his man
eventually, Mourinho has won this early confrontation by sowing seeds of
discord at United.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<h4>
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #131313; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“All warfare is based on
deception.”</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #131313; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Arsene Wenger meanwhile has got some money to spend and the mojo
is back. Wenger’s main target appears to be Gonzalo Higuain. This deal hasn’t
gone through due to the fact that Wenger has been having too much fun
destabilizing United with his own suggestions of a bid for Rooney and also
disrupting Liverpool by kicking their tires over Luis Suarez. Suarez and
Liverpool would prefer a move to Real Madrid but as any viewers of last week’s
Top Gear are aware, the Spanish are broke. Both Madrid and Barcelona have been
operating under a sell to buy policy for a couple of seasons now and this would
help to explain the reasoning behind the sell off to Bayern of Barcelona’s best
young talent in Thiago Alcantara. This elaborate smoke screen of name dropping is
a deception designed to unsettle his domestic opponents and you can tell that
Wenger is enjoying putting the boot in to his rivals for once before signing
Higuain. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<h4>
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #131313; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack—the direct
and the indirect”</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.football365.com/13/07/800x600/David-Moyes-Manchester-United-pa3_2968549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://images.football365.com/13/07/800x600/David-Moyes-Manchester-United-pa3_2968549.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the whole of the internet there is<br />
not a single picture of Moyes <br />
in a hat. Weird.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #131313;">One way for Moyes to get back at Arsenal would be to strike a
psychological blow indirectly. There are no players at Arsenal that Moyes would
desperately want so another way must be found. The thing that would really
upset Arsenal and Wenger would be if Cesc Fabregas joined Robin Van Persie at
United. You would have to imagine their faces looking something like </span><a href="http://www.instablogsimages.com/1/2012/02/22/edvard_munchs_the_scream_painting_uiyoy.jpg" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">this</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #131313;">.
Wenger betrayed his fear of this possibility by declaring that it was impossible
for United to sign Fabregas because, </span><a href="http://www.goal.com/en-my/news/3956/transfer-zone/2013/07/18/4125471/wenger-reveals-fabregas-is-staying-at-barcelona" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">“he is staying at Barcelona for another year.”</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #131313;"> Arsenal own the first refusal on Fabregas but if they cannot match
United’s bid then they forgo their right to sign him. If Moyes could pull this unlikely
rabbit out of his hat he could yet have
a chance of winning the war before the games have even started.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<h4>
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #131313; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">“There is no instance of a country
having benefited from prolonged warfare. ”</span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Manchester
City have avoided this undignified ruckus by going on tour South Africa. They
have made the astute signing of Jesus Navas, an electric winger who was one the
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiEQ2DS03pk" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">standout players in the Confederations Cup</span></a>.</span> Fellow Spaniard, Alvaro Negredo, a
natural finisher and Montenegrin forward, Stevan Jovetic, will join Navas. All
of these players have the natural ability to perform to a championship level
next season. Whilst the other teams have damaged each other in the heat of the
Far East, Manchester City’s progress under new manager Manuel Pellegrini has
been serene. Manchester City have been playing in the Nelson Mandela Football
Invitational Tournament. They have not been able to meet Mandela due to his
prolonged health problems but if they had, his famously wise and pacifist advice
may have gone something like this, </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #131313; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without
fighting.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<!--EndFragment--></span><br />
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12307376829635863755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634502225845848363.post-27318767696289880592013-07-16T05:42:00.001-07:002013-07-16T12:09:32.121-07:00The Week in Sports II<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>114</o:Words>
<o:Characters>525</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>11</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>798</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>1165</o:Words>
<o:Characters>5361</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>114</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>18</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>8158</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b> A pulsating first test and the flaws in DRS.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">As a
massive cricket fan this weeks viewing has been dominated by the first Test of
the Ashes. It wasn’t always cricket of the highest quality but, in terms of
drama, entertainment and tension, it was one of the great test matches of all
time, and in the outstanding debut performance of Ashton Agar, it had a story
line that would have been thrown out of a Hollywood studio for being less
believable than <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwsqFR5bh6Q" target="_blank">Sharknado</a>. It had everything you could want in
a cricket match; from records being broken, to devastating bowling and
belligerent batting, from dodgy umpiring and outraged controversy to the
arrival of a star in the making. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Ashton Agar's performance was incredible. To perform that well from number 11 was outrageous, to do it on debut was inconceivable. The audacity and nervelessness displayed were hallmarks of youth. His shot selection and judgement of length an indicator of serious talent. Never before has an English crowd wanted an Aussie to score a century but there were groans of disappointment when he was caught on the boundary for 98. His was the highest score by a No.11 in the history of Test cricket and it was part of the highest ever tenth wicket partnership in Test cricket, ably supported by Phil Hughes. Agar also had the skill to take a couple of wickets including the England captain, Alistair Cook. A great start for a great talent.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01435/james-anderson_1435614c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="199" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01435/james-anderson_1435614c.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The world's best?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">His performance was only topped by the brilliance of England's best player, Jimmy Anderson. 10 wickets in the match on a pitch designed to suit the spin of Graeme Swann does not quite tell the full story. The 13 over spell to win England the game on the fifth morning was nothing short of heroic, his abilities highlighted by the ease with which Australia scored off England's other bowlers. Special mention must also go to the high quality performances of Peter Siddle and Ian Bell, both players who have previously been much maligned in the media. Siddle is commonly dismissed as an 'honest trier,' completely overlooking his accuracy and skill. After his 8 wickets in the match, maybe a little more analysis will be applied to his skill and a little less on his effort. By contrast Bell is often criticised for only scoring stylish but easy runs against poor sides. His gritty and determined century in the second innings put England in a position to win the game. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;"> It was without doubt a brilliant match, full of the unexpected, and, when I was watching on TV, it was brought to me by Sky.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn1" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;">[1]</span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It is an
accepted wisdom that TV has influenced all sport in thousands of ways since its
arrival but in none is that influence so marked as in cricket. Since they took
over the summer Test matches from Channel 4 in 2005, Sky has had a TV monopoly on
English cricket. As in many sports, fixtures are now timed for maximum TV
viewing rather than the enjoyment of fans actually attending the match. Cricket
tours are shorter, (why play warm up matches for the benefit of quality Test
cricket when you can play another lucrative and pointless T20 match?) and often
played at ridiculous times of the year to fulfill the contractually obliged
quotas demanded by Sky, (why else would you choose to play Test matches in the
rain of April and May?)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Nerdy
types, otherwise known as physicists, have long postulated that in quantum
mechanics the nature of something changes when it is observed.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn2" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[2]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Cricket has certainly changed since the advent of Sky’s coverage. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Technology such as Hawkeye and Hotspot
that were originally introduced by Channel 4 and Sky for viewer enjoyment have
now been incorporated by cricket in DRS (decision review system). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Specifically designed to reduce
controversy by getting more decisions correct, it would be reasonable to argue that
in this Test the DRS has caused the controversy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The
technical issues all started with the dismissal of Joe Root in England’s second
innings. Joe Root was strangled down the leg side with ball seeming to lightly
brush his bat. After chatting with Alistair Cook, Root decided not to review
the decision and walked off. This brought Jonathon Trott to the crease and he
was promptly given out LBW first ball to Mitchell Starc. Trott decided to use
the DRS and review the decision. All the front-on camera angles appeared to be
inconclusive as to whether he had hit the ball. The crucial angle would the
side-on hotspot camera. Unfortunately there was no footage from that camera as
it was being rewound at the time to show that they couldn’t find any evidence
of Joe Root hitting the ball and that if he had reviewed, the decision would
have been overturned and he would of stayed in. As the Hotspot camera and
machine work in a similar way to an old VHS, it cannot both record live footage
and rewind at the same time.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn3" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[3]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Without Hotspot to save him Trott was confirmed out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<a href="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Cricket/Pix/pictures/2013/7/11/1373571771200/Jonathan-Trott-008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Cricket/Pix/pictures/2013/7/11/1373571771200/Jonathan-Trott-008.jpg" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">This
incident shows more than a few flaws within the DRS system. The first problem
was when Joe Root walked off. It is widely acknowledged by former players of
the game that ‘you know when you have hit it.’ If Joe Root had not hit it he
would certainly have reviewed the decision immediately. That suggests that he
knew that he had hit the ball thus explaining why he walked. So why didn’t the
Hotspot camera show the nick? This should put serious doubt on Hotspot’s ability
to detect faint edges, thus rendering it almost useless as a part of the DRS. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A
secondary problem is that the laws of cricket give the benefit of the doubt to
the batsman. Without the Hotspot camera in his review, Trott was denied that
benefit. Instead the 3<sup>rd</sup> Umpire confirmed up the original decision
of the umpire and gave him out. This brought two separate laws into conflict
with each other, an obvious problem. Trott was rightly furious that he had not
had all of the DRS at his disposal and controversy reigned. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In
England’s second innings Ian Bell and Stuart Broad put on a major partnership
that would give England a commanding lead. Australia had wasted their reviews
on two dubious LBW shouts earlier in the innings and were therefore out of
reviews. This turned out to be crucial when Broad blatantly edged Agar to
Michael Clarke at slip. How the umpire missed it is beyond my comprehension,
but miss it he did. Whether Broad should have walked is another argument but it
brought into focus two problems; the reliability of the Hotspot Camera and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>whether two reviews is enough or too
many. Once again Hotspot had failed to spot an edge behind and if Root’s had
been a faint nick, Broad’s was a fat edge. Though the decision couldn’t be
reviewed, a riot would have ensued if he had been given out and it had been
overturned on DRS due to the evidence of Hotspot. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Originally
the system was brought in do away with howlers such as this. Some, including
the BBC’s cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew, argue that by giving teams two
reviews, it encouraged teams to gamble with them rather than saving them for overturning
obviously bad calls. Others argue that Australia should have had more reviews
to use and this would have prevented the controversy from occurring. Both
theories have their merit so whilst there is no consensus this flawed system
will remain unchanged. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02616/mf-rev0_2616365b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02616/mf-rev0_2616365b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rev counter is... IN THE RED!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Sky’s
newest gizmo, the Rev Counter, which debuted in this match appears to be
totally pointless except as a way to elicit thoughtless commentary<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>from the FECRC (Former England Captain’s
Retirement Committee) when it poops up on the screen.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn4" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[4]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Such delights included constant exhortations of “Its in the red!” and Andrew
Strauss ridiculously questioning whether Graeme Swann would forget about
bowling normally and try to just spin the ball as much as possible in
competition with himself. In all, I am pretty sure this adds nothing to the
game and Sky may have agreed with me as, by the end of the match, the rev
counter graphic was half the size it had started at.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Without
any doubt there are definite problems with the DRS system as it stands. Though
flawed its defenders correctly argue that more decisions are now being given
correctly. Its critics counter by pointing out its deficiencies. In the end it
will all come down to viewer entertainment and it is hard to argue that Hotspot
and Hawkeye, despite their flaws, do not enhance the viewing experience. The
very act of observing cricket through the medium of Sky has changed the game.
In itself this is not a worry as sports evolve all the time. The worrying thing
is that it’s now changed the game to such an extent that it’s affecting the
outcome of the game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[1]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> Other, no doubt better commentated, channels are available in other
countries… The BBC does great radio coverage on TMS.</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[2]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> The guy who made this theory, Heisenberg, would have been a great
fan of the DRS system I feel. He would also probably have loved the complexity
of the Duckworth Lewis method as well.</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[3]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> Nerdy readers will note that Heisenberg’s principles of quantum
mechanics argues that something can be in 2 places at once due to the
uncertainty principle. In this case the DRS was also in two places at once. </span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[4]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> I didn’t mean pops. I meant poops.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
</div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12307376829635863755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634502225845848363.post-91281831751903502802013-07-10T02:36:00.000-07:002013-07-11T13:08:55.278-07:00'Moneyball' in Cricket?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>1368</o:Words>
<o:Characters>6295</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>133</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>21</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>9579</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">On the day that the Ashes starts I thought it was about time to do a post on Cricket. I will be writing my weekly round up of the week's sports tomorrow and will be including some thoughts more directly related to the Ashes there. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fivewidesports.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/beane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://www.fivewidesports.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/beane.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Billy Beane. Doesn't look like Brad Pitt.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The rise
of advanced statistics in cricket has been a long time in coming. Similar in
many ways to cricket, baseball has been at the forefront of statistical
analysis in sport since the mid 1990s. Made famous by the film ‘Moneyball’
starring Brad Pitt, baseball had its statistical revolution, known as
sabermetrics, under the guidance of Sandy Alderson and Billy Beane, the general
managers of the Oakland Athletics. Sabermetric principles focused on analyzing
players using objective evidence measured from in-game activity. By recording
every action that each player took in each game, Alderson and Beane were able
to create either entirely new statistics to rate players or use the existing
statistics alongside new qualifiers to give a more accurate picture.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn1" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[1]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
In turn this allowed them to build up a far more detailed picture of which
players were the most effective to a team’s success then their competitors. The
principles of research and analysis allowed Beane and the Athletics to remain relevant
for long periods despite having one of the lowest payrolls in baseball.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn2" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[2]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Given the similarities between the two games, why hasn’t cricket followed the
same trend until recently and where might we begin to see similar analysis
begin to creep into cricket?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For many
years Cricket had been dominated by the most simplistic statistical thinking; Averages
and strike rate (and additionally for bowlers – economy rate) were the only
statistics taken into any sort of consideration. The problem with these statistics
is that they take no account of game situation, pitch conditions, overhead
conditions, quality of opposition and type of opposition (i.e., left arm spin,
right arm seam etc). For example, whilst Kevin Pietersen averages a quality 49
in test cricket, his average against left arm spin is a modest 38. Stuart Broad
has an overall bowling average of 31.93, which improves to 27.51 in England but
balloons to 43 in Asia (including two tests against enthusiastic minnows
Bangladesh). Would it not be sensible to consider picking other another batsman
who doesn’t exhibit this weakness when facing quality left arm spin bowling.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn3" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[3]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Broad’s has struggled in the sub continent for a while now and a large enough
sample size in evidence to suggest that an alternative should be found by
England. Even these simple manipulations of the statistics seem to be beyond
England’s selectors who seem to prefer a rigid team selection to a more
squad-based system where players are picked according to their various
strengths. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.51allout.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/797495_wells150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.51allout.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/797495_wells150.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alan Wells is dismissed by Curtley Ambrose. <br />
Is it better to be picked once and dropped than <br />
never to be picked at all?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Until recently
even these basics statistics were often ignored if an international selector
managed to watch a player put in a stellar performance.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn4" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[4]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Small sample sizes were ignored and any player on a decent run of early season
form was considered for the England team with no thought given to temperament,
conditions and quality of opposition. Despite players like Vaughan and
Trescothick being successful additions to the England squad, a policy of
picking players purely on the basis of recent good individual performances,
rather than long-term weight of achievement, largely led to the shambles that
was English Cricket circa 1990-2000. One cap wonders like Mike Smith, Gavin
Hamilton, Simon Brown, Joey Benjamin, Neil Williams and Alan Wells were all
unlucky to only be given one chance, (or maybe they were just lucky to get a
chance at all), though none endured the humiliation that Ian Blackwell suffered
in being dropped after his only test match for the truly inept… Liam Plunkett.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn5" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[5]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
All were unfortunate victims of the horrific lack of consistency endemic in
England’s selection; a policy that closely resembled teaching kids to swim by
just chucking them into a pool and allowing those not naturally gifted to
drown.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Only the
arrival of Nasser Hussain, Duncan Fletcher and the new standard of
professionalism that they brought with them saved English cricket from the
inconsistent selection that had plagued it for so long. Alongside the
consistency required to build a strong team, Fletcher, Hussain and, later,
Vaughan used technology to help England improve and analyze their game. The
rise in professionalism and analysis has coincided with a rise in the England
team’s fortunes. England has sports analysts, Nathan Leamon for tests and Gemma
Broad for ODIs, whose sole role is analyze data and come up with plans to
combat opposition players. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Jimmy
Anderson and Steve Harmison recently spoke on the Tuffers and Vaughan radio
show and highlighted the advanced use of specific plans to individual batsmen
that they faced. When specifically questioned by Mark Chapman as to how he
would get out Ramnaresh Sarwan, for example, Anderson responded that Sarwan is
LBW candidate early on and that he would try to “run on back into him.” To AB
De Villiers the plan would be to “make him play with a straight bat” as he
scores heavily with cross bat shots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">His
answers show that plans to get out different batsmen are created in two ways,
firstly through analyzing any technical deficiency, (in Sarwan’s case above
that he gets his front foot too far across early on and ends up playing round
his pad) and secondly through Hawkeye pitch data and a batsman’s average when
facing balls pitched in certain areas. De Villiers scores heavily when facing
anything short pitched and so the plan is always to keep it up to the bat to
force him to play straight. It must be noted that De Villiers is such a quality
batsman that Anderson’s method of bowling to him is more of a way of
restricting his scoring rather than targeting a weakness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGHmgOpcoVPv3uTtaCk_EZeU7uO8IEHYJFxxBkzlfoQSlJNB02fILkwnx3xYLtwVXHXvlR9nbTtX3DNCHNMhFGZ95nPKgGC0IhPZstgKs6VDiS7LGncfwyLqdKR6oYf7GpnDDixsB5cE/s1600/blog5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGHmgOpcoVPv3uTtaCk_EZeU7uO8IEHYJFxxBkzlfoQSlJNB02fILkwnx3xYLtwVXHXvlR9nbTtX3DNCHNMhFGZ95nPKgGC0IhPZstgKs6VDiS7LGncfwyLqdKR6oYf7GpnDDixsB5cE/s400/blog5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An example of the Hawkeye pitch map. This one appears to to show<br />
Zaheer Khan's left arm seam bowling in a particular match to right <br />
handed batsmen from both over and around the wicket. Whilst <br />
conceding fewer runs going over the wicket, Khan has been more <br />
successful going around the wicket as he has taken two wickets <br />
shown by the 2 white dots.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The use
of Hawkeye and similar ball tracking technologies is at the heart of the new
advance in analytics in cricket. By being able to track the flight and pitch of
every ball bowled in world cricket, statisticians are able to record the strike
rate and average of each batsman in different pitching areas and finishing
points.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn6" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[6]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
For example analysis of the finishing points of a certain bowler could help Eoin
Morgan’s shot selection outside off stump, the pitch map could allow Mitchell
Johnson to locate the pitch (just a tad) more regularly and Jimmy Anderson can
even end up seeing where his deliveries pitch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Analysis
and research into the game is continuing apace and its only going to accelerate
in the future, so where is it headed? I feel that a squad system is more likely
to become commonplace. Players will be used in a rotation policy slightly
reminiscent of football. This will allow for squad depth in bowling and batting
departments to cover for injuries and allow management to pick teams in a
slightly more horses-for-courses way. These ideas are commonly used in county
cricket with young players picked in short formats of the game to gain
experience and experienced players picked in the more important county
championship matches.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn7" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[7]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a> Bowlers will
be on limited over counts similar to pitch counts in baseball in order to
manage workloads. Other statistical elements will slowly work themselves into
the game as captains and coach’s search for even more sophisticated ways of
gaining an advantage. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Traditionalists
fearful of the total dominance of cricket by analytics should not worry too
much though. Cricket is a far more cerebral game than baseball and often a
captain’s feel for the game will capture a wicket far more quickly than
stubbornly sticking to a statistical plan that may not be working. Making use
of the statistics in sensible ways is far harder than their creation, so whilst
cricket may be appropriating statistical ideas from baseball the complexity of
cricket will make it harder to totally analyze the value of each decision made.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cricket is so complex that it will
never be as comprehensively analyzed as baseball but their is definitely some
work that can be done. Digital decision-making may be useful but sometimes a
little analogue thinking can get you a wicket much more cheaply. Or, if you are
an Australian, you can just punch someone in a bar and hope that will put him
off his game.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[1]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> OPS –on-base plus slugging - is an example of using two old
statistics combined together to form a newer, more accurate measure of a
batters value to the team.</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[2]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> For example in 2006, the Athletics finished with the 5<sup>th</sup>
best record in Major League Baseball despite having the 24<sup>th</sup> lowest
payroll of the 30 teams.</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[3]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> For the record, in this case, I think they should consider it, then
forget about it. KP is too good to get dropped. But they should definitely be considering things.</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[4]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> Two famous examples where this strategy paid dividends were Marcus
Trescothick and Michael Vaughan. Trescothick was famously picked for England
after scoring 167 in a low-scoring match at Taunton in front of Duncan Fletcher,
soon to be England coach, despite averaging in the low 30s in his career until
this point. Trescothick went on to average 43.79 in tests and 37.37 in ODIs as
a destructive opening batsman for England. Similarly Michael Vaughan also
performed much better for England than Yorkshire with his test average standing
at nearly 5 runs better than his first class average (41.44 – 36.95).</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[5]<span id="goog_1493210711"></span><span id="goog_1493210712"></span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> Unbelievably JJ Ferris took 13/91 in the match and never played again!</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[6]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> Only 3 of the international teams have statisticians at the moment
– India, England and Australia.</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[7]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> England are also following this route with their own T20 side. The
large majority of the side is very young with only KP a regular in the test
side.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12307376829635863755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634502225845848363.post-14118888313361606192013-07-08T16:26:00.000-07:002013-07-08T16:29:29.563-07:00The Wait and the Weight - Murray Wins Wimbledon<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">I
originally wrote a long piece on Murray’s victory in the Wimbledon final from
the perspective that some people may not have known what happened in it. This
was, in hindsight, rather naïve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Given that everybody saw it, has read about it and/or heard about it
from the screaming maniacs who gathered to watch proceedings on Henman Hill, I
thought I would share a few thoughts about the match.</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/p480x480/1014112_641330539211625_1748974985_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/p480x480/1014112_641330539211625_1748974985_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thousands of people in London who don't own a tv.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">On the
morning of the match between Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, news reports
surfaced of the thousands who were desperate to get on to Murray Mound/Henman
Hill. Hundreds had been waiting all night, camping in a traditional British
queue for the chance to sit on a grassy hillock and watch a big screen of the
match. It was announced that at 10.30 the gates would be allowed open. Hours
were spent waiting, then a rush, a spasm of action, a seat on the hill was
taken and then the waiting began again. What is a few more hours waiting if you
have been waiting for 77 years? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">This
seems a perfect analogy of a British fan’s tennis year; the yearlong wait
followed by a momentary fortnight of hope and desire, followed again by disappointment
and a return to the long wait. Thematically this year’s championship challenge
by Andy Murray has been framed in terms of the 77-year wait for a British
winner. The media, especially the BBC, have found innumerable ways to
illustrate how long ago 77 years really is, (my favorite was that when Fred
Perry won Wimbledon, tennis was played in trousers rather shorts.) What the
media has failed to highlight is the weight of the pressure that the wait
brings with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For the many
previous British challengers the pressure to end the wait has always been too
much. The famous, odd couple duo of Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski were able to
use the crowd for inspiration early in the tournament but were never able to
overcome the very best in the latter stages. Henman was a four-time semi
finalist, which suggests he was good enough to have won at least once. Rusedski
had a perfect grass court game and made the US Open final in 1997. The support
carried them to begin with but once it turned into expectation the weight of it
crushed them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/Lendl_CU.jpg/220px-Lendl_CU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/Lendl_CU.jpg/220px-Lendl_CU.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This face doesn't change. At all.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">To find
a way to shoulder the burden of expectation, Murray hired Ivan Lendl to help
him. Lendl is stony faced, a picture of stoicism and determination, a man hewn
from rock. He also won eight Grand Slam titles. He wasn’t hired to coach Murray
how to play, he was hired to coach him how to win. To do that Murray would have
to overcome the athletic, grinding style of the world number one, Novak
Djokovic. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It is
almost certain that Djokovic tried to make Murray feel as much pressure as he
could. Murray had crumbled under pressure before in Grand Slam finals, notably
not winning a set until his 4th Grand Slam final. Murray would, Djokovic hoped,
do so again under the expectations of a nation at Wimbledon. Djokovic would
attack Murray’s weakness and exposed his second serve. Unable to consistently
hold serve, Djokovic hoped it would culminate in the oft seen cycle of
self-recrimination and frustration that can destroy Murray’s mental stability when
things don’t go his way. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Djokovic
implemented his plan, breaking Murray to love in the 4<sup>th</sup> game of the
match and squeezing the life out of Murray’s second serve. Djokovic won 58% of
the points played on Murray’s second serve and broke him 4 times in the match.
Murray could have cracked under such pressure but the mental toughness that he
and his coaching team have worked on came through. The scars of the previous Grand
Slam final defeats seemed well and truly healed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/AP_andy_murray_wimbledon_jt_130707_16x9_992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/AP_andy_murray_wimbledon_jt_130707_16x9_992.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Often
accused of being passive in the crucial moments, Murray was brilliant in them,
often outplaying Djokovic at the crucial moments. Murray took 7 of his break
point opportunities (one more break than Djokovic had suffered in the entire
tournament up until that point), hit more winners than Djokovic (36-30) whilst
committing only half the unforced errors (21-40). In a brilliant all round
display of tennis, the most impressive aspect was his calm under pressure. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Djokovic
was not at his best in this match due in large part to his epic semi final
showdown with Juan Martin Del Potro. The longest semi final in Wimbledon
history really took a lot out of the Serb’s legs and he did not have the
stamina and athleticism that we usually associate with him. Djokovic attempted
to alleviate the pain of the long rallies by attacking the net or attempting
drop shots but neither strategy tended to work. As the finish line came into
sight though, the pressure rose with the expectation of the crowd and smalls
cracks began to appear. Murray was up a break in the third and just needed to
serve out. Up 40-0 in quick time it seemed nothing could be easier… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">As is
often the case when the pressure rises, time seemed to slow to a crawl. Each
point from then on was an eternity, the quality of both players such that they
both seemed to have an age to pick their strokes. With the heart of a champion Djokovic
saved all 3 Championship points as the pressure threatened to overwhelm Murray.
Even in victory the crowd was forced to wait. In a brilliant display of
defensive tennis under extreme pressure, Murray then fought off 3 break points
as Djokovic threw everything he had at Murray. It wasn’t enough. As Djokovic
netted, Murray celebrated in the manner of a man who’s had a colossal weight
lifted from his shoulders, arms aloft. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i2.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article2030837.ece/ALTERNATES/s2197/The-Championships-Wimbledon-2013-Day-Eleven-2030837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://i2.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article2030837.ece/ALTERNATES/s2197/The-Championships-Wimbledon-2013-Day-Eleven-2030837.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Murray Celebrates. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Aiming
much of his celebratory fist pumps towards the press box,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a group he has always feared fuelled
the pressure and the expectation, Murray had done it. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">"It's hard. It's
really hard. You know, for the last four or five years, it's been very, very
tough, very stressful," Murray said. "It's just kind of everywhere
you go. It's so hard to avoid everything because of how big this event is, but
also because of the history and no Brit having won."</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In his
post match interview Djokovic was, as ever, gracious in defeat, only stopping
to bemoan that, “I wasn’t patient enough.’ There’s that word again, patience.
The British have needed plenty of it over the years when comes to Wimbledon.
Now, thanks to Murray, the wait is over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12307376829635863755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634502225845848363.post-65080225773063299502013-07-04T10:56:00.000-07:002013-07-04T10:56:26.253-07:00The Week in Sports I
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>1687</o:Words>
<o:Characters>7761</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>165</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>27</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>11810</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px;">Welcome to the first
Week in Sport! This will be a regular Thursday piece that, as the name
suggests, rounds up the big headlines from the week. This week I am looking at the
transfer window, Wimbledon and glancing at a few other stories from around the
world of sports. Please feel free to comment at the end and if you like the
blog please share it with your friend(s)!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">The Return of the Transfer Window</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">July 1<sup>st</sup>, as any Football
Manager player will know, is the start of the summer transfer window/silly
season in the premier league. It starts every year with hope and promise. The
most exciting and simultaneously disgusting thing to do as a fan is estimate
the amount of money your club is prepared to spend for your viewing pleasure. Your
team has endless possibilities, a full war chest and a myriad of directions it
could go in. Often however, it ends in disappointment and a sense of impending
doom for the coming season akin to watching England in a penalty shoot-out. You know what is coming, it all seems to happen in slow motion and yet you can't do anything to stop it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://elitedaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/elite-daily-andy-carroll-injury.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="207" src="http://elitedaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/elite-daily-andy-carroll-injury.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andy Carroll is not usually this active on the pitch.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">For a start, the hope you have is
always tinged with the nagging doubt that your owner/chairman could, at any moment,
turn into a chump. It has happened to the best of them; Man Utd’s David Gill
signed Anderson for £20m in 2007. Anderson has played a mere 96 league games
out of a potential 228 and his Wikipedia entry for last season relates mostly
to his performances in the Capital One Cup. In 2010-11 Tom Werner of Liverpool pulled
off a masterstroke, managing to rake in £50m for the empty shell of Fernando
Torres and then spend half of that on the world-class Luis Suarez.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn1" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[1]<!--[endif]--></span></a></span>
In a move that stunned English football he followed that up with the signing of
Andy Carroll for THIRTY FIVE MILLION ENGLISH POUNDS.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"> </span>Werner went from genius to Muppet on the very
same day.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn2" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[2]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Arsenal bought Antonio Reyes, Spurs have Emmanuel Adebayor and Fulham invested
£11m in the “talents” of Steve Marlet.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn3" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[3]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
All clubs have similar tales of woe and even the best chairmen make mistakes
but some certainly seem to make them more often than others. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Another problem with the
summer transfer window is the idea that your team could sell your
favorite and/or best player. This can be a constant nagging fear in the back of your
mind. As a Southampton fan this fear has not been unfounded in the last few
years.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn4" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[4]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
The constant idolizing of players by the media leaves fans in a pathetic state
when they are sold. The player often then goes on to destroy any piece of
goodwill that he had accumulated at his previous club by expressing his
long-held, but previously unknown, desire to play for the new club. Every year,
fans of a team losing a key player do everything from burning their shirts to refusing to renew their season tickets.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn5" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[5]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://backpagefootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Geordies.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" src="http://backpagefootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Geordies.bmp" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Did he burn his shirt?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">It is not only players
that move on either. The summer transfer window can be a time of great upheaval
and strain on football clubs and their owners. Expectation is through the roof
and owner has to be convinced the manager is up to meeting those demands.
Fifteen of the Premier League’s twenty managers were not in their current jobs
in May 2011. Unbelievably, Newcastle’s embattled boss Alan Pardew is the second
longest tenured manager in the Premier League after Arsene Wenger. Newcastle’s
owner, Mike Ashley, has been desperate recently to force Pardew’s resignation by
hiring the ridiculous <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye1jc_IXjRY" target="_blank">Joe Kinnear</a> over his head as director
of football at St. James’s Park.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn6" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[6]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Even past achievement
has no bearing on managerial loyalty. All the managers that won a trophy in
2011-12 are no longer in that job.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn7" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[7]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Roberto Di Matteo was sacked a little over six months after his Champions
League triumph to the well-documented disgust of Chelsea fans. If you are lucky
the chairman, manager and scouting department are all pulling in the same
direction and you end signing hidden gems like Michu. If you aren’t lucky you end
up like the Toon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Given all this, it is
important for us as fans not to get too carried away with the speculation and
outcome of the summer. Whether its Arsenal failing yet again to splash the
cash, Southampton selling their best young starlet or Man Utd yet again failing
to fix the creative hole in the centre of midfield, whatever happens to your
club in the summer we should relax.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftn8" name="_ftnref" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[8]<!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
Shrug off that sense of impending disaster. There will always be another
player. It is the summer. Nothing is decided yet. There will always be a chance
to change things in January. All you have to do is just chill, watch cricket
and hope your team doesn’t fall for a Geordie target man named Andy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Laura Robson’s Breakout Wimbledon is Just the First
Step<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Arguably the greatest
female tennis player of all time is Serena Williams. Her power game is the envy
of virtually every player on the Women’s tour and is her greatest asset. At
this years Wimbledon, Serena was hitting her forehand at an average of 70mph.
Laura Robson was hitting hers at 74mph. Reminiscent of a young Lindsay
Davenport given her heavy handed style, Robson has been tipped by many to
become a quality top-10 player in near future. To achieve the desired rankings
rise, what parts of Robson’s game need to improve in order to achieve this?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.tennisworldusa.org/Editor/Img/WTA-Tennis-img9226_668.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://www.tennisworldusa.org/Editor/Img/WTA-Tennis-img9226_668.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I refuse to make a joke about phwoarhands...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">The first key
improvement to be made is her movement around the court. Opponents also like to
take advantage of her poor movement by bringing her into the net. Robson’s
second round opponent Duque-Marino caused her all sorts of problems with drop
shots and short slices. Robson was struggling to reach many of them and then,
when she began to read Duque-Marino’s shot selection, unsure what to do in the
unfamiliar situation leading to poor shot selection. A few times she went for
an exceptionally difficult lob from her position at the net rather than the
more fruitful and better percentage play of volleying down the line. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Some commentators have
criticized the consistency of Robson’s shots and there is certainly some work
to be done in this regard on her backhand but most of that inconsistency is a
symptom of poor movement. Robson is slow to get into the right position for
some shots forcing her off balance and causing some of her inconsistencies. As
she stops growing and can start to focus on her fitness and body I would fully
expect her to improve in this area. A key player in this will be her new coach
Miles McLaggan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Andy Murray’s
coach McLaggan was instrumental in changing Murray from a weedy teenager into
the powerful athlete that he is today. Robson may never be nimble but if she is
able to follow Murray’s lead then more genuine improvement may be just around
the corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The one other area that needs work in Robson’s game
is her ability to deal with pressure. Robson seems susceptible to pressure,
amplified especially when she is expected to win. When playing higher ranked
opponents the relative lack of pressure leads to her playing much more freely
leaving her free go for lines and hit winners. As she becomes more experienced
though she will have to learn to be aggressive whilst dictating play with her
powerful ground strokes to overwhelm less able opponents without having to risk
going for as many outright winners. The pressure often manifests itself in her
serve deserting her, for example the mixed doubles final of the Olympics and
serving for the 2<sup>nd</sup> set against Duque-Marino. This will come with
time and experience and her performances on the centre court of Wimbledon this
year will hold her in good stead. I will happily predict that the next time she
comes to Wimbledon she will be a seed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Chaos In Corsica – An eventful start to the “TDF”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">With 15km to go of a
fairly uneventful first stage of the Tour de France, fate intervened. The buses
that accompany the cycling teams approached the finish in the sleepy town of
Bastia to get set up before the arrival of their riders. Gestured to go
underneath the gantry above the finishing line the bus driver of the
Orica-GreenEdge team seemed hesitant. At the insistence of the local Corsican organizers
that the bus would fit under gantry he went for it. It didn’t. With the bus
stuck and a danger to the riders, who were fast approaching, a quick decision
needed to be made. With the oozing slowness of the Mediterranean, they decided
to change the finish line to a place 3km before the original planned finish. The
new finish had a dangerous kink in the road no less than a couple of hundred
meters from the line and it was likely to cause a crash in a sprint finish. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.eurosport.com/2013/06/29/1035825-16670120-640-360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://i.eurosport.com/2013/06/29/1035825-16670120-640-360.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piss ups and breweries spring to mind... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">However it was no easy
task to inform the peloton. Some teams grasped the situation whilst others did
not. Just as some teams began to gear up and attack the finish the bus was
unwedged from the gantry and the old finish reconfirmed. The riders at the
front, who had been attacking, slowed down in the knowledge that the old finish
was back in play. The riders following behind them, in the process of
accelerating to catch up, crashed into them. Major sprinter Sagan and yellow
jersey contender Albert Contador were victims. However their pain can’t be compared
to that of Geraint Thomas of Team Sky who fractured his pelvis and decided to
continue riding! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Will the Lions Beat the Aussies in the final test
match?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">No. The lions have had
the worst of both Tests and were lucky to come away with a win in Brisbane. By
dropping the previously un- droppable Brian O’Driscoll and replacing him with a
less than 100% fit Jamie Roberts, Warren Gatland has made a huge call. Gatland
appears to have picked a team with strong ball carriers (Roberts, Sean O’Brien,
Mike Phillips and Manu Tuilagi on the bench) in order to get over the gain line
and force the Aussies to go backwards. Without the injured Sam Warburton to
secure the ball at the breakdowns however I see the Lions will turning over the
ball cheaply leading to penalties for holding on and the loss of field
position. My prediction is Australia to win by 9 points.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Did a drunk Sri Lankan Cricketer try and open a aeroplane door at 35,000 feet? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Yes. Priceless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[1]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;"> Were his early performances at Liverpool
a sign of permanent class or an extended run of exceptional form? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[2]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;"> This years chumps are West Ham!
Cumulative transfer fees paid for Andy Carroll now exceed £52m…</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[3]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;"> Though Adebayor “only” cost £5m, his
wages, estimated to cost £100,000 a week, (a sum of almost criminal robbery
given last season’s performances), are crippling Spurs wage bill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[4]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;"> Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott and Oxlade
Chamberlain. Sold for a total of £34m. That would just about get you Bale’s
right leg at the moment. Can you imagine them all in the same side?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[5]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;"> Not all sales are a bad thing. QPR’s
sale of the monstrously overpaid and overpriced Chris Samba for a whopping £12m
is by far the sale of the summer, giving QPR the financial room and flexibility
to fire them back into the premier league next season.</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[6]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Why
don’t they just sack Pardew? Due to the horrific expense (£10m) of getting
themselves out from underneath the remaining years of the EIGHT-year deal he
signed last September. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[7]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;"> Di Matteo at Chelsea won the FA Cup and
Champions League, Mancini at Man City won the Premiership, Dalglish at
Liverpool won the League Cup<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2634502225845848363#_ftnref" name="_ftn8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[8]<!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia;"> Arsenal appear to be about to spend
their money, £23m, on Gonzalo Higuain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12307376829635863755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634502225845848363.post-3017455377386409762013-07-01T10:40:00.000-07:002013-07-02T02:53:30.427-07:00The Spanish Come as Conquerors, Leave With Question Marks <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>1207</o:Words>
<o:Characters>5674</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>113</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>13</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>8450</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>1338</o:Words>
<o:Characters>6289</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>125</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>15</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>9366</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 28px;">When
Hernan Cortez and his Spanish Conquistadors landed on the shores of South
America in 1517 they were walking into conflict with one of the largest and
most powerful empires in the world.<span style="color: #850000;">[1]</span> The
Aztec empire was a vast expanse of jungle which surrounded and protected
densely populated cities. The Spanish left the safety of their ships and set
off into the unknown seeking fame, glory and gold. Though outnumbered the
intrepid Spanish were never outgunned, their Western technology easily capable
of defeating the inferior Aztec weaponry. The brilliant Spanish commanders
easily defeated the Aztec's ambush, hit-and-run tactics, using long standing,
professional soldiering based around discipline and synchronization to emerge
successful.<span style="color: #850000;">[2]</span> After numerous defeats the
Aztecs began to see the Spanish as invincible demigods, impossible to defeat,
thus losing their belief in their own powers and tactics. To cut a long analogy
short, the Spanish came back with the fame, glory and gold in such abundance
that Cortez is still remembered today and Spain became the richest and most
powerful nation on the planet.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Fast-forward
to Sunday night in Rio and you would be easily forgiven for predicting that
history would once again repeat itself. The understanding and ‘tiki-taka’ style
of this Spanish side has been cutting a swathe through world football for the
past 7 years, winning 2 European cups and the World cup. Brazil was the final
frontier to be conquered for Spain, the two sides not having played since 1999.
There was little doubt pre-match that they would have the firepower to do it. <span style="color: #850000;">[3]</span> In Del Bosque Spain have an experienced,
cup-winning general, in Xavi, Pique and Casillas talented and experienced
leaders and in Torres, Iniesta and Mata the weaponry to beat anyone. Spain are
brilliant on paper and on grass but how would they fair in the unknown of the
jungle?</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">The
fear was that they might be just as good. Throughout the tournament this has
been the local’s and the media’s desired final. The local flair and Spanish
style would be a beautiful and contrasting climax for a brilliant tournament.
The only worry was that the final would be too one-sided. Throughout the
tournament, the Brazilian media and local fans have admired the technical
excellence of the Spanish and feared their own inexperienced, mostly Brazilian
based team, would struggle to cope with the Spanish juggernaut. This admiration
has been shown, in that most human of ways, by the neutral fans decision to
support the underdog opposition, i.e. anyone playing Spain. In the Italy Vs.
Spain semi-final the crowd cheered every successful Italian pass and groaned as
Bonucci skied his crucial penalty into orbit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Emerging
from the bowels of the stadium into the febrile and raucous Maracana that
awaited them, Spain entered into the unknown. Whistles drowned out the wordless
Spanish anthem.<span style="color: #850000;">[4]</span> The volume somehow increased
during the Brazilian anthem, louder and louder as the crowd and team belted
out the music-less final verse. Experience told us that the Spanish would cope by
holding onto the ball, damping the enthusiasm of the crowd and slowly passing
the Brazilians to death. Instinct told us that Brazil could, just maybe, be in
with a chance.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/9x1hWNsirJQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee512/zonal_marking/bra-sp2_zpsd77d33a8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee512/zonal_marking/bra-sp2_zpsd77d33a8.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lineups of the two sides.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Spurred
on by adrenaline, Brazil took on the weight of history and changed the
narrative. An early raid into Spanish territory from a raking David Luiz pass
led to a cross from Hulk being scrappily bundled home by a prone Fred. Welcome
to the jungle indeed. After the early ambush Spain were rattled, (going into
the game Spain had not conceded a goal in their previous 9 knockout games) and
they struggled to find their usual tempo and rhythm. Much of this was due to the excellent defensive pressure applied by Brazil high up the pitch.
Xavi, the Spanish fulcrum, cramped for room and time, was forced to play
sideways and backwards (his second most targeted player was centre back Sergio
Ramos). By contrast against Uruguay, Spain’s most impressive match of the
tournament, it was the right-winger Pedro.<span style="color: #850000;">[5]</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">The
lack of penetration in the Spanish passing and the early goal spurred on
Brazil. Alvaro Arbeloa, partially at fault for his marking for the goal, was
struggling and overmatched against Neymar.<span style="color: #850000;">[6]</span>
Oscar fired wide after great work down the left by the lethal attacking tandem
of Neymar and Marcelo. Paulinho’s audacious chip was only just scrambled away
by Casillas. The Brazilian triumvirate in attack were being given free reign by
the muscular defensive shielding of Gustavo and Paulinho.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/16950716-e1372671688824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/16950716-e1372671688824.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David Luiz makes an incredible clearance.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Then
came the moment for history and the weight of recent achievement to reassert
itself. David Luiz, inexplicably playing 15 yards behind the rest of the
Brazilian defensive line, played Juan Mata onside. His cross cut out Luiz and
gave Pedro enough time to pick his spot back across Julio Cesar. Despite a
slight bobble Pedro did everything right comfortably beating the ‘keeper. Only
an unbelievable recovery from David Luiz, somehow putting it over his own bar
from less than a yard out, prevented an equalizer. This was a huge moment in the match. Brazil's belief continued to grow, Spain's continued to falter.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Spain
were made to pay for the miss shortly afterwards. A quick Brazilian break found
Oscar on the edge of the box. His delayed pass allowed Neymar to get back
onside and then, on the angle, fire his shot into the roof of the net. Shortly
after halftime the game was over as a contest as Fred made it 3-0 with a
quality side-footed finish. For the first time in a long time Spain suffered by
comparison to the their opponents. Spain looked old and slow, unable to respond
to the rapier thrusts of the youthful Brazilian starlets.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">For
all of its strengths as a style to control possession and tempo, tiki taka is
not suited to chasing a deficit as it allows teams to get back into their
defensive shape too often.<span style="color: #850000;">[7]</span> Del
Bosque did his best to revive Spain’s fortunes and speed up their play,
bringing on an out and out winger in Jesus Navas and Spain’s all time record
goal scorer in David Villa. It was all to no avail as it went from bad to
worse. Ramos missed a woeful penalty. Spain’s warrior, Gerard Pique, was
sent off after 67 minutes for a cynical foul on Neymar. Spain were now
literally outnumbered as well as outgunned. Followed down the tunnel by
derisive chanting aimed at his wife, Shakira, who was in attendance as part of
the post match awards ceremony, it was an ignominious exit for Spain and their
best defender.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">This
was Brazil’s night. A brilliant display of attacking ‘samba’ football, goaded
on by a beautifully symbiotic relationship with the crowd, gave a final that
was as one-sided as many Brazilians had feared, just not in the way they
foresaw. The result was perfect for Brazil. They took the fame, glory and
golden trophy. Phil Scolari will now have carte blanche to continue to experiment
and refine his Brazil side. The doubts that many observers had over the quality
of the side have been dispelled. It was a timely reminder to the rest of the
world just how difficult winning the world cup in the heat of Brazil will be.
Maybe most importantly it damaged the mystique of the Spanish. They are no
longer invincible demigods, in the fevered atmosphere of the Maracana they were
shown to be human.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #850000; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">[1]</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> To
be more accurate they landed in modern day Mexico and Central America but bear
with me on this.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #850000; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">[2]</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> I
doubt that they called these soldiering techniques Tiki-Taka though…</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #850000; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">[3]</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> With
the honorable exception on the BBC of Gianluca Vialli who totally called the
Brazilian win.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #850000; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">[4]</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> This
is due to the Spanish being unable to agree on any words. Seriously.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #850000; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">[5]</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">
Stats to be found at Fifa.com</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #850000; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">[6]</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> He
also somehow manages to never look at the ball in the whole incident!</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #850000; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">[7]</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> As also seen in the recent Barcelona Vs.
Bayern Munich Semi-final. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<div id="ftn" style="mso-element: footnote;">
</div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12307376829635863755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634502225845848363.post-18001761255977846822013-06-30T10:03:00.000-07:002013-06-30T10:38:10.946-07:00The Return Of “Serve and Volley?” <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;">Ladies, Gentlemen, sports lovers and those just feeling sympathetic
towards me, firstly let me say thank you for reading my first blog. Some of you
have encouraged me to do this for some time because you think I have potential
to be a writer, others because you just wanted to get me out of the room.
Whatever your motivations, this is the result.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>1069</o:Words>
<o:Characters>5025</o:Characters>
<o:Company>university of Southampton</o:Company>
<o:Lines>100</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>12</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>7484</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When I
was growing up in my parent’s terraced house in Wimbledon, it was the era of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Pistol’ Pete Sampras and his deadeye
serve. The serve volley tactic he employed was a sure fire way to progress at
Wimbledon as shown by his 7 titles. Huge servers and fast courts kept the
points short and sharp. To some, <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">cough</span>
Rafa Nadal cough, this aggressive tennis was an eyesore, something that should
be disposed of as fast as possible. As courts have got slower (not only at
Wimbledon), the ball didn’t drive through the court as much, instead bouncing
higher and sitting up more. Baseline-hugging counter punching players like
Lleyton Hewitt were able to become more effective on the grass courts as they
had fractionally more time to make their ground strokes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In a
game of inches and milliseconds like tennis that was all the time that was
needed. Rather than being a fearsome all-conquering swarm at the net, the serve
and volley players became toothless tigers, constantly being outhit and
outthought by the newly powerful counter punchers. Players like Federer changed
their style to suit the new reality. When Federer won Wimbledon in 2003 he serve
and volleyed 23% of the time, last year he serve and volleyed on 7% of his
points. In essence the serve and volley tactic had gone the way of wooden
racquets, the tennis headband and McEnroe’s hair. Until this year.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Then Steve
Darcis beat Rafa Nadal. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In the
first round at Wimbledon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>In straight sets.</b> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.smimg.net/13/26/steve-darcis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://i.smimg.net/13/26/steve-darcis.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve Darcis, even he looks surprised.<br />smimg.net picture</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The journeyman
pro from Belgium, the virtual unknown and supposed lamb to the slaughter, beat
the reigning French Open champion. He later said </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #434343; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">“I just wanted to play my own game, coming to the net
and not playing far from the baseline.” This was surely a blip, a leftover of
Nadal’s knee injury worries, or Nadal’s decision to play no warm-up
tournaments. This was not the return of serve and volleying. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/06/28/article-2350151-1A8F631B000005DC-752_634x401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/06/28/article-2350151-1A8F631B000005DC-752_634x401.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sergiy Stakhovsky. Daily Mail picture. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #434343; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Amazingly, gloriously, this was not the last we would hear of
serve and volley, (though it was the last we would hear of Darcis as he retired
hurt with a shoulder injury before the next round), as Sergiy Stakhovsky
shocked Roger Federer in the second round. Here are some stats to illustrate
the magnitude of his win; Stakhovsky became the first player ranked outside the
top hundred to beat Federer since Gasquet did it in Monte Carlo in 2005, the
first player seemingly since the dawn of time to knock Federer out of a grand slam
before the quarter finals. Ridiculously Federer had won more grass court
tournaments in his career than Stakhovsky had won grass court matches. After a
close first set which Federer won on tie break, Stakhovsky, playing an almost
pure serve and volley game on his first serve, never gave up and closed out an
incredible 4 set victory. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2013/06/26/1372253647000-AP-Britain-Wimbledon-Tennis-1306260935_4_3_rx404_c534x401.jpg?87cc7ae5b5e3d133be9f113f907a13faa9f8741e" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2013/06/26/1372253647000-AP-Britain-Wimbledon-Tennis-1306260935_4_3_rx404_c534x401.jpg?87cc7ae5b5e3d133be9f113f907a13faa9f8741e" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top Cat roaring! USATODAY picture.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #434343; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">The improbable Rastafarian German, Dustin Brown proved too much
of a mystery for Lleyton Hewitt, smothering the net with his enormous wingspan
and freakish athleticism. Other serve and volley practitioners such as
Feliciano Lopez, Nicolas Mahut and Michael Llodra all progressed past the first
round. Is it just that these guys are great servers then and built only for
grass?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #434343; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Lets focus on the Stakhovsky Vs. Federer match to see how he did
it. Unusually for a serve and volley player, Stakhovsky does not have a
dominating serve. In the match against Roger Federer he topped out at 124mph,
averaged at around 116mph on his first serve and served 17 aces. By comparison
in the same match Federer hit 127mph, averaged 116mph with 16 aces. Both
players served a similar percentage of first serves in with Federer actually
out shining in this department 72% - 66%. Not really much of a difference there
then. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #434343; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">The key here was aggression. By coming to the net repeatedly,
Stakhovsky forced Federer out his usual role as the aggressor and forced
Federer into a counter-punching role. Whilst Federer certainly has the shots
and creativity to play this role, by forcing him out of his natural game,
Stakhovsky was able to force Federer into uncharacteristic errors. Federer was
also unable to find any rhythm due to the shorter nature of the serve and
volley points instigated by Stakhovsky. The key here then was aggression; by
seizing the initiative and forcing the match to be played on his terms,
Stakhovsky was able to dictate the play and ultimately do enough to win.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #434343; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Is this then the return of the serve and volley? Unfortunately I
don’t think it is. Despite many of the most aesthetically pleasing tennis
matches involving a contrast in styles, Sampras Vs. Agassi or McEnroe Vs. Borg,
serve and volley will probably not be making a comeback. Serve and volley point
percentage has only risen from 7% to 8% from last year and that may have a lot
to do with the success of its practitioners this year. It is most likely then
that this flair up of serve and volleying success has arisen due to novelty
factor. Baseline dominant players have become unused to the short and staccato
points dictated by the serve and volley game and are often able to get into their
usual rhythm. It surprises me that players don’t adopt it more often as a disruption
tactic when an opponent is on a hot streak. Many top players, David Ferrer
springs to mind, are so foreign to the net and reliant on the western grip that
they don’t seem to even know how to serve and volley. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #434343; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Unfortunately the amount of quality serve and volleyers is
continuing to decline, hastened by slow courts and unfavorable conditions. It
would be a great shame if, as seems likely, the homogeny of baseline style
become the only method of play. The players are all beginning to look the same,
play the same and sound the same. This is the end of diversity. Soon there will
be no more classic duels with contrasting styles, no more divergent body types,
no more 6ft6 eastern Europeans in Wimbledon white with monster serves blowing people away. We should wave goodbye with fondness tennis
fans because rather than the return of the serve and volley, this is its swan
song.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12307376829635863755noreply@blogger.com0