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England squad for Euro 2012

May 17th, 2012

I know I said I was going to have a month off football but I can’t help getting wrapped up in the Euro 2012 hype, especially as they’ve announced the England squad going to Poland and Ukraine this week. The biggest shock, especially as a Manchester United fan, is that Rio Ferdinand hasn’t been selected. Roy Hodgson probably won’t do much in the way of explaining his decision but you’ve got to assume he thinks John Terry will bring all the experience the defence needs. I always thought Rio was a more commanding presence than Terry, to be honest, but I may be slightly biased there.

The surprise up front is not from a player being left out but one being included – Andy Carroll gets the nod after a mixed season with Liverpool. Jermain Defoe is another gamble in my eyes, as he’s not had a decent showing for England in a long time. Having said that I’m not sure who I would have taken instead and it’s very easy for us all to sit back at home and criticise the decisions. If we were all that good at picking teams and organising tactics, we’d be the football managers, not them.

In all honesty, the important thing now is not the players individually but how they connect and play as a team. It’s a cliché I know but it’s so true and it seems to be one of the things we’ve really lacked in recent years. Maybe Roy Hodgson hasn’t necessarily concentrated on who’s in top form but which collection of players he thinks will work the best together. That would be a different, smart approach to take and I will of course be watching with interest to see what happens for England in Euro 2012.

And if you’re anything like me you’ll need a reminder of England’s Euro 2012 fixtures, so here are the dates for the first three group games:

Monday 11th June, 5pm – France v England

Friday 15 June, 5pm – Sweden v England

Tuesday 19 June, 7.45pm – England v Ukraine

Next stop: Euro 2012

May 15th, 2012

What did I say about my predictions being wrong? I don’t mind about the scores but I was hoping that the main one, about Man City winning the title, would have been another duff one from me. But, as we all know, it wasn’t. And I have to say, my own allegiances aside, what an exciting end to the season. I was gutted when I was watching it live, of course, but I watched it again on Match of the Day later and I couldn’t help but be amazed at the way it unfolded. And I have to say that City deserved it in the end. I actually think they had the better side this year and for us to win would have been more of a surprise – I just wasn’t expecting them to do it in such dramatic fashion.

There’s inevitably loads of muck being thrown around by United and City supporters but I’m not interested in that – it’s only football, after all, and it would be boring if we just won everything. It gives us something to come back and fight for next year. Some of my mates who are die-hard United fans would hate me for saying this but I actually think it’s a good thing City won.

So, moving on, it’s less than a month until the Euro 2012 competition starts, with England’s first game against France on Monday 11 June. It is obviously going to be a bit ‘in at the deep end’ for the new manager, Roy Hodgson, but I don’t think that’s necessarily a problem in itself. Time will help in the long run of course but he must know roughly the players he’s going to use and he’ll know their strengths and weaknesses. It’ll just be a case of seeing how well they play alongside each other and their individual attitude and approach to international football. That’s been England’s biggest problem for me over the years – the players just don’t seem comfortable within themselves when they get on the world stage.

Anyway, that gives me effectively a month off football so I’m going to indulge a few of my other passions, one of which, a little by default, is cars. I’ve been looking at used cars for so long I think I’ll be disappointed if I ever do decide on one because it will mean I won’t be able to go and look at them anymore. Maybe I should open a used car dealership? Hmm… anyway, I’m looking at leasing Peugeot 107 deals this week, so I’ll see how that goes.

Last game of the season

May 10th, 2012

I’ve been trying to take my mind off the football this week. I’ve had a band in the studio Tuesday to Thursday so that’s kept me busy but now that’s finished I’ve got no choice but to start looking forwards to Sunday. It’s traditional for me and a couple of mates to go into town to watch the last game of the season and it’s particularly special this year, for obvious reasons. So we’re going to make a bit of a weekend of it I think – some bars in Manchester on Saturday afternoon for a few beers then probably for a curry on Saturday night. We’ve been trying to get to all of the Indian restaurants Manchester has to offer over the years but new ones crop up all the time and it’s hard to keep track of which we’ve been to and which we haven’t. I think this time we’ll just go to one we know we like.

As it’s an away game on Sunday, up in Sunderland, we won’t be going to the actual match so I think we’re going to watch it at my place. We’d normally consider going to a pub I think, especially as it’s the last game of the season, but it’s so important we’re going to want to concentrate and listen to everything that’s going on, and that would never happen in the pub. I’ll fill the fridge up and get some decent snack food in then we’ll just have to sit it out and see what happens – and keep an eye on the Man City result as well, of course.

Oh, and I’ve gone with the prediction from the last post and placed a bet on it – Man City to win 2-1 at QPR and us to draw 1-1 with Sunderland, giving Man City the Premier League title. I figured if Man United don’t win the Premier League, at least I might win some cash to soften the blow a little.

Premier League finale

May 8th, 2012

Regular readers will have quickly realised that my football results predictions aren’t the best and I’ve proved myself once again with that last one on the FA Cup Final. At least I got one thing right – Chelsea won. No Torres goal though and no 3-1 battle. It was a bit of an average game but that’s fairly common for a Cup Final I think – there’s a nervousness in the teams and a bit of a fear of conceding the first goal that holds them back. Quarter or semi finals tend to be more exciting.

With FA Cup Final finished, I had no choice but to focus on the Premier League finale. Man United and Man City both had their penultimate games on Sunday and we both won, meaning we’re still level on points. With just one game left each, both taking place next Sunday, it really has gone down to the wire. We’re level on points but City have a much better goal difference than us so we really need them to lose or draw and for us to win to make certain of it. If we both win, we’d have to do it by at least a nine goal margin, depending on how many they won by, to take the title, so you have to say that Man City are the favourites. I’d rather take my chances going to play Mega Jackpots online than put any money on the Premier League title but I thought I’d have one last go at a prediction, to see if my lack of success might work the other way.

So I predict that Man City will win 2-1 at home to QPR and we will draw 1-1 away to Sunderland, meaning City take the title. And I’m really hoping that, like all my other predictions, this one won’t turn out to be correct.

FA Cup Final prediction

May 3rd, 2012

One of the things I like about football is that there’s always a different game or competition to watch, which is just what I need at the moment with Man United’s Premier League chances in the balance. It was the Champions League last week and now we’ve got FA Cup Final weekend, which has always been a bit of a tradition for me and my group of friends. No matter who’s playing we always make a day of it and head to the same pub each year to watch the match and soak up the atmosphere, with a trip to the betting shop along the way just to make it a little more exciting.

It’s Chelsea v Liverpool in the final this year and I have to say my money is definitely going to be on Chelsea. They’re having a great run of form at the moment and even Torres has started scoring again, so you’d have to back them over Liverpool, who have been a bit erratic recently. If Chelsea win this and then the Champions League final as well it would be an amazing end to a turbulent season for them and you’d have to say Di Matteo should be in the running for the manager of the year award. Some people might be surprised to hear me talk like that, as a United supporter, but I’ve always said I’m a fan of football first and foremost and I always give credit where it’s due, even if it is to our rivals.

Anyway, my FA Cup Final prediction is for Chelsea to win 3-1. I might even put an extra bet on for Torres to score the first goal.

Super Sundays

May 1st, 2012

Well the football didn’t provide the perfect end to a great weekend that we wanted. Obviously gutted at losing to Man City and slipping down into second place in the Premier League. It was a bit of a flat match, as far as the football was concerned, especially considering all the hype around it. I think they probably deserved the win to be honest and 1-0 was a fair score line. I was surprised to see Sir Alex lose it a bit on the touchline, exchanging a few heated words with Mancini. He’s normally so controlled – there’s obviously a lot of pressure on him and the team and I hope this isn’t a sign that it’s getting to him a bit too much. The last thing we need at this stage of the season is the manager falling apart.

Still, onwards and upwards. We have two games left to redeem ourselves and of course we’ll have to keep an eye on City’s results. Mancini says Man United are still favourites for the title because we’ve got easier games but at this stage no game is easy. On paper, I would agree that Swansea and Sunderland are a better prospect than Newcastle and QPR, but you never know what will happen. QPR are fighting a bit of a relegation battle, which will undoubtedly inspire them, but the other three don’t really have anything to lose, which could be just as dangerous, especially if we let the nerves get to us and don’t relax into the games. The next two Sundays will be big football days for us.

Anyway, I’m trying to take my mind off football for the time being, at least until Sunday. Had a cracking weekend with the lads, out in town on Saturday and Sunday night. We went to a few bars around Manchester on Saturday then for an Indian and had a really nice steak meal on Sunday. It was good to catch up with them all – a bit like the good old days. One of them took us to the football in his Renault Grand Scenic on Monday night. It’s a decent sized car, easily fitting five of us, and would work well for all the studio equipment and stuff I have to shift around, so I might take a look at one later this week.

Barcelona can be beaten

April 26th, 2012

And so it seems Barcelona can be beaten. Once again, it’s a good job I didn’t put any money on my predictions – I’d be a very poor man by now. All credit to Chelsea though; they deserved the victory having held off Barcelona with ten men for most of the match. Some people say there is no luck in football but you can’t help feeling they were a little lucky that Barcelona didn’t get another goal or two – Messi missed a penalty and hit the post but I suppose the aim of the game isn’t to nearly score goals, you have to actually do it.

I also watched Bayern Munich v Real Madrid last night, which was another great game. It never feels quite right when someone has to win on penalties but they can’t play on forever. Jose Mourinho blamed the defeat on tired players, as his side had played Barcelona at the weekend in a crucial game near the end of the La Liga season. Bayern Munich, on the other hand, were able to rest their key players. I’m not a fan of managers making excuses like that – they got beaten, sometimes you just have to accept that, even if it was on penalties.

This week in the studio has been really good. Lots of people in and out and a real variety of work as well, which has made it interesting and been great experience for the student I’ve had helping me out. One more day then I’m gearing up to the Manchester derby weekend. As I’ve mentioned before, a few mates are coming back for the game and to have a bit of a party on Saturday and Sunday. We’ll all be heading to our Manchester serviced apartments on Saturday afternoon then hitting the town, going to a few bars and restaurants and maybe even a club afterwards, if we can handle it – we are all getting on a bit now. And Monday, of course, is the day of the big game – Manchester United v Manchester City, potentially crucial in deciding the Premier League 2012. Next time you hear from me, it’ll all be over and I will either be the happiest man in Manchester or… well, not.

Work experience

April 24th, 2012

What did I say about it looking like the Manchester derby would be a crucial game in deciding the winners of the Premier League in 2012? We really did throw away our game against Everton at the weekend, with them coming back from 3-1 down to draw 4-4. I bet it was a great game to watch from a neutral point of view but it was heartbreaking as a Man United fan. Man City, meanwhile, look to be growing in confidence as the season comes to an end. Their problems of a few weeks ago are apparently long gone – is it a coincidence that they’ve picked up since Balotelli has stopped playing? Maybe not.

We’ve got a week until derby day, next Monday, and I’ve got a lot on in that time, which is good to take my mind off it. The studio is full this week, for all five days, which is a bit unusual – not that I’m complaining. I’ve had to take on some help for a couple of days, when we’ve got a band in – a sound engineering student from the university is coming in to give me a hand. A bit like a placement, I suppose, but I’ll give him some cash for it – £20 a day maybe. It gives him some experience and takes a bit of work off me so I guess it’s a win-win situation. I just need to make sure I don’t have to go and see what employment law Manchester solicitors need to advise me on – I’d rather keep it casual.

I’ll watch the Champions League semi-final tonight, Chelsea v Barcelona, which should be a cracking game. Can Chelsea beat Barcelona at the Nou Camp? I doubt it and I predict a 3-1 win for Barcelona, but we’ll see. In some ways I would like to see Chelsea win it, just to show the rest of us that Barcelona can be beaten.

Building up to the Manchester derby

April 19th, 2012

It’s a good job I’m not a betting man because I would have lost some money on last night’s Champions League semi-finals. My prediction for the Real Madrid v Bayern Munich result wasn’t too far out but it was a bit of a shock to watch Chelsea sneak a 1-0 win over Barcelona. It was a fascinating game of football to watch and I am, surprisingly for a Man United fan, pleased for Chelsea – I think they deserved it. They really stuck to their game plan and didn’t let Barcelona rattle them, which I think was key for the win. We all know how good Barcelona are at keeping the ball and relentlessly plugging away to create chances but Chelsea showed last night that if you stay solid, keep your structure and block them out as much as possible, it makes it difficult even for Messi to score. OK, so they had a bit of luck too and Barcelona could have scored three or four but they didn’t and that is, at the end of the day, what football is all about – scoring more goals than the other team.

It’s going to be a big couple of weeks for football from now – Man United have got a home game against Everton on Sunday and I’ll be watching the second legs of the Champions League semi-finals next week, of course. Then it’s all about us against City on Monday, 30 April – the big Manchester derby. It’s possible that game will have a big influence on who is going to win the Premier League in 2012, so it’s about as important as it gets for us. Me and a couple of the lads have managed to get tickets as well; we don’t normally go to derby games but this one is just too important to miss and there are even a few lads who have moved away coming back for it. There are five of them, making it twelve of us in total, meaning our big group of mates will be hitting the town together again for the first time in years. We’ve got a couple of Manchester serviced apartments booked, so watch out if you’re in town that weekend – it could get messy!

Champions League semi-finals

April 17th, 2012

In a strange way I’m happy Man United aren’t playing in the Champions League semi-finals this week. As much as I obviously like it when we win big competitions, it does get quite stressful at this stage of the tournament and it’s very difficult to actual enjoy watching the games – I’m normally too nervous. So it’ll be nice to sit back and watch the Champions League semi-finals this week and next without having to stress about how we’re playing. Bayern Munich and Real Madrid play their first leg tonight with Chelsea against Barcelona tomorrow. The Chelsea players have said in interviews that they believe they can beat Barcelona and of course they have to be positive about it but they are definitely the underdogs. Barcelona are undoubtedly the best team in the world at the moment and if the likes of Messi and Iniesta are on form – which they always seem to be – it’ll be a very tough game for Chelsea. Good to watch though.

I’m not the sort of fan to wish ill on our rival clubs – I know a lot of people will want to see Chelsea get properly beaten but I really don’t mind who wins, I’m just looking forward to a couple of good games of football and hopefully lots of goals. For what it’s worth, here are my predictions for the Champions League semi-finals:

Chelsea v Barcelona first leg: 2-1 to Barcelona.
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid first leg: 2-2.
Chelsea v Barcelona second leg: 4-1 to Barcelona, making it 6-2 on aggregate.
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid second leg: 3-2 to Real Madrid, making it 5-4 on aggregate.

So if I was a betting man I would put a bit of money on a Real Madrid v Barcelona final. I won’t give a prediction for the final result until the semi-finals have been played because you never know, Chelsea might just pull off something unexpected.