Being A, Mostly, Good Boy In Talking Colaship
Tomorrow's the reveal for the new FIFA rankings and so I've got my plastic rain gear on preparing for the crap storm as the United States leapfrogs Mexico and into the top five in the world.
But, in the words of that sage Jose Mourinho on his team's adventures in this year's Champions League, "if they want to start with a clean sheet, I will do the same."
Of course, Mourinho can't entirely leave well enough alone as it's not in his nature and he added one of his classic quotes:
Some day Jose will perfect his English and look back in laughter at how silly he sounded back in the day. :)
Chelsea, of course, let their play do the talking in the end and came away with a win at Stamford Bridge over Belgium's Anderlecht 1-0. Though many people called the performance uninspired (at least it seems to be every source's headlines), they seem to have missed the fact that Chelsea wins 1-0 over pretty much everyone they face.
They could face a rec league team and win 1-0 or they could face Brazil and win 1-0.
Alright, so the first claim is a huge exaggeration but we won't get to find out about the second. Chelsea actually asked the world's #1 to play a friendly for their 100th anniversary and Brazil turned them down.
Chelsea should be a little embarrassed about that since Brazil agreed to play Sevilla for less than half of what Chelsea offered. Though Chelsea could play this the other direction and say that Brazil was just scared. Though Mourinho would probably find some way to make that sentiment sound sillly.
One thing Chelsea should be shocked at is how few people showed up in London for the match. Chelsea only drew a little above 20,000. Sure everyone in the capital was hung over from The Ashes win but when Leeds United outdraws you at the same time in an unattractive proposition of a mid-week game against Sheffield Wednesday (though to be fair Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday is a derby) there might be issues.
That match actually saw something really interesting (besides Wednesday scoring a huge 1-0 upset on the road), an American man marking an American.
Eddie Lewis has been leading Leeds United on a tear in the Colaship but today he met his match, Frankie Simek.
Hearing the BBC commentary of the match this afternoon was just classic, "the two Americans going at it again...Lewis tries to go around his countryman and oh, Simek has been brilliant...Frankie Simek is a good prospect at only 20."
Ain't nothing to make players look better than a match against familiar competition (though I'm not even sure they've done training camp together). It almost felt like Bruce Arena was in the crowd in Leeds.
Elsewhere in the Colaship, Bobby Convey participated in the match of the day as Reading outdueled Crystal Palace 3-2 in festival town (as opposed to the town of today's festivities). Convey had a blank scoreline. However, forgotten Yank Abroad, DaMarcus Beasley more than made up for it with an assist on Jan Venegoor of Hesselink's goal in PSV's 1-0 win over Schalke 04 in the Champions League.
However, the bigger news out of the Reading/Palace match is that Andy Johnson got injured for Palace. But, luckily Palace recently acquired Clinton Morrison. Arsenal should watch and learn while its valuable to have a striker as good as your first (though in the Gunners' case, that's pretty difficult) as Thierry Henry's injury will now keep him out up to six weeks.
Suddenly Arsenal's passing up of Michael Owen is looking like a worse idea than it did at the time.
And, in the non-surprise of the day, Norwich found yet another way to lose falling behind to Watford 2-0 in the first 25 minutes and never quite clawing their way back (as Southampton did). Norwich after eight games now sit tied with Sheffield Wednesday in the highest spot in the relegation zone - and Wednesday has a game in hand. Milwall won today (their first win of the season) beating Wolves on the road so Norwich now sits two points above last.
Perhaps they were looking too far ahead as the first East Anglia derby of the season with their rivals Ipswich is this Sunday at Portman Road. Perhaps they're taking the Jose Mourinho tactic of looking way too far ahead. But Norwich is not Chelsea so it bit them in the behind.
But, in the words of that sage Jose Mourinho on his team's adventures in this year's Champions League, "if they want to start with a clean sheet, I will do the same."
Of course, Mourinho can't entirely leave well enough alone as it's not in his nature and he added one of his classic quotes:
"So, if the competition is absolutely normal without anything strange, I would love that and I would love to be a good boy and to behave well. But if something strange happens, I have to do what I have to do...I don't look to people with bad eyes."
Some day Jose will perfect his English and look back in laughter at how silly he sounded back in the day. :)
Chelsea, of course, let their play do the talking in the end and came away with a win at Stamford Bridge over Belgium's Anderlecht 1-0. Though many people called the performance uninspired (at least it seems to be every source's headlines), they seem to have missed the fact that Chelsea wins 1-0 over pretty much everyone they face.
They could face a rec league team and win 1-0 or they could face Brazil and win 1-0.
Alright, so the first claim is a huge exaggeration but we won't get to find out about the second. Chelsea actually asked the world's #1 to play a friendly for their 100th anniversary and Brazil turned them down.
Chelsea should be a little embarrassed about that since Brazil agreed to play Sevilla for less than half of what Chelsea offered. Though Chelsea could play this the other direction and say that Brazil was just scared. Though Mourinho would probably find some way to make that sentiment sound sillly.
One thing Chelsea should be shocked at is how few people showed up in London for the match. Chelsea only drew a little above 20,000. Sure everyone in the capital was hung over from The Ashes win but when Leeds United outdraws you at the same time in an unattractive proposition of a mid-week game against Sheffield Wednesday (though to be fair Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday is a derby) there might be issues.
That match actually saw something really interesting (besides Wednesday scoring a huge 1-0 upset on the road), an American man marking an American.
Eddie Lewis has been leading Leeds United on a tear in the Colaship but today he met his match, Frankie Simek.
Hearing the BBC commentary of the match this afternoon was just classic, "the two Americans going at it again...Lewis tries to go around his countryman and oh, Simek has been brilliant...Frankie Simek is a good prospect at only 20."
Ain't nothing to make players look better than a match against familiar competition (though I'm not even sure they've done training camp together). It almost felt like Bruce Arena was in the crowd in Leeds.
Elsewhere in the Colaship, Bobby Convey participated in the match of the day as Reading outdueled Crystal Palace 3-2 in festival town (as opposed to the town of today's festivities). Convey had a blank scoreline. However, forgotten Yank Abroad, DaMarcus Beasley more than made up for it with an assist on Jan Venegoor of Hesselink's goal in PSV's 1-0 win over Schalke 04 in the Champions League.
However, the bigger news out of the Reading/Palace match is that Andy Johnson got injured for Palace. But, luckily Palace recently acquired Clinton Morrison. Arsenal should watch and learn while its valuable to have a striker as good as your first (though in the Gunners' case, that's pretty difficult) as Thierry Henry's injury will now keep him out up to six weeks.
Suddenly Arsenal's passing up of Michael Owen is looking like a worse idea than it did at the time.
And, in the non-surprise of the day, Norwich found yet another way to lose falling behind to Watford 2-0 in the first 25 minutes and never quite clawing their way back (as Southampton did). Norwich after eight games now sit tied with Sheffield Wednesday in the highest spot in the relegation zone - and Wednesday has a game in hand. Milwall won today (their first win of the season) beating Wolves on the road so Norwich now sits two points above last.
Perhaps they were looking too far ahead as the first East Anglia derby of the season with their rivals Ipswich is this Sunday at Portman Road. Perhaps they're taking the Jose Mourinho tactic of looking way too far ahead. But Norwich is not Chelsea so it bit them in the behind.
posted by incendiarymind at 5:26 PM
3 Comments:
Now we can have the crap storm over why the USA beat Mexico and is still ranked behind them. (rolls eyes)
Ah yes, I opened it up and saw that this morning. But when the shitstorm is for us and not against us, it's a little more palatable. But, call me unpatriotic, but I saw it and said, "yep, #7 seems about right." I'm posting the new Unofficial BS Top 25 in about an hour and I'm actually putting the United States at #8 myself.
<Norwich fan>Ow.</Norwich fan>
The second half, by most accounts, was night-and-day different from the first half, which was dreadful. Worthy's squad selections have been a bit odd this season, and his substitutions even worse, save Tuesday's halftime choices.
There's been a call for Worthy to be sacked, and he's gotten the dreaded public vote of confidence from the chairman. Could there soon be a new manager at Carrow Road? Many of us are hoping so.
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