I finally formed my project groups. I am delighted. This half of the season is quite special. I am the only guy in both my groups. This motivates me greatly. My male ego will drive me to perform. I hate producing mediocre work in front of women. On first impression my group mates seemed quite fine. In fact I hit off quite well with two of them. Nothing suggested that they would be anything like the Mutt that put me through so much pain last season. The last time I worked in an all-female group was for Stats – we got the highest in our class. I hope this time things will be no different. I was motivated then and my motivation wanes not. Nil Satis Nisi Optimum!
Shortly after I woke up, I endured more than three hours on the Financial Accounting MCQ. I was a bit unlucky with the draw (most of the questions were on calculation), but in the end I secured the result I desired. I still have a quiz on Business Law to settle. I anticipate a few torrid hours of wordplay. You know what they say about lawyers…
I am still ecstatic over Everton’s defeat of Liverpool. The Blues play Aston Villa in the next tie. Some people in the FA must hate Everton to the core. We played the “Big Four” sides for five matches straight. We got Arsenal and Man U in the league, three derbies and now we have to play Villa, who are in a rich vein of form themselves. Injuries are piling up. Fellaini and Peanuts are crocked. Anichebe went crazy at David Moyes and the only “top” class striker we have is loan signing Jo. I hope Moyes play Gosling. The youngster deserves a chance in the starting line up after his FA Cup heroics against that Shite from across the street.
Everton’s tough draw reminds me of the European campaigns we had. A few seasons back we kicked the Shite off fourth spot and whom did we get in our Champions League qualifier? Villarreal. Playing the very technical and tactical Yellow Submarine was bad enough, to do so with over half the first team on the treatment table was insane. They led 2:1 from the Goodison leg. In Spain, Arteta’s brilliant free kick gave us hope. Big Duncan scored from a corner, but that overrated bastard of a so-called referee Pierliugi Collina inexplicably ruled out Big Dunc’s perfectly legitimate goal. Had that stood it would have leveled the tie. With the boys pushing forward in the dying minutes in search of an equalizer, they scored and that was it.
After Everton finished fifth last season, we expected a decent UEFA (or Europa) Cup run. Again, some whoreson in UEFA didn’t like us and we drew against Standard Liege. It made me sick to the stomach. The other teams like Spurs and Pompey did just enough to secure a European spot and they got drawn with teams nobody had even heard of. We did ourselves proud in the league and our reward was the damn Belgian champions. We lost this one again.
I hope we qualify for Europe this season. The team are playing the best football I have seen in a long time and it will be a shame if they don’t make it to Europe. And this time I really hope the thrice-damned cur-humping bastards at UEFA don’t screw us up again.
Showing posts with label Everton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Everton. Show all posts
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Off with the Shite!
I am going to gloat.
Everton kicked Liverpool out of the FA Cup with a deflected strike by teenager Dan Gosling in extra time. Since losing in the derby earlier this season, Everton have gotten the measure of their vastly richer neighbors.
Indeed, there was a sense of nostalgia in this fairy-tale ending. Everton were expected to roll over and surrender. A gap of fourteen points in the league separates the two sides. This gulf seems more prominent when you consider the overall value of the Everton squad is only a small fraction of what their neighbors cost. With their first choice strike force decimated by injuries, Everton have been forced to play attacking midfielder Tim Cahill upfront and out of position for the entire month. Despite the difficulties, Everton’s narrow defeat at Old Trafford on Sunday was only their first of the year, rounding off a month which have seen them drew with Chelsea and Arsenal, twice with Liverpool and beaten Hull City and Macclesfield.
Everton’s stifling tactics denied the Shite their usual procession game. Like the previous two derbies, Everton fought a war of attrition, frustrating the Shite at every turn and threatening on counter attacks and set pieces. The strategy was simple and predictable, but Shite manager Rafael Benitez had no answer to it.
The physical contest brought back memories of the old-fashioned English game. The blood and thunder displays, the diehard commitment and the fiery passion on the pitch were absorbing in the way a slogging match is. Six cautions, one red card and two injuries epitomized the intensity of this brutal encounter. The Blues finally had the Reds on the tight rope after Lucas was sent off fourteen minutes from time. Up popped youngster Dan Gosling at the far post, the chance set up by perpetual benchwarmer Andy Van der Meyde and Goodison Park saw one of the greatest nights in their club’s history.
For all their lauded abilities and Champions League pedigree, title contenders Liverpool failed when it mattered. The magic of the FA Cup remains, and remains a beautiful sight. David versus Goliath. A team which fielded over half of its playing strength in Englishmen, youngsters and bit-part players showed a team consisting of expensive and experienced foreign mercenaries what the English game is all about. The paupers versus the wealthy. Sheer desire over technique. A paper-thin squad versus a squad with depth. And in the end, a young player won it for his side. The giant-killing, so sweet and intoxicating, you won’t find it anywhere else other than the FA Cup. You won’t find it any better than the Blues in jubilation, and the Reds, dejected and their tails between their legs, limping off the pitch.
FUCK OFF LIVERPOOL!
Everton kicked Liverpool out of the FA Cup with a deflected strike by teenager Dan Gosling in extra time. Since losing in the derby earlier this season, Everton have gotten the measure of their vastly richer neighbors.
Indeed, there was a sense of nostalgia in this fairy-tale ending. Everton were expected to roll over and surrender. A gap of fourteen points in the league separates the two sides. This gulf seems more prominent when you consider the overall value of the Everton squad is only a small fraction of what their neighbors cost. With their first choice strike force decimated by injuries, Everton have been forced to play attacking midfielder Tim Cahill upfront and out of position for the entire month. Despite the difficulties, Everton’s narrow defeat at Old Trafford on Sunday was only their first of the year, rounding off a month which have seen them drew with Chelsea and Arsenal, twice with Liverpool and beaten Hull City and Macclesfield.
Everton’s stifling tactics denied the Shite their usual procession game. Like the previous two derbies, Everton fought a war of attrition, frustrating the Shite at every turn and threatening on counter attacks and set pieces. The strategy was simple and predictable, but Shite manager Rafael Benitez had no answer to it.
The physical contest brought back memories of the old-fashioned English game. The blood and thunder displays, the diehard commitment and the fiery passion on the pitch were absorbing in the way a slogging match is. Six cautions, one red card and two injuries epitomized the intensity of this brutal encounter. The Blues finally had the Reds on the tight rope after Lucas was sent off fourteen minutes from time. Up popped youngster Dan Gosling at the far post, the chance set up by perpetual benchwarmer Andy Van der Meyde and Goodison Park saw one of the greatest nights in their club’s history.
For all their lauded abilities and Champions League pedigree, title contenders Liverpool failed when it mattered. The magic of the FA Cup remains, and remains a beautiful sight. David versus Goliath. A team which fielded over half of its playing strength in Englishmen, youngsters and bit-part players showed a team consisting of expensive and experienced foreign mercenaries what the English game is all about. The paupers versus the wealthy. Sheer desire over technique. A paper-thin squad versus a squad with depth. And in the end, a young player won it for his side. The giant-killing, so sweet and intoxicating, you won’t find it anywhere else other than the FA Cup. You won’t find it any better than the Blues in jubilation, and the Reds, dejected and their tails between their legs, limping off the pitch.
FUCK OFF LIVERPOOL!
Monday, December 8, 2008
No Justice
No. Bluekipper didn't put my comments up. Maybe it was because I am a Singaporean, and therefore a 'bloody foreigner'.
It's not like I wanted to be here. Damn.
The Blues played their best game of the season, but sadly, it wasn't enough to avert another heartbreaking home defeat.
The Blues dominated the whole 93 minutes. The lads had a header cleared off the line, Brad Friedel made some superlative saves, including that save of the season when he somehow diverted Fellaini's point blank header onto the bar. It was all Everton as we threw everything at Villa and if we had any luck the game would have been put out of reach before half time.
Villa, on the other hand, scored from the three real chances they had. Everton played some sublime football, but were punished for three rare lapses. Sidwell was allowed plenty of space to fire a screamer from outside the box before the first minute has passed. Young scored after he latched on to a horrible back pass from Jags. The third was the worst. One of our players lost his eyes on the ball in midfield, Villa broke forward and Young bamboozled our defence to fire pass Howard. To concede like this in the final minute of extra time, and thirty seconds after we pulled ourselves level was unbearable. To play so well and lose in such circumstances: truly gut wrenching.
In short, all three goals could have been prevented. Only Lescott was anywhere near Sidwell when he scored Villa's first. Jags had to play that terrible ball back to his keeper because he could not find a teammate in midfield to pass it to. Again, the third came through the middle. Villa pried us open down the centre with as much ease as a knife through butter.
The lack of communication between Howard and his defenders contributed to the defensive errors. However, the main finger has to be pointed to a questionable team selection. We had five midfielders: Cahill, Fellaini, Peanuts, Arteta and Osman, and they are all attack-minded players. The defence was on their own, and with Lescott foraying forward you could sense that Everton was always susceptible to the quick counter. Castillo could have provided his back line much needed protection but as usual, he didn't get a look-in.
Lescott scored two fantastic goals for us but Fellaini was our best player last night. He won everything in the air, was a menace to the Villa defence and his commitment could not be faulted. He has received a lot of undeserved flak since his arrival from Standard Liege and he proved his idiotic detractors wrong in the best manner possible. His performance highlighted how much better Everton can play if they keep the ball on the ground. As the late Brian Clough once famously said, 'If God had intended for us to play football in the clouds he wouldn't have put grass on the ground.' Indeed, why play like Vinnie Jones' Wimbledon when we got good ball players like Arteta, Fellaini and Peanuts?
We are up against the nouveau riche of Manchester in our next game. It's an away so we should be able to get the three points. If we play against them like we did against Villa, Robinho and his pretenders haven't a prayer and I hope Moyes will be positive again. We must win at Manchester because we got Chelski at home after that. A side that has won away eleven times straight is not to be underestimated.
Nothing for the time being, save to mourn.
It's not like I wanted to be here. Damn.
The Blues played their best game of the season, but sadly, it wasn't enough to avert another heartbreaking home defeat.
The Blues dominated the whole 93 minutes. The lads had a header cleared off the line, Brad Friedel made some superlative saves, including that save of the season when he somehow diverted Fellaini's point blank header onto the bar. It was all Everton as we threw everything at Villa and if we had any luck the game would have been put out of reach before half time.
Villa, on the other hand, scored from the three real chances they had. Everton played some sublime football, but were punished for three rare lapses. Sidwell was allowed plenty of space to fire a screamer from outside the box before the first minute has passed. Young scored after he latched on to a horrible back pass from Jags. The third was the worst. One of our players lost his eyes on the ball in midfield, Villa broke forward and Young bamboozled our defence to fire pass Howard. To concede like this in the final minute of extra time, and thirty seconds after we pulled ourselves level was unbearable. To play so well and lose in such circumstances: truly gut wrenching.
In short, all three goals could have been prevented. Only Lescott was anywhere near Sidwell when he scored Villa's first. Jags had to play that terrible ball back to his keeper because he could not find a teammate in midfield to pass it to. Again, the third came through the middle. Villa pried us open down the centre with as much ease as a knife through butter.
The lack of communication between Howard and his defenders contributed to the defensive errors. However, the main finger has to be pointed to a questionable team selection. We had five midfielders: Cahill, Fellaini, Peanuts, Arteta and Osman, and they are all attack-minded players. The defence was on their own, and with Lescott foraying forward you could sense that Everton was always susceptible to the quick counter. Castillo could have provided his back line much needed protection but as usual, he didn't get a look-in.
Lescott scored two fantastic goals for us but Fellaini was our best player last night. He won everything in the air, was a menace to the Villa defence and his commitment could not be faulted. He has received a lot of undeserved flak since his arrival from Standard Liege and he proved his idiotic detractors wrong in the best manner possible. His performance highlighted how much better Everton can play if they keep the ball on the ground. As the late Brian Clough once famously said, 'If God had intended for us to play football in the clouds he wouldn't have put grass on the ground.' Indeed, why play like Vinnie Jones' Wimbledon when we got good ball players like Arteta, Fellaini and Peanuts?
We are up against the nouveau riche of Manchester in our next game. It's an away so we should be able to get the three points. If we play against them like we did against Villa, Robinho and his pretenders haven't a prayer and I hope Moyes will be positive again. We must win at Manchester because we got Chelski at home after that. A side that has won away eleven times straight is not to be underestimated.
Nothing for the time being, save to mourn.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
My Club My Love
This is what I just wrote to Bluekipper. I don’t know if they will put it on the site though.
We take on the Villans at Goodison in a game that could make or break our European aspirations.
According to fan sites and the media, injuries to Saha and the Yak have left Anichebe the only ‘recognizable’ striker available to Moyes. Moyes himself is saying he’s ‘looking at everybody’ come the January transfer window. Owen, Nugent and Larsson have been linked to the club, although the answer to the striking crisis may be found closer to home.
Much has been said about Everton’s youth academy but the real talking starts on the pitch. Jose Baxter played in the first two games of the season; since then he has not gotten the nod. Moyes is a manager who keeps faith in his players, but if the Yak, who found the net only once in eleven games prior to his injury, had been a regular starter, I don’t see why Baxtor should not get a chance. What is the point having youth development programmes when you don’t let your youngsters play?
The Yak’s unavailability could be a blessing in disguise. He was slow and lacked commitment. It was nauseating to watch him play. Like the Yak, Anichebe is a physical type of player but he always chases lost causes and is a handful in the box. For a young player Baxtor has certainly impressed with his movement. The two would make a good partnership.
The 4-5-1 formation Moyes deploys is hardly a positive one. Instead of packing the midfield and wait for the opponent to make a mistake, why not play 4-4-2 and attack them straight from the start? Moyes should play Arteta and Peanuts on the flanks, with Fellaini and Castillo in the middle of the park. Why Castillo is not playing is anybody’s guess. Since his arrival, he’s been mostly frozen out. If Moyes does not want to play him, why bother to buy him? We badly need a terrier-like player like Carsley snapping at heels, winning balls and protecting the back four. Cars may have hung up his boots but we have Castillo now and it’s high time he starts.
Cahill and Rodwell should be on the bench. The former is simply not at his sharpest at the moment. If we lead against Villa with 15 minutes to go, Rodwell can come on and buffer some of the Villa onslaught.
Lescott is hardly the solid defender he was last season and should be dropped. His performances have been inconsistent lately and Baines is a better choice at left-back. Neville should take the right hand slot, with Yobo and Jags occupying the center.
A goalkeeper is only as good as the defenders in front of him. Howard has been impressive lately but the team cannot keep counting on him to perform miracles every time. The back four must be firm and a lot will depend on how expertly the normally reliable Jags marshals his defence.
Everton’s abysmal home record could be due largely to the Blues’ unadventurous attacking play. One cannot shake off the feeling that the team only attacks more when they are chasing a goal. It’s up to Moyes to be more ambitious. We are at home so attack! It’s easier to score when it is goalless than when we fall behind and the other side parks the bus in front of the goal.
Attack is the best way to obviate the attacking threat Villa poses. Young and Agbonlahor are very fast and if we sit back Jags and Company could be in for a long afternoon. Villa are a very good side but one suspects they play better against the Big Four. If Boro played them off the park it is surely not beyond the Blues to replicate the performance, if not the result.
To do that the boys must play the ball on the ground. All that long balls out of defence are not helping our cause. Yobo has been poor with his distribution; it’s time he shows his class. Arteta can hopefully deliver some quality crosses in for once. Everton have only been impressive in that second half against ManUre and the last 15 minutes against the Hammers. The Goodison faithful are dying for a real performance and Everton must deliver, starting with Villa.
Great site! Keep up the good work mates!
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum!
Liu Weixian
We take on the Villans at Goodison in a game that could make or break our European aspirations.
According to fan sites and the media, injuries to Saha and the Yak have left Anichebe the only ‘recognizable’ striker available to Moyes. Moyes himself is saying he’s ‘looking at everybody’ come the January transfer window. Owen, Nugent and Larsson have been linked to the club, although the answer to the striking crisis may be found closer to home.
Much has been said about Everton’s youth academy but the real talking starts on the pitch. Jose Baxter played in the first two games of the season; since then he has not gotten the nod. Moyes is a manager who keeps faith in his players, but if the Yak, who found the net only once in eleven games prior to his injury, had been a regular starter, I don’t see why Baxtor should not get a chance. What is the point having youth development programmes when you don’t let your youngsters play?
The Yak’s unavailability could be a blessing in disguise. He was slow and lacked commitment. It was nauseating to watch him play. Like the Yak, Anichebe is a physical type of player but he always chases lost causes and is a handful in the box. For a young player Baxtor has certainly impressed with his movement. The two would make a good partnership.
The 4-5-1 formation Moyes deploys is hardly a positive one. Instead of packing the midfield and wait for the opponent to make a mistake, why not play 4-4-2 and attack them straight from the start? Moyes should play Arteta and Peanuts on the flanks, with Fellaini and Castillo in the middle of the park. Why Castillo is not playing is anybody’s guess. Since his arrival, he’s been mostly frozen out. If Moyes does not want to play him, why bother to buy him? We badly need a terrier-like player like Carsley snapping at heels, winning balls and protecting the back four. Cars may have hung up his boots but we have Castillo now and it’s high time he starts.
Cahill and Rodwell should be on the bench. The former is simply not at his sharpest at the moment. If we lead against Villa with 15 minutes to go, Rodwell can come on and buffer some of the Villa onslaught.
Lescott is hardly the solid defender he was last season and should be dropped. His performances have been inconsistent lately and Baines is a better choice at left-back. Neville should take the right hand slot, with Yobo and Jags occupying the center.
A goalkeeper is only as good as the defenders in front of him. Howard has been impressive lately but the team cannot keep counting on him to perform miracles every time. The back four must be firm and a lot will depend on how expertly the normally reliable Jags marshals his defence.
Everton’s abysmal home record could be due largely to the Blues’ unadventurous attacking play. One cannot shake off the feeling that the team only attacks more when they are chasing a goal. It’s up to Moyes to be more ambitious. We are at home so attack! It’s easier to score when it is goalless than when we fall behind and the other side parks the bus in front of the goal.
Attack is the best way to obviate the attacking threat Villa poses. Young and Agbonlahor are very fast and if we sit back Jags and Company could be in for a long afternoon. Villa are a very good side but one suspects they play better against the Big Four. If Boro played them off the park it is surely not beyond the Blues to replicate the performance, if not the result.
To do that the boys must play the ball on the ground. All that long balls out of defence are not helping our cause. Yobo has been poor with his distribution; it’s time he shows his class. Arteta can hopefully deliver some quality crosses in for once. Everton have only been impressive in that second half against ManUre and the last 15 minutes against the Hammers. The Goodison faithful are dying for a real performance and Everton must deliver, starting with Villa.
Great site! Keep up the good work mates!
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum!
Liu Weixian
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