World Cup - Preditions Groups C & D

For a moment yesterday, I thought I was God. 

I had already correctly predicted the exact scoreline of the Mexico vs Cameroon game and Holland had just taken the lead against Spain to make it 2-1. I had predicted that game be 2-2, and I was certain that that was how it would end up.

Alas, I don't think anybody could have predicted what happened next - and if they did, I hope they put some money on it.

Spain got whipped. Absolutely annihilated. They totally fell apart and lost 5-1.. Here is what Rio Ferdinand had to say on twitter about that;

and fair play to them.

The other game I predicted a 3-0 win for Chile over Australia, and it turned out to be 3-1 so I think I did pretty well! One exact scoreline correct, another correct result and a random "what the fuck" result that nobody would've seen coming.

So here are my predictions for today's matches;

Colombia vs Greece

This is an interesting one. Greece are a difficult team to break down, and despite trying to change their style in recent times, have reverted back to their 'blag it 1-0' tactic that won the Euros a few years back. Colombia on the other hand are a mixed bag - but with 4 players from the original squad out with injury, as well as Fredy Guarin being suspended, they could find this game against Greece more difficult than they'd like. Colombia are still the favourites for this one, but I don't think it'll be a comfortable game.

Prediction: Colombia 1-0 Greece

Uruguay vs Costa Rica

With odds to win the tournament of 2500/1, it's fair to say that Costa Rica are predicted to do pretty badly at this World Cup. I'd like to think they'll give Uruguay a run for their money, but in reality Suarez and Cavani will be far too much for the Costa Rica defence to handle. 

Predition: Uruguay 4-0 Costa Rica

England vs Italy

Big game this, and one that neither team can really afford to lose. Because of that, I think we're in for 70 minutes of boredom followed by 20 minutes of penetration once some substitutes are made. England are confident, but I fear that Balotelli will thrive in this sort of game. I'm going to sit on the fence here.

Prediction: England 0-0 Italy

Japan vs Ivory Coast

I don't think there will be many people staying up until 4am to watch this game, and I can't really tell you much about the teams. Ivory Coast disappointed in the last World Cup, and have essentially the same team but four years older. Japan have some tricky players and have always been a potential banana skin. I reckon that the likes of Drogba and Bony will overpower the Japanese here, bullying them into defeat.

Prediction: Japan 1-3 Ivory Coast

World Cup - thoughts and predictions

The World Cup is finally underway! After a less than impressive opening ceremony, a game between Brazil and Croatia ensued - and a relatively predictable Brazil victory was the outcome.

I watched the game once I got home from work and thought that Croatia were hard done by. The penalty decision was very harsh, as was the decision to award a freekick to Brazil when Olic outjumped the goalkeeper fairly. I hate the protection that goalkeepers get - it seems that all they have to do is get near the ball and they either claim it or win a freekick in attempting to. 

Croatia deserved something from that game, and I think a draw would've been a fair result all round.

No doubt that Neymar will get the credit for this victory as he put away two goals - one from outside the box that bounced off the post on the way in, and the other from the penalty spot - which Pletikosa, in all fairness, should've saved as he let it find a way through his hands... My man of the match, however, was Oscar. Every time he got hold of the ball he seemed to have it stuck to his feet. There were times when he'd have three defenders around him all hacking at his legs, yet he'd still come out the other side and with the composure to pick off a straightforward pass to a teammate. He deserved his goal, and I thought he was comfortably the best player on the pitch.

Brazil spent the first 20 minutes lumping crosses into the box aiming for Fred, but constantly missing, and that allowed Croatia to hit them on the counter attack. This led to the first goal of the game - and own goal for the all-diving, all-acting left back, Marcelo.

There's no doubt that the Brazilians enjoyed better spells of pressure than the Croatians, but I still think the game deserved to be a draw.

Anyway, moving on - we have three games tonight and here's how I imagine they will go;

Mexico vs Cameroon
Both teams have seen better days, and I can't imagine this will be a great spectacle for the neutrals. Whilst Cameroon still rely on Samuel Eto'o to put the ball in the back of the net, Mexico have a few younger players who can cause issues. I think Mexico might sneak this one, but I doubt it'll be a classic.
Prediction: Mexico 1-0 Cameroon

Spain vs Netherlands
This is the sort of game that people want to see at the World Cup - a repetition of the 2010 final, which Spain won after a rather card-heavy game. Two powerhouses of European football, they may well be a bit tentative early on in the competition and so I imagine it'll be hard to split them.
Prediction: Spain 2-2 Netherlands

Chile vs Australia
Not a game contested by particularly highly ranked teams, yet I think this will only go one way. Australia have not got a particularly good team and I think Chile are far more up for it - not least Alexis Sanchez, who claims he would not have come to the World Cup if he didn't think they had a chance of winning the tournament. Chile will be tough opposition for anybody, and this should be a nice warm up game for them.
Prediction: Chile 3-0 Australia

When life gives you lemons...

This morning - with a juvenile hangover - I discovered that after some tipsy antics last night my wallet must've fallen out of my pocket and has since been swiped. We had gone home via a closed park and decided to have fun on the swings, climbing wall and roundabout. My good lady retraced our steps from last night and found my Nectar card sitting under a swing that we had been on. It felt like insult to injury - I don't even shop at Sainsbury's. They could've at least left my Tesco Clubcard, it's much more valuable to me.

I only gave up searching for said wallet after I'd looked all over the flat for it. It didn't take long as we don't have many rooms to search - but I did make sure to check in the fridge, just in case. Because of this I was 20 minutes late for my Spanish class, which - as I'd missed last week's lesson - was already something I was behind on... So really, today hasn't started particularly well.

Alas, never mind. On the positive side my driving license wasn't in there as it's due a renewal. I'd actually emptied it from my wallet on Thursday and sent it on it's merry way yesterday morning - so I suppose that's a stroke of luck. Also, despite losing £20 I did still have a solid fiver in my pocket which will cover my food needs for today.

Maybe I should take it as a sign. I haven't done particularly well in saving for our wedding next year, and though the world keeps trying to help me out, I still manage to blow my extra cash on needless drinks.

I won £85 on the lottery last week. 4 numbers. Not bad at all - certainly the most I've ever won - but that money has since departed. It barely lasted the night to be fair, as I was living it up with my lads at the Froch vs Groves fight. I did have a great time, mind you..

Alas my day continues and life goes on. There are people with sorrier stories to tell, but this is my lemon receiving story of the day. Woe is me.

Footballing Journeys - FC Luch-Energiya Vladivostok

 

 

I've done a little research today into the potential journeys that some footballing clubs around Europe may need to make at some point in the future. This got me thinking - which team, eligible for European competition, is the most remote in Europe?

 

I guess it's relatively straightforward to assume that this team would play in Russia - the largest country in the World. The home of vodka, the Trans-Siberian Railway and homophobes.

 

Well yes, you'd be correct.

 

The team I have come up with, though there are a couple of possibilities, is FC Luch-Energiya Vladivostok. A team who currently play in Russia's second tier, who have not yet qualified for Europe, though it is possible for them to do so.

 

How remote could they possibly be?

 

Well very, actually.

 

Based at the head of the Golden Horn Bay, Vladivostok is pretty close to Russia's borders with China and North Korea, and is by the Sea of Japan and near the Pacific Ocean.

 

 

There have been calls for Russia to split into two leagues, one for the West and one for the East because of the complications this team and another (FC Sakhalin Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk) bring to the table - but a split is yet to occur.

To get to Vladivostok you are looking at a 9 hour flight from Moscow.

There's even a story from 2006 whereby three fans of Zenit St Petersburg drove the 15,000km to the other side of the country in order to watch their team play Vladivostok. Whilst there, their car broke down, and so they had to return by Trans-Siberian Rail. Upon their return, Zenit kindly provided them with a new car for the effort and loss of a car on their journey - luckily for them, Zenit won 2-0.

So, what say a team like Tottenham get their generic UEFA Cup spot in a couple of seasons time and get put in a group with FC Vladivostok. Can you imagine having a game on a Thursday night out in bloody China and then being back for a league game at the weekend? I think it's absolutely ridiculous, and I'm all for it! After all, at least these teams only have to travel there once. The players for Vladivostok have to do that kind of journey for every single away game. Madness.

Premier League Released XI

Last week Premier League teams announced the players who will be leaving their clubs this summer following an end fo their contract. I have a look at those players, and decide who would make it into my Released XI using a basic 4-4-2 formation.

Goalkeeper - There are a few options for Goalkeeper, with the likes of Westwood, Gomes, Schwarzer and Speroni being released by their clubs and it is the latter who I choose to make my starting 11.
Julian Speroni has left Crystal Palace this season after 10 years as their number one, joining them back in 2004 from Dundee. Having had a brilliant season back in the top flight he was named their Player of the Year, and he should have no problem finding another club.

Right Back - Released by West Brom, Steven Reid gets my nod at right back having shared the role with Billy Jones last season. A player who seems to have been around for ages, he is past his peak but can probably do a decent job. Wouldn't be surprised to see him drop down a division next season, mind you, and play for a team looking to fight their way up to the big time.

Centre Back - My centre back pairing is one that very few could argue with. Starting with Rio Ferdinand, we have a player who has been the most expensive defender in the world and has won virtually everything playing at the heart of a Manchester United defence. It's hard to say where he'll end up next season, though I wouldn't be surprised if he makes a move to the MLS before too long.

Centre Back - Joleon Lescott is my other centre back, playing alongside Ferdinand in a defence that would've lined up for England a few years back. A strong defender who is good in the air, he has found options limited as Manchester City, but is definitely still Premier League material and I can see him heading back to Everton or somewhere similar.

 

Left Back - There's one very simple option for this position. Ashley Cole has been considered the best left back in the world, and though he is now getting on a bit he can still do a pretty cracking job. Was unfortunate to miss out on the World Cup squad this year, and would still do a handy job in the Premiership. I'd like to see him move to Liverpool, but I wouldn't be surprised if he made a move abroad - whether it be to Spain or the MLS.

Right Wing - There aren't many options on the right hand side, and so I've gone for a player who I don't know much about. Marc Albrighton had a few eye catching performances for Aston Villa 2 or 3 years back, but I haven't really seen him since - he spent some time on loan at Wigan last season only managing 4 appearances, and has signed a contract with newly promoted Leicester City. It'll be interesting to see how he does.

Central Midfield - I have to go with a Hastings boy for this position, so Gareth Barry gets the nod. He's been a Premier League player now for a number of years and played a key role in Everton's cracking season this time round. If I were Martinez, I would snap him straight back up but I'm not sure they can cover his wages. I think he'd do a good job anywhere, and I think he'll stick around in the Premier League. Arsenal could do with a bit more experience in their midfield, and I hear they were interested in him last season...

Central Midfield - Alongside Barry is another player who has been around for a number of years. A surprise to some, Frank Lampard was on Chelsea's released list this summer and after the World Cup will have some thinking to do. He may yet be offered a new contract, though the general consensus is that he is going to move on. Could he go to the MLS? Or would he stick around and play a season with West Ham, QPR, Crystal Palace or someone else in the Premier League? A move to QPR would put him back with the Manager who gave him his first tastes of professional football, and his Uncle Harry Redknapp. Could the family ties and a stay in West London be enough to take him to the Premier League new boys?

Left Wing - I'm torn here between a couple of players past their prime. Damien Duff and Joe Cole were terrorising defenders as teammates back in their Chelsea days, but have drifted from the limelight in recent seasons. Duff was relegated this season with Fulham, and although Cole didn't play too many games for West Ham, he started the season brightly and that is why I pick him for the left wing role.

Striker - Another player who seems to have been around forever is Samuel Eto'o. I've always considered him overrated, but given what he has achieved in his career it is difficult to ignore him. Arguably the best Chelsea striker last season, he has been released following claims of a fallout with Mourinho. He makes my 11 based on the fact that he is basically a legend of the game, and he will most likely be playing in one of the top European leagues again next season.

Striker - My other forward in this lineup is Federico Macheda. He burst onto the scene at Manchester United a few seasons ago, scoring the winner against Aston Villa. He then scored on his second game for the club and was labelled to be the next big thing - but unfortunately things didn't really go his way after that, and he was loaned out to a few clubs. Quite capable of finding the back of the net, he is one of the more youthful options available. He has already signed a contract at Cardiff, so will be seen playing Championship football next season.


And there it is! My Released XI. A team full of experience, with a solid defence and a strong spine - and one I reckon would give a lot of teams a run for their money in the Premier League.

Dumbledore's Tactics, Team and Pre-Season

One of the first duties upon entering the world of football, is to decide on which tactics to give the team. He had already stated that he wanted to play defensive football, with a view to never losing a game - so here is what he has come up with;

Albus Dumbledore's Tactics

Formation - Narrow 4-1-2-1-2
Fluidity - Very Rigid
Mentality - Defensive

Having already stated that he did not want to purchase any players, Dumbledore is left with a young squad with many wingers and so will have to retrain a few in order to incorporate them into his team... Not quite what he was after, and so some decisions have to be made.

Contracts & Transfers
Dumbledore offers a contract to striker, Max Clayton. Max refuses to even enter negotiations, and thus Dumbledore decides to cash in on him rather than wait for his contract to expire at the end of the season. He accepts an offer of £950,000 from Norwich, who take him in before loaning him straight out to Dundee.

A little hurt from this setback, Dumbledore goes on to offer some of his more promising youngsters new contracts;
Perry Ng
Callum Saunders
James Jones
James Baillie

He also extends the contracts of some of the first team squad who have been brought through the ranks;
George Ray
Liam Nolan
Jon Guthrie
Billy Waters

At this stage, no new contracts are offered to Kelvin Mellor or Byron Moore, both of whom only have 1 year left to run. It is likely that Mellor will be set to release in order to make space for James Baillie. Byron Moore doesn't fit with the new system, and so he may be moved on before too long.

With central midfield looking quite well staffed, the gaffer decides to send George Evans back to Manchester City where he had come from on loan. This makes space for the likes of James Jones and Billy Waters, who are looking to get their first tastes of first team football. The other loan signings, Chuks Aneke and Uche Ikpeazu remain - Uche only remaining, however, as main striker Mathias Pogba is out injured for 6 months.

Lee Molyneux, Thierry Audel, Abdul Osman and AJ Leitch-Smith are all placed on the transfer list as they are blocking the paths of younger players coming through.

He then starts the process of retraining some wide men so that they can play through the middle, and blending some of the youngsters into the first team.

Captain
He selects Adam Dugdale as his captain - a Liverpudlian central defender who was taught the game in the youth teams of Crewe. His vice-captain is fullback, Matt Tootle.

Pre-Season
Pre-season for Crewe only consisted of four games, and generally went pretty well - the only blip being a pretty hefty defeat against high league opposition. Click here to have a look at how they did with Dumbledore at the helm.

By the time pre-season is over, the squad looks something like this;

Crewe Hire Dumbledore!

Crewe Alexandra hire Albus Dumbledore as manager.

 

In a bizarre twist of desperation, muggle football team Crewe Alexandra have appointed a legendary wizard as their new manager. With no footballing experience, Professor Albus Dumbledore comes as a surprise choice but will no doubt have some philosophies of his own to implement.

"I trust you will give me time as I learn the rules of this game, it seems it is quite dissimilar to Quidditch. You must also, however, have faith in my methods" he is reported as saying calmly in his press conference "My aim is to make Crewe Alexandra an impenetrable team. If we are not conceding goals, then we will not be losing matches. I specialise in my defensive methods, and I hope to complete the whole season without losing a single game"

A brave and ambitious statement to say the least, noted in the room by the throng of journalists chuckling and talking between themselves. However, as he sat there calmly looking over his half-moon spectacles, Dumbledore remained unphased - simply picking up his glass of water and taking a small sip.

 

Famed for his wizarding genius and a brilliant judge of character, when asked about his transfer policy, Dumbledore simply said the following;

"The team here is a young one. There are no outstanding individuals, but we have many boys who have grown up together and have developed a friendship greater than money can buy. I am of the belief that this will be the key to the teams success, and I have no intention of bringing in anybody new"

It remains to be seen whether this is a stroke of genius from the Crewe Alexandra board, or whether they have finally lost their minds. Hiring a manager who does not know the rules of the game, will not be signing any new players and claiming to go unbeaten all season may sway you to think that they have indeed gone mad - but there is something quite magical about Professor Dumbledore. He is calm, he is confident, and though it is easy to suggest he has no idea what he is going on about, he cannot yet be written off. It isn't impossible to consider the fact that he might just have what it takes to develop the key to success.