Sunday 23 March 2014

Gateshead 3-1 Lincoln City

Head for heights

Unlike their neighbours across the Tyne, Gateshead are a club with marked ambition. With a new stadium and potential Football League status on the horizon the future looks bright for Gary Mills and his players. Even the notoriously static attendances are in the ascendancy at the International Stadium. Over 800 fans turned up for this crucial fixture.


The Heed edged closer to a play-off place with a dominant win over close rivals Lincoln City. A solid central defensive pairing and three classy goals proved the difference for the home side against one of the many ex-League sides competing in this year's Conference.

After a scrappy opening Gateshead took control of the first half, getting their reward with two quality goals. The first arrived after 34 minutes when former Chesterfield ace Jack Lester (still going strong aged 38) pirouetted on the edge of the box and slung his left foot finish into the bottom corner.

On the eve of half time Lincoln were undone again after Jamie Chandler, having regularly threatened with some intelligible runs from midfield, saw the ball fall kindly to him inside the box.

At the break Gary Simpson made two changes for the visitors. Within two minutes the Imps boss found his alterations swing the balance as substitute Jon Nolan netted a rebound from 'keeper Adam Bartlett's quick parry.

Lincoln then pushed for an equaliser but Ben Clark and James Curtis, forming an impenetrable rock in the home defence, proved equal to the challenge. Home hearts were eventually relieved when JJ O'Donell's wriggling run on the left wing ended with a cutback to Ryan Noble who lashed his shot on target.

In the final moments Lincoln defender Thierry Audel compounded his team's woes with an impetuous stamp on Chandler. Little could be debated about the straight red shown to the Frenchman.

A decent contingent of away fans appeared to be in good voice but they were barely audible across the stadium's running track. The athletics pitch may not be an ideal venue for non-league soccer but it is more comfortable than the wind swept terraces of the North East and you will never be short of a good seat. It is certainly better than the nomadic existence the club endured last season, having to travel to seven different host venues after problems with their local turf.

Could the Heed make their long awaited return to league football in 2014? That date may be too soon but the following year is definitely a feasible target.

Wednesday 19 March 2014

What is the point of the World T20?

Bing Bang Googly

Nepal vs Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates vs Netherlands: who in their right minds is watching this rubbish? Humbly, I must confess my own guilt on that charge. Why do I keep tuning in to a half-baked event occurring within the obscure reaches of Sky Sports 2?

Whatever demons drive me towards midday cricket, you can be sure there are plenty of other viewers with equally odd reasons for watching. Heck, some weirdos might even love it more than Test matches.

Like every other international cricket competition, the ICC World T20 ™© is a protracted, recurrently predictable embarrassment. Yet hope remains intact for the 2014 trophy. After all, the shortest format of the game still cultivates the greatest mass entertainment appeal.

Once a year it does no harm to put on a fancy show, fully razzle-dazzled with quick-witted bowlers and Herculean batsmen. These days stars are only born on the IPL and Big Bash stage. Ordinarily crude Test players like Chris Gayle and David Warner suddenly become demigods as soon as they prove they can whack a delivery 90 metres past the bowler's head. As the story goes, if Kieron Pollard had been one of the Argonauts Jason would have surely found the Golden Fleece a lot sooner.

As a burgeoning tournament, since its 2007 inception, the World 20/20 has been more successful than the World Cup or Champions Trophy ever pretended they were, whether in terms of audience engagement or memorable moments at the crease. The Dutch beat England in 2009, Yuvraj Singh blasted six sixes in a single over two years before that and, perhaps the greatest miracle of them all, the Three Lions actually won the silverware in 2010.

So far the Bangladeshi crowds have turned out in numbers to support the host nation. People have even been seen at all-associate member contests like Nepal vs Afghanistan (honest!).

A passion has been awakened in Dhakar, Chittagong and Sylhet which seemingly cannot be quenched. Many more committed enthusiasts have decorated themselves as Bengali tigers than is socially acceptable. Either yellow and black body paint is going cheap or the Bangladeshi nation are rallying behind their unfancied sportsmen in patriotic droves. If only there were as many tigers in the wild as there are in the stands.

We few, we happy few, we merry matinee viewers will be in for an afternoon treat if the tournament can continue in this vein for the next month. By that I mean fun, without which none of the event would be worthwhile. So enjoy the minnows collapsing under the slightest pace, the inevitable English implosion, or the never-ending 'Super 10' stage.

Ireland might produce another shock result; Chris Gayle could launch the first cricket ball to land on Mars; because this is Twenty/20 and, as crazy as it sometimes gets, the world loves it.

Oh, and there are some unnervingly exuberant DJs in the crowd too.     

Monday 10 March 2014

FA Cup Countdown - Quarter Finals Reaction

City Slippage

"Curiouser and curiouser!" cried Alice during her stint in Wonderland. The words of Lewis Carroll's creation are strangely apt to describe the events of the 2013/14 season. Last weekend's surprise FA Cup results added further shocks to the most unpredictable season in recent decades. Bookies across the land are mourning their losses in a campaign which has been fraught with 'cupsets' (one of the ugliest neologisms in circulation).

A once staple prize of the 'Big Four' now isn't so selective about who ultimately gets to kiss and cherish it. Sheffield United, Wigan and Hull are all within two wins of a trophy they were never expected to be in contention for. With historic glory now in sight, each set of fans genuinely believe they can beat a path to glory in the final.

Already, the Blade's guaranteed day out at Wembley will be the first semi-final appearance from a club in the third tier since Wycombe Wanderers in 2001. More history could be made if Arsenal beat Wigan in their half of the draw, giving the victor of the all-Yorkshire clash a definite invitation to European competition next year.

I do not wish to repeat the many 'magic of the cup' clichés but I doubt anyone could have expected Manchester City's humbling on Sunday. For the second year in a row one of the richest clubs in the world was beaten by their lesser Lancastrian foes. Most people can't point to Wigan on a map, yet the town renowned for Rugby League has not let last season's relegation prevent their soccer team from causing a stir.

One team's woe is another's gain and so it was that Arsenal fans jumped for joy after the final whistle at Eastlands. With their strongest rivals knocked out in the last eight perhaps this is the Gunner's year to end their relatively barren run without silverware. Can Arsenal beat Wigan? Yes. Could they overcome Hull or Sheffield United? Absolutely! The trophy is so close to his grasp Arsene Wenger can probably smell its polish through his nostril hairs. His squad's place as champions is there to be lost.

Few excuses could justify Arsenal wasting their best opportunity for a title in nine years. Even with stars like Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere out injured, the Highbury boys have enough quality through their ranks to beat any of the other semi-finalists with either their reserve side or seniors.

But can Uwe Rosler out-fox the fox? The German has already tactically hoodwinked both Ole Gunnar Solksjaer and Manuel Pellegrini during previous rounds. Maybe Wenger will prove sterner opposition. Despite his advancing years, the Professor is still a wily coach, with a poker face and footballing philosophy which often disguises the hidden grit of his teams. Yes, I am sure you forgot about all those red cards in the late nineties too. Patrick Viera's on-field bullying may be a thing of the past but the North London club still has few shrinking violets on its books.

This year, finally, Arsenal have enough depth and aggression to ensure they don't surrender when it matters.
 

Thursday 6 March 2014

Wednesday Internationals: What we learned

A round up of all the Home Nation's results.

Lallana the game changer

England 1-0 Denmark

Introducing Adam Lallana on 59 minutes was by far the best of Roy Hodgson's six changes in the second half. Southampton's skillful skipper produced several Cruyff-esque pivots which bamboozled the Danish defence. With a frustrated Wembley counting down the clock, Lallana drove into the box and dinked a pacy cross to the far post where Daniel Sturridge lay in wait. From barely six yards out the in-form striker easily buried his header past the goalkeeper. With so many previously squandered chances Lallana's decisive moment of quality gave England some desperately needed relief.

Norway not a fluke

Poland 0-1 Scotland

For the second match in a row a Scott Brown strike snatched a gritty away win for the Tartan Army. If David Marshall can continue to defy the odds with more miraculous clean sheets then the omens look unusually positive for Scotland ahead of their Autumn campaign. Nobody, not even the most deluded Scotsman, expected two wins in Molde and Warsaw respectively. Gordon Strachan has begun to forge a team which can clearly win ugly - horrendously ugly.

Bale and Vokes can score together

Wales 3-1 Iceland

Only a few months ago Iceland were within ninety minutes of qualifying for the World Cup. So nobody should underestimate the morale-boosting possibilities of a dominant Welsh win against the Atlantic nation. With Gareth Bale the Dragon's are a totally different side but Sam Vokes' sixth international goal indicates that Gwynedd finally has a number nine that can fully benefit from their Galactico playmaker.

Nil Northern Ireland

Cyprus 0-0 Northern Ireland

When is the next time Northern Ireland will be able to celebrate a goal? Since David Healy's retirement the Ulstermen have struggled to make their mark, even against the minnows of Europe. Michael O'Neill's men once again looked blunt in a rather drab stalemate against Cyprus. Gareth McAuley's red card will be a worry but another blank scoreline should disturb fans more.

Keane and O'Neill need improvement

Republic of Ireland 1-2 Serbia

According to Martin O'Neill, last night's performance was acceptable. However the result leaves a lot to be desired. Wes Hoolahan and Shane Long looked lively but an achievable win became a narrow defeat through a combination of wasteful attacking and defensive frailties. Ireland's new management team need to decide on their best eleven quickly and ensure tactical consistency. Otherwise, another qualification failure awaits.


Tuesday 4 March 2014

Possible England XI vs Denmark

Here is my proposed first team for Wednesday evening's friendly with Denmark. Hopefully Roy Hodgson will have something similar planned.

GK: Hart
DF: Baines, Cahill, Caulker, Walker
MF: Gerrard, Wilshere, Henderson
FW: Sterling, Rooney, Sturridge

Mersey Boys
For the first time since the Owen/Heskey/Fowler dream team, an England attack has a strong Liverpool connection. Both Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge have been in great form for the reds since Christmas, having contributed to their team's 73 Premier League goals (four more than any other side).

Spurs, Everton and Arsenal have all been tormented by the blitzkrieg counter-attacks of the Anfield club. No defence, whether domestic or international, seemingly has the speed to cope with such lightning pace on the break.

The Merseyside front-three may be grabbing all the headlines but Jordan Henderson has driven many of their most bewitching plays from midfield. The ex-Sunderland man is a player reborn, having finally begun to justify Kenny Dalglish's spending spree on his services with a potent mix of physicality, skill and the occasional goal.

Gerrard Defiant
Despite an increasing number of preposterously vocal critics, Steven Gerrard has recently shown  that he can still control a game from a deeper holding role. This greater defensive focus has not stopped England's talisman from scoring eight goals since August. Also, if any further proof of his credentials were needed, the aging playmaker single-handedly dragged the three lions through their decisive World Cup qualifier against Poland. Roy Hodgson probably owes his job to that heroic effort from his captain.

Wednesday's friendly gives Hodgson the opportunity to see how this Liverpool quartet cope without the linking play of Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho.

Surprise Chance for Caulker
Steven Caulker has been part of a worryingly leaky Cardiff defence but, in Phil Jagielka's absence, Chris Smalling is the only other centre back option in the squad to pair with Gary Cahill. I am not convinced with Smalling for either club or country so Caulker deserves a starting place. His current international record (one cap, one goal) certainly indicates some of his potential.

No Wind for Willo
Why didn't Hodgson call-up Mike Williamson? He has been in better form for Newcastle than Smalling and Caulker. He may not be an obvious candidate for Brazil but his recent steady displays have been able to woo most sections of the Tyneside faithful.

Monday 3 March 2014

The Bopara Ultimatum

Should the serial underperformer be dropped?


In a career of remarkable highs and lows, Ravi Bopara is still yet to fulfill his true potential. After five years of bewildering inconsistency and disappointment, is it time to end his stuttering international career once and for all?
While still only aged 28, Bopara has many future years to improve his game. Nevertheless, having already been given countless chances to stake a permanent claim in the England team, I can’t help but feel that this player will never reach his peak.
Friday evening was a particularly drab occasion for the Essex batsman. His contribution of an unbeaten 23 may seem respectable but it did nothing to prevent the team’s defeat and continuing poor displays. Moreover, despite the national side’s batting order looking extremely fragile since Kevin Pietersen unceremonious ejection, Bopara still only arrived at the crease as the number seven; a position normally reserved for wicketkeepers or all-rounders.
An improved performance in the second match of the series saw him achieve another unbeaten score, this time proving decisive in a narrow victory. But his role was again relegated to the number seven spot despite half of the top six being dismissed in single figures.
Each of the preceding batsmen, though, has far less experience at the highest level. Luke Wright comes closest to rivalling Bopara’s 101 ODI caps with a distant 50 to his name.
Nor has the recent match against the West Indies been a one-off. Time and again he has been left to bat with the tail after yet another middle order collapse. The implication of this strategy is clear: the team management simply does not rate him with any confidence.
So if Ashley Giles and his colleagues don’t consider Bopara good enough for a leading role in the side, why is he repeatedly selected for ODI matches? Some commentators claim it is because the once-promising talent has the ability to bowl a few overs without getting slogged out of the ground. Personally, I don’t buy that argument. Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali and Luke Wright all provide some form of part-time bowling options. If these four players can competently perform this dual role then Bopara remains surplus to requirements.
Rather than naming yet another bits-and-bobs player, his place in the side could be better filled by someone in a specialist role such as Graham Onions or James Taylor.
In previous years I have been able to tolerate all these problems but with England on a terrible run of results it is perhaps time to stop supplying seasoned performers with any more chances. After all, averaging a sub-standard 32 cannot contribute to sustained success. Sorry Ravi, but after a century of caps the chance to prove your value is now or never.