A Curious Visit from George

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 We're back, with our once a month post -- from Correspondent Scott:

 

With Liverpool’s recent results having slapped me into some type of disbelieving stupor, the confluence of (1) coaching my daughter in a tournament this past weekend and (2) a delightful visit from my boyhood soccer coach, George Merrin, brought me to my senses, such as they are.  Of course, Liverpool’s 3-2 squeaker over Aston Villa helped too.  Long-time readers of farlieonfootie will remember I paid homage to George when he last visited in 2011, thankfully not his last visit as thought at the time.  George hails from England but now lives in Australia and was my soccer coach when I lived in Saudi Arabia – the most influential coach I ever had, as you can probably tell by the fact that we have stayed in touch for the last 30 years.  It was so meaningful to me for him to visit and see just how far his influence extends – An English coach training an American in Saudi Arabia fostered a passion for the game that led to my humble coaching efforts with 9 year old girls (and often shambolic literary efforts hereon).  The very definition of a legacy. 

 

As some may recall, George is a life-long Canaries fan and fate would have that Liverpool played Norwich City on his first weekend in town.  He was very pleased with the 1-1 result and I suppose watching with him and seeing his enjoyment took some of the sting out of a draw we were supposed to win.  Or I should say temporarily took the sting out since Liverpool’s poor play has swelled to such proportions that Brendan Rodgers has every reason to fear for his job.  In fact, it could be that only Daniel Sturridge’s return has saved the Liverpool gaffer….for now.

 

At least Philippe Coutinho is back from suspension to bamboozle opponents and James Milner seems to be hitting his stride.  Injuries to Christian Benteke and Jordan Henderson certainly don’t help but Mamadou Sakho back in the lineup seems to give some assurances over the schizophrenic Dejan Lovren.  However, no injuries or lineup changes can excuse needing penalties to send off Carlisle United in the League Cup.  Liverpool is like a misfiring engine that may or may not get into gear.  We’ll see if a Merseyside derby this weekend can spark it to life.

The Return of an Old Friend: Manchester United 4 - Norwich City 0 -- Game Recap and Player Ratings

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Ryan Giggs demanded passion, bravery, tempo, speed and imagination on his managerial debut, and despite a slow start, saw his requirements more than fulfilled in an easy 4-0 victory over Norwich City at Old Trafford on Saturday evening.  Putting more shots on target than in any Premier League game this season, United offered a rousing second half performace and gave their home fans a clean and direct break from the David Moyes era with their most decisive victory of the season.  Playing football as if it were fun again, the United players rode braces from Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata to treat the home crowd to a fun-filled evening -- a feeling akin to the return of an old friend.   

Herewith, the individual player ratings from a game that felt like the dawn of a new era at Old Trafford:

De Gea: Virtually nothing to do before the break. Showed outstanding distribution skills afterward and, as usual, was there when called upon. 7.5

Jones: Almost found Kagawa with a first half cross. Never under pressure. 7.5

Vidic (c): Calm, cool and collected. 7.5

Ferdinand: Rolled back the years. 7.0

Evra: Ventured forward plenty. 7.5

Valencia: First three crosses hit the defender but he showed he isn't afraid to shoot.  Worked his way into the game.  7.0

Carrick:  This was better.  7.5

Cleverley: His game continues to go downhill and now appears beyond repair. 6.0

Same Old Spurs: Norwich City 1 - Tottenham Hotspur 0

You can almost smell the ennui in Ed's report:

Well everyone at the top of the table won, some in spectacular style, but then there were Spurs.  Fresh off a waste-of-time Europa League performance (what is the point, actually, of the Europa league?), Spurs looked a painfully listless side for most of the match.  As the boss-man often says, you could almost smell the ennui.  Only Michael Dawson, Spurs' least talented player, seemed to really go after it and want to win.  Aaron Lennon again made some terrific runs that ended with poor crosses to no one or giveaways.  There is no player in the BPL that can beat people at will yet never scores or gets an assist.  His final ball has to rank up there with over-35 recreational soccer league players. 

It’s easy to blame the manager when a team comes out like this, but frankly I’ve seen it happen to every team in the league and unless it becomes a patter it’s hard to blame Tim Sherwood for this.  That said, I’m not sure: he played so defensively and didn’t put in a second forward until the 65^thminute.  This is a team that plays good defense but simply cannot score.  It was clear that Adebayor alone at the front wasn’t going to get even a chance without help.

Just Enough: Manchester United 1 - Norwich City 0 -- Game Recap and Player Ratings

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Playing bland, uninspired football, Manchester United did just enough to outlast a determined Norwich City side at Carrow Road on Saturday.  The second half introduction of Danny Welbeck changed the fortunes of the Red Devils, enlivening a sluggish attack and creating the lone goal the visitors needed to notch their fifth consecutive win.  Despite having the ball for large portions of the contest, the Red Devils conceded eight corners to the one they gained, as the play from Chris Hughton's team belied their cellar dwelling position, with the home side forcing much of the action and piling repeated pressure on David De Gea's goal.  

The importance of the result showed in the contest's nervy ending, with United seeking to dribble the game out in the Norwich corner, but forced into some last gasp defending to preserve their shutout.  Herewith, the individual player ratings on a key victory for the visitors:

De Gea: Under a ton of first half pressure but up to the task. 7.0

Smalling: Acquitted himself well at right back.  Displayed good quickness for a big man. 6.5

Vidic (c): An absolute warrior in the air. 7.0

Evans: Key first half block on a Wes Hoolahan shot. 6.5

Evra: Beaten like a drum repeatedly but bailed out by De Gea in the first half. More disciplined effort after the interval. 5.0

Young: Ineffective on the left. The move to the right side brought some life to his game, but the winger went listless again after moving back to left to accommodate Januzaj. 4.5

Cleverley: Seems mentally and physically incapable of doing more than laying the ball off. Soft challenges in midfield led to opportunities for the home side. 4.0

Carrick: Directed traffic in the middle and brought back the one touch pass to the United attack. 5.5

Giggs: A virtual spectator. 4.0

Brace Me: Manchester United 4 - Norwich City 0 -- Game Recap and Player Ratings

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A Javier Hernandez brace, followed by unexpected scoring contributions from Phil Jones and Fabio, resulted in a comfortable 4-0 victory for Manchester United over Norwich City in the Capital One Cup at Old Trafford on Tuesday night, and moved the home side into the competition's fifth round. The pair of goals from the Mexican striker, coming on either side of the interval -- one from the spot and one off his head -- broke open a contest that United largely dominated.  While the Red Devils may be struggling for form in the Premier League, last night's performance was another free-flowing performance outside of the League from the home side.

The manager saw fit to hand Wilfried Zaha his first start of the season, while blending a lineup the featured both youth and experience, as is United's custom in the Cup. Once again, it was young Adnan Januzaj who added a dash of verve to the United attack, with the crowd gasping virtually every time the Belgian touch the ball. Herewith, our thoughts on the individual player performances in what can only be described as a comprehensive team victory:

Lindegaard: A light evening's work in the first half, but had to dive to deny Robert Snodgrass after the break. It was his reaction after the save, though -- to check on the badly injured player -- that was his best work of the night. 7.5

Rafael: The newly shorn look made his bombing runs appear even more aerodynamic. 8.0

Ferdinand: Cruise control in the middle of the park. 7.5

Vidic (c): Still our undisputed first choice at center back. 7.5

Buttner:  Above average service on offense, but needs to hit the books to learn some proper defending. 6.0

Young: Some of his deliveries were better than normal tonight. 6.5

Cleverley: Moved the ball well, but could stand to work some on his shooting. 7.5

Jones: We don't love him in a midfield role, but he proved once again he's nothing if not versatile. His well-struck finish began to match the scoreline with the home side's dominance.

My Bottom (tee hee!!) and the Top Four

Another Day, Another Cable Car for Correspondent Ed
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Ed took some time off from mapping San Francisco's cable car system to file this report:

 

 

It's so painfully annoying when FoF picks the favorites to win each season, and then congratulates himself when they go on to do so.  Well, here's to going out on a limb, beginning with the Relegation Zone.

 

20.  Hull City Tigers.  These guys never stay up.  Plus I think Steve Bruce has a proven track record of mediocrity. 

 

19.  Norwich.  I think the efforts of the last coach will wear off and leave them with the less than inspiring methods of the new. 

 

18.  Cardiff City.  They will make it happen for most of the year but their luck will run out in the end despite the hard work of Frazer Campbell.

 

17.  Crystal Palace.  Will they really survive?  Well, here's hoping Ian Holloway can pull it off.  Marouanne Chamahk?  Well, Ian even made Charlie Adam into an all BPL player, so why not?

 

And now the Top Four:

 

1.  Chelsea.  I hate to agree with FoF, but the Special One knows how to win leagues.  I expect less in Europe, though, unless they get a real striker.

 

Word Association: Manchester United 4 - Norwich City 0

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One Touch: So many nice, no-look passes by the home side to begin the game

Best View of the Action (Non-Participant): David De Gea

Frustration: For the first 43 minutes on Saturday, all work and no play

Stretford End: The non-threatening end of Old Trafford to attack this season

Parking the Bus: Norwich City's first half game plan

Stress Relief: A pre-halftime goal by Kagawa

Dead Certain Lock: A halftime lead at Old Trafford under Alex Ferguson

Reds Rising: Liverpool 5 - Norwich City 0

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Correspondent Scott is setting himself up for massive disappointment:

 

Norwich City has traditionally been Luis Suarez’s whipping boy, but last weekend he only scored once against them, instead of the usual hat trick.  Unfortunately for the Canaries, there were others who picked up the lash, and even Ryan Bennett joined the party with some self-flagellation in the form of an own goal.  As much as it hurt to see my second-favorite team get thrashed 5-0 by the ascending Reds, it was a well deserved result for a team that -- after several fits and starts so far this season -- finally seems to be gelling.  Beginning with the final 30 minutes of the Manchester United game last week, they have seemed unstoppable, now only needing to put together complete games against the top opponents.

Of course, it all could have gone horribly wrong after only seven minutes when Liverpool “conceded” a free kick to the particularly unbalance Grant Holt, who tumbled due to a slight breeze.  Poor marking on the ball played into the box left a wide open header for the Canaries and Gerrard and Co. could have been down a goal were it not for the good fortune of said header being directed straight at the waiting Brad Jones.

Gerrard has been on fire lately and I believe I am ready to say he has been restored to his prior playing prowess.  After setting the tone for hustle in the game with two successive crunching tackles in the 6^th minute, he played tirelessly throughout, displaying the necessary Gerrard leadership we have come to expect.  And his 66^th minute long-range strike that tucked in off the left post was vintage.

On the other end of the spectrum, Andre Wisdom, while generally solid defensively, needs to improve his offensive play in order to continue to get regular first-team action.  Wing defenders for Liverpool are expected to have deft touch, get forward easily and provide sumptuous crosses while otherwise wreaking havoc in the forward third, before tracking back.  Unfortunately, the 19 year-old needs to work on his crosses, bungling his efforts in the 15^th and 24^th minute, to name just two.  Then, in the 53^rd minute after a sublime control on a cross-field pass, he hurtled into the box before…muffing his shooting lines again and not even hitting the target.  Still, at 19 years-old there is plenty of time for improvement and an ocean of upside.

Flaccid: Norwich City 1 - Manchester United 0

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o United lack a cutting edge whenever Paul Scholes is not in the lineup. Sad to say that the club appears overly reliant on a 38 year old, but -- although they can knock it around with the best of them -- the incisive pass goes MIA when Scholesy is absent.

o Excrutiatingly boring doesn't begin to describe the Reds' first half performance yesterday. Perhaps boring is good -- no soft goals conceded is a plus -- but the attack was absolutely flaccid for the first 45 -- despite the apparent embarrassment of offensive riches on the pitch.

o The game was there for the taking, waiting for a moment of individual brilliance to heat up a collective effort that had been ice cold until the hour mark. Unfortunately, it arrived in the form of a perfect cross from Javier Garrido, and a header to match from Anthony Pilkington.

o Javier Hernandez being replaced with 20 minutes left? I'm sorry, but I don't agree, and I'm certain the Norwich City players must have breathed a big sigh of relief to see the backside of the Little Pea, especially given the Mexican's scoring record of late.

A Great Advertisement: Week 9 in the BPL

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o We saw a great advertisement for the Championship this weekend. Unfortunately, it involved Aston Villa playing Norwich City in the Premier League.

o Can it be a coincidence that Mark Hughes' teams keep hitting the self destruct button with late game  red cards?  It's relatively easy to blame the ill-tempered players who commit the rash acts, but when it happens repeatedly it's a sign of poor discipline -- and that problem deserves to be laid squarely at the doorstep of the Manager.  Sorry, Sparky, but your time is up.

o Telling scene of the day: While Micah Richards was being attended to by a number of medical staff, given oxygen and being placed on a stretcher, teammates Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko felt the situation called for...a few quick jokes over on the sideline. Nice job, guys. I'm sure Micah your concern.

o Call him a diving cheat, and you'd be only half right. Luis Suarez' purposeful stamp on Sylvain Distin's Achilles heel shows exactly what type of player the Uruguayan is: a dirty, diving cheat.  Regardless, David Moyes is probably glad he's seen the last of the ugly Uruguayan for some time, and it's only reluctantly that we name Suarez our Player of the Week.

o What a wild ending for Fulham and Reading on Saturday; three goals in the final eight minutes will do that to you....  While he must have thought for certain that he scored a late winner, it was still great to see a smile back on Dimitar Berbatov's face as he handed his team the lead, an advantage they soon coughed back up. 

If Berba and Chicharito are smiling, it's a great week in English football.  This is a smiling farlieonfootie for October 31, wishing a Happy Halloween to all our friends.

Hallelujah!: Liverpool 5 - Norwich City 2

Correspondent Scott seen here in his Youth Choir days
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Liverpool's first win of the season -- in game six, mind you -- clearly has Correspondent Scott in a delirious frame of mind:


George Frideric Handel's perennial yuletide favorite seems to have been written especially for Liverpool's clash with Norwich City last Saturday at Carrow Road.  A powerful chorus of goals brought sweet music to Reds supporters' ears as the visitors broke their winning duck in spectacular fashion.  While Luis Suarez provided the melody throughout with a hat trick, Steven Gerrard and Nuri Sahin each harmonized by adding to the tally.  And, as the German composer's seminal work depicts the Incarnation, Passion and Resurrection of the Messiah, Kopites everywhere are praying that it will now hail the second coming of Liverpool's dominance in the English Premier League.

Incarnation seems manifest in the Liverpudlian side in the form of three teenagers being molded into first team players, namely Raheem Sterling (17yrs), Andre Wisdom (18yrs) and Suso (18yrs), whose first of many names, incidentally and coincidentally, is Jesus.  Sterling continues to impress, notching another assist on the day.  Meanwhile, Wisdom belied his age through a performance befitting his surname, stalwartly defending with good choices and skills.  But it was Suso with whom I was most impressed.  Calm on the ball, creating chances and holding up play with the ball when needed, the young Spaniard gave many reasons throughout the game why Read Madrid and Barcelona are still kicking themselves that they missed out on his talent.  Most encouraging of all, however, was how the midfielder seamlessly and cleverly linked up with Suarez throughout the day, much better than Jonjo Shelvey has been able to do lately.





Passion has certainly been unleashed in Nuri Sahin as he exploded from the bottom of the Real Madrid depth chart onto the EPL scene with a goal and two assists against the Canaries.  Nor has Passion ever been a problem for Suarez, with two yellow cards for dissent so far in this young season.  Fifteen minutes into the game I was encouraged to see a few times when the Uruguayan could have gone down easily but instead stayed up or immediately popped back up.  Such encouragement was dashed twenty minutes later when he went down hard and fast after a tap and heavy breath from a defender.  So it was not at all surprising when, in the 23rd minute, Suarez was stung once again by his own reputation after receiving a hammer-blow in the form of Leon Barnett's elbow to his shoulder in the box.  Mike Jones waved off appeals for a penalty, just as others have done this season.  While I think it was a penalty that should have been given, until Suarez consistently abstains from tumbling unnecessarily, those appeals will continue to be ignored and I can't blame the referees who would rather miss a foul than call one that wasn't.

farlieonfootie's 2nd Annual Barclay's Premier League Season Preview

Correspondent Ed Searches for His Betting Slip
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It's the middle of August, and although the European Championships and the London Olympic games took some of the edge off, real English football can't begin soon enough in our opinion.  We waited until the last possible minute to file our predictions for the upcoming season, so as not to be 'surprised' by any late moves.  Although the transfer window will remain open another two weeks, we believe the biggest move of the summer has already been made with the announcement that Manchester United finally landed their man in the person of Robin Van Persie. 

First through fourth, we'll pick them all, and we'll also take a stab at relegation and some other intriguing predictions:

2012/2013 Premier League Winners: Manchester United (did you really expect us to pick anyone else)?  Last season's runners up were nicked at the line, although you would never know this by reading the popular press, in which United finished embarassingly far off the world-beating pace set by their nosy neighbors.  The signing of the Premier League Player of the Year, as well as the Bundesliga Player of the Year, and the return of Nemanja Vidic to the starting lineup can only mean that this United squad has been significantly strengthened from the one that lost the title solely on goal difference.  And while City is strong they've largely stood pat this off-season, making no significant moves at all.  Advantage United, and we think that's more than enough to bring Fergie's men back to the top of the heap.

2012/2013 Runner's Up: Manchester City.   Despite making virtually no off-season moves, the Citizens boast the League's hardest working midfield, as well as a certain Argentine want-away who should be around for all of the club's games this season.  Combining Tevez with Aguero, Balotelli, Toure and Silva will produce more than a few fireworks both on and off the pitch, and City's All-Star lineup will be enough to see off all but the sternest of challengers.  We admire their firepower, but don't think it will measure up to a revamped United this time around.

2012/2103 Best of the Rest: Following their European triumph, Chelsea has flexed their financial muscle with the addition of Eden Hazard, Marko Marin, and Oscar.  While the midfield has been significantly strengthened -- and may now, in fact, be on par with City's -- it remains puzzling to us that the Blues have done so little to bolster their strike corps.  While Fernando Torres may indeed come good this year, what happens if he's suspended or injured?  Chelsea may need to emaulate the 'striker-less' Spain squad that won the Euros, but it's a risky strategy on which to pin your championship hopes. 

If Chelsea's third, then surely Arsenal must be fourth, correct?  Why, yes in fact, we do think Arsenal will finish fourth this season.  Sure, The World's Best Feeder ClubTM may see some growing pains -- not to the tune of 8-1, mind you -- but we've always admired Lukas Podolski, and think that Santi Cazorla might just turn out to be the second best signing of the summer.  Wenger hasn't missed a Champions League spot in years, and we don't see him doing it this time, either -- even if he does lose Alex Song to Barcelona.

Respect Your Elders: Manchester United 2 - Norwich City 1

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Wayne Rooney and Tom Cleverly are Manchester United's most keenly felt pre-game absentees versus Norwich City, on a mild and sunny Sunday in eastern England. The former is still struggling with a throat infection, while the latter picked up a knock on his "good" ankle against Ajax, meaning both should be back in the none-too-distant future. It's a key game for the Reds, who need a victory to keep pace with Manchester City, whose emphatic 3-nil win over Blackburn on Saturday moved the League leaders five points clear at the top.

Ryan Giggs appears for the 900th time in a Premier League contest, and he's joined in the midfield by the Barclay's Premier League Player of the month, Paul Scholes, as well as Michael Carrick and Luis Nani. Phil Jones, Jonny Evans, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra man the ramparts in front of David De Gea, while Chicharito and Danny Welbeck are both preferred to Dimitar Berbatov up front. Without further ado, it's off to Carrow Road for our match commentary:

It's De Gea off his line in the early going to grab a high cross, and the visitors will hope that his early commanding presence is a sign of things to come. Nani's length-of-the-pitch run almost pays off at the other end, but Norwich's Zach Whitbread intervenes at a critical juncture to hoof the ball out of bounds.  It's Giggs who nearly makes headlines as the Champions begin the contest in a confident mood, but he nicks Jones' fine cross just over the bar. With opportunities for the visitors coming fast and thick, it's Scholes who makes the early pressure pay off, ghosting in on goal before converting Nani's cross into a 1-nil lead within the game's first eight minutes.

Norwich lay on some bone crunching challenges to remind the visitors that they're no pushover, and their physical efforts seem to inspire the crowd and bring them back into the contest. Before they fully get their grip on the game, however, Welbeck nearly doubles the lead -- trying to finish off a beautiful give and go between Nani and Chicharito -- but Norwich 'keeper John Ruddy denies the Englishman at full stretch.

Norwich is intent on tying the game through a series of set pieces, looking to take advantage of their big bodies, physical presence and aerial prowess.   By the half hour mark, it's the home side giving as good as they're getting, pinning United back, and De Gea's outstretched leg is all that denies Anthony Pilkington his equalizer.  The save forces Sir Alex from his comfortable perch on the sidelines, the Scot red-faced as he barks out orders, likely demanding better marking from his defense.

Hernandez misfires in one of United's by now rare forays into the offensive end, a tame roller offered when surely a crisper finish would have found the back of the net against the run of play. But it's De Gea who's looking especially sharp today with another outstanding play, somehow snagging Grant Holt's biting header to deny what the Norwich attacker believed a certain equalizer.

The home side's confidence is growing, it's closely held and controlled possession contrasting sharply with the visitors' unraveling form. Although his team are behind on the scoreboard, Norwich City Manager Paul Lambert has good reason to believe his charges have the game well within reach as the two sides head into the break.

Speaking Elvish: Week 16 in the EPL

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Not much happening in the English Premier League on the penultimate Saturday prior to Christmas: only five games on tap yesterday, and it would be misleading to label most of the action I saw as 'scintillating.' Furthermore, Chelsea was the only one of the "big six" teams in action, making for a rather humdrum day of footie watching. Nevertheless, we push onward and upward, as the show must go on....

o Has there been a defender who's cleared more balls off the line this season than Russell Martin of Norwich City?  He did it again vs. Everton on Saturday and prevented another goal, which was crucial in helping Norwich to a point at Goodison Park.  This many clearances should also help Martin receive an honorary goalkeeper card at the end of the season. 

o There were lots of empty seats at the DW for Chelsea's visit on Saturday. You can't really blame the fans given Wigan's form this season, but they missed a helluva performance by their team on Saturday. Once again, Wigan showed a spirited fight to continue the upward trend they've been on for last few weeks, and they looked the more likely winner as time wound down on the game. Can Roberto Martinez pull yet another rabbit out of the Wigan hat to keep his boys up for one more season?  It's still too early to say, but I no longer think Wigan is nailed on for relegation. 

o Just a quick question: You think there's any way that Juan Mata speaks Elvish...?

On the Hot Seat: Week 12 in the EPL

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Kudos to Norwich City. The're a team that's been promoted two seasons in a row -- no mean feat, that -- and this season find themselves in the top flight of English football. They're also a side in which only one member of the starting 11 against Arsenal on Saturday had any EPL experience before joining the League this season.  And while Arsenal created the bulk of the chances and ultimately won the game 2-1, the Gunners' victory was by no means as easy as it looked.  But rather than bore you with my thoughts about the earliest kickoff of the weekend, I'll leave  you instead a couple of quick jokes inspired by Saturday's action:

Q: How many Arsenal defenders does it take to score a goal?

A: Four.  One to trip and fall, and three more to stand around and watch the opposition cut through them like a hot knife through butter.

Q: Why does Gervinho hate Christmas?

A: Because he ends up squandering all the gifts he receives.

Ba dah dum!  Thanks. I'm here all week....

And now for some more thoughts on the week(end) that was in the EPL:


o Saturday's showdown between Manchester City and Newcastle was the proverbial irresistible force meeting the unmovable object. When the dust had settled, the City juggernaut continued to roll on, as two penalties and a goal by Micah Richards left the Citizens standing alone as the last of the EPL's unbeatens.  


o Speaking of Richards, he accounted directly for one of City's goals and created a second through a penalty. Although there are several other viable candidates for this next nomination, I believe the big Englishman is City's most improved player this season: his defensive brain farts seem fewer and further between, and his attacking skills have become even sharper this year, in which he's been given greater license to roam forward by Roberto Mancini.  Right now he's big, fast, and oh so dangerous -- so of course he won't  make Fabio  Capello's starting England lineup....

Personal Recollection: The Columnist Scott Story

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Growing up in Saudi Arabia, with the NFL eight time zones away, I was destined to play and fall in love with soccer.  First, I was molded under the feisty tutelage of a Columbian named Hernando Hernandez (how cool is that name?), whose twin boys were my compatriots in elementary school soccer.  Then it was an Englishman, George Merrin. And while I remember both fondly, and surely benefited from the passion that both of them have for the game, it was George who coached and influenced me during my most formative ages of 12 to 15.  George (he was the only adult I was ever allowed to call by his first name) was not only my coach but also a family friend who, being a bachelor in a foreign country, spent Christmas at our house every year.

Shortly after I returned to the US in 1984, George moved to Australia to coach full time and eventually became the Director of Coaching for Far North Queensland.  I stayed in touch with him over the years and even visited him in Cairns in 1999.  He, in turn, would make a US tour every 5 years or so, staying with people he used to coach or other people he knew from Saudi.  Which brings us to the present time and a very enjoyable visit this past week that George swears will be his last, as he is retiring to Thailand.

Things Get Sticky As United Defeat Norwich City

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It's a sticky situation at Old Trafford Saturday, as David De Gea is left out of the starting lineup, perhaps in retribution for his alleged donut stealing incident at Tesco earlier in the week, and Anders Lindegaard is handed the keys to the United goalmouth. Ashley Young is rested, too, angering hordes of fantasy football managers around the globe, but secretly pleasing owners of Ji-Sung Park, who is preferred in midfield to the former Villan. Despite United fans' pessimism earlier in the week, Wayne Rooney partners Chicharito up front, and the Reds' top striker partnership will be licking their lips in anticipation of goals against the newly promoted Canaries of Norwich City. United loanee Richie De Laet, a stalwart in Norwich's season to date, is ineligible to play, which should theoretcially further ease United's task in the blazing sunshine that greets kickoff.

United begin the contest with a couple of early turnovers, one by Anderson combined with a poor clearance by Lindegaard, leading to some early pressure from the visitors. The Reds' offense is slow to kick into action today, and the first ten minutes are notable only for the lack of any real opportunities for the home side save a tame Wayne Rooney roller toward goal.

Playing against type, Norwich continue to look the more threatening of the two sides, causing problems with their big men up front, and creating chances over the top and through the middle.  Things are not quite so pleasant on the Reds' side of the pitch, as several members of the home crowd begin to show their vocal disapproval of the Reds' continued struggles with sustained possesion after the twenty minute mark is reached.

The home side pick up their attacking intent near the half hour mark, if it's possible to do so without appearing threatening in the least.  It's a particularly toothless attack from the champions today, and the most optimistic fan can only surmise that they are saving their energy for the second half.

Jarring, and Other Random Thoughts on EPL Week Four

photo by Chris Makarsky	via PhotoRee

It was jarring to see Mikel Arteta in an Arsenal shirt on Saturday. It's always strange the first time you see a player identified so strongly with one club suddenly wearing another team's kit. Likewise Niklas Bendtner at Sunderland -- although it was refreshing to see he's still useless, no matter which shirt he wears -- and maybe a little bit less so, Peter Crouch at Stoke.

o Fernando Torres didn't look very happy sitting on the Chelsea bench Saturday. Nor did Florent Malouda. I wonder what the atmosphere is like inside that locker room.... My sense is that it's probably closer to Manchester City's than it is to Manchester United's. At the latter, it's expected that you're going to spend some time on the bench -- that is, unless your name is Wayne Rooney or Nemanja Vidic. At the former, however, all of the players who signed there were originally lured in under the pretense that they'd not only be starting, they'd be leading the 'revolution.' It's a massive difference in mindset.

o Arsenal may have won Saturday, but they continued to look completely impotent in front of goal this season. No matter what personnel Arsene tries, his boys can't seem to find the back of the net. That is, unless the opposition goalie throws his clearance right at the feet of the closest defender, allowing the ball to settle nicely in front of Andrei Arshavin with the goal begging. If that's what it takes for Arsenal to score, though, it's going to be a very long season indeed at the Emirates.

o Liverpool found out on Saturday just how tough the away trip to Stoke is. I read somewhere on Twitter that the last three English champions (United, Chelsea, United) all won their away games at Stoke, but needed goals post the 80-minute mark to do so. I guess Liverpool won't be joining that club, but that'll only be a real surprise to their most ardent supporters.

Now That's More Like It!

Correspondent Scott, Receiving His First Liverpool Kit on Christmas Morning
photo by rjones0856	via PhotoRee

In which Correspondent Scott continues to cling stubbornly to his delusions of grandeur over Liverpool's prospects this season:


The Liverpudlians of week three in the EPL looked to be the older, bigger, better brother of last week’s team.  They didn’t deliver a merciless Manhandlers United-type beating to the hapless Bolton Wanderers, but they did dominate with mostly crisp play, a sense of urgency and solid defense (save for the one Jamie Carragher lapse).

Starting with an abundance of energy, yet patiently working the ball from the back when needed, the team is be beginning to gel.  Still, however, the lion’s share of offensive creativity begins with Luis Suarez.  Consider his beautiful outside-of-the-foot curling cross to Stuart Downing in the 15th minute: although Downing did well with it,  Jussi Jaaskelainen deflected to Dirk Kuyt who layed off to Jordan Henderson, whose first attempt was blocked before the second sailed into the netting.

Suarez will probably take little comfort in the praise he will surely receive for his inspiring performance, as he is all about goals and didn't get one.  His only blemish on the day came when he rather over-confidently attempted to chip Jaaskelainen on a break away in the 24th minute instead of picking a corner, his effort bending the top of the net the wrong way.

Chattering Away

photo by Denzil~	via PhotoRee

EPL Week Three Thoughts and Notes: 


o ESPN2 goal count, after the dreadful Wolves - Villa game Saturday morning in the States: 270-plus minutes of action so far this season, with one goal scored by the offense -- and that a garbage goal in stoppage time. I can't wait to see which game they have in store for us next week....


o Although Norwich looked every bit like a Championship side against Chelsea in the first 15 minutes of Saturday's action, by the 20 minute mark it was the Canaries who were beginning to ask the questions.  Jose Bosingwa was the only player in blue looking the least bit lively on the attack, as Chelsea appeared slow and either uninterested in or incapable of moving forward in a quick and coordinated manner.  Didier Drogba and Fat Frank Lampard's most notable first half plays involved free kicks that contributed to the growing mass of "space junk" orbiting the earth.

o On the other side of the ball, Chelsea's back line looked 'fragile' to say the least. Slow and creaky, Chelsea were exposed by a Canaries team that I had dismissed as none-too-speedy.  And if the media have been hard on young David De Gea, the response to Hilario's performance in between the sticks should be some serious howls of derision.