Tag Archives: football

Sportsthoughts (98) – A painful day on the sports sofa

All 12.30 yesterday it all looked so good. Just back from a bracing cycle. Chelsea v Arsenal – Arsene’s 1000th game – then Saracens v Quins at Wembley, the afternoon rounded off with West Ham v Man Utd at 5.30. … Continue reading

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Sportsthoughts (97) – Wenger, 1000

Tomorrow Arsenal play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. A defining moment for their season. If they win, the Premier League title is back on. If they lose, the quest is probably over for this season. A massive game. But it is … Continue reading

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Sportsthoughts (92) – FIFA World XI v Premier League XI

FIFA declared its winner of the 2013 Ballon D’Or on Monday. Cristiano Ronaldo deservedly won it, not least for his heroic efforts in taking Portugal to the World Cup finals in Brazil. Just pipped Lionel Messi, who was as outstanding … Continue reading

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Sportsthoughts (91) – What now for West Ham?

The FA Cup has been battered and bruised by the money and power of the Premier League and the Champions League, but it still has a kick, and still matters, especially when things go wrong. Like today, when West Ham … Continue reading

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Sportsthoughts (90) – The perils of Premier League management

There was an intriguing table in The Observer today about the longevity of Premier League managers (as managers, not people!). It ranked the current 18 – two clubs, Spurs and West Brom, don’t have a “permanent” manager, having recently sacked … Continue reading

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Sportsthoughts (89) – That World Cup Draw

So, two days on, how’s that Group of Death looking? The Todesgruppe as the Germans call it. Love those compound nouns. England find themselves in Group D, with Uruguay, Italy and Costa Rica. With their first game, against Italy, to be … Continue reading

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Sportsthoughts (85) – Let’s All Do The Samba!

So England have made it to the Brazil World Cup in 2014 without the agony of a playoff, which could have been against a pretty decent team, maybe even France. Oh God, the thought of that would have been too … Continue reading

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Sportsthoughts (84) – Is Big Sam the new Guardiola?

                                                         Pep                       … Continue reading

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Sportsthoughts (83) – early term report for Quins and Irons

A bit of a mixed bag. OK, but not great. Early days and all that, but the doubts hover. For West Ham, in particular, early season optimism is now officially over. An ugly battle for a mid table place seems … Continue reading

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Sportsthoughts (82) – Can Ozil transform Arsenal?

The transfer window shenanigans were madder than ever in the run up to 2 September in the Premier League. While most of the economy languishes in recession, the top football clubs, pumped up either by their oligarch benefactors and/ or … Continue reading

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