How do you solve a problem like Rafa?

Rafael Benitez has been a great and fantastic success for Liverpool FC. Coming after having been in charge of Valencia in Spain, he had won two La Liga titles for that team; made them Champions league regulars and won them a UEFA Cup. This was a remarkable achievement considering Valencia were not considered heavyweights before he became their manager, and notable that his first La Liga title with Valencia was their first in thirty-one years.

Filed under: Champions league, football, liverpool, premiership, soccer, sports , football, sports

Goalposts January player of the month: Christiano Ronaldo

When Alex Ferguson first brought this young kid from Madiera, I was unimpressed. The disintigration of Manchester United’s four man midfield; which was chiefly responsible for their best successes in the late 1990’s had begun with Ronaldo taking the departed David Beckham’s number 7 shirt. Soon after Roy Keane would leave to wind down his professional career at Celtic, leaving only Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs in that dominating midfield. Early in the season Alex Ferguson had commented that the Manchester United squad he has at present, is the best he has ever had in a 21 year career at Old Trafford.

Filed under: England, manchester united, premiership, soccer, sports , football, sports

This is England. (part 2)

Where do I stand on a foreign manager again? Who cares. The man could be a Martian for all we know, but as long as he is able to steer the team to success and keep the fans happy, then his nationality should not matter. Sure it would probably be better if an English manager was appointed to an English team, and Cappello’s large entourage of backroom staff is a bit excess-ant, of which Brain Galnville rightly commented that Alf Ramsey only neede one person: Brian Glanville World soccer.I would like that more than most as it emphasises first and foremost a sense of national identity. However the arguement that Italy would never hire an English manager does not wash with me. Both nations are infamously proud of their countries so it must be expected the general outcome in such a case would be expressed unamiously.

Filed under: England, football, soccer, sports , football, sports

This is England (Part 1.)

Well it has been an interesting set of months in English football and indeed the English media. The so-called golden generation of English football failed miserably against a Croatian side supposedly inferior to the stature of Beckhams, Gerrad’s, Owen’s and Lampard’s but who played against them as if they were wearing the gold of the Brazillian team. Even as Israel handed them a life line they still conjured to mess up their chances of world domination. Good riddance to the Golden generation an FA spokesman had reportedly said. And so to the manager the “Golden” Ginger Steve McClaren.

Filed under: England, football, soccer, sports , football, sports

Middlesbrough’s Mido in the African Nations Cup against Senegal.

Egypts Mido reacts badly to being substituted, while his team is drawing against Senegal 1-1 in the 77th minute.

The coach Hassan Shehata stands his ground in his decision to replace the ineffectual Mido for striker Amr Zaki: “Why are you taking me off?” shouts Mido, to which Shehat replies “Because i am the coach” . Mido retorts back “You are nothing but a donkey”. 

As Hossam Hassan tries to calm Mido down and drag him away from the coach before fists are flown, on the pitch Mido’s replacement, Zaki scores the winner ensuring everyone whose side to stay on.

Mido is inevitably banned from international duty for six months by the Egyptian FA.

Filed under: Middlesbrough , football, sports

sorry readers

I apologise for the site being a bit barren at the moment. I had planned to write  something like at least an article a week,but because of 3rd year University work i have been too busy to write in goalpost online. After the 14th i should be back on track with important footballing issues such as commentary on England’s exit at the hands of Croatia out of Euro 2008, and Alex Fergusson’s best ever squad.

Till we meet again.

The Editor 

Filed under: England, football, soccer, sports , football, sports

Destiny is back in your hands: thank you Israel!

The England national team and especially Steve Mclaren must be forever indebted to Omar Golan, Elianiv Barda and the Israeli National football team. Though they had no chance of qualifying for Euro 2008, they were still up for a fight against Russia who were competing with England to guarantee a place in Austria and Switzerland. The score ended 2-1 to Israel and now McClaren’s job seems just a little bit more safer now. Now it is up to the England players to perform against Croatia, knowing that to geobtain the minimum of a draw, will put them in the driving seat ahead of Russia to make it to the finals.

I had found a picture of Ian Wright; that champion of English patriotism holding an Israeli football top in “the Sun”. It’s funny what football does to us sometimes…

Wheras Matt Scott of the Guardian is still baying for blood concerning Steve McClaren believing that he should be sacked after the Croatia match: “McClaren gets a second chance but he sure doesn’t deserve it.”

Filed under: England, football, soccer, sports , football, sports

“I love it when a plan comes together” : Liverpool 8-0 Besikstas

 

Payback-check. Self belief- check. A Champion’s League record win- check. In a short space of time we have witnessed two English clubs in the Champions league embarrass their opponents by a considerably high score: Manchester United 7-1 against AS Roma (April 2007),  and Arsenal 7-0 against Slavia Prague (October 2007). Liverpool have decided to enter into this fray by demolishing Besiktas 8-0 at Anfield on Tuesday night in one of Liverpool’s most accomplished performances under Rafa Benitez. Going into this game with only a point in Group A,  it seemed that Liverpool’s chances of progressing to the knock out stage, were slim. However with this record win in the Champions league, and Olympic Marseille being held to a draw with Porto, Liverpool are within three points of second placed Marseille.

I could imagine what Benitez said to his players before the game; probably something along the lines of “i want revenge, i want every outfield player to try and get a hat-trick aginst these Turkish Bastards!” Well this may not of been his actual words but part of his agenda was to lift them off the bottom of their group by going for an all out win and renweing a perceived loss of self belief. This was apparent from the get go, where every ball that was contested was one by a Liverpool player and they swarmed forward in great numbers. The Besiktas players never had any time to dwell on the ball and were often forced into mistakes, by the complete harrying of the midfield and front players. Indeed the first goal came when Edouard Cisse unintentionally played Crouch through with a tackle towards his goal. Forcing Hakaan Arikan to make the save, the Turkish keeper could only parry it back into the path of Crouch who made sure with his second shot. You could see the joy on Crouch’s face, and what with not getting the required amount of games for a footballer who is eager to play, thegoal undermined Benitez’s decision to put him at the bottom of the list in his striker rotation policy.

Though he was oushone by Yossi Benayoun who grabbed a hat trick, he did extremely well, and always looked dangerous, drawing defenders in and flicking balls this way and that for his fellow team mates to run onto. The Besiktas defence seemed to be scared of the Liverpool forward, and this was maybe because people of this lanky appearance are normally confined to the circus as some sort of freak show in their culture (relax i’m not Bernard Manning and i dont actually believe this). Nevertheless on many occasions they employed  three players to mark him, which in turn open up more space elsewhere on the field.

Other notable performances, came from Livepool’s right back of the day Arbeloa, who linked well with the midfield and  attacked venemously on the wing resembling some sort of unstoppable train. Aindry Voronin who partnered Crouch, also put in a great performance even if he did not manage to get his name on the score sheet. Similar to Crouch’s performance his dynamic movement and slick passing gave Besiktas all sorts of headaches.  Javier Marschrano gave a terrific holding midfield display, repaying Benitez’s faith in doing business with West Ham, and Steven Gerrad gave a characteristic performance that had been missing lately for Liverpool, with energy, skill and drive culminating in his goal, Liverpool’s sixth and best goal. Playing a one-two with Marscherano in midfield, he evaded one challenge to pass for Voronin who backheld the ball into Gerrad’s path to put clean through on goal and score with a stinging shot past Arikan.

The whole of the team performed brilliantly, and this drew up questions to why Benitez does not field this team for the majority of games. Every player performed his duties efficiently and the team gelled considerably working down the wings with such panache, that it confusing why Benitez had often gone for hitting the ball up long in previous games. Staying on the subject of wingers, Benayoun who had managed to score three goals managed to outshine all his team mates by scoring three goals. If possible, Benayoun may also answer England’s SOS call if he continues this form, when he captains his Israel side against Russia.

Filed under: Champions league, liverpool, soccer, sports , football, sports