Barclays Manager of the Month award goes to Mr Moneycini
Quite fitting really that Barclays bank sponsored award goes to Roberto Mancini for the Premier League manager of the month award for October. No taking away from Mancini’s work, you would expect wins over the likes of Wolves/Villa at home and Blackburn away, for the sheer size of investment made in the squad (+250 million pounds of spending by Mancini alone).
Taking a look at the table of EPL spending since 2006, and Man City are streets above anyone in the spending department.
Now, compare at the other end of the table, Newcastle United who have not only spent less than 1/5 of Man City, they’ve sold more than they’ve spent. Taking this into account, Newcastle’s record in October become even more remarkable and hence makes a strong argument why it should be Alan Pardew holding the award:
This was the run of fixtures where we “hadnt played anyone yet”. However, closer inspection will reveal each of these to be very much key games/results:
1. Wolves vs Newcastle; away at the slugfest that is the Molineux Stadium. 3 points massive. 2nd half team faded a bit, but 1st half total dominance and 2 goal lead.
2. Newcastle vs Spurs; the “1st test of season” for Newcastle. Fantastic flowing game, silencing the potent attack of Bale, Modric and VDV. At end of game nearly took the full 3 points. Tactically spot on by Pardew
3. Newcastle vs Wigan; Wigan gave Newcastle a run for their money and were by no means a role over. Late in the game substitution by Pardew of Shola Ameobi and HBA save the day.
4. Stoke City vs Newcastle; the anti-football team of football. Beaten only once in 2011 at the Britannia Stadium. Tactical masterstroke by Alan Pardew playing Stoke at their own game.
Well, Pardew may not have gotten “MOM” award, but perhaps some consolation can be taken from the LMA Manager of the Month:
Yes, would have been a hattrick of awards for Newcastle United related management if Pardew had won. Well done Chris Hughton and Lee Clark. However, the award has been in the past though to be cursed as winners go onto a terrible spell. Lets hoping that begins on the 19th November for Mancini.
P.S. Dont even get me started on Demba Ba for player of the month…
The weeks snowy football fixtures in review
So, not much happening in English football this weekend, especially in the Premier League. Here are some photos from the various event and games around the country:
Arsenal couldn’t get their snood supply through in time for the game
A young Blackburn fan thanks Sam Allardyce for his help in clearing the snow off the pitch before the game. Promoted from manager to groundskeeper by the Venkys
Roy Keane finally accepts that his dandruff problem is getting out of hand
“Who’s the bastard in the b… Hang on a minute?”
“Its called a ball, and you put it in their net”
“Ooh, too cold. Need two snoods”
“Which way is the goal?”
Do they have snoods for beer guts yet?
The real reason Man City lost today
Dear English Premier League / Fox Soccer…
Look I get it; you want to appeal to a global fan base with all that “the English Premier League is the greatest show in Earth” shtick. I understand really, I do. And to you Fox Soccer, you have been the love of my life since moving to the US of A. Every Saturday/Sunday, I’m able to roll my fat arse out of bed and now watch around 2-3 games, back-to-back in HD. I even stumped up cash for the Plus version this year, since the pubs in Miami don’t open as early as those do in New York City, where I lived before. And yes, I’m also grateful for all those games we were on in our season of purgatory in the Championship.
I totally get that you’re into making all these flashy intros to the games, to make it all seem like FIFA 11 and similar video games. I didn’t object too much when you had to Americanize it by fricking shortening it to “EPL” (English Premier League). Hell, it’s even useful for twitter and text messages that one. (However, right now abbreviating the “Barclays Premier League” wouldn’t be the best idea (hint; BP-L)). Thankfully though, Fox Soccer, you had the sense to drop all that “PK” (penalty kick) nonsense. That really got on my tits.
But what you’ve done with the intro this year, is too far for my liking (see also blog post “Fox Soccer: What the fuck have you done to the Angel of the North?). I presume Fox Soccer, you’re just regurgitating the video intro from whatever the Premier League uses for its overseas market. However, since you are broadcasting this, you’re getting it in the ear too. You have to know that sort of shit wouldn’t be tolerated in England.
Last year was a bit of a step away from the previous themes of (shots of the ever receding hairlines of Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs et al), with the “international view” of the English Premier League. In this version, we had a group of African kids running home to the TV, Middle Eastern dudes sitting around smiling and watching, and the token Asian kid in front of the TV; all of which was to reflect the global reach of the Premier League. Yeah, we got it; the Premier League is all cool and international now. Its not just for the beer-swilling oiks anymore; its a global, family franchise. However, you took away that great theme music that was reminiscent of some Wagner-inspired epic, and replaced it with some jingly nonsense.
But, its really this year that I have my bone to pick with you. (I’ll give you credit for using that cool Kasabian song for the theme instead of the jingly crap). I’ll give you my step by step critique:
We start with a bunch of English builders preparing for the day’s work. I must point out the inaccuracy of this; not one is leering or appears to be shouting at some random woman on the street.
Although not an entirely true depiction of English builders, the one thing right here a fair number are standing around with their hands in their pockets
In the London shots, we have the Arsenal flag hanging off the London Eye;
The London Eye was working just fine till some idiot put a flag up and got stuck in the spokes
Chelsea and Fulham hanging in the financial district from buildings. But the Spurs flag hanging of Big Ben? WTF. I haven’t been to England for a while, but didn’t realize that Harry Redknapp was elected to Prime Minister. No wonder England is in such a financial mess!
In a dramatic move to confuse the 4th official over extra time, Spurs block out Big Ben for home games
But all of this pales into insignificance compared to this travesty:
Which idiot thought to put the Sunderland flag on a Newcastle iconic statue? Yes, some pedants may point out that its strictly speaking in Gateshead, but its as iconic of Sunderland as politeness is to New York. Look, I know there’s nowt in Sunderland to hang their flag on apart from the Stadium of Shite, but couldn’t you have just got some random chavs to run through the streets with it? Oh, you did? Oh, and that’s how you lost it and hence the photoshopping.
However, that’s no excuse. Would you dream of sticking the Real Madrid and Barcelona symbols on a Catalan monument? I don’t think so. How about flying both the Red Sox and Yankees flags at Fenway? No, you wouldn’t would you.
Barca fans riot at the notion of a photoshopped image showing Real Madrid symbol hanging by the Sagrada Familia
Mind you, I don’t think Manchester City got off much better than us. Whereas Manchester United’s flag is hanging from the ultra-modern Beetham Tower in downtown Manchester, Manchester City flag is hanging from some fricking power lines. WTF? Couldn’t you just have stuck it on the other side of the building with the Manchester United one? What’s does this exactly depict? Pikeys drying their washing outside? Is that what you think of Manchester City fans? More appropriate would have been at least an oil rig or something like that.
“If you think I’m climbing up their to get your stupid Man City kite from those power lines, you can get fucked”
So in response, you’re not the only one who knows how to photoshop. If you insist to keep showing the Angel of the North, then this would be the correct depiction:
So next season if you want to do one of your new flashy intros, just show the players and stadium. And don’t even think about photoshopping that Sunderland flag onto the Tyne Bridge.
Update: @foxsoccer, I didn’t buy your excuse that “some fan” hung the Sunderland flag from the Angel of the North and you just used it as it was “a great shot”. That Sunderland fan wouldn’t have survived to pass the photo on.
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