Didier Drogba, that’s who! Check it out beeyatches… the Ivorian is on the cover of Time Magazine. Not a great honor, since Time is a shit magazine… but still its something notable. Quick… name a Newcastle United player that’s been on a magazine? Wait… I can’t even NAME a player on Newcastle United.
Clue: He's wearing yellow!
The selection of Rooney ahead of the great performances of Drogba, Fabregas, and Tevez speaks a lot about the type of season the United striker really had. I happen to think the voting was pretty easy, and this selection didn’t really come as a surprise to me. But honestly, was it a surprise to you?
The pressure heaped upon Rooney this season with the task of filling the boots left by Ronaldo, while continuing to fill his own very large boots seemed to be an impossible task.
He did it.
This is the first step to FIFA player of the year. You think I’m crazy? Don’t be too surprised to see his name lead the list of candidates, especially if this type of performance continues through the summer.
Thank you Wayne.
Newcastle United clinched promotion a few weeks ago but the question on my mind as well as many other fellow supporters {Shawn…we did it my friend} was: Will Newcastle stroll back to the Premier League in second place or will they finish out the Championship season as champions? That question was answered on Monday the 19th when the Magpies defeated Plymouth Argyle 2-0 and secured the League Championship title.
Chris Hughton will lead the club next Monday the 19th for their last home match against 13th place Ipswich Town and attempt to complete an undefeated home record. Our current record is 29 wins, 11 draws, and 4 losses giving us a total of 98 points with 2 matches remaining. With a record like this even a Chelsea fan has to admit that NEWCASTLE UNITED ARE ROLLING BACK TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE IN STYLE!
What better time than now to cover one of the best English phrases used in football – derby. In America this type of match is labeled a “rivalry” which is an equally powerful description. Growing up with the term rivalry, I have learned to really understand what this phrase encompasses; however, the history of the term derby includes so much more than just a sporting rivalry.
These local derbies are created for many reasons. It could be a social split (Liverpool/Everton), it could be political (Celtic/Rangers – Old Firm), but usually it is just plain old location. Having grown up in a country where the “main” rival of one team can be more than 3000 miles away, “derby” takes on greater meaning. In America, even if your rival is in the same state it can be hundreds of miles away. With a derby, usually called a “local” derby, your rival is across the street. Literally.
Manchester Derby – Old Trafford is 3.99 miles from the City of Manchester Stadium.
Merseyside Derby – Anfield is 0.5 miles from Goodison Park.
West London Derby – Stamford Bridge is 1.39 miles from Craven Cottage
North London Derby – Emirates Stadium is 3.81 miles from White Hart Lane
Birmingham Derby – Villa Park is 3.17 miles from St. Andrews
Tyne-Wear Derby – St. James Park is 43.71 miles from The Riverside (not Newcastle’s fault, they are in the middle of nowhere to be honest)
The fans of these clubs work together, play together, and live together every single day. I have no idea how they do it. I have a disgust for Manchester City fans and I’m thousands of miles away.
One last thing, we pulled the double on Man City! Two victories at the death! Glory, glory, Man United! I’m glad I got that off my chest. On to the title!
Sir Alex was looking for a response to the bitter Champions League exit with a victory at Ewood. He reached deep into his bag (because that is where all good managers keep their inspiration) and pulled out a gem of a line up (sarcasm). I am not one to question Sir Alex, and I’m sure that the shake up in the starting 11 was designed to give the team a boost, but it appears that the pills at the bottom of his coaching bag were not inspiration but rather desperation.
I don’t think playing Blackburn at Ewood offers an opportunity to really shake things up. Blackburn is fairly consistent at home, raking in most of their points in these fixtures, so now is not the time to start handing out rest or debuts. O’Shea in for Evra, not something I would have done. Handing Macheda his debut, not something I would have done. Scholes and Giggs anchoring the middle, questionable.
The lackluster play summed up our worst fears, and those changes proved costly. That and the play of Berbatov, in fact Berbatov spent most of his energy complaining and waving his arms in disgust with what his teammates. I think if he put the same amount of energy into his shot, he would have equalized at Chelsea, and gave us the vital goal at Ewood.
I think the fans are the ones with the losing hangover.
Breaking News!!! Aston Villa has had a change in the owners box, which now belongs to… Chelsea. After a 3-0 victory at Wembley Stadium to advance to the FA Cup Finals it is clear that Chelsea FC is in charge against the Villains. Aggregate score for the last 2 weeks? 10-1 Chelsea.
If we don’t own them, I don’t know who does.
But not at the precise moment you may think. I do hate Robben with a passion. It may be due to his association with Chelsea, but there is something about his smug face, little boy voice, and amazingly horrible goal scoring celebrations (nice face) that just makes it burn.
But it wasn’t his wonder strike that caused me heart ache. It was the act of the young tough-nosed defender, Rafael. I have grown to love this lad. He plays with dedication, energy, spirit and most of all passion. A passion that sometimes runneth over. The 52nd minute second bookable offense by this lad turned the game from a tense but positive affair into a nail-biting, strategic, defensive stand for United. And with more than a half-hour to go, the task was going to be next to impossible. And in the end it was.
I am proud of my Red Devils and the display that they put on tonight. They played with heart and a belief that they are the best in the world. Up 3-0 after 41 minutes seemed to solidify that belief. But that is football. I will not blame the loss (on aggregate) squarely on the shoulders of this young man. It was written on his face as he walked toward the Stretford End. I want players with that type of passion named in the starting lineup. As a fan you must take the good with the bad, as well as the misplaced passion. He only wanted to win that bad. And so did I.
While we folk who embrace the meaning behind Easter celebrate the raising of our Lord this Sunday in defeat of The Devil, many of us are also inclined to celebrate the non-raising of the flag at Old Trafford for Didier Drogba’s offside goal score to defeat The Red Devils.
Chelsea took down the Mighty Man U for the 3rd time this season (wowie kazowie!) 2-1, to go top of table with a two point lead over the Rooney-less Reds. Not only that, but Dave (soon to be Arsenal correspondent for the Thugs) gave me a Chelsea jersey from a couple seasons ago as a sacrifice to be let into the group. Thank you Dave… I look awesome in it. But how can you not in a Chelsea jersey!
Just imagine a 6'2" chiseled Adonis wearing this and you will get the mental picture of what I look like
5 games left… let’s do this Blues!!!
Andy
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Shawn M.L.
Sean
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