Hello everyone.
Just thought I would let you know that I have created a new football blog. It's called Behind The Goal, and will feature news, views and opinions on the world of football throughout the season. Hopefully it will become a site you regularly visit and enjoy.
I'll still keep this blog as well for non-football pieces and for if I ever write any deep and meaningfuls.
Anyway, come and find me at behindthe-goal.blogspot.co.uk
Adam
Sunday, 12 August 2012
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Chelsea's Night in Barcelona
Last night I watched Chelsea reach the Champions League final with in my opinion one of the finest displays by an English team in Europe I have ever seen. Their first leg win was an impressive show of defensive resilience finished off with a killer counter-attacking goal, but they knew doing the same in Barcelona - they were never going to try to win any other way - would be something else.
I didn't give them much of a chance at kick-off, and losing Gary Cahill to injury, and John Terry to his stupid sending off either side of Barca's two goals seemed to spell the end for their hopes. Yet when Ramires stunned the home crowd with the away goal that put them in front in the tie, and then when Lionel Messi saw his penalty hit the bar, I started to sense that it could and then would be their night. I didn't necessarily think I wanted Chelsea to win before the game - I am not one of these fans that automatically roots for the English team in Europe - yet when Fernando Torres put the seal on the win, I couldn't have felt prouder of their efforts.
Sadly it came at a cost. Terry deserved his red card and deserves to miss the final, yet Branislav Ivanovic, Raul Meireles, and Ramires can all count themselves unlucky to all miss the Munich showpiece after picking up bookings at the Nou Camp. Some may say rules are rules, but personally I think accumulated yellow cards should be wiped clean at the semi-final stage to avoid final suspensions. The Champions League final is the biggest game in club football, and it seems a shame that we may see it played by under strength sides.
Roberto Di Matteo prepared for the game last night by making eight changes from the first leg for the Premier League draw at Arsenal last Saturday. That left Chelsea four points behind 4th-placed Newcastle with four games to go. I did think that 4th place represented their best chance of a return to the Champions League next season, but now I'm not so sure. They may be quite content to let the Premier League go if it means they can prepare for the final on the 19th May. I think they have every reason to believe that this year is finally the year they get their hands on the European Cup and get back in the Champions League not as one of England's top four, but as Europe's top one.
I didn't give them much of a chance at kick-off, and losing Gary Cahill to injury, and John Terry to his stupid sending off either side of Barca's two goals seemed to spell the end for their hopes. Yet when Ramires stunned the home crowd with the away goal that put them in front in the tie, and then when Lionel Messi saw his penalty hit the bar, I started to sense that it could and then would be their night. I didn't necessarily think I wanted Chelsea to win before the game - I am not one of these fans that automatically roots for the English team in Europe - yet when Fernando Torres put the seal on the win, I couldn't have felt prouder of their efforts.
Sadly it came at a cost. Terry deserved his red card and deserves to miss the final, yet Branislav Ivanovic, Raul Meireles, and Ramires can all count themselves unlucky to all miss the Munich showpiece after picking up bookings at the Nou Camp. Some may say rules are rules, but personally I think accumulated yellow cards should be wiped clean at the semi-final stage to avoid final suspensions. The Champions League final is the biggest game in club football, and it seems a shame that we may see it played by under strength sides.
Roberto Di Matteo prepared for the game last night by making eight changes from the first leg for the Premier League draw at Arsenal last Saturday. That left Chelsea four points behind 4th-placed Newcastle with four games to go. I did think that 4th place represented their best chance of a return to the Champions League next season, but now I'm not so sure. They may be quite content to let the Premier League go if it means they can prepare for the final on the 19th May. I think they have every reason to believe that this year is finally the year they get their hands on the European Cup and get back in the Champions League not as one of England's top four, but as Europe's top one.
Monday, 27 February 2012
The dreaded D-word
I play darts every week, not at an outstanding level, but I'd like to think I am competent enough. Yet, right now, I have never felt less confident about the state of my game.
For a number of years I have struggled to get my throw absolutely right, and I have persevered with different techniques and styles. But right now, I just can't get it right. There are times when I literally cannot get the darts out of my hand. I haven't wanted to use the dreaded D-word, for fear of it becoming an excuse for not playing well, but I really might have to come to terms that my problems are down to a bout of Dartitis.
When moving my arm back before the throw I am ok, then after that is where the problems start. Without being able to stop it, my shoulder will move itself up - to the point where my hand is almost above my head - then my hand does not want to let the dart go. Those that have seen my throw have commented on how snatchy and untidy it looks. Every single dart feels like a battle at the moment, and I feel myself really having to fight myself to get them in the board on target. Every now and then I still throw the odd 100 and 140, but it's not nearly as fluid as it should be, and I am tempted to think it is more luck than skill when I do come up with good scores or doubles.
I don't know about anyone else that may have had the same, but I feel like I am in a Catch-22. I don't want to practise because I know I won't throw very well if I do, and to be honest I am not sure I am enjoying it, yet if I don't practise at all, then my game will disappear completely and the problem will get worse.
Has anyone out there suffered from a similar crisis of confidence, and how did you get out of it? Are there any techniques to get a steady and smooth action back, or is it literally a case of just throw and hope it gets better? Or would a break from the game for a week or so be beneficial? Any help would be appreciated.
For a number of years I have struggled to get my throw absolutely right, and I have persevered with different techniques and styles. But right now, I just can't get it right. There are times when I literally cannot get the darts out of my hand. I haven't wanted to use the dreaded D-word, for fear of it becoming an excuse for not playing well, but I really might have to come to terms that my problems are down to a bout of Dartitis.
When moving my arm back before the throw I am ok, then after that is where the problems start. Without being able to stop it, my shoulder will move itself up - to the point where my hand is almost above my head - then my hand does not want to let the dart go. Those that have seen my throw have commented on how snatchy and untidy it looks. Every single dart feels like a battle at the moment, and I feel myself really having to fight myself to get them in the board on target. Every now and then I still throw the odd 100 and 140, but it's not nearly as fluid as it should be, and I am tempted to think it is more luck than skill when I do come up with good scores or doubles.
I don't know about anyone else that may have had the same, but I feel like I am in a Catch-22. I don't want to practise because I know I won't throw very well if I do, and to be honest I am not sure I am enjoying it, yet if I don't practise at all, then my game will disappear completely and the problem will get worse.
Has anyone out there suffered from a similar crisis of confidence, and how did you get out of it? Are there any techniques to get a steady and smooth action back, or is it literally a case of just throw and hope it gets better? Or would a break from the game for a week or so be beneficial? Any help would be appreciated.
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Valentine's Day sucks
Today is the 14th February, Valentine's Day. Or as I prefer to call it, Tuesday. Honestly, how has it become so big?
It is amazing how this day has sucked in, and continues to suck in, couples who think they have to spend money on one day to prove their love for each other. I always think that if you love someone that much, you can tell them any day of the year. I would like to think it means more when she isn't expecting it. I shouldn't have to be told to by the card companies and retailers who, lets face it, are desperate to make some money in that awkward time of the year between Christmas and Easter. They say it is the most romantic day of the year. Nonsense, if anything it is the least.
You may think that this blog - some may want to call it a rant - screams of jealousy on my part due to the fact that I am single, but far from it. I don't think so anyway. Those that know me know that my relationship history isn't the greatest, in fact the last time I had a girlfriend on the 14th February was four years ago - don't ask how that went - and even then I was uncomfortable at the idea of having to splash out on a gift, a meal and a bottle of Pinot Grigio. I would like to think I had enough about me to be able to do that any time of the year, although maybe my discomfort at having to spend some money was the reason she finished with me, haha.
Nothing against those couples who are spending tonight in each other's company, but don't rub it in to the grumpy old singletons amongst us. Besides, I have got plans of my own tonight, I have gone and booked a table at my favourite venue. Now, where did I leave my Snooker cue?
It is amazing how this day has sucked in, and continues to suck in, couples who think they have to spend money on one day to prove their love for each other. I always think that if you love someone that much, you can tell them any day of the year. I would like to think it means more when she isn't expecting it. I shouldn't have to be told to by the card companies and retailers who, lets face it, are desperate to make some money in that awkward time of the year between Christmas and Easter. They say it is the most romantic day of the year. Nonsense, if anything it is the least.
You may think that this blog - some may want to call it a rant - screams of jealousy on my part due to the fact that I am single, but far from it. I don't think so anyway. Those that know me know that my relationship history isn't the greatest, in fact the last time I had a girlfriend on the 14th February was four years ago - don't ask how that went - and even then I was uncomfortable at the idea of having to splash out on a gift, a meal and a bottle of Pinot Grigio. I would like to think I had enough about me to be able to do that any time of the year, although maybe my discomfort at having to spend some money was the reason she finished with me, haha.
Nothing against those couples who are spending tonight in each other's company, but don't rub it in to the grumpy old singletons amongst us. Besides, I have got plans of my own tonight, I have gone and booked a table at my favourite venue. Now, where did I leave my Snooker cue?
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
The PDC World Championship: My Men of the Tournament.
The Ladbrokes World Darts Championship reached its conclusion on Monday night, and will be remembered for being probably the best tournament ever staged in the 19-year history of the event. There of course could only be one winner, that man being Adrian Lewis, who etched his name further into the game's history books, but there were many more players for which the tournament was a success.
Andy Hamilton’s run to the final was helped in no small part by his belief, will to win, and simply the fact that he is one of the most difficult players on the circuit to finish off. Antonio Alcinas could have had him in the first round, Vincent van der Voort could have put him out in the second, and Simon Whitlock probably should have won their semi-final, but Hamilton is one of the most tenacious guys out there, and only he decides when the game is over. In all honesty, the final was a game too far, but £100,000, a rise to 7th in the Order of Merit, and a place in the Premier League is a decent consolation for a player who nearly didn’t qualify for the Matchplay last summer. Then he looked like a player whose best days were behind him, but how wrong some of us were.
John Part proved once again that class is permanent with a run to the quarter-finals that had the fans reminiscing of times gone by when he really was the man to beat. Part is a master of the set format, and the match against James Wade went a long way to proving it. Few players down the years have won as many match-defining legs as the Canadian has – his 2008 title win was built around how many sets he won on 5th legs – and it only took a sudden death leg to defeat him. He is back up to 24th in the Order of Merit, but most importantly we learned that he has his hunger back for the big matches that are hopefully still to come in his career, that’s if he ever lost it, of course.
Before the World Championship, few had really heard much about Kim Huybrechts. Fair enough, he has had a couple of decent results before - he had reached a European Championship quarter-final - but he was hardly a household name. We all took notice however after he put out Grand Prix finalist Brendan Dolan in the first round. To be fair, Dolan didn't turn up, but Huybrechts put in a mature performance on his Alexandra Palace debut. The London crowd had a new name to look out for and cheer for, and that was before they were introduced to his girlfriend Dana! She unwittingly played more of a part in her man's victory over Paul Nicholson in the third round, after The Asset blamed Sky for giving her too much airtime, which led to a surge in crowd activity on his key throws. In all honesty, that took away from another brilliant win from the Belgian, who in a couple of years could be one of the really big players in the PDC.
The last word has to go to the champion though. Adrian Lewis retained the title, becoming only the third man in the sport’s history, after Eric Bristow and Raymond van Barneveld to successfully defend his first World Championship. There were a number of occasions on which he looked vulnerable, not least in the first round, when two sets behind Nigel Heydon, but champions manage to find an extra gear, and he managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. He looked in real trouble against James Wade in the semi-final, and very few players would have been capable of winning five successive sets – which included all of the final ten legs of the match – to win a sensational encounter 6-5. His missed double 12 for the 9-darter in the final was probably the only thing missing from a job very well done.
The line-up for the 2012 Premier League has been announced as I write. The top 4 in the Order of Merit - Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis, James Wade, Gary Anderson - are joined by wild card selections Raymond van Barneveld, Simon Whitlock, Andy Hamilton and Kevin Painter. After that, the real tournament action begins, where the Hamiltons and Huybrechts of this world will look to build on the very firm foundations they now have following a brilliant World Championship.
Andy Hamilton’s run to the final was helped in no small part by his belief, will to win, and simply the fact that he is one of the most difficult players on the circuit to finish off. Antonio Alcinas could have had him in the first round, Vincent van der Voort could have put him out in the second, and Simon Whitlock probably should have won their semi-final, but Hamilton is one of the most tenacious guys out there, and only he decides when the game is over. In all honesty, the final was a game too far, but £100,000, a rise to 7th in the Order of Merit, and a place in the Premier League is a decent consolation for a player who nearly didn’t qualify for the Matchplay last summer. Then he looked like a player whose best days were behind him, but how wrong some of us were.
John Part proved once again that class is permanent with a run to the quarter-finals that had the fans reminiscing of times gone by when he really was the man to beat. Part is a master of the set format, and the match against James Wade went a long way to proving it. Few players down the years have won as many match-defining legs as the Canadian has – his 2008 title win was built around how many sets he won on 5th legs – and it only took a sudden death leg to defeat him. He is back up to 24th in the Order of Merit, but most importantly we learned that he has his hunger back for the big matches that are hopefully still to come in his career, that’s if he ever lost it, of course.
Simon Whitlock’s broken left ankle kept him out of the Grand Slam and the Players Championship finals, and there were doubts over whether he would be in any fit state to compete at the Worlds. So much so, that bookmakers suspended betting on his first round tie with Dennis Smith, for fear of either an upset or a withdrawal. They needn’t have worried. A near flawless showing with a 105 average meant that the beard really had to be feared. Few expected him to beat Gary Anderson in the quarter-finals, least of all in the devastating fashion in which he did, but he proved that he was just as dangerous is two years before, where he reached the final. Only a spirited Hamilton revival denied him a second crack at the title, but I think he would have taken a last-four place three weeks ago.
Before the World Championship, few had really heard much about Kim Huybrechts. Fair enough, he has had a couple of decent results before - he had reached a European Championship quarter-final - but he was hardly a household name. We all took notice however after he put out Grand Prix finalist Brendan Dolan in the first round. To be fair, Dolan didn't turn up, but Huybrechts put in a mature performance on his Alexandra Palace debut. The London crowd had a new name to look out for and cheer for, and that was before they were introduced to his girlfriend Dana! She unwittingly played more of a part in her man's victory over Paul Nicholson in the third round, after The Asset blamed Sky for giving her too much airtime, which led to a surge in crowd activity on his key throws. In all honesty, that took away from another brilliant win from the Belgian, who in a couple of years could be one of the really big players in the PDC.
The last word has to go to the champion though. Adrian Lewis retained the title, becoming only the third man in the sport’s history, after Eric Bristow and Raymond van Barneveld to successfully defend his first World Championship. There were a number of occasions on which he looked vulnerable, not least in the first round, when two sets behind Nigel Heydon, but champions manage to find an extra gear, and he managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. He looked in real trouble against James Wade in the semi-final, and very few players would have been capable of winning five successive sets – which included all of the final ten legs of the match – to win a sensational encounter 6-5. His missed double 12 for the 9-darter in the final was probably the only thing missing from a job very well done.
The line-up for the 2012 Premier League has been announced as I write. The top 4 in the Order of Merit - Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis, James Wade, Gary Anderson - are joined by wild card selections Raymond van Barneveld, Simon Whitlock, Andy Hamilton and Kevin Painter. After that, the real tournament action begins, where the Hamiltons and Huybrechts of this world will look to build on the very firm foundations they now have following a brilliant World Championship.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)