Author: Liam_Richner

Graduated from Southampton Solent University with an Upper Second (2:1) in Sports Journalism. Contact- Email: liamrichner@googlemail.com.

Champions League Woes Continue For English Football

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Football evolves, that’s just how the game is. The UEFA Champions League returned to our screens and for British football fans, it seems that English football has become second fiddle to other countries around the continent. Personally, I believe we have been brainwashed commercially with the Premier League being branded as the “best league in the world”- and we are now in fact behind the Bundesliga of Germany and La Liga of Spain.

It took 278 minutes for an English team to score, as Chelsea secured a respectable 1-1 draw in Istanbul against Galatasaray. Before that however, Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United all failed to find the net and all lost 2-0 with tough jobs to do in their second legs. The shift of power of football is changing, as City lost to Barcelona and Arsenal lost to Bayern Munich, two of the top four teams in Europe in my opinion with Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid the other two teams.

Think back to 2008, three English clubs reached the semi-finals of the competition. In just 6 years, it seems Premier League clubs are struggling to even reach the quarters. Why is this? How can the tide turn and power shift so dramatically in such a short space of time?

I think it’s down to three factors; Philosophy, Generation and Money. The Spanish have controlled world football since 2008, and this is because of the enforced philosophy put on young players as they progress through the youth ranks. Barcelona implemented this philosophy too and the reward was constant appearances in semi-finals of the Champions League, winning it in 2009 and 2011.

The Germans have had footballing rejuvenation. The current players are al relatively young, especially at Borussia Dortmund. They and Bayern Munich are full of young international players who pretty much spend the whole season together both domestically and internationally which only has benefits. Bayern have become the best team in the world with outrageous fire power going forward and a steady defence.

Madrid have money to burn. After splashing £86 million in the purchase of Gareth Bale; and the employment of Cristiano Ronaldo, who to me is the world’s greatest player makes them a dangerous team. Add Benzema and Di Maria to the mix and you have a lot of attacking menace. Arguably, you could consider PSG as a team who have the money to construct a world class team that on their day can defeat our English elite.

So how can the English teams improve? I think we need more home grown coaches to take on the challenge. We allow too many foreign coaches come in and imply their philosophies, causing havoc to us internationally. People may disagree with me after watching David Moyes’ slow start at Manchester United but look at Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool, he has got them playing some fantastic football. Also, a winter break in my eyes is needed. Yes it may create more midweek fixtures pre and post-Christmas, but other countries have a break and that gives their teams a fresh impotence on the second half of the season as well as international tournaments in summer such as this year’s World Cup in Brazil.

So for English football fans, I think it’s time to stop piling pressure on the English teams to do well and just accept that at the moment, we are second best to other country’s top teams.

Six Nations Opening 2 weeks Summary

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Hard hits, muddy pitches and shear entertainment. The Six Nations is back, and this year looks the tightest competition in history. We have had two rounds of fixtures and Ireland are the early pacesetters with two comprehensive wins followed closely by France.

The team in green have dispatched Scotland and defending champions Wales at the Aviva Stadium, and may have become the favourites in the bookies for the championship. However with matches against England and France still to come, the Irish can’t take their foot off the gas.

I always believed the French were going to be dark horses in this competition this year. After a disastrous Six Nations campaign in 2013- one in which they finished in last place- the team would be looking to bounce back with a serious title winning bid. Like Ireland, the team have won their opening two games, including a crucial last minute victory over England. But again, France have played in Paris for both fixtures they have fun, and they have to come across the channel to play in Cardiff and Dublin.

For England and Wales, it is a bit of catching up to do. A heartbreaking defeat in Paris was followed last Saturday by an excellent performance at Murrayfield where England won 20-0. England need to beat both Ireland and Wales to come out in 1st place in the Championship and we all know that will be a huge challenge for Lancaster and his men.

The Welsh are in the exact same position. The defending champions have been below par in my opinion. They only just put Italy to the sword in their opening fixture before being annihilated by the Irish. They will have to beat France and England, making the game at Twickenham massive as the losers can say goodbye to their title challenge.

The Scottish and the Italians find themselves both pointless, and bottom of the pile. It seems like these two nations will be fighting it out to avoid the ‘wooden spoon’.

So, who do you think will win the Six Nations? Why not comment below or tweet me at @leeham1996 or Facebook at Liam ‘leeham’ Richner

Sochi Preparations show Putin’s Obsensence with Being the Best and How That Has Affected the Russian People

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It’s only a few days to go until Sochi hosts the Winter Olympics and Russia is gearing up for the whole world to take part and watch the sporting extravaganza in their country. But are these Winter Olympics hiding a dirty secret? After reading John Sweeney’s article in yesterday’s Independent and watching his Panorama on BBC One, it seems Vladimir Putin and his government have invested billions into Sochi which has raised more and more problems as the construction and preparation of the games nears an end.

These will be the most expensive Winter Games ever with Sochi’s budget being around a total of £12 billion. The games are being staged in two parts of Sochi; up in the mountains and in a tropical area near the black sea. Stadiums have been constructed and a new ski jump built although due to landslides the jump wasn’t finished for an extra two years. The hotels for the competitors and fans have also needed to have been built but none of that compares to what Putin has invested in most for these games. A train which links Sochi to the mountains has cost a region of around £8 billion; an outrageous sum of money. So why has Putin invested so heavily in the Winter Olympics? Well the answer to that is simple. He wants it to be memorable. It certainly is that, but that’s not going to be just because of the inevitable sporting triumphs that will occur in the next few weeks. It’s because of the huge budget and economics of the games alongside other key factors.

Socially, these games have caused worry, anxiety and unease with a majority. The Mayor of Sochi has declared along with President Putin that all are welcome to the games including Journalists and homophobic supporters/competitors. But if you watched the panorama last night, you would have seen Sweeney being stopped from visiting the local village by the police and refused access to the village due to the fact they felt the paperwork portrayed to them was not enough evidence to let the BBC through. The Mayor also believes no gay people live in Sochi although there must be a good few Gay Bar’s around the city; again Sweeney visited one of these in the Panorama. Gays and lesbians travelling to Sochi are worried about how they are going to be treated in Russia as many gay rights campaigners have been arrested by Police.

Furthermore, the people of Sochi feel cheated by the Russian overlords. Construction workers haven’t been paid for the building of the stadiums, power cuts have caused problems for families and others and also the local villagers who eventually spoke to Sweeney told him that they are suffering because of the landslides that have ruined their homes, the government refuse to help these people until after the games.

What comes into your head when I say ‘Moon Glade’? I would have said secret operation or something. This is actually a so called ‘country home’ for the President in the mountains which he adores. It has led to other leaders proposing to build their own homes up there which has raised opposition from locals. It would suck out the power from cities in order to enable electricity to run up in the mountains leaving many in candlelight.

Conspiracy is something that comes up a lot when people discuss Russia. There have been a good few cases leading up to the games. One Russian journalist seemed to have been framed to have had cocaine in his car by the Police to stop him investigating against them. Also, apparently some of the money from the Sochi preparations has somehow vanished. Putin? Maybe. But we won’t find out until Putin eventually leaves office.

All these problems have had people worry for what will happen when the Olympic circus leaves town and the people of Sochi are left with a train to the mountains and stadiums which take up most of the power in the city to operate? It doesn’t look like a pretty picture to me.

Also it is only four years until Russia hosts another leading sports competition in the World Cup. How will that differ from the Winter Games? Russian journalists claim it won’t change- the same processes that have occurred in the lead up to next week’s games will be seen in 2018, making it a bleak future for the Russian community, although the world cup will occur in 11 cities rather than just the one this time.

Don’t take this as if I’m not looking forward to the games. I for one cannot wait. I love the bobsleigh, the downhill skiing and the skeleton run. Many will enjoy watching the worlds finest go for gold but this will act as a distraction to the goings on behind the scenes in what have perhaps been the most controversial build up and preparation to a Winter Games in history.

Catch John Sweeney’s BBC Panorama ‘Putin’s Games’ on iPlayer now, it’s an interesting watch and it opens our eyes onto the real power that Vladimir Putin possesses.

Watch Out! New Swiss Prodigy About (Australian Open Review)

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I may seem weird in saying this, but I think the best sporting events occur down under. Australia has hosted some world class sport for a good few years now. From the Australian GP in Formula One, to the Big Bash League in Cricket. But for the last couple of weeks the focus has been on the first Grand Slam of the tennis season, the Australian Open, and the quality as I mentioned before hasn’t hindered at all.

It’s tough to write about something I have only seen glimpses of. Due to the time difference between the UK and Australia- It has been challenging to see a lot of the tennis, with other things such as College and work also proving obstacles to observe and admire the spectacle. But here is what I have managed to pick out as some of my highlights of the tournament.

MELTING POINT: It truly is the summer season down under. The first week of the tournament saw temperatures reach a staggering 40 degrees, and it affected many of the players out on court. Officials deemed the first couple of days playable and players complained that the heat was just unbearable. Water bottles were even seen melting due to the intensity of the sun. Eventually the officials gave in, and the players were allowed breaks to cool down. I personally have neither seen anything quite like that and it made the tournament more exciting to watch.

EARLY EXITS:  Every Grand Slam sees a potential winner get knocked out early in the competition. This year was no exception. Women’s number one Serena Williams was knocked out in round four by Ana Ivanovic, a result which produced a huge shockwave in the women’s game, as Serena was seen as an unbeatable machine after a dominant 2013 campaign. Victoria Azarenka- two time champion of this tournament- was beaten in the quarter-finals by Agnieszka Radwanska. In the men’s draw, a tough half of the draw saw many of the top players face each other early. Jo-Wilfred Tsonga was knocked out in round four by Roger Federer. The biggest surprise from the men’s draw was defending champion Novak Djockovic being knocked out by Stanislas Wawrinka in the quarter-finals. The Serbian and world number two played out a gruelling match with the Swiss Wawrinka and it was the latter who took the spoils.

A RESURGENT FEDERER: We saw it with Andy Murray and Evan Lendl, and now we are seeing a similar effect with Roger Federer and Stefan Edberg. The legendary Swiss has been revitalised and is playing world class tennis just like the Federer of a few years ago. He has outplayed all his opponents so far, including Andy Murray in the quarter finals. It seems like the old Roger is back and this will bring back a certain nervousness and fear to any of his opponents.

GOOD TOURNAMENT FOR ANDY MURRAY: If you told me beforehand that Andy would make the last 8 of the Australian Open I would have laughed. This was a comeback tournament for the scot and reigning Wimbledon Champion. He has played rather well since returning from his back operation and I feared the third round match against Lopez would have been the one which he struggled in. Murray can build from this and fans can believe he will be in serious contention to win Wimbledon again this summer and hopefully good performances in the French and US Opens respectively.

A NEW CHAMPION: The sport has been dominated by the so called ‘big 4’ in Djokovic, Federer, Nadal and Murray. Only Del Potro in 2008 managed to break into the field of Grand Slam winners when he won the US Open. But this year saw a new man lift a grand slam trophy as Stanislas Wawrinka came of age and became only the six player to win one of the four Tennis Majors since 2006.  On his way to glory he dispatched Novak Djokovic, the three-time and defending champion in the Quarter-Finals and then defeated Rafa Nadal in four sets in today’s final.

Australia has produced another blockbuster tournament and I can’t wait for the next big event in March, with the return of the Formula One in Melbourne. For you Tennis fans, it is a few months until the next Grand Slam in Paris, and hopefully it will live up to the hype of this one.

What was your favourite moment from this year’s Australian Open? Do you agree that Australia hosts the best sporting events? What do you make of Andy Murrays’ chances in the rest of this year’s Grand Slams?

HAVE YOUR SAY by commenting below, Tweeting me at @leeham1996 or Facebook at Liam ‘leeham’ Richner.

Profits or Football? Southampton’s Future All In The Hands Of One Lady…

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For the past 72 hours, I’d have hated to have been a Southampton fan. It must have left some fans leaking tears after hearing the rumours that Chairman Nicola Cortese was looking to quit the club, which left many doubting if current manager Mauricio Pochettino would remain in charge. Also rumours also spread that owner Katharina Liebherr may sell the club onto new buyers.

Then yesterday, I heard the news Cortese had indeed resign as Southampton FC chairman, and this really had me feeling sympathy for the Saints fans. It is quite weird for me to say that about Southampton- south-coast rivals with my club, Brighton and Hove Albion. But to see a team move on leaps and bounds in the past few years under the guidance of Cortese, it was going to be difficult for the club to find a successor of the same calibre.

Whilst tucked up in bed yesterday evening listening to Talksport, I found out that the owner herself would take over as Chairman. This confused me quite a bit. She has no clue what it takes to be a chairman of a football club in my eyes. Also on the show, I listened to a co-presenter for the Southampton podcast and it was a fascinating listen. He said the majority of the fans were “concerned” due to the fact they had “no idea which way the club was heading”. He mentioned teams like Hull City and Cardiff who went to the highest bidders when they were up for sale and look how that’s turned out- fans angered about managerial sackings and colour changes at Cardiff, and team name changes at Hull.

Today the media was primarily focused (as was I) on Pochettino, would he stay or would he go? The answer given today was a promising one. He claimed he was focused on staying and completing the ambitions of the club. Also he was adamant no players would be sold. Southampton fans, you can relax a bit more now. Since Pochettino took over from Nigel Adkins, a change which at the time sprung as a confusing decision by Cortese, he has guided the team to ninth in the table at present after finishing fourteenth last term. He has the team playing some lovely football too. Confident passing and lovely link up play offensively, its typically Argentinean philosophy.

The players themselves would have been the next thing. Players like Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert are all key to the success down at St.Marys. If the owner was looking to sell on the club, she may cash in on the key players to make the most profit out of the club before she moved on. That makes the next few weeks crucial for Southampton Football Club. If the players stay and Liebherr commits to the club, things may still look on the bright side for the team. However, if she cashes in and then sells off the south coast club, things may look downhill.

Back when Cortese joined as Chairman of Southampton, they were struggling financially. The team were in League One, and had been deducted 10 points at the start of the campaign for administration regulations. He had an aspiration that Southampton would one day become a Champions League team. Since then, the team under Alan Pardew, Nigel Adkins and Mauricio Pochettino, have just been going up and up and up. Back-to-back promotions and then surviving their return to the top flight has recently had fans truly dreaming of the biggest continental competition being played at St.Marys. These aspirations and dreams looked like they could’ve happened at the start of the season when Southampton were sitting third in the table looking like a top side.

Southampton Football club ultimately will either rise or fall, depending on the actions now of Chairwoman and owner Kristina Liebherr. She is the lady holding all the cards towards Southampton’s success, or failure.

What do you think will happen? Will she sell? Will she stay? Where do you see Southampton finishing this season? Why not comment below what you think or alternatively tweet me at @leeham1996 or facebook me at Liam ‘leeham’ Richner.

Mind Games… Mentality in Sport- The Crucial Element for Success

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Mentality is the fine line between success and failure in whatever sport you play. It can lead a player to victory or defeat. The mind is the hardest thing to control when things are or aren’t going your way, and we have seen many examples of this over the festive period just gone and also many in the past few years. Here are just a few examples of how mentality has affected a team/player or match.

PDC World Darts Championship- Alexandra Palace, 1st January 2014.

Michael Van Gerwen vs. Peter Wright

I love watching this over the holidays, the atmosphere, the quality of the darts and the entertainment that comes with the spectacle just thrills me, and this year the final was one to really admire. Michael Van Gerwen came out on top 7-4 against Peter Wright, but it wasn’t so straight forward as it seemed after four sets. MVG stormed into the 4-0 lead, leaving Wright powerless and the nation stunned. But this is where the mentality factor came in. I think it was a mixture of not giving in by Wright and complacency by Van Gerwen. Before you knew it, it was 4-2 and then 6-4. Wright missed a crucial double to make it 6-5 and that mistake allowed MVG to cross the finishing line and take home the title of “World Champion”. But the fighting spirit produced by ‘Snakebite’ Wright was admired and perhaps he earned the title of “People’s Champ”.

2013/14 Ashes Test Series- Australia

Australia vs. England

Well… what can I say that hasn’t been said already? Embarrassing, disappointing, not good enough. The England team were whitewashed 5-0 by an Australian team that in my eyes, aren’t still as strong as they can be, we just weren’t at the races. Yes, credit to the Australian bowlers, they were tremendous, especially Mitchell Johnson, but in that final test, the mentality of the England team was all over the shop, being bowled out in just 32 overs.  Alistair Cook in particular looked mindless, and he must review his performance and make a judgment on his future career as England Captain. Trott leaving after the first test and the shocking retirement of Graeme Swann didn’t help the tour side either, it’s going to be tough to bounce back from this for everyone involved with England Cricket.

Uefa Champions League Final- Istanbul, Turkey-2005

AC Milan vs. Liverpool

This has to be one of the best moments for not just Liverpool fans but British fans of football and the Champions League. 3-0 down at half time against the Italian giants, Liverpool must have felt down and out of the contest. However, it was completely the opposite. Rafa Benitez and his team showed their spirit and mentality to go out and win the match in that second half; again it can be argued Milan may have been complacent, their mind telling them the trophy was won in the opening 45 minutes. 3 goals from Gerrard, Spicer and Alonso followed by some goalkeeping heroics from Dudek, Liverpool came back to win the Champions League on penalties. This was a huge achievement for both Liverpool and for Britain; who from then on became the dominant force in the competition for the next few years.

Olympic Tennis Singles Men Final- SW19, London- 2012

Andy Murray vs. Roger Federer

2012 was tough for Andy Murray; a Wimbledon final defeat against Roger Federer had me worrying about how he would respond.  What he produced though was outstanding. From the tears when he delivered his runner up speech to today, where he has become a legend in the game. It all started on that warm day in August when the Scot defeated Federer in the Olympic final.  He has since won a Wimbledon title and risen up to number two in the World. This is due to the mentality he had which was that he wouldn’t give up from that defeat in 2012, in fact it would be his springboard to success, it drove him even more to go one better in 2013, and that’s what he achieved.

So what’s your greatest sporting moment in which a player’s mentality has helped or hindered them? Was it one of the above or another moment? Why not tweet me at @leeham1996 or Facebook me at Liam ‘leeham’ Richner with your choice?  Look forward to hearing from you

YOUR FIRED!!!! But was That The Right Call?

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I had just finished watching the highlights of Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Crystal Palace on Game of the Day on Sky Sports. Then the presenter broke the news. Steve Clarke had been sacked by West Bromwich Albion after four successive defeats. Straight away I told my brother who was sat beside me “What have West Brom done?” he replied, “Got themselves into more of a relegation fight that’s what.” And I had to completely agree.

Steve Clarke was a favourite of mine, not just because he managed West Brom to their best Premier League finish in their history last season (8th) but because he was genuinely a lovely man who loved the game. He had progressed up from being a no.2, and he has shown off his potentials and credentials at the Hawthorns so I don’t think he will be out of work for too long.

I fear for West Brom now. I don’t know if they will be able to replicate or even exceed their achievements last season without Clarke. Roberto Di Matteo is the early bookmaker’s favourite to take the job on and make a return to the Hawthorns where he was in charge between 2009-2011. He did do a marvellous job at his previous club Chelsea but he hasn’t got the same world class squad that he had at Stamford Bridge. Will he or whoever takes charge be able to win over a squad who are clearly in discontent with the club’s owners after the sacking of Clarke? Only time will tell.

Fast forward to Monday Lunchtime and I was making my way to history at college and casually decided to look up my Sky Sports Football app on my IPod. Breaking news it read… Andre Villas-Boas has been sacked by Tottenham Hotspur. Finally. The Portuguese manager has, unlike Clarke, turned Tottenham into a laughing stock in the previous few weeks. A 6-0 demolition at Manchester City followed a few weeks later by a 5-0 home defeat to Liverpool on Sunday marked the end for AVB. For a team who let’s not forget splashed out around £110 million in the summer, sitting mid-table is simply not enough.

The Tottenham job is always an exciting job to take. However the new guy who comes in needs to find a system and a core in the side for them to exceed. The new players have been at the club 6 months or so now and have begun to adapt to the English game and are obviously struggling. Personally I would drop Roberto Soldado and stick Jermain Defoe on because he seems to always find a goal in a game. Also, I would always stick Sandro in front of Paulinho any day. Perhaps the system needs changing from this 4-2-3-1 that AVB seemed to be playing week in, week out. Names like Fabio Capello are being mentioned but we saw what he did for England and to be honest, I would rather see a young upcoming manager, someone like Michael Laudrup, take the reins.

This is the trouble with modern football and club owners. They just want success. If the team are on a bad run, the manager’s neck is on the line, no matter what club it is. There are times for change, and also times to let the manager take the challenge on and turn the club’s fortunes around. These two sackings over the past week that I have mentioned above are prime examples of when a manager should and shouldn’t get sacked.

Who will the teams bring in? Will they have money to spend in January? What if they don’t turn the club’s fortunes around? We saw that last year with both Nigel Atkins and Harry Redknapp who failed to keep Reading and QPR in the Premier League last season.

In the business that is Football, being a manager means putting yourself in the firing line when times get tough. You never know when you’ll lose your job, so be prepared for the worst if the teams’ fortunes begin to deteriorate.

Oh the joys of being a football Manager…

Homosexuality, Bisexuality and Sport

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It just seemed like a normal Monday morning. I was sat in the living room, scrolling through Twitter on my IPod whilst Sky Sport News echoed in the background. Suddenly, I noticed from the corner of my eye the name ‘Tom Daley’ appear on the TV, and then again almost simultaneously on my Twitter feed, with a link. The caption with the link said “This is one of the most challenging things I have had to do…” Instantly the Sky Sports presenter introduces Tom Daley has come out via YouTube that he is seeing another guy.The video got millions of views, and the bronze medallist at London 2012 received support from many Twitter followers.

It takes courage to come out generally, but for a sports athlete, it seems to be ten times harder. Why? Are sportsman not allowed to be a homosexual or bisexual? Why are sportsman fearful about coming out? Will it affect their careers? Will they lose fans? How will the media respond? For me, it shows that we are a society that still judgmental about homosexuality.

For some fans, their perception of Tom Daley hasn’t changed, they still find him the same person. Attractive, talented and overall a good man with a good heart. And this has been reflected by the support for other sportsmen and women. Robbie Rodgers came out as a gay footballer after a spell with Stevenage, and many have respected and embraced him. He is currently playing for LA Galaxy and is cheered by the crowd whenever he takes to the pitch. Another gay sporting superstar to come out is tennis starlet Martina Navratilova, who won the singles woman’s Wimbledon title 9 times, but she has too been recieving high praise for her bravery to come out and is currently living life as a retired hero for young female tennis players.

However, some people have been abused since coming out. Justin Fashanu, who again was a footballer, tragically killed himself after years of abuse as he came out as the first gay footballer. Gavin Thomas, Welsh rugby union flanker has also suffered abuse after coming out. He was forced to retire after a serious injury suffered against England in 2011. This is what upsets me about our society. Over time it has progressively got better but only by a small fraction, and to be honest, there shouldn’t be a fear or even any discrimination against gays and bisexuals.

In other ways of life such as acting and music, being homosexual or bisexual isn’t as big a deal. Why? How can different professions affect how the public react? It’s a joke. I guess the only atmosphere close to sport and its difficulties to accept sexuality is school. It’s just as tough perhaps tougher to come out as a teenage boy nearing the end of secondary education or sixth form then a sportsman.

Many believe that they think sports athletes find it tough to come out due to the fact stereotypical sportsmen/women are strong and straight. Some think it’s that if they come out, it will affect how they are treated at a club or in a team. This is the wrong way to go. Tom Daley has shown how it should be done. He has done it in his own comfort, without sadness or pressure. He also thanked the support he received, which shows how he and his fans connect and interact positively.

No one should ever feel like they have to hide their sexuality, whether they are from sport or any other industry. We are all equal.

Jack 2-0 Marseille; Arsenal Take Pole Position In Group F

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Two Jack Wilshere goals gave Arsenal control of Group F in the Champions League as they played out a comfortable 2-0 victory against a very average Marseille side.

Arsenal knew a win should be enough to cement their place in the last sixteen. They would also qualify if Napoli beat Dortmund tonight. A draw in that game would see Arsenal win the group.  

Within 32 seconds Arsenal were ahead. Jack Wilshere’s individual effort found the top corner of the net in Arsenal’s first attack on the Marseille goal and many surely thought that the game would now be an easy, controlling exhibition for the Gunners just because of how quick the goal came.

It was nearly two for Arsenal in the sixth minute as they once again cut the visitors defence apart. Jack Wilshere was involved again and his square ball should have been tucked into the net by starlet Aaron Ramsey, who is having the season of his career, but his shot was saved by French goalkeeper Steve Mandanda.

Wojciech Szczesny was as much a spectator for much of the first half as us watching the game on the television or the fans in the stadium, and it wasn’t until the twentieth minute that he was called upon to come and gather the ball from Marseille forward Gignac’s feet.

Arsenal were in complete control throughout the first half and ten minutes before half time they received a penalty after Aaron Ramsey was tripped but Mesut Ozil  saw his penalty saved by Mandanda, a penalty which to be honest was awful. And with that Arsenal held a 1-0 lead at Half Time.

The second half started like the first ended- with Arsenal dominating the ball and comfortably playing it around a sluggish Marseille. The closest Arsenal got to a second early on was Olivier Giroud’s deflected shot which spun just wide. A couple of minutes later Mesut Ozil had his poked effort saved by Marseille captain Mandanda who was having a very busy night.

Arsenal finally made it 2-0, and again it was Jack Wilshere who put the ball past a helpless Mandanda after clever play by Ozil.

Marseille finally tested Szczcsny after 70 minutes when substitute Thurian had two shots saved by the polish international in just a couple of minutes.

Arsenal could have buried the game and nailed Marseille’s coffin shut but Santi Cazola and Theo Walcott missed their chances and the game ended 2-0; A comfortable victory for the Gunners. Another Champions League knockout stage beckons…

Australia Humiliate England to go 1-0 Up in Ashes Series

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“It had started so well.”

The Ashes series has started humiliatingly for England. They werent only just defeated but crushed by the Australians, who won their first test match in nine. A massive 381 run winning margin shows that England must perform better (mostly the bat) before the second test.

Day one was a decent day for England, Australia were on 279-8 at Stumps, with Stuart Broad responding to the criticism and abuse he had to endure leading up to the test match with six wickets.  The only Australian partnership which seemed tricky to stop was Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson.  However this was as good as it got from England.

The Australians controlled the rest of the test after their first innings was over.  Firstly they ripped through the England batting line up with England only scoring a measly 130. Fast bowler Mitchell Johnson took most of the wickets with his troublesome bouncing deliveries which caught almost all the England batsman by surprise. This was just after two days!  Only rain seemed to be the only element which could condemn the test to a draw.

Day three; and Australia knew they were in a commanding position. They had a lead of nearly 150 before their second innings. They used the wicket to full effect and for England- a tough exhausting day laid ahead. Centuries from David Warner and Captain Michael Clarke helped toddle Australia to 407-4 when they declared, England needed 541 to win.

The second England innings was very reminiscent of the first. Only Alistair Cook seemed to be resilient to the pressure put on the England team by the Australian players and public. He made a respectful half century before being caught out by the spin of Nathan Lyon. England were hanging on by a tightrope and finally James Anderson was caught and the game was over.

Australia will now for the first time, feel confident they can regain the Ashes. It has been a period of dominance by England, but now we are perhaps the underdogs. I originally predicted a 1-2 or 2-2 in the series with England winning the ashes yet again. If that is to be the way this Ashes plays out- we need to be better in the next four tests.