Play4ateam.com and the great defender clear out
Now, before I do anything else, I met a splendid chap not too long ago who has a website called Play4ateam.com - that’s it there in the title and you can even see it in my links just down there on the right too.
I haven’t played 5-a-side footy for a little while now and I know what a bitch it is trying to find somewhere to play with and people to play with. So, if any of you out there are looking to join any kind of team, from football to frisbee, are looking for new members for your own sports crew or anything at all with actually playing these games rather than just berating others for not being good enough at them from the comfort of your own sofa behind several stacks of tortillas with assorted dips, then get yourself to Play4ateam and play for a team.
Incidentally, the splendid chap behind play4ateam also showed me that you can watch ITV on your mobile for 49p for a 24 hour period. In short, very cheap Euro 2008 footy on your phone wherever you are. I’ll have to dig up the link for that one. Unfortunately, my phone is too shit but thankfully Mr. Play4ateam and The Bagel enjoyed Turkey vs Czech Republic on his mobile while LB and Mrs.Play4ateam sat wondering why we were so fascinated by a Sony Ericsson, which reminds me, a second excellent reason to go to Play4ateam.com is to find out where to get late night fish ‘n chips-come-road kill when drunk and in Brighton.
Right, to business. Anyone catch Luka Modric vs Turkey? Missed the penalties myself, as did Luka unfortunately, but none could deny what a blinder he played. Every Spur should be rubbing their hands together on thoughts of his imminent arrival, and then dusting them off to get rid of those tiny black rolls of dirty, dead skin.
There’s actually some hyper-extended highlights for those who reckon they can get away with watching 22 minutes of footy at work or some shorter ones if you’re too chicken.
I personally took equal interest in David Villa last night after the Sunday Mirror reckoned that we’d agreed a deal with Valencia for the 26-year-old goal machine they simply refer to as The Kid (awesome name). It does bother me a little that he’s only 5′9″ and not exactly a Berbatov replacement if we were to pull of the £20m coup but then one must simply trust in the fact that Juande knows a lot more about football than you and I.
Not a peep out of the Daily Mirror or any other paper today, which is an intereresting reminder that the weekly and Sunday versions are different titles with different journalists. The Mirror are usually pretty accurate, the Sunday Mirror perhaps not so.
Not as dead on but probably the best early warning system is the Daily Mail. The tend to stick their necks out with specualtion and are right more often than not, so have a little heart as they report today that not only will Blackburn be looking to move David Bentley now that Paul Ince is in charge but also that we have all but agreed a £10m transfer fee for The Bagel’s number one choice for No.1, Heurelho Gomes.
Once that part has been signed and sealed, we’ll have permission to talk to the PSV fan favourite who has or hasn’t fallen out with his employers depending upon who you believe. The only two concerns I have with Gomes is his ridiculous distribution and the fact that he’s aired PSV’s dirty laundry to the press on more than one ocassion. I love Tottenham but I’d wager our Lillywhites aren’t as prisctine as they might be. It’s a business. How could they be?
Oh, and the reason Paul Ince’s arrivals means Blackburn can talk Bentley is because now they’ll know whether to ask for players or just the cash ma’am.
As for our own current right winger, there’s some strong rumours emerging from multiple sources that Little Aaron’s wanted by silly old Keegan and Toon Town. The price fromthe internet cosmos is £6m-£8m and if it Newcasstle are after him, it’ll probably end up as £9m with £90k per week for the 22-year-old to buy yet more cars on which he cannot reach the pedals.
Funny to talk about Little Aaron leaving and not being too bothered. The sentimental part of The Bagel cries out in memory of the man who scored the winner against Chelsea as fireworks shot through the air at WHL and the now you see him, now you don’t joy as he blew Besiktas away. Still, if the Perfect Juan isn’t going to play him, it’s best he gets some football elsewhere. Keegan will be just the chap to boost his confidence too. He wont be too bothered about technique. He’ll tell the speed gnome to run and that’s exactly what he’ll do.
Another sad casualty looks to be Baby Face as his loan to Fulham looks to become a sale to Stoke for £1.5m. Now, Tony’s always been there, love him or hate him, and I can’t remember the last time he made a real pigs ear in defence. He’s been solid if a little unimpressive. In a some ways, I’d rather lose Safety First than Baby Face. As my mate Charlie, a Yiddo through and through, often says, at least Baby Face plays the ball forwards.
Dawson himself has come out to say he has no desire to leave Tottenham but then I suppose that’s not really up to him.
“It is all speculation,” said the friendly lummox, “I am happy here and I don’t know where that has come from.”
Well, probably fromn the club trying to cart him off to every club in the country I should think.
The real kick in the teeth is story that Pompey are said to be putting in a bid for Younes Richards - for £2m! Doubtless we want to get the player off our books but a £6m price reduction is serious for a player who’s worth far more. He may have fucked up more times than I’d care to remember but the man’s strong, committed, young and he can play football. Sell him for £4/5m but £2m is just silly. Might as well give him away to Stoke instead. At least it wouldn’t be making Pompey stronger.
I’m not a bitch. ANDREW. Are you going to bring me my lemon or do I have to squeeze it from my bagel?
The Bagel.
June 23rd, 2008 at 3:15 pm
The Bagel
From a few articles back when you mention Barcelona.
I attended the Camp Nou in March this year for the Champs League last 16 tie. We ended up stuck right up in the gods (top tier) and I can safely say it is the cauldest fitba ground I have ever been in.
That is some feat considering that I have attended games in Inverness and Aberdeen in December….
Impressive stadium inside.
June 23rd, 2008 at 3:27 pm
So… was in a rush to get a train yesterday and jumped in a cab on Lavender Rise to get to Clapham Junction. Taxi driver was a very cheery, friendly guy. He wanted to know a good curry place in the area so I recommended to him (as I do to you all) cafe zia on wandsworth road.
He asks me where I’m from, and when I tell him Glasgow he says “rangers or celtic”. When I tell him Tottenham, he says his son has just signed for Tottenham - John Bostock!
So… during my 300 yard taxi drive I managed to glean the following information
Michael Bostock is a very nice man. And him and John are both genuine Palace fans.
John is “not a bad player”, a “sensible boy” and he knows he “has to work hard” before he can think about getting in the team.
I told him I promised not to sing any nasty songs about his son when he leaves us for Man Utd or Chelsea, and he said “he’s really happy and he wants to be at Tottenham for a good few years yet”
Sorry, I do not have the bagel’s journalistic talents for sniffing out the juicy story, so this is basically me just saying “you’ll never guess who I had in the front of my cab”, but there you go. Michael Bostock.
And if you take nothing else from this - CAFE ZIA ROCKS.
June 23rd, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Oh - I see his name is actually Michael Brown (how could I forget). Either my already fairly dull story is unravelling already or he told me his name was Michael and I assumed the Bostock part!
June 23rd, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Keving
take it you’ve never been to Oldham then?
June 23rd, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Never been in Oldham (highest ground in Britain?) but I’m sure a stadium on the banks of the River Ness wie no shelter would run it close!!!!
June 23rd, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Alberto
I was there at Boundary Park when we beat them in the cup during the 80’s when they had an artificial pitch. Ossie played, must have been one of his last games. It was very cold and it pissed down all day and behind the away terrace was completely awash. They had duck boards down to help but they were better used as rafts.
Also went to the next round away to Port Vale. We don’t need to go into that one. Although there was 2 Stoke fans near us in the away end who had just come along for a ruck with Vale. They had started off in the middle of the Vale terrace on the side but when it all got a bit tasty they jumped over the wall and joined the Spurs for the day.
At least in the old days when it was fuckin cold you could stamp your feet. Now you just have to sit and shiver.
YIDS!
June 23rd, 2008 at 5:36 pm
oog
So according to his Dad, John is “not a bad player”?
That has to be Old Man speak for “my son is a fuckin prodigy and a right chip of the old block”
Here’s hoping!
June 23rd, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Bagel,
I must respectfully diagree with you - somewhat. I watched every Euro game so far, and I do not think Luka stood out all that much, even on his own team.
By far, the best player in the tournament has been Arshavin (whom we were linked with earlier, but I have heard nothing since). He has been a nightmare for any defense and is dangerous every time he is on the ball.
Here is my judgement of Luka the Mod - he sits back most of the time, but cannot win a header to save his life and does not win the ball like a holding midfielder.
He is very good on the ball and makes few mistakes, but he sent as many errant passes as he did brilliant ones, if not more.
When he gets forward, he is tremendous at throwing in accurate crosses and he is difficult for defenders to catch. He did not, however, get forward enough, I thought.
To me, Olic, and even Pranjic and Rakatic at times outshined Luka. He was not the feature in attack, and he was not the strength of their defense. Too often, I saw him walking around the middle of the pitch watching the ball zip around him.
I think he could potentially be a very good playmaker. He has a very good touch and does not give up the ball easily. I think he had a bit of an identity crisis at this tournament. He looked as though he was trying to be a Pirlo-type back-line playmaker, but I think he would be better suited getting forward more. This lack of a desire to get forward makes me question his stamina (and/or Bilic’s tactics), since he looked brilliant on the ball near the opponent’s box.
June 23rd, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Sorry chaps, this is getting off the subject of this thread but is still a load of aold bollocks which some of you might feel agrieved about.
Politicians getting involved in football = CUNTS
BRING BACK TERRACES’ BID KICKED OUT
By Trevor Mason, PA Parliamentary Editor
A return to terraced standing areas at top football clubs was ruled out tonight
by the Government.
Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said he had discussed calls for “safe standing
areas” with the Football Association, police, local authorities and the Home
Office.
In a Commons written reply, he told Labour’s Denis Murphy (Wansbeck): “No new
evidence has been presented to suggest that there is a single more effective way
of achieving safety as well as public order than all-seater stadia.
“The consensus among all parties is that there is no wish to re-introduce any
standing areas at grounds in the top two divisions.
“The Government remains fully committed to the current policy.”
June 23rd, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Good luck finding someone who agrees with you mitch.
June 23rd, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Mitch,
Arshavin has been been excellent and I didn’t have to see that Holland game to notice that.
I don’t think Juande is going to expect Luka to play the holding role and even if he does, he’ll do it far more in the Carrick style than some kind of hard man.
Yes, the guy’s going to have heading issues at just 5′8″ but there are a number of short central midfielders and as long as you make it hard for your opposite number than that’s as much as we could ask on that front.
My view of Modric at the tournament was that he was that he worked hard and tirelessly and the balls that he played forward and the crosses that he made were far better than anyone on his team and as good as any other in Euro 2008. In fact, although I was quite impressed with Olic and the rest of the Croatian team - who did not rely on Luka as I thought they would - my enduring memory of their attacks is a perfectly weighted Modric ball scuffed or ill-timed usually by Olic.
Of course you are totally allowed your point of you but I suppose what counts in the end how either of us saw it is how he plays under Ramos. I hope you’re still intrigued.
The Bagel.
June 23rd, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Bagel,
Forgive me if I seemed to be completely down on Modric. I am rather excited (as I hope all the Yids are) to see Luka play for us next year. Actually, I am incredibly intrigued to see what Juande will do with his talent. As I said, he makes few mistakes and looked extremely good getting forward. I hope he uses Luka in a more attacking role.
I agree that the Croats mostly ran their offense through him. He does pass the ball very well (I did see a few errant passes, but he has a great touch, like I mentioned) and when attacking, he is very dangerous, especially when crossing the ball. I can only hope we get a target-man who can capitalize on those balls (actually I think Bent may be the best jumper and header of the ball we have, Berba not withstanding).
Perhaps you took issue with my questioning his stamina.
I taped the Croatia games specifically to watch him play, and I just could not help but notice him standing around off the ball a lot of the time.
Listen, I am a young guy that grew up in America and I can certainly say that you know far more about football than I do. In fact, I trust your opinion more than my own.
Perhaps my expectations were too high. I guess for 16.5 million, I expected him to be more of a feature player. I suppose I just am not sure that he could be the player who propels us into the top four. I certainly hope so, though.
June 24th, 2008 at 6:18 am
Didier Z scored a goal finally, Ivory Coast vs Botswana.
June 24th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
I think the ideal partner for luka the Mod is Torsten Frings from Germany. Ive been very impressed with him throughout the tournament as Germany’s holding midfielder and i think he would slot it well to Spurs midfield alongside Modric. Obviously that would mean that Zokora, Jenas and such like would have to consider their roles within the team, but i rekon that Frings and Modric in the midlle would be a decent combo, possibly the best midfield 2 we have seen at the lane in years. Pairing that with Bentley on the right (?) and Dos Santos (?) on the left, i rekon thats pretty potent. am i living in dreamworld or what???
June 24th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Keving
surprisingly oldham isn’t the highest - west brom is - its still bloody cold though
also - hornchurch i went to the victoria ground an age back - the stoke fans love a tear up!!!
June 24th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
I agree Brownpants. I think someone of that mold like Frings would give Luka the opportunity to run the attack without having to stay back so much.
That stopper in midfield would allow Juande to really utilize the attacking talent and speed we have now with Giovani, Luka, Bale, etc. If we could get a player in the mold of a Frings or de Jong, I think our attack and counter-attack would be much more potent.
I think of how the loss of Makelele from Madrid to Chelsea a few years ago really damaged that team, even though they had Zidane, Figo, Guti, Raul, Roberto Carlos, etc.
June 24th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
This has to be the make or break season for JJ. Unless he steps up his game then we will need to replace him. He should be a fantastic player but there is something that is holding him back. Maybe he just can’t be arsed enough?
The same for Didier Z. Unless he cuts it as a defensive midfielder then we have to look elsewhere.
Maybe Ramos has already decided?
Frings will be 32 in November so I’m not sure he has the legs left.
If only big bad Tom could add some real steel to his game then he would be a good defensive option. He certainly has the passing ability.
Nicola Berti anyone?????
June 24th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
I agree Hornchurch. Some real potential in JJ and Tommy H but we don’t see it often enough. JJ must realise its now or never for him.
June 24th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Oog,
Lavender Rise? That is a dreadful South London faux pas.
June 24th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
i agree with hornchurch yids, as the song goes: ‘Frings aint what he used to be’
thankya, we’re here all week, try the fish
June 24th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
Ground share with MK Dons, anyone?
June 25th, 2008 at 1:13 am
I apologise Adie.
I guess that like many on this blog, my heart belongs in north London*.
Sorry, but there it is…
* in London, anyway
June 26th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
toon toon back nd white army