2nd Yellow

World Cup: Are Spain boring?

Mark Chalcraft — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 06:17:05 +0000

Three knockout matches, three 1-0 wins. A preference for patient ball retention over “bodies in the box”. A lack “out & out wingers” pinging over cross after cross. If you’re used to watching Spurs or Manchester United, you might think this is all a bit one-dimensional. You know, in the same way that [...]

Everton: Spot the Gosling

Mark Chalcraft — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 09:51:17 +0000

Gosling (noun): 1) A young goose; 2) A foolish, inexperienced person; By now you’ll have heard the news, especially if you’re a Liverpool fan. In failing to offer a new contract in writing, Everton have left a loophole that allows Dan Gosling to leave the club for nothing. Being only 20, Everton would normally expect to receive compensation [...]

World Cup: Uruguay, Ghana, Suarez

Mark Chalcraft — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 07:03:17 +0000

This was the end of the World Cup. I had no choice. I have the ‘Hand of God’ now. I did it so that my teammates could win the penalty shoot-out. When I saw Gyan miss the penalty it was a great joy. So said Luis Suarez in the aftermath of his goalline “save” and Ghana’s subsequent [...]

Poll: Hodgson at Liverpool

Mark Chalcraft — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:24:52 +0000

Roy Hodgson will be unveiled by Liverpool as their new manager tomorrow. Amongst Liverpool fans, there will not likely be much fanfare to greet his arrival. How do you think he will perform?

The unbearable lightness of Woy?

Mark Chalcraft — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 07:14:38 +0000

It’s safe to say that the appointment of Roy Hodgson at Liverpool is provoking a heated debate and mixed reaction amongst the club’s fans. After the car crash that was last season, and the ongoing civil war surrounding Hicks & Gillett and the club finances, the departure of Rafa Benitez and the speculation of a mass [...]

World Cup: The English Inquisition

Mark Chalcraft — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:28:59 +0000

As the feed from the BBC News channel switched to the FA’s press conference room, the greatest surprise was that the media hadn’t hastily constructed a gallows. Certainly Fabio Capello must have felt he was about to be read his last rites by the assembled hacks, one of whom pathetically asked whether he thinks he is [...]

Poll: Who’s to blame for England’s World Cup fail?

Mark Chalcraft — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 12:09:15 +0000

It's all over. Our expectations dashed, our hopes shattered. But we should have seen it coming shouldn't we? So who's fault is it? Does the buck stop with Capello and his tactics? Are the players and their egos the problem? Should the FA be overhauling English football? Was it Vanessa Perroncel and her charms? You decide...

7 things England must do before they can win the World Cup

Mark Chalcraft — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 19:53:19 +0000

England’s embarrassing mauling at the hands of Germany has left us yet again feeling unfulfilled at the World Cup. Yet no matter how much we pay foreign coaches to come and sort out our brave boys, nothing seems to change. Something bigger is wrong in English football. Here is a list of seven things that will [...]

World Cup: England – another inquest

Mark Chalcraft — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 15:42:27 +0000

So let’s all sit down, take a deep breath, consider all the facts and then….ah, stuff it, let’s just get rid of the Italian. England were completely, utterly, embarrassingly destroyed by Germany. 4-1. Or, 4-2 if your name is not Jorge Larrionda, but that’s for another post, another day. The simple truth about this match was [...]

World Cup: Don’t mention the media

Mark Chalcraft — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 07:09:37 +0000

You may not be aware of this yet, but England will play Germany in the last 16. When it became clear that it was England v Germany next up, I had mixed feelings. I very much like Germany as a country, and a people. I have learnt “ein bisschen” German, but not as much as I [...]