Top of The League

Marjon 6 a side WEEK 5 Preview

2011-11-25T10:01:00.001-08:00

Going into Week 5 of UCP Marjon intramural 6 a side the league table looks like this:

KSW 18
Hudson 16
Tufnell 16
Clark 11
Village 11
Cromwell 8
Coleridge 6
Dix 3

Week 4 RESULTS

Clark 2 VS 1 Dix Coleridge 1 VS 3 Kay Shuttleworth

Cromwell 0 VS 1 Village Hudson 0 VS 2 Tufnell

Coleridge 0 VS 3 Clark Dix 1 VS 3 Cromwell

Kay Shuttleworth 1 VS 2 Hudson Village 2 VS 0 Tufnell

Week 5 FIXTURES

Hudson VS Coleridge Cromwell VS Clark

Tufnell VS Dix Village VS Kay Shuttleworth

Tufnell VS Cromwell Hudson VS Clark

Village VS Coleridge Kay Shuttleworth VS Dix

Week 5 Preview:

Top of the league KSW take on basement boys Dix whose only points came against KSW in a shock result that ended 1-0 Dix. KSW also take on in form Village who started with 1 point from their first 2 weeks but since then have been unbeaten, winning 3 and drawing 1. Village are also taking on Coleridge who are looking to bounce back from losing both games in week 4. Clark are going into their toughest week so far on the back of 2 great wins in week 4 over Dix and Coleridge. This week they face 2nd placed Hudson and 3rd placed Tufnell in which both teams will be looking to close the gap to KSW. Tufnell had mixed week 4 with a fine win over Hudson to close the gap at the top in a game full of fire where slide tackles and kick ins were suddenly allowed. After slipping up to Village though they can't afford any mishaps in week 5.

Young English Talent Offers Hope

2011-11-24T10:46:00.001-08:00

As the 2012 European Championships loom closer, the usual questions starts flying around... Can England win it? How far can they go? Is this finally the year?

The emergence of this fresh batch of youngsters has stirred an excitement amongst England supporters, with the likes of Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck, and Phil Jones; amongst many others, who are consistantly impressing for their clubs. It appears England have a bright footballing future ahead of them.

However, with the current rigid management techniques Fabio Capello has demonstrated in his time as England manager perhaps 2012 isn't the year and the wait will go on.

Perhaps the FA will finally realise the answer to England's disappointing decade will be found as close to home, as one of our very own, English, premier league managers.

A manager who has the courage to drop the big names, who have failed to perform for their country and have showed that they are no longer enthusiastic and proud to participate at an international level. Someone such as Harry Redknapp or Alan Pardew.

With this, a fearless selection of rejuvenated talent, who can clear the smog surrounding the current England squad and emerge in the elite of the international teams and finally challenge once again for the world cup in Brazil 2014.

Don't get me wrong, I will be jumping on the band wagon when it gets to the Championships next summer and I'm not writing off our chances completely. After the 1-0 victory over the world champions at Wembley last Saturday, there was a flicker of hope, with some of the younger players shining through when offered a chance. But 3 days later it was like someone had flicked a switch and it was back to the boring negative football Fabio Capello is so fond of.

However, the dogged, determined performance of Scott Parker showed perhaps that it isn’t the age of the player, but the amount of experience at international level. Scott Parker played how you would expect a fan to play, with the pride, passion and excitement that is required to play for your country. The main reasons holding back England’s performances may be a lack of desire from the players and a loss of pride and desire that they would show when performing for their clubs.

My idea of the perfect England squad looks like this:

Hart

Richards Cahill Smalling

Jones

Young Wiltshire Rodwell A. Johnson

Wellbeck Rooney

Subs: Cleverly, Sturridge, Gibbs, Foster, Jagielka, Walcott, Parker

Feel free to comment below with your ideal England line up.

A sorry tale of Plymouth Argyle

2011-11-22T14:20:00.001-08:00

Before I start I need to make a few things clear. I'm no Argyle expert and writing this article from the perspective of an outsider looking in. As I have moved to Plymouth I have watched a few games and know what the people of Plymouth say about their team. I'm not going to talk about all of Argyle's financial problems which are well documented and no matter how much research I do my opinion would be worthless.

I'll begin with the problem that sticks out like a sore thumb. PETER RIDSDALE. Every single club he's touched has crumbled beneath him. Most high profile being Leeds Utd. So why on earth let the man with one of the worst reputation in football anywhere near Plymouth Argyle? Yes Argyle may have been in deeper trouble off the pitch initially, as the previous board gambled on the 2018 World Cup bid without him, but he's a man with no class that cares simply for himself. Football is not a place for a lot of sentiment however sacking Peter Reid after he paid the heating bills and sold his F.A Cup final losers medal to raise money for the club on top of managing a team on a Sunday league team's budget strikes me as extraordinary.

On the pitch Argyle are rooted to the bottom of the football league and one of the reasons for this amongst others is the fact their best player is the player manager. Not only is it incredibly hard for a player-manager to work but the fact that the best player in the team has the millstone of management around his neck is hampering Argyle. Also the fact that his squad is thread bare and he seems to not be ready for management just yet. Argyle plunged to a new low after crashing out of the F.A Cup to Southern League Stourbridge on Tuesday.

From the games i've seen i've noticed a few of things. One that when Brighton fans aren't at Home Park for Fans United, a brilliant initiative by the way, the atmosphere is terrible. Argyle seem to do fairly well in the first half of games but fade horribly in second half of games. Fitness looks like a major issue. The 2-2 draw with Accrington Stanley illustrates all my points perfectly. Started well went 1-0 up against 10 men and then 2-0 up. Second half atmosphere was awful and Argyle were taken apart by 10 men Accrington Stanley and eventually were lucky to draw 2-2 against 10 men. A performance that demonstrated huge naivety, lack of tactical knowledge and a severe lack of fitness. From the games i've been to I have seen some positives. Ladjie Soukouna looks to be a fine player who is great in the air and good on the ball. Curtis Nelson is Brilliant at the back too. Other than that it looks pretty grim out on the pitch with long ball being the order of the day and very little spark.

The people of Plymouth need to get behind their team. Rather then laugh at their problems and brush it aside

I really hope Plymouth stay up. As I go to uni here I desperately want to have the best club on my doorstep possible and i've really enjoyed my trips to Argyle so far but at the moment, next year it looks like i'll be in the away end at Home Park when Woking FC visit Argyle.

The Best In The World - Woking FC

2011-11-22T10:43:00.000-08:00

I am a Woking fan. I've never understood why everyone else in Woking isn't. Why don't people get behind their local team? Why support the 'big four'? Week in week out, chasing the glory of a team you have no affiliation to? Some of the joyous moments I've had over the years of watching my team beating Stevenage 3-2 following a last minute Steve Ferguson thunderbolt. Watching my team, who were doomed to relegation until we drew eight games on the trot and beat Telford 3-0 after two results going our way to complete the greatest of great escapes to stay up and then running onto the pitch with 3,000 others celebrating. I was born in 1993. The last major trophy Woking won was 1997 F.A Trophy. In my time of supporting Woking i've seen my club get relegated, almost go out of existence, show great promise and fall flat on their face. Does this mean I turn to the best team in the best division to support the winner? NEVER! Why support a team from your arm chair when you can be part of the game and experience a game live!

Something bothers me greatly though. That person who supports Man Utd in down south. You ask them why and the answer is something like 'My neighbour's best friend's sister's boyfriend has a house near Manchester.' Why not say 'I hate losing and I'm a glory hunter that will support the best team'

As it happens Woking are currently top of the Blue Sq South. As i'm currently at university in Plymouth I can't get to games but I can tell from the highlights, match reports and comments on CardsBoard that we are better than we have been in years. The fact we are now doing well is all the more sweeter after the lows in previous years. If we get promoted this year and maybe one day make it to the football league any Woking fan would agree this would be better than Manchester United winning their 20th title or Arsenal securing a Champions League place. I know that even the loyalist Woking fans have a second team in the Premier League or something like that. I'm not knocking that at all. A lot of people are brought up to support a team and will support them forever as well as Woking. Don't get me wrong I love the Premier League. It is the best league in the world and of course I watch the games. I just don't support a team. Just want the underdog to knock the big spending giant off their perch.

In my world Woking FC are The Best In The World. A wonderfully run club where the fans are integral to survival. The Boost The Budget scheme illustrates this perfectly where fans donate £10 a month of which the money goes directly into the playing budget. I think this sums my whole article up perfectly. You can talk to the players in the bar afterwards who are down to earth people and not sports car driving, overpaid and cheating on their wives. At Woking FC the fans make the club. At Man Utd, Chelsea etc you are simply a number.

Magpie's Flying High

2011-11-21T10:59:00.000-08:00

Newcastle have started this season like a train, slowly building up confidence and improving week after week. They currently sit 4th in the league, twelve games in, unbeaten before a dignified defeat to big spending Man City. Even in after this,with tough opponents looming, Newcastle have many reasons to be optimistic.

Is Alan Pardew the reason for this outstanding success?
When Mike Ashley sacked Chris Hughton and appointed Pardew the fans were livid. Ashley meddling once again after Newcastle had started the season so well.
Hughton a local hero after promotion back to the premiership at the first time of asking, surely this was a massive mistake? Many pundits believed Alan Pardew had one or two games to win the fans over or fight a losing battle without the famous toon army. As it turns out though the decision to ditch Hughton for Pardew was perhaps a brilliant one, with Pardew taking on where Hughton had left off.

Finishing the season in twelth place, without a renound front man and a lack of attacking force was a relatively respectable finish for Pardew's depleated team, but with a promise from the owners to re-invest the £35 million from the sale of Andy Carroll, there was hope on the Tyne side.

Following this the sales of club captain Kevin Nolan and other big names; Jose Enrique and Joey Barton, with little investment at all Newcastle's upcoming season looked doomed.

We believe that a mixture of things have contributed to Newcastle's rise this season. Lack of big stars means lack of big ego's, something Newcastle has suffered painfully with in the past. Look at Michael Owen, Patrick Kluivert and Albert Luque. Pardew has managed to create a team spirit and togetherness at Newcastle something that has seemed to be badly lacking due to numerous managerial changes.

Pardew has also bought well despite being criticised over the summer for selling big names and not buying suitable replacements. The emergence of Yohan Cabeye and Cheik Tiote has given Newcastle strength and vision in the midfield as well as rock solid back four of Danny Simpson, Stephen Taylor, Coloccini and Ryan Taylor which has seen Newcastle have the best defensive record in the league.

Can Newcastle and Pardew build on their wonderful start to the season or will they simply be a flash in the pan i.e Hull City 2009. If Newcastle can continue to do well then surely Pardew will be in the frame to be England Manager.

Top Of The League

2011-11-21T09:42:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Top Of The League. A blog with lots of opinions, moaning and sprinkling of praise now and then. We will be covering football from university 5 a side to the Premier League. We aren't just limited to football though. All the big stories will be covered. Premier League Newcastle United and Blue Square South Woking FC will be covered quite extensivly as those are our teams!

Hope you enjoy!

Many Thanks, Founders of ToTL