PLUG

http://www.threenil.com/

Simplistic, great range of t-shirts etc. from this football related design company.

e.g.

Jesse

We Are Back

With a new addition to the team, 'De Godenzonen' is back to judge, predict and analyse everything football. Euro 2012 is well under way, Premier League 2012/13 fixtures have been released and with managers already delving into the transfer market, there's plenty to feast on, so stay tuned.

- Oscar

RIP

puts all other titterings into context

Dortmund's Atmosphere: German Football and Safe Standing

Tonight Arsenal face Borussia Dortmund in their first Champions League group game. In the build up to the game Sky Sports News just showed a clip of the Dortmund 24,000 capacity standing tier in full voice. This stand is the largest standing section in European football, enabling rows of fans to stand in what would be presumed as safe conditions whilst enjoying the football. To add to that, German football also allows the drinking of beer within the inner sections of the stadium (i.e. the seating and standing sections) which is currently banned by the FA in all stadiums.What becomes clear by watching these videos, and learning of the regulations for fans in German football, is that the atmosphere at games is by far superior to anything that can be found in the English game.
  That is not to say Anfield's "You'll Never Walk Alone" can't get the spine tingling, but as you will see, even the German's can compete with that:

For everything that the English game can offer in terms of an atmospheric stadium; St. James' Park, or, Upton Park in a full swing with "Forever Blowing Bubbles" (see below), it seems that the Dortmund fans alone could compete.

I'm genuinely excited for the game tonight (YES I am excited for an Arsenal game!?!?) with my newly informed knowledge on the Dortmund fans' singing section, yet also concerned by the route the English game has taken in response to the incidents at Hillsborough, Valley Parade and Heysel in the 1980's. I am in no way showing a lack of sensitivity to such events, i just believe that an alternate method of stadium management could successfully and safely be achieved despite such events.

Here is a link to the Safe Standing campaign with the Football Supporters' Trust:

http://www.fsf.org.uk/campaigns/safestanding.php

Jesse

NO TIME FOR SENTIMENT

Why would anyone ever choose to support NUFC?:

Well I am sure there are some reasons; great fan-base, nice stadium, sometimes impressive performances (emphasis on sometimes)... But with the recent events coming out of St. James' Park, a Newcastle fan really has to ask himself, firstly, 'what the **** is going on', and secondly how worth it this may all be. Do not get me wrong, I am in this for the long haul, committed til I die and all that, but to me it often feels as if Newcastle fans really get the worst of it.

Having been successfully promoted from the Championship it all started to look sunny again, with the woes of the 08-09 season left in the past, and the bright Premiership future giving many fans reason to possibly think Mike Ashley had turned things round. How naive it seems we were. The sacking of Chris Hughton, Andy Carroll's sale, Kevin Nolan's sale, Joey Barton's 'dismissal', Jose Enrique's imminent sale. All events which have taken place in the last year under the stewardship of big MA and DL (Derek Llambias). All events which seem to have had an entirely negative affect on the team developed in 08-09.

The owner and his cronie seem to be choosing an approach to club management which (as a club 'source' supposedly said) is "un-sexy" but will benefit the club in the long-term. This is in effect a business plan based around Mike Ashley's attempts to create a club that is self-sufficient. This in many ways seems like a positive approach considering the debts involved in modern football, yet the fact that it seems to be tearing the team apart is to the contrary.

New signings Yohan Cabaye, Sylvain Marveaux, Demba Ba and Mehdi Abeid are positive moves for the club. Three out of the four above however were free signings, which suggests Mike Ashley is keen to keep funding to a minimum this transfer window. Having cashed in on Carroll, followed by Nolan, you would imagine that Newcastle's current net spending would be more than £500,000 at this point in the transfer market, with 30 or so days to go. With a serious need to build on our current squad, and with the imminent departures of Routledge, Barton and Enrique (add to that transfer listed Nile Ranger, Leon Best, Alan Smith and James Perch) I cannot help but feel concerned. If Ashley is unwilling to spend this window, yet keen to unload so many players, where will our squad stand on September 1st?

The rise of young talent and return from injury by many players has seen additions to Newcastle which were missing last season. Dan Gosling has returned from an injury which saw him make only one appearance (after signing from Everton) for NUFC, and is looking sharp. Haris Vuckic, the 18 year old linked with Man United and Chelsea last season, has also returned from injury and grabbed 2 goals in 2 senior friendly appearances so far. Ben Arfa was back for three games only to be again injured and ruled out for a further 3 weeks, meaning he will miss massive games against Arsenal and Scumderland. All these returns are positive for Newcastle, yet not enough to suggest more investment is not needed.

I am an avid follower of anything NUFC based on twitter (@jesserivers11 wink wink) so have been absorbed by recent events involving Barton and all Newcastle's transfer dealings. Over-riding pessimism seems to have dwarfed the #NUFC tag line in recent weeks. Rumored attempts to sign Mevlut Erdinc seem to have come to nothing and interest elsewhere seems sparse. I believe that we will now need the following:

• 1 further striker with pace and flair to work off the bigger players such as Ameobi and Ba.
• A left back to replace Jose Enrique
• A midfielder (probably based on the right) to replace Barton 

These are all essential signings and anything else would be lovely. Links with the Swiss, Leverkusen based Barnetta in replacement for Barton have not left since the opening of the transfer window, similarly links with Cheick M'Bengue and Wayne Bridge at left back seem to continue. The agreed fee for Mevlut Erdinc may not mean anything as he seems very reluctant to come to Newcastle. Apart from him NUFC have been linked with Shane Long, Defoe and numerous players who are unlikely to make the move north. 

Ashley's recruitment system seems to follow a continuous theme. All new signings must be below 28 or so. All new signings must take a fairly standard if not small Premier League wage. All new signings must have the ability to gain a profitable selling on fee (fairly easy if gained for free!). And, it seems, all new signings will come mainly from France, as scout Carr may view the revolution in French national football as a chance to steal any up and coming international talents i.e. Yohan Cabaye. 

Considering this, sales of players such as Nolan (who wanted a 5 year contract at the age of 29) fit Ashley's business plan. He knows that in a few years, when Nolan has past his peak, his high wages as captain would have been an nag similar to that of Alan Smith who currently warms the NUFC bench on £60,000 a week. Being honest I saw a lot in Nolan that I did not like last season, and his lack of pace and clinical pass would only be exaggerated as the years went on. Joey Barton however showed a whole new side to his game, and he will be greatly missed. He wanted a four year deal and the club offered 3. He had previously declined contract talks twice. Ashley was having no more and with the addition of his frequent twitter outbursts was being seen as more of a disturbance than a help in the NUFC dressing room. 

The clique of 08-09 that held the team together and provided promotion and last season's security has slowly but surely been removed by Ashley as he looks to gain complete, dictator-like control of the club. He has a business plan which is ruthless and a disposition that should not be tempered. In my honest opinion I do not agree with his plan, it is far too risky and although he clearly has a vision ( we hope ) which will lead the club to greater things in the future, he is destroying the current team. The big question is whether the puppet Alan Pardew has what it takes to keep this team together and secure another successful season with NUFC. That question must wait, as the results of this summer's transfer window will be vital on September 1st; a first step which Newcastle can feel they may judge the summer dealings. 

This write up must surely be pretty dull for all those with no affiliations with NUFC, yet I have sat by and said very little for a long time. 

Thanks 

Jesse 

Office Awards (stolen idea from sky sports)

Will Davies



Best Player:  VIDIC. A truly solid defender, perhaps the most consistent in the Premier League. His power and determination acted as a key factor in United's success this season. Could they have done it without him? Everyone knows a solid defence is essential in winning the league, Vidic led the team throughout.

Best Rising Star: WILSHERE. Wilshere came to the fore this season in solidifying Arsenal's midfield, a weak point in their team last season. Still a young player, Arsenal would have been significantly weaker without him as he secured his first XI place this year. Wilshere's precise passing, tough tackling and relentless energy makes him a possible future England captain already. His performances against Barcelona's Xavi and Iniesta exemplified his talents.

Best Match: Newcastle 4 - 4 Arsenal. Already 4-0 down at half time who would have thought Newcastle could have returned from such a deficit? Undoubtedly the most thrilling game to watch this season as Arsenal crumbled after Diaby's dismissal. Tiote's equaliser was one of the moments of the season as he lifted the roof off of St. James' Park.

Best Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson. For best manager, Sir Alex Ferguson receives the award after taking what many believed as a weak squad to their 19th title. United showed great determination throughout the season to grind out results with a squad less powerful and admired than those before them. Unbeaten for most of the season, Ferguson grinded a winning mentality into a team that usually wouldn't have been so successful - reaching the Champions League Final was another respectable feat. A mention should also be given to Ian Holloway for keeping Blackpool in with a chance of survival against the odds, regardless of their relegation.

Best Signing: Javier Hernandez. At just £6 million Hernandez is the obvious choice for best signing. Hernandez took the Premier League by storm in only his first year in English football, keeping top scorer Dimitar Berbatov out of the starting XI. It was not just the number of goals Hernandez scored however, but the games he scored them in. According to Martin Tyler's blog, without Chicarito's goals United would finish in 4th place - a true match winner.

Biggest Flop: Fernando Torres. Whilst noone truly expected Torres to shine in his first six months on the back of some very poor form for Spain in the WC and Liverpool, his lack of goals for Chelsea in the second half of the season was also unexpected. Fans throughout the Premier League gleefully looked on as the £50m pound man scored just 1 goal in 14 Premier league games.

Best Goal: Wayne Rooney/ Gareth Bale. For me neither of these goals can be ignored when choosing best goal. Wayne Rooney's overhead kick was undoubtedly the most spectacular goal of the season, and the occasion made it all the more important. As Martin Tyler bellowed on Sky Sports, it 'defies description.' The goal catapulted United and Rooney onwards for the rest of the year. However, Gareth Bale's volley early in the year against Stoke City was unforgettable. The technique in the volley was unbelievable and set the tone for the first half of the season for the Spurs winger as he tore apart Inter Milan and other teams alike.

Best Celebration: Sergio Ramos dropping the Copa Del Ray off the roof of the bus, only to find it under the wheels. What was he thinking?

Best Moment: Every one of Ian Holloway's interviews throughout the year, although his dealing with speculation over Charlie Adam's future in January was a favourite. 'If he's only worth £4m then I'm a Scotsman called McTavish.' Holloway was entertainment throughout the season and will be sorely missed next year - His reaction to the Rooney transfer chaos was also very funny, if not frightening - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_RdLGZ89uU

Biggest Bugbear: The sacking of Andy Gray. Whether or not you agree with the reasons for his sacking, no one can deny they missed the 'take a bows' and 'what a hit son' in the second half of this season. His commentary was sorely missed as Rooney bicycled into the Man City net.


    Jesse Rivers

Best Player: ADAM. Who would have thought that a Blackpool player would make such a great impression on the Premier League this season. Definitely not me. Adam is class, with a left foot Rio Ferdinand would be happy to call a 'paintbrush, OOOFFFF'... or something along those lines. His distribution and control in games have been excellent, add to that his set pieces and it's no wonder the likes of Man United are after him. Transfer talk did cause a slight iffy patch in his season following January, yet as he showed on the last day, his abilities were vital in Blackpool's attacking approach to life in the top division. I hear people talking about 10 more Scotty Parkers, well with 10 more Adams, Blackpool could have been far better off.


Best Rising Star: WILSHERE. How boring. Me and Will have chosen the same player. Wilshere is only a couple of months older than myself and look where he is. Winner of the PFA Young Player of the Year award and battling it out with the best midfield in the world. Carroll deserves a mention for doing the business for my dearly beloved pre-January, but his injuries and form past that date have meant his £35 million price tag is looking good in our bank now.

Best Match: NEWCASTLE 4 - 4 ARSENAL / NEWCASTLE 5 - 1 SUNDERLAND. 
Well this one was fairly obvious for me, not only do I get to include the best comeback in Premier League history, but also get to point out that we annihilated our derby rivals. The comeback is my actual choice, probably being the most exciting game all season for Newcastle fans and the neutrals out there. 8 goals, 2 penalties, a red card and only the second goal of Cheik Tiote's professional career, and oh my was it a gooden. Surprised it wasn't up for goal of the season to be honest.

Best Manager: SIR ALEX FERGUSON. Has to be really doesn't it? As Will has mentioned, this was one of the weaker (starless?) Man United teams, yet he still managed to get them their 19th title and a place in the final of the Champions League alongside Barcelona. Managing over half the season unbeaten, Fergie brought the best out of players like Giggs, deploying him in a variation of positions new to us standers-by. Similarly he kept Rooney, which turned out to be vital as MUFC turned on the heat with Rooney in fine form towards the end of the season. Lots must also be said for Harry Redknapp, taking Spurs into the heights of Europe, but also battling it out with most of the 'top four' this season.

Best Signing: CHICHARITO / SUAREZ. Another instance where I agree with Will. At only 22 years old and acquired for only £6 million he was a steal, providing pivotal goals both in quantity and nature. On the other hand the signing of Suarez for those greedy scousers saved their season. It could be argued that the mere return of King Kenny had this effect, but Suarez was instrumental in providing goals and flair for a team that had been looking all wrong under Hodgson. I know this annoys most, but I would like to mention Tiote again. Worth £3.5 million from Twente he has been pivotal to NUFC this season. His display against MUFC, completely closing Rooney out of the game, was a great example of his CDM capabilities and at only 24 is one for the future. Without him we would have had Alan Smith filling that role...

Biggest Flop: FERNANDO TORRES. Obvious no? His price was ridiculous. He hadn't been performing anywhere near the level of previous Liverpool seasons and his World Cup was quiet in a winning team. We spent the season waiting for the moment Torres would return, score a fantastic goal and just not stop. But it never came. He scored (singular) in standard fashion and had to watch David Luis net twice before he could get anywhere near the goal. What a waste of time and space.

Best Goal: WAYNE ROONEY / CHEIK TIOTE. Both goals were sublime. Rooney's was out of this world. His form had been poor building up to that game, and something special was the turning point for his season. I wanted city to win that game, but couldn't help jump up and down screaming when Roonaldo did that. Too much. The sad fact with Tiote's is that I didn't see it in real time. Newcastle vs. Arsenal wasn't on TV, meaning the only places to watch it were laggy lag lag internet, or St. James' Park. Watching it back on MOTD later that night was still special though. What a goal, not only in skill but also in its timing and meaning. Brilliant.

Best Celebration: WAYNE ROONEY. Bit of a joke really, but as Rooney scored his comeback penalty against Rangers he appeared to get a bit excited... couldn't find a picture though... In fact a few of Rooney's celebrations this season have been fairly amusing...

Best Moment: Have to agree with Will. Practically anything that Holloway said was gold. I also got a little bit of warmth from NUFC fans chanting "Steven Taylor shagged your lass" as Andy Carroll took to the Anfield pitch. Similarly, as Sammy Ameobi (Shola's little brother) took to the field at the same time as Shola, leading NUFC fans to chant "There's only two Ameobi's" rather than the usual "Only one Ameobi".

Biggest Bugbear: SALE OF ANDY CARROLL. Worst moment of my season. Caused so much sadness, anger and grief. Agents should all be shot. This also applies to Rooney and Tevez, as player power is becoming ridiculous. Mike Ashley's general presence in the world is also up there, Hughton's sacking was probably the most unfair thing to happen in the league since... oh wait... the sacking or forced resignation of Kevin Keegan nearly two seasons before that.

FULL TIME DREAM TEAMS

It's been a very long time since anything was posted on here, but as the football season has now ended, this would be a perfect opportunity to complete another dream team. This one will in fact be a team of the season. Previously Will and I made a 1/2 season dream team, with a set of rules to make it more interesting. Those rules wont apply this time, but I obviously wont be putting out a full Man United squad etc... I think...

       JESSE SEASON XI:

                                      FOSTER

                    

              VIDIC            KOMPANY            BAINES

                              PARKER        TIOTE

    ROONEY                     ADAM                           BALE

                                                                          

                         TEVEZ                 CHICHARITO           

SUBS: YAYA TOURE - ENRIQUE - COLOCCINI - NANI - BENT - VAN DER SAAR - MEIRELES

MANAGER OF THE SEASON: SIR ALEX FERGUSON / IAN HOLLOWAY

Obviously there is a bit of bias involved in my total 18 choices, but I honestly would choose some of the NUFC players from this season (i.e. Coloccini and Enrique) over defenders from teams such as Arsenal, who have had a dreadful season in defence considering they are a Champions League side going for the title.

Equally, Tiote, despite his love affair with the yellow card this season, has been a sensation playing CDM. His skill on the ball is Essien-esque, and is a definite one for the future at only 24 and a steal at £3.5 million. There are some obvious choices that will be found in all end season XI's: Vidic, Adam, Tevez, Baines, Parker, Bale and probably Kompany. 

However, with the likes of Rooney, his fantastic second half of the season rediscovery of form grants his inclusion. Note also that he has been placed in attacking midfield, a decision made based on his quality in distribution of the ball, short and long, and his work ethic in a team in which he seems to be the provider for the clinical Chicharito. The 'little pea' was an obvious choice. His speed, sharpness and poachers instinct was frightening to watch, let alone his goals to game ratio. Ferguson has worked magic in acquiring him for just £6 million. 

Finally, in goal we have Foster. I know Birmingham have been relegated, yet this does not fairly represent his performances between the sticks. His performance, for instance, in the final of the Carling Cup, was epic. He has matured greatly, and similarly to Joe Hart, transformed into a great keeper at Birmingham. GK was a hard one with Joe Hart having a good season (albeit slightly dropping in form towards the end) and Van Der Saar completing his final season in style, yet Foster's efforts in a team that fell dangerously following winter were spectacular, deserving him his place in this XI. 

Possible dream team from Will to come...

Jesse