My starting XI for England's first group game in the Euro's

Link

My england squad

Keepers: Hart, Carson, Ruddy

Deefenders: Richards, Walker, Cahill, Lescott, Jagielka, Ferdinand, Baines, Cole

Midfielders: Milner, Gerrard, Parker, Barry, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Young, Johnson

Strikers: Holt, Rooney, Carroll, Defoe

Norwich city the unfashionable team

By all accounts this season has been incredible so far for Norwich. That being said the recognition given to the players and manager has been rather muted in comparison to the Swansea adoration that has swept the nation. This blog could easily go off topic so I will just write what I wanted to say.

How does John Ruddy not get into the England squad? He has been one of the most consistent performers in the premier league and has one of the highest shots to save ratio of any keeper. Baring in mind the defensive injury problems Norwich have had that is a brilliant achievement. In addition I don't see what Scott Carson playing in Turkey or Rob Green playing in the championship have done to be so much greater than a regular in the premiership making quality saves week in week out.

Frazier Campbell- I understand the hype around Frazier Campbell and I think he's a quality player, but to only have played 2 premier league games this season having been out for over 500 days and to make it in the England Squad doesn't seem fair to me. For example Grant Holt has started 14 games in the league this year but has 9 goals. He also has a few sub performances when running down the clock and being a physical presence is important to help see out games yet he has gone unrecognised.

Stewart Downing- The assist machine that is Stewart Downing has again made it into the England squad. His brilliant form of no goals or assists in the league has secured his place again, well done Stewart! Another Norwich player Anthony Pilkington has 7 goals and a few assists this year but yet Stewart who has had 32 England caps and done nothing gets in again.

I'm back!

Honey I'm home. No seriously it's back to blogging to for me, a bit of a back story I had some issues with the monetary side of the site. I was using google adsense to generate revenue and I was banned for a reason I still don't think is fair but hey ho that's life I suppose and to be honest I have missed writing about football on a regular basis. It is a very welcome relief from writing laborious essays on human geography and economics all the time where I can't have an opinion without crediting someone else. So I will be writing more essays on the premier league, Norwich, a few musical issues and maybe the odd film... but mainly football.

So starting again this week I will be back (said in Arnie voice of course).

When football doesn't matter

Obviously I love football, but some times in life things are more important than who got what points at the weekend. So on that note I thought I'd add my condolences to family of Gary Speed and in these times you realise how tragic it is that someone of 42 years and always seemingly happy and a gentleman should lose his life. If the reports are true that he hanged himself as a result of depression, then it highlights how depression as an illness can affect anyone and also its severity in affecting people.

I don't want to talk for too long but i'm sure everyone will agree that Gary Speed had a lot to give in football yet not least to the Wales national team who were making great strides under his management.

RIP Gary Speed

Goal Line technology

The FA today announced that from next season 2012-2013 that goal line technology could be used in the premier league. This for me is a major stepping stone in the direction of fairness and consistency in a major refereeing decision that can cost teams a game, or a place in the league.

Although many argue that goal line technology could slow the game up and cause pauses whilst it interacts for the system to be used it must fulfill 4 criteria set by FIFA.

1) The technology can only be used for goal line decisions as to whether the ball has or hasn't crossed the line.
2) The system in operation must be accurate.
3) The decision must be made within 1 second.
4) The communication of the decision is between referee and refereeing assistants only.

I personally think these 4 rules could provide a system that is extremely useful in premier league matches. Often after a debated goal has been adjudged to not have passed the line, the result is a goal kick or corner, in which a player has to collect the ball place it and then take a kick. If the system is efficient enough, then the referee will have enough time to find out whether the ball had passed the line or not. The fact that the communication is between the referee and officials only also benefits as the crowd can not get annoyed at a video replay. The accuracy is the most important part, as no one would like a system that is not 100% accurate allowing for sloppy decisions to be made as there would be no point.

If the FA can implement a fair system such as this into the premier league I see no reason why it should not be used. Sports such as cricket and rugby have been using this system for a while and the decisions that have been made as a result have been greatly improved, if the premier league is to remain the best league in the world for club football then it needs to be at the fore of making decisions correct by using all tools available whilst not detracting from the fast flowing style of play that many have come to know and love.

Hopefully it can stop decisions like this:

Leave a comment on what you think towards goal line technology and whether it should be used in the premier league.

What is up with Chelsea?

If you haven't heard Chelsea lost 2-1 to Liverpool at home today. This defeat means they have lost 3 out of their last 4 premier league games. Included in this undesirable run is consecutive defeats at home, without doubt a very poor run of form. In addition their single victory in the league came at Blackburn and was only 1-0. So what is up?

I personally think AVB is going too attacking with his selections. They play with 3 forward players who never get back or help out defensively leaving their midfield stretched and vulnerable. In addition John Obi Mikel is the only true defensive midfielder in their standard line up and having players like Lampard and Ramires as his only midfield company he is left exposed too often. A quick one two and teams can get around him and end up running at the back four that is regularly weakened with attacking full backs such as Bosingwa. David Luiz is also a concern as he seems to see his defensive duties as secondary to his desire to take crazy runs forward and get into advanced positions. 

The lack of a form striker also leaves AVB with the decision to play more strikers hoping that one will kick into gear. This being said his formation ends up playing players out of position such as Sturridge playing wide right. The changing of strikers also doesn't allow them to settle into a role or regular football. 

That being said they cam up against a decent Liverpool team today but I think Chelsea need a bit of a back forward approach to bring a bit of stability. Or they need a slight change in system so more of the forward players track back and make things more difficult rather than hanging forward and leaving things open.