Thank fuck we have finally got the international breaks out of the way at last. The way the start to a new season always gets broken up with these breaks, does my bonce in, the season never really feels like it has started until they are out of the way.
It was good to see Jonny Evans have such a storming game in Portugal for Northern Ireland, i feel the key to the run of games we have coming up is keeping him and Ferdinand together for the big games at Chelsea and at home to Arsenal. Leaving Smalling to come back for the league cup and maybe the Braga games. As usual it seems, our lads seem to find the net for their countries, here's hoping the form we showed at Newcastle carries on tomorrow.
As for England, i didn't think they were that bad against San Marino, but they were poor in Poland, not that it should matter too much, a point there is a good result. It was interesting to see Cleverley start both games and to see him used in different positions. It's looking like he has persuaded Hodgson that he should be one of the first names on his team sheet. I though he was the one player who performed over both the games. The less said about Rooney's performance in Poland the better, from our point of view it was good to see that occur in an England shirt and not a United one.
I saw both of the under 21's games against Serbia where England deservedly went through, though without setting the world alight. All the talk is obviously about the racism, and rightly so, Serbia need punishing, but how, i'm not sure. One thing i would say though is i wouldn't want any of my players admitting that the stick had got to them, whatever the provocation. I'm not expecting UEFA to do anything other than slap the Serbian FA on the hand, and knowing that gutless organisation they'll probably even it up with a fine for England.
I watched the games mainly to have a bit more of a look at Tom Ince, big time Charlie's son, who we have been heavily linked to. I have seen him play for Blaclpool quite a few times and have liked the look of him, in fact i have always wondered why he didn't seem to be linked with any of the big clubs. Anyway, after watching him a bit more closely, i do think he would be a good signing, in the same way as Nick Powell has been. The potential is definitely there, and though he is nowhere near the finished package, what stood out apart from the ability to beat a man, was a pretty good football brain. If United have an agreement, it would make sense to let him stay at Blackpool for the rest of the season, i don't think the business end of the premier league season would be the ideal time to bring him here.
Even though Evra scored in the last game and put in a half decent performance for the first time in ages, the next few games will give us more of an idea whether he has really turned a corner.
Ian Herbert writing before that game wrote a column about the Frenchmens deterioration and speculated it was only Fergie's obsession with our attack and making sure we don't lose the title on goals difference again.
Music
Can - Ege Bamyasi: They brought this out in the middle of their golden period in the early 70's and it stands up to the standards they had already set. As good as anything they did.
Cat Power - Sun: A pretty good album, though no classic, it doesn't get near the heights of 2006's The greatest, there's not as many really memorable songs.
Christine Tobin - Sailing to Byzantium: This got some great reviews, but it didn't set the world alight for me, it's one of those albums i seem to have to be in the mood to enjoy.
Matthew Dear - Beams: I like this, the mix of electronica and progressive rock/pop, the second track sounds very Joy Division which isn't always a good sign, but it cuts the mustard.
Richard Hawley -Standing at the skys edge: This got rave reviews, and it is a grower, it 's very good, though i didn't think the sound was that different, the guitars don't get that loud.
The Vaccines - Come of age: Their debut was pretty good slice of indie guitar with heavy nods to the 70's and this follows suit. That's two pretty good albums, can they make the third a real killer album.
It was good to see Jonny Evans have such a storming game in Portugal for Northern Ireland, i feel the key to the run of games we have coming up is keeping him and Ferdinand together for the big games at Chelsea and at home to Arsenal. Leaving Smalling to come back for the league cup and maybe the Braga games. As usual it seems, our lads seem to find the net for their countries, here's hoping the form we showed at Newcastle carries on tomorrow.
As for England, i didn't think they were that bad against San Marino, but they were poor in Poland, not that it should matter too much, a point there is a good result. It was interesting to see Cleverley start both games and to see him used in different positions. It's looking like he has persuaded Hodgson that he should be one of the first names on his team sheet. I though he was the one player who performed over both the games. The less said about Rooney's performance in Poland the better, from our point of view it was good to see that occur in an England shirt and not a United one.
I saw both of the under 21's games against Serbia where England deservedly went through, though without setting the world alight. All the talk is obviously about the racism, and rightly so, Serbia need punishing, but how, i'm not sure. One thing i would say though is i wouldn't want any of my players admitting that the stick had got to them, whatever the provocation. I'm not expecting UEFA to do anything other than slap the Serbian FA on the hand, and knowing that gutless organisation they'll probably even it up with a fine for England.
I watched the games mainly to have a bit more of a look at Tom Ince, big time Charlie's son, who we have been heavily linked to. I have seen him play for Blaclpool quite a few times and have liked the look of him, in fact i have always wondered why he didn't seem to be linked with any of the big clubs. Anyway, after watching him a bit more closely, i do think he would be a good signing, in the same way as Nick Powell has been. The potential is definitely there, and though he is nowhere near the finished package, what stood out apart from the ability to beat a man, was a pretty good football brain. If United have an agreement, it would make sense to let him stay at Blackpool for the rest of the season, i don't think the business end of the premier league season would be the ideal time to bring him here.
Even though Evra scored in the last game and put in a half decent performance for the first time in ages, the next few games will give us more of an idea whether he has really turned a corner.
Ian Herbert writing before that game wrote a column about the Frenchmens deterioration and speculated it was only Fergie's obsession with our attack and making sure we don't lose the title on goals difference again.
Music
Can - Ege Bamyasi: They brought this out in the middle of their golden period in the early 70's and it stands up to the standards they had already set. As good as anything they did.
Cat Power - Sun: A pretty good album, though no classic, it doesn't get near the heights of 2006's The greatest, there's not as many really memorable songs.
Christine Tobin - Sailing to Byzantium: This got some great reviews, but it didn't set the world alight for me, it's one of those albums i seem to have to be in the mood to enjoy.
Matthew Dear - Beams: I like this, the mix of electronica and progressive rock/pop, the second track sounds very Joy Division which isn't always a good sign, but it cuts the mustard.
Richard Hawley -Standing at the skys edge: This got rave reviews, and it is a grower, it 's very good, though i didn't think the sound was that different, the guitars don't get that loud.
The Vaccines - Come of age: Their debut was pretty good slice of indie guitar with heavy nods to the 70's and this follows suit. That's two pretty good albums, can they make the third a real killer album.
No comments:
Post a Comment