Views From The Armchair

"Views From The `Footiemad` Armchair
Diary Of A Season August 2006

Saturday 5th August 2006
Which 90s thriller had main characters called Claire and Michael Bartel and Peyton Flanders?

Which current boss of a Prem club took charge briefly at Norwich following their relegation from the Prem in 1995?

Here we go again! The World Cup ended less than a month ago, yet is a distant memory from the past whilst the play off final from the end of May is consigned to the `instantly forgotten` file and here we are in early August with a heatwave behind us and the proper football starting up again. The Prem fans have to wait another two weeks for their clubs to get started, however fans of the duffers were full of expectations this weekend as the 72 other league clubs get started and I was no different.

A Win Is A Win!: Leeds are traditionally good starters to the season, at least until the second game anyway, and haven't lost an opening game since 1989, ironically the year that we won the old second division title! 2006-07 was no exception as a David Healy penalty gave us three points against Norwich. I listened to the game on the Internet thanks to Auntie Beeb and it sounded as though we were a little lucky to get the win, however as the heading suggests, it's ultimately three points. Oddly, the usual pre-season optimism hasn't been flowing from me this summer after our flop against Watford and losing Rob Hulse hasn't helped. The signing of Doug Livermore from Millwall looked a decent one for us until we sold him to Hull after just 13 days, further proof that old habits die hard behind the scenes at Elland Road!

Sunday 6th August 2006
"Once there was this kid who got into an accident and couldn't come to school. But when he finally came back his hair had turned from black into bright white." (Song Lyric)

In Derby's golden era of the 70s, they once won a UEFA Cup home game 12-0 against which Irish opponents?

Day Of The Comebacks: I only saw bits of both Coventry's win against Sunderland and Derby's draw at home to Southampton, however both games featured clubs coming from behind to take the lead and, in Coventry's case, win the game. What also struck me was the fact that, in the not too distant past, both games were Premiership fixtures, offering proof, if it were needed, that the mighty can fall remarkably quickly. From what I saw, Niall Quinn needs to get a defensive coach in sharp at Sunderland. Coventry looked okay-ish and if they can find any sort of away form, then the play offs are an option. Derby will have a decent season under new boss Billy Davies and compatriot George Burley will shape Southampton into a force to be reckoned with. On which note, the signing of Bradley Wright-Phillips could prove inspired for club and player and he may just have shown his more illustrious brother how to move clubs and play first team football!

Weekend Papers: Unless you've been on Mars for the past couple of years, it's been impossible to avoid the freebies given away by many weekend newspapers. These are almost always CDs or DVDs of various different subject matters and whilst the music industry has rapidly closed ranks on what they agree to be given away, the film companies haven't yet done the same with their products. The ones that actually come with the papers are the biggest pain for us newsagents as, firstly we have to insert the bloody things into the papers and secondly, it makes it nigh on impossible for our deliverers to fold the papers easily. This is all aside from the fact that only a small minoroty of people buy the paper for the CD/DVD. That said, I had to smile today at the Mail on Sunday who were giving away a free Stranglers CD. This was made all the more ironic by the core Mail readership made up of female middle-aged to pension aged readers! Indeed I had to deliver two Mail's to regular readers in an old folks sheltered accomodation home today and could only wonder how they felt when the sweet tones of the Stranglers came flooding out when they decided to try the CD to see how it sounded!

Monday 7th August 2006
"In the silence of your room in the darkness of your dreams. You must only think of me." (Song Lyric)
Stay - Shakespears Sister: Correctly answered by kirsty

Sol Campbell's first league goal for Arsenal came on Boxing 2001 against which other London club?

Sol(d) Out: One of the bigger transfer stories of the summer involved Sol Campbell wanting to leave Arsenal. I was a little surprised I must admit especially when you think back to the furore surrounding his transfer to the Gunners from Spurs, but I guess they all move on. Although he's in his early 30s, I expected him to move to a club in Europe, possibly Italy or Spain to lend some experience over there, however either no-one wanted him or he's lowering his standards somewhat as he's now been heavily linked with both Man City and Portsmouth! Don't get me wrong, both clubs are excellent in their own ways and their supporters are sensational but is this really furthering his career? My guess is that either his wage demands are excessively high and no-one would pay or that he simply wanted to go somewhere where he stands a chance of first team football.

Theme Park Sicky: We spent the day at Chessington World of Adventures today which is a theme park on the ourskirts of London, meaning a day trip for us. My favourite was Vampire which is one of the rollercoasters that you hang and swing from rather than sit it, although my daughter and her friend perferred Dragons Fury which was too fast for my liking so I wimped out on that one. Whilst these rides are excellent fun, they do have downsides and whilst we were waiting to go onto Vampire for the second time, something was obviously wrong as they sent FOUR trains out empty and wouldn't allow anyone on. It was at this point when I realised that watching Final Destination 3 last week was perhaps not the best idea in the world! Luckily we were near the front and managed to find out what had happened. Someone clearly had decided to have dinner a little too soon prior to going on the ride and promptly brought the whole lot up on one of the seats! Hence a massive clean up job and safety check before anyone was let on again. When we were, the `affected` seat was exactly where my daughter and her friend were due to sit so thanks to the sort of snazzy criss-crossing that you only usually see from trolls entering the motorway from the slip road, they nipped into my allocated seats and I went onto there's, leaving the vomit-stained chair empty! Thinking back, I wonder exactly when on the ride he or she was sick and if it was whilst the ride was in progress, you can only feel desperately sorry for those behind or below the one which the weak stomach! That aside the wet rides are always good fun, especially when some dope decides to put his head back directly into a mass of jets of water that got me absolutely soaked. Our only gripe, make the park non-smoking please!

Tuesday 8th August 2006
"You can't just kill people because you disapprove of them!" - "That's what my doctors kept saying. It was the one thing we could never agree on." (Film quote)

In the mid 90s, Patrick Vieira played just two games for which Italian side?

Arsenal On The Way: The Champions League without Arsenal would be like an English summer without rain and after tonight, it seems likely that the Gunners will once again be in the group stages. Dinamo Zagreb might not be a European force but they looked pretty good on occasions and when it was still goalless at half time, I feared the worst for Arsenal until the New Vieira - aka Cesc Fabregas - stepped in. With the number four on his back, his goals could have quite easily been the product of the older Frenchman, especially the second, Arsenal's third, as he skipped through the Croatian defence before slotting calmly home. It's astonishing that he's still only 19 and Arsenal would do well to keep him, unlike certain others not mentioning Ashley Cole or Jose Reyes of course. The game was really decided with the two goals in just over a minute and after that the result, and probably, the tie as a whole, was settled. But then as I said, it wouldn't be the same without Arsenal and with them being the runners up last season and moving to a new stadium, it would have been an injustice.

Curse Of The Last Minute Goal: For some reason, I'm never confident when Leeds play in London, so after a goalless hour, I was as surprised as anyone when we took the lead at QPR. Thanks to some excellently timed pieces of channel hopping between ITV1 and Sky Sports 1, I also caught the moment when Rangers equalised with a penalty, followed swiftly by us re-taking the lead. Sadly, a capital win was beyond us, despite being ahead twice as we fell foul of the elusive late goal. In fairness, I'd have settled for a point prior to the game, but it's harder to take when your side is ahead into stoppage time. Never mind, two games and still unbeaten. I'd have settled for that as well.

Wednesday 9th August 2006
"In your mind you have capacities you know. To telepath messages through the vast unknown." (Song Lyric)
Calling Occupants of Interplanetary craft - The Carpenters: Correctly answered by kirstymd

Which Liverpool player scored the winning penalty in the shoot out at the end of the 1984 European Cup Final?

Liverpool Late Show: Those of us who are up early dread those words before a televised game. "Kick off has been delayed..." It's bad enough normally but when the kick off is late anyway at 8:05pm, then another ten minutes doesn't sound much but it's enough to make me hit the sack at half time. And that's exactly what happened with Liverpool coming from behind to get level with Maccabi Haifa at the interval. The Isreali side scored an excellent goal to go ahead. Well worked, swift passing and cutting run through the defence, culminating in a crisp finish and whilst Craig Bellamy's equaliser wasn't as good, it was equally as important. With hindsight, it would seem I made the right decision as Liverpool didn't grab their winner until very late on which I guess would have been well past 10pm when the final whistle finally blew. Not the walkover many expected but probably enough to see them through especially with a second leg to come on neutral territory. On which point, you can only wonder how the Maccabi players felt as regards the troubles in their country at the moment. Notably the reserve keeper whose house took a direct hit at the weekend. Puts football into perspective.

Importance Is In The Eye Of The Beholder: A chap who comes into our shop very early has had phone problems recently and his wonderful telecom company told him it would be a week before they could put it right. So, one morning last week he arrived in a panic as he needed to make an `important call`. I asked it he had a mobile which he said he did but it would cost an arm and a leg so could he use our landline and pay us for it. Fair enough I thought, so he dialled the number and obviously waited to get through and when he did, it was an answerphone. "I'll leave him a message," he said and then `after the beep`, he did just that with, "Morning Dave, it's me. I'm borrowing a business phoneline so can't talk for long. So, today's hot tips are: Goodwood 3:30, number 7....." Two more `hot tips` later, he disconnected, thanked me and went home! I wished I'd looked to see how the horses actually did!

Thursday 10th August 2006
Which actor has played characters called Rockhound, Garland Greene and Mr Pink

Which three clubs have been in the top flight of English football longer than Man United?

Ventspils Is In...? For some reason I spent most of today believe that Newcastle were in Norway to face Venstpils in their UEFA Cup qualifier. Imagine my surprise when I found out that I was a few hundred miles out and that it is actually in Latvia! I dunno what it is about games played in pokey little European stadia that make most non-league ground look elegant, but I struggle to raise my interest and excitement level whilst watching. Hence I gave the admittedly entertaining encounter 15 minutes before the commentator mentioned that there `would surely be goals in this one` and I realised that the kiss of death had been sealed. Subsequently, over an hour later when I tried again, I'd been vindicated as the Toon were a goal up (great header from Titus Bramble) and strolling. Much like Liverpool and Arsenal, they should have few problems reaching the competition proper but we'll see how their new faces cope against better opposition.

Friday 11th August 2006
The films of Along Came A Spider and Kiss The Girls were based on novels by whom?
James Patterson: Correctly answered by kirsty

In the CL last season (05-06) Arsenal won all of their first five group games and then drew their final one against which club?

Silence Is Golden: Since reading the Anthony Horowitz novel of the same name, my daughter has been desperate to see Stormbreaker since it's release and today we finally found the time to see it. Before the film, the usual message came up about a PG rating and how kids under eight may find some scenes a problem. Parents should take this as meaning that kids under that age may not fully understand what is happening either! Ok, the plot is hardly taxing to those in double figures and above, however this is not cartoons when the audience need things spelled out and some parts of the plot are left to the imagination, especially at least one killing. So it's not real surprise when the kid behind us, aged around six, kept asking him Mum and older brother what was happening! In fairness to him, it must have seem confusing at times, however he wasn't particular quiet and, more to the point, nor was his mother when replying! I felt like I was watching a DVD with a bloody audio commentary half the time! At the end, he asked his Mum where the toilets were. I half expected her to follow him in and explain what he had to do! Oh, the film? Pretty good actually, although I've not read the book. Suspend your brain for an hour and a half and enjoy a kids James Bond type film.

Due to circumstances beyond my control, the diary is taking a short break until 19th August 2006

Saturday 19th August 2006
"Will you ever learn to love without a little doubt? Good love will always come from me." (Song Lyric)
See the day - Girls Aloud: Correctly answered by kirstymd

Prior to today, who was the last player to score for Sheffield United in a Premiership game?

Here we go again! Back from a week in the North (more of that later in the week) in time for the new Prem season to kick off!

Blades Blunt Liverpool: How often in the past have Liverpool managed to salvage a point or less from a game which they really should win on paper? Today was another as they spluttered and stuttered against a Sheffield United side fresh into the Prem and with precious little top flight experience in the squad. Okay, they were aided by injuries to Riise and Carragher and took advantage of non-existant marking to take the lead but this was a game that turned into one that they shouldn't have won to one that they didn't deserve to lose! Yep, first day of the season and already we are treated to a decision that defies logic. I didn't think that Chris Morgan touched Steven Gerrard for the penalty and, if he did as the referee felt, then why wasn't he sent off? Ultimately it saved the Scouse blushes but it bodes quite well for United this season if they continue in that vein. They face Spurs next, on which point...

Will The Real Spurs Please Stand Up: Last season I felt Spurs would do well and they did. I feel the same this time around although after watching the opening 13 minutes at Bolton today, they'll be glad to get it out of their system. For most of the game they were arguably the better side although neither created stacks of chances, but they fell flat thanks to more non-existant marking and the sort of goal that most strikers can only dream about. Ivan Campo's strike was certainly something special and effectively sealed the fate of the game but you wonder how often he'd do it again given the same circumstances. Good luck to Bolton though. I like them and would love to see them floating in and around the top six again. Oh, and the referee falling flat on his face was highly enjoyable as well!!

Hats Off To Reading: At half past three today, many headlines were being written for Reading and their demise from the top flight was being planned before it had even started. Less than an hour later, they'd turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 winning lead and this season's Wigan was on it's way. Ironically, the manager's at each club could hardly have been further apart as regards experience and maybe that's what helped Steve Coppell's Reading turn things around so dramatically against Gareth Southgate's Middlesbrough.

Elsewhere.... If you were given a free bet as to which club would get two players sent off on the opening day, Blackburn would have been high on most people's list and so it turned out as Lucas Neill (surprise!) and Andy Todd saw red as they crashed at Portsmouth. Almost as surprising as the exploits of Reading and Sheff U was Aston Villa holding Arsenal and the brand spanking new Emirates Stadium. Maybe the fortress tag will come later! Whilst the other promoted pair earned brownies points, Watford slumped to defeat at Everton as the curse of the play offs started again. Still, far be it for me to say much as they team they beat last May lost at home to Cardiff!

Sunday 20th August 2006
"If we don't have the key, we can't open whatever it is we don't have that it unlocks. So what purpose would be served in finding whatever need be unlocked, which we don't have, without first having found the key what unlocks it?" (Film quote)
Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dean Mans Chest: Correctly answered by Joe Scott

In season 94-95 which club won nine of their first eleven Prem games (drawing the other two) yet still only finished sixth at the end of the season?

Forget Gelsenkirschen! If there were any doubts as to how Mssrs Rooney and Ronaldo would gel for Man United following `that` incident in the summer, they were firmly put to bed today as they netted three of the five goals as Fulham were well and truly walloped. Plenty of interchange between the pair, notably when Rooney set his colleague up for the fourth goal and no signs of any problems. Indeed the commentators summed it up when they mentioned that Rooney had coped with it all in a very mature manner and let the public draw their own conclusions over the whole affair. My personal conclusions are favourable. As for United as a whole this was a throwback to their invincible days of the 90s. Free flowing attacks, plenty of chances and an opponent that really didn't know how to cope for the opening twenty minutes. United title challengers? You bet.

Chelsea Off And Running: Whilst Fulham were making their way north to south after their humbling, Man City were going in the opposite direction after losing heavily at Chelsea. Whilst the result and performance was not as outstanding as that of United's, it was clinical and precise as they rarely gave City a look in. One set piece and a deflection set them up and the win was clinched by a superb diving header, all of which was puncuated by the sending off of debutant Bernardo Corradi, quite rightly for a second bookable offence. In the aftermath of his foul on Michael Essien, was I the only one surprised that Essien was a bit lucky to stay on after dragging the City man up by his hair! Not something you see that often! So, can Chelsea win three back-to-back titles? Of course, but they'll be a bit more concerned over Man United than Arsenal or Liverpool after the opening weekend. On which point, there were no away wins or goalless draws after matchday one and only three clubs failed to score. Quite a promising start I reckon.

Monday 21st August 2006
"I admire its purity. A survivor unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality." (Film quote)

Who is the only currently Premiership player who has joined his father by being capped by England?

Who Are They Again?: The romance of the cup is hardly mentioned regarding the Worthington Cup, however in a quirky twist of fate, Accrington Stanley who are as famous for a milk advert as football, were playing Nottm Forest in a competition that used to be known as the Milk Cup! Strange eh? Anyway, onwards. The pundits and commentators went to great lengths to emphasise the difference between the clubs to the point that when Accie's went bust in the 60s, Forest were top flight of the league and when they were winning the European Cup in the last 70s and early 80s, Stanley were playing Coalash Lane Gasworks XI in the Cheshire League Division Four or something similar. Now, just one league apart and they clashed in the cup and almost inevitably, the upset happened with Accie winning 1-0 thanks to a deflected effort. If nothing else is does teach you to take nothing for granted regarding the beautiful game, although dreams of Frome Town facing Chelsea in the Carling Cup 2029 could be pushing the credability a bit too far.

Practise Makes Perfect: As I mentioned, we had a good week at the in-laws last week and also had time to spend with two nieces for the first time this calendar year. One of our little activities involved us taking them and our daughter down to a nearby park and although there's not an awful lot there, there was a large field that we set up a mini-rounders pitch on. Due to the fact that there were only five of us, some concessions were made and we got on with it. The younger niece, 10-year old Jodie, was having a few problems hitting the ball so during a rest break (for the adults!) I gave her a few tips. Now, I'm no expert by any means, however by holding the bat one-handed it gave her a more relaxed swing and during some practise she was hitting the ball almost everytime. Her confidence was such that she shouted towards me to catch the ball she was about to hit, however her swing was slightly out and the ball ballooned skywards but nowhere near me. It was however, falling near my wife and although I yelled to her to catch it, she was facing the other way and it caught her absolutely perfectly on the back of her head!

Tuesday 22nd August 2006
"What'll you do when you get lonely and nobody's waiting by your side? You've been running and hiding much too long. You know it's just your foolish pride." (Song Lyric)

Who are the only two current Prem players to have scored in every single Prem season since it began in 1992?

Liverpool Stutter Again: No Gerrard, no Bellamy (although both came on as subs) and no injured Riise and Carragher and after Saturday's display at Bramhall Lane, Liverpool again struggled against opponents that they should beat as they eased through to the CL group stages following their 1-1 draw away to Maccabi Haifa tonight. In fact, `away` does it an injustice as it was played in Kiev, hundreds of miles from either nation and it maybe that which gave the atmosphere an unreal sort of feeling, at least until Maccabi equalised when their fans woke from their slumber. Until then, I'd been switching between the game and the score updates on Sky and can't really say that I watched any significant stage of the Liverpool game until the final twenty minutes or so. This wasn't helped by an early kick off which threw me as much as the delayed kick off time for the first leg as I was sure that ko time would be 7:45pm, so I subsequently missed the first ten minutes anyway. As time wore on, more than once during those latter stages Liverpool looked a little dodgy and I fancied that extra time could just happen and how many Scouse hearts were in mouths in the last minute when the Maccabi player went down in the area and the whistle blew...for a dive! Quote of the game came from commentator Clive Tyldesley who mentioned that, "Peter Crouch's brain is a long way from his feet!"

Spurs On The March: Defeat on the opening day at Bolton cleared sparked Spurs into life as they easily beat Sheffield United at White Hart Lane. Robbie Keane sounded as though he gave United all sorts of problems especially in the first half and Spurs fans will be delighted to see new multi-million pound signing Dimitar Berbatov get off the mark, reducing the risk of him becoming the new Rebrov. Across London (poetic licence!) and Watford earned their first point of the season in a game that saw West Ham's Bobby Zamora score an equaliser that makes him leading scorer in the Prem so far this season and puts the Hammers top - at least until tomorrow anyway.

Spare A Thought...: For John Fitzgerald who netted for Bury against Sunderland in the Carling Cup with eight minutes to go and then got sent off for over celebrating, something that many Black Cats will certainly not feel like doing so far this season. The game ended 2-0 to Bury as they scored again late on, leaving Sunderland boss/chairman Niall Quinn wondering if he needs to give himself the dreaded vote of confidence.

Wednesday 23rd August 2006
"I can uphold the weight of those neighbours and she's lifting and throwing to the wall, the post-natal harmonies of youth." (Song Lyric)

In 1988, which Scottish club voted in their manager, Jim McLean, to be their chairman, the first such joint appointment of it's type in the UK?

Sacked! So much for the dreaded vote of confidence! Niall Quinn clearly decided that enough was enough after last night's defeat and effectively sacked himself as manager. Apparently a World Class boss should be installed by Monday. Well as Mick McCarthy is now employed elsewhere in the Championship, maybe Peter Reid is on his way back to the Riverside...or maybe it's Roy Keane!! That was a shock on an announcement, albeit unconfirmed, and I can't help thinking that this is a desperate measure from Quinn. Keane was a sensational player but as regards management, he's as raw and you and I and a good player does not always become a good manager, just look at Paul Merson and Tony Adams for proof. It all seems a bit knee-jerk to me, although if this time next year, Sunderland are back in the Prem then fair play to Quinn for taking the risk because that's exactly what he's doing.

Turn Up On Teeside: Just as the weekend saw wins for Man United and Chelsea and the Prem looked to be lulling into a predictable start, up come Middlesbrough to throw the proverbial cat among the Chelsea pigeons. A goal up with ten minutes to play and the Champions surely felt that they were cruising only for Boro to strike twice late on and inflict a rare defeat on Mourinho's men. I reckon the Prem needed a result like this just to show Chelsea that they won't walk away with things as they have previously and with Man United destroying all in their path at the moment, maybe we will actually have a genuine title race this season, thanks for now, to Middlesbrough.

Thursday 24th August 2006
"This is your idea. If you don't like your ideas, stop having them." (Film Quote)

Which current Prem player was the leading scorer in last season's Champions League (from the group stages onwards)?

A-Level In Confusion: I love the Champions League group draw! Not so much to see who'll play who, but to hear the experts and officials explain how the draw will work and, once the draw is off and running, explain why Man United cannot go in Group X,Y and Z as Arsenal are `paired` with them and how they cannot go into group Q or R as Liverpool and Chelsea are already there! To be fair, I understand why seedings are needed and the need to keep same-nation clubs apart, but it doesn't half make the draw complicated and last six times longer than it should, although that's not helped by the apparent need to have various star players on stage as part of the process as well as a new thing which saw an awards ceremony interspersed within the draw! Indeed with various French, Spanish and broken English accents on show, half the time it felt like watching an episode of Allo Allo. Personally, my worst fears were realised when the totally unspellable Shakhtar Donetsk and vowel friendly Steaua Bucharest came through qualifying, although thankfully neither were grouped with English clubs! Barca v Chelsea was almost written in the stars and I could see Celtic getting an English club, which they did in the shape of Man United. Arsenal will feel confident of going through and so will Liverpool although a nostalgic return to Istanbul to face Galatasaray will not have been high on their wants list. In some ways, they get the balance of great, good and crap teams in one group about right but after almost every ball in drawn, you still find yourself pining for the FA Cup style draw when Arsenal have as much chance of drawing Man United as that non-league club from the middle of nowhere whose population is 1% of the average home crowd at Old Trafford. Oh, and all told, the draw took 53 minutes and that didn't include the best player vote which came after the draw!

Friday 25th August 2006
"So I play along when I hear that favourite song. I�m gonna be the one who gets it right. You better know when you�re swinging round the room look�s like magic�s solely yours tonight." (Song Lyric))

Among his many clubs, Nik Anelka started his career and later went back to which club?

Look Who's Back! Yep, return of the grouch or grinch or EmoKid or whatever you want to call him, but Nik Anelka, probably with his brother as agent and advisor again, is back in the Premiership after Bolton spent �8m on him! To say it's a risk is an understatement considering we're talking about a player whose sole ambition seems to be to make as much money from as many clubs in as short a space as possible. I think my figures are correct, however I make him to be 27 years old and he's currently about to play for his fourth Prem club and his seventh overall (taking into account the quiz question today!) which probably isn't a record in itself, however the fact that the longest he's stayed at any club is two and a half years would get the alarms bells ringing. The irony is that he's in his prime now and a superb player and goalscorer, however the influence of agent brother seems major and I only hope that Bolton don't end up with eight million reasons why they should not have signed him.

This Garden Ain`t Big Enough For The Three Of Us: Whilst up north last week, I was talked into a game of badminton in my mum-in-laws back garden which whilst sizeable enough, was not really designed for outdoor games with a plant and flower border surrounding a couple of sides. Subsequently we were only a few minutes into bashing something resembling a dead budgie over an imaginary net and inside an equally imaginary court when the first shuttlecock went sailing over the fence and into next doors! The same happened a few minutes later and we were running the risk of having to stop play due to severe lack of playing equipment. So, when the next overhit effort went high and dangerously close to the fence, I decided to be a hero and jump and reach with the bat and boing it back into our court before next door claimed another. To be fair, I was succesful and kept it in, however in running and trying to avoid the plant border, I lost my balance and rather than step on the plant, I fell straight into them and the fence! Cue much laughter from my opponents and a beetroot red face for me, but then I did save the poor shuttlecock from next door...until minutes later when the bloody thing was overhit again!

Saturday 26th August 2006
Which 80s comedy film was the first to feature the characters, Joan Wilder, Jack Colton, Ralph and Ira?

Which Spurs player scored a second half hat trick at home to Everton in a seven goal thriller in January 2003?

Groundhog Day For Hammers: West Ham must be sick of the sight of Liverpool. No win at Anfield for 43 years and now, just like the Cup Final in May, they took the lead only to eventually lose it. I loved the Hammers goal though as Bobby Zamora's cross flew inside the near post of Jose Reina with the help of the keeper who pawed it in. Equally, but for different reasons, the Liverpool goals were memorable due to a long range belter and a superbly worked and finished winner. Liverpool still look nothing like the finished product whilst West Ham can console themselves that Zamora really seems to be finding his feet at the top flight. Now, of only I'd have put him in my Dream Team instead of Craig Bellamy!

Elbows R Us: Incident packed game of the day seemed to be at The Valley where Charlton and Bolton `shared` two goals (both for Charlton!) two penalties and two red cards, both for elbowing apparently. Both were justified by all accounts although until Football First or MotD, I've seen neither, however after the Ben Thatcher incident in midweek, you really think that players would have learned their lesson. Elsewhere, Everton blew a few accumalotors with a win at Spurs and Man United stay 100% with a win at Watford. I have to say that they look good so far this season and with both Chelsea and Arsenal stuttering this season, they are doing exactly what you would hope they would and pile up the points whilst others falter.

Wasteful Arsenal: Part of the fun in watching Man City at the moment is watching Paul Dickov do his utmost to wind up opponents, especially goalkeepers and he was at it again, albeit within the laws of the game, today against Arsenal, although it was one for the lip-readers when he felt he should have had an early penalty and called the linesman a bucking flanker I think. Arsenal did their best to create as many chances as possible without scoring and City took full advantage with one of the most blatant penalties of the season. The expressions of the two bosses as time wore on was priceless as Stuart Pearce's determination was a stark contrast to the eventually sheer resignation on the other bench.

Sunday 27th August 2006
"She'll turn the music on you, you won't have to think twice. She's pure as New York snow." (Song Lyric)

In 1997, Sheff Wed paid a club record �4.5m for which striker?

A Win But...: Yes I know, a win is a win, however Leeds have now won twice in the league this season both thanks to disputed penalties and it's a little worrying. That aside, we're back into the top half after an odd game at Sheffield Wednesday. First half they had the better chances then we took control for 25 minutes after the break, however once their keeper was sent off and David Healy scored the penalty, we sat back! Why do teams do that?? A goal up, a man up, why invite pressure on yourselves especially after the way we'd dominated the half until then. Still, we held out although it looked touch and go for a while, leaving just the penalty to wonder about. Co-commentator Gary Birtles went to great lengths to say how Healy was offside. I don't think he was as the pass from Crainey was from deep in the Leeds half and no other player got a touch before Healy. Then the foul by the keeper. Again Birtles went on about no contact until seeing the replay from a fourth angle when he piped up that his knee was caught and that the referee was right! Not bad after effectively calling it a dive for the previous five minutes. Still football is all about opinions but in my biased one, the ref was spot on.

Justice For The Attacking Teams: How often do we see shirt pulling, holding and grabbing in the penalty area as defender try and defend a set piece? How often is a foul called against them? Today it finally happened as Blackburn's Andre Ooijer did it to John Terry (and later almost did the same on Didier Drogba) and conceded a penalty. About bloody time I say and the only problem I have with it is that he didn't see the blatant shirt pull by Carvalho on Jason Roberts at the other end later in the game. Perhaps now a penalty has been awarded for this offence, defenders will think twice about giving their markers a bear hug to stop them going for the ball. As for the game, Chelsea looked indifferent first half and a little better after the break but they won without being on good form which is a little ominous.

Monday 28th August 2006
Which rock star has featured in the following films: Cry_Wolf, U-571 and Pay It Forward?

In 1982, which club had SEVEN past, present and future England captains in their squad?

Set Piece Sunderland: It's been quite a month, or summer even, for Sunderland with the behind-the-scenes movings overshadowing anything on the pitch during the summer and, when it didn't work out, the chairman sacking himself and appointing a total rookie as manager, the worst kept secret which was confirmed after today's win against West Brom. Yes, you read that right, a win at last for the Black Cats, courtesy of two set pieces that finally gets them some points this season. Whether Roy Keane can keep that going remains to be seen but one thing is for sure, he'll not settle for anything less than 100%. In truth today, West Brom were poor which made Sunderland look perhaps better than they were, but the record books will show a 2-0 win, end of story. The one downside for me? The constant jeering of Kevin Phillips. A hero for six years, I thought he'd have had a better reception that that.

Kanu's Lesson For Southgate: Gareth Southgate must be wondering about his decision to go into management. Three games so far and his Middlesbrough side have gone 2-0 up only to lose to a club playing their first ever Prem game. Then they go behind to the club looking for a third successive title win and come back to win! Tonight there were no comebacks, only a stunning display of strength by Portsmouth to wallop Boro 4-0 on their own patch. Pompey have yet to let in a goal this season and it showed. Two banks of four made it very difficult for the home side to break down and they barely created a clear cut chance. Pompey netted two goals from set pieces and then two on the break, with Kanu scoring one of each, the second a terrific solo run from his own half. Boss Harry Redknapp has gambled on his summer signings with the likes of Kanu, David Thompson, David James and Sol Campbell, but at the moment it's paying off big time with only Man Utd ahead of them in the league. Gareth Southgate could use a few tips from the old master.

Tuesday 29th August 2006
"I've fallen for a lamppost. Giving her my utmost, spilling out my deepest feelings." (Song Lyric)
Lovestruck - Madness: Correctly answered by kirstymd

Bristol City's highest fee paid and received for a player was for the same striker and less than two years apart. Who was the player?

Battle Of Bristol: Okay, so it wasn't a battle and it wasn't at Bristol, however Naughty at Northampton didn't have the same ring! Yes, Northampton 1 Bristol City 3 will go down in the record books as one of those games where team-mates came to blows, although to be fair, Bradley Orr and Louis Carey have probably had bigger bust ups over a game of poker on the team bus. Yes, Orr aimed a head butt toward his team mate, sparking a kurfuffle, but a red card seemed a little harsh as it was one of his own players, but I guess the precedent was set with Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer. What was good was seeing both players, albeit seperatly, interviewed and giving their side of the incident which basically ammounted to the same `Spur of the moment now lets put it behind us.` Indeed deep down, after the start City had have, boss Gary Johnson is probably thriller at the level of passion shown by the players! Good game though away from the fisticuffs and good to see a team not afraid to go forward despite being down to ten men.

Know any of the trivia answers? Mail Me Now and get an on-site name check!
Return to Diary menu
Return to main Footiemad menu