The Ashes return down under was always going to be the more crucial series. After all, if you lost this English Summer you only had to wait three months for another opportunity. The winners by the time we reach Sydney in January will have two and a half years to puff our out their chests.
It seems incredulous given that England have already retained the Ashes that they could now be considered slight underdogs for the series down under but given the ferocity of the conditions down there and the comparison of the two teams, that may well be the case.
England should of course be congratulated for retaining the urn so promptly. Trent Bridge should have been far more comfortable than it was with only Ashton Ager's knock skewing the match. Lords was then a complete hammering. But it is the swing in power between the sides at Old Trafford that has got everyone so agitated.
The weather alone is the reason that England escaped from Manchester with a draw as other than an hour or so from Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen on Saturday, they were hopelessly outplayed for the entire match. Australia are hardly in rude health but they dominated this test match.
As previously written, Michael Clarke must take huge credit firstly for his mammoth first innings century but also for some fine captaincy including an aggressive first declaration, superb field placings, excellent rotation of his bowlers and then pushing his team to score quickly in the second innings, first class all round.
Mickey Arthur was royally panned for declaring Australia to have the best and most balanced attack in world cricket, how everyone chuckled. Now there is no doubting that the lack of a decent spin option renders that statement nonsensical but Australia's seam attack has looked at least the equal of England's more lauded threesome.
Harris, Siddle and Starc all bowled with discipline, purpose and to a plan during this test match and caused all sorts of problems for England's batsmen. The way they have embraced English seam conditions bowling a slightly fuller length than what they may be accustomed to back home has been impressive to say the least.
If you strip out Jimmy Anderson's figures of 15 wickets at 26 then the stats for the remainder do not look too hot. Broad has taken 6 at 52, Finn 2 at 58 and Bresnan 7 at 28. Siddle's 16 at 21 and Harris' 11 at 18 look far more impressive.
The difference between the sides potentially remains Graeme Swann who has taken 19 at 27. Clarke is clearly hamstrung by the lack of a top class spinner and given Smith's ability to turn his arm over for some occasional leg spin, one wonders whether they would be better simply going with an all pace attack regardless of the dry pitches, they appear to be causing England far more problems with seam.
The series now moves to Durham and finally the Oval and whilst they are technically dead rubbers, there is a huge sub plot in terms of psychology ahead of the return series.
England's batting is currently in the mire and having been there personally on the first day at the Gabba on two occasions, it is not for the faint hearted. Cook badly needs runs and one must simply hope that they come, he is capable of truly mammoth stays at the crease and that will be required.
Root has talent but he must find a way to rotate the strike as he can become hopelessly bogged down at the beginning of his innings and becomes a sitting duck, he needs to find a way to get the scoreboard moving and relieve the pressure on himself.
The Sky Sports pundits believe they have spotted a technical deficiency in Trott in his bringing down an angled bat and if that is the case then hopefully a studious netter such as Trott will address it quickly. One must home he is not just in a terminal decline such as what happened to Robin Smith when he suddenly woke up one morning and wasn't any good any more.
KP remains the trump card and seems to be trying to buckle down - at least outwardly - for the team's cause. Ian Bell has looked imperious so far and one most hope that he conquered his 'down under demons' last time around. A good performance by him could be crucial.
It has to be said it is not looking good for Johnny Bairstow and possibly only a lack of options are keeping him in the side. On this evidence one would not fancy him lasting too long at the Gabba or the WACA. Matt Prior must get back to basics with bat and glove and forget about being Wisden cricketer of the year.
The other issue for England is that of the 'third seamer'. The writer of this blog is a huge fan of Stuart Broad but he needs to get amongst the wickets, he could be hugely influential down under on quicker bouncier tracks. But here is the conundrum at the moment.
There is a huge clamour it appears - very short-termist it must be said- for Graham Onions to play at Chester Le-Street given he is in great form and it is his home track. For him to play it would almost certainly mean Bresnan being dropped yet his stats for the series so far are infinitely better than Broad's. The issue is Broad remains a match winner however.
For Australia, they can only play with the hand that is dealt with them, the problem at the moment is they don't seem sure when to stop shuffling the pack in terms of their batting order. The only fixed point that everyone seems to be agreed on is that Clarke should bat at 4.
The batting does appear less brittle now with Ed Cowan out of the team and Warner adds some grit to the team which it was badly lacking beforehand. Rodgers also has looked reasonably impressive.
Shane Watson remains an enigma and it may make more sense to drop him down the order and go with an opening pair of Rodgers and Warner, both appear to relish the challenge of the new ball.
That is not to say that Watson cannot open but the reality is you simply have to wait for him to get himself out as his high score of 46 in the series indicates. Coming into an innings lower down with a different perspective of the match position may help him to move on to making higher scores, it is certainly worth experimenting as the Ashes are gone - for now - and he is a player of undoubted talent.
Phillip Hughes can possibly count himself a little unlucky to be out of the team given that Khawaja is hardly pulling up any trees. Australia need to decide on a No.3 and stick with him. Steve Smith appears to have earned himself a spot in the team lower down and Haddin and the tail have performed admirably.
Non cricket fans will query the reason for ten day more days of sport for a trophy that has already been won by one side and isn't even made of precious metal. For the Ashes fans however it is going to be - weather permitting - riveting stuff - No Nonsense.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Sunday, August 4, 2013
England Hanging On
The third day at Old Trafford proved to be an interesting if not decisive one with England finishing the day 7 wickets down and still some way shy of the follow on target. The first session and even the first hour this morning could prove pivotal in the entire match - and series. The weather forecast is not good however.
Michael Clarke must take huge credit not just for his superlative innings but also - reviews aside - his captaincy in this match. Australia's field settings yesterday and their bowling to a clear plan went a huge way to stymieing England's run rate.
One could only speculate on how this series would swing were Graeme Swann in a baggy green. The unavailability of a class spinner is a huge hindrance to Michael Clarke. England will not feel much sympathy however given years of the likes of Tufnell, Croft and latterly Ashley Giles up against a certain S.K. Warne with Stuart McGill waiting in the wings for good measure.
Right now the teams actually look fairly balanced. Both batting line ups have had the occasional great individual performance such as Clarke and Root and Kevin Pietersen yesterday. Brad Haddin has outplayed Prior so far with both glove and bat and the Australian seam attack has been a match for England's much vaunted threesome. It is only really Graeme Swann that throws the equation on balance towards England.
England's batsmen again flattered to deceive yesterday at times. Cook got in and got out. Trott looks in horrible self doubting nick and Bairstow continues to toil. KP and Ian Bell offered some respite however with some imperious stroke play at times. Indeed there was genuine shock when Ian Bell got out to a beautiful delivery from Ryan Harris that nipped back and took the top of his off stump.
Pietersen enjoyed a reprieve when Australia failed to review a fairly plum LBW, Darren Lehmann signalling the finger afterwards from the balcony. His innings however showed measure and maturity as well as some fine shots such as the wonderful boundary that brought up his hundred.
A draw is no good for Australia and with two days left time is against them. If England fail to achieve the follow on then Clarke can press ahead but if they do, he will be facing the reality of setting a fairly low declaration target especially given the weather. History tells us however that few sides chase 300 or more successfully in the fourth innings, we can expect Clarke to be bold.
England badly need Broad and Prior to bat for at least an hour this morning unmolested and if England can find a way to bat through to lunch then a draw may well begin to look the most likely outcome.
Clarke's Australia have endured horrendous - some of it justified - criticism leading up to and throughout this tour, they have fought back superbly and should be given full credit.
Clarke however must take the lion's share as it is his wonderful 'daddy' hundred that has set the game up for them. His captaincy in this match also has put Alastair Cook in the shade and there is much for England to ponder on, not the least the continued failings of Johnny Bairstow.
Should England secure the draw and retain the Urn there will be smiles all around but even without an Australian victory at Old Trafford, serious thought must be given to England's prospects down. Australia will prove a far more daunting prospect at the Gabba and the WACA in particular.
The English press and pundits have been talking of winning both series as almost a formality. Sir Ian Botham is a boys' own hero but at times he is becoming English commentary's answer to a certain William Lawrie. One only needs to listen to the likes of Shane Warne or Michael Atherton to appreciate the benefit of balanced insightful commentary.
The Ashes could be gone for Australia by the end of today but there is every reason to believe things will be tighter from here on in - No Nonsense.
Michael Clarke must take huge credit not just for his superlative innings but also - reviews aside - his captaincy in this match. Australia's field settings yesterday and their bowling to a clear plan went a huge way to stymieing England's run rate.
One could only speculate on how this series would swing were Graeme Swann in a baggy green. The unavailability of a class spinner is a huge hindrance to Michael Clarke. England will not feel much sympathy however given years of the likes of Tufnell, Croft and latterly Ashley Giles up against a certain S.K. Warne with Stuart McGill waiting in the wings for good measure.
Right now the teams actually look fairly balanced. Both batting line ups have had the occasional great individual performance such as Clarke and Root and Kevin Pietersen yesterday. Brad Haddin has outplayed Prior so far with both glove and bat and the Australian seam attack has been a match for England's much vaunted threesome. It is only really Graeme Swann that throws the equation on balance towards England.
England's batsmen again flattered to deceive yesterday at times. Cook got in and got out. Trott looks in horrible self doubting nick and Bairstow continues to toil. KP and Ian Bell offered some respite however with some imperious stroke play at times. Indeed there was genuine shock when Ian Bell got out to a beautiful delivery from Ryan Harris that nipped back and took the top of his off stump.
Pietersen enjoyed a reprieve when Australia failed to review a fairly plum LBW, Darren Lehmann signalling the finger afterwards from the balcony. His innings however showed measure and maturity as well as some fine shots such as the wonderful boundary that brought up his hundred.
A draw is no good for Australia and with two days left time is against them. If England fail to achieve the follow on then Clarke can press ahead but if they do, he will be facing the reality of setting a fairly low declaration target especially given the weather. History tells us however that few sides chase 300 or more successfully in the fourth innings, we can expect Clarke to be bold.
England badly need Broad and Prior to bat for at least an hour this morning unmolested and if England can find a way to bat through to lunch then a draw may well begin to look the most likely outcome.
Clarke's Australia have endured horrendous - some of it justified - criticism leading up to and throughout this tour, they have fought back superbly and should be given full credit.
Clarke however must take the lion's share as it is his wonderful 'daddy' hundred that has set the game up for them. His captaincy in this match also has put Alastair Cook in the shade and there is much for England to ponder on, not the least the continued failings of Johnny Bairstow.
Should England secure the draw and retain the Urn there will be smiles all around but even without an Australian victory at Old Trafford, serious thought must be given to England's prospects down. Australia will prove a far more daunting prospect at the Gabba and the WACA in particular.
The English press and pundits have been talking of winning both series as almost a formality. Sir Ian Botham is a boys' own hero but at times he is becoming English commentary's answer to a certain William Lawrie. One only needs to listen to the likes of Shane Warne or Michael Atherton to appreciate the benefit of balanced insightful commentary.
The Ashes could be gone for Australia by the end of today but there is every reason to believe things will be tighter from here on in - No Nonsense.
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Anyone for 10-0?
Thought not. England's bravado and the patronising of the Australian team - for being unable to compete - by the assorted press after the Lords Test has been replaced with the very real prospect of batting for the remaining days to attempt to save the third test. There is the prospect of some more traditional Mancunian weather to save them potentially however.
England's bowling lacked any penetration on a fairly benign pitch offering little for anyone other than Graeme Swann. England's body language on the pitch steadily deteriorated as it became clear that they had little answer to the avalanche of Australian runs that were being so comfortably scored.
Comments that England were overly reliant on Jimmy Anderson looked to definitely have some merit as he toiled in the Carribbean like Lancastrian sunshine. Stuart Broad possibly looked the best of the England seamers and was obviously unlucky with a huge LBW shout late on Thursday.
Michael Clarke is Australia's one true world class test batsman and he proved it again without question on Friday putting the England bowlers to the sword with a vast array of attacking shots, it was an innings of the highest quality at a time when Australia needed it most.
Clarke backed up his pugnacious innings with an equally aggressive declaration sending a clear signal of intent to England, he is here to win. He also probably had one eye on the weather forecast.
England toiled on what looked to be an excellent batting pitch which did offer some turn. As a friend of the writer pointed out, one suspects that a certain S.K. Warne would have extracted far far more from the surface than Graeme Swann was able to as hard as it is to knock a five for. Their seam figures were simply miserable.
All of which makes last night's disappointing but somehow unsurprising batting progress all the more galling. England have flattered to deceive with the bat for some time now and again the deficiencies were laid bare by some honest and straight forward seam bowling.
There are certainly no demons in this pitch with it only occasionally offering any encouragement to the seamers and the later siren's call of reverse swing. Having said that, England face considerable work to firstly avoid the follow on before even considering having batted themselves back into the game.
Bearing in mind a draw would secure the urn, it's has been a pretty ordinary effort. The folly of England's persistence insistent of the use of a nightwatchmen was yet again laid bare. Prior should he get amongst the runs will have one less partner now.
Subject to the weather, England face a tough three days to secure an otherwise unlikely draw. Some big names such as Cook, Prior and KP have offered little in this series so far, it is time to step up or the next discussion could be regarding the possibility of 2-2 - No Nonsense.
England's bowling lacked any penetration on a fairly benign pitch offering little for anyone other than Graeme Swann. England's body language on the pitch steadily deteriorated as it became clear that they had little answer to the avalanche of Australian runs that were being so comfortably scored.
Comments that England were overly reliant on Jimmy Anderson looked to definitely have some merit as he toiled in the Carribbean like Lancastrian sunshine. Stuart Broad possibly looked the best of the England seamers and was obviously unlucky with a huge LBW shout late on Thursday.
Michael Clarke is Australia's one true world class test batsman and he proved it again without question on Friday putting the England bowlers to the sword with a vast array of attacking shots, it was an innings of the highest quality at a time when Australia needed it most.
Clarke backed up his pugnacious innings with an equally aggressive declaration sending a clear signal of intent to England, he is here to win. He also probably had one eye on the weather forecast.
England toiled on what looked to be an excellent batting pitch which did offer some turn. As a friend of the writer pointed out, one suspects that a certain S.K. Warne would have extracted far far more from the surface than Graeme Swann was able to as hard as it is to knock a five for. Their seam figures were simply miserable.
All of which makes last night's disappointing but somehow unsurprising batting progress all the more galling. England have flattered to deceive with the bat for some time now and again the deficiencies were laid bare by some honest and straight forward seam bowling.
There are certainly no demons in this pitch with it only occasionally offering any encouragement to the seamers and the later siren's call of reverse swing. Having said that, England face considerable work to firstly avoid the follow on before even considering having batted themselves back into the game.
Bearing in mind a draw would secure the urn, it's has been a pretty ordinary effort. The folly of England's persistence insistent of the use of a nightwatchmen was yet again laid bare. Prior should he get amongst the runs will have one less partner now.
Subject to the weather, England face a tough three days to secure an otherwise unlikely draw. Some big names such as Cook, Prior and KP have offered little in this series so far, it is time to step up or the next discussion could be regarding the possibility of 2-2 - No Nonsense.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Australia Rooted
For a long suffering fan of English cricket and Scottish football, sustained success is a harsh reality to deal with. Even after the stark - the close fought result due to a lack of England batting application - deficiencies of this Australian team were laid bare at Trent Bridge, we barely dared to dream of this kind of vast superiority at Lords.
The press has been mired over the past two days with articles regarding everyone's disappointment and disenchantment at the lack of a 'real contest'. What tosh, we have been being served by Australia since Allan Border took a grip on their team, enjoy it and revel in it.
The signs that were prevalent in Nottingham became glaringly obvious at Lords, Australia can't bat. Whilst the remainder of this series looks a forgone conclusion, the outcome of the return series down under will depend on whether England can resolve their own batting schizophrenia.
One can look at things in one of two ways. The lack of form of Cook, Trott, Pietersen and Prior as well as the uncertainty over Bairstow (Root is now a shoe in) could be taken as a huge cause for concern. Alternatively flip it on its' head and say that England are thrashing Australia without even playing well as yet.
For Australia, things are at the lowest ebb and so in some ways it cannot get any worse or can it? So many stories are emanating from their camp regarding internal dysfunction that some simply have to be true, Darren Lehmann was trumpeted as the saviour but there is no discernible affect on their results.
Ashton Ager has proven a false dawn (so far), Shane Watson simply gets out, Clarke has the weight of the world on his shoulders and Harris had dubious fitness. Only Peter Siddle would be a decent bet to break into the England side.
With the Gabba, WACA, SCG et all to come, England badly need to ram home a message to Australia that home advantage will not overcome the obvious gulf in class between the sides. The irony is that Cook, Trott and KP who were all so dominant in Australia are the ones not firing yet and there is the rub.
England must establish whether their batting is in a slump or in an irreversible decline. Dale Steyn and South Africa showed up their batting horribly last Summer and an English Ashes thrashing followed by a home side comeback down under would be hugely unpalatable. England are required to win both series to establish a new order.
The next two tests will shape the future but in the meantime, England fans should revel in unadulterated glory and Australian fans should show true concern. The reality is with these back to back Ashes series, there is still a lot of cricket to be played - No Nonsense.
The press has been mired over the past two days with articles regarding everyone's disappointment and disenchantment at the lack of a 'real contest'. What tosh, we have been being served by Australia since Allan Border took a grip on their team, enjoy it and revel in it.
The signs that were prevalent in Nottingham became glaringly obvious at Lords, Australia can't bat. Whilst the remainder of this series looks a forgone conclusion, the outcome of the return series down under will depend on whether England can resolve their own batting schizophrenia.
One can look at things in one of two ways. The lack of form of Cook, Trott, Pietersen and Prior as well as the uncertainty over Bairstow (Root is now a shoe in) could be taken as a huge cause for concern. Alternatively flip it on its' head and say that England are thrashing Australia without even playing well as yet.
For Australia, things are at the lowest ebb and so in some ways it cannot get any worse or can it? So many stories are emanating from their camp regarding internal dysfunction that some simply have to be true, Darren Lehmann was trumpeted as the saviour but there is no discernible affect on their results.
Ashton Ager has proven a false dawn (so far), Shane Watson simply gets out, Clarke has the weight of the world on his shoulders and Harris had dubious fitness. Only Peter Siddle would be a decent bet to break into the England side.
With the Gabba, WACA, SCG et all to come, England badly need to ram home a message to Australia that home advantage will not overcome the obvious gulf in class between the sides. The irony is that Cook, Trott and KP who were all so dominant in Australia are the ones not firing yet and there is the rub.
England must establish whether their batting is in a slump or in an irreversible decline. Dale Steyn and South Africa showed up their batting horribly last Summer and an English Ashes thrashing followed by a home side comeback down under would be hugely unpalatable. England are required to win both series to establish a new order.
The next two tests will shape the future but in the meantime, England fans should revel in unadulterated glory and Australian fans should show true concern. The reality is with these back to back Ashes series, there is still a lot of cricket to be played - No Nonsense.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Wayne Rooney
One thing is certain, Wayne Rooney wants out of Old Trafford. Whether it is his role in the team, money or simply that Coleen has just got sick of the weather and the shops, United's former talisman wants to leave.
The problem with Wayne wanting to leave is that whilst The Rooneys enjoys a high profile, love the socialite aspect of their life such as centre court at Wimbledon, and whilst Rooney is far more talented than David Beckham, due to his more troglodyte appearance he doesn't sell as many shirts as Sir David did.
Beckham effectively self financed his move to Real Madrid through shirt sales. AC Milan made a profit on his time there it is reported as did PSG. The problem put quite simply is they are NOT the Beckhams. Therefore there are far less clubs that would want him even if they could afford him. A huge circus without the money and now questionable on field performances to go with the smoking and public urinating.
Now it is unfair to write a man off purely because of his likeness to many of the baddies in The Lord Of The Rings but there is also a suspicion that we have seen the best of him, whether due to his off field lifestyle (Beckham didn't drink either perfect chap that he is) or just a general waning of his powers as with Andrey Shevchenko and Fernando Torres - are any Chelsea fans getting concerned yet?
For Chelsea, his most likely suitor this is another very high risk transfer but also one that makes a lot of sense. Rooney is the type of talented bulldozer of a player that Mourinho so loves, no nonsense, direct and pure fighting spirit. He is also hugely versatile, another trait that Mourinho craves.
If Sir Alex Ferguson WAS ManYoo off the pitch, Rooney for many years was his incarnation on it after the departure of Roy Keane. It could potentially be very destabilising for them, even if it doesn't actually happen.
However for United, it also makes a lot of sense. If Moyes' assertion - although his comments did seem a little ambiguous - that Rooney is in the main going to be a squad player, then a transfer fee of around 25M and a further saving of another 25M in wages plus whatever other bonuses makes a lot of sense.
Renegotiating his contract would also certainly be troublesome, he will want more, they will want to pay what they see as a fading star less. Losing him for nothing in two years would become a very real prospect. ManYoo have more income than pretty much anyone but FFP is a reality and the Glazers are businessmen.
The risk for Chelsea is having twice been bitten by Shevchenko and Torres that they buy a third Christmas turkey. One suspects however that Mourinho is entirely behind this move this time and that should give the fans encouragement at least. The problem is can Rooney get back to his best? If he can he is capable of adding to any team.
Arsenal have added themselves to the mix but one really questions their true intention at season ticket sales time. Spurs for years 'very nearly' bought everyone only to be 'out bid' at the last minute. Higuain was a 'done deal', the Suarez bid seems fanciful and can anyone really believe Wenger will pay Rooney 250K per week on top of the transfer fee?
The transfer window is starting to heat up now and for the top teams, a nervous eye will be cast at the Etihad where Manuel Pellegrini has seamlessly slotted in so far and has quietly conducted what initially looks some excellent transfer business. ManYoo are in danger of going backwards - although Cesc Fabregas would be an amazing if unlikely capture - and Chelsea know they still need to strengthen.
An odd part of the story and hopefully for Chelsea fans a fictional one is the mooted prospect of Luiz or Mata - two of Chelsea's best players last year - to be used as a part exchange for the older Rooney. This writer feels neither is an inferior player to Wayne Rooney.
Chelsea fans must hope that this is tit for tat disruption coming from Old Trafford. If Rooney is valued at 25M is anyone seriously suggesting Mata or Luiz worth only 15M, especially given Chelsea turned down circa 25M last Summer from Barcelona for Luiz.
Rooney seems unwilling to hand in a transfer request given his need to waive bonuses and add ons. This of course flies in the face of his wanting to move for 'footballing reasons'. Paul Stretford his agent makes nothing if ManYoo do not offer a new contract or Rooney doesn't move, he may be simply trying to force one of the two and doesn't care which.
For Mourinho or even Wenger, prizing Wayne Rooney from their biggest rivals would be an incredible coup and the fans would no doubt revel in the mischief of that alone. One would hope however for either club that the ones left laughing the hardest are not ManYoo, and all the way to the bank................ No Nonsense
The problem with Wayne wanting to leave is that whilst The Rooneys enjoys a high profile, love the socialite aspect of their life such as centre court at Wimbledon, and whilst Rooney is far more talented than David Beckham, due to his more troglodyte appearance he doesn't sell as many shirts as Sir David did.
Beckham effectively self financed his move to Real Madrid through shirt sales. AC Milan made a profit on his time there it is reported as did PSG. The problem put quite simply is they are NOT the Beckhams. Therefore there are far less clubs that would want him even if they could afford him. A huge circus without the money and now questionable on field performances to go with the smoking and public urinating.
Now it is unfair to write a man off purely because of his likeness to many of the baddies in The Lord Of The Rings but there is also a suspicion that we have seen the best of him, whether due to his off field lifestyle (Beckham didn't drink either perfect chap that he is) or just a general waning of his powers as with Andrey Shevchenko and Fernando Torres - are any Chelsea fans getting concerned yet?
For Chelsea, his most likely suitor this is another very high risk transfer but also one that makes a lot of sense. Rooney is the type of talented bulldozer of a player that Mourinho so loves, no nonsense, direct and pure fighting spirit. He is also hugely versatile, another trait that Mourinho craves.
If Sir Alex Ferguson WAS ManYoo off the pitch, Rooney for many years was his incarnation on it after the departure of Roy Keane. It could potentially be very destabilising for them, even if it doesn't actually happen.
However for United, it also makes a lot of sense. If Moyes' assertion - although his comments did seem a little ambiguous - that Rooney is in the main going to be a squad player, then a transfer fee of around 25M and a further saving of another 25M in wages plus whatever other bonuses makes a lot of sense.
Renegotiating his contract would also certainly be troublesome, he will want more, they will want to pay what they see as a fading star less. Losing him for nothing in two years would become a very real prospect. ManYoo have more income than pretty much anyone but FFP is a reality and the Glazers are businessmen.
The risk for Chelsea is having twice been bitten by Shevchenko and Torres that they buy a third Christmas turkey. One suspects however that Mourinho is entirely behind this move this time and that should give the fans encouragement at least. The problem is can Rooney get back to his best? If he can he is capable of adding to any team.
Arsenal have added themselves to the mix but one really questions their true intention at season ticket sales time. Spurs for years 'very nearly' bought everyone only to be 'out bid' at the last minute. Higuain was a 'done deal', the Suarez bid seems fanciful and can anyone really believe Wenger will pay Rooney 250K per week on top of the transfer fee?
The transfer window is starting to heat up now and for the top teams, a nervous eye will be cast at the Etihad where Manuel Pellegrini has seamlessly slotted in so far and has quietly conducted what initially looks some excellent transfer business. ManYoo are in danger of going backwards - although Cesc Fabregas would be an amazing if unlikely capture - and Chelsea know they still need to strengthen.
An odd part of the story and hopefully for Chelsea fans a fictional one is the mooted prospect of Luiz or Mata - two of Chelsea's best players last year - to be used as a part exchange for the older Rooney. This writer feels neither is an inferior player to Wayne Rooney.
Chelsea fans must hope that this is tit for tat disruption coming from Old Trafford. If Rooney is valued at 25M is anyone seriously suggesting Mata or Luiz worth only 15M, especially given Chelsea turned down circa 25M last Summer from Barcelona for Luiz.
Rooney seems unwilling to hand in a transfer request given his need to waive bonuses and add ons. This of course flies in the face of his wanting to move for 'footballing reasons'. Paul Stretford his agent makes nothing if ManYoo do not offer a new contract or Rooney doesn't move, he may be simply trying to force one of the two and doesn't care which.
For Mourinho or even Wenger, prizing Wayne Rooney from their biggest rivals would be an incredible coup and the fans would no doubt revel in the mischief of that alone. One would hope however for either club that the ones left laughing the hardest are not ManYoo, and all the way to the bank................ No Nonsense
Monday, July 15, 2013
England Scrape Over the Line
England made the hardest of jobs of beating Australia at Trent Bridge winning with only 14 runs to spare ending a test match of the highest drama if not necessarily quality.
England went into the match and the series as strong favourites and whilst the score reads 1-0, Australia will have garnered great heart from this test match despite the desperate disappointment they will have felt.
There is little doubt that this is the worst Australian team to face England in over 25 years. It is a team woefully short of genuine test class with probably Michael Clarke and possibly Peter Siddle as the only Australian players who could displace a player from England's side.
England by contrast have test batting pedigree in Cook, Trott, KP, Bell (sometimes...) and Matthew Prior supplemented by the potential of Root and Bairstow. Their seam attack is possibly bested only by South Africa and adding Graeme Swann to the mix, they are potent.
Cricket stadia in England however seem to inspire Australians rather than intimidate in the way that the English can struggle at the Gabba or the WACA. The way that Australia dug in during this match was hugely impressive.
Much was made of the disarray Australia found themselves in during their dreadful Indian tour and then build up to the Ashes. Mickey Arthur it seemed had 'lost the dressing room' and there is little doubt that the always impressive Darren Lehmann has had a huge galvanising effect.
This was of course a match that England should have won at a canter. Some very ordinary shot selection in the first innings led to England posting a sub par total. Australia however did little to dispel the notion that their batting line up will struggle to cope with England's seam attack in these conditions.
The tail has wagged impressively for Australia in both innings but it would be folly to think that you can win test matches by relying on numbers 7 onwards. Ashton Agar's innings on Thursday was incredible but it was also hugely unlikely and even if Australia had posted even 50 less runs for their first innings this would have been a very comfortable win for England. Ifs and buts however.
England's batting has become a serious issue. Not one batsman managed a half century in the first innings and it was only once backs were against the wall in the second plus a huge reprieve for Stuart Broad that England managed to post a competitive total.
England's problem appears to be the same as in the shorter format in that they have no idea currently how to pace an innings at the outset. Too often they are stuck not moving the scoreboard forcing them to eventually play half hearted wafts such as the one that got Joe Root out on Friday.
The flip side is playing with a degree of abandon that the situation does not merit. The way Kevin Pietersen played in the second innings was an exception showing that you can temper aggression with determination not to give your wicket away. Bell's century was also of the highest quality it must be said.
Cook and Trott badly need to get back amongst the serious runs. They gave the platform at the Gabba in the previous series that paved the way for KP's huge double ton at Adelaide. After that they didn't stop scoring runs. It is also England's lower order that looks shaky now in comparison to Australia's.
For England's attack, the fitness of James Anderson is paramount. He sits alongside Dale Steyn as the world's premier seam bowler. Fitness is also an issue regarding Broad and Swann. Neither offered the penetration that they have previously done. Getting them 100% right must also be a priority.
The enigma that is Steven Finn continues to frustrate. He has all the tools to absolutely destroy batsmen but his character is as big a concern as his economy rate. His two overs yesterday cost 24 runs at the most crucial of times. Finn has been around long enough now to perform much better than that if he is indeed ever going to.
Cook will undoubtedly have lost confidence in him now but the problem is he remains a genuine strike bowler and one must still hope that one day it will all click. Lords should suit him better but the Australians will fancy their chances against him now as the weak link.
Brett Lee as an example was always expensive but he was a fine competitor who relished the challenge, and there was always the suspicion that he was one ball away from taking your head off. Finn needs a bit more Lee and a bit less Harmison.
Tim Bresnan remains a more ordinary but possibly more competitive option for England. He proved a fine replacement for Finn down under it must be remembered.
Australia need Warner back as quickly as possible. Whilst he's not an out and out test player, he is the kind of character that they need now. Australia will benefit from a series of attrition with players that can dig in. Brad Haddin was a fine example yesterday. He may not quite have the class but he certainly showed a lot of the same character as Ian Healy, his was a fine knock that probably deserved better.
Whilst Anderson's ten wickets won him the MOM award, Ashton Agar's debut in England deserved the headlines. Whilst he is in the team for his bowling, his first innings 98 was an incredible effort that transformed the match. He bowled with a large amount of control if not huge spin and looks a decent find for Australia. He is certainly several levels up from Xavier Doherty.
Shane Watson again continues to frustrate. Whilst his candidacy for LBWs looks pronounced, his inability to convert good starts into big scores is inexplicable for a player so obviously talented. He always does the hard part only to get himself out in the most ordinary of circumstances.
Australia also badly need Clarke to get amongst the runs. He should be blameless for his first innings dismissal - it was the perfect delivery from Anderson - but he is Australia's one true world class test batsman.
One other deciding factor may be the two captains. Cook's use of the DRS was impeccable whereas Clarke was too keen to use up his reviews leaving him impotent when the Broad 'dismissal' came about. Cook shows far more patience and had he not, England may not have been able to review the crucial Haddin dismissal yesterday.
Whilst England will be jubilant in victory, the shortened break to the next test on Thursday will suit Australia more. This close defeat coupled with the occasional controversy on field blended with the character of Lehmann will ensure ideal conditions for the maximum incubation of the siege mentality that they so crave.
In basic terms, Australia simply need to find a way to get their top order to start scoring runs. The question is whether the likes of Rodgers, Cowan and Smith are really upto consistently scoring runs in the Test arena. It is debatable at best.
If Australia can find a way to post a good first innings total their seam attack has the potential to expose the sometimes brittle nature of England's batting and they are by no means out of this series.
England badly need Cook and Trott to start performing with the bat and for Swann and Broad to get back to their best with the ball. They need to solve the Finn/Bresnan conundrum and they need to keep James Anderson wrapped in cotton wool
England should win this test series with something to spare but the Australians love Lords and their record there is superb - although England did beat them there in 2009.
Should England get themselves 2-0 up then it could become a very comfortable series setting the tone for down under. If however Australia dig in and find a way to win, it could become an incredibly close series. The Ashes could hinge on Lords - No Nonsense.
England went into the match and the series as strong favourites and whilst the score reads 1-0, Australia will have garnered great heart from this test match despite the desperate disappointment they will have felt.
There is little doubt that this is the worst Australian team to face England in over 25 years. It is a team woefully short of genuine test class with probably Michael Clarke and possibly Peter Siddle as the only Australian players who could displace a player from England's side.
England by contrast have test batting pedigree in Cook, Trott, KP, Bell (sometimes...) and Matthew Prior supplemented by the potential of Root and Bairstow. Their seam attack is possibly bested only by South Africa and adding Graeme Swann to the mix, they are potent.
Cricket stadia in England however seem to inspire Australians rather than intimidate in the way that the English can struggle at the Gabba or the WACA. The way that Australia dug in during this match was hugely impressive.
Much was made of the disarray Australia found themselves in during their dreadful Indian tour and then build up to the Ashes. Mickey Arthur it seemed had 'lost the dressing room' and there is little doubt that the always impressive Darren Lehmann has had a huge galvanising effect.
This was of course a match that England should have won at a canter. Some very ordinary shot selection in the first innings led to England posting a sub par total. Australia however did little to dispel the notion that their batting line up will struggle to cope with England's seam attack in these conditions.
The tail has wagged impressively for Australia in both innings but it would be folly to think that you can win test matches by relying on numbers 7 onwards. Ashton Agar's innings on Thursday was incredible but it was also hugely unlikely and even if Australia had posted even 50 less runs for their first innings this would have been a very comfortable win for England. Ifs and buts however.
England's batting has become a serious issue. Not one batsman managed a half century in the first innings and it was only once backs were against the wall in the second plus a huge reprieve for Stuart Broad that England managed to post a competitive total.
England's problem appears to be the same as in the shorter format in that they have no idea currently how to pace an innings at the outset. Too often they are stuck not moving the scoreboard forcing them to eventually play half hearted wafts such as the one that got Joe Root out on Friday.
The flip side is playing with a degree of abandon that the situation does not merit. The way Kevin Pietersen played in the second innings was an exception showing that you can temper aggression with determination not to give your wicket away. Bell's century was also of the highest quality it must be said.
Cook and Trott badly need to get back amongst the serious runs. They gave the platform at the Gabba in the previous series that paved the way for KP's huge double ton at Adelaide. After that they didn't stop scoring runs. It is also England's lower order that looks shaky now in comparison to Australia's.
For England's attack, the fitness of James Anderson is paramount. He sits alongside Dale Steyn as the world's premier seam bowler. Fitness is also an issue regarding Broad and Swann. Neither offered the penetration that they have previously done. Getting them 100% right must also be a priority.
The enigma that is Steven Finn continues to frustrate. He has all the tools to absolutely destroy batsmen but his character is as big a concern as his economy rate. His two overs yesterday cost 24 runs at the most crucial of times. Finn has been around long enough now to perform much better than that if he is indeed ever going to.
Cook will undoubtedly have lost confidence in him now but the problem is he remains a genuine strike bowler and one must still hope that one day it will all click. Lords should suit him better but the Australians will fancy their chances against him now as the weak link.
Brett Lee as an example was always expensive but he was a fine competitor who relished the challenge, and there was always the suspicion that he was one ball away from taking your head off. Finn needs a bit more Lee and a bit less Harmison.
Tim Bresnan remains a more ordinary but possibly more competitive option for England. He proved a fine replacement for Finn down under it must be remembered.
Australia need Warner back as quickly as possible. Whilst he's not an out and out test player, he is the kind of character that they need now. Australia will benefit from a series of attrition with players that can dig in. Brad Haddin was a fine example yesterday. He may not quite have the class but he certainly showed a lot of the same character as Ian Healy, his was a fine knock that probably deserved better.
Whilst Anderson's ten wickets won him the MOM award, Ashton Agar's debut in England deserved the headlines. Whilst he is in the team for his bowling, his first innings 98 was an incredible effort that transformed the match. He bowled with a large amount of control if not huge spin and looks a decent find for Australia. He is certainly several levels up from Xavier Doherty.
Shane Watson again continues to frustrate. Whilst his candidacy for LBWs looks pronounced, his inability to convert good starts into big scores is inexplicable for a player so obviously talented. He always does the hard part only to get himself out in the most ordinary of circumstances.
Australia also badly need Clarke to get amongst the runs. He should be blameless for his first innings dismissal - it was the perfect delivery from Anderson - but he is Australia's one true world class test batsman.
One other deciding factor may be the two captains. Cook's use of the DRS was impeccable whereas Clarke was too keen to use up his reviews leaving him impotent when the Broad 'dismissal' came about. Cook shows far more patience and had he not, England may not have been able to review the crucial Haddin dismissal yesterday.
Whilst England will be jubilant in victory, the shortened break to the next test on Thursday will suit Australia more. This close defeat coupled with the occasional controversy on field blended with the character of Lehmann will ensure ideal conditions for the maximum incubation of the siege mentality that they so crave.
In basic terms, Australia simply need to find a way to get their top order to start scoring runs. The question is whether the likes of Rodgers, Cowan and Smith are really upto consistently scoring runs in the Test arena. It is debatable at best.
If Australia can find a way to post a good first innings total their seam attack has the potential to expose the sometimes brittle nature of England's batting and they are by no means out of this series.
England badly need Cook and Trott to start performing with the bat and for Swann and Broad to get back to their best with the ball. They need to solve the Finn/Bresnan conundrum and they need to keep James Anderson wrapped in cotton wool
England should win this test series with something to spare but the Australians love Lords and their record there is superb - although England did beat them there in 2009.
Should England get themselves 2-0 up then it could become a very comfortable series setting the tone for down under. If however Australia dig in and find a way to win, it could become an incredibly close series. The Ashes could hinge on Lords - No Nonsense.
Monday, June 17, 2013
The Return of the King
As Darth Vader said in Star Wars, 'the circle is now complete'. The ghost of Jose having seen off several previous managers at Stamford Bridge has now been replaced by the real thing again.
Chelsea fans - including the writer of this blog - are united in their unabashed glee at the return of their hero. The question of course is where does it all go from here?
As just mentioned, the writer wanted Mourinho back at Stamford Bridge above all others, but thinking about it harder, one has to question the motivation for that desire. Is it the best thing for the club or like a jealous ex, you simply didn't want anyone else to have them?
The thought of Jose Mourinho (an entirely improbable eventuality as it turned out) in the home dugout at Old Trafford directing the forces of evil was almost too much to contemplate. It was hard enough watching him at Inter or Real, he was and is after all 'our manager'.
No matter that Mourinho would not tow the line previously and engineered his dismissal from Chelsea, we have put that to the back of our minds in the same way that it has been swept under the carpet during his recent press conferences. Inter fans are apparently largely the same despite the obvious similarities of the contrived departures despite protestations of undying love. We are falling for it again and yet we care not a jot.
On the upside, Chelsea have again a manager with a track record for delivering trophies that few other than the very very best can aspire to. The thing is however, winning trophies is not Chelsea's problem, it's the level of dysfunction at the club.
Many have however begun to state that the shambolic nature of Chelsea's existence matters not given the owner's proven track record in acquiring the best players. The trophy cabinet from the last ten years does not lie.
Many many clubs have spent huge amounts of money in the past but not won nearly as much for such a long period. They must be doing something right and it is a model that has served Real Madrid fairly well over the years after all.
The problem is as ever that we only have Mourinho's version of previous events. Abramovich's silence undermines the entire club when a simple interview even to in house TV would help so many fans to understand his true vision.
It seems highly unlikely - whatever the spin - that a reconciliation was either's first choice. Guardiola was unquestionably Abramovich's only wish and we will never know the truth about Mourinho's desire to go to Old Trafford. Neither Chelsea nor Mourinho were deemed suitable however for either option.
There is little doubt to the writer's mind that Chelsea will be stronger next season for his return. Their squad requires only a couple of additions to be truly excellent once again and had it not been for the fan led implosion between November and February last season, Chelsea could and should have finished second comfortably.
The addition of a quality striker and a central midfield presence to take the pressure of the ageing Frank Lampard and the hopelessly inadequate Obi Mikel would see Chelsea again as true title challengers.
Mourinho will settle in quickly and impose his style from the outset. Suggestions that he will not be able to integrate the likes of Oscar and Mata are nonsense given the team he has been managing at Madrid and people forget or overlook how exciting Chelsea were with, Duff, Robben and Joe Cole.
One issue is that Chelsea's transfer policy has improved dramatically. Players such as Luiz, Oscar, Hazard, Lukaku, Courtois and now Schurrie are all players who will almost all certainly rise in value. Is Mourinho however the right manager to develop this young talent?
Mentally he improves players dramatically but he has no track record of working with young players, in fact he doesn't even appear to be interested.
Chelsea's opinion no doubt is that the club structure is in place now regardless of the manager who is now more than ever, a continental style coach who is as replaceable as any player and that may well be the reality now. There is simply no place for a Wenger or a Ferguson, all powerful and who dominate their club at every level. His job is simply to pick the team and tactics.
Next year will undoubtedly be highly entertaining with Mourinho back in the chair and should Chelsea win either the Premiership or the Champions League, no one will give a hoot about long term planning. The King is back on his throne, we just hope he lives a little longer this time - No Nonsense.
Chelsea fans - including the writer of this blog - are united in their unabashed glee at the return of their hero. The question of course is where does it all go from here?
As just mentioned, the writer wanted Mourinho back at Stamford Bridge above all others, but thinking about it harder, one has to question the motivation for that desire. Is it the best thing for the club or like a jealous ex, you simply didn't want anyone else to have them?
The thought of Jose Mourinho (an entirely improbable eventuality as it turned out) in the home dugout at Old Trafford directing the forces of evil was almost too much to contemplate. It was hard enough watching him at Inter or Real, he was and is after all 'our manager'.
No matter that Mourinho would not tow the line previously and engineered his dismissal from Chelsea, we have put that to the back of our minds in the same way that it has been swept under the carpet during his recent press conferences. Inter fans are apparently largely the same despite the obvious similarities of the contrived departures despite protestations of undying love. We are falling for it again and yet we care not a jot.
On the upside, Chelsea have again a manager with a track record for delivering trophies that few other than the very very best can aspire to. The thing is however, winning trophies is not Chelsea's problem, it's the level of dysfunction at the club.
Many have however begun to state that the shambolic nature of Chelsea's existence matters not given the owner's proven track record in acquiring the best players. The trophy cabinet from the last ten years does not lie.
Many many clubs have spent huge amounts of money in the past but not won nearly as much for such a long period. They must be doing something right and it is a model that has served Real Madrid fairly well over the years after all.
The problem is as ever that we only have Mourinho's version of previous events. Abramovich's silence undermines the entire club when a simple interview even to in house TV would help so many fans to understand his true vision.
It seems highly unlikely - whatever the spin - that a reconciliation was either's first choice. Guardiola was unquestionably Abramovich's only wish and we will never know the truth about Mourinho's desire to go to Old Trafford. Neither Chelsea nor Mourinho were deemed suitable however for either option.
There is little doubt to the writer's mind that Chelsea will be stronger next season for his return. Their squad requires only a couple of additions to be truly excellent once again and had it not been for the fan led implosion between November and February last season, Chelsea could and should have finished second comfortably.
The addition of a quality striker and a central midfield presence to take the pressure of the ageing Frank Lampard and the hopelessly inadequate Obi Mikel would see Chelsea again as true title challengers.
Mourinho will settle in quickly and impose his style from the outset. Suggestions that he will not be able to integrate the likes of Oscar and Mata are nonsense given the team he has been managing at Madrid and people forget or overlook how exciting Chelsea were with, Duff, Robben and Joe Cole.
One issue is that Chelsea's transfer policy has improved dramatically. Players such as Luiz, Oscar, Hazard, Lukaku, Courtois and now Schurrie are all players who will almost all certainly rise in value. Is Mourinho however the right manager to develop this young talent?
Mentally he improves players dramatically but he has no track record of working with young players, in fact he doesn't even appear to be interested.
Chelsea's opinion no doubt is that the club structure is in place now regardless of the manager who is now more than ever, a continental style coach who is as replaceable as any player and that may well be the reality now. There is simply no place for a Wenger or a Ferguson, all powerful and who dominate their club at every level. His job is simply to pick the team and tactics.
Next year will undoubtedly be highly entertaining with Mourinho back in the chair and should Chelsea win either the Premiership or the Champions League, no one will give a hoot about long term planning. The King is back on his throne, we just hope he lives a little longer this time - No Nonsense.
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