26-Dec-2011 - Boxing Day clockwatch!

Visted 1 times

2.06pm: GOAL! Chelsea take the lead, through Juana Mata in the 47th minute!1.54pm: Comeback of the day (probably): Bottom of the table Plymouth, 2-0 down at half-time away at Bristol Rovers, appear to have scored a stoppage-time winner – it's 2-3!1.48pm: Luiz and Sturridge with useless long-range attempts in the last couple of minutes, and it's half-time.1.45pm: The last 20 minutes at Stamford Bridge have been very poor. Chelsea have had NFL jerseys china a couple of shots from range – Mereiles' was the best – but otherwise have lacked width and wit.1.41pm: My attempts to combine these occasional updates on Chelsea v Fulham with work on a forthcoming feature on the Blood in the Water match and the 1956 Hungarian Revolution have been incredibly frustrating. The feature can wait. I'm all yours.1.39pm: Early kick-off home-side recently-earned one-goal advantage round-up: Watford 1 Cardiff 0, Lincoln 1 Grimsby 0, Southampton 1 Palace 0.1.28pm: Oooooh! Dembele's low cross-shot slips across goal and just wide. "How I used to love standing on the terraces on Boxing Day, out of the house and away from the mixed blessings of a Family Christmas at last," writes Gary Naylor. "I wasn't alone, as the banter and bonhomie seemed warmer than at any other match in the season – unfortunately, the farting was warmer too, with a ripeness that surely contravened the Geneva Convention." Crikey. The NBA jerseys particularly warm atmosphere of which you speak is familiar from my own childhood days on the terraces, but I have to say the farting doesn't stick in my memory. Where I'm from fans fart equally badly throughout the year.1.18pm: Great save by Stockdale! Mata crosses to Torres, who chests the ball down brilliantly with two defenders around him and volleys it goalwards. Very nicely done, but too close to the advancing keeper, who blocks. A minute later Torres sets up Sturridge on the edge of the area, but the shot is sliced wide.1.16pm: Terrible miss by Fulham! Kelly crosses from the right and Sa has a free header at the back post which he heads way over the bar. It looked an easy enough header, should have been a formality.1.08pm: I'll keep you up to date with the latest from Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea are currently drawing 0-0 with Fulham after five minutes. Fernando Torres has started in place of Drogba (and just missed his first half-chance, from Sturridge's cross). It won't be a full minute-by-minute, more an occasional update, but I should hopefully bring you the key events pretty sharpish. Is Clint Dempsey getting booked a key event? Anyway, it's happened.Midday update: Well, I hope everyone had a thoroughly merry Christmas, because it's over now, and a fair preportion of us will lose all sense of goodwill to all men if our teams turn out to be festive flops. It's an action-packed day, which could end with Manchester City being toppled from the top of the Premier League (but probably won't). Notable 3pm kicks-offs include:• Manchester United host Wigan knowing a win will take them top of the top flight if West Brom somehow beat Manchester City. United will surely win (their head-to-head record against the Latics: P13 W13 D0 L0 F41 A4), but perhaps the Baggies have half a chance?• Liverpool play Blackburn in a match which forces journalists to decide whether to talk about someone who may or may not be sacked in the morning, someone who may or may not be racist or actual football for a change.• Also in the top flight: Bolton v Newcastle, and Sunderland v Everton.• In the Championship, it's third against fourth as Middlesbrough host four-wins-on-the-spin form team Hull City. And it's also third against fourth in League Two, as Cheltenham battle Shrewsbury.• In League One, high-flying Charlton, Sheffield NFL jerseys cheap Wednesday and Huddersfield face low-flying Yeovil, Walsall and Chesterfield respectively. The Spireites are at least at home.And if you're still at a loose end, you could peruse Paolo Bandini's transfer rumour update or watch this charming footballing review of 2011 featuring James Richardson and Barry Glendenning. I'll be here from 2pm.

Comments (0)Post Comment View Whole Blog

26-Dec-2011 - Boxing Day clockwatch!

Visted 1 times

2.52pm: Full-time at Stamford Bridge, and Chelsea have drawn 1-1 with Fulham. A smattering of boos after a terribly unimpressive performance. Chelsea are less than the sum of their parts at the moment.2.49pm: Chelsea have three minutes of stoppage time in which to redeem thelselves against Fulham.2.47pm: Chelsea are occasionally looking like they might do something decent from set-pieces. From the latest, Drogba's near-post flick forces Stockdale into a smart save.2.43pm: Hang on, Chelsea are rubbish.2.40pm: Full line-ups from Old Trafford, where Carrick and Valencia both play in defence.Man Utd: Lindegaard, Valencia, Evans, Carrick, Evra, Park, Gibson, Giggs, Nani, Berbatov, Hernandez. Subs: De Gea, Rooney, Welbeck, Rafael Da Silva, Macheda, Diouf, Fryers. Wigan: Al Habsi, Stam, Alcaraz, Caldwell, Figueroa, Jones, Diamè, McCarthy, Gomez, Moses, Sammon. Subs: Pollitt, Gohouri, Crusat, Watson, Di Santo, McArthur, Rodallega. Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).2.38pm: Mereiles shoots just wide on the turn from 15 yards. Fulham are happy enough with the scoreline to have started to take a suspiciously long time to restart the game from set-pieces these last 15 minutes or so.2.37pm: Boxing Day memory department: "One very fond memory is of standing at White Hart Lane in 1980 watching Spurs play Southampton, an early kick-off in my memory," writes John Tumbridge. "omeone rockng up late and asking what the score was, to be told '0-0 and thats the way its going to stay at this rate.' Final Score: 4-4."Meanwhile, some news from the Reebok:Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Boyata, Cahill, Knight, Robinson, Mark Davies, Reo-Coker, Muamba, Petrov, Klasnic, Ngog. Subs: Bogdan, Eagles, Sanli, Kevin Davies, Ricketts, Pratley, Wheater. Newcastle: Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Ba, Best. Subs: Elliot, Ben Arfa, Perch, Shola Ameobi, Sammy Ameobi, Vuckic, Ferguson. Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).2.31pm: This football jerseys is how the league leaders line up at the Hawthorns:West Brom: Foster, Jones, Olsson, McAuley, Shorey, Brunt, Scharner, Mulumbu, Thomas, Long, Odemwingie. Subs: Fulop, Dorrans, Jara Reyes, Dawson, Thorne, Cox, Fortuné. Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, K Touré, Kompany, Clichy, Y Touré, Milner, Nasri, Silva, Agüero, Balotelli. Subs: Pantilimon, Lescott, Dzeko, Johnson, Savic, Barry, De Jong. Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire).2.29pm: Twenty minutes to play at Stamford Bridge. Daniel Sturridge comes off, Didier Drogba comes on.2.27pm: More from Greg Scully on Christmas Pies. "They were a special variation, made with some form of poultry-like meat and a spicier-than-normal sauce. Some of the local wags used to call them 'Louies', in honour of the notorious United Chairman whose name otherwise meant a number two. The exact recipe was a closely guarded secret, I'm sure, but I was very young and foolish, and my memory may well be full of holes (much like the pies)." Talking of Greg Scully, Ian Copestake writes to ask: "How did Gregg Scully survive the ignominy of being named after an Alan Bleasdale character who was obsessed with Liverpool FC?" My medical sources tell me that being named after an Alan Bleasdale character is not yet fatal.2.24pm: Chelsea come close – a short corner, Sturridge's cross, Terry's header and Malouda's backheel saved at close range.2.23pm: Full teams from Anfield:Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Jose Enriqué, Maxi, Henderson, Adam, Downing, Suarez, Carroll. Subs: Doni, Gerrard, Kuyt, Carragher, Shelvey, Kelly, Bellamy. Blackburn: Bunn, Lowe, Samba, Hanley, Pedersen, Henley, Dunn, Nzonzi, Hoilett, Formica, Yakubu. Subs: Kean, Petrovic, Rochina, Blackman, Goodwillie, Vukcevic, Morris. Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire).2.22pm: Liverpool bring Andy Carroll back into the team and Steven Gerrard back onto the bench. Blackburn give 17-year-old full-back Adam Henley a debut.2.20pm: AVB's shakes the tactical tree at Chelsea, bringing Malouda on for Lampard.2.17pm: Incidentally, José Mourinho was on the Today programme this morning, for early-rising Radio 4-listening football fans. "I didn't want to miss a chance to work here [that's Spain] but my passion is England and my next step will be to go back and, if possible, go and stay for a long time," he said. "Get me a good club in a couple of years." Isn't it more likely that he'll get the sack if Real fail to win the league this season and will be available next summer. Might Manchester United have a vanancy to fill?2.15pm: Senderos heads the ball wide to Ruiz, who turns Ashley Cole very easily and crosses low for Dempsey to turn the ball in from four yards.2.14pm: GOAL! Chelsea 1 Fulham 1!2.12pm: Team news just dripping in on Twitter, but the Press Association – my preferred source – are yet to get to work. I see Manchester United start with Gibson in midfield, Valencia presumably at right-back and Berbatov partnering Hernandez in attack.2.09pm: John Terry comes close with a 15-yard volley, of all things. "I for one remember the 'Christmas Pies' that used to be available in Old Trafford and Maine Road back in the day," writes Greg Scully. "They tasted much like the farts which the estimable Gary Naylor (1.28pm) has so redolently recalled." Christmas pies? That's a new one on me. Unless that's what mince pies are called in Manchester? More information please...2.07pm: Torres controls the ball with his chest in the penalty area, with his back to goal, but can't figure out a way to turn so nudges the ball back a couple of yards for Mata, who drives it left-footed past Stockdale from 18 yards.2.06pm: GOAL! Chelsea take the lead, through Juana Mata in the 47th minute!1.54pm: Comeback of the day (probably): Bottom of the table Plymouth, 2-0 down at half-time away at Bristol Rovers, appear to have scored a stoppage-time winner – it's 2-3!1.48pm: Luiz and Sturridge with useless long-range attempts in the last couple of minutes, and it's half-time.1.45pm: The last 20 minutes at Stamford Bridge have been very poor. Chelsea have had a couple of shots from range – NFL jerseys china Mereiles' was the best – but otherwise have lacked width and wit.1.41pm: My attempts to combine these occasional updates on Chelsea v Fulham with work on a forthcoming feature on the Blood in the Water match and the 1956 Hungarian Revolution have been incredibly frustrating. The feature can wait. I'm all yours.1.39pm: Early kick-off home-side recently-earned one-goal advantage round-up: Watford 1 Cardiff 0, Lincoln 1 Grimsby 0, Southampton 1 Palace 0.1.28pm: Oooooh! Dembele's low cross-shot slips across goal and just wide. "How I used to love standing on the terraces on Boxing Day, out of the house and away from the mixed blessings of a Family Christmas at last," writes Gary Naylor. "I wasn't alone, as the banter and bonhomie seemed warmer than at any other match in the season – unfortunately, the farting was warmer too, with a ripeness that surely contravened the Geneva Convention." Crikey. The particularly warm atmosphere of which you speak is familiar from my own childhood days on the terraces, but I have to say the farting doesn't stick in my memory. Where I'm from fans fart equally badly throughout the year.1.18pm: Great save by Stockdale! Mata crosses to Torres, who chests the ball down brilliantly with two defenders around him and volleys it goalwards. Very nicely done, but too close to the advancing keeper, who blocks. A minute later Torres sets up Sturridge on the edge of the area, but the shot is sliced wide.1.16pm: Terrible miss by Fulham! Kelly crosses from the right and Sa has a free header at the back post which he heads way over the bar. It looked an easy enough header, should have been a formality.1.08pm: I'll keep you up to date with the latest from Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea are currently drawing 0-0 with Fulham after five minutes. Fernando Torres has started in place of Drogba (and just missed his first half-chance, from Sturridge's cross). It won't be a full minute-by-minute, more an occasional update, but I should hopefully bring you the key events pretty sharpish. Is Clint Dempsey getting booked a key event? Anyway, it's happened.Midday update: Well, I hope everyone had a thoroughly merry Christmas, because it's over now, and a fair preportion of us will lose all sense of goodwill to all men if our teams turn out to be festive flops. It's an action-packed day, which could end with Manchester City being toppled from the top of the Premier League (but probably won't). Notable 3pm kicks-offs include:• Manchester United host Wigan knowing a win will take them top of the top flight if West Brom somehow beat Manchester City. United will surely win (their head-to-head record against the Latics: P13 W13 D0 L0 F41 A4), but perhaps the Baggies have half a chance?• Liverpool play Blackburn in a match which forces journalists to decide whether to talk about someone who may or may not be sacked in the morning, someone who may or may not be racist or actual football for a change.• Also in the top flight: Bolton v Newcastle, and Sunderland v Everton.• In the Championship, it's third against fourth as Middlesbrough host four-wins-on-the-spin form team Hull City. And it's also third against fourth in League Two, as Cheltenham battle Shrewsbury.• In League One, high-flying Charlton, Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield face low-flying Yeovil, Walsall and Chesterfield respectively. The Spireites are at least at home.And if you're still at a loose end, you could peruse Paolo Bandini's transfer rumour update or watch this charming footballing NFL shop jerseys review of 2011 featuring James Richardson and Barry Glendenning. I'll be here from 2pm.

Comments (0)Post Comment View Whole Blog

26-Dec-2011 - Boxing Day clockwatch!

Visted 2 times

2.52pm: Full-time at Stamford Bridge, and Chelsea have drawn 1-1 with Fulham. A smattering of boos after a terribly unimpressive performance. Chelsea are less than the sum of their parts at the moment.2.49pm: Chelsea have three minutes of stoppage time in which to redeem thelselves against Fulham.2.47pm: Chelsea are occasionally looking like they might do something decent from set-pieces. From the latest, Drogba's near-post flick forces Stockdale into a smart save.2.43pm: Hang on, Chelsea are rubbish.2.40pm: Full line-ups from Old Trafford, where Carrick and Valencia both play in defence.Man Utd: Lindegaard, Valencia, Evans, Carrick, Evra, Park, Gibson, Giggs, Nani, Berbatov, Hernandez. Subs: De Gea, Rooney, Welbeck, Rafael Da Silva, Macheda, Diouf, Fryers. Wigan: Al Habsi, Stam, Alcaraz, Caldwell, Figueroa, Jones, Diamè, McCarthy, Gomez, Moses, Sammon. Subs: Pollitt, Gohouri, Crusat, Watson, Di Santo, McArthur, Rodallega. Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).2.38pm: Mereiles shoots just wide on the turn from 15 yards. Fulham are happy enough with the scoreline to have started to take a suspiciously football jerseys long time to restart the game from set-pieces these last 15 minutes or so.2.37pm: Boxing Day memory department: "One very fond memory is of standing at White Hart Lane in 1980 watching Spurs play Southampton, an early kick-off in my memory," writes John Tumbridge. "omeone rockng up late and asking what the score was, to be told '0-0 and thats the way its going to stay at this rate.' Final Score: 4-4."Meanwhile, some news from the Reebok:Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Boyata, Cahill, Knight, Robinson, Mark Davies, Reo-Coker, Muamba, Petrov, Klasnic, Ngog. Subs: Bogdan, Eagles, Sanli, Kevin Davies, Ricketts, Pratley, Wheater. Newcastle: Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Ba, Best. Subs: Elliot, Ben Arfa, Perch, Shola Ameobi, Sammy Ameobi, Vuckic, Ferguson. Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).2.31pm: This is how the league leaders line up at the Hawthorns:West Brom: Foster, Jones, Olsson, McAuley, Shorey, Brunt, Scharner, Mulumbu, Thomas, Long, Odemwingie. Subs: Fulop, Dorrans, Jara Reyes, Dawson, Thorne, Cox, Fortuné. Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, K Touré, Kompany, Clichy, Y Touré, Milner, Nasri, Silva, Agüero, Balotelli. Subs: Pantilimon, Lescott, Dzeko, Johnson, Savic, Barry, De Jong. Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire).2.29pm: Twenty minutes to play at Stamford Bridge. Daniel Sturridge comes off, Didier Drogba comes on.2.27pm: More from Greg Scully on Christmas Pies. "They were a special variation, made with some form of poultry-like meat and a spicier-than-normal sauce. Some of the local wags used to call them 'Louies', in honour of the notorious United Chairman whose name otherwise meant a number two. The exact recipe was a closely guarded secret, I'm sure, but I was very young and foolish, and my memory may well be full of holes (much like the pies)." Talking of Greg Scully, Ian Copestake writes to ask: "How did Gregg Scully survive the ignominy of being named after an Alan Bleasdale character who was obsessed with Liverpool FC?" My medical sources tell me that being named after an Alan Bleasdale character is not yet fatal.2.24pm: Chelsea come close – a short corner, Sturridge's cross, Terry's header and Malouda's backheel saved at close range.2.23pm: Full teams from Anfield:Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Jose Enriqué, Maxi, Henderson, Adam, Downing, Suarez, Carroll. Subs: Doni, Gerrard, Kuyt, Carragher, Shelvey, Kelly, Bellamy. Blackburn: Bunn, Lowe, Samba, Hanley, Pedersen, Henley, Dunn, Nzonzi, Hoilett, Formica, Yakubu. Subs: Kean, Petrovic, Rochina, Blackman, Goodwillie, Vukcevic, Morris. Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire).2.22pm: Liverpool bring Andy Carroll back into the team and Steven Gerrard back onto the bench. Blackburn give 17-year-old full-back Adam Henley a debut.2.20pm: AVB's shakes the tactical tree at Chelsea, bringing Malouda on for Lampard.2.17pm: Incidentally, José Mourinho was on the Today programme this morning, for early-rising Radio 4-listening football fans. "I didn't NFL jerseys supply want to miss a chance to work here [that's Spain] but my passion is England and my next step will be to go back and, if possible, go and stay for a long time," he said. "Get me a good club in a couple of years." Isn't it more likely that he'll get the sack if Real fail to win the league this season and will be available next summer. Might Manchester United have a vanancy to fill?2.15pm: Senderos heads the ball wide to Ruiz, who turns Ashley Cole very easily and crosses low for Dempsey to turn the ball in from four yards.2.14pm: GOAL! Chelsea 1 Fulham 1!2.12pm: Team news just dripping in on Twitter, but the Press Association – my preferred source – are yet to get to work. I see Manchester United start with Gibson in midfield, Valencia presumably at right-back and Berbatov partnering Hernandez in attack.2.09pm: John Terry comes close with a 15-yard volley, of all things. "I for one remember the 'Christmas Pies' that used to be available in Old Trafford and Maine Road back in the day," writes Greg Scully. "They tasted much like the farts which the estimable Gary Naylor (1.28pm) has so redolently recalled." Christmas pies? That's a new one on me. Unless that's what mince pies are called in Manchester? More information please...2.07pm: Torres controls the ball with his chest in the penalty area, with his back to goal, but can't figure out a way to turn so nudges the ball back a couple of yards for Mata, who drives it left-footed past Stockdale from 18 yards.2.06pm: GOAL! Chelsea take the lead, through Juana Mata in the 47th minute!1.54pm: Comeback of the day (probably): Bottom of the table Plymouth, 2-0 down at half-time away at Bristol Rovers, appear to have scored a stoppage-time winner – it's 2-3!1.48pm: Luiz and Sturridge with useless long-range attempts in the last couple of minutes, and it's half-time.1.45pm: The last 20 minutes at Stamford Bridge have been very poor. Chelsea have had a couple of shots from range – Mereiles' was the best – but otherwise have lacked width and wit.1.41pm: My attempts to combine these occasional updates on Chelsea v Fulham with work on a forthcoming feature on the Blood in the Water match and the 1956 Hungarian Revolution have been incredibly frustrating. The feature can wait. I'm all yours.1.39pm: Early kick-off home-side recently-earned one-goal advantage round-up: Watford 1 Cardiff 0, Lincoln 1 Grimsby 0, Southampton 1 Palace 0.1.28pm: Oooooh! Dembele's low cross-shot slips across goal and just wide. "How I used to love standing on the terraces on Boxing Day, out of the house and away from the mixed blessings of a Family Christmas at last," writes Gary Naylor. "I wasn't alone, as the banter and bonhomie seemed warmer than at any other match in the season – unfortunately, the farting was warmer too, with a ripeness that surely contravened kids nfl jerseys the Geneva Convention." Crikey. The particularly warm atmosphere of which you speak is familiar from my own childhood days on the terraces, but I have to say the farting doesn't stick in my memory. Where I'm from fans fart equally badly throughout the year.1.18pm: Great save by Stockdale! Mata crosses to Torres, who chests the ball down brilliantly with two defenders around him and volleys it goalwards. Very nicely done, but too close to the advancing keeper, who blocks. A minute later Torres sets up Sturridge on the edge of the area, but the shot is sliced wide.1.16pm: Terrible miss by Fulham! Kelly crosses from the right and Sa has a free header at the back post which he heads way over the bar. It looked an easy enough header, should have been a formality.1.08pm: I'll keep you up to date with the latest from Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea are currently drawing 0-0 with Fulham after five minutes. Fernando Torres has started in place of Drogba (and just missed his first half-chance, from Sturridge's cross). It won't be a full minute-by-minute, more an occasional update, but I should hopefully bring you the key events pretty sharpish. Is Clint Dempsey getting booked a key event? Anyway, it's happened.Midday update: Well, I hope everyone had a thoroughly merry Christmas, because it's over now, and a fair preportion of us will lose all sense of goodwill to all men if our teams turn out to be festive flops. It's an action-packed day, which could end with Manchester City being toppled from the top of the Premier League (but probably won't). Notable 3pm kicks-offs include:• Manchester United host Wigan knowing a win will take them top of the top flight if West Brom somehow beat Manchester City. United will surely win (their head-to-head record against the Latics: P13 W13 D0 L0 F41 A4), but perhaps the Baggies have half a chance?• Liverpool play Blackburn in a match which forces journalists to decide whether to talk about someone who may or may not be sacked in the morning, someone who may or may not be racist or actual football for a change.• Also in the top flight: Bolton v Newcastle, and Sunderland v Everton.• In the Championship, it's third against fourth as Middlesbrough host four-wins-on-the-spin form team Hull City. And it's also third against fourth in League Two, as Cheltenham battle Shrewsbury.• In League One, high-flying Charlton, Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield face low-flying Yeovil, Walsall and Chesterfield respectively. The Spireites are at least at home.And if you're still at a loose end, you could peruse Paolo Bandini's transfer rumour update or watch this charming footballing review of 2011 featuring James Richardson and Barry Glendenning. I'll be here from 2pm.

Comments (0)Post Comment View Whole Blog