Down to Ten Men

Mexico have just beaten France 2-0 in Group A of South Africa 2010 and France should be thankful their goal difference wasn’t dented further as they prepare to fight for their World Cup lives against the hosts next tuesday. The country who once dominated Europe and the world, the country everyone thought would win their group despite having Domenech at the helm and not having Zidane giving directions, the country that reached the final in 2006, are a country lacking backbone, bottle and balls.

Wonderkids. What is so wonderful about these kids if they are, as we are led to believe, constantly breaking through every year. Are these youngsters who are putting in eye-catching displays on an occasional basis the real deal or simply the by-product of an over-zealous media and an equally demanding audience to turn any average talent into tomorrow’s superstar?

On Saturday morning I decided to peel myself from my bed and make the journey to my local town to watch the Manchester derby. Sounds like any normal Saturday to some people but I was going to see what the fuss was with this 3D business Sky are currently showcasing.

3D technology is nothing new, in fact it was originally invented well over 100 years ago but did not really take off until the late 1970’s / early 1980’s with prominent movie hits such as Jaws 3D and The Amitiville Horror 3D, but the novelty was soon to wear off.

That’s right; big John Carew is a sizeable centre forward. 6’4 and no slouch out of the blocks, his imposing physicality should strike fear into every defender. But this isn’t the case.

Blessed with all the physical attributes the modern Premier League striker needs to survive, Aston Villa‘s Carew has also graced Champions League prize fighters such as Valencia, Roma and Lyon.

I’ve always had a soft spot for West Ham, but I’ve never really known why. It might be because I have a few friends who support them, or I enjoyed the book ‘Congratulations, you have just met the I.C.F’.

It could be because Russell Brand, Keira Knightley and John Cleese are all followers (however having quickly looked up West Ham’s celebrity fan base I did find this – http://www.westhamtillidie.com/celebrity-supporters/ or, as I like to call it, 101 reasons to dislike West Ham.)

Ever thought to yourself: “Why do I put myself through this?” Well on Saturday afternoon I found myself asking that very question as I sat there watching the Arsenal v Wolves game unfold in front of my eyes. Yes we got the win with the latest of all the late goals we’ve scored this season, but as I came away from a jubilant Emirates Stadium I felt as though I had run a gruelling marathon or even gone the full 12 rounds in a boxing match – I was sapped of all the energy I had.