21 November 2007 - Keep the faith

Let us Pray, oh fans of the mighty GFC.

Pray for Joleon Lescott's weird head. Pray that it acts as a magnetic beacon
for the ball tonight. Pray that it doesn't crush his brain so as to bring
about an attack of amnesia.

Pray.

Pray for fat Frank Lampard. Pray that he never receives the ball. Pray for a
slight twist of an ankle and pray that Owen Hargreaves takes his place.

Pray.

Pray for Peter Crouch. Pray that he grows another inch so he might manage to
head the ball as 6ft 7in clearly isn't enough.

Pray.

Pray for Sol Campbell. Pray that he hasn't been eating chocolate starfish and he can
actually run tonight.

Pray.

Pray for Micah Richards. Pray and give thanks for a physique that makes up
for lack of tactical sense.

Pray.

Pray that Paul Robinson really isn't going to play.

Pray.

Pray that Beckham does come on so that we stand a chance of Scoring.

Pray.

Pray that the Croats get pissed and are in no condition to play
football.

Pray.

Pray that pitch really is as bad as Slavan Bilic was whining about so that
the ball doesn't roll more than two inches and the game finish 0-0.

Pray.

And finally....Pray that maybe, just maybe, in some remote but not
impossible corner of that concept we call chance, aided by Lady Luck
herself, and a good dose of what Italians refer to as "arse"....Steve Mclaren
gets fired and Jose Mourinho takes the reigns for the game....

17th September 2007 - Keeping abreast of football

So faithfull G-fans!

Due to unforeseen technical issues (Will being on Holliday) we haven't been able to update our fabulous site for sometime. But fear not! Like that dodgy curry you had after the pub Friday night, we're back!

Now. Our topic for discussion on the blog this week is two fold. The Women's world cup. Hmmmm. Now, I for one, have played against some women in proper games. No not Youngs special or those tossers from last season who'se name I've already forgotten, but real women with all the right bits.
Personally, I found them pretty talented and with decent close control and fierce shots. Where they fall down is pace and power in the old shoulder to shoulder game. But I have to agree with Ian Wright and his comment on talksport: "The goalkeepers are rubbish, even if they stood on the line you could chip 'em!" Again though I don't think it's a skill issue, mearly a physical one. But you do get some open games and at least its nice to see England thumping Argentina. And come on, Mia Hamm?? Eva Prinz looks a bit
scary though...

Our second topic is simple: Gerrard + Barry= 3-0, 3-0. Can anyone argue with this? I mean come on! Will Steve McLaren see the light? That big bright shining light that the rest of England if not the world can see??? FRANK LAMPARD NEEDS TO BE DROPPED!!!!!! Barry plays that simple football that
Lampard seems incapable of playing, and has an ability to retain possession under pressure that Lampard, at international level, severely lacks! Surely, surely, that is the pairing for the future! But we all know that that might not be the "Political" waya round, and politics always plays a big part...Just ask Davies.

27th June 2007 - Eto'o Henry?

Eto’o Henry?

So. One of the Premiership’s superstars has left for La liga.

There are numerous theories as to why. David Dein’s departure heralding the departure of Wenger? Henry’s missus insisting he leave London because of all the shagging around he’s doing (This particular theory was banded about by Jim Healy)? The younger generation of Arsenal players not happy with Henry’s starry attitude? A deal with Wenger to pave the ground for the coaches arrival at the Nou Camp the season after next?

All these theories have been banded about but the truth may well never be known.

One thing is certain though. Does this herald the start of La Liga’s guzumping as the top football league in Europe as the premieship’s expense? No body can argue that the Liga run-in was the best in Europe last season. Three teams in with a possible title win on the last day of the season is not something you see every day. Henry is now there as well. And how long before Cristiano Ronaldo joins him? And old Fat Frank seems not so sure of his Chelsea future as he once was.

The stars are starting to leave our shores, and we need new ones to fill their boots. Time for Walcott, Guiseppe Rossi, Noble, Lita, Nugent, Nani and others to start to show that they can keep the premiership where it belongs: At the top of the pile of the European leagues.

21st June 2007 - “Zero to hero or zero to zero?”

Welcome G-men to the new Gorky’s column! The football Blog, where I will comment on the latest football news from around the world. Unlike the raucous humour that laces the Gorky’s site this column will have a more serious tone, because football is a serious sport let us not forget. (For more on that argument see this weeks Captain’s log…) Also, feel free to post messages on the board which I will be happy to discuss with you.

This week in the football world sees the resurgence of one mighty club with extensive European history and one club with ancient pedigree to match, if not a trophy haul. Or does it???

The first is the once mighty Juventus. Juve, you might recall, were embroiled in the recent match fixing scandal in Italy, Calciopoli. Subsequent relegation to serie B with a 20 point penalty (Reduced to 7 on appeal) followed. Most of the major stars jumped ship: Cannavaro, Mutu, Emerson, Viera, Zambrotta, Thuram, leaving Alex Del Piero and Pavel Nedved both in the twighlight of their careers, to lead the charge. Begrudgingly following behind them Gigi Buffon, and behind him, in full hissy fit mode, Trezeguet and Camoranesi, both disbelieving they’d have to play second tier football. But now Juve are back in serie A, where they believe they belong. I say “believe”, as many feel that such was the extent of their crimes that they should have fallen much further down the league teer. A point which brings me round to the crux of this weeks argument: Juve’s reputation is shot. Despite a transfer kitty of 100 million euros, who is really going to accept Juve’s offer? Not only because of the reputation but with no European football to boot? Many football websites have linked Steve Gerrard and Frank Lampard to the Bianconeri, Alonso, Messi, Cassano, Crouch, Sissoko and many more have been mentioned. None have arrived. Iaquinta from Udinese has, a striker on the periphery of the national side, Sergio Almiron signed today from Empoli, an Argentinean in the Xabi Alonso mold, and Tiago, once of Chelsea from Lyon, Juve’s biggest signing so far. But this is a far cry from Juve’s hopes of immediately building a team to challenge for the title. Especially given that Trezeguet and Camoranesi, infuriated by having last season’s transfer requests turned down, are hell bent on jumping ship this year. Iaquinta is good, but he wont be scoring 20 goals, and Del Piero might have done well in Serie B but his legs will struggle at 33 Back in Serie A. and without that 20 goal a season man, the championship is not realistic, and with Milan and Inter, Roma and Lazio, and Fiorentina all with established and well drilled teams, even the Champions league will be a tough ask. Juve are back in the fold, but not back yet. And until they have that champions league football, The coveted Messi’s and Gerrard’s will not be turning a blind eye to past indiscretions.

The other team that sees a resurgence this week are the blues of Man City, with the new stacks of fifty pound notes bought in by former Thai prime Minister Tamzin Shinawatra, a far east Ambramovich. But will those £81.6 million pounds worth of money materialize? What happens if those funds are suddenly frozen and the three major signings of the season have put pen to paper on multi-million pound five year deals at the city ground? “Great. £80 Million quid. But what guarantees can you give me that it’s not suddenly going to disappear?” You can just hear Eriksson saying that…So Man City have a no manager, have lost Joey Barton and Sylvain Distan, the only two players that can call themselves A-list along with Micah Richards, the transfer market is in full swing and the only people left at the starting post are them. And lets be honest, relegation is a dead cert with the team they have today. But salvation is a fingertip’s reach away, the potential new owner with shed loads of cash who might end up in a Thai Prison. Salvation? I don’t know. I cant help thinking City would have been better off had Shinawatra never appeared.