Writing for Squawka, I’ve written a statistical analysis of Sunday’s match between West Bromwich Albion and Manchester United – a mad game that ended in a five all draw.
Too many more games like that would probably have given him a heart attack.
Click here to read my stats-based match report.
The second last Lower League Week went up late in the week last week, so appropriately enough, the link to it is going up late as well.
This edition covers John Hughes’ sacking by Hartlepool, James Beattie’s appointment as Accrington manager, and former Gillingham manager Andy Hessenthaler announcing his intent to return to management… and his belief that he would also have taken them up this year.
After two years of spending heavily, Swindon have announced their intention to make massive cuts for next year. Portsmouth will probably not be able to pay a transfer fee for a few years, as a result of being required to pay ‘football debts’ in full, and there’s the potential for a Coventry buyout by Preston Haskell IV, and investment as a result.
An Oxford supporters’ group, OxVox, have helped force the club’s ground to be designated as a ‘community asset’, protecting it against owners who want to sell it for a quick profit.
Aldershot and Wycombe have had financial problems, while a Yeovil fan has been denied the chance to take a flag into the playoff final… unless he paid £1500 for eight people to help him.
Yeovil manager Gary Johnson, immediately after having his flagpole yoinked from his fist. Possibly.
Click here to read Lower League Week – Managers and Money
The new Star Trek film, JJ Abrams’ second and the twelfth overall, is now in cinemas both in America as well as the UK (and presumably in one or two other countries).
Writing for the Ann Arbor Review, I’ve looked back across all 7 previous films starring the original characters, and reviewed them collectively, giving my thoughts on how the films measure up against each other, and purely as entertainment in their own rights.
While I don’t want to spoil what I have to say, Star Trek V is a total mess.
“I want to make a deep, serious film about the quest for God and the nature of free will, but with slapstick comedy!”
I hadn’t realised quite how much they vary in subject matter and style, but I enjoyed going back and rewatching some films I’ve not seen for quite some time.
Click here to read Marathon Man: Star Trek (Films I – IV)
Click here to read Marathon Man: Star Trek (V, VI, XI)
New on Squawka today, I’ve taken a look at Manchester City’s captain, Vincent Kompany. Absolutely dominant last year as City inched ahead of Manchester United for the Premier League title, he’s looked a little disappointing to me this season.
Not bad in any way, just disappointing, compared to last year.
I’ve broken down the various aspects of his game, this year and last, looking for differences and similarities.
Vincent Kompany, 2012 champion
Click here to read Is Vincent Kompany A Player in Decline?
New today on Squawka, I’ve taken a statisitical look at three English players based abroad in major European leagues. That’s David Beckham, Joey Barton, and Michael Mancienne.
David Beckham, pictured moments after a teammate told him his shirt was edible.
Click here to read Englishmen Abroad.
On Friday BornOffside published my latest Lower League Week.
It begins with a summary of the events in the League One and Two playoff semi-finals, which were pretty dramatic.
I also covered the smaller, end of season stories.
Bury fan favourite Efe Sodje is in conflict with manager Kevin Blackwell, refusing to sign a new contract unless he leaves. Steve Fletcher has finally retired at the age of 40, not because decades of centre-forwarding have taken their toll on his body, but simply because he’s pretty far down the pecking order now.
Steve Fletcher: Retiree
Coventry were locked out of their stadium again after continuing to refuse to pay the rent (what are they like!) and Martin Ling, who’d been on sick leave, has been replaced as Torquay manager by Alan Knill.
Having narrowly survived relegation, Dagenham caretaker manager Wayne Burnett has been appointed as permanent manager, while Brian Flynn has decided against continuing as Doncaster boss despite their last minute title win.
And Luke McCormick has returned to Plymouth, the club that terminated his contract after he was convicted of causing the death of two young boys. Yeah, it’s not all sweetness and light.
Click here to read The Lower League Week – The Stoppage Time Equaliser Edition
In recent years, Marvel’s cinematic arm has gone through an ambitious process – a series of seperate superhero films, coming together in a united film last summer.
Robert Downey Jr, pictured between smirks.
They intend to build on this – all that’s gone so far is classed as ‘Phase One’; ‘Phase Two’ is now underway, starting with Iron Man 3.
Writing for Ann Arbor Review, I’ve looked back at the films in Phase One.
Click here to read Marathon Man: The Avengers, Phase One
