Barcelona Free

A great game won by the best trio since the Supremes. Messi, Iniesta and Xavi take a bow.

The Black Spider

Fascinating article by the Game Intelligence blog  on France's first black superstar, Raoul Diagne. He made  his debut for France against Czechoslovakia and became the  first black player to represent France, 47 years before Viv Anderson's England debut against the same opposition. And Anderson's nickname was .............Spider.

Infamy. Infamy, They've all got it in for me.

What links the 'Carry On Cleo' film and one of the most revered characters in the Wire?

On A Six Pence Joy

Rio Ferdinand calls Paul Scholes the 'most naturally gifted player I have ever played with' and that he can 'land (a ball) on a sixpence'. Glad this phrase is still been used 40 years after the coin was withdrawn as legal tender. I am going to start collecting references to this wonderful phrase.

Blade Runners

The under-18 Sheffield United team drew 2-2 with Manchester United’s youngsters in the first leg at Bramall Lane last Tuesday, in front of nearly 30,000. An amazing crowd. Maybe teams should give their youngsters a better chance of first team action. Fan's enjoy watching home grown players been successful. If it's good enough for Barcelona......

School of Science-Help Please

I am up-dating my visual tribute to the great characters of Everton Football Club, using the iconic periodic table as the framework. My print, 'The School of Science'  needs to include one additional player to signify that the Toffees have completed 108 years in the top division. Any ideas? Maybe Leighton Baines? 

The Wire

Which Wire actor wrote and directed the excellent 'The Visitor' and 'The Station Agent'?

His character was also very creative, but not in a good way. You must try to catch both films. 'The Visitor' is one of my favourite films. A moving and perceptive drama about immigration. It's more fun than it sounds.

Spare a shilling?

Excellent article on the finances of Premier League clubs by David Conn in today's Guardian. The 20 Premier clubs lost just under half a billion pounds last year despite making record income.

Vera - the Peter Taylor of the Detective World

Brenda Blethyn's new character, Vera, is the Peter Taylor of the detective characters. Intelligent, forward thinking and slightly dark. Blethyn is a star. I am hooked. The cast is fantastic, the filming is intelligent and the scenery is haunting and beautiful. Once the storyline is improved, this will become a modern classic.

Dig Deep

What football team links genius of Porridge and this year's Oscar Best Film?

A Side-glance at Ping Pong

............of the highest quality. I had to watch Mattias Oversjo's no-look shot a few times before I could work out what actually happened. 

The Good Wife Knows Best

It was evident very early on that the Wire was packed with top class actors. And a number of top USA series have tapped into this talent. The co-creator of 'The Good Wife', Robert King, has recently recruited Seth Gilliam (the Wire's Carver). He will appear on the season finale as a man on trial for killing a judge. King has stated that he was  “going to keep running down the line until everyone from The Wire is on the show” So far 12 ex-Wire actors  have appeared on Good Wife, one more than have acted in 'Law & Order: SVU'.

As Good as Mustard

It's Official: Robinho is a very good player, even though very few people agreed with my post in 2009. AC Milan clinched  their first Serie A title since 2004 with a 0-0 draw at Roma yesterday, with Robinho a centimetre away from hitting the winner. Robinho has now won the top division in Brazil, Spain and Italy. A remarkable achievement for the 27 year old. Manchester United and Barcelona all, but sealed their home league titles.

Two Dimensional El Clásico

Enjoy another wonderful animation from Richard Swarbrick catching the first meeting between Barcelona and Madrid. If only every El Clásico was this good.

Draw better than A Win

It is when you see the great work of Paul Trevillion. The artist is best know for his 'You are the Ref'  comic strip and for illustrating the great 'Roy of the Rovers'.  I did not know that he helped re-brand Don  Revie's Leeds United in the 1970s. The team would run out 15 minutes before kick off, with four players running to each corner flag before joining together in the centre spot for a wave to the crowd. He also created the famous Leeds United Sock Tags.

The Chemistry of Class

I watched 'The Order of the Elements' on the BBC last night. Absolutely brilliant. Wonderfully presented by professor of theoretical physics, Jim Al-Khalili, the programme focussed on  how the elements were discovered and mapped into one of chemistry's most beautiful creations - the periodic table.  Fascinating, even though I did not understand one word.

Soccer Sequence No.28

A focus on the brand new world:-

3621925, 2637379, 1280619, 1145432, 1028982, 909719, 906526, 904358, 778633, 725719

What is the link?

Better than the Daleks

Christoper Eccleston knows his football. "Scholes is the greatest footballer I've ever seen.....very modest and intelligent."

 

Professor praises the Pulga Atomica

Interesting quotes in Paul Hayward's article in the Observer from Arsene Wenger on the debate about Messi's quality. "He is that good," the Professor says. "I have not seen all the football players, but for me he has qualities that are mental: humility, desire to play, happiness to help the team, always desire; you never see any bad reaction despite all the kicks he gets. When you look at the numbers, you have to kneel down and say they are fantastic. When a guy scores 52 goals in modern football and has 25 assists, when you see how difficult it is to score a goal, you just have to say it is absolutely exceptional what this player is delivering."

New Order Mistake

I purchased The Sunday Times solely to read Brian Glanville's article on his  top 10 strikers of all-time. Messi was in at No.9. Surely under-rated by the knowledgable Glanville.  Messi's touch, dribbling skills, passing and ability to perform consistently under pressure are outstanding. He can find space in a telephone box. Messi makes football fans jump off their seats. Top 3 without a doubt.

Glanville's Top 10 are:-

1. Pele
2. Di Stefano
3. Maradonna
4. Cruyff
5. Puskas
6. Best
7. Charles
8. Eusebio
9. Messi
10. Charlton