Review and preview

At last the international break is over, and what have we learned about our national team.  Well we learned that Phil Jones can't play as a defensive midfielder, we learned that Theo Walcott isn't an out and out striker and we learned that when England get to the European championships we will be relying on 33 year old Michael Carrick as the our only holding midfielder as Roy Hodgson will never call up someone who plays consistently well for their club side week in week out up as cover in that position.  Overall we have learned that unless we play our very best players come the tournament in the summer we will be leaving early again after only playing 3 games.

So Steptoe how do you feel about playing as a defensive midfielder?

I have to say that I was one of the only people who thought it was a good idea to play Steptoe in a holding midfield role, as if it came off at least we would have had some back up.  Unfortunately backfired, but fair play to Roy for trying it out.  My personal preference would have been though to call up someone like Lee Cattermole or Mark Noble in that position just to see if they could cut it.  Roy doesn't like to try those sort of things though as he likes to run his team a bit like a club side, although he did also state that for Theo Walcott to get into his side he would have to be playing regularly for Arsenal, he hasn't and yet he was still called up and started against Italy.

Just one England cap would be nice Roy!!

Andros Townsend took the plaudits for his equalising strike against the Italians and then decided to go on social media and dig out Paul Merson after the former Arsenal man had said that due to his and Kyle Walkers performances against Manchester United where both players were torn apart by Ashley Young that they shouldn't based on that performance be anywhere near the squad.  I agree with Merson, and the fact that Hodgson was at that game and decided to call those two players up and not Ashley Young is just downright stupid.  Fair play to Townsend for scoring the goal but what if Young had been called up he may have put a decent cross in and ran at the defenders on the wing, something that didn't happen at all in the first half against Italy.  Maybe if Young had started we might have won that game and Harry Kane might have scored a hat-trick from Ashley Young crosses.

Show us your medals Townsend!!

Don't get me wrong Townsend scored a very good goal, but for me the best performances in the second half came from Ross Barkley and Michael Carrick.   Just a thought Andros but before you start flipping the bird at well respected former professionals like Paul Merson and telling them I told you so, why not take the criticism on board and try improving your performances for your club and learn to keep your mouth shut.  Actions speak louder than words and one swallow a summer does not make.


Anyway enough about the International stuff, this weekend sees the return of the premier league.  The biggest of the games this week is without doubt Saturday's lunchtime game between Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates.

For me this game brings back many memories as this was the very first proper game I ever went to.

The year was 1987,  it was my mates 14th birthday, he had got tickets to see his team Arsenal play my team Liverpool at Highbury in the first game of the 1987/88 season and he asked me to go with him.  My mate was a bit more experienced when it came to going to football matches and although 10 months younger than me he was a junior Gunner and had been to North London on many occasions in the past to see his heroes.  The only games I had been to before this were over Victoria Road to watch Dagenham my local team so for me this was going to be an amazing experience, the only thing was of course was that I would have to keep my mouth shout if Liverpool scored as I would be in the Arsenal end of the ground or in the junior Gunners enclosure.

We met up with another mate on the way to the game and on the train journey there was a discussion of whether we would stay in the North Bank with all the real supporters or were we going to go into the junior Gunners enclosure with all the kids, when asked my opinion I decided to just go with the flow.  On exiting the station and heading towards the ground the thing that struck me most was not just the thousands of people that were all in one place at what time but this was the first time I had ever seen a copper on a horse, not only that it was the first time I ever smelt that unmistakable smell of hot dogs/ burgers and horse shit.

When we got to the ground we went in via the back North Bank, I will never forget the moment at the top of the North Bank as I walked up the steps and saw what seemed to me to be a massive stadium, I was in awe, we had turned up with only minutes to go before kick off and the place was already packed, nevertheless we started to make our way down North Bank we had made up our mind that we weren't going to see much in there and we tried to make our way to the side gate and gain access to the junior Gunners enclosure.  At least I think that was the plan, unfortunately that plan quickly went out of the window as all of a sudden we had hardly any control of what we were doing, people were still coming in and the North bank was packed so people started to push and surges started to happen, it began to get a bit scary.  For me though I thought it was all just what happened at football as I had never been to a game before, I looked at my mate and I could tell he wasn't enjoying it.  The game kicked off and it got worse and worse, Liverpool scored in the 9th minute and that caused another surge, I remember thinking I hope Arsenal don't equalise otherwise this is gonna go seriously wrong.  Arsenal scored and my worse fears were realised as the surge almost took me of my feet and propelled me forward, I managed to keep my feet luckily, as only being a small lad I dread to think what would have happened if I had gone down.  I looked around me and couldn't see my mates anywhere, another surge began and suddenly I felt someone grab my hand, I looked up to see this woman probably in her mid 20's, as I looked to her she apologised but didn't let go of my hand I could see the fear in her eyes and no doubt she could see the fear in mine.  It wasn't long after that I found my mates and we were eventually removed from the North Bank along with a load of other kids.  After being removed we had to sit on the edge of the pitch as there was not enough room in the other areas of the pitch, I think we sat there up until at least half time before we eventually took our place in the junior Gunners enclosure.

And there it was my first steps into watching big boys football will always be remembered for nearly not making it out alive.  Although the brighter side to it was that I was at one point only about 2 inches away from John Barnes as I sat on the touchline.  In football terms it will be remembered for the day that Peter Beardsley, John Barnes and John Aldridge all made their debut's for Liverpool and I think Alan Smith made his bow for Arsenal.  Liverpool won the game 2-1 and I remember saying to all the junior Gunners around me, that they had to admit it was a great winning goal from Steve Nicol.  It was also the first time Liverpool wore that grey away kit, which was met with great derision from the home fans as they shouted "who's the crumpet in the pink" it was a very hot day and the sun was bright, so it was an easy mistake to make.

Although at times the day had been a bit scary, it all ended with no mishaps.  One thing for sure though is that since that day I have never been scared at a football match ever since.

What a baptism of fire.

https://youtu.be/RK4SDrf5JjA Arsenal v Liverpool 15/08/87

Liverpool went on to romp the league that season and only just missed out on a second double when they were famously  beaten by Wimbledon in the FA cup that year.

This weekend's game will obviously be overshadowed by the Raheem Sterling business and the fact that he doesn't want to sign a new contract because he wants to win trophies.  The bloke is 20 years old, some people who have been in the game for years have walked away from the game without winning a single trophy.  What gives him the right to win trophies?  Sterling is just a spoilt little kid, even if it has nothing to do with money he is playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world, it's about time he sat down and stopped shouting his mouth off and got on with his job instead of moaning.  People wonder what the problem is with English football is, there it is right there, jumped up little shits who think they are owed some sort of living when they have done absolutely nothing to earn it.  I hope he does go and I hope he goes somewhere where he sits on the bench.  If he really wants trophies why don't he knuckle down and try and help his current team win a trophy, how about that for a novel idea.  Alternatively why not pack up full time football get a proper job and play part time for a Sunday league team and with his ability that Sunday league team will win every trophy on offer.

I want trophies!!

Lazy, spoilt greedy little bastard, who do you think you are Pele?!