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How do we choose the clubs we support?
Private Tabonga Moyo here again and l have something that l have been mulling over and can’t quite seem to get an answer to. How do we choose the teams we support? I know from experience that geographical location plays a huge part in deciding which team to root for. For most of the football fans that fall under this category, their choice in the matter is almost non existent since they are initiated into the fan base from a fairly young age before they can even begin to adequately think for themselves.

However, for the people that choose their teams a little older the choice of teams is particularly odd given some people choose teams not doing particularly well during that period. So it is safe to say that logic does not guide how we choose our teams. People have multiple romantic relationships but usually support one team during the entirety of their life. So why can’t we jump ship at the faintest whiff of trouble and get on the Liverpool bandwagon with the irresistible Mo Salah and the majestic Sadio Mane in the driving seat. Why do l persist with Manchester United when it has given me nothing but grief over the past 5 seasons? Why do l continue to tune to Sky Sports to see whatever dross they decide to serve up that particular week? I am not a resident of the UK so for someone like me it should be theoretically easy to ditch Man utd but for some reason l cannot do that. Are we flawed as a people that we feel a profound connection to a football club rather than towards each other? Are we still football fans or rather we are all a bunch of fanatics that get off on the emotional rollercoaster dished out to us by these clubs that we sold off our souls to? Logic dictates that l should be supporting either one of Man City or Liverpool but nooooo, I stick with Jesse Lingard whilst KDB is holding out his arms for me, yearning for my praise and affection  every time he assists Aguero with a sublime through-ball, caressing the football with a touch of his boots and bending the laws of physics to his will as the ball swivels across the pitch at an unnatural angle. But no, l would rather be frustrated by Fred misplacing a few simple passes each game (though he is improving these days and there just might be a player hidden under there,).

Anyways cannot wait for the international break to be over. Weekends are unusually long without football. Cheers.
Tabonga Moyo

 

Winks is more than capable
Re. Charlie Morgan’s piece on England – is Harry Winks good enough to keep the ball against Spain, Belgium or France? Well, he played against Spain in 2018 and England won so I’d say the answer is probably yes, especially as he kept the ball for Spurs against Real Madrid too. Is Henderson good enough to do that job? Nope and it’s been proven time and time again. Surely Southgate can see that too now?
Scott, Nuneaton

 

Cazorla back at Arsenal?
I was at the Ludogrets Champions League match a couple of years back. Little did we know that that would be Santi’s last game as an Arsenal player.

I totally agree with Wade – so can’t Arsenal bring Santi back as a player-coach? He could help Unai with the language barrier, do his coaching badges (and I’m informed that England’s coaching system is now the envy of the world) and we could actually have a central midfielder that can retain the bloody ball.

I love Santi – not least because he looks like the late Keith (I hate that duck) Harris.
Graham Simons, Gooner, Norf London

 

Proud of yourselves?
Would just like to congratulate the media for getting joe Gomez booed by his own fans. Bravo. Perhaps journalists get a kick out of blowing this story massively out of proportion enough for the stupid people out there to feel they need to boo joe. Gareth Southgate perhaps needs to take responsibility as well by making it public, could of dropped Raheem and said he had a strain. But instead dropped the news to the media who do what they do which resulted in one of England’s brightest stars getting booed by the home fans. Pretty disappointed by the whole thing to be honest.
JB

 

Michael Hector signing was mind-boggling
Yash, give it a rest.

Firstly, it wasn’t a couple, it’s 5 and as I mentioned in my original mail, there are at least 4 others who’ve also had minutes.

Yes, Chelsea have 27 players on loan.

12 of which have come through the academy at the latest u14. Chelsea have obviously deemed them good enough to play mens football and don’t want them stagnating in the u23’s. Are you seriously criticising Chelsea for trying to get them a better standard of football?

4 are big money signings (not bought with intent to loan) that didn’t work out and will be out the club as soon as we can recoup any sort of fee/someone willing to pay their wages (Cough cough, Sanchez, cough cough). You could also add Moses into that bracket too.

So that leaves 10 players supposedly bought to farm out on loan before selling for a small profit?

Well, you can rule out Ampadu and Castillo, as they’re both considered first team squad prospects.

Then you have the players who have had massive injuries which have curtailed their career, and a loan is a means to get back on track – Brown, Piazon and Musonda (actually been back and forth this season because of….injury).

That leaves Miazga, Nathan, Pantic, Pasalic and Kenedy – all but Kenedy have options to buy in place meaning Chelsea have only loaned them this season because the clubs weren’t willing to buy just yet.

Anyway, my main point should be, do you seriously think Chelsea bought any of those ten players with the expectation that they’d never make it? All were/are massively rated prospects.

The only player in recent years I’ll let you have is Michael Hector. Mind-boggling signing.
Adam (Chelsea have been burned by selling players more than any club), Midlands

 

Xhaka’s international team mates and Emery
Really – does he watch the dross served up by the former Captain – no he does not. I thought Xhaka was a ‘big’ man with a ‘big’ heart – never knew that equated to a ‘big’ cry baby who moans to whoever will listen – is he John Terry in disguise, hahahaha.

We are the employers (no matter what SC, Belfast thinks – no fans = no money from TV, no bums on seats, no employment – simple’s!) and as his employer i do not want him near the team. It’s bad enough with Emery not going anywhere – all we need is Xhaka back to really f*ck sh*t up even more. Obviously Emery is going to be who he is (when someone shows you who they are believe them), why aren’t Raul and Edu doing anything but insulting the fans (the real employers) intelligence by trying to ‘Manage’ us – really – FU*K THAT!

Gunnerblog had a great idea – do what they do in Spain if our poor delicate brothers and sisters don’t like expression through booing – red and white hankies – wave em – thats what the Spanish do (with white hankies) and maybe Emery might get the message and finally fall on a rather large sword, and take Xhaka and Mustafi with him.

And if no action is taken then i have really lost any faith i had in Don Raul and Edu – take action for the good of the club and the fans or Fu*k off as well.
Joe (I love Arsenal – but not this small club mentality sh*t Emery serves up – go manage Osasuna, you would be much more comfortable – small, small, small!)

 

Grease IS The Word
What the living piss is up with these Sky graphics of players glaring at the camera like they were the inspiration for Goodfellas. Am I the only one to notice this? Arms folded like you are muscle to a huge coke deal. If the arms aren’t folded, your still staring at us like if the camera had children you are just about to eat them.

If you’re gonna do it, act all badass,,why don’t we see footballers dressed in full leather/pleather anymore? I’m pretty sure I recall seeing Cristiano Ronaldo going full Danny Zukko once. Did I imagine that? Google it.

What’s wrong with it? Spiking up your collars and admitting you’ve got chills and they very possibly might be increasing in frequency? It has got to be preferable to a bland picture of you folding your arms and acting all rock?

Why can’t footballers take a hint from Grease and realise in those awful Sky graphics where everyone acts so badass to stand out all you need is a comb, leather jacket over the shirt, and a look that says “I may be about to mention that I’ve got chills, and believe it or not they may be duplicating…”

Think about it. Rather than the obligatory, Van Dijk combs his greasy hair right back and goes full Travolta. “Hooo….hooooo, where’s my level 13 Operating Thetan manual”

Kane slashes his hair back and announces “Hey hit the pavement”…and then he actually does, with not an opposition player in sight. For once. Because only the power of Grease could make him do that.

Guardiola is the head of the T-Birds, the one that all revolve around. Sure, a lot of yes men, the leader jumps ship to a gorgeous girl in leather trousers and leaves them high and dry. Who could take up his mantle? Be interested to see what City fans think, because this summer he is gone. I’m willing to bet anything that this summer Pep Guardiola will consider himself done in English football, and he will bail to other challenges…….after this season he’s out.
Johnny Ironballs

 

Julian Nagelsmann
Sigh…. Nagelsmann is not going to Spurs or any other English club that is a project / bit of a mess. He has just started a good gig with RB, good planning and structures in the background, will give the league a right go this season, might win it in the next year or so and will then rock up at Bayern.
Mel – Dublin, Berlin, Athlone Town, HaHoHe

 

Gomez treatment
Last night’s treatment of Joe Gomez coming on in the 70th minute was an absolute disgrace, and the (albeit) small minority of “fans” who felt the need to boo an England player who had been the victim in an altercation with a player who has since apologised and accepted full responsibility, really showed the stupidity and myopic tribalism that is inherent in the game.

I am gladdened to see both Sterling and Southgate swiftly respond to this, and it’s does seem that at least there is intelligence within our players and staff – the same can sadly not be said of the small group of idiots who claim to love and support our nation’s football team.

They had a fight, they’ve sorted it, let’s move on. Hopefully the media (who are responsible for stirring up this repugnant behaviour) will do the same.
Adam, West Sussex

 

Wow. As an Irish man i was baffled watching the Gomez booing last night. Now my sentiment from the outside looking in is there is a massive issue with fans of the national team. I’m thinking about ructions and  hooliganism in most major tournaments. I get memories of the “Beckham” debacle and targeted abuse to the likes of Ashley Cole etc.

I really struggle to wrap my head around this along, with the anger and aggression when things don’t work out in a major tournament.

Who are these fans. I sat in a hotel bar in Mexico for the last world cup surrounded my English men who supported all types of clubs, Rangers included and i have to say they where a great bunch of lads and am talking 30 – 50 heads per match. By the end of game one i was routing for England to go all the way (quite easy when your own nation isn’t involved).

On the contrary we have overseen mediocre teams and managers for decades and all they have received is unconditional support. Yes we sigh and complain to our friends in a pub but we never let it spill over in the stadium or at an event. Even when it came to that “Roy Keane” moment we never turned on him let alone to the extent of burning a eulogy and sending him death threats. Everywhere we go the locals adore us and don’t get me wrong we make plenty of noise and commotion but it rarely if ever spills over to violence.

So what i’d love to know is this.

Is there a certain minority? Are these the same supporters i run into when i see premier league matches? Why is hate so synonymous with the national side? How come its so easy to turn on your own players, is it club alliances? Does the media whip up a frenzy and have a lot to answer for?
Luke  (I said to a friend last night i think you’re all too spoiled with talent, if we had half your players mixed with our support we’d win the f**king lot, Including the Super bowl and Ryder cup)

 

90 minutes of sheer hell
In answer to Jon, Cape Town’s mail regarding a former player to improve the current England team  – John Barnes. Since he retired, England have not had a decent left-footed left-winger, meaning that whoever plays on the left cuts inside, thus reducing space for the other attackers.

As for Beckham against Greece, I was at that game. He spunked about 10 free kicks over the bar prior to the last-minute equaliser.
Simon S, Cheshire

 

In reply to Jon, Cape Town, I’d replace pretty much the entirety of the current England team with the entirety of the golden generation you dismiss as being “a bit pants”. Shearer, Owen, Ferdinand, Gerrard, Becks, Ashley Cole . . . all of them were several levels better than their modern-day England counterparts. The tragedy of the early noughties was that we had the finest crop of English players in history being managed by a moron. Quite how Sven still largely escapes censure for this has long mystified me. I’m not wholly convinced by Southgate as a manager either (we’re still losing to the first good team we come up against) but it would be interesting to see what he might have done with the infinitely richer talent at Sven’s disposal for all those many wasted years.
Matt Pitt

 

Turning corners
With respect to today’s Mediawatch, I dare say ManU have not turned as many corners as Liverpool. They went round so many corners during the Fergie era that they circled Anfield 20 times…..
Andrew cpfc

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