Daily Archives: November 17, 2010

Black Wings…

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“It’s just over a year since Robert Enke, Hannover 96 and Germany goalkeeper, committed suicide at the age of 32. It emerged after his death that he had struggled with depression for years. To mark this bleak anniversary, BBC Radio 5live produced a half-hour special, featuring candid and illuminating interviews with, among others, Enke’s biographer, agent, and therapist.” (In Bed With Maradona)

5 live Sport
“Eleanor Olyroyd hosts a 5live Sport Special a year on from the tragic suicide of Germany goalkeeper Robert Enke. Eleanor visits Enke’s home town to speak to the people who knew him best and looks at a story that stunned Germany.” (BBC)

River Plate 1 – 0 Boca Juniors: the goal

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“River Plate have beaten Boca Juniors in a competitive match for the first time in over three years, with a 1-0 win in El Monumental on Tuesday. Former Boca defender Jonatan Maidana scored the only goal of a game River dominated, and in which Boca star Juan Román Riquelme was non-existent in the first half before being taken off at the break. Boca coach Claudio Borghi might well not be manager very much longer now. I’ll post all the round fourteen scores, and a longer highlights video, after having some food and a couple of drinks, but for now here’s the goal.” (Hasta El Gol Siempre)

Superclásico Apertura 2010: live updates
“My first superclásico in Argentina does not, sadly, mean I’ve got press accreditation for this one, but it does at least mean that I can watch the game on a proper telly and thus the updates here on HEGS will be closer to live than ever before.” (Hasta El Gol Siempre)

Tactics: What should England expect from France?

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“The press pack accompanying the France squad to England may have been slightly miffed at the lack of attention given to Les Bleus in Fabio Capello’s pre-match press conference, but Laurent Blanc’s side will have plenty of opportunities to make themselves headline news when tonight’s match at Wembley kicks off.” (Football Further)

Passing on the Past

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Dave van den Bergh
“Last Sunday night, with one final smolder for the cameras, David Beckham conveyed his hairstyle off the pitch and out of the MLS playoffs. The L.A. Galaxy’s 3-0 loss to F.C. Dallas—a game in which Beckham’s slow-wilting sprout of a ponytail was an accurate meter of his side’s fortunes—deprives the competition of its most telegenic team. It also sends unheralded Dallas on to face the Colorado Rapids on Sunday in the least obviously glamorous sports final since, oh, the 2010 World Series. Instead of mashing CTRL-V on Beckham and his teammate-turned-World-Cup-hero Landon Donovan, the marketing wing of MLS now faces the task of selling a championship game contested by two teams who don’t even fill their own stadiums.” (Slate)

On Talent, and Using It

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“It might not be obvious every time we watch a game of soccer, but there’s a tacit contract between players and observers of the sport. In it, we the viewer expect nothing less than maximum effort, maximum fun, and we can never see that soccer is not the be-all and end-all for our heroes. Blood, sweat, tears, and none of the complaining that comes from living a more ordinary life. In exchange, our offering is simple. Love. Worship. Respect.” (Run of Play)

Wigan 1-0 West Brom: Positive Substitution Makes The Difference

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“Saturday’s match that sent West Bromwich Albion north to DW Stadium against Wigan Athletic provided an entertaining match of two clubs looking to assert themselves, albeit in different ways. Albion has been riding a strong first month, and wanted to continue to maintain real estate in the top half of the table, while the Latics have been clawing from the bottom ever since their Week One shock loss against visiting Blackpool. Wigan found success this day, thanks to a shrewd halftime replacement.” (EPL Talk)

Harry Redknapp’s Tactical Theorems Make Jonathan Wilson Look Like Goodluck Jonathan

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“Some say Harry Redknapp’s tactics are simplistic. Others are like, ‘no they’re not.’ Still others are barely even paying attention. When your mere presence is food and light to the players who follow you, you don’t just blunder into a room and start garrumphing about wingers who cut inside in the 4-3-3.” (Run of Play)