…going to all those games if he doesn’t pay attention.
Off he went to the Valley to see Charlton v Tottenham on Saturday to get a last look at some players before naming the England squad for the final 2 World Cup qualifiers, against Austria on Saturday and Poland the following Wednesday.
We were told by his right hand man Tord Grip (sounds like an Action Man accessory – with eagle eyes and a tord grip) that Charlton’s Danny Murphy had a chance of geting into the squad after two years absence. And rightly so because Murphy has been pretty damn good for them this season helping them to second place in the Premiership through his goals, assists and general running the team.
So this was the perfect opportunity for Sven to see it for himself and this he did, unlike most chances players get like this Murphy did nothing wrong, infact he had an outstanding game with some cracking through balls that either did or should have ended up with a Charlton goal.
But no Sven didn’t see this, I don’t know what he was thinking, maybe it was the empty seat to his left and the old woman to his right that threw him into a state of confusion but I would have thought no dolly birds around would have concentrated Sven’s mind.
Nope at the same time Sven saw this excellent display by Murphy he saw a typically useless mince round the park by Jenas for Spurs, before he was hooked, and guess who he picked for the England squad ?
Christ he even picked Phil Neville ahead of Murphy, there’s the knee in the head after the kick in the nuts. I also suppose the lazy half arsed approach to defending shown by Rio Ferdinand against Fulham which ceretainly wasn’t a one off this season will be overlooked, even I want Judas back in Rio’s place along side Terry. Though I’d also still prefer a back 3.
Maybe it was the fact Murphy ended up on the losing side on Saturday after Spurs great comeback from 2-0 down to bea Charlton 3-2 through a nice bit of leg poking from “Deadly Ledley” as Martin Jol called him and two cracking goals from Mido and Robbie Keane. If Keane doesn’t stop doing that he won’t losethe super-sub tag he doesn’t like.
Not that long ago Spurs would have lost a game like that after going down 2-0, in fact these sort of come backs are more associated with teams playing against them. Maybe it was some good positive substitutions from Jol or the fact that Charlton seem to be a bit of a first half team – they do seem to be far better in the first half get a lead then drop off much like their league performances in the last few years, get up in the top half of the table then fade badly once secure from religation.
Either way who cares it was a good 3 points against a team that are playing very well at the moment with only one loss previously in the league that being to Chelsea and second in the Premiership. And now 2 wins on the trot in London derbies that can’t have happened for a while.
Spurs up to 3rd, yeah I know others have got a game in hand but who knows what they’ll get from them. Next 3 fixtures at home to Everton, away to ManUre and then home to ARSEnal.
Sad news that one of Britains finest comedy actors and writers Ronnie Barker has died aged 76.
Porridge and Open All Hours were two of the best comedies the BBC have broadcast. With Barker playing two completely different characters so superbly that you never thought of Fletch while watching OAH annd visa versa.
After seeing every Porridge episode a number of times and reading the book of the scripts I know it all off by heart but still laugh in all the right places, yeah I know he didn’t write the scripts but his timing was impeccable.
MO: Suffer from any illness?
Fletch: Bad feet.
MO: Suffer from any illness?
Fletch: Bad feet!
MO: Paid a recent visit to a doctor or hospital?
Fletch: Only with my bad feet! …
MO: Are you now or have you at any time been a practicing homosexual.
Fletch: What, with these feet? Who’d have me?
- Porridge
Of course he did write his own stuff but not under his own name incase the others treated it more favourably, most notably the “Four Candles” sketch for “The Two Ronnies” show. The likes of which along with classics such as the “Mastermind” sketch and the various monolgues that showed Barker’s verbal dexterity got the show that got 18 million viewers every week, yes one third of the country watched !
Neko Case - Favorite - Shepherds Bush Empire May 24th 2006
