Manchester United and their player problem seems to be a good place for me to start. Bastian Schweinsteiger a forgotten man, given a eight minute run out last night against an already well-beaten West Ham United side. This then warrants people to start clapping and applauding, why ? Because we're told to, because the player is in a sense a 'legend'. He's won it all, but that doesn't mean he is guaranteed to start in a team that needs a instant impact. Granted, Jose Mourinho hasn't delivered a lightening start, but recap when has he ever ? It's the second year of his United career we're all looking forward too, unlike Bastian who's appearance last night was no more than a shop window cameo, a 'show your stock' walk on. He'll be off in January and in fairness, good. When has he ever put in a 10/10 display for United ? It's always, "he will it's coming he has the quality". I've never thought he's had the quality, and this is from when at Bayern he wasn't good enough to play as a right-sided midfielder for the greatest German team of the last decade. It's a forgotten issue that this 'legend' was not up to the required standard to play on the right flank in a league that ten years ago. Some may say he adapted well to play centrally for them but in reality he only did on the odd rare occasion. Michael Ballack, Owen Hargreaves and Torsten Frings moved on because their displays warranted bigger European clubs' interest, and Frings was becoming too old, so in essence he became lucky and due to the then club's loyalty, in a very 'German Heavy' team he was allowed to have that midfield role.
I feel the sheer quality of the Premier League has picked Bastian up in its mouth, chewed him up and spat him out, leaving behind an average player who's place in the team isn't a option because of an older and better player in Michael Carrick. Loyalty is not a contract in England Bastian. An average player in an average league in, and for the best part of a decade playing in an above average team. Schweinsteiger moved to a harder league, to a excellent team filled with talent and for two seasons has, quite simply, been found out. Toni Kroos is the player United wanted him to be.
And yes he's won the World Cup, but so have Simone Barone and Kleberson.
Ryan Michael Coxon.
'Coxon's Comments' #1 'Bastian Schweinsteiger'
Thursday 1 December 2016
I feel that there's really only one place to start and that is with the Champions of England (who'd have thought?) Leicester City's visit to the Stadium of Light this weekend. Back to back wins over Bournemouth and Hull City has seen Sunderland gain a much needed shot in the arm in terms of confidence over the past three weeks, not to mention the added importance of amassing six priceless points to our previously embarrassing total of two. A spirited display at Anfield almost resulted in what would have been essentially a bonus point, but sadly our luck ran out 15 minutes from the end. Had Duncan Watmore stuck his chance away at 0-0 then who knows? Lets face it, not many teams will take points from Liverpool on their own patch this season as their quest for a first title since 1990 gains significant momentum.
As for this Saturday, make no mistakes about it, this is a big game. It always was going to be that way, given the nature of Leicester's remarkable achievements last season, and I must admit this was a fixture that I looked for when the fixtures were released in June. (No Wear-Tyne derby dates to memorise this time round tee-hee-hee). Despite their fairy tale story continuing in the Champions League, The Foxes have found it increasingly tough domestically, winning only three times in the league so far. They have already lost six of their opening thirteen games, which is a far cry from losing just three fixtures throughout the whole of last season. Its is hard to put your finger on exactly what the reasoning behind this is. They've lost arguably their most influential player in N'golo Kante and plenty star names from a remarkable title triumph have failed to reach the same standards they set last season. Most of them have signed bumper new contracts, including Jamie Vardy and Danny Drinkwater. Riyad Mahrez has in patches, shown us the class and creativity that won him the PFA Player of the Year just a matter of months ago. He has sparkled in The Champions League but has been a little inconsistent domestically. Are these guys resting on their laurels and taken their feet off the gas? Has the rest of the league figured out how to play against them? Are they now getting the respect they deserve? They're flying in Europe but have struggled domestically. Maybe this season's slow start puts into perspective just how incredible winning the title last season actually was. Their league position is precarious to say the least but it is still relatively early and I think Leicester have far too much quality to be dragged further down into a relegation fight. Although it's worth remembering that no team is too good to go down.
As for Sunderland, it is a home game and an opportunity to take the bull by the horns and really go out and get our season up and running. This is a winnable game, and we will need to start well. If Sunderland take the game by the scruff of the neck and get at City's back four the home side should be able to get a result on Saturday. Jan Kirchhoff isn't far from a return, Seb Larsson is back, as is Papy Djilobodji (make of that what you will) and we have a young goalkeeper who is quite frankly, playing out of his skin at the moment. Victor Anichebe has stayed fit, easing the burden on Jermain Defoe, massively complimenting him on the pitch to boot. Winning key battles in the middle of the park will be an overriding factor in the outcome of this game, and keeping Mahrez quiet will be high on Sunderland's agenda. It is far from a six pointer much like the feel of the Hull game but a hugely important fixture for both sides nonetheless. If we win, the gap to Leicester is cut to just two points, and with games away at Swansea and home to Watford coming up this month, these next few weeks present Sunderland with a fantastic opportunity to finally get their season up and running, amass some points and climb up the league and away from the danger zone. We have to be up and at it right from the word go, and I think we will be, so I'm going to stick my neck out and say a narrow, hard-earned home win. Here's hoping anyway!
Verdict: 2-1
Keep The Faith.
As for this Saturday, make no mistakes about it, this is a big game. It always was going to be that way, given the nature of Leicester's remarkable achievements last season, and I must admit this was a fixture that I looked for when the fixtures were released in June. (No Wear-Tyne derby dates to memorise this time round tee-hee-hee). Despite their fairy tale story continuing in the Champions League, The Foxes have found it increasingly tough domestically, winning only three times in the league so far. They have already lost six of their opening thirteen games, which is a far cry from losing just three fixtures throughout the whole of last season. Its is hard to put your finger on exactly what the reasoning behind this is. They've lost arguably their most influential player in N'golo Kante and plenty star names from a remarkable title triumph have failed to reach the same standards they set last season. Most of them have signed bumper new contracts, including Jamie Vardy and Danny Drinkwater. Riyad Mahrez has in patches, shown us the class and creativity that won him the PFA Player of the Year just a matter of months ago. He has sparkled in The Champions League but has been a little inconsistent domestically. Are these guys resting on their laurels and taken their feet off the gas? Has the rest of the league figured out how to play against them? Are they now getting the respect they deserve? They're flying in Europe but have struggled domestically. Maybe this season's slow start puts into perspective just how incredible winning the title last season actually was. Their league position is precarious to say the least but it is still relatively early and I think Leicester have far too much quality to be dragged further down into a relegation fight. Although it's worth remembering that no team is too good to go down.
As for Sunderland, it is a home game and an opportunity to take the bull by the horns and really go out and get our season up and running. This is a winnable game, and we will need to start well. If Sunderland take the game by the scruff of the neck and get at City's back four the home side should be able to get a result on Saturday. Jan Kirchhoff isn't far from a return, Seb Larsson is back, as is Papy Djilobodji (make of that what you will) and we have a young goalkeeper who is quite frankly, playing out of his skin at the moment. Victor Anichebe has stayed fit, easing the burden on Jermain Defoe, massively complimenting him on the pitch to boot. Winning key battles in the middle of the park will be an overriding factor in the outcome of this game, and keeping Mahrez quiet will be high on Sunderland's agenda. It is far from a six pointer much like the feel of the Hull game but a hugely important fixture for both sides nonetheless. If we win, the gap to Leicester is cut to just two points, and with games away at Swansea and home to Watford coming up this month, these next few weeks present Sunderland with a fantastic opportunity to finally get their season up and running, amass some points and climb up the league and away from the danger zone. We have to be up and at it right from the word go, and I think we will be, so I'm going to stick my neck out and say a narrow, hard-earned home win. Here's hoping anyway!
Verdict: 2-1
Keep The Faith.
Welcome to all things football, an all new branch of A Football Education. This blog will not only be a current, relevant and up to date little hub of activity, it will also be a place where opinions can be read, challenged or emphatically dismissed. Issues will be tackled, and fun will be had, all that I can assure you of.
The reason for starting something like this is to incorporate my opinions on issues and currents topics within the football world. Why have multiple debates and discussions with various people in several settings when I can air all those views here in one place? The beauty of our beloved game is that we can all have a say, wherever we're from, whoever we support and whatever level we play at, swapping judgments like 'lords of the Earth' as JB Priestley once said, and that's what this blog will be all about. I'll be covering Sunderland AFC, a bit of Hartlepool United, England
We're not here to change the world, but we can certainly put it to rights. I'm aiming for new content at least once a week on the bigger topics, and there's a lot of fun, humorous elements to be had too. Our guest columnist 'The Jester' will be telling a funny tale or two about players, managers and clubs. He has some very prominent sources and contacts within the game, and an uncanny ability to provide some tasty morsels of information for us all to get stuck into.
There will be match reports, quizzes and possibly a weekly feature on a story outside of the professional game. Another columnist Mr. Ryan Coxon will deliver his thoughts, controversially getting burning issues off his chest in his own sensationalist way. 'Coxon's Comment' will be here very soon and promises to be concise, to the point and vividly opinionated if nothing else! I'm looking forward to reading those myself.
So if it's real football issues and stories you want to read about and tackle then get involved. Tell your friends, your family, your work colleagues... involve them all, get tweeting and sharing. If this is something for them, direct them here. I invite you all in, push yourselves through A Football Education's brand new gleaming turnstile (mind the wet paint) and enter an 'altogether different kind of life, one hurtling with conflict and yet passionate and beautiful in its art'.
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