Wakey wakey!!! Just as critics were on the brink of classing watching paint dry and grass grow as a sport, the world of Formula One got exciting again.
Current world champion, Jenson Button, returned to winning ways but triumphing in Melbourne for a second time in a row, but this time with his new team Mclaren.
Team principle, Martin Whitmarsh, looked close to tears as he praised Button for calling the shots and silencing the critics and said his victory was down almost solely down to him.
Button made the call of switching tyres before anyone else, and despite him sliding off the track on his outlap, he still provided enough information for all the teams to realise they need to copy this guy. So despite the heavy traffic of teams pitting both their cars to gain advantage of the new conditions, Button avoided all the clalamity and found himself in second place. One Red Bull reliability issue late, Button was leading, and there was no catching him.
Whilst most of the Mclaren camp were ecstatic their new boy came good, one person not in the mood for a party was Lewis Hamilton. The former World Champion slated his team on air and obviousely seemed unhappy that Button went on to win in a team built around him.
As former driver, David Coulthard said in the build up to the race, we are starting to see a vulnerability in this young talent. One bit of Australia road rage, and now a team bust-up on air, oh dear Mr Hamilton.
But this Formula One season is proving to be close. Whilst the Red Bull team continue to dominate the qualifying, the Ferrari's and Mclaren's have gone to win the races. Damn those reliability issues Red Bull continue to have. At the end of the season, we might all be wondering, What if....?
In football, we saw after Luton's wonderful cup win last year, this season's winners of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy were Southampton.
It's amazing to think back to how the club were almost 12 moonths ago to think they've come back and won the JPT at the first time of asking and have consolidated a very respectable place in League 1, with 10 points deducted.
No doubt the man with the money has brought a lot of that stability to the club, but the team are forming the basis of what will no doubt be a force to be reckoned with in the near future. Fair play to them...
Whilst all this glamour and triumph have occured in the recent news of sport, it has been dampened by the news and shocking truth of boxer, Joe Calzaghe.
It's been found out that the Welshman 'sometimes' takes Cocaine after he hung he gloves up just last year.
The boxer remained Britains only undefeated boxer winning all 46 bouts he fought in, and he was always a guy everyone took inspiratin from inside and outside of the ring.
His plaudits were recognised when he won BBC's Sports Personality of the Year back in 2007, but since then he has split with his partner after appearing on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, and now this.
A statement on his personal website quoted;
"I very much regret my occasional use of cocaine in what have sometimes been the long days since my retirement from the ring.
"I am fully aware of the bad example it sets to other people and particularly to youngsters and I apologise to my family, friends and fans.
"It is not a major problem in my life but it is something which I am actively addressing."
Well so you should Joe, we all thought you were the good guy, the 'Italian dragon', the 'Pride of Wales', because I'm not to sure if Wales would want their pride put into a cocaine addict...
Monday 29 March 2010
Wednesday 24 March 2010
Arsenal's latest revival
Sooo, Everyone is saying it's a 3 horse title race again...
To be fair, that was always the case as i'm sure it was with most Arsenal supporters. Just because (The Mighty) Chelsea dropped points suddenly everyone's in the mood to talk about the Prem trophy taking a trip to the Emirates this year. What did people expect, that Chelsea and United were going to go the rest of the season without dropping points!?
Of course United are in Pole position. Not only do they sit top of the table 2 points ahead of Arsenal, but they've been in that position before, and thy do have the experience in their team that could see them retain the title. But, like Chelsea on Sunday, i see them dropping points in this run-in. Where i don't know. Man City? Tottenham? It's a mystery, but the Premier League is becoming a division where almost anyone can steal 3 points or snatch a point from anyone if luck (& to some extent the referee) are on their side.
The return to full fitness of captain Cesc Fabregas obviously helps things enormously. The spaniard is Arsenal through and through and thats shown in his passion for the club, his determination to end the 5 year run of no trophy coming to north london. His 28 minute cameo against Villa earlier on in the season showed how much he cares.
Two other players that i think have had tremendous seasons are Alex Song and Thomas Vermaelen. The midfielder has almost become an unsung hero this season, allowing Fabregas, Diaby, Denilson, whoever it is, the freedom to cut open the opposition defence. Vermaelen is up there with the top buys this season. A young Belgian centre back that no-one has heard of has done more than just step into Kolo Toure's shoes. He's made that number 5 shirt his own. Wenger has done it again in the market and it's not just his defending that has caught the eye of everyone. Up the other end, he's scored the joint-third amount of goals in the league this season. Impressive for a centre half eh? And whose he tied with.....
Robin Van Persie, the forgotten man at Arsenal football club. Had he been fit all season, i'm sure we would be sitting pretty at the top of the league. Injured when he was in top form and one of the top scorers in the league, almost nothing could have stopped him, except for ankle ligament damage in an international friendly in November. Apparantly he's 'looking sharp' in training as he nears a return, and the run in might need a cameo appearance or two to help Arsenal's title push, the story's almost set itself up for a fairy tale ending...
One thing i also want to comment on is the Champions League draw. Waking up Friday morning hanging out of my arse after a night out and hearing that wasn't the best thing thats happened to me in my life i must admit. But why dwell in the negatives? Barcelona are a side great going forward, fair play, and it will be two very stern tests for the defence, they'll have to be disciplined and punctual and make sure our bank of four are a unit. But we do have the players to be able to be that. But going forward is where i see our success. Barcelona have never been a side known for their defending. Therefore this will allow us to play football. We will probably end up having more space than what they give you at the Brittania or the Reebok. Therefore let Alex Song sit, and let Cesc and Abou run the show. Let's just hope the right Nicklas Bendtner turns up to put them in. 2-1 at our place, then bring on the Nou Camp.
Either way, people should understand that Arsenal are more than a one-man team. Cesc Fabregas is, yes, the most influential player in the team, but with the likes of Vermaelen, Song, Diaby, Nasri, Rosicky, Arshavin all capable of something different, people should understand how much of a team we really are. Most of the goals we score are team goals.
Therefore of course a successfull season is still on, whether it be success in Europe or domestically. Or how about an unlikely double, that would shut people up...
To be fair, that was always the case as i'm sure it was with most Arsenal supporters. Just because (The Mighty) Chelsea dropped points suddenly everyone's in the mood to talk about the Prem trophy taking a trip to the Emirates this year. What did people expect, that Chelsea and United were going to go the rest of the season without dropping points!?
Of course United are in Pole position. Not only do they sit top of the table 2 points ahead of Arsenal, but they've been in that position before, and thy do have the experience in their team that could see them retain the title. But, like Chelsea on Sunday, i see them dropping points in this run-in. Where i don't know. Man City? Tottenham? It's a mystery, but the Premier League is becoming a division where almost anyone can steal 3 points or snatch a point from anyone if luck (& to some extent the referee) are on their side.
The return to full fitness of captain Cesc Fabregas obviously helps things enormously. The spaniard is Arsenal through and through and thats shown in his passion for the club, his determination to end the 5 year run of no trophy coming to north london. His 28 minute cameo against Villa earlier on in the season showed how much he cares.
Two other players that i think have had tremendous seasons are Alex Song and Thomas Vermaelen. The midfielder has almost become an unsung hero this season, allowing Fabregas, Diaby, Denilson, whoever it is, the freedom to cut open the opposition defence. Vermaelen is up there with the top buys this season. A young Belgian centre back that no-one has heard of has done more than just step into Kolo Toure's shoes. He's made that number 5 shirt his own. Wenger has done it again in the market and it's not just his defending that has caught the eye of everyone. Up the other end, he's scored the joint-third amount of goals in the league this season. Impressive for a centre half eh? And whose he tied with.....
Robin Van Persie, the forgotten man at Arsenal football club. Had he been fit all season, i'm sure we would be sitting pretty at the top of the league. Injured when he was in top form and one of the top scorers in the league, almost nothing could have stopped him, except for ankle ligament damage in an international friendly in November. Apparantly he's 'looking sharp' in training as he nears a return, and the run in might need a cameo appearance or two to help Arsenal's title push, the story's almost set itself up for a fairy tale ending...
One thing i also want to comment on is the Champions League draw. Waking up Friday morning hanging out of my arse after a night out and hearing that wasn't the best thing thats happened to me in my life i must admit. But why dwell in the negatives? Barcelona are a side great going forward, fair play, and it will be two very stern tests for the defence, they'll have to be disciplined and punctual and make sure our bank of four are a unit. But we do have the players to be able to be that. But going forward is where i see our success. Barcelona have never been a side known for their defending. Therefore this will allow us to play football. We will probably end up having more space than what they give you at the Brittania or the Reebok. Therefore let Alex Song sit, and let Cesc and Abou run the show. Let's just hope the right Nicklas Bendtner turns up to put them in. 2-1 at our place, then bring on the Nou Camp.
Either way, people should understand that Arsenal are more than a one-man team. Cesc Fabregas is, yes, the most influential player in the team, but with the likes of Vermaelen, Song, Diaby, Nasri, Rosicky, Arshavin all capable of something different, people should understand how much of a team we really are. Most of the goals we score are team goals.
Therefore of course a successfull season is still on, whether it be success in Europe or domestically. Or how about an unlikely double, that would shut people up...
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