Sunday 25 August 2013
Tigers Roar Into Action
The Tigers picked up their first three points of the season with a hard fought win over Norwich. Robbie Brady's 22nd minute penalty was enough to seal the victory for Hull despite having to play the last hour of the match with ten men after Yannick Sagbo was dismissed for an attempted head butt.
The visitors got off to a strong start and should have taken the lead but new signing Leroy Fer headed wide and shortly afterwards Nathan Redmond, another new signing, forced a good save with a shot from the edge of the box.
Hull took the lead half way through the first half when Sagbo was felled by Michael Turner in the area. Brady stepped up and coolly slotted away The Tigers' first goal of the season.
Yannick Sagbo went from hero to villain when, half an hour into the game, he lost his temper and attempted to head butt Norwich's Russell Martin. Referee Mike Jones showed no hesitation in producing the red card and sending the striker for an early bath only thirty minutes into his home debut.
Norwich had the lions share of possession from this point onwards but Hull defended resolutely and sometimes desperately to hold on for the three points. Norwich had few chances after the sending off but the ones that they did have were kept out by Alan McGregor who had a fantastic game and should have earned the man of the match award.
Ricky Van Wolfswinkel had The Canaries' best chance but his header was saved in spectacular style by McGregor.
Steve Bruce said at the start of the season that Hull would need ten wins to stay up so in his eyes this will be one down, nine to go. Chris Hughton was dismayed by the penalty decision but should have his side fired up and ready to go for next week's game against Southampton.
Thursday 22 August 2013
Premier League - Back With A Bang
The Premier League kicked off last weekend and it's like it has never been away. There were shocks, great goals and thrilling games with loads of stories as a result.
Arsenal 1-3 Aston Villa
Villa started their season with a surprise 3-1 win over Arsenal. After a shaky year last time around this win is just the boost they need to push forward and start their rise back up to the higher positions that they were used to. This is Arsenal's first opening day defeat in 20 years. Obviously they have only played one game but it still is a worrying sign of things to come. The Gunners face London rivals Fulham next weekend and the outcome of that could set the tone for the season. Villa have Liverpool up next in the third game of a very tough start to the season. They should be very happy no matter what the outcome of that match having got three unexpected points against Arsenal.
Liverpool 1-0 Stoke City
A thrilling game worthy of being the first of the year. Sturridge scored the first goal of the season and it was enough to earn them three points against Stoke who had Mark Hughes in charge for the first time. The Reds relied heavily on new keeper Simon Mignolet to seal the win, fortunately for them he got the job done with a late penalty save. Liverpool will be happy with a good win to start off what they will hope is going to be a successful season and Stoke will take confidence from their strong performance, despite not getting anything from the game.
Norwich City 2-2 Everton
A gripping encounter at Carrow Road ended with the points shared. Roberto Martinez took charge of The Toffees for the first time and his style is already starting to show. Everton played neat, stylish football but there were signs of the poor defending that cost Wigan dearly last year. Norwich should come away pleased with the result. Their new signing, Ricky Van Wolfswinkel, is off the mark and showed why The Canaries paid £8.5 million.
Swansea City 1-4 Manchester United
The reigning champions got off to a flying start, with a comfortable win over The Swans. Robin Van Persie picked up where he left off at the end of last season, scoring a brace, and Danny Wellbeck scored the other two. There was one positive note for Swansea to take from the game; Wilfried Bony scored a debut goal but it was nothing more than a consolation.
Manchester City 4-0 Newcastle United
Man City leapt to the top of the table after beating Newcastle 4-0 in the first Monday Night Football match of the season. Four different players got on the score sheet for The Citizens who successfully proved that they won't miss Carlos Tevez. Man City started two of their new signings, Navas and Paulinho, and Negredo was subbed on in the 80th minute but Jovetic didn't even make the bench. Newcastle were unable to play Loic Remy due to an injury.
Chelsea 2-0 Hull City
Mourinho's return to Chelsea was successful with a comfortable opening day win against promoted side Hull. Chelsea bossed the first half an hour and looked like they would go on to score six or seven. Hull got themselves back in the game however and looked much better in the second half. That should give them a lot of confidence going into next week’s match against Norwich. Chelsea have Manchester United up next. It will be the first real test of their title credentials.
West Bromwich Albion 0-1 Southampton
Southampton clinched victory thanks to Ricky Lambert’s last minute penalty. The striker scoring just a few days after getting a goal on his England debut. The penalty was the only action in a scrappy match but it was all The Saints needed to grab the three points. Anelka earned his first start for Albion but couldn’t provide the breakthrough they were looking for. Good start for Southampton, not so good for The Baggies.
Sunderland 0-1 Fulham
Fulham kicked off the season with three points. Pajtim Kasami scored a header in the 53rd minute and it was enough to see off Sunderland. The home side created some good openings but failed to convert any of them, Ji Dong Wong headed wide in the final minute to seal their fate. There were plenty of new signings on show at The Stadium Of Light however the day had a sour end for Fulham’s new goalkeeper, Maarten Stekelenburg, who went off injured after a collision with another new player, Sunderland’s Jozy Altidore.
West Ham United 2-0 Cardiff City
The Hammers got off to a great start beating newly promoted Cardiff 2-0. Kevin Nolan and Joe Cole were the scorers in an impressive win. West Ham’s strike force seemed to be firing on all cylinders despite the lack of Andy Carroll; Cole, Maiga and Jarvis played well and created some brilliant chances. In the end, it came down to the quality of finishing to decide the result and Nicky Maynard firing a shot over the bar from six yards out was not a good sign.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Palace had the smallest losing margin of the three promoted sides but rarely threatened. Tottenham cruised to victory thanks to new signing Roberto Soldado’s penalty and looked very comfortable all match, even without Bale in the team. They were unlucky not to score more but should ultimately be pleased with the result. Palace will have to play a lot better if they want to compete with some of the bigger teams in the division.
In a midweek match, rearranged due to Chelsea’s involvement in the Super Cup, Chelsea beat Aston Villa 2-1 to go top of the table however there were some questionable decisions in Paul Lambert’s opinion.
So, the first week has drawn to a close, plenty of goals, red cards and excitement, and it’s only just getting started. There were European matches in midweek to tide us over until another installment of the best league in the world this weekend.
Arsenal 1-3 Aston Villa
Villa started their season with a surprise 3-1 win over Arsenal. After a shaky year last time around this win is just the boost they need to push forward and start their rise back up to the higher positions that they were used to. This is Arsenal's first opening day defeat in 20 years. Obviously they have only played one game but it still is a worrying sign of things to come. The Gunners face London rivals Fulham next weekend and the outcome of that could set the tone for the season. Villa have Liverpool up next in the third game of a very tough start to the season. They should be very happy no matter what the outcome of that match having got three unexpected points against Arsenal.
Liverpool 1-0 Stoke City
A thrilling game worthy of being the first of the year. Sturridge scored the first goal of the season and it was enough to earn them three points against Stoke who had Mark Hughes in charge for the first time. The Reds relied heavily on new keeper Simon Mignolet to seal the win, fortunately for them he got the job done with a late penalty save. Liverpool will be happy with a good win to start off what they will hope is going to be a successful season and Stoke will take confidence from their strong performance, despite not getting anything from the game.
Norwich City 2-2 Everton
A gripping encounter at Carrow Road ended with the points shared. Roberto Martinez took charge of The Toffees for the first time and his style is already starting to show. Everton played neat, stylish football but there were signs of the poor defending that cost Wigan dearly last year. Norwich should come away pleased with the result. Their new signing, Ricky Van Wolfswinkel, is off the mark and showed why The Canaries paid £8.5 million.
Swansea City 1-4 Manchester United
The reigning champions got off to a flying start, with a comfortable win over The Swans. Robin Van Persie picked up where he left off at the end of last season, scoring a brace, and Danny Wellbeck scored the other two. There was one positive note for Swansea to take from the game; Wilfried Bony scored a debut goal but it was nothing more than a consolation.
Manchester City 4-0 Newcastle United
Man City leapt to the top of the table after beating Newcastle 4-0 in the first Monday Night Football match of the season. Four different players got on the score sheet for The Citizens who successfully proved that they won't miss Carlos Tevez. Man City started two of their new signings, Navas and Paulinho, and Negredo was subbed on in the 80th minute but Jovetic didn't even make the bench. Newcastle were unable to play Loic Remy due to an injury.
Chelsea 2-0 Hull City
Mourinho's return to Chelsea was successful with a comfortable opening day win against promoted side Hull. Chelsea bossed the first half an hour and looked like they would go on to score six or seven. Hull got themselves back in the game however and looked much better in the second half. That should give them a lot of confidence going into next week’s match against Norwich. Chelsea have Manchester United up next. It will be the first real test of their title credentials.
West Bromwich Albion 0-1 Southampton
Southampton clinched victory thanks to Ricky Lambert’s last minute penalty. The striker scoring just a few days after getting a goal on his England debut. The penalty was the only action in a scrappy match but it was all The Saints needed to grab the three points. Anelka earned his first start for Albion but couldn’t provide the breakthrough they were looking for. Good start for Southampton, not so good for The Baggies.
Sunderland 0-1 Fulham
Fulham kicked off the season with three points. Pajtim Kasami scored a header in the 53rd minute and it was enough to see off Sunderland. The home side created some good openings but failed to convert any of them, Ji Dong Wong headed wide in the final minute to seal their fate. There were plenty of new signings on show at The Stadium Of Light however the day had a sour end for Fulham’s new goalkeeper, Maarten Stekelenburg, who went off injured after a collision with another new player, Sunderland’s Jozy Altidore.
West Ham United 2-0 Cardiff City
The Hammers got off to a great start beating newly promoted Cardiff 2-0. Kevin Nolan and Joe Cole were the scorers in an impressive win. West Ham’s strike force seemed to be firing on all cylinders despite the lack of Andy Carroll; Cole, Maiga and Jarvis played well and created some brilliant chances. In the end, it came down to the quality of finishing to decide the result and Nicky Maynard firing a shot over the bar from six yards out was not a good sign.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Palace had the smallest losing margin of the three promoted sides but rarely threatened. Tottenham cruised to victory thanks to new signing Roberto Soldado’s penalty and looked very comfortable all match, even without Bale in the team. They were unlucky not to score more but should ultimately be pleased with the result. Palace will have to play a lot better if they want to compete with some of the bigger teams in the division.
In a midweek match, rearranged due to Chelsea’s involvement in the Super Cup, Chelsea beat Aston Villa 2-1 to go top of the table however there were some questionable decisions in Paul Lambert’s opinion.
So, the first week has drawn to a close, plenty of goals, red cards and excitement, and it’s only just getting started. There were European matches in midweek to tide us over until another installment of the best league in the world this weekend.
Saturday 17 August 2013
Football League
The Football League is now back in full flow and I thought that I'd take this chance to have a look at what's been going on so far.
New boys get good start.
Newport County's return to the Football League has been a mixed bag so far, after a brilliant start and a fantastic upset in the Capital One Cup they lost 3-1 to last season's defeated play-off finalists Northampton. Two good wins will fill the club with confidence and help them relax into League 2. Championship first-timers Yeovil also got off to a good start with a shock win over Millwall on the opening day and a midweek cup win over Southend. They too lost their second league match, an unlucky 1-0 defeat at the hands of Birmingham. Mansfield have fared less well with just one point from two league matches and a first round exit from the cup.
Favourites show why.
Watford have been quick to recapture their form of last season that took them to the play-off final, with three wins from three, the latest of which a 6-1 thrashing of newly promoted Bournemouth. Wigan won their opening match 4-0, laying down their claim for automatic promotion. They have only played one match this season however, as they enter the Capital One Cup in the third round and faced Manchester United in the Charity Shield instead of playing a second league match. Peterborough and Wolves have both made strong starts to life in League 1 where they will be looking to make an immediate return to the Championship. Wolves however suffered a shock cup defeat to Morecambe.
Cup shocks.
6 Championship teams were knocked out of the first round of the League Cup by lower league opposition. Blackburn were defeated by Carlisle, Blackpool by Preston and Ipswich by Stevenage. Newport County beat Championship play-off contenders Brighton and Accrington beat Middlesbrough.
Coventry upset fans.
Coventry played their first home match in Northampton's Sixfields stadium provoking anger and disappointment from their supporters. Only 2,000 people witnessed their thrilling 5-4 victory against Bristol City. Many fans boycotted the match but the Sky Blues will need all the support they can get to overturn the -10 points that they started the season on.
Big hitters.
In the Championship, Watford scored 6 in their rout of newly promoted Bournemouth, carrying on where they left off last year. Troy Deeney grabbed a hat trick taking his total to four goals in two games and showing that the Hornets don't miss Vydra. Leyton Orient are also finding goals easy to come by with 8 so far this year. 5-1 and 3-0 wins have seen them start this year strongly.
There is more exciting Football League action this weekend as well as the return of the Premier League. It will be a rollercoaster this year for sure so buckle up and enjoy the ride.
New boys get good start.
Newport County's return to the Football League has been a mixed bag so far, after a brilliant start and a fantastic upset in the Capital One Cup they lost 3-1 to last season's defeated play-off finalists Northampton. Two good wins will fill the club with confidence and help them relax into League 2. Championship first-timers Yeovil also got off to a good start with a shock win over Millwall on the opening day and a midweek cup win over Southend. They too lost their second league match, an unlucky 1-0 defeat at the hands of Birmingham. Mansfield have fared less well with just one point from two league matches and a first round exit from the cup.
Favourites show why.
Watford have been quick to recapture their form of last season that took them to the play-off final, with three wins from three, the latest of which a 6-1 thrashing of newly promoted Bournemouth. Wigan won their opening match 4-0, laying down their claim for automatic promotion. They have only played one match this season however, as they enter the Capital One Cup in the third round and faced Manchester United in the Charity Shield instead of playing a second league match. Peterborough and Wolves have both made strong starts to life in League 1 where they will be looking to make an immediate return to the Championship. Wolves however suffered a shock cup defeat to Morecambe.
Cup shocks.
6 Championship teams were knocked out of the first round of the League Cup by lower league opposition. Blackburn were defeated by Carlisle, Blackpool by Preston and Ipswich by Stevenage. Newport County beat Championship play-off contenders Brighton and Accrington beat Middlesbrough.
Coventry upset fans.
Coventry played their first home match in Northampton's Sixfields stadium provoking anger and disappointment from their supporters. Only 2,000 people witnessed their thrilling 5-4 victory against Bristol City. Many fans boycotted the match but the Sky Blues will need all the support they can get to overturn the -10 points that they started the season on.
Big hitters.
In the Championship, Watford scored 6 in their rout of newly promoted Bournemouth, carrying on where they left off last year. Troy Deeney grabbed a hat trick taking his total to four goals in two games and showing that the Hornets don't miss Vydra. Leyton Orient are also finding goals easy to come by with 8 so far this year. 5-1 and 3-0 wins have seen them start this year strongly.
There is more exciting Football League action this weekend as well as the return of the Premier League. It will be a rollercoaster this year for sure so buckle up and enjoy the ride.
Thursday 8 August 2013
Why I Love Football
Football is a massive part of my life and I've followed it for as long as I can remember. Most people I know would say I'm obsessed!
I am a lifelong Hull City fan and have been to see over fifty matches at the KC Stadium. Hull were promoted to the top flight of English football last season for only the second time in their history and I can't wait to watch my team rubbing shoulders with the best in England.
Football means the world to me and I don't know what I would do without it. For me it's more than just a game or a hobby. For me it's a passion, a way of life.
The latest season is about to kick off and I'm going to see my first match of the season and I'm really excited. I love live football, the atmosphere, everything, it's the most incredible experience.
I've seen a lot of football matches in not many years meaning that I've witnessed lots of memorable victories and promotions.
One of the best matches that I've ever seen is the Play-off final at Wembley between Hull and Bristol City in 2008. It sealed our promotion to the Premier League for the first time in our 104 year history and the atmosphere was electric for the whole 90 minutes.
I was also lucky enough to see the first match in the Premiership. We beat Fulham 2-1 and it was an amazing day out. Of course I thoroughly enjoyed being at the Cardiff match at the end of last season as well, although it was really nerve wracking!
Let me know about your best football related memories and why you love football.
Sunday 4 August 2013
It's Here At Last
The Football League has kicked off and the new Premier League season is almost upon us, everyone is making their predictions. The fans of all clubs will be hoping for great things but I think all fans will join together in hoping that Liverpool never have to wear their away or third shirts! (Have you seen them?) Here is my alternative look at the new season.
More Televised Matches
With Sky showing more matches than ever before and BT entering the market, there will be no shortage of live football. This will mean that every week we will be able to enjoy Premier League, Football League, and European matches. Sky's coverage is always top quality and BT seem to have pumped a lot of money into making this work. It will be interested to see who comes out on top.
New Teams
With Cardiff joining neighbours Swansea and the rest of the top flight for the first time it will provide a brand new derby. The three promoted teams will find it tough but everyone has a chance of doing well in such an open division. Yeovil town have reached the Championship for the first time and Bournemouth for the second. Also for the first time since 1988 Newport County will be playing in the Football League.
125 Years of the Football League
It's the 125th anniversary of the Football League this year so expect celebrations, fireworks and excitement. Sky Bet have taken over from Npower as the official sponsor for the new year, increasing Sky's dominance within football. On the opening weekend there will be some special fixtures featuring the original founder members of the Football League.
New Managers
It's been a managerial merry-go-round this summer, with Ferguson, Mancini, Benitez and Moyes all leaving their posts, their replacements will have a lot of pressure to cope with. Mourinho has returned to Chelsea and should slot back in nicely, however Pellegrini at Man City and Moyes at Man United have a bit more uncertainty surrounding them.
New Players
As always there have been plenty of comings and goings during the transfer window. Man City have spent more money than most countries have in the bank in signing Fernandinho, Negredo and Jovetic. Chelsea have brought in Schurrle and Liverpool have brought in Mignolet. All of these will hope to influence the destination of the title at the end of the season.
No matter what happens in the coming season, it will definitely be exciting and there will be many twists, turns and surprises throughout the year. With two weeks to go everyone will be getting nervous. The shirts are ironed, the grass is trimmed and the players are ready. Let's get this show on the road!
Let me know what you are looking forward to in the new season in the comments below.
More Televised Matches
With Sky showing more matches than ever before and BT entering the market, there will be no shortage of live football. This will mean that every week we will be able to enjoy Premier League, Football League, and European matches. Sky's coverage is always top quality and BT seem to have pumped a lot of money into making this work. It will be interested to see who comes out on top.
New Teams
With Cardiff joining neighbours Swansea and the rest of the top flight for the first time it will provide a brand new derby. The three promoted teams will find it tough but everyone has a chance of doing well in such an open division. Yeovil town have reached the Championship for the first time and Bournemouth for the second. Also for the first time since 1988 Newport County will be playing in the Football League.
125 Years of the Football League
It's the 125th anniversary of the Football League this year so expect celebrations, fireworks and excitement. Sky Bet have taken over from Npower as the official sponsor for the new year, increasing Sky's dominance within football. On the opening weekend there will be some special fixtures featuring the original founder members of the Football League.
New Managers
It's been a managerial merry-go-round this summer, with Ferguson, Mancini, Benitez and Moyes all leaving their posts, their replacements will have a lot of pressure to cope with. Mourinho has returned to Chelsea and should slot back in nicely, however Pellegrini at Man City and Moyes at Man United have a bit more uncertainty surrounding them.
New Players
As always there have been plenty of comings and goings during the transfer window. Man City have spent more money than most countries have in the bank in signing Fernandinho, Negredo and Jovetic. Chelsea have brought in Schurrle and Liverpool have brought in Mignolet. All of these will hope to influence the destination of the title at the end of the season.
No matter what happens in the coming season, it will definitely be exciting and there will be many twists, turns and surprises throughout the year. With two weeks to go everyone will be getting nervous. The shirts are ironed, the grass is trimmed and the players are ready. Let's get this show on the road!
Let me know what you are looking forward to in the new season in the comments below.
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