Filed under: Blue, Manchester City, Portsmouth, Simon Webbe, Sylvain Distin, lookalike, separated at birth
Since leaving boyband Blue, Simon Webbe’s solo career has flattered to deceive. Glimpses of promise have given way to long, fallow periods of under-achievement, so it’s no surprise that he recently turned up at Manchester City, where he managed to pull off a commendable impersonation of a commanding French centre half.
But with City’s mid-table ineptitude beginning to reach record levels, Webbe has hot-footed it down to the south coast to join Portsmouth, whose colours will make him feel more at home than the watered-down sky-blue on offer at Eastlands.
Filed under: Fabio Quagliarella, Italy, Manchester United, Mark Hughes, Old Trafford, Sampdoria
The player touted as the man most likely to follow Owen Hargreaves, Nani and Anderson through the door at Old Trafford is the mouthful that is 23 year-old Sampdoria striker Fabio Quagliarella.
He scored two sensational goals on his debut for Italy in a 2-0 Euro 2008 qualifying win over Lithuania last week, but this video – combined with rather modest goal-scoring statistics – suggests he is more a scorer of great goals than a great goal-scorer.
The 45-yard half-volley at the end is the goal that really catches the eye (and bears a striking resemblance to Christian Vieri’s goal against Siena this season), but the deft left-footed chip at 1:20 is absolutely exquisite.
A twenty-first century Mark Hughes, perhaps…
Filed under: 2006-2007 Goals of the Season, Christian Vieri, David Nugent, Diego, Francesco Totti, Goal of the Season, Lionel Messi, Matthew Taylor, Paul Scholes, Robin van Persie, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Wayne Rooney, great goals
It’s been a great year for long-range volleys, particularly those of a left-footed variety, but not such a great year for individual goals (with two obvious exceptions).
With an apology for an inevitable English football bias, I proudly present my goals of the season…
1. Matthew Taylor (for Portsmouth v Everton)
à Premiership
2. David Nugent (for Preston North End v Crystal Palace)
à FA Cup
3. Robin van Persie (for Arsenal v Charlton Athletic)
à Premiership
4. Paul Scholes (for Manchester United v Aston Villa)
à Premiership
5. Wayne Rooney (for Manchester United v Portsmouth)
à FA Cup
6. Francesco Totti (for Roma v Sampdoria)
à Serie A
7. Lionel Messi (for Barcelona v Getafe)
à Copa del Rey
8. Diego (for Werder Bremen v Alemannia Aachen)
à Bundesliga
9. Christian Vieri (for Atalanta v Siena)
à Serie A
10. Thomas Hitzlsperger (for Stuttgart v Energie Cottbus)
à Bundesliga
Seething at an omission? Aghast at an inclusion? Let me know.
Apologies for the lack of new posts at the moment. Exams are ruining my efforts to make the most of my last ever week as a student.
But I will return shortly, with a wide-ranging 2006-2007 Goals of the Season.
Until then, enjoy this goal from Roma’s sleek-footed Brazilian Mancini, which just missed out…
Filed under: Anderson, Brazil, Juan Sebastian Veron, Kleberson, Manchester United, Nani, Portugal, Premiership, Sir Alex Ferguson, South Americans, pace, speed
Nani.
Get in.
Obviously there’s no guarantee that they’ll be successful, but those pointing to Kleberson and Juan Sebastian Veron as proof of Ferguson’s poor track record with South Americans should note that United are now perfectly set up to allow both Anderson and Nani straight into the team.
Veron had to be accommodated. Every team he had ever played for had made him the fulcrum of their attacking play. Ferguson tended to stick him in wide midfield. This was a mistake.
Kleberson, though a wonderful passer of the ball, was too lightweight to play as a central midfielder in the hurly burly of the Premiership. Anderson and Nani, by contrast, are forwards. Their instructions will be to receive the ball and attack. And whereas Kleberson came straight from Brazil, both Anderson and Nani have experience of playing in a pacy European league.
They should have no trouble adapting to the speed of the Premiership. If anything, the Premiership might have a few problems adapting to the speed of Anderson and Nani…
