The Myth of Steven Gerrard

I've just been listening to a debate about Tom Cleverly and it got me thinking about the lack of good options England actually have in centre midfield. Jack Wilshere is quality but then who else is there? Just a load of over- rated and/ or past it players.

Frank Lampard is one, Michael Carrick is another and then there's Steven Gerrard. Now, I think Steven Gerrard used to be a great midfielder, a very effective box to box midfielder who defended well, had an excellent passing range, a good long shot and an ability to score goals. He's still a good midfielder but he isn't top class anymore. Nowhere near.

He's had injury problems which have probably affected him and he's getting on a bit now so it's understandable. But can we, as a nation, please stop hailing him as some sort of super midfielder of world class ability? Everyone seems to follow this myth that Gerrard is still the player he was. I used to love watching him a few years ago but nowadays he isn't the same player. It's time to move on. Stop living in the past and look at the present and to the future.

I hear people in the media; journalists, pundits and presenters talk about him like he's God and up there with the best in the world. They just blindly rate him as a great midfielder, in denial that he has declined as a player with age and injury problems. Just accept it. And I beg of fans to make your own mind up, please don't just think that because pundits and papers say Gerrard is still the bees knees that it's the truth and you have to have the same opinion. I think far too many fans in this country haven't got the indepedance to have their own opinion. Perhaps its a lack of confidence in their football knowledge, perhaps they actually think the likes of Alan Hansen are 'experts'. But just watch Steven Gerrard next time you see him, and the time after that and analyse him, see if you would class what he plays like now as world class ability or the ability he showed 5 or so years ago.

He's a good player, yes. But my point is don't form your opinion on him based on his past glories and nationality. I think a big part of the myth that he's still top notch is the fact that he's from England. If he was from Croatia or something perhaps more people would recognise the truth rather than taking part in this stubborn, lazy consensus that Steven Gerrard is still a top quality player and a potential England national team saviour or hero. In addition to this, when has he ever played well for England? Has he ever had a good tournament? No. He's always disappointed and never really played to his potential, like Frank Lampard. Players like those two have to take a big chunk of responsibility for the embarassment that was failing to qualify for Euro 2008.

I've seen him play quite a lot this season and not once have I seen him have a great game where I think 'blimey, Gerrard's dominating the midfield' or 'Gerrard's looking unstoppable'. Him and the rest of the Liverpool midfield were torn apart by Arsenal's midfield back in August, and he was at fault for our first goal. He was just decent at Everton and every other time I've seen him he's been hovering around the 'playing decent' marker.

In conclusion I am of the opinion that too many people in this country blindly rate Gerrard as the player he once was but isn't anymore still. I also think too many people rate him on his past qualities and nationality.

University Exploits

Well, as you may know, I'm a student at Leeds Metropolitan University studying the often mind- numbingly dull English Literature. I have to say I'm more of an English Language man than literature. But I didn't have the choice unfortunately, unless I'd been willing to move across the country. But that's another story.

I've come up with the idea of blogging about my exploits at university and about things that amuse me there. One of the things I thought of today is how I've never been able to walk around the building with the library in it, the one I use most often, without various other students offering me an endless supply of leaflets and advertising cards. I used to sometimes take one but I'd never do anything with it so stopped taking them, most of them weren't of much interest to me. It's got to the point where I try to avoid them by sneaking around the person in front of me who they've roped in or by looking completely vacant. I don't even listen to what they're saying anymore. I just cut them off mid- sentence. For all I know they're actually saying 'would you like a free season ticket at Arsenal and a weekly lap dance by a supermodel?' And I'm there saying 'no ta mate'.

Another thing is how most of the people behind desks there are so reluctant to be in any way helpful. Some of them are very nice and actually useful, but a lot are shocking. It makes me wonder how they got that job in the first place. The other day I went looking for a lost folder at the library reception and saw two dour- looking blokes sat there behind the counter (counter- is that the right word in this case? Screw it, I'm going with counter) and scowled at me as I glanced at the words 'library help desk' on the wall above them, as if I was doing something disgracefully out of the norm. And surprise, surprise, they couldn't help. It was probably one of them who's nicked it, the sour old gits. Who nicks a purple cardboard folder anyway? Because that's what seems to have happened, I've looked everywhere it could be at university and at home, it's not even got much in it (fortunately for me- of all my folders to lose, that is the best one). There's some weirdos about.

Here's another weirdo: exactly two weeks ago I was on a bus home in the evening and there was a gorgeous blonde girl sat on the side- facing seat in front of me on the bus. She was literally the best looking girl I've seen in a while. Thankfully there was a hell of a lot of traffic on the way home so I had plenty of time to figure out whether to make a move or not and what that move would be. I decided to leave it until towards the end of the journey so if she rejected me the awkwardness wouldn't last long. The bus was full so we had loads of people sat around us, including her friend (yes, another obstacle). Her friend had moved in front of her but prior to that she had glanced at me quite a lot and I suspected she was interested in me. So the moment finally came where I showed some balls and asked her friend if I could talk to her, she said yes and I introduced myself to her, she introduced herself back- Shannon- as the rest of the back end of the bus eaves dropped on us. I did my thing and she gave me her number. I then skipped home with delight after getting off the bus. I was excited about showing this hot girl, who seemed to genuinely like me and seemed interested in me, a good time and so called her the next day. She didn't answer but rang back shortly after however sounded quite odd on the phone- shy and distant. I was concerned and even more concerned when she told me she was busy working for the next 4 days and would text me at a later date to tell me when she's available. I received no such text so left it until last Friday to leave a message on her phone to tell her it's fine if she doesn't want to go out with me, as long as she told me but haven't had a response. So I'm pretty pissed off. What would make a girl treat me like that? Seem interested, string me along and then just ignore me despite me being nothing but friendly, respectful and understanding. Why ignore me when she was interested and gave me her number and said she'd like to go out on a date with me? I just can't understand it. So anyone who can shed any light on this perhaps from a similar experience, leave a comment because I'm stumped.

All hopes dashed in 4 minutes

Yesterday's cup game between Everton v Wigan was one of the strangest games I've been to in my life. The expectations were high, the excitement was high and yet 4 first half minutes just completely and suddenly diminished all those hopes, expectations and excitement.

It was weird because we expected Everton to win, the game started off even but then Wigan began to look the better team; they hit the post and had a couple of other good chances. So the atmopshere grew nervous but it was still 0-0. And then all our hopes and dreams of Wembley, a cup semi- final, a weekend in London and the prospect of going twice were just dashed in about 4 minutes.

It was enough of a blow when Maynor Figueroa headed in a free header at the back post (Everton's main, frankly appauling weakness- defending set- pieces and hardly ever winning the header despite bringing everyone back) to put Wigan 1-0 up but then Phil Neville's suicidal pass setting up McManaman to make it 2-0 was gutting. My head was in my hands after he ran in on goal and doubled Wigan's lead. Anyone would've thought Bale had just put Tottenham 2-0 up in the North London derby.

And then about a minute or so later Wigan came on the attack again and slid in a 3rd from the edge of the area, again from sloppy defending, allowing the pull back so easily and no closing down of the shot. I couldn't believe it, in fact the whole ground was in total disbelief. When do you see any team score 3 in 4 minutes? And a team like Wigan as well in a tough away game. It was unbelievable. All hopes dashed in a matter of minutes. All of a sudden from 0-0 to 3-0 and the game being all but over. It was hard to take.

It was mentally shattering, all these hopes and excitement about Wembley were just ended in such a frustrating way. The closer you get to something you want, the more it hurts when you don't get it. It was like being starving hungry and somebody waving a plate of steak and chips in front of you before just pouring it in the bin as your stomach rumbles.

I'm still suffering from utter disappointment, regret and frustration now and will be on and off for a while. It does hurt that we've missed out on Wembley and a trip down for it when we were expecting it so much. Especially after the excitement of it last year, the great night in Sunderland to set up a Wembley date with Liverpool of all teams and being manically giddy about that for the next couple of weeks and doing things like booking train tickets, a hotel and organising where we were going to sit in the ground- it was all part of it and to miss out on that and knowing we could be going through that again now just hurts. Who'd have thought Everton could frustrate and disappoint me so much when I'm not even an Everton fan? It actually hurts more than last Sunday's North London derby defeat.

So overall it was just extremely frustrating and strange that our hopes were smashed to bits within a matter of minutes, and not even to a good team. It was hard to digest and I'm really disappointed. Wembley will have to wait for at least another year now. And what's more, we'd have probably been able to go twice this year as they would have drawn Millwall or Blackburn in the semi- final.

My Other Blog!

Don't forget to check out my other blog!

http://tom-thefilmreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/

A blog containing film and series reviews, today I've critiqued Blue Bloods- the American cop drama.

Give it a read!

Read the first couple of paragraphs and if you don't like it, close it. If you do like, watch the video and read on. Easy!

Anyone seen a bottle?

Twas my first day back at university today... yes the Christmas break lasted until February. Well anyway, this afternoon I was reading in the library and caught sight of a beautiful girl perusing the shelves and my brain was going 'girl pretty. Tom like'. As she was looking on the shelves she caught sight of me and seemed to look pleasantly at me.

I say 'pleasant', maybe she was just a pleasant person generally. She didn't clearly obviously smile at me otherwise I'd have seen that as an invitation, it was more of a vague smile. Anyway, I thought about going over and talking to her but it felt too uncomfortable and didn't know if it'd be inappropriate or not. Plus, what the hell am I going to talk to someone I've never met before about? The abysmally boring Salman Rushdie book I was reading? How insanely beautiful she is? My thoughts on how the current season of '24' I'm watching is going to end?* God knows.

I decided against it really through fear of embarrassment of being rejected in front of a quiet library and just being so unaware of what I'd say to her. That's not the part that's left me feeling like a testicle- deprived numpty though.

What is is that afterwards I bumped into her in the corridor where no- one was and we just smiled at each other as I let her first through the door (see, at least I'm a gentleman- testicles or no testicles) and I was ridden with the sudden fear. That was a great opportunity and I just let it pass me by.

Was it a great opportunity? Should I have talked to her? Or would it still have been inappropriate? I had similar incidents on holiday a few months ago, but then I had the excuse of our respective families being in the way of a Menorcan romance.

My lack of courage and know- how in those situations just makes me loathe myself at times like these. Put me in a classroom sat next to a girl and I'll make a good impression and actually be quite charming and make her laugh but put me in a scenario where I'm a public place looking at a pretty girl I've never met before and I crumble.

When I was younger I always pictured myself being quite the charmer with the ladies when I 'grew up' and I can talk to girls I know pretty well but I'm no Charlie Harper or Joey Tribbiani when it comes to chatting strange girls up in public. When I imagine it in my head, I'm great at it- confident, charming, always know what to say, but it's so much harder to stump up the courage to do that in real life.

What makes things worse is that I walked past her again on the stairs when I was leaving and still didn't manage to buck up the courage to talk to her. My bottle had well and truly gone. She was bloody gorgeous as well.

Let's just say I'll be scouring the campus over the coming days and weeks to see if I can find her again for chance number God knows what... I've lost count. Not in a stalky way of course though! I'll just keep a keen eye out when on my travels.

* Isn't that show an absolute belter by the way? I got the box set of all 8 seasons for Christmas and I've never watched them before. I'm thinking it's one of the best presents I've ever got, it's a brilliant programme. It just has everything. So exhilarating, action- packed, intriguing and addictive. If you've never watched it, do it now. Trust me.

(Image source: http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00428/chatted-up_280_428337a.jpg Accessed 5/2/2013)

Goodison Amusements

I've just spent the afternoon at a real crackerjack of a game. Everton 3-3 Aston Villa. Wow. This fixture is always very entertaining and this time didn't disappoint either. I was readying myself for the slight possibility of an overdue dull game between these two but that is apparently impossible (mind you, I did predict 3-2 Everton).

Anyway, what makes the game even more enjoyable and entertaining are the characters sat around us at the game. They bring their own specific, individual qualities that they entertain us with and it's highly amusing, at least to me and my perhaps strange sense of humour.

One of those entertainers was Eating Man who's standards of amusement and entertainment value have somewhat declined over the last year or two but today he was back to his best. Sitting at a strange angle facing the aisle with his knees halfway into them as normal, he enjoyed spilling some of his coffee and intensely tucking into a Twix. The suspense at he multi- tasked with the classic football ground nourishments was palpible and rather funny. Watching a middle aged man spill and struggle with a coffee and sit like an 8 foot man in mini is what going to the football is all about...  isn't it?

Another top performer today was The Saint, and he was man of the match. The Irish firebox in front who looks a lot like Ian St. John, formerly of Liverpool, a.k.a 'The Saint' was on fire. Him turning around to rant about the incidents in the game with his bobble hat and satchel on, much like Alan from 'The Hangover', is one of the highlights of going to the game. I love the fact that he always rants to people behind him rather than the people next to him. Why turn around to rant?! That combined with his comical Irish tongue, girly satchel, amusing looking bobble hat and permanently aggressive tone make him the current crown jewel of the Goodison Park crowd.

He's permanently aggressive and miffed off, I've got this image of him at his wedding with his now wife- 'Mrs Saint', reading out his vows and telling her how much he loves her in an aggressive, angry tone, stood in front of her so he has to turn around the read the vows to her: 'You know, I f*****g love you I do, you're just the bloody love of my f*****g life you bitch!' He's a character alright. I'd love to see 'A Day In The Life Of The Saint' on TV.

There were also quality performances from Mad Man and Referee Hater and a new arrival in some bloke sat along our row who looked completely like he'd wandered through the wrong door somewhere along the line. He didn't look like a football fan at all- his mysterious persona, his trillby hat and his posh attire made him like he was going to see a classic play at the theatre rather than watch a cracking football match. And to add to that he was a rude twonk who just kept barging past us without any word of warning. He's got a long way to go before he reaches the status of The Saint though.

What would life be like without laughter ey?

(Image source: http://d25yla7xp697oa.cloudfront.net/assets/_files/cached/jul_11/590x330/efc__1215868049_stadia_new_header.jpg)

Why Wenger Isn't Good Enough Anymore

I'm so disillusioned with Arsenal FC at the moment. I can't understand the football club at all these days and one of the people I'm most frustrated with is Arsene Wenger. I can't understand why he's still in a job at Arsenal quite frankly. The man's living on past glories, has not delivered success in the last 8 years, he's been selling our best players (mostly to divisional rivals), he has not addressed our problems properly in recent years and doesn't show anywhere near enough ambition in the transfer market. And for all these failures and inadequacies, he's on £7 million a year. Unbelievable.

Any man that thinks an Arsenal side in 6th place and 21 points off the top of the league can't be adequately improved is hopelessly out of touch and shouldn't be the Arsenal manager. I'm just going to simply list the other reasons why he shouldn't be in a job at Arsenal:

1. His lack of transfer activity and lack of ambition in the transfer market. That's not just this season, that's the last few seasons. If you think about the players we actually could have had and for what money,this could've been our line- up:

 

Szczesny

 

 

                             Sagna            G Cahill/ Koscielny Vermaelen    Verthongen

 

 

 

                             Nasri/ Cazorla        De Jong        Wilshere         Mata

 

 

 

                                                             Huntelaar          Van Persie

 

 

So not only have we missed out on players such as Mata, Huntelaar and De Jong but if we'd have bought these types of players and shown the right level of ambition, we'd have probably kept the likes of Van Persie and Nasri as well. Apart from Mata, none of those players cost loads of money- Mata was £24 million and chose Chelsea over Arsenal because he felt Chelsea were 'more likely to win trophies', so we had the money and were in for him, the reason he didn't join was because of our lack of ambition resulting in no success every season. Huntelaar went to Schalke for £12 million, imagined if we'd have bought him instead of them in the summer of 2010 and partnered him with Van Persie? De Jong and Cahill were £7 million each, Verthongen was £10 million, these are sums of money we've spent in recent seasons so we could have had these players. Instead we wasted it away on players not good enough for the top level like Mertesacker, Santos and Gervinho.

 

If you think about other players we could have had, there was the likes of Scott Parker and Rafael Van Der Vaart that we didn't even go for when they went for reasonable prices.

 

 

2. Poor judgement of players nowadays, has made very poor signings like : Santos, Silvestre, Squillaci, Gervnho, Mertesacker, Chamakh, Park and has persisted in the likes of Diaby, Djourou, Denilson, Traore, Mannone, Ramsey and Arshavin. That's a long list of errors of judgement by Wenger. Santos is a great example, he's a pathetically poor player who doesn't seem to approach games seriously enough, he just pratts around and jokes about and is a massive liability in the side, he can't defend, he does silly things on regular basis and yet Wenger doesn't coach it out of him or tell him to stop the silly errors by playing with a more serious, simple head on, he doesn't refuse to play him because he's clearly not good enough- he instead sticks with him.

 

 

3. We're STILL sloppy defensively. We've been sloppy and weak at the back now for 7, maybe 8, years. Has this problem being addressed by the man in charge who's on £7 million a year? No. We brought in Steve Bould in the summer as assistant manager and he was supposed to help sure things up at the back and it seemed to be working. 3 clean sheets in 3 games, we didn't concede many at all in the first few weeks of the season and then after the 2-1 home defeat to Chelsea, that seemed to just go out of the window. We were defending as a unit, seemed to have proper defensive tactics for once and yet that suddenly stopped. Why? I just don't get how we didn't employ someone to impliment defensive tactics into the side ages before this season considering Wenger clearly hasn't been capable and even now we have, we don't seem to be letting Bould do it. It staggers me how inept Wenger is defensively, he just doesn't seem to care about defending and has no idea how to impliment defensive tactics. What's he actually getting paid for?

Our first choice back four is actually pretty good in my opinion. We just don't have adequate enough cover and our tactics are awful defensively. The manager refuses to play with tactics that help us defend and this brings out the worst in us defensively as well as our actual defenders. Thomas Vermaelen looked the bees knees a couple of years ago in his first season, now he looks a shadow of that player, probably because the awful tactics of Wenger (or lack of tactics) have made him look inferiorto his former self. We need tactics and proper team organisation to defend but Wenger doesn't impliment either.

 

4. He continues with players who are clearly not good enough, and also pays them ridiculous wages.

 

 

5. We still struggle against the big teams. We've had 3 games against the big sides during this month and we've won none of them and gone 2-0 down in all three. That's not good enough. It's actually inexcuseable, no respectable top team would have that happen to them in one season, let alone 1 month. It's very poor, especially baring in mind 2 were a home and we only got 1 point out of 9.

 

 

6. Temporary problems. Lately we've struggled to get going in every game, every first half we do next to nothing and often go a goal or 2 goals behind before we start playing. It's pretty poor and it's another problem the manager doesn't seem to be addressing. When you think about it, we've been a bit like that on and off for a few seasons, struggling to get going until the second half when playing against 'lesser' sides mainly.

 

 

Overall, it's conclusive evidence that the club needs a change in direction, which means a change of manager- someone who will address our problems and who will show the required ambition in the transfer window. It's the same shit every season and those problems need to be properly addressed and solved.

 

My suggestions of replacements would be Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Vieira and even though it's a long shot, Jose Mourinho.