The Page That Can Play In Any Position
Monday March 21 2005
Formation Dancing
Wonderful timing for Alan Curbishley's impassioned defence of the passion-killer that is the 4-5-1 formation in The Observer...
'It seems that 4-5-1 has been blamed for turning Premiership matches into dull spectacles. But I want to dispel that myth. Yes, it is a pragmatic formation, but it can be fluid, attack-orientated and exciting to watch. And, crucially for a manager, it can win you matches,' says Curbishley, whose 4-5-1 team lost 4-1 to 4-4-2 West Brom on Saturday.
'They [Everton] have been playing it all season and getting results. I haven't heard their fans complaining that it's boring. Supporters only criticise 4-5-1 when they don't get results', says Curbishley, who presumably later watched Everton's 4-5-1 team be completely outclassed by 4-4-2 Liverpool.
Of course, it would be churlish to point out that 4-5-1 Blackburn also lost to 4-4-2 Arsenal, 4-5-1 Crystal Palace lost to 4-4-2 Chelsea, 4-5-1 Aston Villa lost to 4-4-2 Birmingham and 4-5-1 Man City lost to 4-4-2 Tottenham...
The Least Surprising Sentence Ever Written?
From the Daily Mirror's piece on the Birmingham brawl: 'One player, believed to be Emile Heskey, was knocked to the floor.'
The Claridge Report
According to dangerhere.com, this was the world's worst pundit on You're On Sky Sports after watching a clip of Jose Mourinho: "You know what, I'd love the person who taught him English to taught me..."
What A Card!
Headline on BBC Sport: 'Benitez Questions Baros Red Card'
Actual quote from Benitez: "Maybe Milan deserved a red card but it's easy to show a red card in that situation."
Is that the situation where Baros made a knee-high tackle with his studs on Alan Stubbs? Yes, we'd say it was pretty easy to show a red card there...
I Should Be So Lucky...
"I have been a pro for 11 years and have worn those grey tracksuit bottoms for nine. I decided they were lucky when we won the day I first wore them back in Hungary," said Gabor Kiraly in a recent edition of The Sun.
Mediawatch thinks that after Saturday's performance he may just be right.
We Told You So...Ish
Congratulations to the Daily Mirror for having the gall to re-print a picture of their paper from February 5 in which the headline was 'Sven Shocker: Heskey Is Back' with the caption 'FIRST AGAIN'.
Excuse us for not being overly impressed by your foresight boys - we seem to remember that February 5 story claimed that Heskey was going to be given the call instead of Andy Johnson for the friendly against Holland.
And it's odd how they haven't showcased their March 16 edition, which claimed that Andy Johnson's England career was already over as he would now be dropped, isn't it?
The Least Impressive Trick Ever?
'He's Harry Houdini' screams the Daily Mirror, heralding some kind of miraculous great escape for Southampton. The graphics show two tables - one with Southampton third from bottom and a point behind Crystal Palace when Harry took over at St Mary's, and the second, three months on, with Southampton fourth from bottom and a point ahead of Crystal Palace.
So 'Harry Houdini' has managed to move Southampton up fully one place and - in essence - two points. Isn't that an escapology trick equivalent to unpicking a tricky double knot?
Headline Of The Day
'Cole To Escape Tap On Shoulder' - The Times.
Worst Headline Of The Day
'Hen Fight' - The Daily Mirror. Mediawatch wasted a precious 15 seconds trying to work this one out on Monday morning.
Quote Of The Day
"Even though I would lose money on the deal, I would take £600,000 yesterday. Peterborough is a big place so it would only cost people a pound each" - Barry Fry offers the good people of Posh a way to get rid.
Rumour Of The Day
'The sexy blonde wife of soccer star Kevin Phillips has been cheating on him with a mobile phone salesman' - The Sun. It's the 'moustache' Kevin. Get rid.
Thanks to today's Mediawatch spotters: Michael Paul.
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