EPL Talk » Reading

Panic Over Cudicini Motorbike Crash

Paul Bestall — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:19:51 +0000

It seems that the Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper, Carlo Cudicini, has been involved in a serious crash this morning after hitting a car whilst riding his BMW motorbike. It’s been confirmed that Cudicini has fractured both wrists and sustained serious pelvic injuries according to a statement by London’s Metropolitan Police.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “London Ambulance Service, HEMS [helicopter emergency medical service] and police attended and discovered the 36-year-old male motorcyclist suffering from injuries described by LAS as possibly life-changing and has been taken to an east London hospital for further assessment and treatment.”

Thankfully the driver and passenger of the car involved in the crash didn’t need medical assistance, but the extent of Cudicini’s injuries are yet to be ascertained. With most road traffic accidents, the time waiting between the initial diagnoses and the results of the x-rays and tests over the the next few hours can change. Yet the term “possibly life changing” is a strange and worrying term to be included in a statement.

It’s unusual for a detail like that to be released, I can’t think of another incident recently that would have included such language and already social networking sites are buzzing with the news and wishing Carlo a speedy and healthy recovery regardless of what team they support.

Cudicini has been a firm favourite for both Chelsea and since he joined Tottenham in January this year and has constantly given 100% wherever he has played. Only ousted at Chelsea by the arrival of Petr Cech, who was at that point the worlds best goalkeeper, that saw his run as Chelsea’s number one come to an end. Signed by Gianluca Vialli in 1999 for the bargain price of £160,000, Cudicini saw off Mark Bosnich to make the number one jersey his own at Stamford Bridge.

He even won the player of the year award in the 2001-02 season as Chelsea struggled to maintain a consistent level of performance, but as the side grew, Cudicini continued to grow as a player. In fact, when Chelsea stood on the threshold of the Champions League final, it was his absence in the semi-final against Monaco in 2004 that probably cost the Blues the chance to face to Porto.

He continued to deputise for Cech at Chelsea and give 100% when the opportunity arose to play. One of his most notable appearances under Mourinho was during the infamous game at Reading’s Madjeski Stadium in October 2006. After replacing Cech, injured by Steven Hunt’s wayward knee in the first minute, Cudicini was also carried off unconscious after a disgraceful challenge by Ibrahim Sonko and John Terry ended up going in goal for the last few minutes.

He’s certainly continued to impress be it at Chelsea or at Tottenham. where he has continued to put pressure on Heurelho Gomes, probably bring the best out of the Brazilian who is now showing his form that earned him his transfer to Tottenham in the summer of 2008. When he’s had the opportunity to play, he’s given his all.

I’m sure all football fans will wish Cudicini a swift and speedy recovery and be thankful that his injuries are not more serious.

Legends Of English Football: #10 Ted Drake

Paul Bestall — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:09:38 +0000

In the annals of Arsenal’s history, one name conjures images of a bygone era, baggy shorts and a dead eye for goal. In the record books, his name still stands alone for the most goals scored in one season, with 44 in the 1934-35 season. In the modern era, first Ian Wright and then Thierry Henry surpassed his overall record but that shouldn’t overshadow Drake’s achievements for Arsenal.

Drake was born in Southampton in 1912 and was an adept sportman through his schooldays excelling at cricket and football, though when he left school he became a gas meter reader. A chance to play regular non league football for Winchester Town came along, and Drake took the opportunity with both hands, whilst continuing the meter reading! After two goal filled seasons, in 1931 Southampton came calling and Drake returned to his home town team.

Drake’s first season saw him become accustomed to the hustle and bustle of Second Division football but by the end of his first season, he’d got 7 goals and had established himself as Southampton’s main striker. The Saints were a poor side and even with Drake’s goalscoring prowess, the highest they finished whilst he was at the club was 12th, nowhere near promotion. Drake’s first season had caught the eye of the legendary Arsenal manager Herbert Chapman and he made an attempt to sign him in the summer of 1933 but Drake didn’t want to move that far north!

That first full season had seen him plunder 20 league goals and after turning down Arsenal’s advances, Drake hit the ground running in the 1933-34 season. He scored 8 goals in his first 5 games and continued in the same vein eventually getting 22 goals before Arsenal came back in for him in March 1934. This time, frustrated by the lack of progress Southampton were making and with the club facing financial difficulties, Drake moved to Highbury for £6,500.

Arsenal were top and Drake continued to score goals, hitting another 7 in the 10 games he played for the Gunners but missed out on a League Championship medal through lack of appearances. He was to get his hands on one the following season though and hit 42 league goals in 41 games, with 3 hatricks and 4 four goal hauls in his stats for the season setting a record that still stands today.

The following season Drake continued to hit the goals and on December 14th 1935 he set another record when he hit 7 against Aston Villa in a 7-1 rout. Incredibly, he also had another goal chalked off as it cannoned off the crossbar, bounced over the line and back out but the referee didn’t see it.

What makes Drake’s record for the Gunners even more remarkable was that he constantly battled injury problems throughout his career, especially a niggling back injury that would catch up with him at the end of his career. Yet Drake continued to push himself through the pain barrier to make Highbury his hunting ground and whilst Cliff Bastin mesmerised opponents with his wonderful ball skills, Drake would punish any lapses in the penalty area.

Drake was rewarded with his fine form with being called up for England and scored 6 goals in 5 appearances, injuries curtailing his opportunities to represent his country more than just a handful of times. He made his debut in the game that became known as the “Battle of Highbury” against Italy in November 1934, one of an incredible 7 Arsenal players to start the game. Typically, Drake scored the winner in a bad tempered 3-2 win.

As the decade continued, Drake finished as Arsenal’s top scorer in 5 consecutive seasons, as Arsenal continued to be the dominant force in English pre-war football. Between 1931 and 1939, Arsenal’s lowest position was 6th in the 1935-36 season, but they managed to win the F.A Cup with a 1-0 win over Sheffield United. Guess who scored the winning goal. Another League Championship medal came along in the 1937-38 season as Arsenal pipped Wolves by one point.

As with most of his contemparies, Drake’s career was stopped dead in its tracks with the outbreak of World War Two in September 1939 aged just 27. Drake went to serve in the RAF but continued to play for Arsenal in wartime fixtures. On the resumption of League football, Drake was injured against Reading and was forced to retire from playing. Despite this set back he took over as manager of non-league Hendon in 1946, moving to Reading in 1947 were after 5 seasons, Chelsea came calling.

Upon his arrival, he completely revamp the club, who were classed as London’s poorer side. Changing the badge, the motto, the kit and the club’s philosphy for big signings who continually failed to deliver, he used his knowledge of the lower leagues to sign the quality of player that Chelsea needed. As his team knitted, Chelsea became a force to be reckoned with and won the league in 1955 shocking the two titans, Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers. With it, Drake became the first person to win the league as a manager and a player.

It was as good as it got for Drake as Chelsea amazingly didn’t finish in the top ten again that decade and in 1961 he was removed from his position as manager. He continued to keep involved with football, having spells as Assistant Manager at Fulham and Barcelona under Vic Buckingham. He continued to love football and would often travel to all the clubs in London, for the simple pleasures of just enjoying watching football.

Drake passed away on May 30th 1995, aged 82.

Scored 139 goals in 186 full appearances for Arsenal from 1934 – 1939
Two League Championship medals 1934-35 & 1937-38
One F.A. Cup Winners medal 1935-36
5 Appearances for England, scoring 6 goals
First man to win League title as a player and manager
Scored 7 goals in one match against Aston Villa on December 14th 1935
Arsenals top scorer in every season from 1934-1935 until 1938-39
Became Life President of Fulham
Played County Cricket for Hampshire from 1931 until 1937

Say No To Sunderland’s Negative Tactics

The Gaffer — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:00:49 +0000

It’s quite odd that in some circles Sunderland’s near draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford this past Saturday is being heralded as a massive achievement. What I saw was one of the most negative and anti-soccer performances in ages.

For the entire 90 minutes, Sunderland “parked their bus” in front of their goal and had ten, sometimes eleven, players blocking any advances made by Manchester United.

It almost worked except for a lucky bounce against the post that fell into the path of Nemanja Vidic who slotted in the late winner to give all three points to United.

This was a match that reminded me a lot of Manchester United’s opening game of last season when they drew 0-0 against Reading at Old Trafford. At that time, it seemed that Steve Coppell was hailed as the second coming. Of course, we all know that Reading’s season went downhill from there and they ended up getting relegated. So much for that one point that Reading achieved by playing negative football.

Sunderland’s tactics this past Saturday against Manchester United were painfully obvious. The Black Cats often had eight players in their penalty area, blocking Man United’s advances down the middle. You could say that their formation was a 8-1-1 with Djibril Cisse being the lone man up front. Even Cisse could be seen in Sunderland’s penalty area defending at times, too.

The sad but funny aspect of Sunderland’s tactics was that on the rare occasions when they start dribbling the ball in Manchester United’s half, the Sunderland players slowed down the tempo to allow players to catch the breath and to keep possession of the ball, at least for a few minutes. Most teams would relish the chance of attacking the opposition in the opponent’s half. Not Sunderland.

While Sunderland is no Manchester United, they do have enough quality on their team to at least try to win a match and play more attacking football. Take the case of Wigan’s performance against Arsenal from this weekend when Wigan played a contained game but at least tried to win the match. The scoreline was the same in both games, but Wigan walked away with their heads held up high after a spirited performance. The result may have been different if Wigan had worn their shooting boots Saturday.

Contrast Sunderland’s performance against Manchester United with that of Hull City. The Yorkshiremen played a lot more open game and came so close to drawing after a sensational comeback.

Yes, Sunderland played well against Manchester United if you consider that they followed interim-manager Ricky Sbragia’s instructions to a tee. They threw themselves into tackles, blocked a ton of shots and saved plenty of attempts at goal courtesy of Marton Fulop. But for the neutral observer, where’s the enjoyment in watching a team play such negative anti-football?

If Sunderland can take something out of the game, it’s that the club still has a lot of fight left in it and that their defense has improved significantly since the last match when they lost 4-1 at home against Bolton Wanderers. The other benefit for Sunderland is the hope that their team spirit has been restored.

The next huge test is this Saturday when Sunderland plays at home against West Bromwich Albion, another team in trouble of being relegated.

What is worrisome for Manchester United, meanwhile, is that more clubs will employ similar tactics like Sunderland. United, no matter how hard they tried, couldn’t seem to break down the wall of defenders that blocked their path toward goal. Even the combination of Rooney, Berbatov, Ronaldo, Anderson and Tevez couldn’t break down the Sunderland defense until Vidic tapped in the shot.

What are your thoughts about this past Saturday’s performance by Sunderland against Manchester United? Click the comments link below to share your feedback.

9 Reasons Why Hull City Is My New Favorite Team

The Gaffer — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:00:52 +0000

I admit it. I have a soft spot for underdogs. Three years ago, I was enamored by Wigan’s brilliant beginning to the season where they surprised so many teams and fans by playing attacking football. Two years ago, it was Reading’s turn to brighten up the Premier League. Last season there was no underdog, but this year we have Hull City, the Yorkshire Terriers of the Premier League.

After watching Hull’s gutsy performance against Manchester City in the 2-2 draw, here are 9 reasons why it’s impossible to not to love Hull City:

They give 100% whenever they go in for 50/50 balls,
Midfielder and captain Ian Ashbee has been at Hull City for seven years,
Geovanni. Say no more,
Striker Marlon King has regained his form despite being kicked off the Jamaica team and written off by many pundits when he was at Watford two seasons ago,
The foreign contingent of Kamil Zayatte, Daniel Cousin and George Boateng have been spectacular,
Defenders Paul McShane, Michael Turner, Zayatte and Andy Dawson have been a rock for Hull City at the back,
Unsung heroes such as Boaz Myhill, Dean Marney and Samuel Ricketts have been a joy to watch,
Phil Brown looks like a Sam Allardyce in training, which is exactly what he is (in a good sense), and
Perhaps most importantly of all, the entire squad plays together so well as a team.

Hull City is everything a Premier League underdog should be. They’re battlers. They’re a joy to watch. The fans are exuberant. Their stadium is sold out. And the eleven players on the pitch never give up.

Phil Brown has instilled a winning belief in the Hull City side. They don’t play in fear of their opponents. How could you not love a team like Hull City?

Premier League Wants To Be The NFL

The Gaffer — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 04:01:16 +0000

You may have missed an article by Oliver Kay in The Times this past weekend that featured a very revealing interview with Manchester City executive chairman Garry Cook regarding the future of the Premier League. The headline perfectly sums up Kay’s article: “Vision Of A Breakaway League With No Relegation.”

Here are the revealing quotes followed by my opinion:

“I wouldn’t have promotion and relegation. That’s what central entity is, like the NFL in American football. Once you get central entity, you basically share the wealth.” — What? Promotion are relegation are two of the reasons why the Premier League is so much more attractive to global viewers compared with the NFL. We’ve heard the Premier League mention this idea before, but the reaction from the paying public would be totally against it.
“If you want to become a multi-multibillion-pound empire, you may have to look at changing the model.” — ‘May have to look at changing the model’ is business talk for ‘Definitely will change the model.’ Be forewarned.
“I talk to Richard Scudamore about this all the time: ‘Are we maximising the central entity of the Premier League?’ And he rolls his eyes and says: ‘If only, if only we could, if only we would.’” – Quite a revealing statement from Cook that gives us a peek inside Scudamore’s thought process.
“We’re getting into a situation where there are maybe ten clubs. Do Saudi Arabians want to buy – and no disrespect to these clubs – Stoke City or Derby County? Or do they want to buy Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Manchester United, Manchester City?” – So, let me get this straight. The end goal is to sell all of these major clubs to the Middle East? Could D.I.C. be the first?

While the NFL is what the Premier League wants to be, especially in terms of their TV revenue, the biggest mistake the EPL could make is by creating a central entity. It’s the promotion and relegation which adds so much excitement and drama to the league.

If they Premier League did move to a central entity, a closed league, who would the 14 teams be?

Manchester United
Chelsea
Arsenal
Liverpool
Aston Villa
Portsmouth
Tottenham Hotspur
Everton
Manchester City
Newcastle United
West Ham United
Sunderland
Middlesbrough
Blackburn Rovers

The teams that are currently in the Premier League who would not be included in the central entity, I believe are:

Fulham
Stoke City
West Bromwich Albion
Hull City
Wigan Athletic
Bolton Wanderers

Fulham would not be included due to the small capacity of their stadium. There’s little to no chance of the club leaving Craven Cottage. Wigan’s average attendance is the worst in the league, while I don’t see Bolton remaining in the Premier League much longer based on their current form.

The advantage of a central entity is that the league can have all 14 clubs working together and sharing the TV revenue to build the Premier League brand worldwide. The other advantage is that it would ensure club owners that their football team would continue to generate massive amounts of revenue each year rather than having to worry about the threat of dropping down a division due to relegation.

But by closing the doors on the league, it would break the hearts of the fans of other clubs hoping to be promoted into the top league. Massive clubs such as Leeds United, Birmingham City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and others would be refused the opportunity to see their club regain greatness.

And plucky clubs such as Reading would be prevented from reaching the upper echelons of English football.

Sure, the NFL generates more revenue than the Premier League does right now but that doesn’t mean that the Premier League has to imitate the American football league to achieve success.

What do you think? Share your feedback via the comments link below.