Oh well

Seems my worst fears were realised.

Our bowling attack, Freddie an honourable exception, had absolutely no penetration. We are going to have to ask is Harmisson really that good. Yes I KNOW he was world number 1 but for a few years now he has show no consistency and has put in few performances of note. Was he an ordinary player who hit a purple vein of form or is a good player now out of form.

I left for work this morning with England 28-0 by the time I got the car out it was 28-2.

This will be a real test of the team if they can save this then it will be a real fillip. As it is they look like they are going to get crushed.

For those who comment we lost the first test two years ago I'd comment that we were at least competitive then. At the moment we aren't.

Mood depressed.

And so the Ashes

well 3 hours something until the Ashes start......

One of the two big decisions has been made. They've gone with Jones, this does make me wonder why they took Read. it should have been Prior, it just goes to show that the selectors at home wanted Read whereas the Coach wants a batsman keeper so they compromised.

Jon Agnew reckons it'll be Giles over Panesar. I think this is negative, I understand the concerns over the batting but I'd have gone for 6 batsman, play Flintoff at 7 and play Panesar. Hey ho let battle commence.

I expect to wake up and have my hopes squashed.

Square Pegs - Round Holes

Whether you think he is good enough for England Andy Johnson has been in outstanding form for Everton, he deserved his chance.

Johnson has played the lone man in a 4-5-1 or as part of a 4-4-2. So what does our manager do? Play him wide right. I ask you!! If he wanted 4-3-3 then play Wright Phillips!!

Surely he should have played 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 with Rooney playing in the hole? As it is we continue with the Erikson policy of picking players out of position.

Win Euro 2008? Not a hope.

Jonny Wilkinson

Like many people I can remember where I was when Jonny Wilkinson scored the drop goal that won the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

At that moment Wilkinson had the world at his feet. He was good looking, articulate and a genuine sporting hero.

Sadly for Wilkinson he had an injury but that would heal...... well it did but everytime he has tried to come back he has picked up an injury. He has never played for his country again and he in 3 years he can't have played more than a dozen times for his club.

He is still ony 27 but it is beginning to look like he'll never make it at the really highest level.

To me it seems a tradgedy for someone who had the world in his hands but whatever happens he still has that seminal moment that most of us dream of.

One Day Fiasco

And so we are out of the Champions Trophy. All we can hope for is a consolation win against the West Indies.

To my mind the problem is a) Freddie wasn't bowling, lets face it he is an all rounder. Freddie himself said he'd rather bowl than bat against himself so WHY was he playing and so high up the order.

but b) is perhaps more important, we really don't know our best side! New players appear from nowhere, e.g. Yardy. The test side is tweaked the one day side revamped.

I still have no expectations for the ashes. Harmisson looks totally out of sorts, is a genuine test bowler or a bowler who had 2 hot seasons? Freddie we haven't got a clue as to how he'll bowl.

We live in hope.

British Tennis

We've always accepted British Tennis is a bit of a joke.

Ok Messers Henman and Rusedski have performed ok without winning a grandslam but at least they have been moderately succesful. But the women? Oh come on if one woman wins a single round at Wimbledon its a shock!!

As it is injury is taking its toll on Rusedski and Henman is a veteran who is a dangerous floater.

BUT we have the boy Murray and I want him to lose!! Why? well I suppose it his miserable disposition "Oh I'm earning lots of money I'm SSSOOO depressed". I just find him darned irritating.

Then again if I was a young kid would I be inspired by Tim "Mummy and Daddy have a tennis court in their garden and are Wimbledon members" Henman or by Andrew "Mum is a tennis coach" Murray? Well if I was a kid? no!! Most of us don't have coaches for parents or parents who have a court in their garden.

I don't see why I should support someone because they are british. I support them because they excite me, becuase they are great to watch, because they have personality.

I'd like to see a British woman who I could have an opinion on!

A brave new era

Sven has gone and under Steve Mc we've won 3 out of 3 scored 10 and conceded 0.

Well I've just snoozed through England v Macedonia and NOTHING has changed.

I was worried before the last game when Mclaren said "I've told the lads they have the shirts". So where was Defoe? Oh the Roonster was back. Now don't get me wrong the Roonster is a good player but he is out of form and is he really fully fit? And why did Mclaren make the comment when the Roonster was going to play regardless?

I was more worried when he brought Wright Phillips on, but you say Wright Phillips looked good! Yes but correct me if I'm wrong but he normally plays wide right not left!!

As it was we had no width and created little. It wasn't until Wright Phillips came on that the Macedonians looked a little stretched.

Ian Wright asked why our world class players couldn't impose our structure on their 4-3-3. No pace mate, no width and do we really have world class players?

I have no probem with our defence. We have lots of good central defenders. And Gary Neville and Ashley Cole are decent players. its the midfield that worries me. Stevie Mc wants Scholes back! Why!! Where is he playing? We need pace on the left and right.

I've said for ages that Lamps and Gerrard can not play together in a 4-4-2. In a 4-3-3 if we play two wingers maybe but that won't happen. Maybe in a 3-5-2.

Yes both are good players but they can't play together.

I appreciate Cole and Lennon are injured but a midfield of say. Scholes, Lamps, Gerrard and Carrick would be ridiculous. Akin to playing Ferdinand, King, Carragher and Terry as a back 4.

I'm a trifle depressed at the moment. Mc needs to pick the best team not the best players.