Rob Smyth's Blog, page 63
January 6, 2023
Football Daily | Gianluca Vialli: football has lost some of the twinkle in its eye
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Look, there will be no laughter in this edition of Football Daily. Two reasons: a) it’s a weekday; and b) Gianluca Vialli has died at the sickeningly young age of 58. Vialli was – was, FFS – a relentless, deceptively skilful centre-forward for Cremonese, Sampdoria, Juventus, Chelsea and Italy, and a fine, ambitious manager who made Chelsea serious contenders at home and abroad for the first time in almost 30 years. His time at Watford wasn’t so successful; nor was his playing career without some serious lows. Vialli is the only player to be on the winning and losing sides in the final of all three European club competitions. But one way or another, he usually made up for the failures. At Wembley in 1992, he missed a number of chances in his last game for Sampdoria, the painful Big Cup final defeat to Barcelona. Four years later, in his final game for Juventus, he captained them to Big Cup glory against Ajax.
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January 5, 2023
Chelsea 0-1 Manchester City: Premier League – as it happened
Riyad Mahrez scored within three minutes of coming on as the champions moved to within five points of the leaders Arsenal
“Welcome back…” says Jeff Sachs, before moving brusquely to business. “I miss Nunez misses.”
I’m playing the long game on this one. Even this season, when he has been widely ridiculed, he’s scored nine in 22 games. He’ll be fine.
Continue reading...Football Daily | The worrying precedents for both Southampton and Nathan Jones
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Football Daily used to love pontificating about the sport’s lamentable culture of instant gratification, until we started to get a bit bored of the subject. Alas, we’ll have to trudge over old – just give us a second while we check whether Mastodon have added a like button yet – ground, because on Wednesday night, after their defeat to Nottingham Forest, the Southampton fans chanted “you don’t know what you’re doing” at manager Nathan Jones, a man who has been at the club for five minutes (metaphorically) and five games (literally).
Continue reading...January 3, 2023
Smith hits nine-darter in beating Van Gerwen for PDC world darts title – as it happened
Michael Smith finally became world champion and world No 1, outscoring Michael van Gerwen to win 7-4 in a memorable final
The players are ready. First up to the oche is Michael Smith, smiling a little nervously as he strolls on to the sound of Shut Up and Dance With Me.
The Sky pundits – Wayne Mar-dell, Mark Webster and John Part – have all predicted MvG to win either 7-3 or 7-4. I’m predicting nothing, except that they will be a series of exquisitely tense fifth legs.
Continue reading...January 1, 2023
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Chelsea: Premier League – as it happened
Serge Aurier’s superb equaliser gave Forest a stirring draw in an all-action game at the City Ground
Today’s results so far
Dimitri Van den Bergh 5-3 Jonny Clayton
Michael Smith 5-3 Stephen Bunting
Tottenham Hotspur 0-2 Aston Villa
Continue reading...December 31, 2022
Brighton 2-4 Arsenal: Premier League – as it happened
Martin Odegaard starred as Arsenal moved seven points clear at the top of the table with an entertaining victory at Brighton
Buyako Saka scores after 64 seconds!
1 min Peep peep! After a slight delay because of a problem with the fourth official’s technology, Arsenal get the match under way.
Continue reading...Wolves 0-1 Manchester United: Premier League – as it happened
Marcus Rashford was dropped for disciplinary reasons, then came off the bench to score an excellent winning goal at Molineux
1 min Peep peep! United kick off from left to right.
This still looks awesome 52 years later. Imagine how mind-blowing it must have been to see it in real time.
Continue reading...December 27, 2022
Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth: Premier League – as it happened
Kai Havertz and Mason Mount scored fine first-half goals as Chelsea won their first Premier League game since mid-October
1 min Peep peep! Chelsea, kicking from right to left as we watch, get the game under way.
There’s a minute’s applause for the great George Cohen, who died last week aged 83. And now it’s time for the action.
Continue reading...December 26, 2022
Aston Villa 1-3 Liverpool: Premier League – as it happened
The Spanish teenager Stefan Bajcetic scored his first goal for Liverpool to seal victory in an exciting game at Villa Park
1 min Peep peep! Villa kick off from right to left as we watch.
The players gather round the centre circle to pay tribute to George Cohen, one of the Boys of 66, who died last week.
Continue reading...Brentford 2-2 Tottenham: Premier League – as it happened
Ivan Toney and Harry Kane both scored as Spurs came from 2-0 down to earn a point in an exciting match at Brentford
1 min Peep peep! After a minute’s applause for the late George Cohen, Spurs’ Dejan Kulusevski gets the match under way.
Ready? Well tough, the players are out on the field, the Brentford fans are singing Hey Jude, and the Premier League is about to resume.
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