When trying to think of a topic for my next post I struggled to think of any one idea that particularly took my interest. Instead, I have decided to briefly address a few of the different debates that have been bouncing around the sports websites this week. These are my thoughts on these different debates that I didn't feel needed an entire post individually:
Rooney's goal challenge – After another class performance by the hottest form player in the world against an average Milan side Ferguson issued Wayne Rooney with the challenge of beating Cristiano Ronaldo's goal tally of 42 in one season. Rooney currently has 30 goals after 37 games and with 9 more premiership games and at least 2, possibly a further 3, games in the Champions League. He basically would need to get around a goal a game. I think that he will achieve this substantial challenge. Rooney is putting away almost every chance he gets at the moment whether it is with either foot or his head. He may well fail to score in some of his remaining matches but I would back him to grab a brace against any team with defensive flaws at the moment and therefore I would say that he is more than capable of beating Ronaldo's goalscoring benchmark.
Beckham to South Africa – An ongoing debate has been whether Beckham warrants a place on the plane to South Africa this summer. People balance his passing and skills at the dead-ball against his lack of pace for a winger. I believe that in a 23 man team he deserves to go. He may not have the directness or ability to beat a man like Walcott, Lennon or Wright-Phillips but we don't need two copies of the same player. If Lennon can recapture his form of earlier this season then he should go or if Walcott can show some consistency and a bit more quality than he can but there is no need to take both. I think Beckham can have a role to play in the squad as he can add a new dimension for the team that bringing both Walcott and Lennon would not. Walcott could go as a utility player for both wings or upfront while Beckham can go as a backup for the right-wing or centre midfield. I say find a place for Becks and put him on the plane.
KP – There were calls at the start of the week before the coin toss for the first test against Bangladesh that Kevin Pietersen should be dropped for the series because of his lack of form. It is of course very easy to say with hindsight that these were unfounded claims but at the time I, like many, knew they were ridiculous. He is still England's best batsmen and the thought of dropping him ahead of a series in which he should be able to get easier runs was completely illogical. I am just very happy to see that KP has gone some way to silencing some of critics although a 99 against a poor test-side will inevitable only add fuel to the fire of KP haters.
New F1 Season – Today the new F1 season began. The thought of an all British team dominating the sport combined and the return of the legendary Michael Schumacher excited the motor racing world. The truth is that most people don't really care do they?? Short of putting laser on the cars and oil patches on the track the interest in the sport will continue to dwindle because in a sadistic way most people only flick onto the Grand Prix to see the crashes. It has its specific market and loyal petrol head followers but the season will come and pass with most people not knowing, nor caring, what happens.
Thoughts, comments and opinions on these stories or any other of this week's sporting stories please...
Although I think F1 is absolute garbage I have to say that Schumacher coming back has made me vaguely interested. It's obviously just a publicity stunt but then all F1 is is a big marketing game. Most likely it will all end in a very disappointing fashion but i'm sure they will see to it that he wins at least one race across the season.
ReplyDeleteVery pleased for KP, I never lost faith. There has been a lot going on in the world of cricket lately, I would quite like to hear some of your thoughts Dom.
Tendulkar 200* in ODI is one of the greatest sporting achievements of the 21st century and it has been criminally under-reported in the press. Why? There is a real tendency to ignore cricket outside of Ashes years (apart for 3 months in the summer maybe).
There have been some big cricketing stories in the past couple of months and the coverage of them has been predictably limited. An insight into the world of cricket, though, is something that can be addressed in a future post.
ReplyDeleteAs for the F1 and Schumacher's return, your view is cynical and yet I would feel myself inclined to agree. It has made this season ever so slightly more interesting, but only slightly. F1 will no doubt be overjoyed with the return of their prodigal son as it will, and indeed already has, massively boosted their publicity in what you rightly call "a big marketing game".
Ultimately Schumacher's return can only really be a disappointment unless he wins or at very least comes close to winning the championship, which from my limited knowledge of the sport does not seem likely. I would like to believe, however, that if he was able to secure a win this year that it was not because 'they saw to it' that he did but rather that there is still that class within one of the greatest to ever drive an F1 car.