Maple Lions

Last month I took a look at the results half-way in the group stages in contrast to the results of our ongoing poll on English teams in the Champions League. Here’s how things stand today:

1. Chelsea (9 pts., GD +5)
2. Manchester United (9 pts., GD +5)
3. Liverpool (7 pts., GD +2)
4. Arsenal (6 pts., GD +2)

Paul Canniff

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The Home Office reports that banning orders for football supporters are at a record high, increasing by 7% in the past year.

While the Premier League has gone ahead of the Championship in fan arrests, the top five havens of hooliganism reside in both the old Divisions One and Two:

Banning Orders

1. Leeds
2. Portsmouth
3. Cardiff City
4. Stoke City
5. Manchester United

Arrests

1. Tottenham Hotspur
2. Manchester United
3. Chelsea
4. Sheffield Wednesday
5. Coventry City

However,

[B]oth Hull City and Luton Town had the highest number of fans arrested for violent disorder - both clubs had 21 hooligans detained.

Fourteen Birmingham City fans were arrested for the same offence in the year.

[…]

Thirteen people were also held for violent disorder at both Coventry City and Sheffield Wednesday.

Notwithstanding that data, in my visits to a number of football grounds I have not encountered any particular violent incidents. The police protection was high but not as paramilitary in flavour as I witnessed in Stuttgart, by contrast. The Premiership has in fact become rather family-friendly, thanks to all-seater stadia and enforcement in the stands. That being said, the Great British Night Out — a pint and a fight — has not vanished entirely from football.

Paul Canniff

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The FA won’t take any action against Jermain Defoe for biting West Ham’s Javier Mascherano this past weekend:

The Football Association last night passed up the chance to take action against Jermain Defoe for biting the arm of Javier Mascherano — even though it could have done so with Fifa’s blessing, The Times can reveal.

Steve Bennett, who refereed the Barclays Premiership match between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United on Sunday, is understood not to have mentioned the incident in his report, leaving the FA free to impose any sanction it wished without fear of upsetting the world governing body by issuing a retrospective punishment.

Leading referees are dismayed at the message the FA is sending out by not pursuing the case against the striker, fearing a “trickle-down effect” at the lower levels of the game. One refereeing source professed “amazement” at the FA’s decision.

An FA spokesman said it was “unable to take any action because the referee has already dealt with the incident”, but The Times has learnt that Bennett did not report any bite. He showed Defoe a yellow card but only for “aggressive behaviour”, presumably a reference to the grounded player crawling towards the Argentinian angrily after he had been tripped from behind.

Damian P.

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As if they weren’t already over-exposed in so many ways during the World Cup, England’s WAGs (wives and girlfriends) are forcing their way back into the media spotlight with their own reality TV show:

Ten WAGs - wives and girlfriends - of footballers are to run rival London shops in the ITV2 series, WAGs Boutique, due to be shown next year.

[…]

The WAG who individually makes the most money will win the opportunity to design her own clothing range.

Two problems:

1. Do the WAGs actually know how to sell tasteless, overpriced tat off the rack, versus buying it?
2. If they’re doing the selling, who out there has enough cash and lack of fashion sensibility to be their customer base?

Paul Canniff

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Well said, Gary Lineker. Save Lurch for Hallowe’en, Macca, and put a real striker out on the pitch.

Paul Canniff

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I’m sure all of us wish Petr Cech a speedy and full recovery after his injury in last Saturday’s match against Reading. But don’t we also hope that sometimes the Special One would just shut the hell up instead of grandstanding on shaky assertions?

Has the footballing world really been seeking a fusion of the managerial skills of Bill Shankly with the rhetoric of Hugo Chavez?

Paul Canniff

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Your humble scribe has been distracted from posting by a number of pressing concerns. Unfortunately, among them was witnessing the latest phase of Steve McClaren’s European campaign. While the post-match video reports confirmed that a torn-up divot was the culprit, I shudder at the memory of Paul Robinson’s flubbed return that led to Gary Neville’s own goal in the Croatia match.

But the real horror lies in Doctor McClaren’s mad experiments in formations. The 5-3-2 was hopeless and hapless in the face of Croatia. Did we suffer under the yoke of Sven only to be greeted by the stuff that saw Macca flame out in an earlier bid at European glory?!

Will it be another Ides of March next spring when England face Israel and mighty Andorra?

Pray.

Paul Canniff

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Check here to see who will face Newcastle and Blackburn, Newcastle and Tottenham in the group stage that will run from October 19 to December 14.

Paul Canniff 

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Big Sam is due to come under particular scrutiny when the Stevens report on football bungs is released tomorrow, according to the Telly.

But is all dreary in his world when the Trotters have come off two consecutive wins, including downing the Scouse, within some of the best form in the opening weeks of the season?

Paul Canniff

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