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Top flight footballers may be able to play two games in one long weekend but it's just too much for this writer. As a result, Hot or Not was rested (with a smile, not a face like Jermain Defoe) ...

Liverpool On Top as Ricardo Fuller Takes a Pop

by Andrew McNair (Senior Writer)

19

250 reads

Opinion

December 29, 2008


Top flight footballers may be able to play two games in one long weekend but it's just too much for this writer.

As a result, Hot or Not was rested (with a smile, not a face like Jermain Defoe) on Boxing Day but now it returns with a look at Sunday’s Premier League action.

 

HOT:

Liverpool are top of the league at the halfway point, who would have suspected that? Well, I predicted a return to the top two for the red half of Merseyside but not many outside Liverpool did.

Another win, this time 5-1 at Newcastle United but there is still a long way to go, so we shall move on instead of counting chickens or misses by Sami Hyppia.

Last week, we spoke about Ricardo Gardner as our unsung Barclays Premier League star. This week it is Shay Given.

If there is one world class player I feel sorry for then it is this man. Twelve years he has been playing behind THAT defence.

That, is Newcastle United’s defence and it is 353 times.

We like a cheeky effort at Hot or Not and Geremi’s effort from the halfway line impressed us this week, his free kick was almost inch perfect too.

Just when you think Steven Gerrard was the star of the day with his two goals, his old foe Frank Lampard goes and bags a brace himself…no wonder England managers can’t choose between them.

Frank didn’t help Chelsea to a win however as a couple from Fulham’s Clint Dempsey meant a share of the spoils at Craven Cottage.

There has been quite a transformation in a certain goalkeeper recently, well he is still a bit sh*t but he is at least making the odd save now, including Hot or Not save of the week, tipping over a Chris Brunt free kick. Yes it is Heurelho Gomes for Tottenham Hotspur against West Bromwich Albion.

WBA proved that they still have some fight left in them with a 2-0 win at the Hawthorns. Ex-Celtic and sometimes Scotland super-sub Craig Beattie coming off the bench to seal the points in injury time.

Anyone ever watch the Late Late Show? Well it doesn’t get much better than Manchester City’s comeback against Blackburn Rovers.

A Daniel Sturridge-inspired comeback after the young Englishman scored in the dying seconds before setting up Robinho in injury time to save Mark Hughes job with a 2-2 draw.

Speaking of managers, the hottest thing this week would be tickets to the Stoke City team meeting this morning. Unless of course Don King has already bought all the rights for the Andy Griffin—Ricardo Fuller re-match.

West Ham United snatched all three points at home to Stoke (2-1) with a blast from the Football Manager past. Carlton Cole hit “Diego Tristan” with a shot that found its way into the net.

Goal of the week was at Goodison Park this week, where Mikel Arteta scored his first of two with a trade mark free kick in Everton's 3-0 win over Sunderland.

That match also provided Hot or Not’s one to watch: Everton midfielder Dan Gosling impressed us again after coming off the bench to ooze talent for the second time in three days.

Arsenal beat Portsmouth 1-0 but it could have been more if it wasn’t for Sylvain Distin’s cracking last-ditch tackle on Emmanuel Adebayor, with only an empty net to protect.

When the boss sends you out and tells you “I want your balls on the line”, does he really mean it? He probably does and Papa Bouba Diop wasn’t taking any chances, putting his family jewels on the line on more than one occasion in his own six yard box.

Rather him than us, right?

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19 comments Last one added 6 months ago — Leave a Comment

  1. Nathan Lowe 6 months ago

    What's up with all the shitty managers in the top flight? Ince, Southgate, Adams.. these guys were all still playing four or five years ago, and now each matchday (obviously Ince is gone, now) you see Adams and Southgate trying to defend their team and their job after another poor performance. Stuttering and stammering away about unjustice or their teams battling qualities or "We've got to get results." Ugh.

    If Adams was a shipmate of mine, I wouldn't trust him to steer the con. I wouldn't follow him into battle. The guy is arrogant. No one on that squad wanted to play for Adams; they wanted to play for Redknapp, which they did so well last season. Ugh, these former players and the chairmen who hire them ...

    Also, that Spurs joker, wasn't trying to do a Zidane pirouette, or else he'd have used his toe and not his heel to come down on the ball. Sloppy stuff. For shame...

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  2. Salomon Gonzales 6 months ago

    "Just when you think Steven Gerrard was the star of the day with his two goals, his old foe Frank Lampard goes and bags a brace himself….no wonder England managers can’t choose between them."

    Got me nodding in respect.

    "When the boss sends you out and tells you “I want your balls on the line”, does he really mean it? He probably does and Papa Bouba Diop wasn’t taking any chances, putting his family jewels on the line on more than one occasion in his own six yard box.

    Rather him than us, right?"

    Cracked me up and made me wanna read more...

    Great, extinctive journalistic lines. I love these series and your a quality writer but i guess you and everybody knows this!

    Great Going mate.

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    • Andrew McNair 6 months ago

      Thanks mate. Glad you enjoy it and glad you used the word instinctive as I don't think twice...I just write :) Look out for more next year and thanks again.

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  3. Nathan B 6 months ago

    So is Liverpool really that good or is the Newcastle defence that bad? I wasn't expecting 5-1 ... that's for sure.

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  4. Yoosof Farah 6 months ago

    great article as always andrew. a good matchday in the epl as well. i'm surprised how well gomes played, and how well the newcastle defence were; i thought they would concede at least 12, especially with calamity coloccini in the side. and speaking of calamities, calamity james was up to his old tricks again, arsenal should've scored a lot more. i think they should be in the not section for not scoring more against pompey.

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  5. Barney 6 months ago

    If there is one world class player I feel sorry for then it is this man. Twelve years he has been playing behind THAT defence.

    Summed it up perfectly! Shay Given is such a good keeper! But the defence is so bad that he had one of his days where he seemingly saved everything and Liverpool still came out having scored 5 goals!

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    • Barney 6 months ago

      And Ricardo Fuller slapping his own teammate! What's all that about?! It was an enormously stupid thing to do from him, particularly as Stoke pride themselves on working as a unit!

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    • Salomon Gonzales 6 months ago

      Not just 'one of his team-mates' but his captain. Completely and utterly stupid...

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    • Andrew McNair 6 months ago

      Haha yeah it must suck being a keeper lol

      As for Fuller, I really hope he never plays in England again...what a jumped up pre madonna.

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  6. Keith Griffin 6 months ago

    Andrew, you should do one of these for every league! Great stuff mate.

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