關於歐賽決賽，我想說的是 ...

唔經唔覺，上次踼決賽已經係十一年前嘅事（更唔好講伊斯坦堡一役咁遠）

那些年仲番緊學，而且夜晚幾乎唔洗瞓（真係頂唔順嘅話，上堂瞓／走堂亦可），場場歐聯睇晒都仲得

回首肥賓執教嘅年代，歐聯資格固然手到拿來，就算入到淘汰賽嘅成績亦唔差。當年冇人估到球隊會經歷近年嘅低潮，係連喺歐聯亮相都難

人總是失去後才懂得珍惜，所以今年嘅歐聯比賽，仿佛比當年嘅更珍貴

十年過去，人面固然全非，球隊嘅打法亦已大變。不過希望熱血不變，今晚踼番場好波

#YNWA
#StandRed
#in_klopp_we_trust

Allez, Allez, Allez!

從來都唔信邪，唔信咩九星連珠，因為所有紀錄都係用嚟破嘅

只不過純粹記得，2005 嘅歐聯四強次回合，都係 5 月 3 日踼嘅（好似係）

當年嘅形勢險峻得多，首回合作客史丹福橋只能悶和 0─0 ，番主場迎戰該季極為穩定嘅車仔（全季都未贏過佢哋，其中包括聯賽盃決賽，而佢哋喺聯賽只輸過一至兩場），如果俾摩佬先攞到一個作客入球，將會極之難踼

相反，宜家係拎住幾球喺手，不過作客羅馬並唔易踼（歐聯主場未失過波），上一輪嘅巴塞已是前車之鑑，唯有希望 #LFC 今晚醒醒定定，發揮正常

Ps. 講開紀錄，其實我睇高普帶隊踼咁多次決賽（歐聯、德國盃＠多仔、聯賽盃、歐霸＠利記），一次都未見佢贏過。但，又如何？

#邪po
#黑腳
#留名等binc

一步之遙

話說四十幾年前，香港隊與亞洲盃決賽週同樣只有一步之遙。

是咁的，1975年，香港主辧第六屆亞洲盃外圈賽第三組賽事。港隊於小組賽出線後，在政府大球場迎戰北韓，爭奪決賽週資格。北韓在上半場領先兩球，但港隊於下半場連入兩球扳平，法定時間內打成 2:2，比賽進入加時。加時下半場，港隊憑胡國雄的入球首度領先，可惜旋即因隊長鄭潤如的回傳失誤而被追成3:3，需以十二碼決勝。相方互射14輪後，香港最終以10比11飲恨，無緣躋身1976年亞洲盃決賽週

講番2018年，其實聽日又唔洗好似當年咁刺激，只要簡簡單單煲碗魚生粥小勝一球，竟當年未竟之功，大家都肯肯定收貨

BTW 積極考慮聽日午餐食金仔米線，以壯港隊行色

#wearehongkong

我和我的利物浦 (上)

「任何人成為球迷之前，都係一個勝利球迷。」1

對我來說，這或許對了一半，因為我正是盃賽三冠王那屆 (00-01) 開始捧利物浦；至於另一半，就是反骨仔奧雲和球隊當年以他為核心的防反戰術。(那是希比亞、夏文、麥亞里士打、希斯基、史米沙、梅菲、懷斯，當然還有謝拉特和加歷查的年代)

第一次接觸「利物浦」，大概是小四左右 (~1996)，記得那時經學校訂的《星島日報》中有一份學生報，某期全版專題介紹英格蘭聯賽 (或英超) 的「雙紅」─ 利物浦和曼聯。那個年代家裡沒有收費電視，我對兩隊甚至外國聯賽根本毫無認識，唯一的印像是球會名字和「飛利浦」很相似，曾懷疑兩者有沒有關係。

世界盃今年回到垃圾 TBB 之前，98 法國世盃是 TBB 最後一屆直播的世界盃，之前偶爾睇本地波都是不甚了了，到那年真正開始睇波。升中後，同學朋輩間更常談到足球，尤其是英超，但家裡沒有唉畸寶，也不能上網，當年 TBB 偶爾的深夜轉播和精華大多是西甲 (後淪為荷甲)，要接觸英超主要靠睇波經。

01 年，TBB 當然沒有足總盃和聯賽盃的決賽，但有直播對艾拉維斯的歐協決賽，我就是從那場打到加時共入九球的比賽後開始留意利物浦。記得有朋友說過，他喜歡獌是因為球隊會創造奇蹟，大槪就是這回事。中三開始用 56K 上網，每 load 一個網頁都要幾十秒，要避開多圖片的網站，用 flashget 下載入球片段。上香港球迷會網站、找球賽精華、讀球會歷史 ─ 與愛華頓的分裂和競爭、七八十年代暉煌的本土及歐洲戰蹟，還有希素和希斯堡慘劇。

球隊在聯賽也有進步，01-02 球季壓倒獌排第二，似乎有望爭取聯賽錦標。那時最令人期待的一幕，就是謝拉特直線傳予反骨仔入球，但球隊守強攻弱，面對死守往往老鼠拉龜，接著一季成績倒退，侯利亞常提到「球隊還很年青」的解釋已難令球迷滿意。03 年利物浦來港，和朋友通頂排隊買飛，現在只記得希斯基壓往港隊中堅，輕鬆轉身怒射破網，接著和仔在右路 cup 過當年仍打閘位的加歷查，可惜出波底線傳底。同年裝了有線，自此常在家看利記比賽，謝拉特剛成為隊長，球隊成績沒有大起色，侯利亞單調的戰術已經走到盡頭，那是他和反骨仔在利物浦的最後一年。

04 年暑假，賓尼迪斯由華倫西亞入主，開始西班牙化，引入了沙比等西國球員，針對性部署往往能限制同級對手的發揮。(其實我想寫 "the rest is history") 中七，AL 前都不用上學，讓我看多了深夜的歐聯 ─ 利迷都記得那年的神奇之旅：分組賽最後一場謝拉特對奧林比亞高斯的絶殺、四強加西亞那個令摩佬一直難以釋懷的入球 (那幾年肥賓與摩佬多次在盃賽碰頭，結下樑子)，和最後在伊斯坦布爾的大逆轉。

季初，早已不肯續約的反骨仔己離隊加盟皇馬。無法否認，當年走位、速度和埋門俱佳的反骨仔是我支持利記的一個重要原因，曾認真想過，自己支持的是他還是球隊，結論是 no player is more important than the team。 人各有志，對他的離去一直沒有甚麼意見，直至他入獌。自此我在隊中最喜歡的就是開始大熟大勇的謝拉特 (第二是最穩陣的加歷查，再其次是沙比)，鬥志、感染力，加上在關鍵時刻的招牌遠射，包括 06 年足總杯決賽對西咸那球補時期間「神奇，頂級，超卓」的入球。最重要的是他 05 年暑假拒絶車仔的斟介留效利物浦，要知道忠誠在現今足壇已屬難能可貴，球員生涯有限/人望高處，為錦標和高薪而轉會才是常態。2

(睏，有機會再續)

1. http://www.hkoriginals.hk/%E8%B6%81%E5%88%A9%E7%89%A9%E6%B5%A6%E6%9C%AA%E5%A5%AA%E5%86%A0%EF%BC%8C%E5%AF%AB%E5%B7%A6%E5%85%88/

2. 大部份謝老四的致命失誤，我都是看直播 (除了 09-10 聯賽回傳杜奧巴一球)，包括在球會和國家隊兩次對享利的致命回傳、04 聯賽盃決賽末段的撐龍舟烏龍，當然還有今屆對巴亞跣腳。再在此提出來恥笑，大可不必。

[FW] Moneyball：單刀橫傳的反思

歐偉倫手拿「單刀橫傳霸四海」揮春的拜年圖（當然是網民創作），今年新春仍在流傳。歐假假哋曾是港腳兼足球先生，球技絕對應該高於99.99%取笑他的網民——在香港，球迷若日常會去公園踢兩腳，已算頗難得了。我有時會想：當年這一腳橫傳，是否建基於一些我們普通人看不到的因素而作出（雖然我暫時仍未想到有何可能性）？

不留情面的批評，在網上永遠有市場，鬧得越抵死越多人like，但我相信鬧的人很少質疑自己有無資格批評。例如曼聯成績不濟，球迷鬧爆之餘，十個人會出二十個建議：起用香川真司、減少兩邊斬中、買法比加斯、炒領隊……但球迷果真認為自己的判斷比曼聯管理層更好嗎？


精華片段放大球員表現

1990年世界杯準決賽中，德國憑布林美的一記改變方向射門入球，賽後英格蘭門將施路頓遭不少球迷罵他年紀太老、反應太慢（他當年40歲）。施路頓二十年後開腔回應：「批評者不知道自己在講甚麼。」

他解釋，若是由其他守門員來把關，十之八九只會呆站目送球入網，正是因為他反應夠快，才能中途轉向後退，反而令動作看來突兀。你必定懷疑施路頓砌詞為自己解困吧？入球的布林美卻認同這說法：「他從未見過守門員反應這麼快。」

球迷對足球的印象，九成來自電視轉播，其中又有九成來自精華重溫，換言之是C朗、美斯最佳表現片段；餘下的可能來自電子遊戲：按「A」鍵長傳、「B」鍵短傳，腳腳到位，按「D」鍵射門腳腳七注。殊不知，就算強如沙維、沙比阿朗素，都不可能達到如此準繩。C朗每場比賽射門「只有」7.88次，當中「只有」17.6%成為入球，必定比大部份FIFA玩家水皮。用這樣的尺度量度一般球員表現，當然是失望居多，但也不能代表球員「無腦」、「屎波」、「未盡全力」甚至「打假波」。

當我們取笑李健和「底線傳底」時，是否低估了踢了大半場、體力下降、兼快放完一段落底線後準確傳中的難度？

誠然，有些球迷業餘得來非常專業，例如英國有位博客Michael Cox，在自己網站Zonal Marking寫足球戰術分析，後來得《衛報》和ESPN垂青轉為職業分析員。他仍是業餘博客時接受訪問說，睇波時配備磁石白版，協助記錄隊形和做筆記，也會反覆重看比賽重要時刻之後才下筆。



我問過足球博客「薩基」如何觀察和分析隊型，特別是球員沒球在腳時的走位，他也說：「係呀，的確要抗拒追波睇的本能，迫自己追住球員來睇。」他們是例外中的例外，我自問做不到。

1941年12月7日，日軍偷襲夏威夷珍珠港，美軍傷亡慘重，原來事前有不少預警迹象，例如美國情報部10月時已得悉，一個駐夏威夷的日本間諜收到指令，監視珍珠港的美軍艦進出調動情況。

事實上，美軍共收過不少於八項線索，指日軍可能突襲珍珠港。憤怒的美國人認為這是軍方重大疏忽，甚至有人相信總統故意讓日軍得逞，以乘勢鼓動國民參戰。

不過，原來在同一段時間，情報部也收過58條情報指日軍會進攻菲律賓、21條指會攻巴拿馬、7條關於東南亞、7條直指美國本土西岸。

2001年的911襲擊亦然：固然事後「發現」襲擊者之前和拉登有聯繫、與之前爆炸案有關、曾計劃暗殺名人等「先兆」，甚至有FBI探員上書警告「拉登可能正有計劃地派人到美國學駕駛飛機」，何以FBI無動於中？部份原因是，FBI手頭上，有68,000項仍未跟進的「情報」。

因此，人人都可以做諸葛亮——不過是「事後」那種。早前曼聯被富咸迫和，批評者大喊曼聯只懂獨孤一味兩邊斬中，破了傳中次數紀錄。假如幸運之神稍為眷顧，讓曼聯偷雞成功，賽後評論很容易改寫成「曼聯勝在兩翼佔壓倒性優勢」。

另一問題，是球迷普遍極之主觀，偏見亦非常嚴重。我明白，睇波要投入才過癮；要投入，則必須有立場，有擁護對象，才會贏波時開心到跳起、輸波唉聲嘆氣。


批評總比付出心力容易

社會心理學家指出，人有根深蒂固的「小圈子」和「排外」傾向，這種擁護和守衞自己社群本性，對人作為群居動物甚為重要。不過，有質素的評論和討論，前提是要客觀，否則只變成潑婦罵街。

我試過寫文章批評車路士指控球證出言侮辱（事件後來被足總裁定不成案），立刻被讀者留言指我是「獌迷」（申報：我是利物浦迷）；我也寫過「腳風順」沒有科學根據，卻被批反蘇亞雷斯（申報：ME ENCANTA SUAREZ!）。

有關擁躉偏見，有這一個政治學的研究：一般人自以為根據自己的價值取向決定支持那些政黨，但實際上過程往往倒轉：我們先選定了心儀政黨，然後找支持理由，包括選擇性地接受和扭曲現實。

我當然預計各位「獌迷」、「車迷」甚至「利迷」會對這篇文章有不客氣評語。我會用電影「五星級大鼠」（Ratatouille）裏，食評人Anton Ego品嘗老鼠廚神Remy手勢後的感慨，來安慰自己：「評論員的工作其實頗容易。我們不用冒險，卻可佔據道德高地，肆意批評他人的作品甚至個人。我們喜歡鬧人，因為寫者痛快、讀者過癮，但我們最終不得不承認的一點是，人家付出了心力的『垃圾』，意義還是比我們的批評大得多。」


姚崢嶸

The Wenger Game

7 things to learn from the Old Trafford game

1. You can only have one formation in one season. so as we play 4-3-3 in the pre-season, we can only afford to play 4-3-3. Players need time to understand & adapt the tactics, so do not change it in a single season. (Keep the faith even it seems not work with the available players)

2. All substitutions need to be made after 60 minutes. You need to trust your starting eleven. Give them at least 15 more minutes in the 2nd half (Keep the faith even how strange the opponent's tactic is)

3. Whoever we play, ignore their tactics and style. We play our own football and we can surely win & score with it. If they park the bus in front of goal, we would keep our nerve and be patient. If the game finally ends with a dulll draw, that is their problem. (Keep the faith we believe our football style)

4. Key players must be played if they are fit, or so-called fit. (Keep the faith even they seems have a poor game, they can change it sometime later)

5. Trust your players even how crap they seem to be. They need games. Youth players can only improve their games. So do Diaby & Denilson.

6. We need a plan B from the bench. The tactics need to be the same, but at least we can move some players from the flank to the middle or from the bench to the field. Nasri can play both the flank and the middle, but starting him in the middles allows us no plan B.

7. Play the ball in the middle is alright. People saying why not using the width of the pitch. You know, we didn't train crossing!

Arsenal the present

We lost the Carling Cup Final.

People around start mocking Arsenal once again. They say Arsenal is a team 6 years without trophy and will be without for a even longer time. Somebody in facebook compared Arsenal with the Hong Kong MPF, aiming at something can't really can get in near future. Well, every gooner should be get used to this kind of laugh in recent years. And as I recalled, people talked about quadruple just a week ago.

Is Arsenal never gonna win another trophy under the Arsene Wenger? Is Arsenal only capable to be better the year later? These are not indeed the center of the discussion.

People, even the fans, would question the philsophy of Arsenal. Selling the best players in the team to cash in. Brings the most talented youngsters to the first team, gain experienced and then sell for money again. I was one of them a few years ago. Especially when we reached only 4th rank for 2 years consecutively. "C"ashley Cole left the team since we moved to Emirates and he won 6 trophies since then. We won none.

Football is about winning trophies. This is the ultimate target for every football club in the world. It is so natural and understandable to measure the success of a club according to the number of trophies they won. However, to reach the target, there are many success factors. Man Utd become the best club in England because of Ferguson and Famous 1992 Academy. Chelsea is success not only because of Abramovich's money, but also Jose Mourinho.

To be honest, Arsenal had never as successful as these 2 clubs, even they had an invincible. Arsenal's success comes too short and too fast under Arsene Wenger. He start the so-called new philosophy all since the sale of Patrick Vieira and mature of Cesc Fabregas. The move to Emirates is something make the philosphy more solid. Being not unable to spend big, Arsenal put efforts on the worldwide scouting system. With the hot money making the transfer market too crazy, Arsenal do not have the money to spend big and can only spend smart. For example, Wenger admired Essien but failed to compete with Chelsea. On the other hand, some key players left the team bacause of other big club's interest (Henry, Hleb), money (Ashely Cole, Flamini) & getting older (Gilberto, Ljungberg, Pires, Vieira, Parlour). All these side issues make the rebuilding difficult for Wenger.

He can only rely on the young players who seems so talented at early ages. Young talented players are also cheap who fits the smart-spending phoilosophy. He bought Adebayor, Hleb, Eboue, Diaby, Walcott, Song and brings Denilson, Bendtner, Djourou to the first team.

Get ride of the difficult period, when Wenger has the ability to spend, however, he finds any big spending would ruin the progress of young players. The young system, both scouting and academy, at that time was already well built and has a inexpensive treasure for the club. He wants to protect it and so can only keep the team in similar style.

This year, Wenger rarely shouted to ask for his youngsters to deliver. He feels the transform was finished and it is time for the team to win something. With growth of Wilshere and Szczesny, the last puzzles of the team were collected. We have everything to win something this year. What we lack is just the start. Carling Cup is a easy step but we failed. It doesn;t matter because there are still 3 more chances coming.

Arsenal's failure hurts not only the fans, but also Wenger. He is more faithful to the team than any Gooners in the world because he is a god damn perfectionist. He doesn't like losing. As you can see on the pitch, his patience, like us, has gone.

Remark: A lovely article seen in the internet -
Arsenal’s Winning Mentality and the Invincible Season

Pain

Arsenal punished by their North London rivals by an awesome 2nd half comeback.
Arsenal 2 - 3 Tottenham

Arsenal's hope to top the table were completely destroyed and Chelsea is likely to extend thier lead over the Gunners to 5 points.

This is the first defect that I can hardly accept since the 2006 final.

This reminds me about 2 old comments:
1) Arsenal can no longer win any trophy under Arsene Wenger - by Palmer (ANR's blogger)
2) Whenever Arsenal close to the top of table, or win something, they slipped - By Mourinho

I was deeply hurt by the result. Fortunately this is a Novemeber match so the we may be still have chance to blow our title hope bubbles later this season. However, I hate the feeling of being strengthless. We used to have many match-winners like Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Freddie Ljungberg. But the existing team can hardly overcome the obstacles they faced. I can name a lot easily, Clichy slip at St Andrews, the 4-4 draw with Spurs at Emirates, all the games against Drogba. They keep disappoints the fans.

I congratuate Spurs fans as they can smile the whole year with this victory. They did not expect their team to win at Emirates so these, including the Champions League football this year, are out of their expectation. Their team are climbing up from a position of middle team to challenge big teams. Being an arsenal fan in hard, you are not satisfied even your team got a second, because you always think the team SHOULD win something.

I am struggling as being a gooner. I missed the old days, the time when the team perform like winners. I loved the club. I look forward to this match for more than a month and spend the whole week to wait for the match. What I get from the match is pain.

I have high expectation to the gunners. At 2-nil up at half time, I expect them to score more to crash their rivals, and to build up their morale to both the midweek Champions League game and next Villa game. I think too much for the table and coming fixture, then Spurs's 3 goals got me back to the current situation.

I support the team since 1998, even when I did not watch them played a single minute. I bought up to 10 Arsenal DVDs to make sure I can always watch the goals when no match is played, and to retaste the wonderful winning memory. As the internet improves and I started not to satisfy with only the goals, I download every single MOTD highlights in recent years so I can watch more. I loved playing football video games, and I used Arsenal for many years. I follow many Arsenal's fans in twitter, as well as some Arsenal's players and I read their Tweets everyday. With all these, arsenal is just surronding me.

I understand the ability of the players from the replay, the news, the computer games. So I know they are capable to win something. There is no real difficulty to win against the fucking Spurs.

I almost cry after the final whistle.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

大人鬥細路

車路士 2 - 0 阿仙奴

意料中事。車路士未出力時阿仙奴還打得可以，當車路士一出力就領先了。很輕鬆，上季已經是這樣。杜奧巴好像羸得不好意思，整場比賽打得有風度之餘卻有表現。這令我想起亨利。E，阿仙奴不是早早在四年前已經有一個新亨利嗎?

四年前，聯賽盃決賽，上演了一場大人鬥細路的比賽。雲加信任聯賽盃中一直上陣的小將，派出一支平均年齡少於廿一歲的陣容對抗車路士的正選。當時禾確特首次為阿仙奴入波。即使最後反勝為敗，阿仙奴仍贏得不少的掌聲。

四年過去了，阿仙奴再沒有打入任何賽事的決賽。但雲加堅持對小將的信任則每一季有增無減。主將一個一個的賣走，年輕的球員一個一個的上位變做主力。沒錯，部份的他們的確進步了很多。法比加斯成為世界級球員、基治一度成為高爾離隊後左閘的答案、桑治上季進步神速成為不可或缺的主力，還有開始上力的禾確特、開始懂得進攻的伊保、作用越來越重要的戴亞比等。但是，失敗的例子不是很多嗎?當年正選上陣的賀迪、辛達路斯、查奧爾、 艾拿迪亞等，去了哪裡?

年輕給人的感覺是充滿朝氣，看似只有進步，沒有退步。也有人說阿仙奴是一支活在將來的球隊，球隊有的是潛能，實力嘛?耐心等吧，有一天你會等到的。所以禾確特會是新亨利、戴亞比是新韋拉、辛達路斯是新阿當斯。他們會越來越接近名宿的實力，因為是名宿會有變老的一天。

自找的爆冷

阿仙奴　２－３　西布朗

(From http://soccernet.espn.go.com/)
０－０　Brunt (pen miss 37)

０－１　Odemwingie (50)
０－２　Jara (52)
０－３　Thomas (73)
１－３　Nasri (75)
２－３　Nasri (90)

敗給弱隊永遠不會好受。即使近年阿仙奴的攻力怎樣不銳利，主場落後三比零都是罕見的畫面。對上一次是敗給如日中天的車路士。至於大敗給弱隊吧，大約是高貝利年代連環烏龍球敗給米杜士堡。

黑心的說，這場比賽看了２０分鐘後我希望西布朗入球的。整隊波死氣沉沉，球員不止一次面對面交失波。是他們心不在焉，太過老定，或仍然沉醉於在盃賽淘汰同市死敵？我後悔沒有早早下注下一隊入球於西布朗身上。

冷靜，分是失了。也許阿仙奴球迷可慶幸最後的十幾分鐘拿斯利為他們了挽回了少許的面子。我不擔心這次阿仙奴的敗陣會影響到往後的比賽，因為整場失準的主因是在排陣上。

今天雲加少有的輪換，可能週中的盃賽與下週中的歐聯令他有所顧忌。另外他今年對自己的後備陣容有信心，覺得可以排出相約實力的陣容。可惜，他排陣的功夫根本差得很。

先看中場，桑治、戴亞比本應是一隊很好的防守中場，對西布朗這些較為硬淨的球隊可作四人防線的屏障。但由於雲加收起了週中差不多打足的路斯基及韋舒亞，二人前面只放了一個拿斯利，令中場的優勢雙手拱讓給西布朗。很早已經有人說過拿斯利的創造力來自他的盤球（dribble），而不是傳球（passing）。這樣的三人中場沒有人懂分波，既造不到空位，也令西布朗五人中場容易睹塞阿仙奴的傳球。加上右翼放了一個不是進攻料子的伊保，左翼放了一個疏於走動的艾沙雲，阿仙奴的進攻便死氣沉沉，只靠部份球員的個人能力突破，西布朗很容易防守。部份球員特別是戴亞比的積極性在比賽初段太低，走動太少更突顯法比加斯在陣中（或是有能力接棒的韋舒亞）的重要。我重申，沒有法比加斯的比賽，千萬不要讓陣中四大神獸（桑治、戴亞比、伊保、丹尼臣）一同上陣，這只會握殺了阿仙奴的創造力。（除了丹尼臣，我覺得他們在陣中的角色都很重要，只是不要一起上陣罷了…）

艾蒙尼亞的失誤由雲加不肯重用馬隆尼或舒爾辛尼已經知道會不斷出現（留意我不是說沒有買到舒華沙），失第二球時牛油手見怪不怪，失第三球沒有飛撲也部份因為上半場的十二碼加黃牌。反而四名法國防線的統籌問題更顯眼，有網友笑指他們像是溝通不良。開季以來亦有很多意識上的不恰當令為己隊製造很多麻煩，例如高斯爾尼的解圍落點永遠清不遠。惟有寄望今年華美倫身體健康吧。

最尾雲加一口氣把所有攻擊球員放上場只是孤注一擲，奈何卡路士韋拿任左翼只自斷一臂，而隊友的走位又沒有互相配合，很多時沒有人去搶第二點（Second ball）。要在西布朗身上追三球是本身的問題多於時間的問題。

Email to Banks from Liverpool Fans

jamie.dimon@jpmchase.com; charlie.scharf@chase.com; gordon.smith@chase.com; marc.x.sheinbaum@jpmchase.com; david.b.lowman@jpmchase.com; autobahn.fi@db.com; autobahn.insight@db.com; aesales.emea@db.com; autobahn.fx@db.com; autobahn.fo@db.com; autobahn.support@db.com; ari.cohen@db.com; lem.brewster@db.com; mayura.hooper@db.com; renee.calabro@db.com; scott.helfman@db.com; john-t.gallagher@db.com; ted.meyer@db.com; ruben.borges@db.com

---

Dear Sirs,

If your company agrees a ￡280million refinancing deal with Tom Hicks to retain his share in Liverpool Football Club, then the only return that you will see on your investment is bad publicity and a severe backlash from Liverpool supporters worldwide.

As you are aware, Hicks is trying to refinance his debt to the Royal Bank of Scotland before October 6th so that he can continue his disastrous ownership of Liverpool Football Club.

You are facing an energized, well-informed mass of Liverpool fans from around the world. We are tapped into a constant stream of information on the ownership situation. Every day, dozens of web forums buzz with the latest news. Protest marches, newspaper ads, boycotts and billboards are organized. Every move Hicks makes is scrutinized. And every associate of his is warned.

Refinancing is our nightmare scenario. Anybody who helps Tom Hicks refinance will become our primary target.  Just ask the Blackstone Group / GSO Capital Partners who received approximately 7,000 emails in the space of a few days from disgruntled Liverpool fans following refinancing talks with Hicks.  They soon saw sense and ended negotiations with Hicks after Liverpool supporters bombarded them with emails and phone calls.

The Sun Newspaper is another organisation who have felt the wrath of Liverpool fans following their disgraceful coverage of the Hillsborough Disaster in 1989.  The boycott of the newspaper by Liverpool fans is said to have cost News International an estimated ￡10 million a year.

If you join Tom Hicks in raping and pillaging Liverpool Football Club, then you will be making a very powerful enemy.

You have been warned.

Yours faithfully,
 Michael Leung

KOP FAITHFUL

Spiderman & Batman

Previosuly I thought Newcastle's Jonas Gutierrez's goal celebration with the spiderman's mask was already remarkable. Until today I found a French goalkeeper Janot wore a full set of Spiderman kit in a league game.



Well, with spiderman at the goaline, I think the only player who can compete with him is - Batman, from Paraguay.

Be careful of Karl Henry? (Revised)

Fulham rocked as Zamora suffers broken leg

It is horrible to see another broken leg in the premier league yesterday. Get well soon Bobby Zamora. Who made the tackle? Karl Henry, who was highlighted by MOTD last fixture who win many battles (actually foul on) Joey Barton of Newcastle. That is Joey Barton, can you think of any other player can do this?


(He is the no.8 player)

It also remind me about another bad tacke on Rosicky last season. Late tackle and never gonna get the ball.



Let's also look at the stats. last year from the offical website we found that actually he is not a very dirty player.

Fouls (60) - The 10th most foul commited player last season - Kevin Davies had 103 times and Tim Cahill has 73 times.
Yellow cars (6) - Not a big number in the rank 50th to 65th. Bolton's Fabrice Muamba booked 11 times and 6 players booked 10 times.

And his record throughout his career? Just only one red card against Rosicky.

Arsene Wenger gave very bad comments on Martin Taylor and Ryan Shawcross, who breaks the legs of his playesr Eduardo and Ramsey respectively. So what did Mark Hughes said after the loss of his beloved stirker for 4 months? No complaints on their play.

Hughes rues Zamora injury after Wolves win

While Fulham's fans gave full vent to their anger at Wolves's physical approach—which earned six yellow cards and one red—Hughes had no complaints about Mick McCarthy's tactics.

"Wolves were competitive as you'd expect. Mick McCarthy sets his teams up to compete for every ball," he said.

"The Premier League is competitive and I've had similar criticism in the past. Sometimes it's warranted and sometimes it isn't.

"Maybe today some of the fouls were made to break up our momentum and maybe at times were a little bit cynical. That's why the crowd was getting frustrated.

"I'd never criticise any team for trying to be competitive against us - that's part and parcel of the Premier League."

I agree. This is the style of premier league.

Injuries and injuries....

Is arsenal a team never gonna have a full squad?

Theo injured with England, again


Arsenal announce Robin van Persie injury setback

Arsenal
T Walcott Ankle/Foot Injury no return date
R Van Persie Ankle/Foot Injury 24th Oct 10
E Frimpong ACL Knee Injury May 11
S Nasri Knee Injury 18th Sep 10
N Bendtner Groin/Pelvis Injury 11th Sep 10
A Ramsey Broken Leg 16th Oct 10

Arsenal has a big contrast against ACMilan, of which players have long career and medical team is marvellous.

Jamie Carragher Testimonial

Oh well, I have no idea why it took place just around an international fixture, but a good day for Carra who nearly was not offered this year's Liverpool contract by the end of last year.

Some familar faces in the testimonial. Owen in Red again, Luis Garcia, Heskey, Murphy, David Thompson, McAllister, Warnock, it is wonderful for the liverpool fans.

They won 4-1 against Everton XI who is mainly non-internationals and reserve players.

If I was a liverpool fan, I would miss the players in this match. Emile Heskey is still a strong forward who may help Torres in front. Danny Murphy should be given enough chance in Liverpool as he did now in Fulham. Luis Garcia is a magic player whose final touch could always help the team wins matches (I would rate Garcia and Alonso be the only good signings from Benetiz thorughout his Liverpool years.)

The Offside: Updated—Jamie Carragher Testimonial

Garcia's great goal

Theo Walcott

Theo Walcott is having his best start of the premiership with 4 goals in 3 games. But people in England keep criticising him without a football brain.


Theo Walcott has no football brain, says Chris Waddle - Mar, 2010

Alan Hansen: Theo Walcott must learn to think as fast as he can run - Mar, 2010

Alan Hansen spoke about Theo after his hat trick against Blackpool

walcotthansen02h4e
Uploaded by arsenalist. - News videos hot off the press.

Whether Theo has a football brain or not cannot be told by a short period. But there is a piece of article saying Theo prefers the pressure of proving critics wrong than the pressure of performing for admirers who expect miracles.

Theo Walcott's brain

It seems intersting and let's see how it goes.

----
Update on Sep 2
Theo Walcott blames himself for missing world cup

Theo: "I didn’t deserve to go to the 2006 World Cup. I hadn’t played in the Premier League and hadn't justified being there at all. This time, well, the form wasn’t there. I was trying to be there and I had a feeling I could be there, but I had to look at myself and go and prove people wrong on the pitch.

This is the 1st time he expresses regret about the 2006 WC.

Chamakh is a good addition to Arsenal's squad

Less time to write. Just Forward other's piece of work:

Chamakh Drop-Back: Arsenal's New Attack?

If you don't understand what is the role or position of "false 9". Just have a look on another article

未来十年足球技战术演变趋势畅想 search for 虚九

BTW, the quoted website of Zonal Marking is as good as this good. I like their match analysis.

Let's classify Arsenal's players

Reason: If you understand their ability, you will not over-expect them

Class 1 - Fabregas, Van Persie, Vermaelen, Rosicky(if no more injury)
Class 2 - Arshavin, Nasri, Song, Eboue
Class 3 - Diaby, Clichy, Sagna, Vela, Almunia, Gibbs, Djourou, Ramsey, Walcott
Class 4 - Fabianski, Bendtner, Denilson
Unclassfied yet - Chamakh, Koscielny, Wilshere, Szczesny

Note:
Class 1 - Players with ability to change to game
Class 2 - When they are good, they play good football
Class 3 - They are in the team but you do not expect them to shine
Class 4 - What you want is they can do things right.

=========================================================================
Legend:
Class 1 - Henry, Pires, Bergkamp, Ljungberg, Vieira, Cole, Campbell
Class 2 - Wiltord, Gilberto, Lehmann, Toure, Adebayor
Class 3 - Edu, Lauren, Parlour
Class 4 - Senderos, Baptista, Cygan, Stepanovs

[轉載] 梁文道：迷信足球

【am730-觀念】1937年，巴西名門球隊達伽馬的主場被一個敵隊球迷下咒，他埋下一隻縫住了咀巴的癩蝦蟆，並且咀咒未來十二年之內達伽馬都不會得到 巴西冠軍。果然，達伽馬就這樣倒霉了十二年。我有一群朋友是英超利物浦的死忠粉絲，他們曾經一起租下某間酒店的房間，避開家小，共同觀看一場重要比賽。在 利物浦打贏那一場之後，每逢關鍵時刻，他們就一定要湊足人數去租回同一間房。其中一個告訴我：「呢間房老嚟」；看來，他們真心相信一支英格蘭球隊的表現， 全繫於幾個香港球迷有沒有租對酒店。

我們之所以迷信，和我們熱愛足球的理由完全是同一回事，那就是足球的不確定。

不是球 迷的人往往很難理解足球到底好看在甚麼地方。比起籃球、排球、網球和乒乓球，足球的比分實在太小，入球也實在太過困難，九十分鐘下來，勝負常常決定於一兩 球之間。但是球迷們都曉得這正正是足球的魅力。我知道有些人只愛看體育新聞裡的精華剪輯，看看那些球怎樣被人攻進龍門。對真正的球迷來說，這無異於放著一 套好端端的武打片不瞧，也不管正邪盤腸大戰的整個過程，卻只盯住壞人被打倒在地上的那最後一聲慘叫。甚麼叫做足球比賽的「精華」？且想像把幾十部武俠片的 結局剪接成一部電影，由頭到尾就是一幫面容扭曲的惡棍不斷地吐血呻吟，「啊」來「啊」去；你說，這能好看嗎？不管怎樣，你就是不能拿籃球和足球比較，至少 NBA的進球精華是可觀的，因為那些進球片段幾乎就是籃球的一切；足球則不。

我們可以說NBA就像徐克拍的《黃飛鴻》，沒有人會一擊致 死，雙方總得你中我一腿，我還你一拳，指掌翻飛，血花四濺，最後以累積點數的傷勢來決斷大局。世界盃則像是黑澤明的《用心棒》，二人默默對峙，周圍的空氣 繃緊得連飛鳥都穿不過去，然後，刷一道白光，其中一人的胸口忽地爆出一大篷鮮血；一劍，生死就只在這一劍。只不過你必須想像一場球賽是那放大了拖慢了的對 峙，一分鐘成了九十分鐘，你能感受到那九十分鐘裡的劍拔弩張嗎？這九十分鐘可以發生的意外確實太多，或許是陽光出現得太過突然，眼睛還來不及適應，又或許 是氣溫微升，手心的汗水潤濕了指掌，使你拔劍一刻不慎滑了半分。所以球場上從來沒有強者必勝的道理，中國隊能夠意外地擊潰法國，荷蘭也能在下風處因為一記 烏龍逆轉勝巴西。每一個致命的進球都來得如此困難，每一個小小的疏忽與意外都來得如此致命。足球是種容不得絲毫錯誤的競賽，最強大的高手也會喪命在最低級 的閃光。迷信和種種荒誕的陰謀怪論，因此都是自然的，甚且必須。足球太複雜也太講機遇，它的形勢變化足以推翻一切常理。如果不是命運，我們又該如何解釋荷 蘭永遠只能拿第二？如果沒有陰謀，巴西又怎能臨場失準輸給了法國呢？

球員半跪場邊，在胸前迅速劃了一個十字，然後用指尖親吻草地。接著他 起身奔向不可測的終局，只能相信自己已被球場祝福。

Gerrard's backpass isn't any news

Okay, every Man Utd fans blame Gerrard's backpass to Drogba which cost them 2 points behind Chelsea at the end.


However, Gerrard has already gifted the boy twice to Henry in year 2004. So, anything special?


(start at 0:55)


By the way, many players like to backpass. Another gift to Henry by a Wigan player.

(start at 1:20)