2007, a Review.

With our first year of blogging in the bag I thought it would be a good time to review the best and worst of 2007. Now obviously I haven’t heard every song, watched every film and seen every football game this year so this is only a reflection of my own experiences and views of 2007. Feel free to add your own faves on the comments page. Here we go, my very own Oscars!

Best Film – This Is England:

Director Shane Meadows follows the modern British classic Dead Man’s Shoes with another winner. This Is England follows a gang of skinheads in 80s England and Meadows does a great job in capturing the feeling of the period. It switches from heartwarming and funny to vile and menacing a few times during the film making it quite an experience to watch. Top performances from young Thomas Turgoose and Joseph ‘Eli Dingle’ Gilgun as well as a great show from Stephen Graham for making the viewer feel sorry for such a disgusting character.

Honourable mentions: Hot Fuzz, Knocked Up, The Simpson Movie.

Worst Film – Magicians:

As a massive fan of Peep Show this film was painful to watch. All concerned look uncomfortable and the script is awful. The comedic talents of David Mitchell, Robert Webb, Jessica Hynes, Peter Capaldi and particularly Steve Edge are wasted. Some of his dialogue made me want to stop watching the film. Truly shit.

Honourable mentions – Pirates of the Caribbean 3.

Best Album – The White Stripes - Icky Thump:

It’s always been a pleasure to pick up one of their albums and Icky Thump was no different. I really didn’t know what to make of it after my first listen but it grew on me in a big way. It’s great to see a band use both bagpipes and mariachi trumpets of the same album!

Honourable mentions – The World Is Yours: Ian Brown, Hey Venus!: Super Furry Animals, Neon Bible: Arcade Fire.

Best Song – Sister Rose – Ian Brown:

Apparently this only got to number 87 in the UK charts which to my reckoning must have sold about twelve copies. Despite this poor chart placement it’s my favourite tune of 2007. Like the best solo stuff he’s produced it’s heavy on the strings giving it a film score like quality. I find it extremely exhilarating.

Best Television Programme – Heroes.

Yes I know it resembles a soap and at times the acting is as wooden as a mighty oak tree but I’ve found it really addictive viewing. I didn’t like it to begin with but I eventually went back to it and loved it second time round. I’ve even switched to watching American TV just so I can see the second series early.

Honourable Mentions – Gavin and Stacey, Lost, Charlie Brookers Screenwipe, Flight of the Conchords.

Worst Television Programme – X Factor:

My God I hate Sharon Osbourne. What a repulsive little troll she is.

Honourable Mentions – Tittytittybangbang, Kate Brand Show.

Best Comedian – Frankie Boyle:

This Glaswegian has been a regular on the numerous television panel shows this year and has for me raised the bar on what I expect from these sort of programmes. His stand up pulls no punches and he doesn’t shy away from any topic, something I like in my comedians. I’m sure he’ll be big in 2008. Here’s some quotes:

“So the Spice Girls are coming back? The only reason I’d want to see Geri Halliwell draped in a Union Jack again would be after she’d been killed in battle”

“What were Al Qaeda thinking when they attacked Glasgow Airport? Let’s bring a Holy War to Glasgow? We’re 400 years ahead of you lads, you haven’t even got yourselves a football team yet”

Honourable mentions: Stewart Lee, Andre Vincent, Ricky Gervais.

Best Wales Game – Wales 5 – Slovakia 2.

For a brief moment there was so much hope.

Worst Wales Game – Cyprus 3 – Wales 1.

And back down to Earth.

Best Everton Game – Everton 7 – Sunderland 1.

Scary thing was we could have scored more.

Worst Everton Game – Everton 1 – Liverpool 2.

It’s all water under the bridge now and I’m totally over it but I’ve got to say referee Mark Clattenburg should have committed Harakiri after this game.


Doubt I'll get another chance to blog before Christmas now so I take this opportunity to say Merry Christmas to all who have taken the time to read any of our rambles.

On the Up?

I had clearly not quite woken up and finished my fresh pot of coffee when i posted earlier this morning stating; Wrexham on the up... This is not me being fickle, just i've got home, thawed out and need to put thoughts to keyboard - that was the worst 2nd half performance i've ever seen at Wrexham. 1-0 up, and a penalty saved in the first half, we looked shaky, and were lucky, getting to half time without conceding, a vital half time team talk to consolidate / tighten up, and we'll bag the vital points. What unfolded was, as said, the worst Wrexham performance i've seen. Shaun Pejic was dreadful, "Take your dads bucket off your foot" a good summary (reference to his father Mel, the clubs medic/physio). Steve Evans was awesome in the air clearing everything dropping onto the defensive line, though their first goal they played right through us along the floor for a cross to be headed in unchallenged (a team who hadnt scored in 500+ minutes, and manager-less). Another mix-up in communications led to their 2nd resulting in somehow Steve Evans bungling in an own goal. The crowd by now vocally on the teams back watching this catastrophic 10 minute collapse. Their 3rd came some 5 minutes later, i'd even turned my head upfield to view players positions anticipating the "hoof it" punt, only to turn back when i heard the Brentford fans cheering / laughing as their 3rd trickled over the line from what must have been a Pejic howler. Cue a mass exodus from all 3 sides of the ground in protest, a barrage of 'viscious' booing and a rounds of "what a load of rubbish", players with heads in their hands, it was dire, it was the worst. Pejic was subbed, and boo'd all the way off. I stayed to the end just to see the reaction of fans and players, Steve Evans was the only player who walked the line applauding all sides and corners of the ground - despite people hanging over the advertising hoardings all around the ground hurling vocal abuse at him and the players slinking off behind him, hostile to say the least.

Having looked back earlier today at the past years posts on this blog, and comments about non-league football becoming a reality and "where is Forest Green" etc, after what i've seen again today, it is once again a "real" possibility, no joke. A transfer window is desperately required to off-load and re-load for the 2nd half of this season for surival. Watch this space...

1st Year Over

This blog started up a year ago this week, as i think a one year project/experiment, i think we'll keep it going (thanks for subscribing, and regular readers!)... However, a bigger brother blog may be created soon... or maybe not...

A year in the football close to me: Wrexham FC have had 3 different managers give their team talks, the worst player i've seen in a professional game; on loan Maheta Malango was laughed at by thousands of home fans for hitting the corrugated back of the kop for the last time. The club and my nerves survived a final day relegation battle in the May sunshine, and are currently worse off than this time last year, though are on the turn under Brian Little.

I've managed to see a match from just about every North Wales league system in the last year (though not a Welsh Premier game), and seen some dreadful / hilarious games and injuries / fights. I've been battered and bruised in a few 7-a-side games in Mold, and I think have persnally scored more than ever in the last 12 months of Wednesday night football (it's at least 5 goals - memorably, 2 in one game).

Wales national team continue to have ill-timed blips and continue to provide 'hope for the future' with emerging players, players gaining experience and potenial fruition, raised performances and youth system improvements; it really is hope for the future. Englands "Golden Generation" have flaked to reveal their true 3rd place non-qualifying "Bronze" colours. Their new national manager is set to address the nation next week, with aid of an interpreter...

To Christmas, I braved Chester last week, not good - Mr Holder screamed at me, three shops in a row (true); "ITS CHRISTMAS!", ye, thanks Noddy. All 'vote' TV programs will soon be having their "Finals", where one pop factor will predictably take #1 in the charts. I won't write a Chrsitmas bashing post, just a thought to ponder; do you find the twinkling lights in shop windows / high streets make you even more pissed, even when you know you clearly are pissed? Let the seaon of excess begin! For me starting Wednesday, as once again it's the last Wednesday night football of the year, followed by a 'long' evening from pitch to the pub with players past and present for the awards of "Player of the Year", "Most Improved Player" and of course (accompanied by a nasty top-shelfter) "Twat of the Year", looking forward!

Anyhow, Brentford at home today, i'm off to the Racecourse for an afternoon of frozen up's and downs. Bliss it is to have escaped a Saturday amid the Chester Christmas shoppers... may everybody get blocked in doorways. Come on the town!

PS: Did anyone else see last weeks Welsh Premier result: Carmarthen Town 8 v 0 Connahs Quay result? 6 goals in the first 24 minutes, this included 4 goals from one player inside 21 minutes (who ended up with 5)?! Ray Stubbs' vidi-printer in melt-down, and Garth Crooks & Co in total disbelief, proclaiming this must be something of a record in the professional game, no?

Road to South Africa - Group A

Hmm, Group Four. I've had a few days to take in the draw and the task Wales face. Let's take a look...

Germany - The best team in Europe at present? Possibly. So are there any positives to be taken out of being drawn against this nation again. Well for starters you'd probably have to accept the fact that any name pulled out of the top pot would have made most Welsh fans wince. People would argue and say 'better to get Greece or Croatia'. I think these people should take a look at the efficiency that these two nations showed in winning their Eur0 2008 qualifying groups. No I think the only plus we can take from it is, to quote John Toshack, "Better the devil you know". At least many of our players know what to expect to some extent and the draw in Frankfurt last month can only aid confidence. Yes I know the Germans started the game with their foot off the pedal but they really wanted it towards the end. Anyway with only group winners claiming automatic qualification the realists would say Germany are sure to claim top spot, leaving the other nations to fight it out for second place. This takes us on to...

Russia - I think many Welsh supporters thought of one thing when Russia were put in the same group as us. Revenge. For those who are unaware of the history, Russia beat Wales in one of the Euro 2004 play offs. After a decent first leg in Moscow we were mouth wateringly close to qualifying for the tournament but we blew it big style back at home with no excuses. I love the thought of playing them at the Millennium Stadium again and I'm sure several of the Welsh players will too. That said our squad is unrecognisable from the one that played four years ago. I imagine most of our team were still at school in 2003. Don't get me wrong, I fully appreciate how hard it'll be to get anything from either game. England recently found this at their expense. However I think there's a strong possibility highly influential coach Guus Hiddink will leave his post after Euro 2008. He left the Dutch after France 98, he left the South Koreans after the 2002 World Cup and he left the Australians after Germany 2006. He hasn't signed an extension yet, so I expect the trend to continue. I'm not suggesting that Russia will fall apart without him and all the technically gifted Russian players will suddenly lose their ability but they're surely going to miss him. Yeah okay I'm clutching at straws...

Finland - Another nation who had a good Euro 2008 qualifying campaign narrowly missing out to Portugal and Poland in a difficult group. This was exceptional, especially for a nation with a worst tournament qualifying record than us. Finland's improvement has been attributed to coach Roy Hodgson, who left the role last week. This will be a loss for them and I doubt they'll be able to attract an equally high profile replacement. I've read that defensively the Finns are great but they can be quite ineffective in front of goal so perhaps we can expect two nil-nils against them.

Azerbaijan - Ahh we meet again Azeris! We've been drawn with them in our Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006 campaigns making me think some of the Welsh supporters should have bought a time share in Baku. They've improved since we first faced them in 2oo2 and they will not be a push over but if we drop points against Azerbaijan we wont stand a chance of finishing anywhere near second place. The 1-1 draw against them in the opening game of the World Cup 2006 qualifiers really knocked the stuffing out of us. Obviously need to avoid a repeat of this. Interestingly they beat Finland this year. They look good to take points from one of the above teams, preferably Russia.

Liechtenstein - The Group A whipping boys? I'm not convinced there's such a thing in world football anymore. The so called European minnows such as Malta are beginning to produce one or two decent players and getting the odd respectable result. San Marino weren't far from claiming a draw against us and were a lot closer to getting one against Ireland back in February. We soundly beat Liechtenstein 4-0 a year ago but it should be noted they've got some brilliant results since then. In the space of a few months they've beaten Latvia and taken four points from Iceland. However if we approach the games properly we should claim six points.

Summary - I'd be happy with a respectable third place in the group. I think every nation will take points off each other and as long as we win the games against Liechtenstein and Azerbaijan we take the pressure of ourselves. You know with a young squad it'll be another roller coaster campaign as you will unlikely see the consistency that experience brings. We'll hopefully see some new faces pop up during the games. The likes of Sam Vokes, Ched Evans, Simon Church and, if his heart is definitely in it for Wales, Joe Collison. Some nice away trips too, a bit boring for the regular travellers but cool for novices like me. I quite fancy Helsinki or perhaps Moscow.

Anyway onwards to Norway at the Racecourse!!!