EPL Week In Review May 11th

[dmmd98]

- Sam Smith wrote an excellent book in the mid 90’s called the Jordan rules detailing what it was like to play with Michael Jordon and how there were two rules. One for Michael Jordan and another for everyone else. Well, someone should take the framework of the Jordan rules and write a new book called the Ronaldo rules. Quite honestly I have little problem with Ronaldo’s displays of immaturity for Manchester United. Watching the game I kept hearing the color commenter criticizing Ronaldo acting out saying it’s unprofessional and most other players wouldn’t get away with it. Of course they wouldn’t, quite frankly most players are a dime a dozen and can be replaced. With some players you have to take the bad if the good out weights it. Sir Alex Ferguson has dealt with this before. If he tried to tame Eric Cantona and Roy Keane for example neither would have the career they had. Both Cantona and Keane needed to be on that edge for them to succeed. If Keane never played with a chip on his shoulder for being deemed too small growing up in Ireland he’d never have become the player he did at Nottingham Forrest and then Manchester United. It’s a different chip but Ronaldo’s ego quite frankly has a lot to do with the success he has been able to achieve thus far in his career.

- Watching the score this weekend and they were talking out loud hoping United replace Ronaldo with Frank Ribery stemming from Ronaldo acting out, then comparing him to David Beckham and Ruud van Nistelrooy. The main reason Sir Alex Ferguson got rid of David Beckham and Ruud van Nisterlrooy is because at those times United were not the top team in England and a shake up was needed. When Beckham packed his bags to Madrid it was because Arsenal were the top team in England and Chelsea were at its peak when van Nisterlrooy followed suit. With Ronaldo peaking at the right time this year much to James Sharman dismay United would be fools to entertain moving a player who hasn’t yet even reached his peak. Just image the backlash if United become EPL champions this year, then sell Ronaldo, then allow either Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal to overtake them the following year?

(If you are not Canadian the next three points will go over your head.)

- I’m not naive enough to think being on TV is easy but does anyone like the score’s James Sharman and if so why? (No, him being a Liverpool fan doesn’t count.) One of my pet peeves of football coverage in this country and that you are deemed worthy enough to cover it by having a British accent. (or in some cases a fake one) I’m convinced that most of the people watching football on thescore are not originally from the U.K. Let me see a different viewpoint, allow for a Nuno, Fabio, (insert Asian name here) just someone with a different viewpoint on the world’s game then what I see on TV week after week. I’ve meet politicians who are more likable.

- B.T.W Neil Webb is not your mate, quit kissing up to him. The only reason he appears on the show is for the pay cheque.

- I’m sure Kristian Jack will be happy to hear that I actually enjoy his take on football. (Just in cause anyone can’t detect sarcasm, I don’t really think he cares.) I don’t need to agree with what someone has to say as long as they have good reasoning behind their opinions I can respect that. Jack comes off like a normal guy taking about a sport he loves.

- Carlos Tevez, you have every right to feel how you feel. You are getting a raw deal if you end up leaving United but save the press talk until after the season. Talking so openly about your position doesn’t do anyone any good. Once July 1st hits there will be plenty of interest in your services one way or another.

- Still not the biggest Dimitar Berbatov fan but his first touch is simply just a thing of class. The way he controlled the ball sitting up Tevez’s goal was first rate.

- Guus Hiddink deserves praise for the way his Chelsea team played yesterday against Arsenal. It could of been so easy for Chelsea with 3rd place all but locked up to look past Arsenal and just focus on the FA Cup final. Instead for the second time this week it was another men against boys performance for Arsenal at home.

- Arsenal can do the business against the likes of Wigan and Middlesborugh but against the big boys and in the big games they need to find a way to overcome the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool. After their performance against Manchester United mid week, you’d think the Arsenal players would want to put their best foot forward against Chelsea. Don’t know which performance was more disappointing for an Arsenal fan. Mid week against Manchester United or this weekend against Chelsea.

- Arsenal also need to shore up their central back position. Just too many goals they concede from set pieces. While fans would want Arsenal to spend money on a flashy player like Frank Ribery, a player like Fulham’s Brede Hangeland or Porto’s Bruno Alves is needed more.

- Classy move on the part of Arsenals fan to cheer Kieran Gibbs after his mistake mid week. Sadly for them they had precious little to cheer about the rest of the game.

- Morten Gamst Pedersen picked a good time to score his first goal of the season. His goal opened Blackburn’s account against Portsmouth which guided them to a priceless 2-0 victory at home against Portsmouth.

- From a team in Blackburn who got it done at home to a Hull City team who needed a victory at home against Stoke and couldn’t get it done. With Hull falling into the bottom three with either a Newcastle or Middlesborugh win today, I would not want to be a part of the Hull dressing room. Things must be tense in that dressing room with everyone on pins and needles right about now.

- Who knows, if Fulham could do it last year maybe West Brom could pull off another great escape like their 2005 escape. At least they are going down with a fight. With Liverpool next week however their chances are not very good but I’m sure Liverpool would of preferred it if West Brom were already doomed to the Championship going into this match.

- Sunderland didn’t exactly set the world on fire but at least they picked up an important point on the road against Bolton.

- Everton and Tottenham sure played like teams who were already look ahead to the summer break.

- Impressive win by Liverpool against a tricky West Ham team. When facing sides like West Ham you’d don’t want to give them confidence that they can make a game out of it. With Steven Gerrard scoring in the second minute they pretty much made it known that there was only going to be one result.

[rjordan1979]

-Nice "Jordan Rules" reference, I still have the same copy I bought years ago. And don't worry, Fergie straightened him out. That's the thing about Manchester United: NO ONE is bigger than the team. Not Ronaldo, not Fergie himself, NO ONE.

-I agree wholeheartedly on Sharman, with his stupid faux-hawk. I can barely watch "The Footy Show".

-Berbatov is finally coming good. He was injured to start the season, then I think the aura of playing for the biggest club in the world got to him, but he keeps getting better each week, and he may have the best first touch in the Premiership.

-I hate Chelsea, but I'd love to see Hiddink stay.