Now I've heard it said before that pundits like Shearer are EXPERTS. Got that? Funny how Shearer had 7 games in which to weave his magic and turn the Toon around and save them from relegation a few seasons back. Instead he took them down. After all it wasn't as though he did not have the goodwill of the georid nation behind him all the way. Sounds like he knows talent when he sees it, is a master tactitian and can coax a performance from the humblest of plyers. because he knows what it takes to be successful. Yeah right. He was good as I recall at taking penalties, winning them by going down when he could and dishing it out when the ref wasn't looking. And he had the nerve to go all righteous when his player Joey Barton lashed out while the whole world was watching. Swords you do your cause an injustice by seeking corroboration from that idiot.
Perhaps it's not possible from a European country, but in Britain you can match MOTD through the BBC website. Maybe give it a try. Alternatively try vipbox.com which has MOTD through its website
Fantastic article and hit the nail on the head for me. Punditry in this country is akin to English society in general, always looking backwards not forwards, always longing for "the good old days" and yet we sit flabbergasted when we see the Germans, Spanish and Dutch play us off the park, it shouldn't surprise anyone because they are light years ahead in terms of development and philosophy. I often used to watch MOTD incandescent with rage upon hearing MOTD pundits praising Rooney for chasing a ball 50 yards but yet lambasting Berbatov calling him "lazy" and a "luxury player". The problem is with the English game which is still overlooked in punditry by stalwarts of the 70s/80s is that there is no real appreciation for skill and flair particularly if its foriegn. Taarabt's performance against Fulham was exceptional and one of the best individual performances of any player this season but yet he was still criticised by MOTD pundits. For me, attitude and nostalgia is why as a nation we will never improve. Stoke spent £100m to go away from home and "stifle" the opposition but are praised for their old England 80s style despite clear lack of ambition, Swansea (under Rodgers) came under huge criticism for being too patient and keeping the ball. In this country: Shearer will always be revered more than Henry and Bergkamp (who unlike Shearer, were team players) Parker will always be revered more than Makalele (who didn't need to run 50 yards because he could read the game) Cattermole will always be revered more than Taarabt Rooney will always be revered more than Balotelli/Berbatov John O'Shea will always be revered more than David Luiz (who can actually play from the back and pass the ball) Allardyce and Pulis heaped with praise, Wenger and Lambert lambasted for trying to get young players to play football. That is why English Football will never move forward. Superb post
In fairness to Shearer he is good at what he knows, which was scoring goals therefore when he is talking about strikers finding space and making the right runs its hard to dispute he knows what he is talking about but for some reason Lineker asks him about things he doesn't know about like defending, goalkeeping, managing, refereeing and the political side of the game and he's made to look a tad silly. Mark Lawrenson is the worst of the lot though, nicks a living.
Taarabt has performed well against Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal to name a few since he's been in the PL. I disagree with that view entirely.
This. Yorkie, the bloke was a sh*t Manager and he's the most mind-numbingly boring pundit ever to sit in a chair. But he happens to be spot on on this one. And you do your credibility no good at all by calling his ability as a player into question mate. He was top drawer.
Langley was in the year above me at salvotorian in harrow, nice bloke but never forgave him for going to Cardiff that said I make him spot on in he's assessment
There's not just me. There's Queens, Aussie, LIUTB and a number of others who post regularly on here that think the same. And I don't think Sooper is a million miles away from us either. Fu*k Shearer and Dublin. I couldn't care less what that pair of idiots say. They just happen to be saying the same stuff as I have for the last 24-odd months, that's all.
I'll give you that. Yeah he was a good CF. Just as Hansen was a pretty good CH. The red mist does descend over me though when I listen to their drivel on all matters outside their own little area of expertise. But District is right. We do elevate the efficient, hard working hard tackling kill joys over the flair players in this country.
Yorkie, I know you're passionate about Tarbs and I respect you very much. There's no bother with the "red mist" descending now and again. It shows passion and character and without it this Board would die. I actually understand the point DL was making in that well delivered post earlier. There's definitely something in that. Its just my opinion that Taarabt's minuses a lot of the time outweigh his pluses in the overall scheme of things, IE, QPR results. We'll never agree on the matter but I respect your position man.
This was all discussed on the QPR podcast. They quoted someone from a different board who said that 'QPR fans would rather see Jamie Mackie run his socks off for nothing, than Adel loose the ball for trying something.' I actually, as a QPR fan, disagree with this. I love Jamie Mackie, but I pay to watch football for people like Adel. I'd much rather see a bit of magic go wrong than some grit and determination go wrong.
I agree again mate. If I had to watch say, Stoke every other week I think I would have to stop going.
It's just that so many of you on here seem to be in denial.Taarabt is a luxury player that a team in your position can't afford.I was interested to see the Hoolahan comparison,that really sums it up for me.Our team has been made up of unexceptional players who all work hard for each other and this has brought us to the brink of safety with eight games left.Against Sunderland this backs against the wall attitude won us a point in very difficult circumstances a result that was potentially better for you even than for us as Sunderland are one of the teams you need to catch. Some Chelsea guy was over on our board earlier in the week saying you QPR boys had all gone twitchy of late.Your reaction to me stating what is after all not a unique view of Taarabt is indicative of that.
