Rafa Benitez Launches Attack on Manchester United Boss then Draws with Stoke

We still have a bit of catching up to do on Blue Hawks as we continue to review the recent football activities, but sometimes a story presents itself that demands coverage. Seems like the the boss of Premier League leading Liverpool has taken it upon himself to be the self-annoited spokesperson for the other 18 managers in the EPL by launching a full-fledged assault on Man United boss, Alex Ferguson.




The timing of this is really quite confusing. Benitez has guided Liverpool to their best ever start since the formation of the EPL and his squad have held top spot for several weeks. Although Man U prepare to face a critical clash with Chelsea this weekend, Liverpool do not actually play United again until mid-March. So why the outburst?

Seems like Benitez is upset that Ferguson gets away with criticizing referees, and apparently the Man U chief is unjust in complaining about the particular sequence of Man U's fixture list. Like this is something new. Are you kidding me? Fergie has been going handbags with the likes of Arsene and Jose, and just about every other EPL manager for the past 25 years - ask Keegan how that worked out for him.

But Rafa, with his well documented notebook, pulls out his file with a list of facts regarding Feguson's attitude towards referees and United's schedule, and acts like this could derail Liverpool's chances of the title.

Fergie's been up to this for far longer than Rafa will ever be manager of Liverpool, regardless of how many marches the red side of Merseyside organize on his behalf. I'll hasten to add that I doubt any Premier manager will ever come close to the amount of silverware that Sir Alex has attained.

Sounds like Rafa is bottling it; although there is almost half the season still to go and he is the one in first place....for now. Last year we had the blow up with the American owners being blamed for Liverpool winning crap in the Premier League. This year after another 30 or 40 million quid of spending, the team are in finally in first place and actually challenging for the title, but it seems that is not good enough for Benitez. Maybe he is he trying to make a pre-emptive excuse just in case Man U win their couple games in hand and climb to within a point of first place. Who knows?


Regardless, anyone reading this site knows that BlueHawks personally couldn't give a toss about any of the so called "Big Four," but this as we routinely cover the Premier League, this story could not be passed up. So while Rafa spent time trying to rattle Ferguson's feathers, his team went out and drew with 3rd from bottom Stoke nil-nil - again; in a game that the Potters came far closer to winning. Maybe he should have spent more time filling up his dossier with scouting notes on Stoke - sort of like Hartlepool did in the Cup last week.

If I had to pick a personal favourite of the "Big Four" to win the league this year, I'm rooting for Villa...sod the rest (and yeah I know Villa are not considered a member of the EPL elite - thats the point).

Is Benitez right? Who does it impact more? Do you really think Ferguson cares? Hit the comments link and let me know.

Weekend Rewind

A split on the football front for me this weekend and, with the inconsistent form of Ipswich combined with the plight of the injury decimated Seahawks, that’s about the best I can realistically hope for on any given week.

Starting on the brighter side, the Tractorboys made it 7 points out of a possible 9 in their past 3 games with a solid 2-0 win at home against QPR. One of the biggest problems for the Town this year has been the lack of consistency at Portman Road, with far too many indifferent performances seeing the team mired in mid-table. However, the silver lining of playing in the Championship is that it is always tight. Just 10 points separate the 6th placed team from the relegation zone. In the latest turn of the ever-rotating starting lineup, Jonathan Stead was the hero, coming off the bench to score twice in 4 minutes and secure the 3 points. With upcoming games against Blackpool and Doncaster, maybe the team can put together a run and give us some hope, for at least a shot at a play-off spot. Though, the constant rotation of Magilton’s starting lineup is puzzling at best. It’s one thing for Rafa Benitez, Sir Alex, and the Arsene to mix up the lineup, but they have squads that could field 2 teams in the Premier and survive. This is Ipswich – Jim pick a team already. But there is hope.



Moving to the dark side, 3 hours of Sunday afternoon was spent watching a Seahakws performance drearier than the Seattle November day that it was. The clocks moved back but darkness was enveloping Qwest Field shortly after the first quarter. When Seneca Wallace hit Koren Robinson for a franchise record long 90 yard TD play on our first possession, hope seemed eternal. A win would keep us within 2 games of the division lead. Hasselbeck might convince his doctor he can walk sometime soon. McNabb was confused either by the defense or by the noise of the 12th Man. The ‘Hawks were in control. Can we call it early and all go home happy before it starts pissing down again?!! Then the second period began. McNabb went on to complete 20 of his next 22 passes, moving his team at will through the depleted ‘Hawks defense. On offence, bad habits returned with receivers dropping key passes that killed any decent drive Seattle could muster. Seneca Wallace deputizing at QB, as Hasselbeck missed his 4th straight start, did ok but Philly wasn’t about to be fooled again and reeled off 26 straight points for an emphatic victory. Seattle punted the rest of the game. At 2-6, this season has come and gone, and it’s time to level our expectations. In Big Mike’s farewell season he deserves better, and despite the injuries some of these players just aren’t performing.

Weekend TractorHawk Grade: C
Held up by the Town this week as we move into 8th place in the Championship (tied on points with 5 other teams mind you)

Weekend Tractor Driver:

Jonathan Stead, 2 goals in 3 minutes from the bench in his latest role as super-sub.

Note-a-balls:

The happy ‘Arry revival continued at the Lane as last placed Tottenham welcomed, got outplayed for most of the game, and then defeated league leading Liverpool. Dirk Kuyt got the scousers started and it looked to be business as usual for the ‘Pool looking to grind out another close win. But when Reds defender Jamie Carragher headed into his goal, Spurs were sparked into action, and just as they had shocked the Gooners a few days earlier, they struck again in injury time as Pavlyuchenko knocked in the winner. Spurs moved off the bottom for a couple days until Bolton beat the now seriously under-achieving Arabians of Manchester and Newcastle scored an unlikely 2-0 win over the previously impressive Aston Villa. So much for me stating Villa being a potential top four squad. Spurs back to bottom but 7 points in a week has them believing again – in what exactly I’m not sure but you get the point.

Talking about the shocking Gooners, a 2-1 defeat at Stoke, combined with Van Persie seeing red, and Adeboyor and England wonderkid, Theo Walcott off hurt has seen Arsene’s lads spiral. Dropped points this season already to Fulham, Hull, Sunderland, Tottenham, and now Stoke has got the Arse looking more like UEFA cup hopefuls than title contenders.

Chelsea take over top spot on goal difference after a 5-0 win over a pathetic Sunderland performance at the Bridge – see my previous article on Big Phil and his lads.

Hull decided to play attacking football at Old Trafford in a 7 goal affair. You’d be forgiven in many circles for thinking that if Hull were daft enough to attack United on the road they could be in for a 7 goal drubbing. United edged it 4-3 and again HCFC has everyone rooting for the underdogs in brown and gold. With 20 points they are half-way to safety which, at the beginning of the season, not many gave them a snowball’s chance of achieving.

In the land of the pigskin, America prepares to elect the new president. But first there was a typical busy fall weekend to get through. The pre-season unfancied Tennessee Titans remained the only unbeaten team in the league with a close 19-16 overtime victory over the Cheeseheads. I respect the Titans – they are a team that get very little media attention but this year they have overcome a bit of adversity at the QB position, and at least for now, continue to prove themselves as the best team in the NFL. You can’t argue with an 8-0 record and hats off to their unassuming and professional Head Coach Jeff Fisher.

In the NFC, the marquee game saw Eli Manning and the Giants welcome the Romo-less and suddenly dysfunctional Dallas Cowboys. While Jessica nurses her boy’s thumb back to health, the Cowboys tried 2 different quarterbacks to no avail, as the Giants romped 35-14 to take control of the very competitive Eastern division.

The college front needs a dedicated article, or thesis for that matter, and there will be one coming in a few weeks as the season progresses. Once again the sort of voted champions-elect-number one team went down as Texas Tech downed Texas with an incredible touchdown with 1 second to play (just as well they don't let the refs decide on injury time in US sports). There is no doubt that on any given week college football can produce some amazing games. But until they figure out a way to objectively and competitively rank these teams, I still struggle to find the point. Errr make them play each other….maybe….just a thought mind.

And how was your sporting weekend?

Cheers!

Weekend Rewind

As I develop this site we’ll take a minute to look back over the previous weekend and get some regular themes established.

A royal blue weekend double for me as the Tractorboys got a rare win, romping past Plymouth 3-1, thanks to an Owen Garvan brace and a first in 11 games for Kevin Lisbie. This was followed by an even more improbable ‘Hawks road win against the reeling 49ers who introduced their new interim Head Coach, linebacker legend, Mike Singletary, after the sudden firing of Mike Nolan.

A big fan thumbs up to Singletary though for kicking one of his own players out of the game! Not sure I’ve ever seen that before but after Vernon Davis was flagged for a personal foul for smacking ‘Hawks Free Safety, Brian Russell after a reasonable gain and costing his team 15 vital yards, Singletary gave him a right good rollicking. This was followed by swift sending to the showers…not only that, but as the sulking player headed off for the early bath, his coach calls him back to get his helmet and then tells him to piss off...wow! That’s a Golden Tractor Key award nominee right there (when we get it started).

It’s been a tough season for both my football teams, so this weekend, was indeed, a rare event. Though it was great to see both my blue flags flying, I think it’s going to be a rough year for me on both sides of the football pond.

Weekend Tractor-Hawk Grade: B+ (not an A because the ‘Hawks were actually out-gained though we won by 3TDs and David Norris got sent off in injury time for kicking the ball away – cue the referee’s a total wanker)

Other notes:

The NFL took its show to the “Home of Football” as the New Orleans Saints upended the San Diego Chargers in a 37-32 shootout in front of over 83,000 at the most expensive stadium in the world, Wembley. Can only imagine the “what the bloody ‘ell is he doing then?” when the Saints punter ran the ball back through his own end-zone for an intentional safety in attempt to run off the clock. “Own touchdown?….how much it that worth then?”

Hull City remain in the top 3 in the Premier League after a comprehensive 3-0 win over West Brom, and I was thoroughly impressed getting to watch the game as the Saturday early match on Fox Soccer Channel (our big-screen football feed for English fans living in the US). I will say the result was a bit harsh on the Brom but HCFC have already earned themselves a future article on this site.

Liverpool ended Chelsea’s 86 game unbeaten run at home. The men in red move to first place in the EPL for the first time in like 30 years with a 1-0 win at the Bridge over Big Phil and his lads. Enjoy it while it lasts, Scousers. By the way are you still protesting your US bankroll??

The Phillies take command of the World Series. Most focus is still on the upstart Tampa Bay Rays, who like the previously mentioned Hull City of the EPL, are more than worthy of a full post at another date. Shout-out though to Seattle favorite Jamie Moyer on his performance for Philadelphia Sat. night – at 44, he is giving all us middle-aged over-the-hill beer-guzzling-fried-egg-sandwich-eating blokes some hope.

College football – we’ll need to get this going a bit as it is not one of my hot topics but I pay attention. Pretty much all the top teams won, so we’re still on course for about 8 teams qualifying for the championship but with no tournament at the end noone knows, and for right now, who gives a toss – come on, let Boise State back in, it’s worth it just to see that frickin blue field….no upsets of note, though a worthy mention to the AZ Wildcats for playing a close game against USC, eventually succumbing 10-17. Having lived in Tucson for 12 years or so, you’ll notice a Wildcat reference every once in a while.

And how was your sporting weekend?

Cheers!!