3-5-2?

30th July, 2015

Home

Well, we drew 1 – 1 with Aston Villa in a friendly at Bescot, following this up with a 2 – 0 loss against Tony Pulis’ Baggies (apparently trying out a 3 – 5 – 2 formation). Dean Smith has gone on record as saying he is pleased with the way the team performed in this latter game. It is, of course what I’d expect a manager to be saying in public at this stage where everything is, once again to win– and, not being at the game I’m properly willing to give the necessary credit. WBA being Premiership opposition – in addition to being a Tony Pulis team – always meant they would be hard to match.

This early Thursday afternoon as I type this I discover our “young saddlers” respectably beat (very local) Chasetown F.C. Now with the greatest of respect to the Scholars, we should be starting to win some of these games now, friendless or not, but again games have to be won – so take my hat off to the team.

Our final pre-season game is at Luton Town on Saturday … then the rough stuff begins. The reality, so I hope the feel-good, enthusiastic just-what-fans-need-to-hear stories of high levels of fitness, camaraderie and confidence get borne out once the proper whistles start to blow. Self-praise is no flattery after all.

Channel 4 deserve credit for the superb way they have shown the Tour de France, not only highlights but the whole live stages in gruelling glory. Team Sky take the plaudits for stage wins, team performance and the ultimate yellow jersey winner Chris Froome. Unfortunately Froome in particular has been dogged by very public media harpoons about drug taking and spectator fury. God knows the watchers come awfully – intimidatingly – close to the riders throughout the race, but Froome has been spit upon and had urine thrown over him. Personally I realise that it will take some time for the stigma and harm done to the sport by the once-mighty Lance Armstrong – and his lack of realisation, despite an apology – that he was doing serious wrong to the sport and everyone involved. The first ever Tour de France was ridden in 1903; this year there were one hundred and sixty starters – some of them specialist sprinters or mountain climbers, but the overall win goes to the one with the lowest overall time across rigorous conditions, hairpin, climbing corners, cobbled roads and a final day that laps the roads of Paris.

Originally dominated by French ,then European riders this year has many more decent and outstanding riders form Peru, Australia – and gold old Britain (not forgetting Mark Cavendish from the Isle of Man!).

Down in the one-time Olympic stadium the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games have been going on: Great come-back from having a child from Jessica Ennis-Hill and unexpectedly brilliant performance from Usain Bolt in – inevitably perhaps – wet conditions. Athletics looks very good on TV at the moment.

After some serious legal and somewhat political wrangling West Ham will be moving from Their current Boleyn Ground (a.k.a. Upton park) to this enormous venue. Definitely sad for the actual local teams (Leyton Orient I think) who will be overshadowed by at least the physical presence of the ground. But I have to think that the tax payers money is going to a good cause, on one hand; while also wondering if we will get any rebates. Hmm, give me a few moments on that to chexk if those were pigs flying past the upstairs window.

Ee Bah Gum, Lad: Tour’s On.

Sitting here, watching the gruelling hill-climb stages of the Tour de France (second day, Harrogate to Sheffield stage) I am trying to take the beans out of two recycled buckets full of broad beans. Outside the sun is still shining as it is on the massive crowds lining the route of the race. Yorkshire, indeed England, has taken this opportunity to heart. There are French flags, Slovakian supporters (of Peter Sagan), Cornish flags, the Union flag, writing on the roads (“Eat Yorkshire Pudding!”) in traditional Tour de France style; even a Black Country flag. It is marvellous to see such an enthusiastic response – and the camera work is excellent too. I love the way the landmarks and features are in French and the distances in kilometres and that the commentary includes good background historical, geographical and cultural references.

      

 

Our daughter featured in some “Tour de Facts” videos about the English stages and general rules of the Tour de France for English cycle sales, parts and repair stores, Halfords. I am, of course indubitably proud of her … but they are also quite informative and well made: I managed to learn things I was previously unaware of, and watching them has improved my enjoyment of the race I am now watching as broad beans bounce off the footstool around my ankles. (The “yellow jersey” is yellow because this was the colour of the pages of the newspaper that introduced it – before that the race leader wore a green armband only).

These videos are available on YouTube: if you are interested take a look at this first in the series http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvTDV2iirnk

I would have been quite happy  to have watched the Grand Depart (from Leeds, yesterday) but in the cyclical way of things in my life the very daughter that rode in and presented the Tour de Facts videos was moving house, so … a busy day not watching TV. However I am happy to report that the move, nicely timed to include a switch over overlap between rented accommodation and completion date, sees the new house well decorated and new carpets installed.

After the Grand Depart the race proceeded in blazing hot sunshine (nothing at all like the wet weather forecast!) and within sight of the finish line Mark Cavendish and another rider both came off their bikes. “Cav” most recently bandied about as an Isle of Man native is suddenly lauded as a native of Yorkshire – but, is now out of the whole Tour, having broken a collar bone – and done the decent thing by admitting the coming together was all his fault. Such sportsmanship.

In a TV interview with Ian Brailsford (manager of the ultra-successful Sky team) talked about his decision to leave out Sir Bradley Wiggins, saying that, in recent years the Sky team had been turned from “plucky losers to two-times winners” and that part of that turn around in mind-set was due to someone somewhere along the line making such calls.

In another strand of my life I have been excited by news that Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend are together for another Who tour – and that I have managed to get tickets for the show in Birmingham. December. Something else to look forward to.