nerd

As most of you would know, I am a football geek, I absorb most of the games, programs, commentary and punditary that comes along with the beautiful game. And it's close to a religious experiance for me when Manchester United plays, which I must adnit I have toned down through the years, or when a major tournaments sommences, i.e., the World Cup or the Euro's, everything else seizes, depending on it's importance of course.

There's this program on ESPN, Football Focus (Tuesday's 8 p.m. H.K. time), and as the name would suggest, it's a panel based discussion punditary program based on the issues of the day.

So i gotten around to suggesting some ideas, opinions and critism which over the weeks has 'been gettiong my goat' (as coined by the show).

So, as everyone would have a geek, obsessive or fanatical side to themselves to the things they like, here's mine:

____
Name: Ian
Country: Singapore
Email: XXXXxxx@yahoo.co.uk
Premire League Team: Manchester United

"Love the new format of the show, gives in for alot of free flowing, lively discussion.

But really, what has been getting my goat the past few weeks, is how the panel has been going on about in the first part of the show, about how bad Liverpool has been playing. Even though it is constructive critism, it is the same critism and suggestions week in week out.

In my opinion to this tinkering, benitez should play a positive 4-4-2, keep a stable and regular back 4 and play Stevie G alongside Alonso in the middle and he can tinker with the rest of the mediocre squad that he has bought.

Also, I don't know why the panel doesn't go on praise Man Utd, all I've noticed is just a couple of one liners on how well they played over the weekend and then the panel goes on abit on how i.e., Chelsea or Arsenal or bolten played. Shouldn't there be abit more credit to where credit should be due? And they do play badly, which hasn't been yet so far this season, except fpr one of two slight bleeps, the knives come out.

I did, however enjoy the insight given by Bryan Robson on the near death hairdryer treatment that he almost experienced. It fascinating to see and to hear firsthand, from topclass players, their experinces and the human element of football. Kudos to Fergie as well, the EPL in a way wouldn't be what it is without him in some sense.

I was watching afew programs on ESPN , arcgive footages of old EPL games and I'm wondering if this could be up for discussion, where have all the mavericks and showmen gone? The likes of your Cantona's, Le Tissier's, Di Canio's and Ginola's etc who would just take things into their own hands, take the game by the scruff of it's neck and run the show. There are one of 2 players i.e., Maradona and Ronaldinho comes to mind. Has the game become too costly, tactical and high pressured for players like these to showcase and express themselves?

Long as this email is, I do live, eat, breathe football at times. I wish at times the program could be a 2 hour one as the dicussions really do get heated and really rivething, which I think most viewers across Asia would agree.

Cheers."