Happy Birthday me

NYE is a pretty crap time to have a birthday. Everyone's busy - often out of town - and even those that aren't don't really want to go to your birthday. One friend complained about having to go to birthday parties rather than having a 'real NYE'. I wouldn't know, I guess I'll never have a normal NYE because it will always be my birthday... Perhaps consequently, I don't really see the fuss about NYE and would've thought a friend's birthday more important...

[UPDATE: What I did] Anyway, I went into town and spent money on books, CDs and DVDs (i.e. the usual) then had a few friends over for wine, conversation and Auld Lang Syne in the evening. Thanks to those who made it.

Liverpool 1-0 West Brom

I feared this was going to be one of those games where the ball just won't go into the net. Some great saves by the WBA 'keeper (I can see why he's keeping Kirkland out the team) but well done Crouch for knocking up another goal - hope he can continue for the second half of the season, as he did last year. 9 points out of 9 over Christmas now.

Oxford

Back in Oxford today. Despite snow, ice and weather reports, the journey was uneventful. Hardly worth getting up at 7am for!

Everton 1-3 Liverpool

Too bad we lost our clean sheet record, but any derby win is a good one. Cisse took his goal particularly well, which was pleasing to see.

Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle

I was in a pub with friends for this one (including a Newcastle supporter), but sadly not one showing the game. Michael Owen’s return to Anfield was a let down, for him at least. The problem with Newcastle is that, despite being an attacking team, they don’t seem to get much service to their strikers.

The sending off of Bowyer finished the game as a contest really. On another day, Crouch and even Gerrard could have been in trouble for the ensuing fracas, but I’m glad they weren’t. Besides, it could’ve finished 7-a-side then…

Home

Afraid I came home Friday night, only to find we've been having internet problems. Updates are likely to be sparse until I'm back in Oxford. Have a good Christmas everyone.

Sao Paulo 1-0 Liverpool

So, a record-breaking run of eleven clean sheets ended as Liverpool lost the worlc club championship final. Quite how, I'm still not sure. The statistics I saw said we had over 60% of possession, over twenty shots (to their five) and seventeen corners (to nil). That's to say nothing of three disallowed goals...

Anyway, I'll stop complaining before I sound like Gerard Houllier. The fact is the best team doesn't always win, and while it's frustrating to lose a final like that, I'm proud of our players.

I have to say I was slightly baffled it took so long to make changes. Although we were creating chances, we weren't taking them. Personally I'd have thrown Crouch and Cisse on around the hour mark. (Though this is only 'what I'd have done' - and I'd never claim to be a better manager than Rafa...)

I was happy to see FSP involved again. He's never looked too much of a goal-threat for us, but he's quick and skillful, and could develop into a Garcia-style tricky customer. I'd like him to get more first team chances.

Conference

Despite my cold, I'm attending the British Academy Conference on Democracy, Equality and Justice this weekend. Since London is half-way back home to Colchester, I'll be using the opportunity to return home for Christmas too.

Liverpool 3-0 Deportivo Saprissa

Although I'd had a dream that Liverpool lost (2-1 I think) this match should never have been much of a challenge, and it wasn't. Despite Josemi and Traore playing, we maintained our run of clean sheets - 11 a new club record. Josemi actually quite impressed me at times to, but then the opposition we weak...

Crouch scored two more goals - and since he was also credited with the dubious Wigan one, I suppose that's technically a hat-trick today! Cisse linked up well. Perhaps he was trying to show what a team player he was, but I don't remember him taking a shot... Also nice to see Pongolle on (and it didn't surprise me it was for Gerrard). He made a good run as soon as he came on, and after a clever flick from Cisse was unlucky not to score (or win a penalty)

Roll on the final...

Selective Attention

Last night I suddenly came down with a nasty 'flu type cold. The kind where my nose and head are all bunged up, joints ache, I'm tired and bright light is a bit painful. No, not a hangover...

Anyway, I've spent most of today lying around on my bed under a blanket and feeling sorry for myself. A shame, because I not only had to cancel plans to go to goth night at the Cellar with Nick and Christian, but I'm supposed to be going to a conference Friday. Don't know if I'll feel up to that now. That aside though, it's been a nice day...

"If you take the scrum out of the equation, we played well."

Former Australia coach Eddie Jones, defending the Wallabies' defeat by England.

"If you take the assassination out of the equation, the President and Mrs Kennedy quite enjoyed the drive from Dallas to the airport."

Mike Carlton (Australian broadcaster) disagrees.

Source: beeb.

Classic Movies

Last night we (me, Karl, Ayelet, Kieran and Miriam) were discussing favourite and classic movies, having just watched Monster. I found this amusing quiz on Rob's blog:

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Man USA out of Europe!

I normally like to support British teams in Europe. If Liverpool don't win the CL again, I wouldn't be upset if Arsenal do. Unfortunately the other three English teams (Everton, Man Utd and Chelsea) are all hated rivals, which makes it harder to support them - and even funnier that the second have now tumbled out.

Is this the real life
Is it just fantasy
Crashed out of Europe
Can't escape mediocrity

Open your eyes look down on the pitch and see
We're just a poor side
Undeserving of sympathy

Because he's chewing gum, a little slow
Little skill, little show
Any way the score goes, doesn't really matter to us, to us

Gaffa just missed the goal
Put the ball against my foot
Kicked it over by 10 foot

Gaffa the match had just begun
But now we've gone and thrown it all away
Gaffa oooooh didn't mean to make you cry
If you're not here again this time tommorow
We'll carry on carry on, cause money's all that matters

Too late our time has come
We have got yellow spines
And we're losing all the time
Goodbye everybody we've got to go
Got to leave and catch the plane because we're out
Gaffa oooohh our end it seems is nigh
It sometimes seems we didn't deserve it at all

I see a little silhouetto of a man,
Glazier Glazier
Has he skinned us for our money
Stevie G and Carra very very frightning me

Dirty Keano Dirty Keano
Dirty Keano had to go
Tragicooooooooooo

I'm just a poor boy nobody loves me
He's just a poor boy from a poor family
Spare him his life from his monstrosity

Rio's poor, looks a sight, time to let him go
Van Nistlerooy he looks just like a horse (Like a horse)
Van Nistlerooy
He looks just like horse (like a horse), looks just like a horse (like a horse) looks just like a horse
Like a hooooooorse, horse, horse, horse, horse, horse, horse, horse
Oh Glazier, Glazier thank you for buying them

Beelzebub, have the devils got a side today
So you think you can hoof it, for fat rooney
So you think that Ronaldo, will save you the day
Ooohhhh ManU, its so funny ManU
You've just gotta crash out, just gotta crash right out of here
Nothing really matters, its just about cash nothing really matters its all about the money

Anyway the score goes...

(From BBC 606 messageboard)