Richard Keys - Did You Smash It???

There is a witch hunt going on at Sky TV. Someone there has something against Andy Gray and Richard Keys and has found
a way and a momentum to get them out.

That is not to say that this is not the fault of Gray and Keys. The views they hold are unsavoury to say the very least, and Gray's behaviour in the video leaked earlier today of him asking a female (blonde, young and attractive) colleague to tuck his microphone pack into his trousers reeks of dirty old man and Gray has quite rightly been removed from that position.

New video has come to light tonight where Richard Keys can be seen discussing an ex girlfriend of Jamie Redknapp. Keys asks Redknapp if he 'smashed it' and then goes on to suggest that Redknapp spent a lot of time 'hanging out the back of her'. Unlike Keys' previous comments about Sian Massey, these comments do not question the professional integrity of this lady, but it's still fairly coarse language to be used when even the smallest possibility of being filmed exists.

My main problem with this whole situation is did Keys and Gray not consider for one moment that these conversations could be recorded. I will happily admit that I have also asked my friends if they 'smashed' someone, or discussed them 'hanging out the back' of a particular girl, but we have not done it in a tv studio with microphones strapped to us.

I cannot see how Keys can stay on. He has done something that millions of men in the UK would do and have done. This does not in any way make it right, but views like this and language such as this are common place in society. Richard Keys was just incredibly naive in thinking that those views that he was more than willing to share with work colleagues would never get broadcast publicly.


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Location:Birmingham,United Kingdom

WBA - The Day After

It's the day after the game before and yesterdays result and performance has been slept on, but there are still points that need venting!!

1 - Gabriel Tamas is not useless..........



That header alone shows that he is capable of great things.... Tamas though seems to be a Di Matteo favourite, having played pretty much every game where he has been available. Ibanez and Olsson have more regularly been RDM's fall guys but have arguably been better performers, especially on the rare occasions where they have played together (Win at Arsenal, point at Man U).

It cannot be easy on one's confidence being part of the worst defence in the Premier League. And Tamas's lack of confidence is affecting his decision making. Hence him being in two minds when faced with a ball into the box yesterday as to whether to clear his box or go behind for a corner. The result of this lack of decision making, WBA are 1-0 down and up against it. Tamas' indecision can also be held responsible for Blackburn's 2nd goal.

RDM cannot let Tamas' lack of confidence keep costing his side goals and points. With Olsson back fit it must be time for Ibanez to have an extended run in the team, otherwise, what was the point of signing him in the first place??

2 - James Morrison Is Not The Attacking Answer



I like James Morrison. I was really pleased for him when he came back from injury and got the goal against Leicester that all but sealed promotion. But he just seems to be a bit lost in the attacking midfield position this season. His problem is that he will be compared to Graham Dorrans whose place he often occupies and Morrison does not have the same dynamism, range of passing or goal threat as his fellow Scot. Morrison's recent goals against Man U and Blackpool have detracted from his poor performances but I think he is another who needs time away from the first team. He also seems to be another RDM favourite though who gets picked despite of results.

3 - Somen Tchoyi Needs To Play More




The man is a beast. He intimidates people with his size, power and pace but he can also play!!! Every time he plays or comes on he has a positive impact on the game. If that's the case then he needs to play from the start.



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Location:Birmingham,United Kingdom

Weekend Football Preview

Blackburn Rovers v West Brom

After WBA's superb game (but not performance) against Blackpool last week, they will be looking for a further 3 points away at Ewood Park on Sunday. WBA will be looking to avenge the 3-1 defeat inflicted on them by BRFC only weeks ago but confidence will be high after the win against the seasiders.

While many baggies fans would have hoped to have seen John Carew line up today, it has not worked out and so the team will remain very similar to that of last week.

Boas Myhill will retain his place in goal while a late decision will be made on Jonas Olsson returning from injury and suspension. If it were me I would bring both Olsson and Ibanez in at CB, drop Tamas to the bench who has looked out of sorts over the last few games and push Scharner into CM and Dorrans up just behind Odemwingie.

Whether Odemwingie can handle the power of the likes of Ryan Nelsen and Chris Samba remains to be seen. Blackburn are a strange team, brilliant one week, awful next!

WBA should have their game plan set... Score first. Blackburn are tue only team in the Premier League not to take a point from being in a losing position!

IPWYMTS's Prediction
Blackburn 1 - 1 West Brom

The returning Olsson and Tamas will shore up the defence but the Baggies will concede. I fancy Dorrans to break his season's duck in Sunday!


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Location:Icknield St,Birmingham,United Kingdom

Stag Do's? Or Don't Bother?

Beware the Blue Midget

So a mate of mine has invited me on his stag do. Well, his best man has invited me. I should probably qualify before I go any further......

• The Stag is a work colleague, but a close mate who I have known for 4 years.
• Stag's best man is a friend from childhood who I have only met once.
• There is not much mixing between the Stag's 'old school friends' and 'work/later life friends' as Stag doesn't like his world colliding.

So, I've been invited on the Stag Do. Now me and Stag Do's don't tend to mix that well, mainly due to not being a drinker and me ending up babysitting or troubleshooting.

When I discussed said Stag Do with Stag, his exact words were 'I don't want to go abroad, I want it to be fairly low key, I'd quite like to go to the Cheltenham Festival'.

So Email comes in from Best Man, and we will be going to a festival, but it's the Munich Beer Festival.

Further conversation with Stag..... 'It's not really what I want to do and I'm not particularly looking forward to it, but it's what the lads want to do'.

This isn't a stag do. It's a lads holiday. It seems that the best men and a lot of Stag's old school friends are married with kids and this is their one opportunity to go away without their wives and families and go insane. To that extent, it doesn't therefore matter what the Stag wants to do, that's irrelevant. As long as those guys can get their hands on strong beer, drugs and hookers (pure speculation) then they're away.

I am going because my friend asked me to and I'm sure we will have a good time, I'm just not really relishing the prospect and it seems to have lost the spirit of what it is supposed to be about.

At least I get to go to Cheltenham though!!!!

Avram Grant & The Despicable Hammers

Avram Grant - Not popular in East London

All of my West Ham supporting friends and correspondents like to point out how they are the bastions of all things traditional honourable. 

"We're the Academy of Football" they tell us.......

"We won the World Cup" they cling too......

The conduct of the West Ham board, fans and players this season has shown them for what they really are.

Avram Grant is not a great manager and he is difficult to warm to, but he has been treated despicably. He has been treated with suspicion since the first day in his job, and like Roy Hodgson and the Liverpool fans who were out to get him from day one, the 'wonderful' West Ham fans have never given Grant a chance.

The West Ham board are still trying to flex their muscles since bowling back into town last year. I'm fairly certain that they had more to do with the signing of 'The Cuckold' Wayne Bridge and his 90,000 friends than Grant and yet the Israeli is the one who takes all the flack.

I hope West Hame make it to Wembley in the Carling Cup and get out of trouble in the league just so Avram can stick two fingers up at EVERYONE. If they sack him I hope they go down and into administration, just to give those 'wonderful' fans something to really moan about.

West Bromwich Albion 3 - 2 Blackpool

The Hawthorns, just before possibly the most open game of the season!

A fantastic game at the Hawthorns, probably the best game I have seen in the Premier League this year, and it could have finished 5-5. WBA will be disappointed that they didn't kill the game off in the second half with all the chances they created but will be pleased with the resilience they showed to go on to win after being pegged back to 2-2.

I spent most of the first half commenting to my associate 'JUNIOR' that I didn't think Odemwingie looked interested or fit and yet he ended the game the hero after scoring twice. I don't think he had a particularly good game and I don't think he provides WBA with the spearhead that they sometimes need, but he took how two chances very well.

Peter Odemwingie - Too quick for the Blackpool defence and too quick for the IPWYMTS camera!!

The real hero today was Youseff Mulumbu. In the first half his drive and desire kept the team together and throughout the game he made sure Charlie Adam could not completely run the game.

WBA still look suspect at the back, something that I hope will be rectified by the return of Jonas Olsson from injury and suspension next week, but you cannot have the worst defence in the league and be successful.

But the positives;

3 points

2 goals and renewed confidence from Odemwingie

Positive performances from Dorrans and Thomas

Jump to 14th in the league!!

IPWYMTS....


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Location:Birmingham,United Kingdom

Weekend Football Preview - 15th January 2011

West Bromwich Albion v Blackpool

If you look back at WBA's season, it could be argues that it was the return fixture at Bloomfield Road where the rot began to set in. Denied of several key players through injury, WBA were even further hampered by two quick red cards for Pablo Ibanez and Gonzalo Jara and despite a strong performance from the 9 men, WBA came up just short losing 2-1. Since then, WBA's results have taken a sharp downward turn and they have slipped from the European places to just above the relegation zone.

WBA will be without several regulars tomorrow, through a mixture of injury, suspensions and managerial selection, but the team will have a stronger look to that which started last week's cup defeat at Reading. Where WBA really need to improve however is infront of goal. Ismael Miller's performance at Reading last week once again suggestion that he does not have the quality, desire (or robust physique) to perform at the highest level and even though Roman Bednar brought a 1000% in effort and desire, he once again is not going to score the goals that WBA need to stay in the Premier League.

A lot will depend on the fitness of Peter Odemwingie. His goalscoring touch seems to have eluded him of late, but he brings something that other WBA strikers do not. WBA also desperately need Graeme Dorrans to find his scoring boots. Last years top scorer is yet to find the net this season.

Blackpool have been nothing short of brilliant in their first season in the Premier League and have performed better away from home. In Charlie Adam they have one of the most creative and consistent performers of the season. While most people would have had this as a home banker for WBA at the start of the season, Blackburn will provide a really strong test.

IPWYMTS Prediction - WBA 2 - 1 Blackpool


Chelsea v Blackburn Rovers

Was last week's 7-0 win over Ipswich in the FA Cup the return to form of the Champions or was it an easy fixture against a struggling Championship side? There surely can be no better team to play to provide the answer than Blackburn Rovers. 

Chelsea's win last week was achieved with a number of reserves in the side and it is unlikely that they will return against a physical side like Blackburn, so it would seem a return to the line up that has struggled so much for Chelsea over the last 10 games. 

Despite scoring 7 goals in their previous fixture, Chelsea's problems remain putting the ball in the net. Drogba still does not look the same player as he was before he contracted Malaria (hardly surprising) and seems to remain in the team on reputation and promise of something happening. Daniel Sturridge has done everything he can to retain his place in the side with his goals and overall performance against Ipswich, but I cannot see anyone but Drogba playing against a defensive pairing of Samba and Nelsen.

Blackburn have had a couple of good results since sacking Sam Allardyce and will come to Stamford Bridge with confidence.

IPWYMTS Prediction - Chelsea 2 - 1 Blackburn Rovers