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CultFootball Editors: “If we wrote for the Guardian, we’d have a million hits a week”

September 17, 2010 — by Sean

Today’s statement by Fat Sam has set us thinking along the same lines here at the CultFootball headquarters. While we have historically ranged in the high double–low triple digit daily readership, we’re of such quality that a more monied institution with better resources would 1. be lucky to have us, and 2. increase our hit rate thousands of times over.

What inspiration is it you ask? Allardyce’s “better than this” comments that were surely made from a pub stool:

“I’m not suited to Bolton or Blackburn, I would be more suited to Inter or Real Madrid,” Allardyce said. “It wouldn’t be a problem to me to go and manage those clubs because I would win the double or the league every time. Give me Manchester United or Chelsea and I would do the same, it wouldn’t be a problem. It’s not where I’m suited to, it’s just where I’ve been for most of the time.”

Well touch me in the morning, this guy is really on to something.

Commentary

Champions League: What We Saw

September 16, 2010 — by Sean

maarten-stekelenburg — What more can I do?

The cultfootball brain trust was huddled around a giant screen for three of yesterday’s matches, though we tended to pause longer on Real Madrid v Ajax a bit more than the others. Whereas the Chelsea and Arsenal matches were blowouts, Real always looked like they might give one up on the counter, and Ajax are no slacks— though their real standout was the keeper Maarten Stekelenburg (who you may remember from the World Cup). We didn’t have the chance to see the other games as we don’t have Direct TV, the bastards.

On a night when Real’s strikers had ample opportunity to shut down the game, Stekelenburg consistently provided no angle for glory. There were nearly 20 shots between Higuaín, Ronaldo, and di María, and only Higuaín put the ball away (and only from very close range for what we thought were a couple of slop goals). Ronaldo’s shots were particularly funny to us, sour grapes mostly because once he breaks his duck you just know the goals will come pouring in.

Higuaín on the other hand doesn’t look like much of a superstar striker. He does have a deceptively quick first step, exhibited mostly in closing down defenders, but he doesn’t exactly play with his head up. Still, he finds himself the right positions to slam home easy goals, and that’s a skill of high value, though often overlooked for carefully crafted movement finished off with a precision volley or some curling dipper.

Real’s attacking movement was created almost completely by some combination of Marcelo, Özil, and di María. The three looked fantastic, especially the Turkish German, and it gives me some sense that Mourinho won’t settle on an entirely defensive-minded strategy in the season to come. Only time will tell of course, as the true test will be El Clásico on the 28th of November.

Oh, and did I mention the most important member of the cultfootball team?

Commentary News

David Weir: Old Guy

September 15, 2010 — by Sean — 2

While we flipped through the Champions League games today one man stood out: David Weir. Not for his defensive prowess, nor for any particularly stellar play, but for the fact that, during a close-up of the man yelling at the ref, he looked amazingly old.

The captain of Rangers did indeed anchor an incredibly stubborn defense in a hostile Old Trafford this afternoon, and managed to hold together his troops without himself causing anyone a horrific injury (see further down for some home-shot video of Valencia’s season-ending ankle break).

Weir’s elderly appearance set us looking for his record. The man is a sturdy 40 years of age, and seems to only be getting more sure with the passing years. He spent the first few seasons of his career in Scotland, working his way through Falkrik and Hearts before signing with Everton, where he captained the side under two managers. After 8 1/2 season in the EPL he went back home and is now with Rangers, where just last year he received the Scottish Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year Award (this just 3 days before his 40th birthday).

Footytube has a bit about him after his performance today:

Recently recalled to the Scotland squad, Weir became the oldest player to represent his country when he appeared in their recent Euro 2012 qualifying matches. Last season he was the Scottish Premier League’s player of the year and won the equivalent award from the country’s football writers. He has the lean outline and undemonstrative air of a man who has survived many harsh campaigns and on last night’s display he looks good for another outstanding year in both shades of blue.

And now, as promised, handheld footage of the Valencia injury. They didn’t show replays, so you’ll have to squint some and catch it on the fly. It’s not as horrific as Eduardo’s snapped ankle a couple seasons back, but it’s clearly a clean double break and a floppy foot flying through the air.

Commentary

What’s That Stink on Rooney?

September 10, 2010 — by Sean — 1

Two parts of the Rooney Three-Way: Jennifer Thompson and Helen Wood

Wayne Rooney, this week’s scandal magnet, may not play against his old club Everton because Sir Alex feels the crowd treatment may unhinge the tiny bull. All this because he’s been caught in a threesome with professional sex-makers Helen Wood and Jennifer Thompson while his pregnant wife was at home, caring for the unborn Charlie Brown inside her womb. The Daily Mail has a sensitive and thoughtful piece on the matter:

For now, four days after the revelations that both women were paid £1,200 to have sex with Rooney, comes the reaction of their parents. Hamish and Danuta Thompson, who have heard their only daughter described as a prostitute and cocaine user, said they were shocked at her behaviour, spoke of their love and said they would face the crisis as a family. Despite being offered vast amounts to tell their own side of the story, Mr Thompson made it clear that while his daughter might have been prepared to flog her story to Sunday tabloids, the rest of the family were not – in any way – for sale.

Commentary

Remember Adebayor?

September 9, 2010 — by Sean — 1

It’s tough to care much about the beginning of the european footballing season. After the buzz of the world cup and the always fun transfer drama, club football’s jerky starts seem less urgent. Then comes this international break, and we’re only now really getting started. (By the way, Neymar and Ganso are both injured and not playing for Santos at the moment, and with Robinho gone too I have a hard time wanting to tune in.)

So I went strolling around for a bit of news about this weekend’s matches, and came across this little piece about Emmanuel Adebayor. The article is a couple of weeks old, and has ripened with age. Adebayor has to fight for his position at City, but he’s acting like the starter’s role is owed to him. He sits on the bench, not with a hunger in his eye, but with a pissy look on his face. And when he doesn’t get to play he starts talking about a transfer. Kudos to senior football administrator, Brian Marwood for laying down the law.

“These players need to realise that if you are paying them, they are salaried, contracted and have obligations to their football club. They are part of the squad. They have to work hard to prove they are worth a place in the team. We are trying to create a very competitive environment at Manchester City. “

News

Arg – Esp Highlights

September 8, 2010 — by Sean — 3

Place: Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires

Teams: World Cup winners Spain & Sergio Batista’s Argentina

Result: a thrashing, though one Mr. Fabregas was heard to remark that it wasn’t quite as bad as the 4-1 scoreline suggests:

“We need to applaud them because they had four chances and scored four goals. It’s true that it wasn’t our best game, but neither was it a 4-1. We hit the post three times and had more chances. I think the result was too emphatic.”

Spain’s coach, Vicente del Bosque, started the game playing a number of “fringe” players, including Alvaro Arbeloa and Nacho Monreal in defence and Pepe Reina in goal. The previously quoted Fabregas got plenty of playing time too, something he wouldn’t normally see with the likes of the Barca midfield at Bosque’s disposal.

Commentary

England: so great in qualifying!

September 7, 2010 — by Sean — 1

Today the Lions had their way with a Swiss side usually very firm at the back, and the chests were quite pushed upward and outward. Just a quick note for now as there’s lots to absorb, but we’ll be back with more to say through the week and into the weekend fixtures.

Dog-house one minute, top dog the next. Football’s wheel of fortune spins quickly. Wayne Rooney still has serious domestic issues to address but at least he returns home with the admiration of England’s players and supporters for a pedigree display of discipline and dynamism capped by a hugely significant goal. For Rooney, today’s newspapers will be worth reading leisurely rather than shredding instantly.

Commentary

The Magnus Effect

September 3, 2010 — by Sean

A new article on the physics of free kicks linked back to this gem of a piece from a 1998 issue of Physics World. The Roberto Carlos strike in question is still one of the most fantastic goals ever recorded.

Head over to the Physics World site for the full article. And just to whet your whistle:

The drag force, F_D, on a ball increases with the square of the velocity, v, assuming that the density, r, of the ball and its cross-sectional area, A, remain unchanged: F_D = C_DrAv²/2. It appears, however, that the “drag coefficient”, C_D, also depends on the velocity of the ball. For example, if we plot the drag coefficient against Reynold’s number – a non-dimensional parameter equal to rv D /μ, where D is the diameter of the ball and μ is the kinematic viscosity of the air – we find that the drag coefficient drops suddenly when the airflow at the surface of the ball changes from being smooth and laminar to being turbulent

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