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Punters’ Picks: Week #006

By James Watson (@james_watson98)

I have been horrendously out of form over the last couple of weeks with my selections and haven’t been banging in any winners. Sorry for this if you are following but hopefully this week is the week! Last weekend saw arguably one of the greatest ever two year old seasons when Pinatubo won the Dewhurst beating Aidan O’Brien’s battalion. IT was clear that the ground was against him and when he got going he soon powered home. His class prevailed in the final furlong and he pulled clear in the end. Hopefully he will train on as a three year old and be just as good as what he’s been this season. This weekend sees Champions Day which should have all of the best horses runnning at Ascot. So keep your eyes peeled Saturday afternoon to see the superstars live on ITV.

First race on the card in the Champions Sprint which has been won by greatest such as; Muharaar, Decon Blues and Gord Lord Byron. My fancy for this race is Hello Youmzain. He has been running compitively in these sorts of races throughout the season and struck victory in the Haydock Sprint Cup. That was a very good performance that day and I think he is still a large price for this. That victory was on soft and I don’t think the Heavy ground at Ascot will bother him. He is still three and progressing. He also has course form at Haydock from ealier on in the season when he beat Calyx. Also James Doyle retains the ride after his victory on him last time which is a big positive.

Ascot 1:35 Hello Youmzain 5/1

Fillies and Mares next and arguably two of the best three year old flillies line up here from John Gosden stable. Although Gosden has a stronghold im going for the inform stable of Ralph Beckett’s Antonia De Vega. This is a big step up for her but I cant wait to see her run. We have only seen her once this season and that was in June in a nice listed race in which she slaughtered the field. She has been off since and most of these runners have been raced competitvely in recent weeks and she comes here fresh. She didn’t seem to not handle the soft ground last time so that’s another positive. She will need to find another 8 to 10lbs of improvement but it think she will after that victory at Sandown and she is solid each way value.

Ascot 2:45 Antonia De Vega 8/1

QEII next and im going for Century Dream who will love the ground for sure. He was 3^rd in this race last year when putting up a good performance when loosing by a length to Roaring Lion. This will be his first run in England this season and as I have said I think fitness will be key to the racing on Saturday. On ground he likes and course he likes I can see him running a massive race and this has obviously been the target for connections as they have kept him fresh since Meydan and hopefully can run well at a big price.

Ascot 3:20 Century Dream 20/1

My last selection comes in the Balmoral Handicap and im looking to John Gosden and Champion Jockey elect Oisin Murphy with Kick On. He has had a funny season so far with two wins to his name both in graded action. His victory beating Accidental Agent was a good performance and its intresting they are coming for this handicap instead of a bigger race. Ground should be okay for him and for John Gosden to have a runner in a handicap he must think that there is some value in his mark. Hopefully he will run a big race and give Oisin the cherry on top of his cake after a phenomenal season.

Newmarket 4:20 Kick On 9/1

Put all of these in an each way Lucky 15 and hopefully we might strike big!!!!

Hopefully a few more winners than the last few weeks and congratulations to Oisin Murphy and Cieran Fallon for the victories in the Jockey’s Championships 😉

By James Watson (@james_watson98)

Featured

3 International Games to Keep an Eye On

Jack Douglas

International breaks for many a football fan are a tedious few weeks that inevitably rear their heads at the worst imaginable time for your side.

The whole routine changes and we find ourselves cheering on players of our usual mortal enemies; uniting under the banner of three rather aggressively looking blue lions.

The start of the break saw us transported to a bygone era, as WAG Coleen Rooney, turned Sherlock Holmes, donned her tweed Deerstalker and deduced that the root of all her public anguish lay at the hands of a fellow footballer’s wife.

It’s……..Rebekah Vardy.

The Twitter spat took us back to the early noughties as Footballers’ Wives looked to be getting a sixth season.

So now the actual excitement of the international break has subsided, let’s try and get some enjoyment out of a very, well, bleak looking week.

Czech Republic v England

Gareth Southgate’s men will face a Czech outfit who will be out for revenge after England’s five goal humiliation over them in March.

The Three Lions know that a win will book their spot in next summer’s European Championship, and are expected to get the job done tonight in Tommy from Come Fly With Me’s favourite city of Prague.

Chelsea duo Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori have received their first call ups to the senior squad; something that caused a lot of debate for our podcast team to discuss.

https://twitter.com/RegistaRambles/status/1182327305680621569

With James Maddison pulling out through illness, Chelsea starlet Mason Mount is expected to get the nod and win his first start.

After the chaos at St Mary’s though, that saw the world’s fourth best team ship three goals to a nation founded two years after the final ever episode of Footballers’ Wives hit our screens, all eyes will be on England’s defence to see how they respond.

England should win comfortably, but don’t be too hopeful of a clean sheet.

Our prediction? 1-4.

Wales v Croatia

Slovakia’s second half equaliser on Thursday has left Wales in need of getting something on Sunday as they welcome their fans’ second favourite team: Croatia.

Ryan Giggs’ side succumb to a narrow 2-1 defeat away at the World Cup finalists in June, and the fourth placed Welsh know a win by a three-goal margin will lift them into the promised land of the qualification spots in Group E.

*They’ll be relying on this man again.* [*Image via Daily Express*]

Derby County’s Tom Lawrence is likely to feature despite being under investigation for an alleged drink driving offence, whilst it’s touch and go as to whether Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey will play according to Giggs.

“He has a chance for Sunday. He has a little bit of tightness in his abductor,” he told the press. “He did a bit of training today. The physio has stayed back to work with him. We are hopeful that he will be available for Sunday.”

Our prediction? 2-0.

North Korea v South Korea

Quite a lot more is at stake than just both Korean sides’ 100% records in the preliminary group stages of Qatar 2022 qualification.

The Chollima welcome the Taegeuk Warriors to the remarkable 150,000-seater Rungrado 1^st of May Stadium in Pyongyang, in a game that surely won’t be ending with all the players still on the field.

The North Koreans sit 76 places below their peninsular sharing neighbours in the world rankings, but have firepower going forward in strikers Pak Kwang-ryong and Juventus youngster Han Kwang-song.

The sides have met on many occasions prior, yet this game will be just the second to be hosted north of the DMZ – the other seeing North beat South 2-1 in a 1990 friendly.

Tottenham’s Son Heung-min is no doubt where the majority of the visitor’s threat will come from but keep an eye out for RB Salzburg’s Hwang Hee-chan; still buoyed by the elation of skipping past Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk to score at Anfield.

Our prediction? Fireworks.

[Cover image via Wembley Stadium]

Are Leicester the most exciting team in Europe at the minute?

By Urban Newton

(@urban_newton)

Defensive football is supposed to be boring. Defensive football is not supposed to be celebrated, particularly in the post-Cruyff era we are witnessing at this moment in time.

The legacy Johan Cruyff has left the footballing world is one of pressing, of passing, of simply goals and entertainment.

That could not have been better exemplified than at St Mary’s last Friday. Leicester City secured the English top-flight’s biggest ever away win with a 9-0 victory over Southampton.

This weekend they travel to Crystal Palace, knowing that, this time, the game may not be so straightforward. Yet still, we will see this magnificent style of play that Brendan Rodgers has unearthed.

Pep Guardiola may well be the messiah in spreading the word of Cruyff, but in a little Northern Irishman called Brendan, pressing, passing, goals and entertainment seems to be coming in abundance in the East Midlands.

Harvey Barnes and Ayoze Perez were nothing short of sensational last week. The two wingers drifted inside at their own will, playing between the lines of the porous Saints’ 5-4-1 with ease.

The Foxes’ midfield three is also very similar to that of Guardiola’s Manchester City. Wilfred Ndidi is the Fernandinho/Rodri holding player behind two, what Kevin de Bruyne once coined, “free 8s”.

Typically James Maddison and Youri Tielemans these two are given the freedom of the pitch. They run beyond opposition defences regularly whilst also possessing all the creative qualities of number 10s to create both counter attacks and higher up the pitch when breaking teams down.

That has been the most impressive aspect of Leicester’s play this season- the breaking down of teams.

Claudio Ranieri’s side were dogmatic and reactive. They did not want the ball and sat deep. They instead perfected the counter-attack, with blistering pace and efficiency.

The Claude Puel era also saw similarly conservative, perhaps even safer, football.

Under Brendan Rodgers’ tutelage, the Foxes still have that counter-attacking prowess but now also the cutting-edge in the final third to get through teams after the periods of possession, which were sometimes overly preached by Puel.

They have one of the world’s most complete strikers in Jamie Vardy too. He does not stop running. Whether it be chasing down opposing defenders in possession or making piercing runs between centre-backs from halfway, his movement and work rate is extraordinary.

The transformation of Leicester over the last five years has been radical and sensational, yet for Vardy, the only real outfield constant, the goals have never dried up.

On Sunday afternoon, Leicester will face Roy Hodgson’s Palace knowing that they will have to be at their utmost best.

Palace have proven to be a tough nut to crack this season, and the Foxes will have to demonstrate their ability to break opponents down, whilst also being wary of the sometimes devastating wing-play the Eagles can showcase.

Leicester, in their 4-3-3 system that encourages individual brilliance and freedom, are one of the most exciting teams in Europe at the minute however. The likenesses to the school of Cruyff, brought about by a small Northern Irishman, are uncanny.

Even if they did ultimately miss out on their final target at the end of this season- Champions League football- that too would simply reinforce their newfound affinities to the legacy of the Dutch icon.

By Urban Newton

(@urban_newton)

Punters’ Pick #007

By James Watson (James_watson98)

Saturday sees the passing of the seasons as Jumps and Flat racing combine with Cheltenham’s Showcase meeting and Doncaster’s Vertem Futurity card look hotly contested. Not only that but a competitive Newbury card which looks like there could be some nice prospects for next season. Let’s get on with it! 😉

We will start with the first race at Doncaster where I think it will finally be Troubador’s day for a big day. He’s run two big races in his last two starts at York and at Redcar when being beaten by Summer Sands in the Two-year-old trophy. That was a big performance last time and he has had a busy season which is a worry, but he has never been out of the first two apart from his debut and that is in eight starts. His 2^nd at York was in a typical hot nursery and was just nabbed on the line by a southern raider. He goes well in heavy/good to soft which is a big plus and I think he sets the standard especially claiming weight from market rival Aberama Gold.

Doncaster 1:45 Troubador 11/4

Over to Cheltenham now and the first looks a typical competitive hot handicap over three miles and I’m siding with Shantou Village at a big price. He was sent off favourite for this race last year and is double this time. He was unseated at the second last in the Kerry National when looking set for a place. If that fall hasn’t left his mark which it shouldn’t have, I think that performance should put him bang there. Hes won novice chases off higher marks and I think he’s dropping to a decent mark. His trainer Neil Mulholland is a trainer whose horses have been running really well and I think he could be decent each way value.

Cheltenham 2:00 Shantou Village

Back to the flat action at Newbury and the Cancom stakes formerly known as the Horris Hill. Kinross is my NAP of the weekend as his performance on debut was devastating. After that performance he went high on my list of Guineas fancies as his turn of foot on soft ground was good between the 2- and 1-furlong pole. The second in that race has come out and won and franked the form and he beat him by eight lengths. This Kingman colt is very well bred being out of Ceilidh House and related to Ceilidh’s Dream and Melrose Abbey and if you fancy him like me for this race then you should probably take the 25/1 about him for the 2000 Guineas. I’m really looking forward to his performance and hopefully he can extend his winning run.

Newbury 2:50 Kinross 6/5

Cheltenham has an interesting 2mile handicap with one of my favourite horses in training Gino Trail running in it. He loves to front run and think that he is normally best when fresh. He isn’t getting any younger at the age of 12 but I’m sure the fire is still in the belly for him. He hasn’t won since February 2018, but he ran well last season in the three starts he had. Obviously, this season looks to run more smoothly as he is starting off early. Saint Calvados may be difficult to beat but I’m sure Richard Johnson will fire him into every fence, and he will respond greatly and I c ant wait to see his big white face ploughing on out front.

Cheltenham 3:10 Gino Trail

Last of all is the Cheltenham Novice hurdle over just short of 3 miles where The Butcher Said lines up for an inform team of Olly Murphy, AP Heskin and the McNeil Family. He has been on the go over hurdles since April which could be negative but will put him match fit for this. Hes been running well on good ground and the ground will obviously be different here but I don’t think that should affect him. He ran over 2m 5f last time and back over three miles should suit him as he got tacked for a bit of toe last time. This is a week enough novice hurdle and he should get his head in front again here

Cheltenham 4:20 The Butcher Said

Hopefully some winners this week!!!!!

By James Watson (James_watson98)

Ciro Immobile: Immobile by name, antonymic by nature

Since returning to Italy on a permanent basis in 2016, Ciro Immobile is currently undergoing his most prolific season start to date having become an integral part of the blueprints at Lazio to the point where changes have been implemented to suit his strengths. Given his goal scoring prowess and imperious presence in attack over the past four seasons, can you really blame them?

Far too often in recent years, I Biancocelesti have been susceptible to defensive frailties and general inconsistencies that have been masked by the exception of their talisman.

Held in the same tier as Fiorentina and the Milan clubs prior to this season despite boasting an inferior side to their close league associates, Lazio have at times been heavily indebted to Immobile, who continues to flourish at the spearhead of their attack.

At 29, the Italian international has found his safe haven at the tenth time of asking, and whilst his goal-scoring antics have always made for impressive reading, he has reached a new level in Rome.

Following a turbulent couple of years on his travels throughout Europe, the worst spell of his career to date, Immobile’s permanent return to his home country took place at little cost (€8.75 million) and consequently, with little pressure to perform. Or so it seemed.

In his debut season with Le Aquile, Ciro chalked his name on the front of the team sheet and the back of many a fan’s shirt almost immediately, scoring nine in his first 11 matches and ending the season on 26 goals from 41 games in all competitions, 10 more than the club’s second highest scorer that season and 19 more than third.

In securing his place as Lazio’s main man and one of Serie A’s most feared forwards, Immobile also helped his side earn a place in Europe the following season, which only provided more opportunity for games and for goals which the Italian duly capitalised upon.

The 2017/18 began as it meant to go on, with success in the form of a 3-1 victory over Juventus in the Italian Super Cup courtesy of a brace from Immobile of course, and things propelled in quite preposterous fashion from then on.

Immobile celebrating a goal against Juventus in the Italian Super Cup. (Credit: Yahoo)

It took the forward just eight games to reach double figures in the league, a spell which included a hat-trick against AC Milan in a 4-1 home win and a second consecutive brace against the champions in a 2-1 win at Juventus Stadium. Immobile was simply uncontainable from start to finish in a season that saw him win golden boot for the fifth-placed team in Serie A, and in the Europa League for the quarter-finalists.

His league record was 29 goals (and 8 assists) in 33 matches throughout which he directly contributed to a goal every 73 minutes.

As for the Europa League, he managed eight goals and an assist in nine matches, giving him an even more outstanding goal contribution rate of 64 minutes. In all competitions, he contributed to 50 goals (41 goals & 9 assists) in 47 matches. Lazio’s next highest goal scorer, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, netted 14 times. A tally that, for a midfielder, should not be discredited, but it only reinforces the ridiculous nature of Immobile’s brilliance in front of goal.

The Italian following his four-goal haul against SPAL in January 2018. (Credit: Bleacher Report)

After a second season that saw Immobile pick up his first trophy at Lazio on top of four individual accolades following inclusions in the Serie A and Europa League teams of the season, there was an undoubted level of pressure and responsibility on his back. But as has been the case so often in his career, he continued to show why he is such a complete forward.

Immobile had the worst of his three full Lazio seasons in 2018/19 during what was a transitional period into a forward that is arguably more well-rounded, reliable in his ability to hold the ball up and bring others into play as defenders began to target him and force him to drop deeper to have more of an effect. The worst of his Lazio seasons which still saw him score 19 and assist 12 in all competitions, and after the start to the season he has had this time around, it is clear that it was a year in which he has learnt a lot and adapted to the changes in personnel at Lazio.

I Biancocelesti find themselves in seventh place after eight games so far this season, struggling to find any sort of flow as was another big factor during the 18/19 season. This time around, however, Immobile has reached new heights. 9 games, 10 goals and 3 assists in all competitions, the Italian is a leader in their attack with such composure and unrelenting talent in the final third that few strikers possess.

As he nears the end of the prime tenure of his career, Ciro Immobile looks better than ever as he pursues a place amongst his current boss Simone Inzaghi in Lazio folklore. 143 games, 124 goal contributions (96 goals & 28 assists), one Italian Super Cup, one Coppa Italia and three years of outstanding performances as the talisman at the Stadio Olimpico, he will no doubt be remembered fondly for his time in light blue for many years to come.

Stability v Chaos: Sheffield United v Arsenal

By Urban Newton

(@urban_newton)

Fifteen years ago this week, Arsenal won the last of their run of forty-nine Premier League games without defeat.

Sheffield United, meanwhile, were winning 3-1 away at Gillingham in the Championship. Paul Shaw scored a brace and Michael Tonge got the other for Neil Warnock’s men.

How much has changed at each club since then. Even since they last met in the league, when French striker Christian Nade scored the last Premier League goal of 2006 to secure a famous 1-0 win over the Gunners, not much is too similar.

Arsenal somehow stumbled into third in the table two weeks ago. That has become a good target for Unai Emery’s men, who once settled for nothing less than a title challenge in the early days of the Arsene Wenger reign.

Tomorrow night, they should expect nothing less than the Blades to take the game to them. As discussed on this week’s Regista Rambles podcast, we do seem to be on the verge of that first coup of the season for United. It may never come, though what better time to do it than this week.

The chaotic, disorganised brand that has now become associated with Emeryball could not really be any further from what Chris Wilder’s side have demonstrated since their promotion to the top-flight.

The Sheffield United squad does not scream quality every time the team sheets are announced an hour before kick-off, but that does not seem to matter.

Unbelievably, United have an identical record after eight games with another United. They are only one-place below twelfth Manchester thanks to goal difference.

What the steel city side have demonstrated so far in abundance in comparison to the other promoted teams is stability. They may not be the most attractive team to watch, with slick one-touch passing, but they are absolutely solid.

Wilder’s innovative 5-3-2, with the overlapping centre-backs that have now become common knowledge, is a definite mainstay for the season. It is a system that seems to have been getting better year upon year.

The obvious problem for United is that front two, a huge juxtaposition to Arsenal’s now top-heavy, primarily attacking approach.

The options of Lys Mousset, captain Billy Sharp, Callum Robinson, David McGoldrick and Oli McBurnie are yet to fully perform, with fans even divided on who the best two to pick actually are.

Nonetheless, whoever does start tomorrow night will relish the opportunity at home under the lights and cameras at Brammall Lane.

The Gunners seem to be becoming forever more fragile and porous when out-of-possession, and United will no doubt be up for a physical battle. Not least due to Granit Xhaka and David Luiz being part of the Arsenal set-up, the visitors are a team that can be easily-wound up in heated, intense situations.

A red card and/or a penalty here would not be much of a surprise, let’s be honest.

Whereas Sheffield United have most definitely moved forward from where they were fifteen years ago, the same cannot be said for the North London reds.

Arsenal had come off the back of the invincible season of 2003/04, in which they blitzed the Premier League with the direct, blistering attacking of Robert Pires, Freddie Ljungberg, Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry and the supporting-act of the late Jose Antonio Reyes.

They were also resolute and unwavering no matter the game or circumstance. They had leaders all over the pitch.

This year’s Arsenal may be able to attempt some sort of crude replication of that side’s attacking prowess, but that is about as close as they are to that side.

It would not be out of the blue if one of those Sheffield United strikers popped up with a Christian Nade-winning moment tomorrow night at all.

By Urban Newton

(@urban_newton)

Comment: Will the real top-quality centre-halves please stand-up?

By Urban Newton

(@urban_newton)

We are now eight games into the new Premier League season and matchday nine is upon us. But we are yet to see a complete performance from a single one of the division’s heavyweight centre-backs. Not one.

Is this just how it is going to be now?

Who are supposedly the top three centre-halves in our top-flight? Virgil van Dijk, Aymeric Laporte and Harry Maguire? Seems about right. It is right going by transfer value anyway.

Laporte has been injured since Manchester City’s 4-0 win over Brighton at the start of September. Nicolas Otamendi and Fernandinho have thus been the most common partnership, with John Stones unsurprisingly having regular injury setbacks too.

The ageing, out-of-position Fernandinho is not worthy of a mention here but let us look at Otamendi.

Otamendi plays like he is one of the best defenders in world football. He probably thinks he is one of the best defenders in the world. But he is not one of the best defenders in the world.

He defends on the front foot, if that makes sense. He is more proactive than he is reactive. Every single time, he goes to ground and every single time he goes for the ball before it can reach an opposing recipient.

The man has no patience. He is rash. You can only assume that he thinks this style, this erratic nature, sets a good example to a squad lacking in example and leadership.

Yet, the only valid comparison that can be made of the Argentinian is to his fellow South American David Luiz: Silly. Clumsy. Unreliable.

Even before Laporte’s injury, did City not quite look right at the back. Though his performances declined year upon year before his departure, they need a Vincent Kompany. They need guidance.

When the first choice partnership of Laporte and Stones does return, we will see an improvement but not the stability and direction needed to take them to a Premier League title or that illusive Champions League trophy.

Harry Maguire is the most expensive defender of all-time. And that is absolutely ludicrous.

Maguire’s positioning off the ball, or lack thereof, is often overlooked. At Hull and Leicester, he was lauded for his rawness. He was a defender not afraid to carry the ball into midfield or hit a speculative diagonal pass.

He is still that same player now at the biggest football club in the world. But he still has that rawness. There is no discipline. Too much carelessness.

It is worth noting that he only seems to play well when his partner Victor Lindelof does too. You may think this is crude. Obviously a defender can perform better when his partner does. Yet, this is the most expensive defender of all-time. He should inspire teammates and provide whatever necessary to make them perform.

Virgil van Dijk, meanwhile, is apparently the best defender in the world.

He probably is but that does not say much about the competition. Sergio Ramos, Giorgio Chiellini, Milan Skriniar, Gerard Pique and Matthijs de Ligt, for example, have been very poor themselves this season.

Those players, including van Dijk, are supposed to control games from centre-half. The best central defenders command others around them. They set their team up when they do not have the ball. They can win the ball back themselves with ease and offload it into midfield with a sense of grace and decorum.

These defenders can actually dictate games. They can regulate games from where they are. You know when it has been their game.

Virgil van Dijk is not helped by his fullbacks, who have been non-existent when Liverpool have been out of possession. He has been isolated but that has really exposed his weakness at defending one-one-one this year.

There is even a very good argument that Joel Matip outshone the Dutchman is last season’s triumphant Champions League campaign.

So we have played eighty games so far in this Premier League season and not one has featured a convincing, complete and contemporary performance from one of the big names in the centre of defence.

In the past, we did not discuss just one of a defensive duo. Think Steve Bruce and Garry Pallister, Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic. All partnerships of equal quality.

I am not even asking for such a duo to actually come to fruition. I just want a game that is ran by one of these quality centre-halves. Where they read everything, win everything, organise everything, start everything, just take hold of a game by the scruff of the neck.

Is it really something too difficult to ask for? Or is football becoming increasingly furthermore top-heavy and weighted towards attacking and building towards it?

Is this just how it is going to be now?

By Urban Newton

(@urban_newton)

Punters’ Picks: Week #005

By James Watson (@james_watson98)

Last Sunday the nations hearts were broke. Enable failed to win her third Prix De Arc De Triomphe last weekend and the five-year-old Waldgeist motored through the mud to win by 1 3/4 lengths. First of all, I must give credit to Andre Fabre, Pierre Charles Boudot and Waldgeist. The ground went his way and he handled the conditions of the race best. Following the sad passing of Sea of Class, she is worth mentioning as she showed us how to get the Queen beat. She paved the way of how to get Enable beat which was to come late and fast. Enable’s greatest quality is here turn of pace between the 2f and the 3f and everything looked to have gone right for here, but I don’t think she was right at all for the race. Having watched Enable many times you can see she walks with a ‘swagger’ around the parade ring similar to Stradivarius. Frankie got off her at the weekend in the parade ring and looked around her if something wasn’t right. I have heard somewhere as well they changed her routine to try and get the best out of her but why change something that has been a winning formula. Anyway, enough theories on why she got beat she has been a star of the flat for 3 years now and hopefully she will enjoy her retirement at stud and can’t wait to see her foals in later years. Pierre Charles Boudot had one hell of a weekend with six winners across the two days including The Revenant and One Master. This weekend certainly showed him to be one of the best jockeys in the world at this moment and watch out for him in the coming years. Anyway, lets look forward to this Saturday. 😉

3 massive meetings for flat and jumps on Saturday and we will start with the flat at York where William Haggas brings a nice two-year-old of his dad’s into a handicap. Convict won what I think was a deep race last time at Redcar and has been allotted a handicap mark of 83 for his three performances. He caught my eye since debut being related to Hamish, Harris Tweed and Beaten Up who have all been owned by the same owner. He was pitched in deep but ran on well which then left him fancied for the race at York next time when everything went wrong. He clipped heels, saddle slipped, and Danny Tudhope was up his neck and still managed to finish 6^th. He showed a nice performance last time over 7f which he stays to here. I think he’s got massive potential and further distances will certainly be his strongpoint next season.

2:05 York Convict

The big race of the day at Newmarket is next for me and as much as Pinatubo has been the star this season for two-year olds, I am going against him with Wichita. He was mightily impressive in the Tattersalls Stakes over course and distance last time. If Coolmoore have supplemented him it must mean that he is their best chance of winning the race. I respect what Pinatubo has done this season however I want to see him do it at Newmarket. He handled Epsom well enough in his early race so the dip should be no problem. Also, I think Charlie Appleby’s horses have been running a bit flat so far and would like to see them running a bit better.

3:30 Newmarket Wichita 4/1

The listed novice chase at Chepstow may only have four runners but what a line up it looks to be. Secret Investor, Jarveys Plate, Reserve Tank and Posh Trish all line up and Reserve Tank is who I will be leaning towards. He has gone from strength to strength last season and has looked every bit of a chaser since the start. He won two grade ones over 2miles and 4 last season and is the obvious starting place for him. I think he’s got a massive future ahead of him and will only get better after this run. This is a strong race so his jumping will need to be on his A game as Secret Investor showed last season that he was a good chaser. However, I can’t wait to see him jump a fence and think he should be up to winning this.

Chepstow 3:55 Reserve Tank

Only three picks this week but hopefully three winners. Good Racing on your screens this weekend for both Jump and Flat fans. Enjoy!

By James Watson (@james_watson98)

Does Kyle Walker have an international future?

It’s not been a good week for Kyle Walker. Left out of Gareth Southgate’s 25-man England squad for their upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers and hooked off at half time by Pep Guardiola in Manchester City’s shock 2-0 defeat to Wolves, the past few days have been some to forget for the full back.

After also missing out on the previous England squad and with competition only increasing in that area of the pitch, Walker faces an uphill struggle to force himself back into international contention.

Although Walkers form has been topsy turvy since the start of the new season, he has also fallen victim to circumstance arguably more so than from his own performances.

Trent Alexander-Arnold only seems to be getting better and better under Jürgen Klopp’s tutelage at Liverpool, demonstrating solidity in defence whilst also showing he also possesses the willingness to get forward and contribute to the Reds forward play, a style of which we would usually associate with Walker.

His superbly taken effort against Chelsea a fortnight ago demonstrates his ability in the final third which has helped propell his remarkable rise, and for now placed him ahead of Walker in the England pecking order.

Alexander-Arnold’s rise has been meteoric to say the least (Credit: Getty Images)

Kieran Trippiers decision to head abroad with Atlético Madrid has proven an inspired one thus far as he’s proved a vital component of a backline which has only let in 4 goals in 8 La Liga matches. He also currently finds himself behind Alexander-Arnold in the international set up but has been favoured over Walker for backup duties.

Walker now also faces stiff competition for his place at City themselves, the summer arrival of Portuguese João Cancelo placing significant pressure on the Englishman’s shoulders to retain his place in Guardiola’s starting line-up.

Cancelo proved a mainstay in a Juventus side who won their eighth successive league title last year, and over the course of the season will undoubtedly provide Walker with a tug of war over who cements the right back slot as their own.

João Cancelo will provide Walker with a stern test to keep his place in Manchester City’s starting line-up (Credit: Getty Images)

One silver lining for Walker is Southgate has demonstrated before, most notably at the 2018 World Cup on that sensational run to the semi-finals, is his willingness to deploy Walker as a centre back in three-man backline.

Walker showed great adaptability in a new role on the biggest footballing stage of them all, and It could prove an avenue for his return to the international set up should his rival full backs continue to be favoured by Southgate and the England boss decides once again to operate with 3 at the back and wingbacks either side.

Part of that favouritism is of course down to Walker’s performances individually as well, as Manchester City have shown a defensive frailty that has seen them sink eight points behind Liverpool in the title race at this early stage.

Walker’s poor decision to drop back against Norwich allowed Teemu Pukki to remain onside, and then in his attempts to rectify himself with a challenge on the Finn left Todd Cantwell completely free to put Norwich two goals to the good in an eventual 3-2 victory for the Canaries.

Walker had an afternoon to forget against Norwich (Credit: Getty Images)

Manchester City conceded 23 goals in the entirety of last years title winning campaign. They have already conceded 9 after 8 games this time around, and Walker must take some of the responsibility for that as a member of the back four who was around for last year’s triumph but seemingly been unable to transfer that solidity over to this campaign.

Of course there is still plentiful amounts of time for City and Walker to turn it around but for now, it has resulted in Walkers absence from the international side, an absence which unless City’s defence improves quickly doesn’t show any signs of changing anytime soon.

(Featured Image Credit: Sky Sports)

Through Rose-tinted glasses: Can Salzburg Marsch on to unprecedented success?

After Marco Rose left Salzburg for the German Bundesliga in the summer along with five key players, not to mention star striker Moanes Dabbur’s departure to Sevilla, the Austrian side were left with a chasm many believed would be insurmountable, at least on a short-term basis on the back of a golden period with the German at the helm.

The appointment of American Jesse Marsch, who played second fiddle to Ralf Rangnick at RB Leipzig last season, came with little surprise following his outstanding work at the Leipzig and New York branches of the Red Bull tree. The surprise, however, has come from the exhilarating brand of attacking football Marsch has implemented that has caught eyes throughout all of Europe.

You only need to refresh your Twitter feed once to discover Erling Braut Haland’s latest groundbreaking feat, however, Marsch’s setup is by no means accommodated solely for the Norwegian. Their squad oozes up and coming talent, particularly in an attacking sense and the Wisconsin-born coach has managed to intertwine his front line with overpowering perfection.

From their fourteen matches in all competitions this season, Marsch’s men have netted 64 goals, giving them an average of more than 4.5 goals per game. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of their attacking arsenal is the strength in numbers they possess that has allowed them to rest key players for European fixtures. Sideline their entire primary strike force and they are still more than capable of blitzing opposition defences in equally ruthless fashion. As has been the case on several occasions already this campaign.

The stats of their forwards from this season speak volumes for the depth they boast:

Erling Braut Haland – 11 games, 18 goals, 5 assists.
Hee-chan Hwang – 11 games, 7 goals, 10 assists.
Takumi Minamino – 11 games, 6 goals, 8 assists.
Patson Daka – 13 games, 10 goals, 3 assists.
Sekou Koita – 7 games, 5 goals, 2 assists.

In the Champions League, they have, as you might expect, been found out at the back. A team that plays with such ferocity and chance going forward may leave themselves exposed from time to time, but their collective understanding both in possession and in the press allows for more frequent exposure of their opposition.

Of course, as an overall unit they aren’t expected to compete with the likes of Napoli and Liverpool, but sticking to their philosophies and taking the game to these teams was a system used so fearlessly and with success, especially in Europe by Marco Rose and that has continued under Jesse Marsch.

In their opening two Champions League group games this season, Salzburg have scored nine goals including three at Anfield. For a squad full of youth and inexperience on paper, each player knows their role in Marsch’s game plan and has executed that with the confidence and conviction of a seasoned veteran. Consequently, irrespective of whether they achieve Champions League or Europa League knockout qualification, teams continent-wide will not rest easy in the wake of a two-legged tie against the Austrians.

The domestic league and cup double is almost a given, but this squad has more than enough about them to outweigh Austrian football (as many of their players eventually will) and become the surprise package in a lengthy European stint this season.