Boxing brings the year to a close (almost!)

So its getting to the time of year where there is not a massive amount of sport on the horizon, but there are still a few little gems to look forward to! There is the latest instalment of Manny Pacquiao v Juan Manuel Marquez tonight which is an intriguing bout. Not many bookmakers seem to be giving Marquez much of a chance, but we have been in this situation before. There are people that think that Marquez won at least one of the previous three fights. I suspect that the powers that be might have taken care of those that can make a difference with the decision. Also in Boxing tonight Darren Barker makes his long-awaited return to the ring against Kerry Hope. Barker is a heavy favourite with the bookies so it is a bit of a foregone conclusion, but I just hope that Barker can get a good session under his belt and stay injury free. The Londoner has had a torrid time in recent years, and where not too long ago he was alongside the likes of Britain's other top level middleweights in Martin Murray and Matt Macklin, his lack of activity has made him somewhat a forgotten man. I believe that Murray would beat both of his rivals and will go on to become a World champion in the near future, but there are certainly some tasty dust-ups to be had domestically. Also tonight James De Gale returns against Fulgencio Zuniga in Hull. I don't think many would say that moving to the Hennessey stable was a forward step for De Gale, but after Frank Warren signed George Groves perhaps he felt he had no choice but to move. I have to say that in a recent Channel 5 interview De Gale seemed more humble than I have ever seen him. I for one was certainly glad to see the back of all the trash-talking that we've become accustomed to with De Gale. Maybe now he can let his fists do the talking rather than his over-sized mouth, although I think the he lacks the necessary punch power to get right to the top. In my eyes, the most exciting bout of the night is Kalid Yafai against Jorge Perez. Kal has looked utterly destructive when I have seen him before and I think he has the skills to go all the way. With four KO's in five fights (he has only fought twelve rounds in five fights as well) he is getting a reputation for being a bit of a banger, and Matchroom might find it difficult to find credible opponents if he carries on like this. No doubt though he will progress through the ranks quickly, he looks like a boxer who is much more mature than his time in the game would suggest. Frank Maloney has also made a statement this week aimed at trying to get Mick Hennessey and Tyson Fury to sit round the table and discuss a fight deal. I think he is right that aside of David Haye versus Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko this is the most exciting fight in the division. I think Price is the real deal as well, particularly after how he removed Matt Skelton last time out. People (including Camp Fury!) still talk about his vulnerable chin, and they may have a point, but the only way to prove that Tyson can knock out David is to get in the ring and do it. You can't keep coming out with ridiculous claims and insults if you never intend to back it up. Here's hoping for 2013!

It is also time for the BBC Sports Personality Personality of the Year, which as you might expect is quite Olympics oriented in terms of candidates.If I was the voting panel my top three would be as follows;

1 - Mo Farah. I remember watching Mo in 2008 in Beijing where he did not quite cut the mustard at the top level, and looked somewhat bemused in not making the final of the 5000m. Mo did not take this lying down and made wholesale changes to his coach, training and lifestyle in general basing himself in the USA most of the time while training. Having won Gold in the 5000m, Mo and his training partner Galen Rupp crossed the line first and second respectively, making the Somali-born Briton a double Olympic champion.

2 - Jessica Ennis. Jess was the first athlete to take gold in the 'Golden Hour' that saw Greg Rutherford and Mo Farah also take Golds. Jess' total score was 6955 points which was 306 points ahead of her nearest rival, and she also set three personal bests in her seven events along the way.

3 - Rory McIlroy. I include Rory primarily as I think the achievements of Team Europe on September 30th cannot go unrecognised, and McIlroy is the only Team Europe member on the list. If I was compiling the list of contenders, Ian Poulter would have been my pick, but the Northern Irishman's achievements at Kiawah Island in the US PGA Championships probably tipped the balance. McIlroy also won The FedEx Cup, The Race to Dubai, and the US and European money lists as well as finishing the year as world number one.

I do also expect Team GB to win team of the year, but I again would vote for Team Europe for the Ryder Cup win.

At the end of the year I will be compiling a 'Sport's best of 2012' blog, so please email me your favourites at floydssporttalk@live.co.uk

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Formula One climax, and goodbye from a British boxing legend

This afternoon the 2012 Formula One season comes to a climax at the Interlagos circuit in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Defending champion Sebastian Vettel is best placed for victory having qualified fourth with Spaniard Fernando Alonso in eighth. Alonso needs to finish in at least third to have a hope; if Alonso wins the race he needs Vettel to finish fourth or worse to win. When all the permutations are considered, along with the usual unpredictable of Sao Paulo it makes for a thoroughly entertaining race. If Vettel does win, he will park himself neatly alongside some illustrious company (Senna, Prost, Brabham, Stewart, Lauda)  as a triple winner, and he would be the youngest of these. As a consecutive triple winner the company would be even greater, as only Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher have achieved this feat. At this point, Formula One has been running for 62 years and there have been 32 different winners in this time so Sebastian Vettel's acievemnt would be truly great. Is he considered one of the greatest drivers of all time at the moment? No, I don't think he is. But if he does go on to win his third title he certainly would be. Maybe we will only be able to give a true perspective to the German's acheivements after he has retired. At the tender age of 25 though, he is really still in his infancy in the sport. His team-mate Mark Webber still looks fresh and hungry at 36! Sebastian Vettel could go on to break all records in the sport if Red Bull Racing can still go on supplying him reliable quick cars. After a very good start to the season, they have had some issues with reliabiliy in the latter part of the season. As much as I hope the championship is not decided until the end of the race, something similar to 2008 would suit me down to the ground. 

Having said all this, if Alonso wins he would also become a triple champion having won in 2005 and 2006 with Renault. After an ill-fated switch to McLaren, the Spaniard has looked much more at home at Scuderia Ferrari and I would like to think will also win a third title at some stage if not today. He certainly has the talent, but the Maranello team have not quite been able to deliver a chmpionship winning car. Alonso had a poor mid-season which to a certain extent was beyond his control. Being caught up in a few first-corner incidents that resulted in DNF's put pay to his season. 

 A track guide from Rubens Barrichello who was born very close to the circuit and used to climb through the fence as a boy to watch the racing. 

There is no doubt that the Interlagos circuit is made for drama. The bumpy crumbly track surface, the weather, the fast straights and off-camber tight corners, the super-enthusiastic Brazilian crowd. 

My last point this week is to say that we should remember one for the career he has had, and not the way it ended last night. Ricky Hatton succumbed to a ninth round body punch from Vyacheslav Senchenko, which ended the Mancunian's career. As I said to many people before the fight, Hatton had already won in getting to the ring. And hopefully now he can live his life with enjoyment, and fulfillment from his other interests in promotion, management and also as a trainer. Here he is in his finest hour on June 4th 2005 beating Kostya Tszyu for the IBF light-welterweight belt who at the time was widely regarded as the pound for pound king. 

Thanks Ricky. 

 

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I'm Back!!

Let us never forget those who lay down their lives for our liberty.

Morning again sport fans. Having a six week old child might not affect my ability to watch to much sport, but it certainly does affect ones ability to research and write about it. That said, as much as I love my sport I love my little boy considerably more. 

As it has been a few weeks, this blog is going to be a bit of a catch up issue as a lot has gone on in Sportworld over the last couple of weeks.  

Those who know me personally will know that one of my favourite sports is snooker. Two particularly interesting things have happened in snooker recently. Firstly Ronnie O'Sullivan, the best and most exciting player to ever pick up a cue, has taken a sabbatical until the end of the season which may end up leading to his retirement. Followers of the sport will know that the Chigwell cue-man has been battling mental demons for quite a while, and after twenty years in the sport maybe it is time for Ronnie to put the cue down for a while. Over the years we have seen Ronnie walk out mid-game, bite his tip off at the end of a game through dissatisfaction and also physically abuse the table for its inconsistencies. Having watched the great man play live on quite a few occasions, I know he's like a Rolls Royce when at his best, and that is how I like to think of him. Here he is being not only better than everybody else, but quicker than everyone else as well. 

We may be saying goodbye to the mercurial O'Sullivan, but the heir apparent made it to the top of the world rankings last weekend in winning The international Championship in China last weekend. Bristolian Judd Trump had infact ensured this position by getting to the final, but beating former World Champion Neil Robertson in the final certainly consolidated his berth at the top of the game. He has taken the game by storm since his emergence on the scene in 2005. He had been on the radar of all snooker fans even as a junior, and many have tipped him to be a World Champion before he even turned pro. This is a feat he has yet to acheive, although he did make the final earlier this year, but as a three time ranking event winner he will be amongst the favourites in April when the snooker fraternity converges on The Crucible once again. 

Why do we have to have an international friendly at this point of the year? Sandwichwed inbetween weekends with Premier League fixtures it is surely an inconvenience for players and managers alike; particularly as England don't play another game until February 6th. 

Well done to Jorge Lorenzo for winning the MotoGP title at Philip Island. Once Dani Pedrosa crashed out early on Jorge just has to bring it home to clinch the title. There was only one man that was ever going to win that day, as Casey Stoner had been a second a lap quicker than anyone else all weekend. It was fitting that Stoner won as this would be the last time he would race this circuit in MotoGP as he retires from the sport at the end of the season....At 26 years old! As a new parent myself, I can understand why he would want to spend more time with his young family, but there is no doubt the sport is losing one of it's most talented riders. 

David Coulthard races the dirt-track outline in a Red Bull.

Next weekend sees the inaugural Formula One Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. The Circuit of the Americas is said to try and mimic famous elements from other tracks around the world, and is eagerly anticipated by the drivers. Jenson Button said via his Twitter account that the track looks 'epic'. There hasn't been a race in the USA since Indianapolis in 2007 where Lewis Hamilton was victorious. I think the proposed New Jersey race is still in doubt, but hopefully this new race can capture the imagination of the American petrolhead community. 

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Favourites from 'The Friendly Derby: Liverpool V Everton

As regular readers of this blog will know, I am a huge Liverpool fan. I do try to not show my bias, but sometimes it's quite difficult; particularly on the weekend where the Merseyside derby comes around. So, here are my favourite moments from the greatest derby match of all from over the years.

The first clip comes from 2001, which apart from 2005 has been the most successful year in recent history as we won a magnificent cup treble. I think the greatest success from that time was Gerard Houllier bringing Gary McAllister to the club. He might have been coming to the end of his career, and only stayed at Anfield for two years, but the lessons he was able to pass on to the younger players at the club was invaluable; as this clip shows, particularly around the 4.00 mark. 

As I was born in the late seventies, my footballing memories really start around the mid eighties. Liverpool were in their heyday then so these memories are great, and perhaps the one that really sticks in my memory is the 1986 FA Cup final. Liverpool went behind in this game to a goal from Gary Lineker, but then the fight back began.

Goals from Ian Rush, Craig Johnston and Rush again save the day. From the moment I saw Alan Hansen climb the original Wembley steps to lift the FA Cup that day I was hooked. Ultimately, I support Liverpool because my Grandad does; and although there are as many Blues in my family as Reds, there was always only ever one team for me.

Having lost the 1988 final to Wimbledon's 'Crazy Gang' after John Aldridge missed an early penalty, the determination to win back the trophy the following year must have been huge. Unfortunately, ninety six fans did not come home from the abandoned first semi-final to see us win the cup back. Those fans will never be forgotten, and you can see in the clip below what it meant to the players to try and bring the trophy home for the lost loved ones.

Stuart McCall tried his hardest for Everton, but there was really only to be one winner that day. John Aldridge banished memories from the year before by scoring first, and two goals from our perennial hero Ian Rush saved the day. In a a way, it was incredibly fitting that the final was against our closest rivals. These rivals were our closest allies in those most difficult of times, as there will have been Everton fans who lost relatives on April 15th 1989 at Hillsborough, and the city grieved as one. The ninety six have now got the truth they deserved, and justice is well on its way too. #YNWA

And so to the first of this year's fixtures. There is absolutely no disguising that Everton have had the better start to the season. After all, the table doesn't lie. Liverpool may be six points and eight places behind our neighbours, but we are starting to hit a bit of form. Three clean sheets and seven points from the last possible nine is good, but we have only scored twice in those games which will need addressing. With Nuri Sahin and Oussama Assaidi coming more in to the fold, as well as Raheem Sterling's fantastic start to the season, I think we are due a few goals. Everton have five points from their last three games, but they have scored six so the Reds back four will need to have their wits about them. With the game being at Goodison Park, if you offered me a draw now I'd probably take it. It is always an intimidating place to go, and with us having so many young and inexperienced that could be overawed the result is difficult to predict. I'll go for 1-1 and hope for the best. Come on you Reds!

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Brook beats 'El Tigre' Saldivia to set up mouth-watering world title clash

Future welterweight king?

  Atfter Kell Brook's last time out when he struggled to get over the line against Carson Jones, things could not have looked more different last night at the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield. Since the July clash with Jones where Kell struggled to hang on to his unbeaten recored, the 'steel city star' has engaged the services of a strength, power and conditioning coach and also a nutritionist who have made a world of difference. Kell had trained for a long hard fight against Saldivia, as you might expect for a world title eliminator, but his superior power was evident from very early in the fight. A stinging uppercut in the first round sent the Argentine to the canvas, and Brook's intent was obvious from there on in. The barrage continued through the second round, and a straight left at the beginning of the third signalled the beginning of the end. After such a systematic defeat, in hindsight it seems difficult tio believe that Hector Saldivia was rated third in the IBF rankings, which perhaps enhances Brook's victory and stature moving on to a world title fight. It looks likely that Kell will face Devon Alexander who defeated Randall Bailey in New York later on the same night to win the IBF Belt. By all accounts it was a dire affair with more clinching than punching, that will no doubt inspire the Yorkshire pugilist to believe that he can wrestle the world title from the American early in 2013. 

Kell Brook and Amir Khan in the Sky Sports studio for 'Ringside' recently

 If Kell can become a world champion, there are some huge fights out there for him. He has made no secret of wanting ro tear Amir Khan to pieces. And there is also the golden carrot of a fight with the returning Ricky Hatton; if The Hitman does the business in November. How near can Special K get to the top of the world rankings? Only time will tell, but he has now put the foundations in place and we will all find out next year. Good luck Kell.

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Classy Price finishes Audley.....for good?

Future world-heavyweight champion?

On Saturday night In Liverpool at the Echo Arena, around 8500 people saw David Price destructively end the career of former Olympic champion Audley Harrison. Regular readers will know that I predicted this last week, (I said it wouldn't go more than four rounds) but to be honest you don't need to be a genius to see that coming. I think Audley Harrison's PR team would be able to convince turkeys to vote for Christmas. For all the rubbish they have spouted over the years, I think their achievements in the last twelve years or so deserve more recognition than those of their employer. 

Price will now move on to a fight with former European heavyweight champion Matt Skelton on December 8th. I would see this as a stepping-stone fight to keep Price active rather than any sort of real test. It may last a bit longer than the Harrison bout on Saturday, but the result will be much the same. The real test will come early next year with the anticipated fight with Tyson Fury. The Manchester based fighter had plenty to say on television last night, including calling Price a plumber as well as saying he would fight Tony Bellew in between rounds. Price's promoter Frank Maloney offered Fury £500,000 to fight Price in the immediate aftermath of the fight last night, and Fury responded in with a rant in somewhat bad taste saying that if they didn't have the money they were in trouble. Fighting Tyson Fury may well be a step up from the likes of Harrison and Skelton, I think Price has the ability to go right to the top and could well be a world champion in 2014. 

Comments from Fury's promoter Mick Hennessy make me think that they might avoid fighting Price for a second time. Hennessy said 'Tyson is ranked No 4 with the WBC at the moment, he's had a lot more fights (than Price) so he’s in firing range for a world title,' 'I think Tyson could be a world champion by next summer. The Price fight, when it happens, Tyson will take him out. It would be better if it was for a world title but we've got to see Price get hit on the whiskers and see how he reacts. Tyson put David Price on his backside when he was a 17-year-old novice with a handful of fights. David Price was much older and a Commonwealth Games gold medallist whereas Tyson was, by his own admission, a fat, out of condition fighter. Tyson is a bigger man, he's a better athlete, he's got more ability and when the time comes he'll do a serious job on David Price.' 

Fury definitely has the chin to go in to the latter rounds with Price, but I am quite confident that Price's skill and power would see him come through the fight by a late round KO. It would seem that if Hennessy is prepared to make the fight happen, he wants Fury to be a world champion first. This might end up being Price's route to becoming a world champion. If you ask me, below the Klitschko brothers there is not too much class in this division so Fury should be able to capture a version of the title. Despite his mouthy bravado I still think he will duck Price when it comes to it but only time will tell. Next week sees Kell Brook take on Hector Saldivia in an eliminator for a world welterweight title fight, so it could well be more boxing next week!

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A shoe-in for Team of the Year at the BBC sports personality awards?

 
Having been out of the sports blogging loop due to the birth of my first son, there's a fair bit to catch up on! There are not many things that would have kept me away from the Ryder Cup, but I'm deliriously happy to say that the arrival of my little boy did. Well done Team Europe! I'd say that the performance of Team Europe in the singles on Sunday is well up there with the best come backs of all time. I am not quite sure whether it tops Liverpool's second half performance in the Champions League final in 2005, but it is certainly equal in my mind. I think the team as a hole performed fantastically well in the face of the extreme adversity brought by the partisan home, but I have to give particular plaudits to Ian Poulter. He showed tremendous mettle through the entire weekend, and gave the other lads the platform to release the shackles and play without fear. I hope he can use this performance as an inspiration to shine in the majors when it's just him and his caddie against the rest. He has proved now that he has the full game to follow Rory McIlroy on the major trail!

One other thing that's happened in the recent sporting past, is Lewis Hamilton's move from McLaren to Mercedes for the 2013 F1 season after signing a three year deal with the Silver Arrows. Many have been critical of the move and suggested that it is just for the financial benefits. I agree with David Coulthard who said that the move is necesary for Lewis to mature as a driver. As everyone knows Lewis has been with McLaren since the age of thirteen, so it shouldn't be a surprise that he hasn't quite shed some of the child-like characteristics usually seen in adolescence. I am quite sure that once he makes the move, Lewis can mature in to the driver everbody knows he can be, and at the same time he can be the catalyst to take Mercedes on to the next level. I don't think Merecedes have ever lacked ambition, and although the progress maybe hasn't been as rapid as they may have liked, it will come. After all, next year will only be year four in the project and companies like Mercedes employ people like Nick Fry and Ross Brawn to settle for second best. It will also help that he's been friends with future team-mate Nico Rosberg since their karting days as team-mates. 

This week in boxing we see the heavyweight clash between David Price and Audley Harrison. I can't see the fight gong to far past four rounds or so. He hasn't exactly been bathed in glory in his twelve years as a pro, and he's been down once or twice! I think Price's big bombs will be far too much for Harrison to deal with. Hopefully that will then bring the curtain down on the farce that has been Harrison's career as a pro. Even my brother, who I consider to certainly be more of a boxing nut than me, admitted that he gets sucked in by the hype every time. All suggestions for forfeits will be considered. That's how confident I am that Price will win, and it will be funny to see what people can come up with. Reply via email, facebook or twitter on the links below. 

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Ryder Cup 2012 Medinah Country Club, Illinois

 

This coming week brings the most enthralling week of golf in the calendar. The Masters and The Open are definitely special in their own way, but there is something about the dynamic of playing for a team that brings an extra bit of spice to the competition as well. Europeans have somewhat dominated the golf world for the last few years, but the last thing that Davis Love III and his team will want is for Europe to come in to their back yard and give them a tonking! In my humble opinion Europe do have the slight edge but there is really not a great deal in it. It could very well go down to the last match on Sunday to decide this years winners. No doubt, the 'in the hole' brigade will play their part as well. I won't deny that it does drive me to absolute distraction when Tiger Woods is teeing off on a 600 yard Par 5 to hear that being screamed. Not that he could ever say so, but it must drive Tiger to distraction as well! Europe might have the world No. 1 in Rory McIlroy, but the No. 2 Tiger Woods has just a little pedigree as well. What's more, his form has been getting better and better this year. The teams might be incredibly even on skill, but Europe definitely have the edge in experience; Team USA have four debutantes in Keegan Bradley, Jason Dufner, Webb Simpson and Brandt Snedeker against Europe's one, Nicolas Colsaerts. The Belgian might not have any Ryder Cup experience, but as the winner of the World Matchplay this year, this will give him some idea of what is required. The one thing that can't be replicated is the ferocity of the crowd. That roar as you step on to the first tee will be louder than anything any golfer will experience at any other tournament; particularly for Team Europe, as it will be a fiercely discouraging roar rather than one of support. As much as I want Europe to win for the memory of one of their greatest ever players Seve Ballesteros, I would not be as bold as to say I think they will win. I do hope Europe can be inspired by Seve's memory as they were by the man himself. At the time of writing, Justin Rose and Brandt Snedeker tee off at East Lake in Atlanta as co-leaders (at -8, two clear of the field) in The Tour Championship in about an hour and a half. It could end up being a shot in the arm for one and crushing for the other but only time will tell. McIlroy, Watson, Woods and Furyk are not too far behind, and one of them is more than capable of mounting a charge through the latter stages.  Which ever way it goes, you can be sure there will be twists and turns along the way. I can't see either team running away with it, and I can't wait! 

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Hillsborough verdict and the return of The Hitman

After 23 long years, the truth has been uncovered; now it's time for justice.

This week the truth about what really happened at the FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough in 1989 came out. Many people have discussed it at length this week, as it has been headline news on the front pages as well as the back pages, so as emotional as I feel about it I don't want to dwell too much on the past; the 96 will never ever be forgotten, but now is the time for looking to the future. Even if the future is campaigning for the people who did do wrong on 15th April 23 years ago to be held accountable for their actions, as well as those who covered it up and prolonged the pain for the victims' families.  I find it hard to think that criminal charges won't be brought, particularly in the face of such compelling evidence against certain organisations and the individuals within. Although the ninety-six will always be in our hearts forevermore, I hope that the families, the city and the club can move forward; I can think of no greater tribute to the fans that did not come home that fateful day, than to start bringing trophies (and particularly the Premier League!) back to Anfield on a regular basis. I would like to finish this section by thanking all the fans of other clubs, that have sent messages of support to our club throughout this week. Unfortunately there have been a few moronic idiots that deny the verdict of the independent panel, but the support from the football family has been fantastic. 

Also this week, former two-weight boxing world champion Ricky 'The Hitman' announced he will be coming out of retirement for a fight against an unnamed opponent in November. It has to be said that Ricky dominated the light-welterweight division before moving up to welterweight so he has nothing to prove. At his peak Ricky beat the pound-for-pound No 1 Kostya Tszyu, as well as claiming the WBA welterweight belt from Luis Collazzo before losing to two of the best pound-for-pound pugilists the planet has ever seen (or might ever see!) in Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquaio.That said, you can understand that from a pride point of view why he would want to prove to himself as much as anybody that he is better than the devastating two round defeat to Pacquaio showed. Here is Ricky's press conference.

Ricky was quick to say that he wanted to earn the right to fights at the top level, but there are certainly some hum-dingers out there if he proves his worth. A fight against Paulie Malignaggi seems likely at some point in the future; after all Hatton knows he can beat the American who has never had the greatest punch power. From there, there are huge domestic money spinners against Amir Khan and Kell Brook to consider. One fight I would like to see is Hatton v Junior Witter, just so Hatton can shit him up for good. If only his boxing was as good as his mouth! As current British welterweight champion this match up is probably a real possibility. Hatton says he is in the best pre-fight shape of his life following his training with Bob Shannon who has been using 'old school' methods which favour Ricky's approach. I think that now Ricky's head is right, we may even see the best Hitman that we have ever seen. Most of all, I hope that Ricky gets what he needs from his comeback. Roll on November 24th. 

As a final note, congratulations to Andy Murray for winning the US Open on Monday. May that be the first of many major wins now he has got the proverbial monkey off his back. It is a shame that we have to wait until the Australian Open in January to find out. 

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The future's bright for football and fight nights!

I have to admit that after hearing the starting XI for England's game in Moldova in I wasn't feeling particularly inspired by some of the weekend's sport; Along with international football, I'd become quite disillusioned with boxing for some time as well. Firstly, thanks to Roy Hodgson, and later on I'll make mention of Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Sport.

After deciding not to watch the match live, mainly because watching England has become somewhat tedious in recent times, I did decide to watch the highlights. To say I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement. Was the football mistake free? Certainly not, but the freedom and fluidity of the play was definitely inspiring from a fans point of view. In hindsight I think the injuries to Andy Carroll, Ashley Cole and Gareth Barry may have been a blessing in disguise. These omissions forced Hodgson to play Leighton Baines, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Tom Cleverley who played with a youthful exuberance that we haven't seen in a three lions shirt for quite a while. It also meant Jermain Defoe was tasked with the striker's role, and although he might have had a goal or two more on the night, his talent and club form over a number of years mean this chance is overdue in my opinion. I think Defoe is the most gifted natural English striker the Premier League has seen since Alan Shearer retired and I think his movement gave focus to England's play. It was also good to get a positive answer to the eternal midfield Gerrard/Lampard question. They may not be the long term answer to England's midfield, but at least we now know that two genuine midfielders can play together in harmony using good judgement to know when to go forward and when to sit deep. Gerrard tended to sit deeper while Lampard was making runs beyond Defoe and Cleverley as he did to head in Glen Johnson's cross for his second goal. Albeit England are still work in progress, their campaign could not have got off to a better start, so hopefully the good work will continue against Ukraine on Tuesday at Wembley. John Terry is the only doubt, but either his club-mate Gary Cahill or Phil Jagielka should make an able deputy. (If Jagielka plays, hopefully we don't hear any ridiculous pronunciations of his name!) 

As well as the football on Friday, the first big boxing show of the season was incredibly refreshing as well. Having heard an interview earlier in the year with Matchroom Sport's Eddie Hearn, he said that he was intending to bring genuine 50/50 fights to the public. He did this firstly with Kell Brook v Carson Jones in July where the Sheffield pugilist came through one hell of a gut-checker, and continued last night at Alexandra Palace with the excellent 'London's calling' show. This saw Erick Ochieng, Lee Purdey and Tony Bellew all win in enthralling fights, and creates a buzz and excitement for the coming boxing season. Perhaps Carl Frampton v Steve Molitor in a couple of weeks in Belfast is the prime example of Hearn's policy, and with the continuing Prizefighter series, Brook v Saldivia and Froch v Mack on the horizon it certainly whets the appetite. Perhaps the only blot on the weekend was that Darren Barker had to pull out of his fight, but hopefully the Londoner can get over his recent arm injury and get back in the ring soon. I have seen some talk that he should retire, but I think he is one of the classiest middleweights out there and the sooner he is back in the ring the better. Over the next two years Matchroom will provide Sky with twenty shows a season to bring to air, so hopefully fight fans will see 'deeper bills with more title fights and more competitive fights in packed out arenas' as promised. Thankfully for boxing, the future's bright....the future's Matchroom. I for one am glad that I don't have to see the over inflated ego's of boxers from other stables (no names mentioned!) win easy fights any more.  

The best of the transfer window in the Premier League

Well from my point of view it couldn't have been much worse. Liverpool have let their only out and out front man go on loan to West Ham without replacing him. You could excuse Brendan Rodgers for thinking Clint Dempsey was a shoe-in to come to Anfield, but we'll only know in time whether not having a contingency will cost Liverpool. With Fabio Borini, Joe Allen, Oussama Assaidi, Nuri Sahin and Samed Yesil coming in, I think the rest of the team is looking strong, but if Borini or Suarez get injured it could be Spain's 'no-striker' for us! 

Top transfers

New Chelsea man Eden Hazard

 Chelsea's new starlet may have been the most expensive signing of the summer, but even at £32m there does look to be value in it. Having played a part in all of Chelsea's goals so far he could be worth every penny. Last season while he was a team-mate of Hazard at Lille, Joe Cole suggested that Eden was the best player he'd ever seen and would one day be regarded as the best player in the world. Time will tell!

Tottenham's new midfielder Moussa Dembele

I think Tottenham paying £15m for the services of Moussa Dembele will prove to be an absolute steal in the long run. I would not be surprised if Spurs get a few good seasons out of the Belgian midfielder, and then a marquis club (Barca, Real, Man Utd) will come calling with about £30m; And Daniel Levy has never been shy of selling players for a substantial profit.
 

Michu has scored four goals already!

 Not being a huge viewer of the Spanish La Liga, I was not overly aware of Miguel Pérez Cuesta. Better known as Michu, he was the top scoring midfielder in La Liga last season and for MIchael Laudrup to relieve Rayo Vallencano of his goals for £2m he could be the signing of the summer. 

New Black Cat Adam Johnson

 Why Manchester City have let this young man go is beyond me. He has looked one of the most exciting and talented English players to emerge for quite a while, and as well as having ball-dribbling skills to bamboozle full backs, he's not shy in chipping in with a few goals as well. £10m is a bargain, and I think Sunderland will have to be playing European football before long to keep him. That said, with Martin O'Neill at the helm there's a chance that may happen. 

Best Bargains

Jack Rodwell Everton to Man City £12m, If Everton weren't so cash strapped they could have paid twice that. 

Dimitar Berbatov Man Utd to Fulham £4m, Should get enough goals to keep them up. 
Hugo Rodallega Wigan to Fulham FOR FREE! Enough said.
QPR signing Andy Johnson from Fulham and Ryan Nelsen from Spurs for free. Vital experience that could keep them up.
Reading managed to get Fulham forward Pavel Pogrebnyak on a free. He scored goals for fun last season. 
Stoke paid £4m to take Charlie Adam for Anfield to the Britannia. After never really getting back in to the side Liverpool after getting injured last year, and Joe Allen coming in at Liverpool sealed his fate. Good luck Charlie.

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F1 Belgian Grand Prix preview

Well the football is back, but now I'm missing the Formula One. I don't recall the mid-season break feeling quite so long before. Some sport fans are never happy! The F1 will be back next weekend at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, which is my favourite circuit as well as many of the drivers favourite so I shouldn't be so impatient. The new pristine circuits of Abu Dhabi, India, China and Singapore may have the perfectly smooth tarmac and immaculate pit facilities, but without doubt the circuits lack the character of Spa, Silverstone, Monaco, Monza and Interlagos; You can sense the illustrious history around these places which is something that the newer tracks will never have. Fangio, Moss, Ascari and Stewart haven't pitted their wits against these less dangerous (and possibly less challenging) circuits. It may have been a horrific part of the past in motor-sport, but the clinical nature of the more recently built circuits removes the constant reminder that people have died taking part in this sport. There must be something that keeps your senses dialled in that bit more if you know that one mistake could throw you in to the wall at 200mph. Relive a bit of the circuit and the history below as Michael Schumacher in his Benetton chases down Ayrton Senna in his McLaren. It is interesting to look at the differences between the two cars in 1993; most look relatively the same in 2012 because of the regulations, but these cars are quite different. 

RIP Ayrton. I know I'm not alone in saying that you may have been taken from us far too soon, but you will never be forgotten and you will always be missed. 

I think the close to this F1 season could be the most exciting ever as at the half way point any one of the top five drivers could still win the championship. Fernando Alonso will take some beating as Ferrari seem to have found their stride, but Vettel, Hamilton and Raikkonen will no doubt have a big part to play. The man who I hope plays the biggest part, and manages to overhaul the speedy Spaniard's forty point lead is Mark Webber. With twenty-five points for a win the gap is not impossible to bridge, but the odd issue with the prancing horse may be required. I think the Australian is due his share of luck. I know that Mark is highly regarded as a good bloke off the track, as well as a hard racer on it. Four or five years ago I was lucky to spend an afternoon watching the Belgian Grand Prix with former BBC motor-sport commentator Norman Greenway. (Also sadly missed by many. Norman lost his battle with cancer at the age of 87 in 2010) Norman was the radio equivalent of Murray Walker, and was also the circuit commentator at Snetterton. Norman had spent a lot of time around all the drivers of the day, as you might imagine, and he was absolutely clear that not only was Mark Webber one of the nicest drivers he'd ever met, he was one of the nicest people he had ever met who was always generous with his time. I think there are ten races in eleven weeks to the close of the season so it will be frenetic to say the least, so I hope things swing the way of the Australian.If anybody deserves it he does. Red Bull Racing, and particularly Adrian Newey are always trying to push the boundaries to the limit which has proved a winning strategy over the last couple of years. Winning it may have been, but the favour fell mainly on the other side of the garage with team mate Sebastian Vettel as he won back-to-back world championships. This season Webber has been out-performing Vettel in the main so long may this continue and hopefully Alonso may falter. As a double world champion himself, this is unlikely but you can always hope! Come on @AussieGrit!

In a round up of other matters, Lance Armstrong has given up fighting the USADA accusations the he has taken and distributed illegal substances and hormones this week. This is a massive sports story, but as a relative newcomer to cycling I felt unable to compile a creditable story. As a result Armstrong has been stripped of all professional wins in the sport; perhaps the saddest part is that he has been a massive inspiration to budding cyclists as well as cancer victims around the world who've used his achievements in sport and life to overcome their own obstacles. Now this inspiration has been cast under the biggest shadow that perhaps sport has ever seen. 

Good luck to Andy Murray who starts his campaign to win the US Open at Flushing Meadow this week. After winning Olympic Gold at Wimbledon beating Roger Federer, hopefully his confidence is high and he can use that to win in New York. It has always been a good tournament for him, so hopefully he can go one better than in previous years and take the title.

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Why do I love football so much?

After an opening day like my team Liverpool had yesterday, it is an easy question to ask; thankfully when you look at the bigger picture the answers come equally as easy. Nineteen goals across seven games; two teams scoring five; great goals from Demba Ba, Mladen Petric and Zoltan Gera amongst others. If I am struggling to convey my anguish, the next picture of Liverpool centre half Dan Agger just about sums it up. The noise he makes at exactly this point is precisely how I feel.

One picture says it all as Dan Agger leaves the field of play.

The result was not good for Liverpool but there are positives. Just.  Luis Suarez looked like a man that has not really had any rest this summer and was as sharp as a tack, but boy does he need to improve his goals per shot ratio. Liverpool could have had the game by the scruff of the neck if the Uruguayan had taken a couple of his four or five chances.  After going down to ten men at one-nil down it was never really going to be our day, but Liverpool showed signs throughout the game of a team that is trying to implement a new style of play. It didn't help that Fabio Borini and Joe Allen looked a little overawed at times, Stewart Downing was poor for most of the sixty minutes he spent on the pitch, so after we went down to ten men we were effectively playing with half a team. There isn't much more to be said, other than chalk this one up to experience and move on. It's a shame that we have to move on to playing the current champions Manchester City at Anfield next Sunday. At least with Moroccan winger Oussama Assaidi signing for the Reds this week we should be subjected to Stewart Downing on a less regular basis. I do think that we would benefit from one or two more to bolster our strength in depth. There are still rumours about Cristian Tello and Theo Walcott coming from Barcelona and Arsenal respectively. Perhaps the most controversial Reds-related transfer rumour of the moment is that David Moyes is trying to make Charlie Adam the first player to cross Stanley Park since 1992 when Graeme Souness sold Gary Ablett. With Joe Allen coming in, perhaps Adam's chances will be limited so he may be better taking the opportunity to leave while it's there. It is reasonably safe to say that Liverpool's season probably won't get worse, but i hope it gets better sooner rather than later. 

To sum up the rest of the Premier League's games, 0-0 against Sunderland might be a big indication of how Arsenal will get on without Robin van Persie, who signed for Manchester United this for £24m this week. Fulham 5-0 Norwich probably says more about Norwich than Fulham, but the south-west Londoners will be glad of a fantastic start to build on having lost a few players already, as well as having Clint Dempsey on strike trying to get out of Craven Cottage. Swansea's Michu looks an exciting prospect, scoring two as well as Nathan Dyer as they smashed QPR 0-5 at Loftus Road. Reading and Stoke finished 1-1 although it could have been different but for a bit of a howler by Royal's keeper Adam Federici. West Ham beat Aston Villa 1-0 at Upton Park in the battle of the claret and blues, Kevin Nolan scoring the only goal five minutes before half time. Finally, Newcastle beat Tottenham at St James' Park with Hatam Ben Arfa scoring the decisive goal from the spot in the 80th minute. This came just four minutes after Jermain Defoe had equalised Demba Ba's stunning opener. Perhaps the most exceptional (and funniest!) event of the game was Alan Pardew getting sent of for physically abusing the linesman. He has subsequently apologised and labelled his actions as ridiculous, but he will probably still face sanctions from the FA. 

On balance I am much relieved that the football is back, I just hope from a personal point of view that things take a massive upturn sooner rather than later.

 SPORT SHORTS

Huge congratulations to Rory McIlroy who tore the field apart last weekend at Kiawah Island to win his second major, the US PGA Championships, sealing victory by eight shots. Britain continued to stamp it's authority on the sport as four of the top five were from these shores. 

The third Test match at Lord's is very finely poised between the two best sides in the world at the moment, England and South Africa. The Proteas are slightly ahead at the moment, but a few early wickets on day four can change the complexion of the game completely. We'll find out tomorrow who'll be the victor in the battle for number one in the world. 

Troubled club Portsmouth fought for a 1-1 draw in League One yesterday having fielded a team of eleven debutantes. Much credit should go to manager Michael Appleton who signed ten players on loan and short term contracts on Thursday in order to make the fixture happen. 

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