Rocks for Brains part II



Keys and Gray contemplating a move to Qatar

The best bit of news from the whole sorry Keys and Gray debacle is that the disgraced pair might be on their way to Qatar to front up football on Al Jazeera. http://tinyurl.com/6fu53un.

The irony is just so rich. A couple of old chauvinists being shipped out to Qatar where they will fit in well with the local misogynistic culture.
I am pretty sure that given the conservative nature of the 2020 World Cup hosts that Sian Massey or any other female will not be officiating.

The other interesting points  I noted from the affair was that how nobody rushed to their defence and how quickly other clips of the disgraced duo emerged. This would suggest the pair were not particualrly well liked at Sky and certainly at least one member of the backroom staff was eager to expose them. Whilst almost certainly not a conspiracy as suggested by Keys in his frankly bizzare interview with Talksport, I suspect Sky's internal enquiry into the leaked footage will not be that vigorous.

Welcome to the Roller Coaster

Hello 2011 on the evidence of the first few weeks you are going to be er.. interesting if not just a little scary. Yesterday was my first trip to the Hawthorns this year.

On the back of 5 straight league defeats what fans and players needed was a nice straight forward comfortable win no drama 3 points thanks very much. However given that Blackpool were the visitors and with Albion's defence being about as leaky as a colander it was never going to be the case.

The two teams traded defensive blunders and were committed to all out attack hence a 3:2 scoreline which as Ian Holloway said could have been anything. If I were a neutral it would have been entertaining however as a Baggies fan who along with the bulk of the club's supporters is absolutely desperate not to be relegated again it was more than my nerves could stand.

If we are to stay up the defence has to improve. Too often players were left unmarked with Jara in a particular wondering out of position apparently oblivious to the Blackpool players flooding down his side of the pitch. The imminent return of Olsson should  improve matters because he is very vocal, organises the back line and keeps the other 3 on their toes.

Going forward we looked sharp and there is growing evidence that Dorrans is starting to find his form which is a massive plus point going into the 2nd half of the season. Odenwingie remains a potent goal threat, whilst he is fit and on form the Albion have a player capable of winning any game provided we are not shipping goals at the other end.

I left the ground shaking and relieved that the worst run of defeats in the club's recent history had been bought to an end. The result moves us away from the relegation zone but it is desperately tight and there will be more ups and downs before the season is over.

Away from football the rest of my life seems equally prone to wild swings of fortune. I feel I am just about hanging on at times and as with Albion's defence there a things that need to be improved. I do not make New Years resolutions but the dead time between Christmas and the New Year has prompted a little bit of soul searching with the conclusion that things need to change.