www.Go To The Mountain - Musings of a Potential Guru

1966 was a long time ago but the legendary names of Gordon Banks, Bobby Moore, Bobby Charlton, Alan Ball, Martin Peters and Geoff Hurst remain etched in our memory. While Brazil was famed for their attacking play, the English were masters of defence. I am writing this article because many of us in Singapore and other Asian countries were brought on English soccer since the good old days of "Star Soccer" from the old First Division and even more so now the huge following of the EPL. Besides, being a former colony, the love of the game and the familiarity of the names of players and how they play comes in a natural bias. England have just recorded one of their worst World Cup results in 2014. What went wrong? Was Roy Hodgson the best coach? England were not wrong here but were wrong in many other areas and for a very long time now and in Roy Hodgson they have the right coach but not necessary the best one. Roy has been to many places and coached and managed success...

The perennial battle has begun even before a ball was kicked. Red versus Green. Everyone has been confused and end up paying more. If only our industries have two competitors, we say how much you just pay up. Now Starhub will have a nett $29.90 with Singtel at $34.90 (if you are on contract). Is it necessary for it to be so complicated. Time they put their act together. With a week to go before a new season begins, what has happened to the EPL clubs? Champions Manchester United wanted Fabregas  but could end up with Fellaini with Leighton Baines added. If this happens, David Moyes would have done exactly what he hated others doing to him while he was at Goodison Park. Baines was the best defender last season and Fellaini is a good addition to dominate midfield since United have missed out on Thiago Alcantara. (Watch the interview). http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_2265209835&feature=iv&src_vid=1TV_XXfqTOo&v=fGvCw_5nmwE But before a ball w...

The world has not ended as I have told you. The couple of authors created a story to sell books? Did the Mayans said that? Maybe they just ran out of space or stones or faced with other crisis at the time they had no more time to make calendars? With the ongoing recession around the world many have stopped making calendars as well.  The Singapore soccer team is in Bangkok to face the mighty Thais after achieving a great result that surprised many 3-1. Singapore is well drilled, has a good height advantage for aerial bombardments and very good in set pieces. Raddy Avramovic has done very well having brought us three Asean titles and this could be his fourth and also the furthest in the third round of the World Cup.  The Thais are a good team and with a partisan home crowd will no doubt come at us for goals. Singapore must defend stoutly and play a very disciplined and tight game closing down space. The longer it drags without the Thais scoring, the greater the pressure and...

I told you the score would be 3-2 didn't I? I just got the colour wrong.  What a game it was between Man City and Man Utd.  We should celebrate: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PRHSyMvhMI (if you can't access direct from link, highlight link, right click and go to). Newcastle v Man City - Considering their great stride last season, Newcastle seems disastrous this year. Yes, Man City lost to Utd last week but they came back strongly to level at 2-2 before that wicked deflection by Nasri from RVP's free-kick. In their last five meetings, Newcastle has never won. While City is not stronger than last season, the Magpies are now worse which leads to one conclusion. An away win for City. 1-2 . Liverpool v Villa - Liverpool surprised many with their come from behind 3-2 away win over West Ham. Impressive as it was not an easy feat for this current team and there was no Suarez. There is hope. Villa came to life when they crushed Norwich 4-1 away on the League Cup. Liv...

Advantage Man Utd.! Among all the top teams they have the least of problems at least result-wise but their defence are often hit by flash flood of goals from their opponents and their only grace thus far has been to outscore their opponents. Last week I mentioned that Game Week 15 was important as it was almost at the half way mark of the season with the treacherous Christmas period looming. It is like fighting the flu virus, you have got to be strong in order not to go under. Once you got weak and went under, fever sets in and you will shiver and tremble. That is not a good way to start a new year. All teams are preparing for their Christmas best and Game Week 16 shall be as interesting. Arsenal v WBA - Arsenal has hit a new low and are just not good enough while WBA has suddenly lost two matches in a row in a superb season. History favours the Gunners who won three out of their last five meetings with a draw and a loss ranging from two to five goals in total. Both teams wil...

A brief on the Suzuki Cup. Singapore lost to Indonesia in a match they could have won. Duric hit the stanchion with his header, Amri seemed to have been fouled in the penalty box but was given the yellow card for simulation instead although there was contact made. Why did Irwan Shah make that rash tackle to get a second yellow and promptly sent off when the Indonesian player was at the bye line with no imminent danger present.  Better than this was an article posted on the NST where the writer mentioned about "Singapore having a fast-aging population with many of the country's young shunning marriage and this apparently led to a rise in gay culture. Also that we are turning into an emotionless breed and yet Malaysia had to lose to Singapore in the soccer match." This prompted Mr. Brown to post on his website "Eh, your letter no link one leh". For some one to write that and for the other to publish it. Haiz.  Meanwhile, I was in better fo...

This was an interesting EPL weekend, probably the most intriguing since the season's kick off. It also coincided with my worst prediction to date. Now, it was not because I was bad but it was certainly all the teams are lacking consistency and not playing the way they should and caused such turbulence. I shall be bouncing back like I did for the Fantasy Premier League. I had two right and two rights do not make a wrong. The only way is up! And I told you that it was easier to predict who gets the sack first and Roberto Di Matteo of Chelsea became the first casualty. I have also noticed two newcomer countries visited this blog - Yemen and the Isles of Man that would make 118th countries so far. You know where is the Isles of Man? Sunderland v WBA - Sunderland having lost their previous two matches went to of all places Craven Cottage and won 3-1. Of course it was helped by the sending off of Fulham's captain Hangeland for his two footed lunge at Cattermole. Inspirational...

This is open season. The top teams are finding a bit of difficulty to win, no longer a stroll in the park and things are getting less predictable and this is a good thing so much so that I only got 4 right guesses in WxDxL and only one correct score prediction. It is not that I am not that good any more but it was just that the soccer teams are not consistent and playing to form. At this juncture, perhaps it is easier to predict which manager will get the sack. Those under mounting pressure are Man City's Roberto Mancini, Tottenham's AVB and QPR's Mark Hughes for example. Others like Arsenal's Arsene Wenger and Southampton's Nigel Adkins are frustrated too though Wenger is safe we can't tell about Adkins. Now for the weekend action..... Arsenal v Tottenham - In their last 5 outings Arsenal has lost twice (2-3 and 1-2) and won twice (4-1 and 5-2) the other being a draw (3-3). Do you see a trend here? Factor in their recent form and it is anything goes. To...

My first brush with the English League was way back when I was a kid and one of my uncles was a soccer fanatic. It harked back to the days of black and white TV and this uncle also love watching wrestling and in wrestling, the good wrestlers often dressed in white while the bad ass wrestlers were often draped in black. So one day while watching soccer with him I asked if the team in white was the good one. One thing I never forgot was that there were no live telecasts back then and there was only an one hour highlight featured every Sunday during lunch time called Star Soccer. Here is the theme tune and then the voice of the legendary Hugh Johns who was well huge at the time. Also the Pele header and the unbelievable Gordon Banks' save. Today's soccer cannot be compared due to the lack of character and elegance. There were Roger Davies, Frank Worthington, John Richards, Charlie George, Jimmy Greenhoff, George Best, Bobby Charlton, etc. and yes Hugh Johns has his beers...

Alan Hudson recently commented that Fernando Torres plays like former Chelsea legend Peter Osgood. Now Osgood died of a heart attack at age 59 some years ago. Hudson himself once played for Chelsea, Arsenal and Stoke City and in his prime was called the new Alfredo Di Stefano. Alan Hudson was the epitome of elegance when he graced the soccer pitch way before Trevor Brooking or Glen Hoddle made their fame. Tribute to Osgood: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsxtaUuN7co http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22Q9Gsfhojs&NR=1&feature=endscreen Unfortunately, in the late 90s, Hudson was hit by a car on the streets of London in an accident and has since been disabled. In his prime when Alan Hudson lined up for England versus West Germany, he controlled the match so well they started comparing him with Di Stefano. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAEPModTkvA Why am I telling you all these things? Well, that life is fragile and unpredictable just like soccer matches. Last week, I man...

EPL continues to win fans because of the passion of the fans of each club and the players and its competitiveness. Just look at the frenetic pace the games are being played and those crunching tackles. Last week I managed only 5 correct prediction in WxDxL including one perfect score between Sunderland and Newcastle. What will Game Week 9 be like? Let us try some crystal ball gazing if you have one. Game Week 9 Villa v Norwich - Just when you thought the Canaries were bad our former S-League striker Holt threw a spanner in the works when he helped Norwich to gun down the Gunners with an unlikely but superlative soak and strike performance. Villa has been toiling without much result and have not won for a long time but this time at least they are at home. Villa was once a great club but now they are struggling.  1-1 . Arsenal v QPR - Based on the way they play, Arsenal should win often but they do not and seemed to lack confidence. They could not even o...