I just wanted to say thanks to those who stopped by the Live Blog tonight.
The conversation did get a little thin in places, something that increased participation will help with (in time) but looking at the numbers now 67 people stopped by - that is a high number of people for this blog. Also, Google Analytics shows that the blog has already had well over 100 hits for today, the first time we have broken that number and well above the average numbers on a normal day.
So, the conclusion. It was a good start, and I think with things like this it is an audience that grows with time, so, I will certainly be looking to run another event for another big game soon. I have this crazy idea in my head that in the football arena, blogs have only just scratched the surface of their potential, and live blogging I think will prove a welcome add-on to the beautiful game for those who are inclined to blog.
Live Blog
29 Apr 2009
Notice.
19 Apr 2009
I have had a lot of fun with this blog in it's short life, but I am afraid that things might be about to come to a conclusion.
The crux of it is that there are a lot of things in life that must be dealt with, I have not given my new wife all the attention I should have, and though she has been understanding I am not sure that this understanding will be, nor should be forever. I also work full time, and have been very lapse in recent months at getting to the Gym. After all of this there is blogging which I really enjoy, but I have two blogs, this one and Daniel1979. I started the politics blog first, and this blog was set up because I though that, and still believe that Blogs could be a big part of football, and I think there will be more and more blogs in the next few years in this genre.
However, the Football Banter blog has not taken off as well as I had hoped and if truth be told, when I have been short of time, it is the other blog that gets my attention - because that was why I got into this. I set up Football Banter to keep the two separate, as I wanted to approach both in different ways. It is hard to cover everything that comes up in football on my own and there is a lot more that could be covered here.
I did have some good plans to take this blog forwards, I am already set up on the cover-it-live technology and felt there could be a good audience in live-blogging some of the bigger games and some internationals.
I am thinking of winding up Football Banter at the end of the season. I am a little sad, but I think it is the right thing to do given the pressures on my time. However, here are the options.
1. I am prepared to carry on if there are some volunteers to help run the site. I suspect that if we had 3 - 6 bloggers all writing maybe twice a week each on their own teams and subjects we could get some interesting posts going and grow an audience. I would be happy to carry on as administrator, with occasional posting in this capacity. If you have a blog already you will know the likely impact of a couple of posts will not be great, if you are new to the idea it would probably involve, maybe, a couple of hours a week plus initial set up, (which is simple). You can tell me in the comments or email.
2. I take down this blog at the end of the year, and incorporate some elements, occasional football postings, (and perhaps the live blogging of live games?) over to Daniel1979.
As always, your feedback welcome and will make a difference, I will keep going with the blog, a few quiz questions and results here... There will be a lot to say on the relegation battle. Also, I had the FA Cup and European Finals in mind for the live-blogging - but if those few of you who are regulars do not feel like joining in then we will call it a non-starter and leave it at that.
If you have any brilliant ideas that I have not considered then let me also know.
Thanks for following and reading.
Daniel
£1 Saturday Bet - FA Cup Semi Final Special
18 Apr 2009
50p on Chelsea v Arsenal, Correct Score 3-2 @ 28/1
50p on Man Utd v Everton, First Goal Scorer - Carlos Tevez @ 5/1
UEFA Cup Quarter-Final Results - 16/4/09
Man City 2 - 1 Hamburg
Hamburg progess 4-3 on aggregate.
Dynamo Kiev 3 - 0 PSG
Dynamo progress 3-0 on aggregate.
Udinese 3 - 3 Werder Bremen
Werder Bremen progress 6-4 on aggregate.
Marseille 1 - 2 Shakhtar Donetsk
Shakhtar Donetsk progress 4 - 1 on aggregate.
Champions League Quarter-Final Results 15/4/09
15 Apr 2009
Porto 0 - 1 Man Utd
Man Utd progress 3-2 on aggregate.
Arsenal 3 - 0 Villarreal
Arsenal Progress 4 - 1 on aggregate.
PFA Award Nominees Named
14 Apr 2009
Man Utd players dominate the PFA Players' Player of the Year Award with 5 of the 6 named players for the senior award.
The Nominees
Edwin van der Sar - Man Utd
Rio Ferdinand - Man Utd
Nemanja Vidic - Man Utd
Ryan Giggs - Man Utd
Christiano Ronaldo - Man Utd
Steven Gerrard - Liverpool
If this list had of been published 3 or 4 weeks ago I would have said that Nemanja Vidic would probably have won, now I am not so sure. In recent weeks, Steven Gerrard has been the best performer of the above - has he peaked at the right time?
The PFA Young Player of the Year nominees were also announced.
The Nominees
Ashley Young - Aston Villa
Gabriel Agbonlaghor - Aston Villa
Stephen Ireland - Man City
Jonny Evans - Man Utd
Rafael da Silva - Man Utd
Aaron Lennon - Tottenham
In my opinion it will be between the two Aston Villa players, but possibly Agbonlaghor will just shade it from Ashley Young.
Champions League Quarter-Final Results - 14/4/09
Chelsea 4 - 4 Liverpool
Chelsea progress 7 - 5 on aggregate.
Bayern Munich 1 - 1 Barcelona
Barcelona progress 5 - 1 on aggregate
Champions League Quarter-Final Results
8 Apr 2009
Tuesday 7th April 2009
Man Utd 2 - 2 Porto
Villarreal 1 - 1 Arsenal
Wednesday 8th April 2009
Barcelona 4 - 0 Bayern Munich
Liverpool 1 - 3 Chelsea
Monday Questions
6 Apr 2009
Wow, what a big weekend of football!
After an action packed weekend I am now asking myself the following questions.
1. Have Man Utd re-asserted themselves as favourites in the Premier League race? United were second best for a lot of the game, and with a number of key players absent it looked like United were going to lose a third game on the trot. Yet in the last 10 minutes they came alive sparked by a Ronaldo goal; who his first-half goal aside had not really gotten into the game. A story book ending followed with a fantastic goal from youngster Macheda followed. This comeback seems to have nullified the momentum Liverpool achieved by winning last minute at Fulham.
2. Middlesbrough lost heavily, again. Will Steve Gibson keep faith with Gareth Southgate in the Championship? Not many chairmen would have kept faith with the declining progress of recent years, yet Steve Gibson has done what so many openly cry out for, he gave a young English manager a chance, and then stuck by him. Southgate slashed the wage bill and got rid of the big names that were there for the massive salaries. Others then got better offers, or just got old. Southgate is left with a young team lacking any players with Premier League veteran status. Having gone with a youth policy would it be better to stick with Southgate in hope for a quick return to the Premier League, or go with a new manager who might be less keen on sticking with the young guns?
3. What the hell has happened to Aston Villa? It has happened again, a team looked like they were going to break into that top four yet in the run in. In December Terry Venebles said Villa should not count themselves out of the title race, but by April I can't remember the last time they won a game of Football.... Was it before Emile Heskey joined? There is hope, in periods yesterday they looked good value for an Old Trafford victory. However, the gap between them and Arsenal now looks a little daunting, and if fourth spot evades them they best player will be moving to Liverpool, or possibly Chelsea in the summer. Where 3rd looked likely not so long ago, it looks like Villa will likely now finish 6th.
4. What the hell has happened to Hull City? In a worse free-fall than Villa they have only won two games since Christmas. I tipped Stoke to go down, but Stoke now look the strongest of the teams promoted last year. Will Hull join West Brom and Boro in the drop zone?
£1 Saturday Bet
4 Apr 2009
50p E/W on Can't Buy Time in the Grand National. 50/1 odds via Ladbrokes.
