Brrrr

[peterbirks]

It was the coldest day in London for nearly a decade yesterday, with the temperature not rising above 0.1 C (that's 32 F for you quaint Americans with your old-fashioned systems of measurement). In that sense, I probably didn't choose the best evening to head into London for a dinner date which I then missed because of my own social incompetence.

Simon Billenness said in an "E-vite" (ghastly, impersonal things) that he and a few others would be meeting "for drinks and then food" at Kettners in Soho. So, ho ho, I turned up at 6.30, wandered round the rather large establishment in search of Simon and, failing to find him, stood at the bar, nursing a diet coke amidst smoke and the background noise of three Essex-girl types cackling.

After 40 minutes, no-one had appeared, so I took another walk round, saw no-one and, being able to bear it no longer, came home.

Anyway, Simon later e-mailed me to say that "everyone else had asked for the Billenness party and had been shown to our table".

Well, obviously I don't get out enough. I mean, Simon hadn't said "I have reserved a table in the Billenness name" and neither, when I walked in, was there anyone to ask. There were lots of young types rushing around, and it took me five minutes to get served at the bar, but, even if I knew that Simon had reserved a table, why would someone serving me at the bar be aware of this?

Basically, I'm too shy when sober to put myself forward in situations like this and risk being looked at by young bar staff in that all-too-frequent fashion of "why is this old codger bothering me? I don't even want to be here in the first place".

Why do I suffer from this? I really don't know, although I know that it was one of the reasons that I began drinking. This mood swings from manic extrovertism when I am in control of the situation to incontrovertible shyness when I am not. It varies in degree, but it's always there.

+++++

Chris Waddle said on the raduio this morning that the Emperor had no clothes. As I think I commented in passing a few months back, I can't see why Beckham is being picked to play when Gerrard, Cole and Lampard (not to mention Plug from the Beano, aka Rooney) are available.

Will Sven see sense? (You can have that headline for free, The Sun) I doubt it.

+++++

Greatest Hits is finished, but I still have to print it, collate it and staple it. I was idly wondering why no-one had responded to my extensive review of this year's albums, when it struck me that it would be a bit hard for people to respond to something that no-one has yet read. This Blog-life distorts your sense of the reader-writer relationship. McLuhan would have a field day.

Comments

beckham's

[(Anonymous)]

selection is looming as a serious problem indeed. but with s w-p out of sorts, whom could we sceptics champion as replacement?

jd

Re: beckham's

[andy-ward-uk.livejournal.com]

What's interesting is that Gerrard is now playing on the right of midfield for Liverpool, extremely well by all accounts. Which would allow a genuine holding midfielder to play with Lampard and give a much better balance.

Andy.

The little SWeeP

[geoffchall.livejournal.com]

SWP isn't really out of sorts - he just isn't playing enough. His treatment by Morinho is wrong and a misreading of his skills. Morinho wanted someone who can drop in as an alternate/sub for Robben, Duff and Cole. The thing about Shaun is that he gets better the more he plays. For City he started coming on as a sub for half an hour whilst still playing for the reserves in the week.

Once he became a starter he played every single game short of serious injury. He just has to get into a groove and the rotation system does not suit him in the slightest. Right now he's doing no-one any favours and is harming his career. In the interests of all, Morinho should be lending him out in Jan, ideally back to us, but if not then to someone who really needs him (form an orderly queue there).

[jellymillion.livejournal.com]

Without wanting to sound like a Beckham apologist (I'm not one, or at least I didn't think I was) it's probably not unreasonable to suggest that he's Real's best player week-in week-out this season. And I actually don't think there's any problem with his position in the England team, provided it's on the right. Gerrard and Lampard, though - there is a problem. Neither looks right in the holding role - Becks actually did it better against Northern Ireland although he was probably at fault for the goal, failing to come out to pick up the player who put Healey in. So unless Gerrard plays wide, and he doesn't play there enough for that to be a smart choice, he and Lampard duplicate each other. I would consider rotating them in the attacking central position with a proper holding player taking the other slot: Carrick or Parker, perhaps, or King again, who did nothing wrong there although I'd prefer to see a player who plays the position as a specialist.

Ericsson seems to look for his best 10 outfield players and searches for a formation in which they might be able to operate. I'd suggest looking at formations, putting his best available player in each position and then going with the one that looks like the best team. 3-5-2 and 4-5-1 would both accommodate Frankie and Stevie but would they be our best teams?

I think it's an interesting exercise: take the formations above, add 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 (4-2-4?) and select the best man for the job in each slot. Which team looks most likely to win the World Cup? Which has the best cover for key players, allowing replacement for injury without requiring re-shaping?

[ribmeister.livejournal.com]

I agree, the reason Beckham is getting picked is because he is an excellent player. The reason your average joe thinks he is no good is because the British newspapers no longer snoop on him now he lives abroad so he isn't good news material.
Beckham has the highest conversion rate of free kicks to goals in the Spanish league. He is still a fabulous player, it's just that you don't see him on match of the day any more, so people forget quickly how good he is. I wish he was still with United.

[simonbillenness.livejournal.com]

I just found your account of failing to find our table at Kettners. I never knew you had a LJ. (Ann thinks your picture makes you look like Anthony Stewart Head. The picture though does obscure the fact that you are significantly shorter than Giles.)

I must say that I always automatically ask the host/hostess - not the bar staff - when I'm trying to find a group of friends at a big restaurant or club. I'll definitely mention that I have a reservation in future invitations. I'm really sorry I missed you.

On a different subject, can I PayPal you a re-subscription to Greatest Hits?