Reebok Effect Fails To Rub Off on Benik Afobe

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Hugo Greenhalgh

Hugo Greenhalgh asks where it went wrong for Benik Afobe at Bolton and looks ahead to his new club, Millwall…

He was the boy who at the age of 16 was wanted by Barcelona. Three years on, Benik Afobe is about to embark on a make or break loan spell at Millwall. This follows a highly disappointing half a season with Bolton Wanderers where the young English striker hit the mark just three times in 23 appearances. Not so long ago, the Reebok was the go-to destination for promising youngsters; indeed, two of the Premier League’s brightest stars in recent weeks cut their teeth in the North West – Jack Wilshere and Daniel Sturridge. So what went wrong with Afobe’s time at ‘finishing school’? Continue reading →

The Hypocrisy of the FA Cup

Posted on January 8, 2013 by James Dutton

In the aftermath of the Third Round of the FA Cup, James Dutton takes a look at the media coverage which shapes its positioning in the football universe…

The FA Cup has found it difficult to grasp its place in the over-arching landscape of modern football. It sits as a representation of the traditions inherent in English football, a link to the past yet, supposedly, little more.

Continue reading →

The Shape of Things to Come?

Posted on December 28, 2012 by Andrew Belt

False Nine editor, Andrew Belt, looks at the recent sackings at Blackburn Rovers and Nottingham Forest, and laments the diminished role of managers and greater emphasis on owners in the modern game…

Were you at London Road on 17th November? Continue reading →

Poyet Project paying off at Brighton

Posted on December 23, 2012 by The False Nine

False Nine’s Tom Straker on the importance of patience in football and why sticking with Gus Poyet is the way forwards for Brighton…

Conventional wisdom is hard to come by in the divergent world of football opinions. If there’s one thing that fans of all spots and stripes generally agree on, though, it’s that managers are, too often, dispatched hastily. Loyalty, continuity and patience will – so this wisdom dictates – result in Ferguson-like success. Continue reading →

Leeds United v Chelsea Preview: Middle Eastern Promise Realised at Leeds

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Andrew Belt

Ahead of tonight’s eagerly-awaited cup clash between Leeds United and Chelsea, False Nine editor, Andrew Belt, assesses the mood of the Leeds camp and looks forward to a game full of historical meaning…

With all the furore concerning the mad house at Chelsea and the callous sacking of Roberto di Matteo coupled with Rafa Benitez’s dubious decision to take the reins of England’s most volatile football club, news of a more positive nature struggled to make itself heard. Continue reading →

Obscure Footballer of the Week #1: Lloyd Doyley

Posted on November 25, 2012 by Joe Bookbinder

As our first Obscure Footballer of the Week, Joe Bookbinder gives a moment’s recognition to Watford defender Lloyd Doyley…

For those who don’t support Watford the legend and cult following that surrounds Lloyd Doyley may be hard to understand. A product of Watford’s under-appreciated academy which has produced the likes of Ashley Young, Luther Blissett and John Barnes, through thick and mainly thin as a Watford player Doyley has now been a first team regular for over a decade. He is one of only a number of players in the modern era of football to be able to boast the title of ‘a one club man’. Continue reading →

The Mid-Season Managerial Merry-Go-Round Strikes Again

Posted on November 4, 2012 by James Dutton

Bolton’s gain, Crystal Palace’s loss.

Another series of managerial movements in the Football League has prompted False Nine editor James Dutton to suggest some changes…

It’s that time of year again. The clocks have gone back and the nights are drawing in, the dust has settled from Halloween, the night sky is adorned by fireworks and the high street stores are gearing their sales towards the biggest consumerist event known to mankind. In the football world media discourse is again dominated by sub-standard refereeing and a ludicrous obsession with diving. It is also that time of the year when the managerial landscape of the Football League is once again metamorphosing before our eyes. Continue reading →

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An analytical and satirical digest.

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