*****

Roger Federer – the Great Roger Federer – has enjoyed the most successful career in tennis history, but now the fairy-tale appears to be approaching its last few pages.  After taking the first set of his Australian Open semi-final on a tie-break, Federer must have felt that he could finally secure a return to his superlative best.  However, the next three sets slipped away from the 30-year-old as he finished the match with 64 unforced errors.  Utmost credit must go to Federer’s opponent and fiercest rival, the Great Rafael Nadal.  The two have waged war against each other for as long as the world of tennis can remember; though, this war has always been one of peace and grace, fought under the most gentlemanly conditions.  The Spaniard is the main reason why Federer’s total of Grand Slams has been limited to sixteen and, although it is unlikely, Nadal may still be able to surpass that total.  Indeed, it seems that Federer will now have to get used to not winning the major tournaments, but the veteran is still willing to put up the best fight he possibly can.

*****

Ahead of the Australian Open, I identified Petra Kvitova as a rising starlet who could fill the gaping hole at the top of the women’s game.  I hoped and duly thought that she could lift the trophy in Melbourne to become World Number One.  I was wrong.  That said, I did allude to the unpredictable nature of the women’s game, and the fact that Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova made it through to the final is testament to that.  It appears that the Eastern European ladies, as fierce and determined as they are (grunts galore), are making a move towards a period of sheer dominance.  Yet, Kvitova is still a part of that, and perhaps even the spearhead of the attack.  Kvitova is not yet no. 1, but reaching the semi-final at least demonstrates a level of consistency.  I can only hope that the very admirable Czech makes it to the summit of the game sooner rather than later- and she will, of that I am sure.  However, she has much to learn after her defeat to the more experienced, Maria Sharapova, and, at least, the passive Caroline Wozniacki has finally been dislodged as World Number One, albeit by someone other than Kvitova.

Cole has built a career around being a dynamic attacking, yet defensively capable full back. However, this season Chelsea have conceded  25 goals, more than a goal per game, in which Cole has played in every league game. If we take Cole, Evra and Liverpool’s Enrique as the three best left backs in the league, as well as Baines, his direct England rival, it is thus appropriate to compare their form to ascertain how well Cole is playing this season.

The number of tackles completed per game is thus: 2.7 for Evra, 2.6 for Cole, 1.8 for Enrique and 1.2 for Baines. For interceptions, Evra has 1.2 per game, Cole 1.5 per game, Enrique just 1 per game, whilst Baines comes out on top with 2.1. As well as this, a comparison of fouls per game for each defender is also relatively tight, with Evra committing one per game, Baines 0.9, Cole 0.8 and Enrqiue 0.4 per game. Defensively, it is tight; Chelsea have conceded more goals than United and Liverpool but Cole’s individual statistics imply he is still playing to a similar standard to both Evra and Enrique. One would expect Baines to complete more tackles due to the fact Everton are a more defensive side than Chelsea, United or Liverpool. Thus, with the low level of tackles he completes, one could assert that he is the weakest defender.

It is in the attacking third that Cole has actually been at his best this season, recording six assists, with Evra and Enrique having two each, whilst Baines only has one. This is a very high number of assists for a full-back (the most out of any Premier League full-back so far this season), indicating what an attacking presence Cole has been, even if it hasn’t always been noticed.

A wider look at the attacking statistics reflect favourably on Cole. Cole completes, on average, 50 passes per game this season with a pass completion rate of about 89%; Enrique has the highest passes per game with 52, but has a much lower pass completion rate than Cole with just 79%. Evra completes less passes than both full-backs with 42 per game but boasts a decent pass completion rate with 86%; Baines stats reflect the weakest in this regard, with an average of 41.8 passes per game with a completion accuracy of only 76.8%. Thus, although Enrique completes slightly more passes per game than Cole, Cole’s superior pass accuracy percentage means that he has been the most influential attacking full-back out of the three.

With regards to crosses per game, Baines has the most with 2.3; Enrique has one per game, whereas Cole and Evra have less, with 0.6 per game and 0.3 per game respectively. The reason for this is perhaps due to the more cross-centric style of play used by Liverpool, who cross more balls into the box per game than any other side, rather than due to Cole and Evra being less able to do so.

A stat that highlights the attacking influence of Cole this season is the high number of successful through-balls he has completed, with 2.6 per game; Enrique completes 0.1 per game, whilst Baines and Evra have attempted no through balls this season. Again, this is indicative of differing styles of play but further shows how AVB has used Cole in a far more attacking sense than previous managers have, arguably at the expense of the defensive side of his game.

What explains the perceived dip in form?

There are numerous factors that explain why some people believe Cole has performed worse this season, despite his obvious importance in an attacking capacity for both club and country. One factor is that the Chelsea defence as a collective has been poor this season. The alteration in tactics from a deep sitting backline to a high line has caused problems for every one of Chelsea’s defenders, with Luiz often bearing the brunt. As well as this, the other full-back, Jose Bosingwa, has come under fire more now than ever before in the new system. The reason for this is perhaps that, by pressing high up the field, the Chelsea full-backs are often a lot higher up the field than they would like to be, both in and out of possession; this means that if Chelsea lose the ball, or if they’re beaten in behind, the full-backs look very vulnerable.

During attacks, the shielding midfielder, now Romeu, will often slot back to make a back three with the wing-backs, often urged up the field to initiate attacks and stretch the opposition; as stated, this can leave them vulnerable in behind.

Whilst on the topic of tactics under AVB, the formation is more of a 4-3-3 than previously as now the wide men, Sturridge and Mata, are far more focused on attacking than defending. The result of this is that the full-backs are often left unprotected. In Cole’s case, when Mata comes inside, he is left incredibly vulnerable to opposition attacks. Even when Mata does look to track back, he is more of a forward minded player and thus is not capable of adequately protecting his full-back.

A further factor behind a perceived drop is that Cole has set himself incredibly high standards over the year and, thereby, anything short of that makes it appear that he is playing poorly. Although at the age of 31, he does not seem quite as quick as he once did. This is more obvious when defending, especially on the turn, than when attacking. Although, as stated, his attacking has been very good, he has not been as dynamic on the ball, in fact much of his attacking work has been from running in behind, rather than running on the ball, highlighted by only 0.3 dribbles per game. Perhaps this is tactical, or perhaps it does point to how Cole is adapting his game as he is getting older.

But with regards to Baines, he is not as strong as Cole at defending and is statistically worse than him in an attacking capacity. Cole has 93 caps to his name and his experience alone is a reason why he is a valuable player for England. Furthermore, with Cahill and Terry the preferred centre-back pairing for Capello, it makes sense to transfer the Chelsea trio to the international game as well. Baines is a good defender and should go to the Euro’s, but he is not, if we compare stats, of the same calibre as Cole.

To say Cole is finished would be ridiculous, the comparison of defensive statistics shows that all players are similar and the attacking stats tip it in Cole’s favour. Thus, he should still be considered a key member of the Chelsea and England starting 11′s. As stated, his six assists are incredibly impressive for a full-back.

Amit Singh is the editor of www.thinkfootball.co.uk

We may as well start with one particular Zoo-goer, who found herself occupied throughout the whole evening. This little vixen was never spotted alone, but the scandalous lady was seen in the company of not two, not three, but FOUR separate men throughout Zoo – it seems Mrs Norris was indeed roaming the corridors of Hogwarts, but thwarted and ignored any attempts by any Basilisk to escape from its Chamber of Secrets. Seemingly desperate to steal the title of cock-tease, she flirted her way through the likes of Mailbu and a Russian Oligarch Alumnus, amongst others, but in the end made her way home with two hockey chaps – for an innocent burger, apparently. That brings her total count to a WHOPPING 6 men in one evening. And apparently Mrs Norris was not the only member of her house to be on the prowl though, as your teenage witch and puppy-eyes were once again spotted ducking out alarmingly early – and all in the presence of her recent ex-squeeze. The once power-couple had barely been over for three weeks. *sadface*

Blondes were more than a little active, though, as our frequently featured third team Biggles was seen stealing yet more kisses from a fresh face. Her desires, though, were short lived, and she soon grew tired of her man, only to find his rapid infatuation had grown even faster than her own exasperation. The poor girl was followed round by said gentleman, who tried on numerous occasions to woo and court our fair lady, but if Facebook is anything to go by, she’s having none of her new-found stalker-man. Your Sunny tennis bombshell was also seen moving on rapidly from last week, as her tongue and lips got all Knotted up – when asked about her latest pull, she assured others “what?! We were already Facebook friends and all!” Phew!

Having berated me last term for the lack of Women’s Rugby coverage, it seems some of You were really on the prowl on Wednesday. In a red dress that would make Lucy Liu raise an eyebrow, one starlet was seen trying out the previously featured hoover manoeuvre with the man who provided one lucky girl the nickname of “sex-raggled tool.” As Hobbes danced and pranced his way around Zoo in his usual fashion, it seems the magnetic attraction between the pairs’ lips was uncontrollable, and they were spotted sharing oxygen in the corner, by the fan, near the toilets, outside…well, you get the picture.

Netball’s very own Keith was also seen making her comeback to the market on Wednesday. Turning heads in a striking, yet typically revealing blue dress, a case of mistaken identity ensued as to whom she snared that evening. With many people thinking she was off with a 4th team FC lad, who must indeed be disappointed as his inability to hit a home run, sources can confirm that she was actually entangled with an Alumnus named Jacko. Next time, get your facts right people. Indeed, the rest of her household also seemed to be unusually active, with several other cases of rendezvous’ occurring that they’d like to be kept secret, I’m sure. Suffice it to say, one Ski President got the true white-glove Butler service at Zoo but was, alas, also seen going home alone.

This, however, meant that one person in particular was left high and dry. But never one to be phased by this, your Gaelic Footballer jumped back on the saddle and was seen working his magic, trying to charm your Dance Captain. The captivating lady was seemingly enraptured by his efforts, and the two were seen to be “busy” for much of the night. The Sam squared couple was also seen doing the dirty on Wednesday, though it seems Lush Sam couldn’t quite keep up with the momentum of his energizer-bunny counterpart, and often had to sit down to deal with his fatigue or all-round ineptitude.

At long last, though, it seems the will-they or won’t they pseudo-couple declared their feelings for one another publicly, and a rugby captain allegedly managed to Reed the signs correctly – he sealed the deal with one stunning Brazilian Tuns girl to all-round sounds of “awww,” sighs of happiness and even the odd tear of joy being shed by bystanders. YourCock was also spotted trying to crack onto the tallest member of the Netball sixth team. Reacting instinctively to the advance of his drunken lips and tongue, it seems TeeLee defended her vulnerable lips with her hand, but little did she know that YourCock was all too happy to pull her palm. And finally, it seems the Netball fifth’s cock-tease really did live up to her name once more, spending several hours refusing the advances of Welsh Glory. Only at the end of the night though, did she give in to his inevitable charm and allow him to steal a kiss (or seven), but it seems actually speaking to a girl, rather than an outright pull, works a treat – the pair were seen tottering off in the direction of Tottenham Court Road in the wee hours of the morning, though our girl denies any…frivolities.

Sadly, the night was not all love, sex and magic. With one Alumnus being led out of Zoo Bar by the hand á la mummy-and-toddler scenario, Captain Mateer also had several unfortunate run-ins with bouncers. Having been unceremoniously ousted from Zoo, it seems she learned a trick or two from Alumnus Boca and managed to weasel her way back into the club, to continue her task of ensnaring Lennon. But if her determination manifested herself in any way, it was in violence, not lust, and many a man was seen running scared of her flailing limbs. Suffice it to say, it seems the Zoo Bar bouncers had once again had enough – and this time, it was for good. It would appear our beloved Netball social sec has done the unthinkable and got herself BARRED from Zoo! With a year and a half remaining, how the hell will she survive Wednesday nights? And more importantly, how will this affect her alleged bid for AU Pres? Our hearts go out to you Captain Mateer. I’m sure you can sweet-talk your way out of this!

Cheers for a truly spectacular week, and here’s hoping you live up to expectations next week.  Credit must also go out to Boffin (-B+M-in+at) for her documenting skills. A visual recount of last Wednesday is available on Facebook thanks to her. Until next time…

Redemption is sweet, that is of course, assuming that you don’t falter a second time.

After crucial victories, the New England Patriots and the New York Giants head to a Super Bowl rematch. Four years ago, the Giants pulled off one of the most remarkable upsets in NFL history when they defeated the previously unbeaten and heavily favored Patriots team with a winning drive in the final minutes. No person in attendance, viewing on television, or who has seen a YouTube clip will ever be able to forget David Tyree’s mutually devastating and awe-inspiring one-handed catch against the shell of his helmet.  However, this year, the Patriots are hoping to diminish that image.

After four years of endless taunting, the Patriots have finally been granted their ultimate wish: a rematch. On Sunday, February 5th, they will face off against the Giants for not just Super Bowl rings—but dignity. A Super Bowl victory would quell the incessant jeers and reinstate the New England Patriots as the indisputable NFL powerhouse. However, a loss would provide New York fans with a nearly inexhaustible supply of ammunition for mockery. So with everything on the line, the teams and fans alike, prepare for the biggest game in American sports. This Sunday, either the Giants will emerge even larger than life or the Patriots will bring about a new revolution to New England. Tune in at 21.30 Sunday night to watch the action.

That actual fact a rematch was attainable seemed remotely distant at the start of the season. Questions of Eli Manning’s, Giants Quarterback, ability was constant ground for discussion in New York, the Giants Defensive Line appeared like nothing compared to the dominating unit led by Michael Strahan four years ago, whilst if Manning wasn’t the problem, the lack of a stand-out receiver for him to play his get out of jail card was. The situation was so tenuous at on point in the season Coughlin, the Giants head coach, was seemingly destined to become just another sacked head coach after a mediocre season.

Yet only four months later, Eli Manning, the self-proclaimed ‘Franchise Quarterback’ (indicating quite a sense of self-confidence), is backing up his words. Jason Pierre-Paul, most notable for 13 consecutive backflips on youtube whilst weighing 20 stone, is leading the reemergence of the Giants pass-rush, and finally, Victor Cruz who is now famed for Salsa-dancing touchdown celebrations is now part of New York folklore for the dominance he has displayed this year catching the ball. The Giants, in their quest for the big one, have dominated the Falcons and crushed Green Bay’s dreams of immortality. They have then visited San Fransisco, trading punches with one of the most physical teams in the league, coming up triumphant. Again, the “hot” team have entered the play offs after a few breaks, and have stormed the tournament.

With Tom Brady at the helm, it should, theoretically, be no surprise that New England reached the Superbowl, but with one of the worst defences in the NFL it should be. Somehow Bill Bellicheck, the Patriots Head Coach, and Brady have been able to dominate the NFL with a group of star players surrounding by vast quantities of quality-stricken footballers. When one takes a look at the current Patriots line up there is the star quality of Brady, Gronkowski, Hernandez and Welker. The inconsistent Wilfork definitely belongs in that group most of the time, but he has the habit of becoming anonymous for long periods of time. The rest of the group are weak, the culmination of which can be seen in the Patriots placement of 31st in the league for passing yards allowed, there is only so much bend and break a team can perpetrate before they get eliminated. Just ask the Packers. Indeed it is a testament to Belichek that this group of players have come as far as they have done.

However, form counts for little when heading into the television spectacle that is the Superbowl. The bright lights, elongated television ad breaks, ridiculous singing of the national anthem, this sporting final is a clear example of having to turn up and deal with occasion. Many headline athletes have lead their team to the Superbowl and gone missing in the shadows of the floodlights, just ask Donovan McNabb. It’s just as likely that Sterling Moore is the star of the show as Victor Cruz is. Ability has nothing to do with it, but often Cojones. The aforementioned David Tyree was released from his contract only a year after the Superbowl victory due to him actually being a relatively sub-standard football player, his moment of brilliance was the result of him stepping up to the occasion and ‘making a play’.

Heading into Superbowl weekend, a moments thought should go to the Kickers. Most games you won’t even hear their names, but Stephen Gostkowski and Lawrence Tynes, are heading into the most watched sporting event in the US knowing that if the game is close they will be expected to step up and convert a field goal. Whilst this can be an opportunity to be immortalised in NFL history, they also can be the butt of every joke for a year and even receive death threats if recent events in the NFL playoffs are anything to go by. For some reason they seem to enjoy their jobs, but if the clock is ticking down with the game on the line you can bet your bottom dollar not a single person in the stadium would rather take that field goal.

The Superbowl will be broadcast on both BBC and SkySports on February 5th.

The labour dispute between the players and the League led to a lockout; the eventual solution to which left this season with 66 of its original 82 game stretch. But, unlike the NFL lockout before it, the battle to agree a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (or ‘CBA’ in sports hack-speak – the irony is presumably lost on them) centered not on the biggest name players and their lawsuits, à la football pin-up Tom Brady, but on the plight of the employees on the whole. And this process was fascinating in a league built on working-class participation. The courtside seats may be a sea of white faces – save for celebrity rappers like Jay Z in New Jersey and Snoop Dogg in LA – but in 2008-9, almost eighty-two per cent of NBA players were African American. The reigning Most Valuable Player, Derrick Rose, escaped a tough Chicago neighbourhood to lead his home town Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals last year; he was previously photographed with an ill-advised gang tattoo. Make no mistake, basketball is the lifeblood of American sport, the game of the streets. They say there’s a basketball court on every street in New York City. Probably the greatest white NBA player of all time, Larry Bird, was a salt-of-the-Earth guy from rust-belt Indiana. NBA players – at least, before they start cashing their cheques – are normal people. Really tall normal people.

Derek Fisher, a Lakers team-mate of Kobe’s and the archetypal small, blue collar player getting by on smarts rather than devastating talent, is President of the Players Association. Who better to champion the little guy? Together with players ranging from bench-warmers to more high-profile stars, Fisher thrashed out a compromise with Commissioner David Stern and the franchise owners. But just as we have seen and will continue to see in the political arena, this compromise satisfies no-one. Indeed, immediately following the announcement that the lockout was over, Stern vetoed the trade of superstar Chris Paul from the League-owned Hornets to the big-market Lakers, under immense pressure from small-market owners – most publicly in an anxious letter from Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers. An uneasy truce has been reached, but many feel that the people’s game should belong to the people once more.

So, stay tuned for more Dwight Howard (forty-five points and twenty-three rebounds against the Golden State Warriors recently), more ‘Lob City’ with Blake Griffin and the LA Clippers (even his nicknames are fantastic: Blake Superior, the Human Posterchild, Earth Blake, Griffin Impossible…), more D-Rose, more King James, more of dazzling Spanish rookie Ricky Rubio and – God help us – more zone defence. But remember, these multi-millionaire athletic freaks are just like you and me.

Unfortunately for England, their run of nine Tests without defeat ended in Dubai on Thursday, and it was only the impressive batting of Swann in both innings that prevented the top Test team in the world from going down to an innings defeat. Alistair Cook, two Tests removed from a brilliant, match-winning 294, didn’t stick around long in either innings. Neither did his captain and fellow opener Strauss.  Jonathan Trott went early in the first innings, but was the only resistance apart from Swann during England’s second chance in the middle. Kevin Pietersen, seemingly always the focus of discussion and controversy, ensured that he would be a main story on the back pages of the papers with just two runs from thirty-seven balls. Ian Bell had been in a fine run of form against Sri Lanka and India last summer, but amounted to little in the first Test, while Eoin Morgan failed to take advantage of the team’s dire straits in both innings and play a match-saving innings that could have ensured his long-term future in the Test side.  In the second test, England lost by 72 runs.

It’s far too early to write off this England team – either overall or on this tour, but this first result, as well as a defeat in the second test, doesn’t augur well for the rest of this series, the visit to Sri Lanka in the spring, or the four-test visit to India later in the year.  Fortunately for Strauss and company, neither Sri Lanka nor India look nearly as dangerous as Pakistan in recent times. Their one victory over South Africa aside, Tilikaratne Dilshan’s team has struggled mightily in Tests over the past year, and India appear on course for another away whitewash at the hands of an improving Australia.

The much-discussed future of Test cricket relies, in large part, on continued interest in England and India. The two largest markets for the game must remain engaged with the longer format, for if they do not, the original form of the game will become even less profitable and less attractive to players, further damaging Test cricket’s image in the eyes of fans. While interest from India and England is not solely reliant on the success of their respective national sides, keeping both nations strong home and away is key in maintaining interest in the game. The Indians have a long stretch of home tests to retool their batting lineup before venturing off the subcontinent, while England face a series of challenges to their No. 1 status. Perhaps what is needed for India is a renewal of their rivalry against Pakistan, while a sustained period of success for England could help to break through the choke-hold that the Olympics and the Euros will likely have on sport coverage in 2012. Sadly for both, and for cricket, bringing both of those developments to pass will be more difficult than expected.

And how about that – I managed to discuss England v. Pakistan without talking about spot-fixing!

In the week ahead, both Manchester City and Manchester United visit fortress Anfield for pivotal cup ties.  Few games come bigger in world football and few games could hold more importance for a club aiming so desperately to re-live the heights of its glorious past.  Alas, with these two ties comes a crucial week for the red half of Merseyside, a week that will make or break their season.

One will often argue that a top four finish and the Champions League football this brings as its reward is financially and statistically justified as a major club’s top priority.  Yet, success breeds success and, for a club without silverware since 2006, enough is enough- the chain must be broken.  The basis of the argument: Liverpool must win a Cup trophy this year, even if it means concentrating less on a top four finish.  The fact that Liverpool could potentially make their first ever appearance at the New Wembley is one that would not have gone unnoticed on the Kop.  With the club currently lingering well below fourth place in the league, the target of cup success must be emphasised profoundly.

Thus far, manager, Kenny Dalglish, has done so accordingly; the Scot got his tactics spot on in the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final and coolly dispatched of Oldham Athletic in the FA Cup (a tie previous Liverpool sides may well have found tricky).  Progressing to the final of the Carling Cup would invariably make the club favourites for the trophy against Championship opposition in the form of either Crystal Palace or Cardiff.  Similarly, overcoming Manchester United four days later would provide a huge step towards potential FA Cup glory.  These two ties may well be the difference between a successful season and another year thrown into the dustiest corner of the sporting history books.

The project at Liverpool, as is the case with the majority of clubs, is a long term one.  Success won’t come right away. League titles won’t fall off trees and Premiership campaigns will contain misfortune, inconsistency and difficult challenges.  An antidote for this comes in the shape of momentum, which is built up over time.

Two prime examples can be extracted from last season.  Manchester City, having gone 33 years without a trophy, faced Manchester United in an FA Cup semi-final.  They won that semi-final.  They then went on to win the tournament and are now challenging for the league title.  A couple of months earlier, Arsenal had reached the Carling Cup final.  They lost that final (to the now relegated Birmingham).  Subsequently, their season fell to pieces, with their form failing to recover since.  See the pattern?  Single moments changed the long-term fortunes of each club.  Yaya Toure’s winner for City was in stark contrast to Arsenal’s catastrophic defending in the dying stages of that infamous Carling Cup defeat.  Yes, there are Sheik Mansour’s billions playing a big factor, but the case here is that winning builds momentum, whilst losing can have aftershocks that match those of the Great Depression.

If Liverpool were to push forward and break their trophy duck, their long-term credentials would vastly improve – be it in the league, the transfer market or Europe.  Would it be better to be known as the fourth best team in the league or a team feared across Europe for winning two trophies in one season by overcoming their fiercest rivals?  The fact is that Liverpool are now back to a state where they can compete with the best teams in the country and attempt to win silverware. The club must take their chances and the excuse of ‘prioritising a top four finish’ (especially when Liverpool seem so incapable of doing so) must be banished.

Glory is close.  Liverpool fans can see it, smell it, and almost hear it – how strong their desire is to sing ‘you’ll never walk alone’ after a winning cup final once again.  Yet, whether the club can take that massive leap in the right direction depends on how they fare in the crucial week ahead.  It all comes down to those all important moments, a matter of seconds – the difference between winning and losing.  After all, seasons are defined by moments and Liverpool’s will be decided in the next five days.

In preparation, the Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA) met yesterday to discuss the games and draw up recommendations, including suitable dress requirements. One of the items up for discussion was whether female boxers should have to wear skirts.

Last year, they suggested that wearing skirts would make female athletes look ‘elegant’ and help ‘distinguish’ them from their male counterparts. In other words, they are recommending that a female boxer’s performance as an athlete should align with her performance as a feminine woman.

This emphasis placed on gendered norms highlighting delicateness and grace is certainly not aligned with the way I understand boxing as a discipline, nor does it fit into the current social reality where women and men are given equal credence as athletes.

What does elegance have to do with boxing anyways? There is nothing pretty about it. Boxing is strenuous, fatiguing and comes with its share of aches, pains, hits and unanticipated smacks.

My body still refuses to forgive me for the aftermath of my first training. The pain in my joints was so visceral that even typing a four-letter word became a cringe inducing task. Any graduate student or self-proclaimed Twitter addict like myself can relate to the level of debilitation this can have on your life!

Nevertheless, there is a particular kind of beauty in roughness. Boxing invigorates and animates every muscle and fragment of flesh in my body. I still remember the astonishment of my coach in reaction to the amount of power I was able to harness in my first punch. What is it about the strength of women that still shocks us?

What is so intolerable about a woman in control of her abilities that makes an organisation like the AIBA want to confine her to a mini-skirt? If there is something menacing about a woman in shorts it suggests that there is still something menacing about a woman in full ability to thrive. While men are taught to apologise for their weaknesses, women are still expected to apologise for their strengths.

In a way, boxing encapsulates everything that is frequently socially discouraged of women.

However, in my opinion, there is nothing more satisfying than doing something that isn’t expected. When someone expects you to be weak, have the courage to be strong. When someone expects you to be compliant, demonstrate the bravery to resist. If women are told they must be seen not heard, then they must stand up and speak louder. Given that we are often instructed not to fight back, it’s about time we enter the metaphorical ring and kick some serious figurative butt.

This petition is not about a piece of fabric, it’s about athletes. It’s not about their clothing, it’s about their credibility. If there’s one lesson I’ve learned through my experience as a boxer is that when someone throws a punch, curling up in the foetal position is not an option. You stand up and you fight. You don’t ask for power, you just take it.

Sign the petition on Change.org now and show the AIBA we’re not willing to throw in the towel before we’ve won the fight! The petition currently has over 50,000 signatures.

This article was originally posted on the Huffington Post UK.

When watching the NFL there are certain basic do’s and don’ts, the first of which is bring beer, it’s going to be a fairly protracted game, so you might as well imbibe. Given the duration of the entire experience will likely top two hours you might want to be cautious, otherwise it’ll end messily. Last Super Bowl it got to the point where I thought the Black Eyed Peas were good at half time. Never again. If you’re picking a team at this late stage you please don’t pick the Patriots, for obvious reasons, it’d be like picking Man U on the eve of a Champions League Semi-final if their opponent wasn’t Barcelona. You should also laugh every time someone mentions the words ‘Skip Bayless’, and ‘useful analysis’ in the same sentence, and automatically ignore a pundit with an English accent.

During the pre-game people are going to be talking about the game and what to expect, here’s an eight part plan to sounding like an expert:

1. [Insert preferred team here] have to dominate the lines of scrimmage, you win the game in the trenches. Dominate there and the skill positions out wide will sort themselves out.

2. a) Establish the run. b) Establish the run. c) Force them to crowd the box and let your quarterback beat them with his arm. This is of course done by, establishing the run.

3. Match up nightmares. These are players freakishly oversized and fast, eg. Gronkowski, Davis, Rice. They’re players you know will do well and blow up the game.

4. Big play ability. This is for players who seemingly have no laudable characteristics other than their ability to do ridiculous things, i.e. Cruz and Hernandez. Usually they’re versatile, or are yet to prove themselves, not players you would necessarily expect to reel of large ammounts of yardage. It’s a cop-out from analysts who are really just saying that sport is as unpredictable as a bag of cats, but perfect for us who don’t quite understand the game yet.

5. This is the golden age of the tight-end. Revel in it.

6. It’s January, you’re not surprised how no dome teams have got this far.

7. Two quarterbacks beat Marino’s all season passing yardage, how wack is that? But they should have asterisks by their name.

8. Special teams will be important. At some point, in one game, somewhere, they’ll be important.

In addition, complain about the complete lack of referees calling offensive holding, bonus points if you mention flag football. Roughing the passer is a financial decision, end of. Unless it’s that one time Suh tried to eat a quarterback, that was a tad excessive. You should also mention that two of the coaches are Harbuaghs, make a terrible joke about their ‘Thanksgiving’ dinner.

Furthermore, talk about players from yesteryear to impress, here’s a very, very, short list of famous players on the 4 teams left. For those too lazy to google, or if the Internet actually has ended with the passage of SOPA/PIPA/ACTA:

Patriots: Bledsoe, Tippett, Hannah

Giants: Taylor, Brown, Tummel

49ers: Montanna, Young, Rice, Johnson

Ravens: Uh… Jim Brown?

During long breaks play mental games to stimulate your creative juices, such as creating your very own penitentiary all-star team, working out who that ‘Discount Double Check’ guy is, maybe a player-to-word association game. For example, Ochocinco – twitter. Eli Manning – Peyton. Cam Newton – $200,000. Ray Lewis – Double Team. Michael Vick – … you get my point.

In terms of ‘don’ts’, don’t joke about them wearing protection, given the size and speed of the players, helmets seem eminently sensible. It’s played in a different style to rugby, so there’s very little comparison. Or at least, not one that anyone will want you to bring back up. Also, don’t mention Canadian football. I’ve heard they play it on ice, but regardless, let them stick to their ice hockey. Talking while the game is actually taking place is not something you should do, the average play seems to be done in less than 30 seconds, try and contain yourself until the minute break they take between plays when the players congratulate each other and talk about the universe, upcoming law-suits and stuff.

Above all enjoy the game(s) and the general spectacle and pageantry, if you don’t like it, it’s not like you can’t just swap the channel to whichever sport tickles your fancy.

There are probably many more ideas and thoughts that have been moronically omitted in these 1000 words, if you’d like to have your say why not write a sports piece on your thoughts? Possibly for the Americans out there perhaps a piece on how perspectives from across the pond differ on your beloved sports teams, or how I’ve just butchered one of your sports.

Dalglish has pointed at bad luck being the main factor behind Liverpool’s attacking impotence. Liverpool do have the fourth highest shots per game in the league, but out of their 18 chances a game they only manage 5.7 efforts on target. Liverpool’s lack of attacking potency has led to them drawing eight games, with only Villa having drawn more this season.

In the context of their big spend on forwards as well as on midfielders, Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson, there is surely no excuse for Liverpool’s inability to convert chances into goals. It is surprising to read that, of their 24 goals, only 11 have been from open play, with eight being from free kicks, one a penalty and three own goals.

The 0-0 draw played out with Stoke was a clear example of the problems facing Liverpool right now.  Suarez has been a dynamic presence and of course will be missed whilst suspended, but in reality he has been nowhere near as good as some would have you believe. Suarez, in 18 appearances in the league, has only scored five goals – hardly prolific – and contributed a meager one assist. There are 31 players in the EPL who have scored more than him this season.

The main problem with Suarez’s ban is that Carroll is not firing either. With him forming the base of the attacks, Carroll needs to find form. Funnily enough, Liverpool seems like the ideal place for Carroll to play as they adopt a direct approach, playing more crosses per game than any other side. Against Stoke, Kuyt was picked instead of Carroll to lead the line, which implies that Dalglish is losing patience with Carroll.

In essence, the signings made by Dalglish just haven’t hit form. Stewart Downing, a £20 million winger, has yet to score a league goal; compare that with England rival, Adam Johnson, who has managed to score five goals whilst playing less frequently. Downing’s record makes dismal reading; the winger is lauded by many, but he has scored zero goals and got zero assists from 21 league games this season.

Downing’s form is indicative of a wider problem at Liverpool – a real lack of goal-scoring midfielders. Though, the return of Steven Gerrard has certainly been timely. Gerrard’s return could have been seen as a tactical headache for Dalglish but the talisman’s dynamism will be welcome for a side that lack any real flair at the moment.

Whilst it seems likely that Henderson was bought for the future, he has yet to hit the heights for the club and Dalglish seems unsure whether to play him as a winger or a central midfielder. A box-to-box midfielder traditionally, Henderson has only one goal and one assist this season in 21 appearances.

One point of note is that, last season, a key performer was Raul Meireles, who scored five goals for the club and was voted player of the season by ESPN, above the likes of Rooney and Parker. Meireles was used in a box-to-box capacity that was key to Liverpool’s performances last term. The spark he provided was most obviously displayed as the club beat Arsenal 2-0 earlier this season, with Meireles coming off the bench to be involved in both goals.

However, the strikers are not solely to blame for the club’s inability to score goals. Manager, Kenny Dalglish, himself, must shoulder some of the blame, firstly for poor signings and secondly for tactical reasons. One factor is his inability to stick with a pairing up front. Many observers felt Suarez and Carroll were signed to complement each other, but the pair rarely play together from the start of games so have yet to form a partnership.

As well as this, tactics are, on the face of it, somewhat negative, despite the chances on goal, many of which are from outside of the area. Dalglish often looks to play a more defensive 4-5-1 even with the theoretically expansive Charlie Adam playing a slightly more subdued holding role. His form has also been below par since his move, with a pass completion rate of only just over 80%.

One reason for this is that the loss of Lucas Leiva prompted Adam to play a more responsible midfield role. Perhaps if Lucas was still fit, Adam would be allowed more freedom to get forward and create chances as was his role at Blackpool. Of course, Dalglish could not predict the injury to Leiva, but he should have hedged his bets by signing another holding player. Dalglish signed three midfielders in the summer but did not sign one holding player which means that, in the absence of Lucas, Dalglish has to re-jig his side’s formation.

For Liverpool, finishing in the top four will simply not happen unless they score more goals. Buying players seems unlikely, especially with the investment that has taken place under Dalglish. The answer could lie in increasing the playing time of Bellamy, who has four goals in his five starts for the club (15 apps including subs). Bellamy is not a natural winger, though he could play wide on the right or in support of Carroll.

The tactics employed by Dalglish against Stoke were typical of the side’s failings thus far. A perplexing 3-6-1 formation with Kuyt, industrious but ineffective in front of goal, leading the line. With six in midfield, the side dominated possession, but only managed a dismal one shot on target. Even with Gerrard and Adam in the middle, Liverpool failed to create real chances. The 3-6-1 could also be accused of being negative as the two wing-backs changed it to a 5-4-1 at times. Changing his side’s tactics to face Stoke at home has to be considered both strange and negative from Dalglish.

Playing a 4-4-2 would leave Liverpool a lot more open. So far, they have defended well but, without Lucas, any midfield pairing would leave the club exposed  and leave the defence without a midfield shield. One could arguably go as far as to say that the loss of Lucas, a defensive midfield destroyer, has had catastrophic effects on their attacking game due to the wider implications it has led to for the team tactically. Acting as a screen, in the same way Parker does for Spurs, Lucas allows other players to get forward more freely.

Liverpool are now six points behind fourth placed Chelsea and, although Chelsea themselves have had problems, this is a big gap. They do still have to host Chelsea and Arsenal, but by the time those fixtures come about, Liverpool could be well out of the race for the top four.

Dalglish was initially brought in during a wave of hysteria as the club were rock bottom under Roy Hodgson; the fans relished the return pf ‘King Kenny’ but now the honeymoon period has worn off. Liverpool fans must seriously question whether he is the right man for the job. Especially in the context of the huge amounts of money he has spent, in honesty, to little effect. One could argue that this is a transitional season, but this is the case for both Chelsea and Arsenal, who sit above Liverpool in the Premier League. A change of manager is unlikely, but perhaps one should be considered if Liverpool do not start firing.