XBOX Live Update 16/02/2012

I haven't used this for a while so I'll be brief and I know this is one of the quickest ways to spread info:

Have any of you out there had problems with your XBOX360 Wireless Headset since the update today? Since the update my headset (official XBOX Wireless) whenever I turn my XBOX360 on it attempts to re-sync with the console.

I found this annoying at first, but it got worse as a few minutes after I turned the XBOX360 on and synced the mic, the connection would drop. When that happens, it attempts to re-sync again, but to a different number (say port 2 instead of port 1) therefore making me unable to chat.

I've been through the troubleshooting but got NOWHERE.

I've attempted to re-sync manually (holding down the connect button on both headset/console) but that just syncs to 2/3/4 instead of 1 and the only way to resolve that is restart the console and we're back to square one again.

Slightly annoyed as I don't fancy spending another £40 or so on another headset.

Anyone out there able to help?

- CY

August - Jan. The times are changin' [Part 1]

Well, yes indeed it's been a while once again.

I have many other projects on the go currently (www.beta-fly.co.uk being one of them) so I admit my posting is limited to say the least.

I think this blog post is more of a review for the half season, going over the managerial changes, my starting XI of win, top flops, most improved team and my predictions... This might take a while.

So, 2010... Management changes alone have been flooding the headlines:

1. Hughton got sacked by Newcastle in one of the most disrespectful chair decisions since the Jol-Ramos fiasco. Replaced by a serial shagger (sacked by Southampton for shagging Jose Fonte's wife... Allegedly...) to take the Toon to a new level of dullness.

2. MON walked - Houlier(sp?) in. Was appointed in charge of Villa and nobody really cared. Kind of hard to say what sort of influence he has had on the dressing room, certainly has the backing of the Chair, with the 20million signing of Darren Bent.

3. Big Sam was sacked by Blackburn for no apparent reason. Word on the grapevine (cant believe I'm writing that..) is that he refused to sign several players that the new board wanted. Steve Keane doing well so far, but it's early days...

4. Woy's gone! Yes, the hapless oaf's rubbing his face with anger days are over. Replaced by the King 'Kenny' to inject come life into the dying Liverpool predator.

Hard to believe there have been so many changes, my prediction was Martinez of Wigan would be forcibly ejected and shot out of a cannon, all the way back to sunny Spain. Nevermind...

Stage 2, my XI of win.

I thought I'd jump in with my starting XI and explain why they have earned the right. This will be the 4-1-2-1-2 formation with a DM (defensive midfielder) and AMC (attacking midfielder.) Apologies for the Football Manager style references.

GK: Joe Hart. Been in sensational form since he pushed his way past Shay Given. Handed the #1 jersey for England and doesn't look likely to loose it soon.

LB: Ashley Cole. As much as it pains me to say, he really is the best. Consistently good in going forward and tracking back. Opponents rarely get a sniff... Doubt Cheryl cares now either.. *OH BURN*

CB: Gary Cahill. Might be one of the reasons as to why Bolton are doing so well this season. He is understated, underrated and up for a big money move sometime soon

CB: Nemanja Vidic. The big UTD bruiser keeps the defensive line solid when Rio decides to go walkabout. He's fierce and will get the ball, no matter what it takes.

RB: Alan Hutton. Wasn't really firing all cylinders for quite some time for Spurs, but this season he has truly stepped up to the 8million pound price tag.

LW: Gareth Bale. Yeah, you knew this one was on here. Sensational player who scares the living daylights out of RB's; especially Maicon. If Spurs are to succeed this season, it will be in part, down to him.

DM: Scott Parker. Plays for West Ham or better known as Scott Parket FC. The single reason why West Ham have any points on the board whatsoever. Grant will be desperate to hold onto his services.

AMC: Rafael Van der Vaart. Still cannot believe Spurs got him for 8 million. His touch, vision, creativity and awareness make him the player all clubs love to hate.

ST: Andy Carroll. Been a revelation in the PL this season. Scoring for fun before Christmas, but injury has hampered that slightly in the last few weeks. Allegations in his private life might not help, but on the pitch he is one to watch.

ST: Johan Elmander. Revitalised this season and is playing some of the best football of his career under Owen Coyle. With Bolton's free-flowing possession football, this will only aide Elmander in boosting his goals tally for the season.

I've just realised that I might have left Samir Nasri out of this team. Unfortunately it's hard to fit him in, so he will be benched.

Bench:

Foster - been in great form for Birmingham, kept them in many games.

Onuoha - Playing great football up in the North West. Scored a cracker against Chelsea

Nasri - Voted the French footballer of the year and wasn't even in the World Cup squad. Says it all really.

Fabregas - Got the best first touch of the ball in the world. His drive and ambition to drag Arsenal out of sticky situations kicking and screaming just adds to the quality this player already possesses

Berbatov - Currently the league's top scorer. Can't ignore his ability to grab a goal. Work rate is improving under Fergie.

Gary Taylor-Fletcher - Might not recognise this name, but he plays for Blackpool. Very skilful on the ball and knows how to pick a pass.

Charlie Adam - Great on the ball, bit slow at times but works hard to make up for it. One of the reasons as to why Blackpool are where they are now.

Manager: Owen Coyle. Worked wonders in Bolton.

Next time:

Top Flops, Most improved team and Predictions for 2011.

Winning Harts and Minds

It's back!!! And so am I.

Sitting in the local pub, I enjoyed what I can only describe as a 45 minute mauling that didn't have a finished product. But that will come in time, surely it won't take too long for the likes of Defoe, Keane, Crouch, Pav to find their shooting boots (or find there walking boots out of WHL and into the clutches of another team *SPOILER ALERT*)

I thought we were phenomenal in the first half. Dominant, confident, free flowing - it was magical to see Bale decimate Micah Richards (still want to sign him?) Huddlestone have the likes of Barry, Yaya Toure & DeJong in his pocket, Crouch getting on the end of everything - I could go on.

City looked awful in the first half, a group of stars without a leader, any direction or any idea WTF they were meant to be doing. Mancini clearly played for a draw, playing three defensive midfielders across the middle and Tevez having to run the show on his own without any support. Kind of felt sorry for him.

It's time to mention what every other Spurs/ Man City blog have been talking about; one of the best goalkeeping appearances I have seen for some time (since Gomes v Arsenal in fact.) Some of the saves made - in particular the BAE deflected shot, were superb.

Joe Hart equalling another Spurs attack.

But enough on that.

To put this post into four words, I would go for More of the same. Keep playing the way we did against City and the goals will flow.

Young Boys next. On a side note, did any of you catch Andy Burton on 'soccer am' on Saturday be involved in one of the most awkward pre-match interviews I have ever seen? Lets just say, there was a link between 'Young Boys', 'Internet' and 'Studying'.

Line.Stepped.Crossed.Spat On.

Young boys will be a bigger challenge than you all think. They knocked out Fenerbache for Gods Sake, quite a good team. Shame they play in a town called 'Wankdorf'. OK OK I'll stop.

To dare is to do. COYS.

So.. What happens now?

I was so nervous I could of punched someone. Just to take my mind off the last 5 minutes + ET against City. I just knew they were going to score..... Wait??? FINAL WHISTLE?!!! GET IN!!!

Celebrating one of our proudest moments in decades.

*****The next day*****

Some of you are nursing hangovers, I for one am.

So, we did it. We made it to the promised land after all these years, what can I say? We truly deserved it, for the first time in God knows how long, I really think we got the result we deserved. City were tough, Tevez looked lively, with De Jong holding the midfield line pretty damn well. I have to give the credit to Dawson and King. They were immense at the back, really gave it their all to cope with the threat that is the City attack. Kaboul kept Bellamy in his back pocket from start to finish, which you don't see very often - especially when City are at home. Let the parties begin all over the land! CITY CAN'T BUY 4TH PLACE YET....

Back down to earth. We have had a tremendous season, so I will now highlight some of the key games/ points in the season which effected where we are today (in no particular order):

- Beating Liverpool on the opening day: OK it might not be the most important game and it feels like such a long time ago but people actually started to take notice of us. We were seen as some sort of understudy to the inevitable 'Man City' tidal wave and remember, this is when Liverpool were considered to be the best team in the league; many had them down as PL Champions in their pre season predictions (as well as me.) It was also the first time we really saw Huddlestone and Palacios work well together. This shaped our season....

- Bale getting that FUCKING omen off his back: Again, not the most important thing now its been mentioned, but the media do love a great statistic. Yes Bale has not been on the winning side for Spurs in the PL since he arrived (I think it was 23 games in total before he did, don't quote me on it though) Just look at what happened when he did. Remember: we were also meant to be shipping him off on loan to Nottingham Forrest at the beginning of the season. Yipes!

- Dawson playing out of his skin: What a fucking legend. He has truly come alive this season. Capello will be a MUG not to take him to South Africa. Fuck, he'll be a mug not to start him after the season that our two 'best' Cb's have had...

- Beating Wigan 9-1: I don't really need to say much on this. So i will just say... Defoe (5).

- The defeat to Sunderland (03/04/2010): You might laugh, but that defeat REALLY opened our eyes. We really couldn't get away with shoddy defensive work or having one eye on the Pompey match a week later. It was a shambles and we got what we deserved. IMO if we got something out of that game, we would of lost to Arsenal & Chelsea. Harry gave the players the ear bashing they deserved and we buckled down to put in two of the greatest performances I have seen in a VERY long time.

- Pavulychenko's run of 8 goals in 6 games: He came up top trumps when we needed him. We needed someone who could score, he did. We won games off the back of his form during that period. He went off the boil afterwards, but quite frankly - he is forgiven.

- Jenas being injured: That meant we didn't play him, he got fit towards the end of the season, Harry realised 'if it ain't broken, don't fix it' and by that he meant - DON'T FUCKING PLAY HIM.

- Lennon: Christ. What a winger he truly is. If we had him fit, 3rd would of been ours by now.

- The Octopus: Pulled out some of the greatest saves I've ever seen in a Spurs shirt. Immense goalkeeper. I think some of the applause has to go to Tony Parks for his incredible work on getting his confidence back. That save against RvP was what put him in the category of true Spurs legends.

- April 2010: What a month. Started against Sunderland & Pompey (already discussed) but ended with some of the greatest football I have ever seen at WHL. We were incredible against the Goons and Chelsea. Every player did their job, even exceeded their expectations (BAE) and our secret weapon was unleashed against cowering right-backs.

- Telling Keane to fuck off: It had to be done. I'm sorry to all Keane lovers out there, but he had to go; the team was NOT gelling, Keane was NOT pulling his weight as a captain, just waving his arms like a psychotic leprechaun dancing to funky house music in the late 90's. Let him recapture his form and sell him for profit. Done.

OK that will do for now, there will probably be more to come in the next few days.

I love this club. To dare is to do. CY out.