A few images from a weekend of fun in Madrid

2013

Well, this blog has been awfully quiet for a while now and there can be two reasons for that. Either I’ve been travelling the world and having such a blast that I haven’t yet found any time to update the page, or that nothing of interest has happened in the life of Chris Matthews.

Ok, so the case has definitely been the latter, but that’s all about to change.

2013 has been a strange one so far, I’ve been working extremely hard and packing the hours in and unlike in recent years, haven’t really got away much.

Up until September, my only jaunt of note was a trip to Download Festival in June. Download certainly didn’t disappoint with notable performances from Stone Sour, Parkway Drive, Jimmy Eat World, A Day to Remember and Slipknot and a family atmosphere that I experienced at Download more than any other festival that I have been to.

Next came three more months of extremely hard graft before the annual Roast. For those who are unaware of what a Roast is, it’s a group of friends who get together once a year for a little lads holiday. My inaugural roast was Vegas last year, and while the Roasters visit Vegas every other year, the year that lies in-between is a closer and cheaper trip to another European country.

This year it was decided that Madrid will be the venue for the trip and I must admit that I’d never heard Madrid mentioned in the same breath as Prague, Krakow and Barcelona as places renowned for a great night out, but wow, what a night out it was.

We arrived late on the Thursday and hastily changed and headed out. We sat down and enjoyed some tapas in a lovely square before doing what all good British tourists do and heading to the nearest Irish bar for lots of beers, shots, dodgy dance moves and god knows what else.

As the night became the next day, we got our heads down for a few hours before embarking on a bus tour of the city. These rides are very ‘touristy’ but are a fantastic way to be ferried between the major sites in a minimal amount of time.

The afternoon’s sightseeing was broken up by the odd beer, in a few of the many sidewalk bars/cafes in Madrid, great places to kick back and watch the world go by.

Then we headed back to the hotel before changing into our fancy dress for the upcoming night out. As all good groups of Roasters do, we pushed the boundaries as far as we could and dressed up at bulls and matadors.

Fortunately, despite out initial reservations about the choice of dress, Madrid’s mix of locals and international students all found the idea comical.

Madrid is certainly a fantastic place to go out at night, as there are a plethora of bars and clubs all within short walking distance of each other. There is also an electric mix of locals and international students, during our stay we made friends with Americans, Dutch, Swedes, Germans, Puerto Ricans, Spaniards and South Americans.

The city itself isn’t the most beautiful city in Spain, it feels more like a working city, but there are still some beautiful sights to be sampled.

It may have just been because of the sheer units of alcohol consumed, but our touring group found Madrid extremely difficult to navigate and with the similar looking, parallel streets, I think just about all of us were lost at some point.

Fortunately everybody made it back eventually at times ranging from 10pm (early casualties) to 7am (very drunk).

The Saturday was the day of the big football match and we had managed to all score tickets for Real Madrid against city rivals Atletico at the world famous Santiago Bernabeu.

We arrived early and took in a stadium tour before finding a bar and counting down the hours until kick-off.

The atmosphere was incredible and the ultras choreo display in the moments leading up to kick off is an image that will stick with me for a long, long time.

Real turned in a poor performance and a Diego Costa goal gave Atleti a richly deserved 1-0 win. Real never really threatened their opposition and in truth, had Atleti not been so wasteful themselves in front of goal, they could have emerged even more comprehensive winners.

Another night out followed the game and we all awoke the next day feeling slightly worse for wear. We then split into two groups with one heading to one of the city’s art galleries and the non-arty group decided to head to the Vicente Calderon, the stadium of Atletico Madrid for a tour.

After relaxing in a charming park and grabbing a bite to eat, we arrived to find the staff understandably in buoyant mood after the result from the previous night. Whereas Real is a global brand and business, we found Atleti a lovely club really in touch with its fanbase.

The Calderon isn’t the most sparkling stadium but I can imagine it generating some noise on a match day and being an intimidating place for opposition to visit.

So all-in-all our jaunt to Madrid was full of laughs, nights out and sightseeing and I would fully recommend the city for anybody to visit.

Next week I am off to the United States for a prolonged visit. I loved Las Vegas and ever since I have been saving to return to the country.

I will be flying into San Francisco before making my way down the California coast and then across to Texas, before working my way up to New York, where I will meet my parents for a few days before flying home.

I’m looking forward to meeting lots of new people and visiting some places that I have seen in so many films and television programmes, yet never actually visited.

Time to reap the rewards of working 55 hour weeks all summer!

Ten things I love about Las Vegas

Having just returned from a visit to the city that never sleeps, I feel compelled to tell you all just how great it is.

Many a word has been spoken about Vegas and many an image cast, but until you go and sample it for yourself no words can do it justice.

Here are ten things that really summed up this special city for me.

The strip

Scores of neon lights illuminate the stretch that features the majority of the city’s major hotels. Any Google search will show the strip to be one of the most iconic images of the city and just a walk down this metropolis is essential for any visitor and the many bridges across the road offer stunning views for any aspiring photographer.

The people

Having never previously visited the States I didn’t really know what to expect of the people. A popular conception of Yanks here in the UK is that they are loud, boisterous and arrogant. I would like to rewrite the rule book here.

Yes, some Americans are loud, especially after a last minute field goal or big win on the roulette table, but they are no worse than many Brits on tour.

American people are amongst the friendliest people that I have ever met. Attentative to all your customer needs and very open and approachable, such as the friendly roulette dealer we met with whom we put the world to rights over a few spins of the wheel.

Once they find out that you’re English then you are certainly onto a winner. Americans seem mesmerized by the English accent and this resulted in two kind fellows buying all seven of us a round of beers.

Fancy dress seems not to have caught on in the States quite as well as it has here in the UK. Two of our nights out were in fancy dress, an Olympic theme night and a pink night and I kid you not, that is the closest I have ever felt to being a celebrity. Dozens of other revellers approached us to have photos taken with us and join the party spirit.

The hotels

Now I’ve stayed in some nice hotels before but I had never seen anything like the hotels of the Las Vegas strip before. Each one is in competition with the last as to who can be the most extravagant and elaborate.

Every hotel features an extensive casino, various restaurants, bars, nightclubs, shops and often a unique and spectacular selling point that adds to the overall Vegas experience.

The water fountains at the Bellagio, the Eiffel Tower at the Paris, the light that shoots out of the Luxor that can apparently be seen from space and the Gondolas at the Venitian are all essential viewings, especially at night when they become lit up and glow in the clear night sky.

Freemont Street

Essentially old Vegas where it all began, Freemont is a hive of activity, especially when we visited one Saturday night. Featuring a zip-line that runs the length of the street, numerous bands perform on several purpose-built stages, as well as mime artists and street performers doing their thing. Getting a taxi away from the strip for at least one night is an absolutely must!

The food

I enjoy going out and sitting down for a good feed. I like to think that I make a good attempt to finish whatever is put in front of me and more often than not I succeed in my aim.

However eating in the US is a whole different matter.

I enjoyed mammoth ribs, luscious pork and numerous other fantastic meals during my time in Vegas and a side order can come as a meal in itself. When ordering a side of onion rings I was confronted by around ten rings the size of Yorkshire Puddings, and all this often served by beautiful waitresses. God, I love Vegas!

The Grand Canyon and surrounding lands

Although not even in the same state as Vegas, the Grand Canyon both can and should be visited in a day during a stay in the city.

The drive itself is fascinating. The impressive Hoover Dam is located conveniently on the route and definitely worth a stop off.

After this you continue into what is effectively the middle of nowhere. Long stretches of road, little signs of life, expansive desert and the odd ghost town all make intriguing window gazing and give an indication of just how big and vast  America is geographically.

Before you reach the Grand Canyon, you travel through a town called Dolan Springs. We barely saw a soul and the houses look mostly derelict. A little further research shows that 25% of the town’s residents live under the poverty line and many more have left altogether in the search of work.

On to the Grand Canyon and three hour trekking through the desert is worth it in every single way. Spectacular doesn’t even come close to describing this area and I would insist on any visitor paying the little extra and taking the helicopter over the canyon, as this is the only real way to grasp the sheer magnificence of it.

The service

Hot waitresses, lots of food, free refills. Say no more.

The shopping

Although not normally one for shopping, doing so in Vegas was a completely different kettle of fish for me.

The city pretty much hosts a shop or boutique of near enough every leading brand and product imaginable, all at cheaper prices than you would find here in the UK.

The nightlife

Although really feeling it now, I am so glad that I soldiered through and went out every night.

The city really does never sleep with many bars open around the clock.

Even if you’re not a fan, it is well worth a visit to a bar showing NFL. The passion that it generates is magnificent and you can’t help but be absorbed into the atmosphere. I previously had no time for it whatsoever but am now a convert due to the fans and the players’ explosive play.

Karaoke is also prominent and live bands work the crowd at various locations around the city, many of the casinos and bars also feature table dancers in case you are short of any eye candy, which in Vegas is highly unlikely.

Ferguson the bum
Any homeless gentleman who can be found passed out alongside a bottle of vodka in the middle of the afternoon, and next sighted 12 hours later calling a policeman a ‘fucking retard’ deserves a special mention.

 

VEGAS... the best city in the world

Blink-182, Eden Project, 8/7/2012

Photos by Laura Newbury.

It’s fair to say that this year’s Eden Sessions line-up has been comfortably the most impressive in its ten year history. Marking the milestone birthday have been performances from Plan B, Example, Chase and Status, Labrinth and Noah and the Whale, but undoubtedly the main highlight of the sessions was the visit from pop-punk legends Blink-182 on Sunday.

The band consisting of Mark Hoppus, Travis Barker and Tom DeLonge arrived at Eden in the midst of their extensive European tour which had already seen them perform throughout the UK as well as at numerous other locations across the continent.

Following the announcement that Blink were set to make their maiden visit to Cornwall, Eden’s phone lines were jammed and demand by far outstripped supply leaving many fans disappointed.

Those lucky enough to get their hands on tickets were treated to a show that befitted the reputation of a band with just under 5million Twitter followers between them.

Bands performed throughout the day with the main support coming from Cornish group The Crowns. The Crowns have a growing reputation and are due to perform at the Reading and Leeds festival in August. The band was treated to a good audience for their set due to the many early arrivals who hoped to get a good spot for Blink.

Anticipation grew as the crowd packed into the intimate arena right back to the grass banks and the glowing domes of Eden helped create a unique and mesmerising atmosphere.

Blink exploded onto the set opening with hit song Feeling This, before Mark Hoppus took to the mic and after surveying the scene around the arena asking the crowd; “Where the fuck are we?”  After all the Eden Project probably is a far cry from the likes of the 02 Arena and NIA where Blink had performed just days before.

The Californian punk rockers continued to work through their entire back catalogue, blasting out hits spanning six albums and eighteen years.

Rock Show, What’s My Age Again and I Miss You all went down particularly well in the early parts of the set with the crowd belting back every word with vigour and the mosh pits typically chaotic.

In between songs the band happily shared their trademark rude jokes and other trash talk with an amused audience.

As the daylight began to fade the atmosphere intensified and the audience were treated to a number of hits from the new album Neighbourhoods.

Listening through Blink’s back catalogue you will hear examples of the increasing maturity they developed throughout the years which reflected in the music they produced. Some tracks off Take Off Your Pants and Jacket hinted at a more mature and less punk-rocky approach, before the following self-titled album consisted mainly of darker sounds. Neighbourhoods however, attempts to encompass both approaches and new song Hearts All Gone in particular, rolls back to the years to their earlier material and went down well amongst the lively crowd.

From my experience whenever a big name rock act comes to Cornwall the crowd compensates for the usual lack of such bands in the region and the audience at Eden on Sunday certainly did this. Some of the crowd sat and even stood on other people’s shoulders, bouncing and shouting at the top of their voice.

The rowdyness reached a crescendo when Blink performed arguably their biggest hit in All The Small Things with everybody jumping and singing along.  They then performed early single Josie before retiring briefly backstage before returning with a spectacular encore.

The encore began with Travis taking centre stage for his drum solo Can a Drummer Get Some which underlines his credentials as one of the world’s best drummers, the audience left in a state of disbelief by the rapid movement of his arms.

Following Travis’ solo he was once again joined by Mark and Tom as they completed the set with Carousel, Dammit and Family Reunion, before taking five minutes to toss numerous items into the scrambling crowd.

As the audience began to slowly leave, they departed safe in the knowledge that they just had witnessed an astounding performance from one of the biggest bands ever to come to Cornwall.

Blink-182’s visit to the enchanting Eden Project displayed to Cornwall just why they can be classed alongside Green Day as one of the biggest punk-rock bands on the planet.

Book Review

Graham Hunter: Barca – The making of the greatest team in the world

If you were contemplating buying this book but have since decided against it after Guardiola’s departure and Barcelona’s surrender of both the La Liga and Champions League crowns, then you’ve made a bad decision. A really bad decision.

Hunter’s book closely examines goings on behind the scenes at the Camp Nou and the chain of events that led to the construction of what many believe to be the world’s greatest ever team, a journey not so simple as many will believe.

The book is neatly divided into chapters, with each of Barca’s key players featured, as well as a an examination of a number of other important factors in the story. Hunter examines the journeys of the likes of Messi, Xavi and Iniesta from their early days at La Masia right through to their recent achievements at the height of the game.

My favourite chapter is the one detailing the recently departed Pep Guardiola. The section really emphasizes how Barca early on believed that the Catalan had all the right credentials to eventually become the first team manager and how their belief was eventually rewarded with success. All of this despite the fact that Guardiola had no managerial experience before initially being appointed as manager of Barcelona B.

Hunter’s knowledge about the club is unparalleled, stemming from the fact that he has spent over a decade working in and around the club and as a result has become good friends with many of the players and key powerbrokers at the club.

Away from the chapters featuring Guardiola and his former charges, are detailed accounts about the sewing of the seeds of the Barcelona ethos and La Masia, Barca’s famed academy amongst others.

Each section is slick and smooth reading and enlightening with facts that are guaranteed to surprise the reader, such as the fact that both Messi and Iniesta were once on the verge of sealing loan moves to Glasgow Rangers!

Some chapters do overlap chronologically, but this is a necessity in providing such extensive coverage of each respective subject.

The general chronology of the book is as follows; the coming of Cruyff and the instillation of the Barca philosophy, the baron years of foreign imports and financial mismanagement under Van Gaal and Gaspart, the arrival of Rijkaard and his early success and then subsequent decline and then recovery and prosperity under Guardiola.

Throughout the book runs the obvious theme of Barcelona being a vehicle of Catalan identity and how many of the players are proud Catalan’s and proud supporters of Barca. I witnessed this first hand during my recent visit to the Camp Nou, with the museum outlining just how important the football club has been to Catalan identity, pride and even at times resistance.

Above all I feel that the book teaches that Barcelona really is more than a club. How the likes of Ibrahimovic came and failed but a far less talented individual like Pedro can be an undoubted success because firstly from graduating from La Masia he understands the Barca system and its requirements and secondly, he possesses the right mental steel and winner’s mentality.

Writing this review I found it impossible to analyse all aspects of the book. The book simply covers so much, in such detail that to really grasp the whole concept of Barcelona you must read the book yourself.

However, what I can promise is that this book will make you cherish the players that form this fantastic team and appreciate Barcelona’s unique identity and means of operation.

Whatever the post Guardiola years hold, this book superbly tells the story so far of the best team that many of us have seen in our lifetimes, not missing a step along the way.

The defensive midfielder – responsible for disrupting attacks or the first point in setting them up?

http://www.footballspeak.com/post/2012/05/02/The-Contrasting-Role-of-the-Defensive-Midfielder.aspx

The role of the defensive midfielder is one that is open to many interpretations. On the one hand you have the ‘water carriers’ typified by the industrious Didier Deschamps after whom the phrase was coined, and on the other the conductors of the orchestra, the deep-lying playmakers.

Both roles represent hugely contrasting styles; however which occupation is of the biggest benefit to the team?

The role of the water carrier is simple. Hassle and harass the opposition, disrupting their flow and consistently attempting to unsettle them until either they are forced into a mistake or the tackle is made. Then once the ball is recovered, offloading it simply to a more gifted teammate.

A contemporary example of this position is Nigel De Jong. De Jong has I believe, acquired a somewhat unfair reputation as a dirty player. Yes De Jong is a tough cookie and his hard but fair ethos has caused injury, however he operates perfectly within the rules the majority of the time, with the exception of his near execution of Xabi Alonso in the World Cup Final.

De Jong has been used somewhat sparingly this term but Mancini still identifies the time and the place to unleash his Rottweiler. Leading United 1-0 in the recent Premier League clash, Mancini brought on De Jong to tighten up the midfield and although United didn’t create much in the way of chances throughout the game, De Jong’s grip on the midfield meant that City were able to comfortably see out the remainder of the match.

Perhaps two of the most successful ‘water carriers’ were Frenchmen Didier Deschamps and Claude Makelele. Both these players played alongside Zinedine Zidane and Zizou was the first to acknowledge the worth of both players.

Of course Deschamps and Makelele are not the most technically gifted of players, but their hard running and ability to break up the play warranted their places in some of the world’s great teams, allowing those around them to operate to their full potential.

The ‘water carriers’ can also to be referred to as destructive midfielders and in no place is this more common than the Premier League.

The fast and frenetic pace of the Premier League often calls for somebody who can quickly break up an attack and immediately launch a counter,  a vital strategy in the fast paced end-to-end nature of the Premier League.

Admittedly this role isn’t exclusive to England, and teams across the globe have benefited from players who can simply win the ball and offload it to more gifted teammates.

At the other end of the defensive midfield spectrum is the deep-lying playmaker.

In Argentina this role is referred to as the ‘number 5’. Here is a player responsible for orchestrating the play in front of them, knowing the best time to maintain possession with a sideways pass and when to launch a probing 30-yard ball into the path of an onrushing attacker.

For me players who have excelled most in this position in recent years include Fernando Redondo, Andrea Pirlo and Xabi Alonso.

I was only lucky enough to see Redondo play a few times as when my interest in football really sparked; he was in the later days of a career prematurely cut short by injury. I remember Redondo dictating a Champions League quarter final at Old Trafford, as United fell to Real. Everything that night went through Redondo, and he even laid on a goal for a teammate after embarrassing Henning Berg on one of his rare forays forward.

A more contemporary example of the deep-lying playmaker is Andrea Pirlo.

Pirlo, like many others in this role, was not immediately recognised for his effectiveness. Pirlo was largely unused at Inter and was sent out in a series of loan moves and it wasn’t until moving to cross town rivals AC Milan that he flourished.

I think that Pirlo is underrated defensively, but undoubtedly his main qualities are his range of passing, dead ball and organisational skills.

By sitting so deep Pirlo offers defenders a way out without having to hopelessly hoof the ball upfield and risking possession, while he also offers shape and protection sitting in front of a back four.

When he receives the ball he immediately plots the best means of attack, whether it be a short and simple pass, or a direct longer ball.

The best players in this position also organise those around them and Xabi Alonso can often by seen pointing and gesturing, almost as if to say “I know best, the ball goes this way”.

Alonso occupies a similar role to Pirlo, pulling strings and more often than not being the starting point of the majority of attacks.

To perfect the deep-lying playmaker role, a candidate needs to have accurate passing ability and a sound football brain. Knowing the best way of planning an attack and having the ability to deliver the right pass is a must.

It is not a coincidence that many of these players are often responsible for dead ball duties in their respective teams, such is their highly advanced passing accuracy.

The water carrier and the deep-lying playmaker are hugely contrasting ways to operate in defensive midfield. The simple disruption and donkey work up against beautiful methodological grace.

However, I do also feel that they both have more in common that one would initially think. They both provide a team with shape and a certain level of insurance for those operating further up the field.  Teammates know that when play breaks down, they are unlikely to be left desperately short as the opponent advances.

Once the ball is recovered this is when the differences become apparent. The ‘water-carrier’ quickly gives the ball to those more gifted around him, however the deep-lying playmaker is responsible for initiating attacks himself.

To choose which discipline of the defensive midfielder is more effective is impossible, however I am sure that many teams in the future will benefit from the tactical discipline and organisational qualities that both roles undoubtedly bring.