text:
Tag Archives: Aston Villa

Will Stoke get Woods? Does it have a beach? Can Bees push on at Blackburn?

25 Aug

Strap yourselves in folks, this could be some day. Brentford travel to Blackburn Rovers looking to continue that unbeaten run of early season form which currently sees us sitting fourth in the pack of twenty-four teams. Yet the big question is whether Ryan Woods will be travelling with The Bees as news of the rumoured interest from Stoke City cranked up a few notches yesterday when the Potters as good as let the cat out of the bag. If you believe them. Yet if this comes to pass, it will end one of the most protracted moves of the summer following the initial stories and bid from Swansea City. At the same time making somewhat of a mockery of a transfer window which contains the biggest hole this side of the QPR defence (nil points. P4 L4).

The trip to Blackburn represents the mid-point of an intense two-week period that has already seen us beat Wednesday on Sunday and then have victory at Aston Villa cruelly slip from our grasp deep into the 95thminute out of 95 on, erm, Wednesday. That was a game which will as much as anything else be remembered for the goals from Neal Maupay which took him to the top of the Championship scoring table. Likewise, his retrospective red card which means he is missing from today’s game aswell as the League Cup on Tuesday and then the visit from Nottingham Forest next weekend.

The Villa game ended 2-2 (and with a retrospective ban for Neal)

So what does Dean do to compensate? Personally, I think he’ll push Ollie up top and mix the wingers up. Said Benrahma and Sergi Canos have been doing quite magnificent battle over that right hand berth but can they be accommodated at the same time? Will Alan Judge make a start (although hopefully not as a false 9 – see yesterday) ? Does Marcus Forss then come off the bench and Ollie go back to our traditional shape if we need to change things up? Or, indeed, might Dean start like that anyway?

Who knows? I’m just the numpty on the terrace rather than anybody with any real knowledge – whether behind the scenes or just of football in general. Whilst on the one hand it may expose our lack of an alternative out and out second striker, based on what we’ve seen to date, the one thing Brentford have always done is play as a team. Score (and show) goals from every angle. From every positon bar goalkeeper. And with the length he gets these days, one wouldn’t be totally surprised if Daniel Bentley was to find the back of the net.

The other change I would think may also come is in central midfield. Both Nico Yennaris and Kamo have been superb when they have come off the bench for Lewis and Josh. The step up in play at both Stoke and Aston Villa was demonstrable by their entrance to the field of play. Dean has a wonderful bench available and is yet to change his starting XI in four league games. Yet with the matches coming thick and fast, and one enforced move in Maupay already thrust upon him, don’t be surprised if Dean twists further when the teams are announced at around 2pm.

One player that even I’m not so naïve as to think will be starting is Ryan Woods. Sadly. As noted in the introduction, Stoke City seems to be edging ever closer to getting their man. BBC Radio Stoke were bigging it up on Wednesday evening (be glad you can’t get it down here, given the Bees observer they had to drag in to opine on that one) and then yesterday it was the turn of current Stoke manager Gary Rowett. He announced that Woodsy, who was of course an unused substitute for that Aston Villa game, has already had a medical. He went on to claim that, “We are quite close to concluding a deal but we are not there just yet.

Brentford official are, of course, saying nothing. The club never comment on rumours and whilst history teaches us that you’ll never learn anything from fanzines, this all has a somewhat familiar ring to it. I think back to July 2013 when Simon Moore was being linked with Cardiff City, Back then their manager Malky Mackay (who, for the record, is currently the performance director of the Scottish Football Association – good luck with that one) told the media two days prior to signing the player that, “It’ll be paperwork first thing Monday morning, that’s the only thing holding that one up.”

An odd statement to make when infact we all knew Simon was simply on holiday. At the beach. In Cardiff.

SM Cardiff beach

Cardiff beach. Simon Moore once holidayed there. According to Uwe.

Unless Stoke does have a beach then it kind of suggests this one is all but nailed on. The fee reckoned to be £6.5-£7(seven) million depending on which which source you read. Presumably with the usual clauses that Brentford have the shrewdness to insert. Who’d have thought we’d get money from Alfie Mawson’s sale to Fulham after all this time?

Do I want him to go? No. In a word. That’s me being an emotional, selfish fan. Will we miss Ryan? Absolutely. The tussle that has gone on for his services (and those of us looking in only know of Swansea and Stoke’s interest to date) show the regard with which he is held in this division. Would we cope? Well, here’s the thing. I don’t want to tempt fate overly but look at what we’ve already done this season and Woodsy hasn’t got close to the pitch. The first XI and oncoming substitutes have performed quite wonderfully. It has been our best start to a campaign since 2013/14 and we we ended that one with promotion to the Championship. The squad would be stronger with him, no question, but it has still had a stunning start without.

This club has made no secret of transfer strategy. That we won’t stand in the way of players who want to leave if the price is on our terms. That we have got the player replacement technique pretty much nailed on now. Don’t get me wrong, I want him to stay. But I also trust what we’ve seen before. Adam Forshaw, Simon Moore, Moses (welcome back), number 26, Andre Gray. The Birmingham three – Jota, Maxime and Harlee. Aww, I do miss those defensive wobbles. They’ve all gone. We’ve survived. If Ryan decides his time has come then good luck to him. And huge thanks. He’s a hero and an inspiration at Griffin Park.

Yet now it seems that chapter is coming to a close, should the announcement indeed be confirmed today. Stoke City need a player of his ability, that’s for sure. Despite the wealth of talent they already seem to have their midfield was conspicuous by its absence when we traveled up there the other week. Supporters disappointment at ‘only’ getting a draw, further exacerbated by then seeing Wigan hump them 3-0. Even Will Grigg scored a penalty. The reward for that a (surely temporary) place in the relegation zone.

Stoke have bite. But not much more…at present

The one other thing this has exposed is just the vagary of a transfer window that shut weeks ago yet still sees players able to move between Championship clubs on loan or, as would seem to be happening here, ‘loan with a permanent contract in January’ deals. It does seem to defeat the purpose somewhat and one can only feel for managers trying to put their squads together when they now have not one but effectively two windows to cope with.

QPR themselves have signed strikers Tomer Hemed from Brighton and Burnley’s £5m man Nahki Wells on loan for the duration of this campaign. Not quite sure how that all works but it seems to be legal – an unusual strategy for them given the £42m fine and transfer ban they finally agreed to in July following the breach of FFP rules.

Still, that’s their issue. I’m focussed on Blackburn and Brentford. Regardless of whether Ryan Woods is in the squad or sitting in the bottom three with Stoke. That a position I can’t imagine that they’ll occupy for very long should the move go through.

As for us, I’m calling this one as an away win. Complete confidence for the boys in brown and orange. Maupay may be missing but this squad is just too good at present. Enjoy the game!

Screen Shot 2018-08-25 at 06.44.51

The current table. Come on Ryan. If you go, at least leap frog 20th….

Nick Bruzon

Maupay banned. Funeral Directors appointed.

24 Aug

Brentford head to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday knowing we’ll be missing the services of the Championship’s leading goal scorer, Neal Maupay. A three game ban (which also takes in the Carabao cup tie at home to Cheltenham Town and then the visit from Nottingham Forest in the league) being the result of his accepting a violent conduct charge following the stamp on John McGinn at Aston Villa on Wednesday. In happier news, kind of, the club have announced G Saville and son as their latest commercial partners – the Official Funeral Directors of Brentford Football Club. Just for clarity, that’s Graham and not George. His career hasn’t died yet.

First up though, Neal Maupay and the incident at Aston Villa. The retrospective video review was no surprise to just about anybody who saw it on TV. Whilst referee Jon Moss missed this at the time, the subsequent going over and over in super slo-mo on Sky meant that there was only ever going to be one outcome. And understandably so on seeing the footage. It didn’t look good at all. There is a brief statement on Brentford official (you can read that in full here) although the jist of it confirms the games which will be missed, accompanied by an update from Dean in which he said that Neal understands the severity of his action and that he will be suspended for three games.

I reviewed the incident with Neal and spoke to him this morning. He understands the severity of his action and that he will be suspended for three games. We did not want to prolong the process so have accepted the charge immediately”, said Dean.

Nobody needs me labouring the point about what was an ugly incident which, despite the provocation, can’t be justified. The FA have delivered their verdict and so there’s nothing more to add on that aspect.

It’s a real shame for the team and a player who is the league’s top scorer (5) and also provider of assists (4). Instead, the conversation turns to how we replace Neal in terms of that centre forward role. In at the deep end for Marcus Forss or pull Ollie Watkins in from the left? It seems a shame to break up an otherwise winning formation but I suspect that’s the way Dean will go. Personally, I’d love to see Marcus given a chance in an otherwise retained shape. There’s also the option to stick Sergi up top although then we might be starting to stray into old ground….

Who could ever forget the the ‘false 9’ experiment? Few who remember ‘that game’ at QPR back in March 2016, in which Alan Judge was pressed into an advanced midfielder role (what was actually described as the aforementioned ‘false 9’) would be looking for a repeat. It was a nightmare afternoon where a striker free team were abysmal and, whatever the perceived logic from Dean, his gamble brought about inevitable consequences. Let’s please never, ever do that again.

That said, and we digress slightly, that afternoon sticks long in the mind for two other reasons. Both of which have been mentioned before and will no doubt again. But some things bear repeating.

Firstly, the magnificent Billy Reeves doing his zero-to-catwalk in three seconds shimmy along the touchline at half time. It was a move that was equal parts Zoolander and Moonwalk. Not even Ian Moose’s movement when the half-time pies appear could match this for impressiveness. Any excuse to drag out that picture once more.

Billy  QPR

BBC Billy had provided the one moment of joy the last time we tried a ‘false 9’

Secondly, being ‘fly on the wall’ to a conversation taking place in the row directly behind me. There, the emotion had clearly got to another fan who had been giving a running commentary down the phone to his, presumably, better half during the second half. As the Bees collapsed his call, which had been getting more and more aggravated, reached a sad denouement with the line, “Yes. I love you my darling. But we’re sh*t. Now please f**k off”.

Whomever Dean starts with at Blackburn, it can’t be that bad. Instead, with our head coach now facing his first mandatory test of personnel, it will be very interesting to see which way he jumps. More importantly, how the team cope. Bring it on…

The other news of note was the announcement of the club’s official funeral partners. Whilst I’ve no doubt there will be some who think it is a commercial opportunity too far and indicative that the game’s gone, others will welcome it. Certainly I do, if only for the pun potential it now offers. It was something the club themselves have recognised, leading with the headline.: Brentford ‘til I die. Cue immediate references to dead ball specialists and experts in the box, although perhaps Will Grigg may not want to think about being on fire just yet. Urghh. Is that still a thing?

There have been the usual knockers but, frankly, who cares? It’s going to happen to us all one day so why not have a name ready for when that sad moment comes? Why shouldn’t the club explore unique and innovative opportunities that get people talking about both us and our partners?

Keen eyed observers had already seen the adverts at the Sheffield Wednesday game on Sunday. I was sent this picture, wondering whether George was currently lying low at the Holiday Inn ahead of the announcement of a controversial career change and forthcoming return to West London.

Not George

Whilst it will be a blow to many, such flights of fancy are yet to transpire. Instead, the true meaning was revealed in yesterday’s announcement. And you can read that one in full on ‘official’.

Otherwise, there’s not really much else to say. Safe travels to Blackburn and roll on 2pm tomorrow when Dean announces his team.

Nick Bruzon

Bees march on after cracking game at Villa Park.

23 Aug

The morning after the night before. Brentford took a point from a 2-2 draw at Aston Villa that sees the Bees move up to fourth place in an evolving Championship table which is now almost half-way towards attaining ‘fully taken shape’ status. It was a point that we would all have taken before kick–off and yet, with Villa’s equaliser coming deep into the final minute of five added on by referee Jon Moss, still felt as though we’d had the win cruelly taken away from us. That the Bees had snatched a draw from the jaws of victory. A scenario, at least result wise, akin to QPR away last season.

The stats tell it all

Yet at the same time, the common consensus on social media was that it had been a quite wonderful advert for Championship football. That Brentford had put in their (relatively) weakest performance of the campaign to date and Aston Villa should perhaps be kicking themselves for not having wrapped it up early on themselves.

It was almost the opposite of the Stoke (away) game. Whereas as the Bees started that, like every other time the season, on the front foot, this time around the hosts didn’t allow us a chance to settle. Villa pressed and pressed whilst the Bees couldn’t get out of their own half. Chance followed chance and surely it as only a matter of time before the goal came. And on 23 minutes it did. But to Brentford. A quite delightful run and cross from Sergi was headed cleverly into space by Ollie Watkins to Neil Maupay. The Frenchman made no mistake as he buried it with a clean strike high into the back of the net.

Get in!! Our sofa erupted. Not literally. Although the pizza did fly and Mrs. Bruzon does now have a very awkward stain to get out of the upholstery. Glad that one wasn’t me. Yet the joy didn’t last long. With half time approaching Jonathan Kodjia levelled things up for Villa, evading Ezri to fire in hard past Daniel Bentley from close range. It was a goal that Villa’s pressure had suggested would come and so take nothing away from our hosts. It was pressure they continued into the second half as we struggled with our shape. The full backs both looked ragged whilst central midfield was given a much needed backbone with the additions of Kamo and Nico for Lewis and Captain for the night, Josh McEachran.

The two changes made all the difference and with the inevitable sub-by-numbers of Said Benrahma for Sergi Canos, the screw started to turn. Nico almost gave us the lead with one impressively hit shot from distance as the game turned into an end-to-end classic. Maupay then went one better with Ollie Watkins again turning provider. His shot was only parried down and Neal’s reactions were quick enough to again bury it first time. Whether he should have been on the pitch after a stamping incident in the first half was caught by the cameras, albeit missed by the ref, is another question. There will no doubt be a few squeaky bums at Griffin park today as we wait to see if that was deemed accidental or deliberate foul play.

It didn’t look pretty but I’m just the numpty on the terrace and that’s a question for Mr. Moss to consider. There’s nothing we can do and Dean Smith has already come out and said that should any charges be pressed, he’ll be doing similar. He used his post-match conference to tell the BBC that, “If you remember the incident, Mile Jedinak fell over, got up and then smashed Neal in the back of the head so, if they are looking at retrospective for Neal, then we’ll do so for Jedinak.

Let’s move on though. Back to the game. 2-1 up. Less than ten minutes to go yet still Brentford pressed. Said Benrahma had a glorious chance to extend the lead further. His close range head, flying like a tracer bullet to the goal was again only parried by Orjan Nyland in the Villa goal. It bounced on the line and seemed over, but television replays confirmed the ball hadn’t fully crossed.

I say ‘only’. Nyland had minimal time to react and credit to him for a cracking performance when it counted. Likewise Daniel Bentley who, one stutter aside early on, looked as commanding as ever. Sadly, he could do nothing about the late, late equaliser that had an almost inevitable feel to it the moment five additional minutes of time were indicated. It gave Villa the exact period for which they knew they could throw the kitchen sink at things and sure enough, with what must have been the final move of the game, that man Kodjia was on hand to break Brentford hearts.

I was gutted. I think we all were. But at the same time, some perspective. We are unbeaten. We are fourth. We haven’t lost to Aston Villa in five games at this level. That we are all disappointed about picking up an away point tells you all you know about how far this team have come. This isn’t fans being greedy. About having some sort of divine right to just turn up and win. This is about knowing how well we have played all campaign and so being genuinely hopeful of pushing on to take all three points once that second half fight-back had taken hold.

I’m also glad that with one, potentially two, new signings in the stands for the home team, we’ve got this one out of the way early. Like the Bees, Villa sit in the play-off zone on 8 points and I think they’ll only go on to get even stronger. The top two a genuine aspiration for the players. An expectation, perhaps, for the fans. Certainly on this showing.

It could have been more. Given the clock, it probably should have. But take nothing away from Villa in a game where I’d have taken a point up front. Having slept on it, the proverbial ‘fair result’.

With Dean Smith’s interview not appearing on Brentford ‘official’ as yet, I’ll be keen to hear his thoughts in full. Was it another game we ‘deserved’ to win or does he feel a draw was the just result? Funnily enough, we joked about his having a ‘deserved to win’ table on these pages after the Stoke game. Then sure enough, the Sky team would talk after the game about how the club “build an alternative table; the justice table”.

Hmm. I’m all for motivation and telling the players how good they are. Yet results don’t lie and the league table certainly doesn’t. If it works for the club whilst the Championship is still forming then fair enough.  Personally, I’m not a fan of the Justice league. If nothing else, Batman and Superman aren’t a patch on the Hulk and Thor…..

I’ll get my coat

Final observations about the game – the viewing experience via Sky Sports. I wasn’t fortunate enough to be able to travel for this one but there was a convenient alternative. TV.

Great coverage, in general, although even as the most ardent admirer of our quite stunning brown and orange kit, I don’t think I was alone in struggling to make out the respective teams. Perhaps it was easier at the ground, and certainly seeing it in the flesh at Stoke presented no issues.  Yet back home on TV, under floodlights, there did seem to be somewhat of a clash. Perhaps a case for orange shorts? Or a third shirt? There’d be no complaints from yours truly with either option.

As for Sky themselves, what is their obsession with our old badge? Still they get it wrong. Come on chaps, it’s not that hard. Surely? How can their graphics department be so out of touch? Let’s all move on from the clipart montage. If you have to get it wrong then at least give us a castle.

Dear Sky. Please. Stop. Getting our badge. Wrong.

The only other point of note from the night was Reading who drew 2-2 with our next opponents, Blackburn Rovers. Whilst ordinarily as insignificant as result as they come, a point takes their total to 1. Meaning there is now only one team in the Championship who have P4 L4 Pts 0.

And that, of course, is QPR. After suffering the indignity of a 7(seven) goal bracketing at the weekend, their own woeful form continued with a 3-0 home defeat to Bristol City on Tuesday. They’ve only scored twice all season and have GD of -11 already.

With Birmingham City also failing to win, again, anyone still feeling despondent about last night’s 95thminute (and surely there won’t be anyone now), just take a look at that table today. Top and bottom.

With Brentford not playing QPR until November, one can’t imagine Steve McClaren will still be in the hot seat by that juncture if they keep up this run of form.  Here’s hoping though.

Screen Shot 2018-08-23 at 06.25.31

The fledgling table makes for great reading. At both ends

Nick Bruzon

Will it be third time lucky on the road?

22 Aug

Here we go again. Brentford travel to Aston Villa tonight for a trial by TV, knowing that three points (for either side) will take them joint top of the Championship, at the least. Leeds United are currently top of the pile after their own televised draw with Swansea City last night. 2-2 this time around. Then again, things are so close at the business end of the table that even Bolton Wanderers could achieve similar should they beat Birmingham City. And there was transfer news at Griffin Park as former Arsenal midfielder (cripes, another one….) and England youth international Josh Dasilva joined the Bees rather than take up the contract he had been offered at The Emirates.

Our destination this evening

First up can only be Aston Villa v Brentford. Despite the Villans’ chance to return to the Premier League last time out, they fell at the final hurdle to 18 year old Ryan Sessegnon’s Fulham side in the play-off final. The summer has been one of worry and rumour yet despite the best predictions of tabloid hacks everywhere, neither Jack Grealish or Steve Bruce have departed the club. Instead, they’ve ignored the noise, hung on to their icon (and also Bruce) , picked themselves up after the bitter blow of Wembley defeat and carried on churning out the results.

Whilst not the most testing run, on paper, you can only beat the teams you are up against. A haul of 7(seven) points earned against Ipswich, Wigan and Hull City sees them level with the Bees and just one behind us in terms of goal difference.

I love games with Villa, that’s for sure. Formwise, Brentford have picked up eight points from our four Championship encounters since paths crossed at this level. Those two games at Griffin Park were as as complete performances as one could have hoped for. The 3-0 in January 2017, the same day Scott Hogan moved from West London to Villa Park, was about as as sweet as it got. Yet even on the road, we’ve performed admirably and earned two successive draws with the Villans.

Villa Park – two recent trips have seen two draws

The heart is screaming at me that tonight we can go one better and earn our first notch on the Villa Park bedpost. Such has been the explosive start of positive, attacking football from Dean Smith’s side that I only think we’ll show more of the same. The trip to Stoke City showed how little we fear a big name/proper club/fallen giant etc with zero regard being given to their past positon and, instead the midfield pulling the strings once more to open up the opposition as easily as a can of tuna. With a ring pull.

The head says not to under estimate a team that are now firmly established in the Championship. They could have made it last time out. They probably should have, if we’re being honest. Checking the bookies (for research purposes), the home team are 11/8 favourites with the Bees at 2-1 in places. Easy money for backing our boys? Or spot on? Personally, I’d be going for the standard Aston Villa prediction of 1-1 (27/5, for the record).

The truth is, this one’s impossible to call. Brentford are on form. So are Aston Villa. And this isn’t an easy place to go by any stretch of the imagination. Then there’s the TV factor to add to the mix although, to be fair, ‘the curse of the cameras’ isn’t the albatross around our necks it once was. At least, not to the same extent. I’d love a win but would be more than happy with a draw and no injuries. Given there’s Blackburn (away) on Saturday followed by Carabao cup action and then a visit from Nottingham Forest, things are coming thick and fast now.

Elsewhere, Brentford have taken advantage of the transfer window rules to pick up former Arsenal midfielder Josh Dasilva. The full details are on Brentford ‘official, which you can read here. Certainly, he sounds an intriguing prospect although what this means for the long term state of our midfield, who knows? Rumours of Ryan Woods to Stoke City were doing the rounds yesterday, with one report suggesting the club have reached the £6.5m asking price that Swansea baulked at. Although, equally, going by what we saw the other week one would have to ask why Stoke even contemplate investing in their midfield, given they bypass it most of the time. Hoooof.

Josh was pictured at Griffin Park yesterday and clearly has a love for Arsenal, judging by the shirt he was pictured with. Oh sorry, that’s ours. Well thanks a bunch, Adidas.

Whose shirt IS that? Josh joins

He’s very much one for the future though. For now, let’s concentrate on Villa tonight. I’d love the win to take us top. Absolutely love it.  I’ll be well happy should we draw. Even if it does mean Bolton would overtake us if they do the needful against Birmingham. If nothing else, it means we’ll be keeping up the level of form that people who actually know what they are talking about say that teams should aspire to. Win at home, draw away – 4 points from every 6 and a final total of 92 points tell.

I’m not even contemplating the other result.

Nick Bruzon

Maupay? Yes please. More Pie? No thanks.

20 Aug

What a weekend. Brentford picked up another three points and have gone another game unbeaten. A 2-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday see the Bees up to fourth place in the embryonic table on 7(seven) points, three off the top and with a mid-week trip to Aston Villa next up. Elsewhere, it was a case of being deafened by the brackets klaxon as QPR went down by that fateful scoreline at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. On the down side, Ian Moose was back at Griffin Park.

We can only start with Brentford and another win for Dean Smith’s Bees. It was, by all accounts, as comfortable as they come – barring one block from Daniel Bentley at 1-0. A goal in either half wrapped things up. Neal Maupay with the first from the penalty spot and then the fox-in-the-box turning from poacher to provider as he set up Ollie Watkins for our second.

Monday Motivation on Twitter from @BrentfordFC

I say ’by all accounts’. Yours truly wasn’t at this one although attendance was already off the moment the game was moved to a Sunday with a long standing engagement taking precedence. As it happens sickness took hold and so both the game and the previously booked party also had to be missed, much to my dismay. Instead, it was a day spent feverishly sprawled out on the sofa under a duvet and having to follow the game via the open window and the cheers from Griffin Park.

So what can we say? Well, Dean started his third successive league game with an unchanged team. Meaning no start for Ryan Woods although he has now been named as substitute, albeit unused. One can understand Dean’s desire not to break up a team on form whilst, at the same time, his looking to ease the supporters’ (and travel club) player of the year back into the side after the bids from Swansea City.

Could Aston Villa see him back in league action or will it be ‘more of the same’? With a bench that already seems to have the magnificent Said Benrahma, Kamo and Alan ‘The magician’ Judge as first choice changes for now, might this still be too soon for The Ginger Pirlo to be thrown back into action? Nobody is going to give up their place easily, that’s for sure. What a wonderful ‘problem’ for Dean to have.

The popular consensus on social media was that this was a win that, if anything, could have been even heavier:

@nickcarthew:If one were to be REALLY critical @BrentfordFC should have won that game much more comfortably.

@fatwhit5:@BrentfordFC may I be as bold to suggest that this week the boys work on one on one finishing ? 😂😂just a suggestion 🤪#BrentfordFC #couldofbeenbrackets

@swinedonbee:A clean sheet as well! Could have been 6-0! Well done you Beeeess

@3rhythms:#brentfordfc buzzing that Dean Smith has probably given the team an absolute rocket for not pumping Sheff Wed by at least five. Owls fans don’t even @ me #TeamsLikeBrentford

Three points are three points. That is the absolute priority from every game and for a side that have managed 12 goals in the opening four games (don’t forget the win on the road in the league cup) finding the back of the net isn’t something that is causing any concern at present. Yes, to really thump somebody again would be nice but let’s not get carried away with ourselves here. Sheffield Wednesday need to be offered the respect a proper club of their stature deserve. That any club deserve. They are in the Championship by right. Indeed, but for Daniel Bentley it could have been level at one point. The second you start to underestimate your opponents or how potentially fragile a 1-0 scoreline is then the game’s gone.

Personally, I’d take a 2-0 home win and minimal bookings all day long. There’s a tough game coming up on Wednesday with the trip to Aston Villa in front of the TV cameras. Like Brentford, the Villans have picked up 7(seven) points form their first three and sit one place below us in the interim play-off zone. With Jack Grealish (a player whose name is as synonymous with the words ‘transfer rumour’ as eighteen-year old Ryan Sessegnon’s is with his age – 18, for the record), seemingly unphased by his own speculation expect this to be as tough as they come.

The other point of note from Griffin Park was the presence of TalkSport DJ Ian Abrahams Moose in the Braemar Road press box. I don’t follow him on Twitter anymore but his feed (of the social media variety) crossed my timeline yesterday and, like many Bees fans, caused umbrage.

I don’t really get Mr. Moose – specifically his use of Twitter where, for a journalist giving match updates, so much written is about his apparently pivotal role in proceedings (just look at yesterday’s posts). Mention of a player doing something is so often accompanied by a picture of the pair of them together, usually with the obsequious reference to ‘my good friend’. Then there’s the constant harping on about pre-match grub. Oh look, another pie.

Is he just a desperately insecure human being, craving any form of perceived recognition and hanging off the coat tails of those who can actually play the beautiful game? Or is it just an act? His ‘thing’? And away from the glare of the public eye he’s the humblest human being on the planet. I don’t know the answer to either question so can only ask based on what I read.

If the former then one can’t even begin to envisage how hard it must be for him to carry on thrusting himself into the public eye. If the later, he really needs a new scriptwriter. As routines go, this one is about as endearing as Noel Edmonds doing his faux-banter shtick with ‘the banker’ in the former Deal Or No Deal ‘dream factory’ (his name for it, not mine).

Except it doesn’t really seem to be either of these. Instead Mr. Moose comes over as straddling some line in between. If anything, he gives the impression of having been the sort of kid who was bullied at school. The last person to get picked for the football team. Left standing alone in that humiliating line up and then having to make the forlorn trudge over to despondent team mates who would rather have given him to the opposition. Yet despite this, he has made it in football. And now he is in a position of ‘power’. Giving it back to those who may have once mocked him with his trademark tools of narcissistic selfies and snidey digs.

Yesterday was no better. We all know what Mr. Moose said about Neal Maupay last season following the game at Cardiff. Moreso, his own subsequent attempt at self-promotion. Needless to say, Neal had the last laugh with the game at Fulham being the crème de la crème of big match climaxes. Even better, his Man of the Match performance yesterday seeing him nab his third goal in as many games.

Moose twet

We’ve been here before.

You’d think the dust might have settled after that. But no, he was back for round two. Moaning about his view at Griffin Park as a photograph of the Ealing Road goal was shared, with the caption: ”Hopefully not too many goals in the one away to my right (I can only see half of it)

Aside from being factually incorrect, if it was an issue then I don’t suppose moving his head one inch to the left would have been beyond the bounds of credibility? Who knows? I’m not a journo but just the numpty on the terrace. Perhaps that sort of thing isn’t allowed in the press box?

Twenty minutes in and Maupay did his thing. Get in!!  1-0. Cue for celebrations all round. Cue for trademark Moose: GOAL – 20mins Lewis MacLeod pushed over in an off the ball incident in front of ref David Webb. My mate Neal Maupay dispatched the resulting penalty 1-0

My mate. Hmmm.

And with an hour on the clock, we had Neal cutting in to hold up play then square it to the arriving Ollie Watkins for 2-0. It was a goal reported by respective sources as:

BBC: Maupay rounded Wednesday keeper Cameron Dawson from a swift counter-attack just after the hour mark to allow Ollie Watkins to double the lead.

Sky Sports: Maupay racing clear from his own half before drawing the ‘keeper and squaring for Watkins to stroke home from 12 yards.

Ian Moose: “Maupay in on goal, dilly and dallying, keeper Dawson got a hand to the ball, but pushed it to Ollie Watkins who slid into an empty net 2-0”

Dillying and dallying? Dillying and dallying? What? Is? His? Problem? Thankfully Kitman Bob was on hand to call him out on this later that night where there was what I guess is as close to an apology as one could hope for.

Screen Shot 2018-08-20 at 08.12.19

Well done, Bob.

You know what, we all make mistakes. But when your agenda comes across as one of negativity from the off then you are only ever going to see the worst. Even the full time summary lacked any praise for the Bees and, instead, noted how Brentford “could win by 6 but for Weds keeper Dawson, Weds really poor today” whilst Maupay was “Not prolific enough, should’ve had a hat-trick today”.

Why praise an assist and a goal against a ‘keeper you have recognised as doing the business, when it’s easier to put the boot in? Why praise a player who has the highest combined goals and assists in the Championship?

I’ve bitten. And I apologise. As noted earlier, there’s a simple way around this. Don’t follow. And personally, I don’t. But I don’t like people having an unnecessary pop. Especially journalists whom, as far as I am aware, we haven’t upset in an official capacity (Move along Oliver Holt, nothing to see here). Would it be that hard to say something, anything, positive?  You can be sure come the end of the season when we are storming into the Premier League he’ll be there giving it large. And great if so. Just remember how it started.

All of which has served as a huge distraction from the other event of the weekend. Brackets. At West Brom. Administered to none other than QPR. Does it get any sweeter? Well, perhaps if we’d been the ones to score the goals that go with a 7(seven) -1 scoreline.

Regular readers will be well aware of the love for this footballing on curio on these pages. So when the Twitter notifications started to rack up on Saturday afternoon I thought at first that it was simply more feedback from Birmingham City fans following that morning’s column. They really weren’t happy. Oh well.

I could wax lyrical about the QPR result but sometimes its just easier to cut to the chase….

Nick Bruzon

That’s one Saturday we’ll never forget although maybe not for all the right reasons.

27 May

After all the build-up to both the play-off final and Champions League it ended up being awful. Just awful. Cock ups and woeful flaps. Dreadful clappers egging on their heroes and nobody laughing. But enough about BBC1 screening: All Round to Mrs. Browns last night. We need to talk about football. Brentford will play Aston Villa next season after they lost out to Fulham. Liverpool return home empty handed following the game with Real Madrid in Kiev.

Mrs Brown

Mrs. Brown. As relentless as The Terminator

I hadn’t planned on blogging much until the World Cup. Yet yesterday’s double-header has seen a temporary return for this weekend. With Brentford having enjoyed such an action packed campaign it was only right and proper to recognise the Championship season coming to conclusion. And then there was the added bonus of Liverpool trying to recreate the miracle of Istanbul on another of those glory, glory European nights (other entries from the Anfield bingo card are also available).

What can you say though? Even this morning I still numb by what happened. Shocked. That most fickle mistress having administered a kick to the nuts that was harsh even by her standards. And just to be clear, I’m still talking about the football rather than any accidental switching over to Mrs. Brown half way through the night.

There’s not much to add that hasn’t already been written and said. The clappers were horrific. The play-off final was cagey. The post-match love in with a Fulham side who should have been reduced to ten players much earlier than it eventually happened was awful. Aston Villa picked themselves up in the second half but it was much too late by then. Tom Cairney grabbing the winner after being put through by Eighteen-year-old Sessegnon. For those not familiar with the player, I understand his name is actually Ryan. And he did a pass. Well done.

The only real plus point to come out of this was that at least Steve Bruce has been spared telling John Terry to grow up, forget his own perceived self-importance and get warmed up for the game against Chelsea next season. Instead, it’ll be a game against Brentford. If he doesn’t hang up his boots.

As for Liverpool, it wasn’t to be. Goalkeeper has a nightmare will be what we take away from this. Sadly. One has to feel for Loris Karius. He cut a desperate figure at full time, left alone on the pitch in Kiev. For all the world looking like he just wanted the ground to open up and swallow him. It was awful to watch. As though we were peering in on an individual’s moment of personal hell when surely an immediate arm round the shoulder was needed.

Rio Ferdinand in the pundit’s box didn’t really help afterwards. None of his teammates will say it, but they‘ll all be looking at him and thinking it. I’ve been in that situation. I’ve done it…he noted.

Stevie G joined in, mentioning he’d won the final. Again. And again. Clanngggg – the sound of a name being dropped.

Whatever happened, happened. Easy for me to say on a Sunday morning but we’ve more than seen our own pantheon of goalkeeping calamity at Griffin Park over the years. We’ve more than felt our own pain at the final stage. That’s before you even get to all those play-off semis and, of course, ‘that penalty’.

Wigan, Crewe, Port Vale, Stoke City, Carlisle and Yeovil Town may not have the same allure as Real Madrid but the pain was just as real. The feeling of emptiness horrific. The realisation of having got so close only to fall at the last is just a brutal sensation.

Screen Shot 2018-05-27 at 07.58.33

Marcello Trotta takes that penalty – as bad as it got but what a response next season.

It was Ashley Bayes to the max. It does get better. It will get better. It may not feel it now. That feeling of despair we all felt as the penalty hit the bar was replaced with something quite wonderful the following season as another penalty hit the back of the net.

At the same time, bouncing back from making not one but two such high profile mistakes with the eyes of the world watching is going to be as huge a challenge as they come. Hopefully, somebody will go round Twitter mopping up some of the vile abuse being poured out towards the young goalkeeper and his family. It was simply horrific. This normally most wonderful of social media tools at it’s very worst.

Spare a thought also for Mo Salah. Whether you support Liverpool or not, only the most churlish could take pleasure from the fact that he now looks as though he’ll miss the World Cup. For this global superstar to be absent from the most exciting of tournaments is a huge loss. For Egypt, for fans, for football and of course the player himself. What a way it would have been to wrap up a simply magnificent season. Now, he’s hoping the medics can do their thing but listening to Jürgen Klopp talking at full time, it doesn’t seem good.

I could ramble on, but what’s the point. Football treated us to the very worst of what she offers yesterday. At least in terms of raw, inconsolable emotion. Unless you are a Fulham fan.

See you all again in a week or so. There’s a World Cup, a new Brentford kit and a few more things to look forward to….

bayes lw

Ashley Bayes bounced back from this debut

Nick Bruzon

There’s only one team I want to do it on Saturday. For all that is good in football.

26 May

For us Brentford fans, the season is over. A fourth top ten finish in the Championship, our last significant action of the campaign (aside from beating the Loftus Road mob, again) was Neal Maupay’s magnificent 94th minute equaliser at The Cottage in mid-April. Those two points denied to Fulham have ended up being the difference between their attaining automatic promotion to the Premier League and now finding themselves in a play-off final against Aston Villa. That game is today. Saturday.

But actually, I’m not as into it as perhaps I normally would be. This is nothing to do with excitement about the chance to play Liverpool bingo later in the Champion’s League final. More with the participants and what I’ve seen on social media this week.

And if you’d like to read more whilst helping the Brentford FC Community Sports Trust …. the rest of this article can now be found in the Kindle e-book Ten Times Better. Brentford FC Season review: 2017/18. Inspired by ‘that’ interview it contains the least bad of these columns in one, handy volume as it looks at our own campaign as well as wider divisional life and the promotion / relegation races.

As a bonus there’s a whole host of new material. New that is, for my pages. Specifically, all the programme articles submitted (both home and away where, if nothing else, you can get the original versions of both Birmingham City and Millwall).

Screen Shot 2018-06-04 at 16.13.22

In addition, There Is No Plan B. Brentford FC Season reviews: 2013/14 – 2017/18 takes us all the way back to the start of this latest leg in the journey. That penalty. League One. Harlee Dean was a hero. Jota was something we thought happened to the temperature for one week in July. Alan Judge had joined on loan whilst the Marinus Experiment was something nobody had contemplated. Bringing things bang up to date by the inclusion of this year’s volume alongside the four previously published campaign round ups, it has five seasons in one weighty tome. As weighty as a download can be, that is.

Relive the memories. See how often the same material gets regurgitated. Remind yourself about the likes of Betinho, Martin Fillo, Javi Venta and Marcos Tebar. Certainly, if there’s no Marcos Tea Bar at Lionel Road it will be an opportunity missed.

All proceeds from any sales will go to the Community Sports Trust. For less than the cost of a half / pint respectively, they may help while away some time on the commute. By the pool on holiday. In the bathroom. Who knows? It will certainly do some good for the Trust, whose work has been well documented at Griffin Park but you can read all about it on their site.

And if that wasn’t enough, I’ve been given something very special. A 2017/18 third team shirt with Lewis Macleod’s squad number on the reverse in the EFL typeface. Anyone with half an interest in Bees kits will know that these were never made available in the club shop.  Anyone who has read any of this before will know what a kit nerd yours truly is so when I say this is rare, take that in good faith!

To be in with a chance of owning it, download a copy of either before the end of June 2018 and you’ll go into a draw to win this. Just DM/tweet me (@NickBruzon) a copy of your purchase confirmation mail and I’ll add your name to the list before selecting a random Bees fan to win this on July 1st.

Could Scott Hogan celebrate another goal today ?

Screen Shot 2018-05-25 at 19.25.07

Nick Bruzon

Will Brentford keep going? Can Aston Villa do us a favour? Saturday is HUGE!

27 Apr

Two games to go and this is still wide open. With the fixtures falling as kindly as one could have hoped for, Brentford travel to relegation threatened Barnsley on Saturday knowing that with two games to go we are three points off Derby County in sixth place. The same Derby County who head up to an Aston Villa side still looking at a slim chance of ‘automatic’ promotion to the Premier league. It is a chance that, much like our own play-off dream, will require three points on Saturday to keep it alive. Cardiff City may have dealt a blow to our own promotion ambitions on Tuesday night as they went down 3-1 to the Rams yet, at the same time, have given us a back door bonus by really handing Villa that incentive to try and catch them.

I’ve always loved Aston Villa (eh, Simon ?)

Elsewhere, fifth placed Middlesbrough (four points ahead of Brentford) take on 7th placed Millwall (one ahead). That’s an evening game and by the time it comes around, our own game will of course have played out. Will it prove of supreme relevance or be a statistical anomaly by that juncture?

Realistically, three points for Brentford up at Oakwell are an absolute must. Any other result will leave us relying on a combination of mathematics and good fortune even more convoluted than the table already looks.  Barnsley have to go for it, too. Any permutation beyond home win will leave them all but down and needing both Bolton and Birmingham City to self-destruct. In itself, not an improbable combination based on the season’s results to date.

As ever, though, outside distractions really are that. Distractions. By virtue of the teams playing each other, something will go our way at some point. The worst combination of results being victories for Millwall and Derby. The best, home wins for Aston Villa and Middlesbrough. Both, more than feasible. Then again, I fancied Cardiff City to do it on Tuesday. One up at half time and in control, you have to tip your hat to a Derby County team that, aided by some suicidal defending, produced a devastating second half performance to break their three game losing streak.

Trying to call anything this weekend is a fool’s errand. As much as anything else, pressure and necessity will cause some teams to collapse like a house of cards. Others will rise to the occasion. The prospect of glory an adrenaline boost to the arm that sees them (and all being well us) surge towards those all critical three points.

Brentford were magnificent against Fulham. To the very end of the game where Neal Maupay produced one of THE moments. Likewise, for huge patches of the game against QPR where, but for Mr. Madley, the victory would have been a much more comfortable one. Then again, perhaps he has also done us an unintentional favour. What a way for a team to have to test themselves in the toughest of circumstances. 11 v 14 is never easy. Moreso, when the 14 were flying in with horror challenges, studs up, yet facing no real danger of card based justice.

We know we have the ability to win this one. To beat anybody on our day. Only 3pm on Saturday will dictate how well we can meet that challenge. How much resistance Barnsley can provide or whether they are dead men walking. Either way,  I can’t wait for this one !!

Elsewhere, did you read Mark Devlin’s programme column in the QPR edition of BEES? Talk about putting his views on the line in a wonderful article about Sports Minister Tracey Crouch and, more importantly, her decision in regards to the Safe Standing application made by West Bromwich Albion.

With ‘Safe Standing’ a clearly stated and supported desire of The Bees, he was pulling no punches with comments that included:  “I fear that politicians will once more put their prejudice and fears ahead of what is needed and wanted by the football community” and “I was even more shocked that she appeared to claim there was insufficient demand or interest from clubs, fans and leagues”

Well said Mark. How refreshing to see any Chief Executive standing up to be counted in such clear and uncertain terms. That’s Brentford, though. Trailblazers again.

The good news being that a public petition has now topped the 100,000 votes required for parliament to consider it for debate. Albeit, this still remains open and there is time to add your voice to the list on a matter that will potentially have a direct impact on Brentford, given the current construction of Lionel Road. The link to that one is here. Thirty seconds that could impact your club if you can make the time to sign.

Screen Shot 2018-04-27 at 06.21.20

Lionel Road . I’ve not seen a hole this big since the Birmingham City defence turned up

Next up, football stickers. I’ve banged on a bit in the last few weeks about the World Cup 2018 album. Primarily, my son Harry’s rapidly developing interest in this most traditional of football related activities. For reasons unnkown the mere mention of the name’ Lucas Biglia’ (Argentina) has him in stitches whilst Spain and Iceland are his favourites. Not because of the countries but the kits – no idea where he gets that from.

So imagine my surprise just coming in from work on Wednesday to hear he had been presented with what Mrs Bruzon described as ‘a two inch wad of swaps’ (although, personally, I’d say it looked more like seven) by a mystery benefactor from the Bramear Road stand.

I say ‘mystery’. I wasn’t with them at the time and so all we know is that she sits near us at Griffin Park and the one-sided exchange took place by St. Paul’s Park. If this was you – THANK YOU. I have a suspicion who it may be and will be donning the Columbo mac at the Hull City game.

Yet this is mentioned as much to say, yet again, how truly wonderful the Brentford FC family are. For a fellow fan to go out of their way to do this for a young supporter they’ve never spoken to before really made me feel proud. Thank you. Again.

The amazing pile of swaps

Finally, congratulations to my good friends (No, I’m not going all Ian Moose) at Beesotted. Their Pride of West London podcast has now made the final shortlist for the Football Blogging Awards. What an honour it would be for them to win this.

As noted before, we all know what a great job they do and just how entertaining Billy (Grant) and the team are. Likewise, how many painful train journies have been made ten times better by listening to them opine on all things Brentford. And beyond.

Please. Help give them the recognition they deserve in the Best Football Podcast category and vote Beesotted at the FBAS

Screen Shot 2018-04-27 at 05.58.11

Nick Bruzon

Goals mean wins see. No matter how they come.

14 Mar

There’s not much you can say after that. Cardiff City beat Brentford 3-1 in a game that was as much a victory for the much derided tactics of manager Neil Warnock as it was for his players’ ability to find the back of the net. With Aston Villa being thumped at home by QPR (how?) and Wolves finally getting back to winning ways, the top two are going to require a horrific stumble to be caught. But at least there was something for us to smile about at the bottom end of the table. A point for Barnsley in their ‘game in hand’ along with victory for Hull City has increased the pressure on this month’s Birmingham City manager Garry Monk and his team.

We can only start with Brentford where there’s not much more to be said. If you weren’t there then you’ll have likely caught it on TV (unless you were busy swooning over Sam Saunders in the pundit’s chair). The Bees came flying out of the blocks at 100mph. Neal Maupay with a wonderful chance to have opened the scoring whilst most people were still taking their seats before finding the back of the net for 1-0 with little more than five minutes on the clock. Cardiff a goal down and on the ropes. Brentford continuing to spread the ball amongst them as they couldn’t cope with our free flowing football. Surely a second goal was only a matter of moments away?

And on twenty-five minutes it came. To the visitors.  Sol Bamba with a quite wonderfully taken turn and volley that left man of the match Dan Bentley beaten all ends up. It was a finish one can only doff the hat to, no matter how begrudgingly that feels, yet it was one that  let the visitors back into the game. From that point on, they started to really make their presence felt.

Hooooofffff” went the crowd as every ball was humped forward out of the back. “Crunnccch” went the challenge as Warnock’s team made themselves known in the most agricultural of styles. There was no real help from a referee and his assistants who seemed set to random mode. I don’t envy them their role but they need to do it properly if they step up to the challenge. Dean Smith seemed incensed by some of the decision making and inconsistency at full time. As were the crowd throughout a second half that saw Sergi quite perplexed (that’s the polite word) with the officials on more than on occasion.

Sergi saying what we were all thinking

But for all that the men in the middle didn’t help, a goal on the stroke of half time gave the visitors a lead which they would never surrender, whatever the cost. Football very much coming second to the three points. They fought us in the penalty box. The fought us in the middle. They fought with growing confidence and growing strength in the air. A style of football that ended up being little more than scraping and spoiling. Despite our own 67% of possession, they mopped up everything and made sure there was no way through. With a third goal sealing the deal just shy of the hour, there was no way back for the Bees. The clock was carefully run down and it ended 3-1 to the visitors

It was a triumph for Warnock and his team. You can’t deny them their current run or the win that their methodology presented. 7(seven) points clear of third placed Aston Villa suggest they are doing something very much right in terms of getting the results. At the same time, for all Dean was rightly frustrated at full-time, perhaps this was a beneficial lesson in the long term. Our ability to play against the more ‘robust’ teams in the division has been questioned before. The first twenty minutes, with the Bees at full flow against a team we dictated the pattern of the game to, were quite beautiful to watch. The final seventy had a painful inevitability.

Next up for the Bees, the visit of Middlesbrough. Whilst they are looking to consolidate their sixth place, if Brentford are to have any chance of reeling in that 8 point gap then Dean was quite clear about how it needs to be done. Every game is going to be a cup final for us,” he said at full time. “If we want to hang onto the coat-tails of those above us we have to make sure we win games, starting on Saturday”. It’ll be a tough one that’s for sure and if for no other reason than our failure to beat Boro’ since paths crossed in the Championship. Six defeats (including two play-off semis) and a draw are the best we have to show. But what a time to break that record Saturday is. What a chance to show that although we struggled against a Warnock team, we’ve learned from this and can do it against a Tony Pulis side.

DSC00865 (1)

View from the Braemar – the Bees were outmuscled last night

I’ve woken up this morning feeling disappointed and frustrated more than anything else. I’m still immensely proud of what our team have achieved and one has to remember that Cardiff City are where they are for a reason. At the end of the day (Clive), and as one visiting supporter noted last night on Twitter: “Goals mean wins see“. I can’t argue with that.

Besides, looking to the lower end of the table a gap really is starting to form in the relegation zone. Barnsley’s draw with Norwich City last night sees them open up a three-point lead over Birmingham City. When you factor in the Blues’ inability to score and wonderful propensity to concede, the goal difference is so significant as to effectively make that difference four.

They entertain (sorry, that’s surely a breach of trades descriptions) they host Hull City on Saturday. With the Tigers running out 3-0 victors at Ipswich Town last night, they are surely safe. Three more points would all but secure this and what a time to get them.

I can’t wait for the weekend. The atmosphere is going to be huge at Griffin Park where it really is a case of win or bust in the race for the play offs.

See you there.

Screen Shot 2018-03-14 at 06.16.22

The gap is starting to grow

Nick Bruzon

The week’s best tweet sees us drowning in a sea of nostalgia.

1 Mar

I make no excuses for this one today . It’s all down to Beesotted. On the way to work earlier on Tuesday I spotted my favourite tweet of the week (at least, until Matt Dyson of Absolute Radio stepped up to the plate). Nothing more complex than a simple request to: Share your fave Griffin Park pics here. And what a way to disappear down the rabbit hole of Brentford nostalgia. Floodlights. Sun sets. Manchester City in the Cup. Fulham, QPR, Birmingham City and Aston Villa in the league. Players. Heroes. Sweeping terraces. Promotions. Heartbreak. Something about a penalty.

It really has seen a phenomenal response already to the simplest of requests. If you haven’t seen it yet then the link is here. What are you waiting for? Get on board.

And for your own inspiration, here are a few of mine. Some ripped off from TV or book covers. Others taken on all manner of grainy cameras or even with a bit of photoshop enhancement. I was thinking about what Brentford mean to me and my family yesterday – in part, due to the Lionel Road competition – and looking through some pf these pictures really hit home how much Griffin Park is a part of my, a part of our, lives. So many happy times. So much pain. But always coming back for more. Week after week.

We’ll start with one of my all time favourites. John Swift. Against QPR. Our first Championship match against the Loftus Road mob seeing a 1-0 victory for the Bees. It was a wonderful night which looked just as good when catching up on the rerun later, via Sky Plus.

SWIFT Brentford QPR

There’s nothing big or clever about flares. Normally

But there’s something special about Griffin Park under lights. As the Beesotted tweet has shown. Whether full to the rafters or half empty in the Auto Windscreens shield, she never fails to make the hairs on the back of the neck stand up.

Griffin Park looked glorious against Birmingham City last season

Brentford 3 Blackburn 1 GP

Blackburn Rovers got four chances to practice their kick off routine back in December 2014

GP wide view

Ah, those famous floodlights. Chuck in a bit of sunrise or sunset to add to the look.

The height of the summer and closed/closed (?) season

The height of the summer.

sun over Griffin Park GP

Early morning on the ‘nursery run’.

Griffin Park pre Wolves GP

View from the terrace – the sun is starting to set on Griffin Park

But what about that big match action? For me, the 1988/89 FA Cup agasint Manchester City is about as good as it comes. If the QPR picture was borrowed from the TV, then this is in a similar vein – albeit taken from the cover of the book ‘100 years of Brentford’. The pitch. the weather. The stands. Gary Blissett doing his thing against his beloved Manchester City.

Bliss Manchester City

Bliss – the iconic image (in my eyes) as Manchester City are put to the sword

More recently, we had that famous encounter with the (then) Champions of Europe, Chelsea. It took that rarest of things, a Fernando Torres goal, to keep their dreams alive as the game ended 2-2 before David Luiz exacted revenge on young Jake Reeves in the replay.

Saunders territory Chelsea

Ramires, Terry, Cole, Oscar, Lampard, Torres, Cahill – that’s some Chelsea wall

Then there was Preston. We’ve played the many times but none but the game in April 2014 when an Alan Judge penalty saw us promoted to the Championship. The on pitch celebration may have been a touch premature as Rotherham attempted an unlikely fight back deep into an inordinate amount of injury time against Wolves but, in the end, justice prevailed.

Some people are on the pitch - Juge's penalty v Preston saw a wonderful denouement

Some people are on the pitch. They think it’s all over….

Griffin park GP

Griffin Park. Beautiful , even when empty

We’ve seen the sunsets but there’s been rain and snow, too. Right now, TW8 is gripped in wintry conditions and we’ve been there before. Fans coming together on more than one occasion to help remove the pitch covers and ensure the game can go ahead…

pitch covers griffin park

The Brentford family pull together

Will who now? Sergi was on fire agasint Villa, despite the torrential downpour

Whatever the weather….

Even as recently as this week, we’ve been out taking pictures..

HB in the snow at Griffin Park on Wednesday

As for the rest, here’s a few more. Enjoy. And then get on that Beesotted tweet….

Turner’s pants as visible as his temper

View from the Braemer – unadulterated joy from Jota and the team

Thanks for all the goals. And the memories

60 mins subs

Set your watch by those sixtieth minute subs (although 66 is the most popular)

Great work, Beesotted. But also the aforementioned Matt Dyson. It was always going to take something special to ‘win Twitter’ and he did this last night . With a bit of help…

Screen Shot 2018-03-01 at 06.31.58

It tickled me…

Nick Bruzon


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: text/html

WARC-Type: response

text:
Dremel Versa Cordless Buffer Review

Perfect for small jobs, scratch removal, and polished lips

I was recently contacted by none other than Dremel to check out their latest product, the Dremel Versa. You likely know Dremel from their famous rotary tools used to grind, sand, and cut just about anything you want, but the Versa is a cleaning tool meant that has the same power and small size you’d expect from Dremel, but with a hook & loop system to attach various cleaning pads. Dremel was kind enough to send me one free of charge to review and check-out as part of their #ConquerTheCleanup campaign, and in this post I’ve tested it out on a number of surfaces and determined my three favorite uses for it; emblem removal, cleaning wheels, and scratch removal (it can be used for a lot more, but these three use cases alone make it well worth the price).

The Versa retails for $49.99 and is a cordless rotary buffer/cleaning tool that charges by USB, can spin at 2,200 RPM and is the fastest on the market, and comes with several different pads from a scrub brush to one meant for automotive applications. The size is what makes this product special – while I have a full-size random orbital polisher, I only bust it out for big jobs and I have to run an extension cord making it quite the undertaking…this product is small, cordless, and easy to re-charge, making it perfect for small jobs on my car or around the house.The product comes with four different cleaning extensions depending on the job; a white “eraser” pad which is very similar to a light cutting pad you’d use in automotive polishing, a blue non-scratch pad that is for slightly tougher jobs (i.e. adhesive or tar removal), a heavy duty pad (rust removal), a bristle brush (things that need a brushing motion more than a polishing motion). Like anything with detailing, you should always use these least abrasive pad you can to get the job done and start by testing a small spot, then get more aggressive as needed. You can swap out the pads easily with a hook & loop system (like you would most normal polishers) and it has a splash guard show in the retracted position above, and I’d imagine you could probably get non-Dremel pads to work (it’s roughly 2″ so I’d imagine any Lake County pads from could work).

Use Case #1: Debadging / Emblem Removal

To test it out, I removed the chrome emblems from my trunk; my plan is to replace them with black badging to complete the “storm trooper” look my car has currently. Removing the badges is pretty simple, simply heat them up a little and use fishing line from behind the emblems to slowly pry them off; however, cleaning all of the adhesive “gunk” and residue after the emblem comes off is the time consuming and difficult part. Using the Dremel Versa, this is much easier. Start by soaking the area in an adhesive remover like Goo Gone, then use the blue heavy duty non-scratch pad with very light pressure to quickly remove the majority of the adhesive. Once complete, dry the area completely and then use the white eraser pad and a polish of your choice to get the area glossy and perfectly clean and then leave as-is or install new emblems as you please:

Use Case #2: Polished Wheels / Lips

I absolutely love my rotor wheels, but keeping the polished lips clean can be annoying. Over time the finish starts to get dull and discolored, so an occasional buffing is needed to keep the wheels looking best. In the past, I would do this by hand and dread doing it, but the Versa is the perfect size for polishing wheels – it’s easy to maneuver and control, so you only polish the areas that need it…and being cordless, it doesn’t feel like a hassle to bust it out and polish up your lips. The splash guard is a nice bonus to keep the polish from slinging everywhere, and also prevent the cleaning pad from brushing up against the tires.

Use Case #3: Scratch Removal

Notice a new scratch thanks to someone who parked a little too close? Bust out the Versa for quick and easy scratch removal. Again use the white eraser pad and polish of your choice and make several slow and steady passes over the scratched area with light to moderate pressure. The Versa has anti-binding technology so if it stops rotating it will turn off all together, making it a pretty easy and risk-free way to polish out smaller areas of your car that have scratches or need some TLC like a rear wing, around the door handles, and other “high use” areas of the car that are more likely to get scratched or show wear and tear from over-use. I didn’t have many scratches on my car to use this on, but I gave it a go on my wife’s car with some pretty awesome results you can check out in a separate post.

Tips & Tricks for Best Results

  • Don’t use too much cleaner: As with any polishing, start with just a few pea sized drops of compound…a little goes a long way. I primed the pad by massaging some polishing compound into the pad itself, then did 1-3 drops on the pad depending on how big of an area I was covering. From there the Versa is plenty fast, so you can move the Versa slowly left to right, then top to bottom, meticulously covering the same area until it goes from a haze to practically removed by the pad itself, then hit it with a clean microfiber to remove any remaining residue. If you find a lot of product is still hazy on the paint after 4-5 passes, you’re probably using too much product.
  • Don’t press too hard: The Versa has built in detection so that if the pad binds and stops spinning freely, it will stop, which helps prevent you from burning the paint, which is a great feature! Given it’s high speed, it’s also not necessary to put much if any pressure at all down on the tool – the speed of the rotation will remove the scratch, not the force of your hand. If this feels like hard work, you’re probably doing it wrong.
  • Give it a full charge before starting: I was so excited to try this out that I took it out of the packaging and put it to work right away…it’s a lithium ion battery which has a good capacity, but it doesn’t come fully pre-charged. Let it charge for even just 30 minutes and it’s good to go, but don’t expect to rip it out of the package and remove every single scratch in your wife’s car. Had I plugged it in when I started washing the car it would have been fine, but when I found it running out of battery midway through I stopped to eat lunch and when I came back it was ready to go again. The battery life is surprisingly good, just let it charge fully before starting.
  • Use the splash guard: Last but not least, the built in scratch-guard is great to prevent you from flinging wax or polish everywhere, but if you’re flinging product that is again one more sign you’re probably using too much. Be sure to spread out the product over the area you want to cover using the pad before turning on the machine!

You can pick this product up at any of the usual suspects – Home Depot, Lowes, or Amazon. It’s also worth noting it’s water resistant and built for both indoor & outdoor use. It’s really easy to use, and something I’ll likely use around the house from time to time too. A big thanks to Dremel for giving me this product to review and participate in their #ConquerTheCleanup campaign. I was already a Dremel owner and use my rotary tool to do everything from trim fender liner to prevent my wheels from rubbing to cutting and sanding tabs to make parts fit better. It’s a great product, and awesome to see the brand branch out to use their rotary technology for other uses.

Nick Roshon

Nick has been an Audi owner and fanatic for the last 10 years, and started Nick's Car Blog in 2009 to share DIYs and pictures of his A4. Currently he drives a 2012 Audi TT-RS, and has previously owned a B7 S4, B7 A4, and an 82 Audi Coupe (GT) LeMons race car. In his day job, Nick is a digital marketer and lives in San Diego, CA, USA.

  1. I didn’t even realize Dremel was making products like this. Solid review Nick, do you think this would be a good tool to use for clearing up fogging headlights as well? That’s one of the top things people ask me how to correct and I have always done it by hand because of the size of my orbital. Thanks for the write up!

  2. Yeah, that’s a great use case actually – it’d be perfect for headlights, and it being cordless is a nice bonus so you don’t have to run an extension cord just to hit such a small area.

Leave a Reply

warcinfo:
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2018-39
publisher: Common Crawl
description: Wide crawl of the web for September 2018
operator: Common Crawl Admin (info@commoncrawl.org)
hostname: ip-10-45-127-147.ec2.internal
software: Apache Nutch 1.15 (modified, https://github.com/commoncrawl/nutch/)
robots: checked via crawler-commons 0.11-SNAPSHOT (https://github.com/crawler-commons/crawler-commons)
format: WARC File Format 1.1
conformsTo: http://iipc.github.io/warc-specifications/specifications/warc-format/warc-1.1/


WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: application/xhtml+xml

text:
- Singapore Muslim Matrimonial Website
logo image

Select Single Muslim life partner from Millions of Singaporean Muslim Matches
Register for FREE and find your perfect Muslim life partner today!

Register Free

I agree the Terms and Condition

  • Genuine single muslim profiles with verified mobile numbers
  • Trusted by millions of single muslims since 1998
  • Most trusted single muslim matrimony brand for nikah

Find your best muslim match

Find your best muslim match from your preferred city.

Communicate with confidence. Every profile is 100% mobile verified.

Add more photos

More pictures give you more visibility.

Get notified

Communicate faster and get married!.

app image

Muslim matrimony search made easier for you...

We make your life partner search easier and faster

Download app today and communicate with suitable muslim matrimonial profiles on-the-go!

android app

second nikah

Lost your love?

No problem, take a second chance with . Get married with suitable muslim match and bring the happiness back in to your life forever, in sha Allah.

Know More

second nikah

Celebrating 20th year with more pride and trust, knowns for Nikah, the world's leading and best known Singaporean Muslim Matrimonial website, was founded in year 1998 with simple aim - to help single Singaporean Muslims to find their suitable Islamic life partner for Singaporean Muslim Matrimony and also help Muslim parents to search & gift better life partner for their son/daughter.'s Singaporean Muslim Marriage bureau, halal enviornment & bending to-date's technological advancements to suite our Islamic principles,helped more than 4,78,400+ Islamic single brothers and sisters around the world joining their hands in Muslim Marriage through Nikkah and completing their half-of-dheen, Alhamdulillah.


text:
“Resentment is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies."

- Nelson Mandela -

Forgiveness is the tip of the iceberg of self-transformation. When an unforgiving heart is healed it is arguably one the most transforming experiences one can have. Everett Worthington, professor at Virginia Commonwealth University and a pioneer in forgiveness research, has found that people who won't forgive the wrongs committed against them tend to have negative indicators of health and well-being: more stress-related disorders, lower immune-system function, and cardiovascular disease. There is even research linking resentment as a cause of cancer. When we don't forgive, we hold onto resentment and resentment is harmful to us. There is more. Did you know that resentment is considered the number one cause of addictions? Yes it's true.

As Nelson Mandela said, “Resentment is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies." While it may be clear to some of us that we need to forgive, to others it might be something completely new. In our workshop we explore the toxic effects resentment has on us, allowing ourselves to fully feel the heavy burden of holding onto a grudge. Learning to forgive entails more than just dealing with resentment; it is about changing the way we respond to the world. Resentment has a negative impact on us - physically, emotionally and spiritually. Thus forgiving transforms us on all three levels. This means forgiving is not just about healing one toxic relationship; it is about holistic healing and transformation. It is about a change in consciousness that transforms our relationship with ourselves, others and God.

I invite you to enter the transforming world of forgiving and let go of your resentment through our various forgiveness workshops.

  • Poor health
  • Stress
  • Mental disturbance
  • Unhappiness
  • Emotional pain & instability
  • Disturbed relationship(s)
  • Lack of internal peace and balance
  • Not being in full control of my life
  • Living in the past
  • Self-torture
  • Living in a self-created prison
  • Living with a poisoned heart

Resentment is so-called power and control. Anger is power; resentment affords control. Staying angry seems to protect us from further mistreatment and helps us remain "in control" but the reality is just the opposite. Resentment does not give us control; it puts us under the control of our anger. Resentment only fuels our anger, and this gives us a false sense of power and control. Resentment does not give us protection; it destroys us.


text:
Sir Trevor McDonald NPG P2034 Portrait Print – National Portrait Gallery
Shopping Basket

Sir Trevor McDonald NPG P2034 Portrait Print

Regular price £6.00

© Simon Frederick / National Portrait Gallery

by Simon Frederick

Spend over £35.00 for free UK shipping

Extra small 102mm x 153mm

Small 297mm x 210mm

Medium 483mm x 329mm

Large 615mm x 432mm

Medium Canvas Shortest edge 297mm

Images are printed in their original proportions, within a white border, on the paper of your choice. Please note that a copyright line is included beneath the image (except on the Extra Small Photo, Medium Matt Fine Art and Canvas options) and the dimensions listed above are for the paper size only.

The Photo paper has a semi-gloss finish, ideally suited to reproductions of photographs, while the Art paper has a matt textured surface that works particularly well for reproductions of drawings, etchings and some paintings.

Information on shipping rates, returns and damages can be found here


text:
William Shakes-Feet Socks – National Portrait Gallery
Shopping Basket

William Shakes-Feet Socks

Regular price £9.00

Funky, witty socks with lots of character by Chatty Feet

Spend over £35.00 for free UK shipping

Size: Unisex size (Medium) UK/5-8, EUR/37-42, USA/5.5-9.5, JPN/23-25

Material: 75% Combed Cotton, 23% Polyamide, 2% Elastane

Special instructions:

Country of origin: Designed in the UK & Produced in Bulgaria

Information on shipping rates, returns and damages can be found here


text:
After Anatevka

After Anatevka

A Novel Inspired by Fiddler on the Roof

Book - 2017
Average Rating:
Rate this:
The world knows well the tale of Tevye, the beloved Jewish dairyman from the shtetl Anatevka of Tsarist Russia. In stories originally written by Sholem Aleichem and then made world-famous in the celebrated musical Fiddler on the Roof, Tevye, his wife Golde, and their five daughters dealt with the outside influences that were encroaching upon their humble lives. But what happened to those remarkable characters after the curtain fell?In After Anatevka, Alexandra Silber picks up where Fiddler left off. Second-eldest daughter Hodel takes center stage as she attempts to join her Socialist-leaning fiancé Perchik to the outer reaches of a Siberian work camp. But before Hodel and Perchik can finally be together, they both face extraordinary hurdles and adversaries--both personal and political--attempting to keep them apart at all costs.A love story set against a backdrop of some of the greatest violence in European history, After Anatevaka is a stunning conclusion to a tale that has gripped audiences around the globe for decades.
Publisher: New York :, Pegasus Books,, 2017
Edition: First Pegasus Books hardcover edition
ISBN: 9781681774343
Characteristics: vi, 327 pages ;,24 cm

From Library Staff

DanniOcean Nov 30, 2017

Unfortunately unreadable.

From the critics

Community Activity

Add a Comment

DanniOcean Nov 30, 2017

Unfortunately unreadable.

Age Suitability

Add Age Suitability

There are no age suitabilities for this title yet.

Add a Summary

There are no summaries for this title yet.

Add Notices

There are no notices for this title yet.

Add a Quote

There are no quotes for this title yet.

Explore Further

Browse by Call Number

Subject Headings

Find it at NPPL

To Top


text:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
film strip imageImage of Mercury from Mariner 10film strip image

Photo Gallery

The Earth and the Moon

This page contains images taken by various missions which contain both the Earth and Moon.

Thumbnail of image
Apollo 8: Earthrise
This is one of the more famous images of the Earth from the Apollo program, taken by the Apollo 8 astronauts as they became the first humans to circumnavigate the Moon. (Size: 21K)

Image IDs: AS08-14-2383, 68-HC-870

Thumbnail of image
This image was taken by Clementine as it came over the northern lunar pole at the completion of mapping orbit 102 on 13 March 1994. The angular separation between lunar horizon and Earth has been reduced for illustration purposes. The large crater at the bottom of the image is Plaskett (180° W longitude, 82° N latitude). (A version of this image with just the Earth in the image is available on the NSSDCA Photo Gallery: Earth page.) (Size: 68K)

Thumbnail of image
Galileo: Second encounter
This image was taken by Galileo as it flew by the Earth-Moon system in 1992. (Size: 26K)

Image ID: P-41508

Thumbnail of image
This image was taken by NEAR as it flew by the Earth-Moon system in January 1998. (Size: 12K)

Thumbnail of image
Voyager: A look back home
This image was taken by Voyager as it left the Earth-Moon system and looked back. It was the first picture taken by a spacecraft which included both the Earth and Moon. (Size: 38K)

Image IDs: P-19891, 79-HC-3

[] NASA -


text:
Kembara Media Travelogue Day 3

Friday, July 20, 2012

Salam 1Malaysia...

*Super Massive photos ahead.. ✿ grin ✿ *

To those who just arrived to my blog, WELCOME!!! If you miss the series of my trip to Mukah please click on the link below ...

Sneek Peek [ HERE ]

Day One [ HERE ]

Day Two [ HERE ]

12th July 2012

Wake up around 6:30am and get ready to go down at Seri Setia Cafe for breakfast around 7am. Again, i'm the first one arrived... *Me and my food fetishes! Lalala~*
see...?? lots of tuna spread and over toasted breads... i'm so hooked! hahahaha
Around 7:30am most of media delegates came staggered and mostly they already planning to go out for some photography session or some might want to go for some shopping (majorly for fresh umai takeaway!) after the breakfast because our first activity will only begin at 9:30am.

Our first visit was to Traditional Snacks Processing Center at Kampung Judan. We going to learn on how to do Kuih Sepit (Love-letter?)
Arrived at Pusat Memproses Kuih Asli, Kampung Judan - traditional snacks processing center. This community project  was funded by Department of Agriculture.
First step to produce Kuih Sepit (love-letter (....?) )  - peel off coconut from it's shell..
grind it....
add an adequate water before squeeze it to obtain thick coconut milk
add coconut milk to flour and eggs... mixed it well....
it's done... and ready to be cook!
place a little batter on hot plate before press it
the look from a distance...
the look of it after few seconds
quickly using this split stick to roll it.. tight and neat... i've tried to roll it... really shabby! LOL!
listen carefully.....!
Fellow media - (from left) Harrison Petrus Langi ( ), Yu Ji (The Star),  Normala Juatan (National Policy Publications Division), Wee Hui Zheng (in black - See Hua Daily) and Garret Dawum (Utusan Sarawak) having their session with the community representatives
Food tasting by Fauziah Pauji (from National Policy Publications Division) *..nak join~!!*
to be feast on... *banzaaiii~!!*
Representatives from the community - friendly Haji Merican
In blue shirt - Muhd Amirul Faiz Ahmad (from Berita Harian) gathering info about producing kuih sepit using machine.
Demonstration using machine
Buy some to bring back to Kuching... Just RM1 per pack..!
Smile and Peace...
Desmond Davidson (from New Straits Times)...
Caroline Jackson (BERNAMA) interviewing 1Malaysia Community Leader, Kampung Judan - the super friendly Mr Jara-ee.
One for the road....
Our next stop Pusat Memproses Tebaloi at Kampung Tutus Hilir.
Greet by my original and alive message tone....!! *LOL!*
Tebaloi (Sago Crackers) processing center..
one step closer before we can eventually eat it.... bake!
so skillfully cutting the tebaloi in exact size!
"I want five!" probably NOT saying by Nur Farhana Mohammad Joni (Utusan Malaysia)
refining works....
will be baked for 3minutes, then peel off the banana leaf and cut to appropriate size before final baked again...
Neat.... ready to be export!
direct sales with various flavour....
Packed nicely.
Interviewed by TV3
they have halal certification.. so dont doubt it!
sampling product fresh from oven!

Our last visit was to a homestay, Lamin Dana in Kampung Tellian Jaya...
Visit them at their Facebook [ HERE ]
Live telecast from Lamin Dana's facebook... *how sweet!*

Sago palms pushed by a boat...
Lamin Dana is right next to a small river in the village name Kampung Tellian Jaya.. You have to pass through the village first.. Nice!
Although the window open widely but it already covered with mosquito net.. no worries..!
Music equipment on display...

do you ever see a crab? Blue crab to be exact?
This photo captured by Senpai Nadim Bokhari (from New Straits Times) and published  on the same day! *tabiklaaa..!!*
The room - so peaceful also very suitable for honeymooners
The owner of Lamin Dana - but she was not in Mukah at this moment.
Ready to answer some questions...
Ol' school TV....
Desmond Davidson from New Straits Times looks like ready to check in.. hahaha
Sarawak Bloggers Rocks! From left - Hilda (Being Hildalalida), Effadylia (, Senpai Awang Kassim (Kuching's Daily Photo)
You might can't see it but it's actually an old grave (more than 100 years) called 'Kubur Gantung' (Read: Hanging Grave)
A little bit about Kubur Gantung (from the elderly) believe that this tomb was built hanging due to natural disasters in the area such as floods and to avoid the deceased from drifted away so the local residents took the initiative to build the hanging graves. This hanging grave usually made of Belian wood with four columns - 6 feet off the ground.
Restaurant right next to the homestay building
Jerunai (aged more than 200 year old) is a tomb for nobles in the past.
A little info about Jerunai - Jerunai made from a large and mature Belian tree. It is well-known that Belian wood is high durablity. Usually two or three holes will be drilled in the pole of Jerunai. Central hole mainly to place the bodies or bones of the deceased and also other valuable items as 'a supply' in the other world. While the other holes usually were reserved to slaves or those who are specially selected by the deceased during his life <-- they will be hang 'til death once the Jerunai is erected.

On the outside pole of Jerunai usually carved beautifully with animal motifs such as dragons, tigers, snakes, rats or so according to the owner. Similarly, the height Jerunai also represent the position and prestige of the owner. There are also carved with motifs of natural flora or fruit such as pineapple and so forth. Normally, the height is 12 meters to 15 meters. Jerunai can only be done by those who are skilled, strong and high spirits to be qualified to make, carve and erect Jerunai. This work takes about 15 to 30 person and those people must be a Melanau.

Before Jerunai is erected, traditional songs will be sing to be heard to all, then a hole will be dug to accommodate the pole. Before the ceremony uphold Jerunai done, first they will dig a hole as deep as two meters at the determined place and hold a special ritual to bless the spirit of their efforts. A servant will be thrown into the hole where Jerunai will be driven into the ground. At this point, the melancholy atmosphere surrounding the royal family and slaves as wailing and loud cry is heard in the tomb as a symbol of peace to the soul of the deceased come to another world and does not disturb those who are still alive.

*creepy yeah? but very interesting... i wish to learn more about this Jerunai as to-date only left few in Kampung Tellian...*
there still visible carving on this tree
live in the pole now a flock of bats *sleeping*

Just coming back from school
*Janganlah malu...!! hehe*
till that extent??? *Well, creativity is no boundaries*
For you....
We all then having our lunch at the hotel and then it's own leisure activity until 7:30pm.

Around 3:30pm : Walk around the old town for the last time .... At first I decided to strolled solo around Mukah town but meet fellow media (Senpai!!) along the way and joined them instead... Learn lots from them! Funny bunch of guys! *By the way, Thanks for the Teh Tarik & Roti Kawin!!*

Sago Factory Chimney... Look from afar just like a fort
food court famous with ABC (Ais Batu Campur  : Read : Shave Ice )
Both are landmarks for Mukah town
At the old market
Long time didnt see this style of petrol pump....

Looks like they are planning to ditch me... *LOL~!*
Haha... friendly fishmonger...
Blue crab... Blue Prawn!!
'Otai' in photography ahead....

Next to Sago old chimney

healthy recreational activities by local youth
By 7:30pm we were brought to the Department of Information Mukah's office for bbq dinner hosted by Director of Department of  Information Malaysia, Sarawak. *Yay!! I love BBQ!!*

BBQ mood!

Playing games.... *F.Y.I. None of they hearts are broken due to this game.. Ngeehh~!!*
Corny game but real fun watching them gobble it by using just one hand!
the guys seems so ready to go! *Public Announcement : I'm so sorry, Effa - i'm so poor in eating corns from the cob... i usually will scrape with knife.. (with some butter and a little bit salt...*drooling!!*) huhu~*
Ganbatte!! Ngappp!!
Go ladies!!
It's makan time!
Food... food... food...
Unexpectedly good... Amir Hafiz singing a song from the Late Boery Marantika~!! *phewwiitt!*
Same goes to Razali Nordin... *tak sangka eden!*
Selected victims to dance poco - poco (in Anak Kampung version)...
Sadly, both Digital & DSLR cammys batteries drained in the middle of the event... forgot to charge and didnt bring along the charger! *facepalm*

Anyways, after that - karaoke session continue - some are picked randomly... some volunteered to sing and even dance!

Earlier, the MC actually asked every Media to send at least one representative.. We from Sarawak Bloggers still clueless who will be the sacrifice! *LOL!* Although Senpai Awang Kassim already assigned me to go... but i'm so malu *ngeeeehhhh~!!* so i just keep quite and pretend nothing happening.

I thought we were safe when the MC announced that the last agenda is souvenir giveaway by Community leader from Kampung Judan, Mr Jara-ee (on behalf of YB. Dato' Seri Muhammad Leo Toyad, Mukah P. 213's MP *Thank you, Dato' Seri!*)

Thanks to Amir Hafiz and his big mouth.....

........definitely not safe enough...! *LOL!!*

This song goes Sarawak Bloggers & new friends from various media! Taken by Wee Hui Zheng *Thank you!*
Taken by Wee Hui Zheng *Thank you!*
Last snap as sweet memory. Taken from Normala Juatan's facebook

*.:｡✿*ﾟﾟ･✿.｡.:* NTGRAVITY ZONE TRAVELOGUE DAY THREE ENDED *.:｡✿*ﾟﾟ･✿.｡.:*

More photo view [ HERE

NTGravity : Will be my best memoir for 2012 so far!! *(TT__TT)*

You Might Also Like

4 Rants Found

  1. Ada karaoke juak? wah... poco2! nice! love the shots. :p Saw a few of my media friends also went.

  2. ada... i think the other media already 'immune'... hahaha.. selamba jak.. kmkorg from Sarawak Bloggers still shy2... hhahaha

  3. Looks like you guys had a lot of fun there! Good coverage! Now I knw how kuih sepit is made. Wow, the tebaloi was actually manually cut up, I've always thought it's by machine. HAHA! Karaoke! Fun fun fun. :)

    p/s what song did you sing? ahahha

  4. Hi there Lindy...!
    yes so much fun its kind of hard to go home...
    i learn so much about kuih sepit & tebaloi too... BUT actually only participate to nomm nomm part only... lol!

    me sing....? ahhh malu la.... *ngeeeh~<3!

NTGravitians.. you have something to say?
Please do... Thanks~♥!

Award ♥

Thank You to Elyn!

NTGravity @Google+

Stat Counter


text:
Albany Failed to Act on Safe Streets, So de Blasio’s Gotta Do It on His Own

With the Albany session over and legislative leaders failing to advance a bill to add 60 speed cameras in NYC, 2016 is going to be the first full calendar year since 2012 in which the city does not expand its automated speed enforcement program.

Mayor de Blasio and Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg can’t let a disappointing session in Albany spoil progress on street safety.

Advocates put together an impressive coalition for speed cameras, and they’ll be back fighting for a better enforcement program next session. If it wasn’t clear already, though, it is now: New York City has to implement street safety policy as if no help is coming from Albany. If the governor and legislative leaders come through in the future, so much the better. But their political calculus is too obscure and unpredictable to depend on.

The rollout of NYC’s complement of 140 speed cameras coincided with a 22 percent decline in traffic deaths from 2013 to 2015. Without new speed cameras this year, DOT’s street safety programs will have to shoulder more of the load to keep the positive trend going.

Despite a new city budget that grew by $3.6 billion dollars, however, DOT’s street safety programs are not in line for much of a boost. The de Blasio administration failed to budget for the 25 percent increase in funding for low-cost, fast-build street redesigns that the City Council requested in the spring.

It’s not like City Hall is scrounging around for loose change. The administration has set aside $325 million over the next few years for ferries (ferries projected to get fewer riders than the city’s 40th-busiest bus route). And if you think the $2.5 billion BQX streetcar is really going to “pay for itself,” I have a bridge over Newtown Creek to sell you. A budget boost for safe streets was just not a priority.

That leaves one resource the de Blasio administration can draw from to accelerate change on the streets: willpower. DOT may not have more money to spend, but the agency can do more with the money at its disposal if it has a firmer mandate from de Blasio to redesign dangerous streets.

The mayor showed how it’s done last month when he told DOT to go ahead with the second phase of the Queens Boulevard redesign despite opposition from Queens Community Board 4. It helped that there’s broad agreement that Queens Boulevard, as presently designed, is a disaster for the neighborhood, and the project enjoyed the backing of Council Member Dan Dromm. De Blasio probably picked up more votes in 2017 because he took a stand than if he had let DOT back down.

There are plenty of other projects where the administration should follow through on the mayor’s assertion last December that “community boards don’t get to decide” whether to move ahead with street safety projects.

The next one that could use a firm push is the redesign of 111th Street in Queens. Mothers in Corona are fighting for a safer route to Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Council Member Julissa Ferreras has backed the project. Only obstinate Community Board 4 and State Senator Francisco Moya stand in the way. If the mayor lets a solo Albany malcontent override residents who are marching in the street for safer walking and biking, the city’s Vision Zero goals don’t stand a chance.

Then there’s the new priority emerging on 14th Street, where de Blasio can deliver a legacy-defining street transformation. The impending L train shutdown is creating unprecedented political momentum for reallocating street space to the most efficient modes of travel. To keep New Yorkers moving while the subway is out of commission, DOT will have to take steps to prioritize transit, biking, and walking on 14th Street that it hasn’t taken anywhere else.

New York has too many streets like 14th — wide, two-way arterials that DOT’s 2010 Pedestrian Safety Study identified as exceptionally dangerous for pedestrians. Show how a street like that can function as a car-free thoroughfare with fast, reliable transit and safe bicycling and walking, and you’ll open up new possibilities for the rest of New York’s street network.

  • Vooch

    Instant School Safety

    1) Speed Cameras ( no enforcement ) just a advisory letter
    2) Close Street in front of most schools during school days

  • Let us not forget that DOT controls signals . They have at their finger tips the opportunity to bring everyone to 15 mph and to prevent conflicts between turning cars and pedestrians .

    Per the pedestrian plan , There are 300 intersections were the DOT could implement safety features starting with the most dangerous – communities are clamoring for those pedestrians enhancements.
    As far as redoing corridors , it would be more popular with communities if DOT was proposing measurable improvements on safety: On the 6th avenue bike lane their design is not addressing intersections that account for 55% of crashes

    on 57 and 8th avenues, which was the most dangerous intersection in new york from 2009 to 2012 , the big safety improvement was to print ” look” on the ground for pedestrians !

    If DOT was truly prioritizing pedestrian safety when they redo a corridor there would be less opposition.

  • Joe R.

    Parking is completely under NYC’s control. Reducing the supply of it by daylighting all intersections, and making more bus lanes/bike lanes/loading zones is the first thing to do. Charging market rates for what curbside parking remains is the second thing to do. Reducing parking will make driving less attractive. This in turn will reduce the number of vehicles on the streets even without congestion charges.