How to fix Disneyland Paris: Part 2

Disneyland Park

Phase 2

1 – What the park would need next is actual new rides. The cheapest way is to make use of pre-built buildings. With the new Star Wars films on their way the park can’t wait too long to make the most of the films. Stars Tours 2 is already coming but with Discoveryland Theatre just showing 10 minute Ant-Man previews this building needs to be used better. A new Star Wars ride would be an easy choice. With Star Wars lands just be announced there are already rides being developed, what they will be exactly we don’t know. My idea would be a dual track ride will similar technology to the new Tron ride destined for Shanghai but with light guns being added and the two tracks battling around the Death Star. Letting the queue use guns to fire at the cars would also add an interactively that’s being seen in other Disney Park’s queues.

2 – Creating a Star Wars bank of attractions along the back of Discoveryland would leave Pizza Planet out of place, a relocation to the Studios Park could work but for the Phase 2 this would be turned into the Cantina famously shown in the original film.

3 – The studios park needs changing, to facilitate that the main park would benefit from some transfers. Switching to the other side of the park, there would be one initial change. This would be the addition of a slightly re-themed Magic Carpets ride removed from the Studios Park. This would now be placed between the Hakuna Matata restaurant and Agrabah Café with the exit going into the shops opposite Agrabah Café.

4 – The last part of Phase 2 would be to make the most of a film we already know will be on the way, Frozen 2. With a small Arendelle area already built by the Chaparral Theatre, behind Arendelle would be a Frozen dark ride. Based on the stories of the two films and told by the rock trolls and the addition of some amusing brief songs. Imagine brief chunks from “A bit of a fixer upper” from the original film. 3D glasses merged with animatronics could bring some variety to the troll’s movement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walt Disney Studios

Phase 2

1 – In the centre of the park a new land would include the Art of Animation, Walt’s Way. Outside Tower of Terror would be a reimagining of the soon to be closed One Man’s Dream from Florida. A video would show the history of Disney parks, another room would be a recreation of Walt’s original office, a third would be the test studio where actors playing the Sherman brothers would show creating songs. Imagine live scenes from Saving Mr Banks and you’d have the right idea.

2 – The final part of Walt’s Way would sit on the current Tram Tour loading site. Walt Disney would say “remember it all started with a mouse”, strangely there is a lack of Mickey rides. Here would be a Mickey ride, using a combination of 3D and animatronics, this dark water ride would be a cross over between the classic “Steamboat Willie” and recent short “Get a horse”.

3 – The other half of the park is the least themed of all, changes over the years have made this even less themed. This half will now focus solely on live action. With Cinemagique remaining and covering a lot of films, and a Tower of Terror film on the horizon this area is already started. Armageddon has needed replacing for a while and Toy Story Mania has been extremely popular in the states but a fifth Toy Story ride would really be a step too far. What do appear to be rejuvenated is the Muppets, two recent films and a new TV Show. Muppets Mayhem would be a re-themed version of Toy Story Mania.

 

How to fix Disneyland Paris: Part 1

The title of this article may seem like I’m about to slag off Disneyland Paris but that’s not what I want to do. I’ve been to the park for what must for 30+ holidays now and keep going back. There is a lot to love about Paris and it’s version of the Magic Kingdom and castle are the best designed in the world. With the recent cash injection and refurbishments it should soon be back to its best. Financial problems have caused the parks problems and led to missteps in the overall progress of the park. There was no doubt a master plan before anything was built but it’s clear that it hasn’t been possible for it to be followed. Space Mountain is an obvious example as well as the announced Beauty and the Beast and Little Mermaid rides which have never appeared. So with some of the financial issues on hold or in the past how do the parks get back on track.

Disneyland Park

Since opening 4 rides have been added to the park and 2 others have been replaced. Coming up to its 25^th year, that is an incredibly small amount. Indiana Jones was added to Adventureland. The dual combo of Casey Jr and a small boat ride come to Fantasyland which also lost the Old Mill. Space Mountain came to Discoveryland while Buzz replaced Visionarium. Captain EO and Honey I shrunk the audience traded places with both now gone. The Aladdin and Nautilus walkthroughs were also added. Since its 1992 opening that is all. One look at the park on Google Earth and the space for expansion becomes quite clear yet all that is currently announced is Star Tours becoming Star Tours 2, some extract characters to Pirates of the Caribbean and a refresh of Peter Pan, Big Thunder Mountain and It’s a Small World.

So here’s what I would do.

Phase 1

Reimagining older rides is a cheap way to give a new life to an ageing ride. Star Tours is a prime example, Big Thunder Mountain’s doesn’t appear to go far enough but you could argue these are already rides that draw the crowds. I’m assuming all the announced changes still happen.

1 – Its a small world is already getting new dolls and a paint job and “some Disney magic”. In Phase 1 I would see a new name, the reason will become clear. Inside most of the dolls would be removed and replaced by Disney characters set in their homeland. Imagine London with Peter Pan and 101 Dalmatians merging into the country side with Alice in Wonderland before finding Robin Hood in the Forest. You’d find Baymax between the USA and Japan, Oliver in the USA, Pinocchio in Italy, Snow White in Germany, Stitch in Hawaii etc… Forgotten and well used characters all coming together, always something new to spot and a ride that can constantly add new characters with the new film slate. This would be under the new name of It’s a Small Disney World.

2 – Next up would be Discoveryland. Autopia has been getting a bit tired for a while and looking very dated, the cars don’t feel futuristic or have the stunning Steampunk style of Space Mountain. It’s also in a land lacking in Disney. Only Buzz exists which I still view as Pixar not true Disney. It’s not a hard guess for what would be a good makeover for Autopia. Wreck-it-Ralph. A slight re-theme of the queue into Game Central Station and the rest of the ride into Sugar Rush. Adding Venelope’s home to drive through would be a great extra touch too.

3 – Third would be a restaurant change. I loved Lucky Nugget Saloon and its shows when I was younger. It now feels like a lost gem of days gone by. A film massive underused is Tangled. The Snuggly Duckling pub shown early in the film would be used to bring music back to the bar too with classic Disney pub songs. Think “I have a dream” from Tangled as the big number but being in France you couldn’t leave out “Gaston” and even “Everybody wants to be a cat” could work too.

4 – The final Phase 1 change is to Le Pays des Contes de Fées and probably the cheapest of all. The removal of Peter and the Wolf which seems a bit out of place with the other bit Disney hits in this ride. That leaves a large snow covered area which obviously would have Frozen added to it. Elsa’s ice castle, Marshmallow and models of the main characters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walt Disney Studios

The Disneyland Park had a lot going for it when it opened, the Studios Park has had issues from day.  Criticised for a lack of rides and doing things on the cheap but this park arguably has two of the best rest in any Disney park, Crush’s Coaster and Ratatouille. Aerosmith and Tower of Terror are also right up there. What the park has lacked most of all is a really identity; where the main park as well defined lands and clear themes, even with the odd misstep, this park feels a bit cobbled together.

Phase 1

1 – Let’s get the lands sorted. The right hand side of the park has become almost a Pixar land already with more Pixar films covered in this park than any other single park. The first two phases solidify this area as Pixar Place. First is Animagique, already scheduled for changes anyway, an update to focus on Pixar would fit right in. Inside out seems a great fit with Animagique’s styling.

2 – The Tram Tour is also scheduled for updates, three new scenes. I don’t believe it’s clear if these are replacements or additions. I’m assuming replacements. First up is Reign if Fire in London, this would be updated to be a Syndrome attack on the city with the Incredibles also added. Next is the Catastrophe Canyon, this is already expected to get a Cars overhaul. The final one is Dinotopia. To complete my trio this would become rubbish towers will an actual Wall-e roaming around. The entrance would be moved to between the Ratatouille restaurant and RC Racer. You would board the redecorated “Thought Train” to see “Pixar Comes Alive”.

PlayStation 4 reveal tomorrow – What can we expect?

Tomorrow marks a very important day in the world of video games. Sony are hosting a PlayStation meeting, only the third in 10 years. The last two were to announce the PS3 and then in 2011 the NGP (now called the PS Vita). The 20th February 2013 will certainly be the announcement of the next home PlayStation console.

This will almost certainly be called the PlayStation 4, or maybe just PS4. Forget names like Orbis that have been knocking around, Sony aren’t going to drop probably the best known name in games. So what else can we expect?

Controller
There will be a new controller. Prototypes that have been leaked already show a light bar in between the triggers which use PlayStation Move technology, a multi-touch pad (possibly even a screen) in between the PlayStation and direction buttons, a speaker (or microphone) and even a socket at the base most likely for headphones. There also appears to be amended triggers and analogue sticks which should be more comfortable. How much of this actually makes it in to the final version is still a guessing game as Sony did announce the “boomerang” controller for the PS3 which was swiftly dropped after negative feedback. This time Sony themselves may even have aided the leaks in order to get a feel for gamers and press reaction before officially showing it off. What is certain is that the touch pad and Move will feature somewhere.

PlayStation Move
Sony spent a lot of money developing this (and the EyeToy before it) so a evolution of Move will be coming. It’s widely expect that The PlayStation Eye will be upgraded to something closer to Kinects abilities but the Move will still feature as well. This could be in the main controller but I would be surprised if the Move controller was dropped completely, it was probably the most comfortable controller ever made. What I also expect is that you won’t be able to buy a PS4 without some sort of Move accessory being included in the box. Forcing it into the hands of gamers means more games can use it with the vastly bigger pool of potential sales.

Backwards Compatibility
PS1 games and maybe even PS2 games will be backwards compatible. PS3 games are unlikely to be, on disc anyway. I would be keen to see two models released, one with and one without PS3 compatibility. There would be a cost involved in this as essentially the PS3 innards would need to be in the PS4 as well. The most likely outcome is the ability to stream PS3 games straight to the console. This leads us on the what will potentially be ground breaking in the console world

Gaikai
This is the cloud gaming company Sony bought not long ago (the main rival to On Live). This is be included somewhere in the PS4. With PS3 games it is possible that inserting the disc will allow you to play the game through online cloud streaming. The other possibility is that a subscription will allow you access to games streamed to your console. How they manage what games you can play and how much it will cost will be a big question. I can’t see them opening up every PS3 game for a fixed monthly price, but it maybe how you access all your PS3 PlayStation Plus games if they won’t run on the PS4 directly. What would shock everyone if the PS4 was essentially a just streaming box, it would probably back fire. It’s just too soon for that.

PlayStation Plus
This isn’t going anywhere. Gaikai could be a PlayStation Plus Premium service. With the value already offered I can’t see Sony being able to include it for free. Plus really has been a great idea from Sony and something Microsoft and Nintendo haven’t managed to match. This isn’t even something you’re find on Andoird, iOS or Steam. This, with Gaikai, puts a PS4 ahead of the competition early doors.

PS Vita
The Vita has been flagging a little bit, mainly due to third-party support, so any chance to give it a boost should be taken. Firstly this can done by expanding the LBP Vita connectivity into other games and taking a leaf out of the Wii U book. It could also bring Gaikai to the Vita as well. It maybe we see new Vita games and a price cut. I’m hoping there is some truly innovative stuff involving the PS4 and Vita working together. Cross-play could be a big player too.

Games
This is the bit that really matters. You can have the best console ever made but without the games it’s worthless. So these are the games we could see unveiled for the first time, I don’t expect all of them but any game reveal is probably in this list somewhere.

Killzone 4 – this is coming and we made see it for the first time tomorrow. Some sort of link the Mercenaries for the Vita (out in September is also possible)
A new racing game – from the creators of Motorstorm a new racer is in the works. Motorstorm will be given a rest and the the WipEout team now gone Sony need a new racer for launch. Gran Turismo will probably have some small tech demo to download but a full release is unlikely to be in the launch window.
LittleBigPlanet – It’s well-known another game is in the works but not at its original developer Media Molecule. Where do they go from LBP 2? Who knows but the suggestion I read about a LittleBigUniverse game sounds promising and in Sackboy Sony finally have a mascot that can survive a generation change.
Agent – there will be a surprise or two tomorrow. This would be right up there. The GTA creators PlayStation exclusive hasn’t been heard of for years. Tomorrow would really be a good time to show something
The Last Guardian – a game in danger of becoming the vapor ware has been tipped for a while to have been moved to the PS4. Development issues have prevented its PS3 completion. The improved PS4 hardware could help see this game finally finished.
Ratchet & Clank – Insomniac delivered Resistance at launch and Ratchet a few months later on the PS3. As they’ve move on from Resistance a Ratchet game looks likely. Q-Force was surely just a stop-gap so the engine could be upgraded for the PS4
Resistance – it’s not with Insomniac any more but surely Sony has someone at work on it
Destiny – wouldn’t Sony love to show something exclusive for the PS4 from Halo developers Bungie. We know it’s coming to PS3 and Xbox 360 but with code on their website pointing to next-gen and Vita releases something Vita/PS4 specific could be a focal point for an announcement
David Cage game – the man behind Heavy Rain apparently already knows his next few games and with Beyond expected to be released this year on the PS3 Quantic Dream could well be at work on a PS4 game. As they have registered the website for Singularity it maybe in preparation for a reveal
Suckerpunch new IP – the makers of Infamous and Sly Cooper are working on something new and new exciting IP are needed for a new console so they may have something to show
Infamous 3 – did Cole die at the end or is there a new story to tell? Someone somewhere must be working on a follow-up to the popular IP.
Sports Champions 3 – if Move is still important then there must be some Move games. The Sport Champions series has been the best for Move so expect a third installment
Wonderbook – more from wonderbook, probably from Disney. We know they’ve signed up and it looks like Toy Story and the Muppets are on their way
EyePet on the Move – EyePet isn’t on the Vita yet so a Move/Vita PS4 combination would be a family focused opportunity
Ready at Dawn new IP – the team behind the PSP God of War games have something of their own up their sleeves
Uncharted 4 – a Vita launch title and much-loved by everyone. Naughty Dog have two teams now so what is the one not making The Last of Us doing? Uncharted 4 surely.

There are still more I could list; the resurrection of old IP like Syphon Filter, new exclusives like Kingdom Hearts 3, changes of platform from PS3 like FFXIII Verses or even taking exclusives from others like an Alan Wake sequel and more new IP. Don’t forget the usual crowd as well; Call of Duty, Fifa, Assassin’s Creed and already announced new IP in Star Wars 1313 and Watch Dogs. I’m also hoping for those games Sony put on hold a while back, like The Getaway and 8 Days, come back. I may be asking a lot there. What is certain is that Sony have a lot of developers, established IP and new IP that if the PS4 is done right they will be hard to stop no mater how many tablets and phones people buy. Let’s not forget the PS3 isn’t dead yet and God of War Ascension, Beyond, Last of Us, Sly Cooper 4, Diggs Nightcrawler, Rain, puppeteer and Unitl Dawn are all due on out exclusively this year.

2013 Games – What to look out for

Getting hyped up for some games for me is like getting hyped up about a new McDonald’s opening. The building might look slightly different and it might be in a different location but nothing has really changed. You like the odd dip in but really if anything better was on offer you’d go for that. That’s why certain games don’t appear in this list. I’m sure they’ll sell loads but these are also the games killing the industry as more clever and inventive games suffer. Rant over. In no particular order here are my top games expected in 2013.

1. The last of us (PS3)

It’s Naughty Dog, famed for the PS1 Crash Bandicoot games, PS2 Jak and Daxter games and the Uncharted games on the PS3. They don’t really do bad games and this is their first stab at a fully adult title. They do good story telling, voice acting and motion capture and are the reason why Nolan North (Drake) is now a household name to those with any real focus on gaming. The last of us is set in a world torn apart by a deadly outbreak. Visually it looks like the recent TV series Revolution. The action is gritty. You use what you can to survive. This maybe the last swan song for the PS3 and there’s no one better to leave it to.

2. Beyond: Two souls (PS3)

…apart from maybe Quantic Dream. They don’t make games like anyone else; they’ve almost carved out a genre for themselves. The interactive movie. They love emotion and, like Naught Dog, storytelling. Their last game, Heavy Rain, was almost an experiment and though it wasn’t perfect it engaged with people because it was different. This time they’ve got some heavy weight actors involved, in the lead role is Ellen Page (Juno, Inception). The game looks like a supernatural thriller, much of which is a closely guarded secret but if their recent tech demo (Kara) is anything to go by they could be about to pull off something special. At the very least you’ll need to give this a go.

3. Tomb Raider (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

The queen, or now former queen of games is back. Reboots don’t always go well but since Uncharted enter the scene Lara has seen very outdated and the flaws in the games have been drastically exposed. This is Lara before she became the Lara we’ve known for so long. Yes, this has been tried before with Tomb Raider but Crystal Dynamics have gone down a different rough. What appears to be a late teens/early 20’s Lara becomes ship wrecked and survival is very much a key aspect. This really is a new Lara and a new Tomb Raider. The original trailer blew everyone away, partly due to low expectations but even over a year on this looks like a possible game of the year though I’ve already mentioned two strong contenders.

4. Rain (PSN/PS3)

The PlayStation Network has been home to some real gems in recent years. Games that most developers and platforms wouldn’t risk. 2012’s Journey and Unfinished Swan being two perfect examples. This year a trailer was shown for a new game, Rain. An invisible boy who can only be seen through the footprints, splashes and rain. Visually the game will have a look and feel like very few before it. Where this all leads to in the game is unknown at present as little information is about but the general concept makes this look like a game well worth keeping an eye on.

5. Killzone Mercenary (Vita)

Hopefully this will be third time lucky with first person shooters on the Vita. With the control layout the Vita should be the portable console of choice but you hear people talk about a 5 month development period for something like COD: Declassified you can see why the games aren’t up to scratch. This is different though, the developer (one of the best in the business) behind the main trilogy is working on this. The focus seems to be on being pick up and play, you’ll get to play on both sides as well. Imagine Unit 13 in first person mode with Helghast and you’ll have a good idea. The PSP game wasn’t bad so hopefully the Vita one will be as good as the move from the PSP to Vita versions of Assassins Creed. Unfortunately it work so well for Resistance with the PSP game probably the best in the series.

6. Tearaway (Vita)

This isn’t just the only big new IP we know about for the Vita next year but it’s also the new IP from Media Molecule. Their first non-Sackboy game. There are lots of reasons to be hopefully, it appears to have the charm of LBP (though not of Sackboy but how can you match that). LBP focused on fabric and an array of materials, tearaway is all about paper. We still don’t know too much but there are three easy reasons to be interested and excited. New IP, Vita exclusive, Media Molecule.

7. Star Wars 1313 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

Star Wars without the force and possible without Jedi. When you say it like that it sounds awful but then there aren’t a great deal of good Star Wars games. In 1313 you play a bounty hunter and play in the dark world in between the Jedi and the Sith. This game won’t be so held back by Star Wars continuity issues and can forge its own saga which can only be a good thing. This game won’t stop us wanting Battlefront 3 to be finished and released though.

8. Remember Me (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

Remember Me is a new IP, which seems to a rarity for anyone outside of a Sony exclusive this late in the console cycle. Capcom are behind the action adventure where you play an elite memory hunter who can break into people’s minds and steal or alter memories. You character has her memory wiped and you must rediscover her identity. Sounds good to me.

9. Until Dawn (PS3)

It seems like every year we say that could be the game for Move. We’ll this is one of two in my list. This is basically a teen horror film turned into a game, but a game that very much knows what it is and isn’t taking itself too seriously. This could be your Final Destination sort of horror, jumps and laughs. This game is genuinely intriguing and it’s with a developer that knows their way around a move controller. I would expect this to be a 15+ so this certainly won’t be a kids game, but I doubt it’ll be Dead Space either. The game follows a group of teenagers who plan to stay in a cabin in the woods and then things start to go bump in the night and people end up dead. Simples.

10. Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (PS3, Vita)

This really should have been out in 2012. I don’t know if the release window was too packed or there was some last-minute tweaking to be done as they could have (like Ratchet & Clank) released one version pre-Christmas and one post. This is the first new Sly since the PS2 and comes with the Vita version bundled with it. You can even use the Vita as a tool for investigating in the PS3 version. It’s a classic Sly Cooper platform game and a nice break from only having Ratchet & Clank every year (even though they are decent games). The game in games is probably what makes this most interesting, the developer has changed since Suckerpunch have moved onto Infamous but by all accounts the new guys in charge have done a good job.

11. Diggs Nightcrawler (PS3/Wonderbook)

Wonderbook isn’t just a kids toy for Harry Potter fans, there is lots of content around the corner including Disney and Walking with dinosaurs but this is the one that stands out at the moment. It’s a comic noir detective game using Move and Wonderbook. It’s written by Oscar winners Moonbot and is potential the perfect game to play with kids. There seems to be a point click adventure element to the game, in my head I’m picturing Lucas Arts doing Wonderbook Monkey Island (that would be great), it’s not quite that but this could be something quite unique and fun in 2013.

12. Mirrors Edge 2 (PS3, Xbox 360)

We’ve been waiting for the return of Faith for some time. This year there seemed to be some signs of Mirrors Edge 2 actually being in development. With several years passing since the last (back when Dead Space 1 released) hopefully a few lessons have been learned. The first was fresh and the gap may have preserved some of that but we’re hoping for it to reach the next level and develop the story arc. A first person game where you’re encouraged not to use guns is completely against the industry standard and much like the rest of the games in the list manages to stand out from the crowd.

13. Thief 4 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

I’m really hoping this is out in 2013. I loved the thief games, a great balance of stealth and attack through different ages where you could take out lights with a water arrow and the need to hide dead bodies so not to be detected. I’m don’t think Metal Gear Solid even got close to this level of stealth and with such a long gap since 3 I’m eager to get my hands on a new game.

14. Watch Dogs (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

Watch Dogs was the talk of E3 in 2012. It’s a third person open world game where cities are controlled by computers. Think iRobot crossed with GTA and Assassins Creed and you’ve probably got a good idea. There is still a feeling that this is a next gen game and could launch with new consoles in 2013. Of course this may not even make 2013.

15. Oddworld: Abe’s Odyssey New N’ Tasty (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

It’s new Oddworld, or possible a reimagined Abe’s Odyssey. Either way it’ll be great to see Abe strutting his stuff again. Oddworld fell away from much of the public by going exclusive to the original Xbox which struggled to capture a big audience compared to the 150 million selling PS2. Abe made his name on the PS1 and by the look of the recent HD upgrades we could be looking at another classic Abe adventure.

England Review (vs France)

There are a few simple works to describe England’s performance against France, words rarely attributed to England, disciplined, professional, solid etc… England did not create much or have much possession but contrary to what the likes of Barcelona and Spain will have you believe, that doesn’t win you matches. It can help but at the end of the day it’s about scoring goals. Barcelona are one of the least clinical sides I’ve seen for a while.

England against France were relatively clinical. England had two real chances (and the odd pop shot from distance). Milner’s weak attempt after taking the ball past the keeper and the header Lescott scored from 6 yards out. France on the other hand had one, a point plank header which Hart saved. Defensively France created almost nothing due to the excellent performance from England in defence, one slip from midfield duo of Gerrard and Parker cost them as they left their men (Ribery & Nasir) to create a goal from outside the box. If England keep this up they will be hard to beat. It’s very rare a team wins anything without a good defence. Spain averaged only one goal a game while winning the last world cup and conceded only two.

The big surprises at the back were Hart and Glen Johnson. Johnson had one of his best games a long time but Hart looked nervous in his first tournament game for England. Lescott played a lot better than I expected though Jegielka would still be my choice in along side Terry. The midfield was probably the biggest disappointment. Parker through his body in the way of everything but left Ribery along to set up the France goal and was poor in possession. The creativity needs to start with the centre of midfield and it can’t all rest on Gerrard’s shoulders. They are the link up play to the wingers and forwards but it never really happened. Milner saw more of the ball, should have at least hit the target or squared the ball when past the keeper and provided only one decent cross in the game but was England’s main outlet in the game. He has been criticised by many fans after the game but without him England would have been even less toothless and wouldn’t have had the free kick he won for the goal.

Oxlaide-Chamberlin looked out of his depth; he’s young and will get better and showed some quick feet but struggled to get into the game and find his team mates with ball. I can’t recall a single cross from him which from a winger is woeful. Young saw more of the ball out wide when he switched. There is certainly a case for switching them over but Rooney will take the position behind the striker when he returns from suspension. Welbeck and Young received almost no service, with Gerrard the main distributor of the ball it was easy for France to cut off potential passes leaving Parker free to collect the ball and then give it away.

England will need to create more if they are going to win games as they won’t keep up this clinical finishing as the tournament progresses but they will be hard to beat at the back.

With Sweden tonight it appears Carroll will start in place of Chamberlain. Not a bad call, Young should see more of the ball out wide where he can run at defenders. Carroll can hold up the ball and offers something different to Welbeck. The lack of height upfront against France restricted the options with crosses and Carroll will be an easier target to find on counter attacks. He also offers that extra height defensively against a Sweden side strong in the air.

I would still like to see a little more in the way of changes. Parker isn’t full fit and his distribution was poor and Milner isn’t really a winger, moving Milner inside for Parker and placing the pace of Walcott on the wing would aid England’s attacking options and creativity. Chamberlin could be an impact substitute later in the game. England may also want to take a look at the Italy team. Packing the midfield with five which staying strong at the back with three centre backs. It also allows you to keep more striking options on the pitch. Italy have already shown how good it can be against the Spanish.

Euro 2012 – Week 1 Review

As expected, when big teams face each other in tournament football it is very rarely worth watching. It’s no surprise that most of the goals came in the weakest group at the tournament. Big question will also will be asked of Mr Wenger after Arshavin produced a performance that Arsenal haven’t seem in a long time. Many teams under performed in week 1 most notably the Netherlands in front on goal, with 30 goal man Van Persie unrecognisable. The Irish were uncharacteristically sloppy at the back, Spain’s failure to create chances with 6 midfielders on the pitch showed how big a miss Villa is, Sweden in general were poor and the failure of Portugal to have a go until 15 minutes from time was truly frustrating.

Away from the negativity there were some nice surprises, Italy coming off the back of poor form and another scandal look very capable again in a game against Spain they really should have won. Denmark showed why they topped their group in qualifying (which included Portugal) but had Netherlands brought their shooting boots it could have ended differently. When Portugal did get going they showed why they could still make it out of the group of death. Ukraine started slowly but managed to provided us with a very entertaining second half can could yet pull a surprise on both France and England.

If there was one thing to come out of week one it is that the top sides do not have the best defences. Germany, Holland, Spain, France etc.. all showed that teams can get at them and they will give away chances to score goals.

My run down team by team:

Excellent
Italy – The looked strong at the back until Torres came on and created enough very good chances to have won against the world champions and current holders. If they can be a little more clinical they could win it. What they have shown is you can take the game to the Spanish and get some joy. 9/10
Russia – Took apart a Czech side that was poor, but you can only beat what is in front of you. They must surely progress through the group but with the group of death awaiting them that may be as far they go. 9/10

Good
Denmark – They took their chance when it came and through bodies in the way when it matter and came away with a great result but on another day Holland would have won comfortably. Their defence was exposed at times and better shooting would have punished them. Denmark grew into the game and showed there is more to them. They will have a big say in their group and weren’t far off their best. 7/10
Ukraine – Conceding was the best thing to happen to them but they did rely heavily on the great movement of Shevchenko. They sat back deeper and deeper and better finishing would have given Sweden a draw. The crowd give them a lit but you have to wonder if they’ll offer much if Shevchenko gets injured. 7/10

Okay
England – They were as good as we could really have hoped, strong defensively and made sure their only shot on target counted. Playing one of the favourites minus the likes of Lampard, Barry, Cahill, Rooney etc… a draw was a very good result. The heat didn’t help them but England look hard to beat. The fear is they will draw games and not win them but its a solid base for a new management team to build on only 6 weeks into the job. 7/10
Croatia – Ireland were poor and Croatia were able to show they were a class about them but a lot of big things went their way. The third goal was cruel on Given, the second could have been flagged offside and the Iriish should have had a penalty. They also gifted them too many free headers in the box. The likes of Modric had their moments but they will need to up their game to get out of the group. 6/10

Average
Poland – If they’d taken their chances then Greece would have lost the game even if Greece had rightly be allowed to play with 11 men but like Greece they only turned up for 45 minutes. With the help of the home support more would have been expected but being so lowly ranked a draw against Greece was a good result. 6/10
Greece – They were poor first half and those yellow cards were ridiculous but they probably sparked a bit of life into them. Against the odds they got back into it and should have won it in the end. They don’t score many goals and more of their defence is expected. They will fear what Russia can do to it. 6/10

Disappointing
Portugal – The most frustrating team of the tournament. They played very negatively and still hit the bar, had that gone in the game could have been very different. When they went behind they went for it and showed they could have beaten Germany had they been more positive. The failure to get Ronaldo on the ball more hurt them as well. Germany didn’t create much as Portugal weren’t bad at the back but they always find a way. 6/10
Holland – Far too casual, they turned up expecting to win and ended up over playing, failing to hit the target and have shown they do not have the greatest of defences. If they created those sort of chances again then they must surely put something away. 6/10
Germany – They won their first match which what they wanted but they could have lost it. They created little and have the bar to thank for their clean sheet. They never really troubled Portugal at the back but capitalised well on just about their only notable chance. In they end they scrapped a win over the lowest ranked team in their group. As one of the favourites a lot more was expected of them. 5/10
Spain – If they’d had the build up play of Holland they could have cruised to victory but playing without a striker they created so little. Italy exposed their defence and should have won. Had Torres started he would surely have got a goal with the number of chances he had in his short space of time on the pitch. Barcelona have Messi and Villa to fall back on and even they struggled against a good defence, Spain have neither and showed why they lost to England in the last 12 months. 5/10
France – A team who were 21 games unbeaten struggled to create much of note against an under strength England, with the talent they have they should have done a lot more. Some people’s favourites to win look like they will struggle against any half decent defence. 5/10

Poor
Ireland – Their strong defence departed them against Croatia but they will rightly feel that despite their poor showing other officials would have allowed them to come away with a draw. The second goal could have been awarded offside in the same way the French were flagged offside against England and Keane should have had a penalty. They had no luck on the night but they lacked imagination the midfield, Andrews missed too many chances and the Irish will be questioning why Hoolahan wasn’t called up. 2/10
Sweden – showed glimpses at the end that might be able to score but it was more down to Ukraine letting them back in. This isn’t the Sweden we expected to turn up. 2/10
Czech Republic – They might still make it out of their group but the way Russia pulled them apart will be a worry. They’re not the team they were but they were simply woeful. 0/10

To clarify my scoring:
Did Greece play better than Spain? No, but they performed to a level far closer to their capabilities which is why I scored Spain, Germany, France etc.. so lowly.

England Squad Part 2

With the goalkeepers and defence selected here are my midfield and strikers.

Midfield
For me Gerrard is the first name on the team sheet when fit. It’s a choice between him and Lampard but for me it’s Gerrard for two main reasons. The first is that the captain’s armband makes him a better person and second is that he can pull something out of nowhere. Lampard would be his back up. Alongside those you’d need some more defence minded players. My pick would Parker if fit and the Barry as a backup. Both have had great seasons, neither have really cut it internationally but there isn’t another Englishman who has that can realistically be selected. Scholes showed against Man City why any recall has come too late in his career now and Carrick has had his chances. Out wide I would look a mixture of pace, quality delivery and the option to have a more defence minded midfield. Taking that into consideration I would select Young for pace and delivery, Milner for delivery and his defensive side, Walcott for raw pace and a striking option and finally Adam Johnson who has an extra spark about him. Lennon could have gone in instead of Walcott but he has had injury issues this season and doesn’t offer the goal scoring option up front that Walcott can. Oxlade-Chamberlin is raw and has pace and had a great game against Milan but he has still disappeared in many games (like Arsenal’s seemingly must win game against Norwich recently). Blooding him in the Olympics would be a better option this summer. Downing with zero gaols and assists isn’t really an option and Premier League debutant Pilkington’s 8 goals and ability to cross well with both feet would make him a good backup (and he is still under 25), Scott Sinclair would be another on the fringes.

Strikers
Despite a lack of competition goals at international level Rooney would still need to go, that lack of goal scorers means he is a gamble that must be taken. Crouch would be second on the list, his goal rate for England is exceptional and he’s had another solid season this year at yet another club, he seems to score where ever he goes. His goal against Man City is another example of how underrated he is. After that it is a little harder. Sturridge started the season well but has since been played out wide where his goals and contribution have dried up. Welbeck gets plenty of chances at Man United but his goal tally is poor in comparison. At teams like Chelsea and Man United these players need to be hitting 18+ league goals, Welbeck hasn’t been moved out of position and has less of an excuse. Carroll has had about 3 good games in 12 months, simply not good enough. Defoe is an option, a lack of first team football hasn’t stopped him coming off the bench and picking up a few goals making him a useful sub. Personally my preference would be at least one of the less fashionable strikers. Scoring goals at mid-table teams is harder which is why I would be going for Holt or Graham. Graham is slightly younger but Holt has more goals and suits England’s style more. Bent isn’t an option; he’s been out for too long and didn’t even make the bench on the last day of the season. My 4 would be Rooney, Crouch, Defoe and Holt with Sturridge as a reserve.

Squad
Hart, Ruddy, Forster
Cole, Baines, Terry, Cahill, Jagielka, Jones, Walker, Johnson
Gerrard, Lampard, Parker, Barry, Milner, Walcott, Young, Johnson
Rooney, Crouch, Defoe, Holt

England Squad Part 1

The England squad is announced tomorrow and just about everyone had their own thoughts on who should and shouldn’t go to the Euros. Quick simply here are my thoughts.

There is one big decision first, what are England planning for at the Euros, win it or blood the youngsters. Hodgson had already admitted he feels England are too big a nation not to try to win it and the recent two friendlies have shown exactly why. The win against Spain is the perfect example of the performance that will be needed, it may not be pretty but it’s results that matter. The Holland game showed how far the England youngsters are from being good enough. Add to that players like Wilshire and Rodwell being injured there just aren’t enough youngsters to go to this tournament.

With that out of the way let’s look at the squad.

Goalkeeper
Joe Hart is an easy choice, after that anyone one of 4 could go. Robinson and Foster are still retired so they won’t. Green hasn’t lit up the championship and neither did Stockdale. Carson had also had his chance and failed. My picks would be to young keepers who ate playing regularly. Ruddy at Norwich is easy bring the only other keeper playing regular premier league football. The other is current Celtic number 1 Fraser Forster who has had an excellent 3 years.

Defenders
For me the Chelsea defence has to go and be first choice, the Barcelona home game demonstrating exactly what they offer. Cahill is also a future England captain. So that’s Cahill, Terry and Cole. Baines in the obvious backup for Cole. His team mate at Everton, Jagielka, has to go too. He had been almost faultless for England and has great versatility. That leaves one centre back spot. For me Lescott is too error prone as he had shown for England and nearly costing City the championship. Ferdinand has an injury issue that can’t be overlooked and it appears only one of him and Terry can go. That leaves Phil Jones to slot in as cover and earn good experience for the future. Right back could pick itself if Walker can’t recovery in time but otherwise he had to go along side Johnson. There is little to pick between Johnson and Richards except Johnson’s vast international experience.

I’ll look at the midfield and strikers later.

Best of 2011: TV

Here’s the start of the end of year review/awards that you always get. First up is a run down of the best TV shows and performances in 2011. Naturally I couldn’t include anything I haven’t seen, so no Downton Abbey, Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones etc…

UK TV Programme of the Year: Black Mirror
Charlie Brooker’s twisted look on the world right now stood out like a sore thumb from everything else on TV this year. Black Mirror was in was in some was uncomfortable viewing mainly due to it showing things that most of us would happily ignore. With only three episodes made it meant it never out-stayed its welcome.

Honorable mention: Doctor Who, Spooks
Look out for in 2012: Sherlock, Nemesis
Series two of Sherlock will be an instant hit if it’s anywhere near a good as the first. Nemesis is a new Spy drama which fill the hole left by Spooks.

US TV Programme of the Year: Revenge
Revenge has a bit of everything, twists and turns, its funny and mysterious. You even know how the season will end but the journey there is fascinating.

Honorable mention: Ringer, Dexter, Homeland
Look out for in 2012: Alcatraz, Touch
From J.J Abrams comes Alcatraz which some believe could be the new Lost (I hope not) and from Tim Kring comes his new series Touch staring Keifer Sutherland.

Comedy TV Actor  
1. Adhir Kalyan as Timmy Patel – Rules of Engagement
Timmy appeared originally as a very minor character but has started to take center stage more in the latest series. He has plenty of quick one liners and tend to be more clever than other characters, he has also become the most likeable on the show.

2. Atticus Shaffer as Brick Heck – The Middle
3. John Cryer as Alan Harper – Two and a half men
4. Tim Allen as Mike Baxter – Last Man Standing

Comedy TV Actress  
1. Kat Dennings as Max Black – Two Broke Girls
Two Broke Girls was one of the surprises of 2011. Max steals the show, as willed character will a dark side to her humour which edges towards the non-family friendly area of comedy at times. She makes the whole programme tick.

2. Zooey Deschanel as Jess Day – New Girl
3. Jane Levy as Tessa Altman – Suburgatory
4. Ashley Rickards as Jenna Hamilton – Awkward

Drama TV Actor  
1. Misha Collins as Castiel – Supernatural
2011 saw what appears to be the end of Castiel after going from an Angel to God and then back again we saw the many sides of him. Misha Collins has been excellent since he first appeared and with him joining the cast of Ringer in 2012 Supernatural will miss him but Ringer will surely be better for it.

2. John Noble as Walter Bishop – Fringe
3. Damian Lewis as Nicholas Brody – Homeland
4. Gabriel Mann as Nolan Ross – Revenge
5. Evan Peters as Tate Langdon – American Horror Story

Drama TV Actress  
1. Suranne Jones as Idris/Tardis – Doctor Who: The Doctors Wife
This could have come under comedy or drama. The character and performance were brilliant, Suranne is funny, excentric and captivating, just like the Doctor. Playing the soul of the Tardis is one of the most challenging asks in Doctor Who but everything about it was spot on.

2. Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison – Homeland
3. Emily VanCamp as Emily Thorne/Amanda Clarke – Revenge
4. Taissa Farmiga as Violet Harmon – American Horror Story
5. Katie McGrath as Morgana Pendragon – Merlin

What were you favourites?

No longer a laughing matter

Just under two years ago, after Norwich had just won League One, Norwich fans joked about a last-minute call up for cult hero Grant Holt to the England squad for the 2010 world cup. After England’s exit and more questions about England’s ability to score goals and lack of strikers were asked, Norwich fans again joked of a call up.

Fast forward today and the same things are being said, but these are no longer jokes. England have been struggling up front since Owen’s exile from the international scene. The only strikers to score regularly have been Rooney (who has failed to score at a tournament since Euro 2006) and Crouch who has been restricted to almost no international football under Capello (despite proving his worth when called upon).

Capello has since called upon both Defoe and Bent who have performed averagely and who are now both out injured. Bobby Zamora who is in his in is 30’s, has little experience, is also injured and in the middle of a spat with his manager and Kevin Davis who made one appearance before being discarded. Carroll is another out of form and not scoring.

There are a couple of younger prospects who do seem to have international futures. Danny Welbeck has been in and out of the team at Man United but on the whole only been called upon when the injury list piles up. Then there is Daniel Sturridge, currently a regular at Chelsea, their highest league scorer and with Rooney suspended he is the highest English scorer in the Premier League this season who can start he first game in the Euros. Excluding Sturridge who currently sits on 9 goals in 14 games (and the suspended Rooney who is on 13 in 17 games) only Defoe appears in the top 20 scorers table (6 goals in 12 games).

There are two English men I’ve yet to mention who do also appear and are higher than Defoe. The first is midfielder Lampard (7 in 16 appearances). His place is far from secure with Gerrard just returning from injury and Wilshire back soon too.

You should have guessed the final one by now, Grant Holt (7 in 17 appearances – about half of those from the bench). Now half way through the season the only English striker who can start England’s first Euro 2012 match and scored more than Holt is Sturridge. That is some feat considering he was playing League 2 football two and half years ago. Holt is more of a Kevin Davis style player, he’s also more of an aerial threat than Crouch. Though shorter, Holt is built like a brick and rarely goes down with it being his choice, he’s also not the quickest. He can certainly hold the ball up and is a good option when playing one up top. He is certainly not the sort of player Spain come up against regularly (if ever). He offers something different and Capello likes to pick players on form, with next friendly in February there may not be many other choices other than Holt.

Baring injury we know Capello has said Rooney is going and Sturridge surely has to now. The other two or three striker positions are up for grabs. The likes of Ashley Young could be taken as a striker but he is more likely to play out wide. Agbonlahor is another one but he will need to score more with just 5 so far this season, as will his team-mate Bent who now also has to prove his fitness.

These goal scoring tables give a insight to to wear England can look for goals this summer.

Strikers
Player	PL Goals	Pos	Minutes	MinPerGoal	GoalEveryXMatches
Rooney	13	ST	1386	107	1.2
Sturridge	9	ST	1044	116	1.3
Holt	7	ST	957	137	1.5
Defoe	6	ST	691	115	1.3
Agbonlahor	5	ST	1480	296	3.3
Bent	5	ST	1227	245	2.7
Graham	5	ST	1261	252	2.8
Crouch	4	ST	1209	302	3.4
Welbeck	4	ST	772	193	2.1
Andy Johnson	3	ST	872	291	3.2
Zamora	3	ST	911	304	3.4
Midfielders
Player	PL Goals	Pos	Minutes	MinPerGoal	GoalEveryXMatches
Lampard	7	MD	1193	170	1.9
Adam Johnson	5	MD	534	107	1.2
Pilkington	4	MD	954	239	2.7
Eagles	3	MD	1172	391	4.3
Osman	3	MD	1357	452	5.0
Sinclair	3	MD	1533	511	5.7
Defenders
Player	PL Goals	Pos	Minutes	MinPerGoal	GoalEveryXMatches
Terry	4	DF	1620	405	4.5
R Taylor	3	DF	1485	495	5.5
Baines	3	DF	1530	510	5.7
All Players
Player	PL Goals	Pos	Minutes	MinPerGoal	GoalEveryXMatches
Rooney	13	ST	1386	107	1.2
Sturridge	9	ST	1044	116	1.3
Holt	7	ST	957	137	1.5
Lampard	7	MD	1193	170	1.9
Defoe	6	ST	691	115	1.3
Agbonlahor	5	ST	1480	296	3.3
Bent	5	ST	1227	245	2.7
Graham	5	ST	1261	252	2.8
Adam Johnson	5	MD	534	107	1.2
Crouch	4	ST	1209	302	3.4
Pilkington	4	MD	954	239	2.7
Terry	4	DF	1620	405	4.5
Welbeck	4	ST	772	193	2.1
Baines	3	DF	1530	510	5.7
Eagles	3	MD	1172	391	4.3
Andy Johnson	3	ST	872	291	3.2
Osman	3	MD	1357	452	5.0
Sinclair	3	MD	1533	511	5.7
R Taylor	3	DF	1485	495	5.5
Zamora	3	ST	911	304	3.4

Ordered by goals per 90 minutes

Player	PL Goals	Pos	Minutes	MinPerGoal	GoalEveryXMatches
Rooney	13	ST	1386	107	1.2
Defoe	6	ST	691	115	1.3
Sturridge	9	ST	1044	116	1.3
Holt	7	ST	957	137	1.5
Welbeck	4	ST	772	193	2.1
Bent	5	ST	1227	245	2.7
Graham	5	ST	1261	252	2.8
Andy Johnson	3	ST	872	291	3.2
Agbonlahor	5	ST	1480	296	3.3
Crouch	4	ST	1209	302	3.4
Zamora	3	ST	911	304	3.4
Player	PL Goals	Pos	Minutes	MinPerGoal	GoalEveryXMatches
Adam Johnson	5	MD	534	107	1.2
Lampard	7	MD	1193	170	1.9
Pilkington	4	MD	954	239	2.7
Eagles	3	MD	1172	391	4.3
Osman	3	MD	1357	452	5.0
Sinclair	3	MD	1533	511	5.7

Players with 2 of less league goals were excluded.