The busy Christmas period is here. LvG may not have a merry Xmas as he sweats over the visit to Brittania Stadium to play Stoke. He walked out of the press conference ahead of the Boxing Day match, within 5 minutes, furious at the numerous reports of his managerial demise.
Boxing Day 2015
After the 4th consecutive defeat at Stoke (0-2), LvG hinted that he might resign rather than wait for the sack. Never happened to the Red Devils since 1961. The noose is not tightening around his neck and he has no time to breathe with Chelsea at home next in the tight end of the year programme on Monday.
Helpless LvG during loss to Stoke
Source : Getty Image
In light of United’s fourth consecutive loss, Paddy Power have begun paying out on Van
Gaal to be the next Premier League manager sacked, and it’s hard to disagree with their
reasoning.
Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2015/12/26/bookmakers-already-paying-out-on-manchester-
uniteds-louis-van-gaal-being-next-manager-sacked-5585660/#ixzz3vaTUx3Vq
Arsenal were thrashed 4-0 by the under-performing Saints at St Mary's, denying them a chance to go top since Leicester lost 1-0 to Liverpool. Just when Wenger side looked promising, they faltered once again. It was their worst performance in contrast to their beating Man City last week.
The Foxes lost for the first time, to Liverpool 1-0, in 4 months but stayed top.
Hiddink drew in his first match in charge, 2-2 against Watford.
29 December
Though the performance improved, the Red Devils still cannot find the net in the 0-0 draw with Chelsea ending a run of 4 defeats in a row. It is now 8 games without a win. Against all speculation, LvG is still with the Devils and will not quit.
Arsenal's inconsistent performances continues as they recovered from Soton thrashing to beat Bournemouth 2-0 to go top temporarily before the Leicester - Man City match. The late match ended goalless which meant that Leicester is joint-leader going into the new year. Last season, they were at the bottom of the table!
Missed chances in Man City-Leicester draw
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Monday, December 21, 2015
Highs and Lows of EPL Week 17
The Special One got the sack!! Thursday 17 Dec 2015
All speculations came true when Roman finally sacked Jose Mourinho after an extensive board discussion over the poor results. Mourinho would definitely felt 'betrayed' but he would walk away with millions (£40m) in compensation. Last season's canter to the league title could not save him from this season's early implosion.
Next 'giant' to fall could be LvG! Could it be Mourinho at Old Trafford soon???
A shocking defeat 1-2 against lowly Norwich at home was something of a zenith disaster, a humiliation like when Moyes' team lost to Newcastle not so long ago. This was their third consecutive defeat and Norwich had won only 1 of 11. Unlike Chelsea, Utd players followed van Gaal's 'philosophy' to the word and action. Once again as always this season, they had lots of possession (more than 70%) and yet got no cutting edge. Except for de Gea and Anthony Martial, the whole team performed collectively below par. LvG feared the sack before the game and the pressure is surely crushing on him now. Utd failed to win for the 6th consecutive time, something not happened since 2004. With this defeat, how long more will the owners endure before removing him? The fans cannot wait! The traditional Christmas games could turn out to be damp Christmas presents for them, gloomy time. Rooney's 500th appearance for Utd turned out to be frustrating with his poor performance once again.
Leicester is merrily merrily staying at the TOP with 3-2 win over at in-form Everton. The odds for winning the title was 1000 to 1. It is considerably shorter now as the Foxes remained on TOP over the Christmas period and no one questioned their credentials now.
Post-Mourinho's Chelsea saw light at home with 3-1 stroll over relegation threatened Sunderland. Three players particularly were booed by the fans ie Fabregas, Costa and Ivanovic. How Mourinho wished that his 'betraying' players had performed this way during his tenure.
Watford 2 Liverpool 0 : Klopp's honeymoon at Anfield is over!
The Gunners are now starting to believe after beating Man City 2-1 at Emirates.
All speculations came true when Roman finally sacked Jose Mourinho after an extensive board discussion over the poor results. Mourinho would definitely felt 'betrayed' but he would walk away with millions (£40m) in compensation. Last season's canter to the league title could not save him from this season's early implosion.
Next 'giant' to fall could be LvG! Could it be Mourinho at Old Trafford soon???
A shocking defeat 1-2 against lowly Norwich at home was something of a zenith disaster, a humiliation like when Moyes' team lost to Newcastle not so long ago. This was their third consecutive defeat and Norwich had won only 1 of 11. Unlike Chelsea, Utd players followed van Gaal's 'philosophy' to the word and action. Once again as always this season, they had lots of possession (more than 70%) and yet got no cutting edge. Except for de Gea and Anthony Martial, the whole team performed collectively below par. LvG feared the sack before the game and the pressure is surely crushing on him now. Utd failed to win for the 6th consecutive time, something not happened since 2004. With this defeat, how long more will the owners endure before removing him? The fans cannot wait! The traditional Christmas games could turn out to be damp Christmas presents for them, gloomy time. Rooney's 500th appearance for Utd turned out to be frustrating with his poor performance once again.
Leicester is merrily merrily staying at the TOP with 3-2 win over at in-form Everton. The odds for winning the title was 1000 to 1. It is considerably shorter now as the Foxes remained on TOP over the Christmas period and no one questioned their credentials now.
Post-Mourinho's Chelsea saw light at home with 3-1 stroll over relegation threatened Sunderland. Three players particularly were booed by the fans ie Fabregas, Costa and Ivanovic. How Mourinho wished that his 'betraying' players had performed this way during his tenure.
Watford 2 Liverpool 0 : Klopp's honeymoon at Anfield is over!
The Gunners are now starting to believe after beating Man City 2-1 at Emirates.
Wakayama, Japan Tour Winter 2015
10 to 15 Dec 2015
On a 6-day guided tour to Wakayama & Mie with CTC, Singapore
Map of Kii Peninsula, Japan
Entrance to Ise Grand Shrine, a Shinto Shrine, Mie
Mikimoto Pearl Island viewed from aquarium
View of Ise Peninsula from Hotel Iseshima Room
Statue of Oda Nobunaga; Samurai
Coasts along Kii Peninsula
Nachi Grand Taisha
Nachi Waterfall
Day 3 Taiji; Hasgui-iwa, Sandanbeki; Senjojiki
Hotel Urashima's Bokido Onsen overlooking Pacific Ocean, 6 onsens in the hotel
Taiji Whale Museum with dolphins
Feeding Dolphins
Hashigui-iwa - Bridge Pillar rocks formed by magna
Sandanbeki - Steep cliffs with network of caves
Day 4 Yuasa; Wakayama; Osaka
Picking mikan at Yuasa
Ancient Soy Sauce factory; soy sauce ice cream available at 250yen each
Kuroshio Market, Wakayama; Eating self-BBQ sea-urchin & oysters (free use of BBQ pit)
Osaka Castle
The very very busy and colourful Shinsaibashi, Osaka
Day 5 Kiyomizudera Temple, Kyoto, Osaka
Group photo outside Kiyomizudera Temple, Kyoto
Making a wish below darkened area in this temple
Autumn foliage in Kiyomizudera Temple, Kyoto
The famous wooden support, Kiyomizudera Temple, Kyoto
Sannen-zaka (left) & Ninen-zaka, Kiyomizudera Temple area
Original steps of Sannen-zaka remained unchanged through the centuries
Old lady selling delicate delicious tofu bun at Ninen-zaka junction
Human mass at Osaka Station
Day 6
Rinku Premium Outlet on way to airport
Labels:
Ise Grand Shrine,
Japan,
Kii Peninsula,
Kiyomizudera,
Mie,
Nachi,
Osaka,
Wakayama
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