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Rutashubanyuma · Feb 20, 2011

FA Cup Fifth Round

Leyton Orient 0
Arsenal 0

Barry Glendenning
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 20 February 2011 15.37 GMT <li class="history">Article history To receive updated content, refresh the page (F5 for a web browser).
This page will update automatically every minute: On | Off

Jimmy Smith: Leyton Orient's Leo Messi? Photograph: Tony Marshall/EMPICS Sport Half-time: On ESPN, Robbie Savage is wrapped up against the cold in a chrome blue padded jacket and scarf covered in skulls. The Leyton cheerleaders (the Cheery-Os?) have no such comfort, going through their half-time routine in skimpy hotpants and tops.
Half-time: Kevin Friend, who was knocked out in an accidental collision with a player the last time he officiated at Brisband Road blows for half-time and the sides go in all square after an entertaining first half. Arsenal's domination has been almost total, but they haven't scored yet, leaving Leytoin Orient with every chance. Quite how Russell Slade's men will cope once all the chasing they're having to do starts taking its toll remains to be seen, but they've every reason to be delighted with how things have gone so far.
44 min: From deep, Dean Cox sends a long ball forward for Scott McGleish to chase. Manuel Almunia gallops out of his box to head clear.
43 min: "Surely it would be better for Arsenal to lose today?" suggests Niall Mullen. "It would spare them the inevitable season-wrecking tonking at Old Trafford and reduce their fixture congestion."
41 min: Almost certainly not.
40 min: Andrey Arshavin sends a shot from the edge of the penalty area flashing wide. That's quite a few chances ranging from the half-decent to the must-score that have gone begging for Arsenal so far. Is it going to be one of those days?
38 min: With Smith and Miquel continuing their impromptu game of kiss-chase, the ball comes in from the right. Somebody in an Orient shirt gets a head to head it at the far post, but doesn't trouble Almunia.
37 min: As the players wait for Daniels to send in the ball, referee Kevin Friend gives Ignasi Miquel a ticking off for holding Jimmy Smith's shirt. The Catalan centre-half protests at length and wraps his arm around Smith's waist as soon as the referee's back is turned.
36 min: Another corner for Leyton Orient. Whoop! Whoop!
34 min: Charging down the left on the overlap, Kieran Gibbs squares the ball across the edge of the six-yard box. Maroune Chamakh slides in and pokes it wide when it looked easier to score.
32 min: From the corner, the ball is swung into a packed penalty area, where centre-half Terrell Forbes gets a touch on the ball with his head but can only help it on its way well wide of the right upright and out for a goal-kick.
30 min: A third of the match gone and Leyton Orient are hanging in there, with their two banks of four holding firm despite occasional nervy mistakes and communication breakdowns. Stephen Dawson wins a corner for the Os off Bacary Sagna.
29 min: "The Premier League has always seemed very distant for a long-suffering Orient fan like myself," says Sam Herbert. "Just hearing Wenger mention our name over the past few days is both strange and surreal, a bit like Marlon Brando appearing on Eastenders."
27 min: Arsenal win a free-kick in the space between Orient penalty area and touchline. Andrey Arshavin sends the ball into the mixer, but Daniels heads clear at the near post.
26 min: Of course Arsenal know as well as anyone that you don't have to complete as many or more passes as your vastly superior opposition to beat them. They only completed 11 passes compared to Barcelona's 16,845,243 last week, but still won the game courtesy of the only stat that matters.
24 min: Would you prefer to hear about the Andrey Arshavin shot that Jamie Jones parried into the path of Tomas Rosicky, only for centre-back Ben Chorley to sweep up, or the stats that say Leyton Orient have completed 29 passes so far, compared to Arsenal's 213?
21 min: On a rare sortie into Arsenal territory, Dean Cox attempts to cross the ball, but his delivery is poor and the ball goes out for a goal-kick.
20 min: Nicklas Bendtner picks up the ball on the right wing, cuts inside and tries to play Alex Song in on goal with a deft little flick. Song doesn't control the ball properly and Orient clear.
19 min: Interesting stat: ccording to ESPN match analyst and Guardian chalkboard-scribbler David "Pleaty" Pleat, Leyton Orient full-back Charlie Daniels has never been booked or sent off in 100+ appearances.
15 min: Moments before that Daniels effort, Marouane Chamakh blew a marvellous opportunity to put Arsenal a goal up. Having been picked out in a great position in the Orient penalty area, his shot from 15 yards was feeble and straight at Jamie Jone. It smacked of being the work of a man whose confidence is at a very low ebb.
13 min: From a corner, the ball is played rolled to Leyton Orient full-back Charlie Daniels who'd been left unmarked outside Arsenal's penalty area. He unleashes a surface-to-air screamer from 25 yards. The ball fizzes over Manuel Almunia's crossbar, but not by much. Great effort.
11 min: "I love Scott McGleish," writes Jon Millard. "I'm sure he's decided not to retire until he has played for every lower division club in the south east of England. Has anybody on ESPN said of him 'he can always get you a goal' yet?" Not that I'm aware of, John, but McGleish has scored five or six times in this season's FA Cup already.
10 minutes: With 10 minutes gone, Arsenal are dominating possession, much as you'd expect them too, but Orient are defending robustly and keeping them at bay. At the risk of patronising the plucky League One underdogs, they've done well.
8 min: Orient try to launch the ball forward from deep for Scott McGleish to chase, but debutant Ignasi Miquel does well to chase back, beat the scurrying striker to the ball, turn and clear.
5 min: Andrey Arshavin pings the ball to Nicklas Bendtner across the edge of the Orient penalty area. The Dane has a pop but skews his effort harmlessly wide.
4 min: Arsenal look threatening after Jason Crowe gifts possession to Kieran Gibbs in midfield, but Arsenal surrender it and the ball ends up being ushered back to goalkeeper Jones, who hacks clear.
2 min: Leyton Orient get the first shot in anger, a rasping long-range drive from midfielder Stephen Dawson that forces a smartish save out of Manuel Almunia. Moments later, at the opposite end of the pitch, Marouane Chamakh brings a save out of Orient goalkeeper Jamie Jones with a header from 12 yards after getting on the end of an Andrey Arshavin cross.
1 min: The camera stops focusing on Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn long enough for Arsenal kick-off. Hearn has promised his players a trip to Las Vegas if they beat the Gunners today, to go with the trip to Old Trafford the FA have promised them.
Not long now: Both sets of players are standing around waiting for kick-off, with Orient's forming a morale-boosting pre-match huddle. They sport an all red strip red, while Arsenal play in their away kit of yellow shirts and socks, with maroon shorts.
Some emails: "It's splendid to see M Whinger, as always, backing up his words with action," writes Lou Roper, who was equally upbeat in the Old Firm minute-by-minute report. "Today's team surely supports on his proclaimed intentions on the 'quadruple'."
"I wonder how much Arsenal will get fined for fielding a weakened side this afternoon?" asks Tom Shaw.

"Wilshere eh?" writes Gary Naylor. "You know you've really made it when you're relegated to the bench for the FA Cup."
How they'll line up: Orient look set to play a 4-3-1-2, the one being pint-sized left winger Dean Cox, who'll be hoping to ping cross after cross into strikers Scott McGleish and Alex Revell. Arsenal will play a 4-2-3-1, with Denilson and Alex Song screening the back four, and Nicklas Bendtner and Andrey Arshavin bookending Tomas Rosicky behind lone striker Marouane Chamakh.
Atmosphere update: There's a great pre-match buzz at Leyton Orient's Matchroom Stadium, writes minute-by-minute reporter from Kings Cross crawl-space. There are apartment blocks at all four corners of the ground and residents are making the most of the occasion, sipping beer on their balconies.
In his pre-match interview Russell Slade tells his interrogator that when he went to Arsenal's match against Barcelona during the week and brought a pen and a piece of paper. "I put them away after about 11 minutes," he confesses.
Ignasi who? Arsenal's No48 is Ignasi Miquel, an 18-year-old Catalan centre-half is making his first senior appearance for Arsenal having lined up 12 times in the reserves last season. According to the Arsenal website, he's "ideally suited to a side that likes to play football from the back" and "is also strong in the air and has represented Spain at youth level."
Sitting at a little ESPN branded table down in one corner of the Brisbane Road pitch, Ray Stubbs is chairing a panel discussion between pundits Steve McManaman and Robbie Savage, who are struggling to be heard over the PA and general pre-match hubub from the packed stands. Robbie has just admitted he hasn't a clue what he's talking about after saying "there's a great chance for a Millwall, a Portsmouth or a Cardiff to go through to the final ... well, they're not in it, but you know ..." Cue: rolled eyes and much mirth from his bewildered colleagues.
This just in: The winners of this game will take on Manchester United at Old Trafford in the quarter-final.
Team news we've pulled from the news wires: Arsenal make the expected sweeping changes for this afternoon's FA Cup fifth-round tie. Midfielder Alex Song is the only surviving member from the midweek starting XI against Barcelona, as 18-year-old centre-half Ignasi Miquel makes his first-team debut, while Manuel Almunia returns in goal.
Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky captains the side, while Andrey Arshavin also starts having come off the bench to net a dramatic winner against Barcelona. Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Jack Wilshere are all on the bench if needed.
Leyton Orient: Jones, Whing, Chorley, Forbes, Daniels, Smith,
Dawson, Crowe, Cox, McGleish, Revell.
Subs: Butcher, Omozusi, Tehoue, Cestor, Carroll, M'Poku, Kane.
Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Squillaci, Miquel, Gibbs, Denilson,
Song, Rosicky, Bendtner, Chamakh, Arshavin.
Subs: Szczesny, Fabregas, Koscielny, Nasri, Wilshere, Clichy, Eboue.
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)
Kick-off: 4.30pm.
Good afternoon everybody. This is my second minute-by-minute report of the day and if this match turns out to be as full-blooded as the first, Celtic's 3-0 win over Rangers, we're in for a treat. It's the FA Cup fifth round and Premier League high fliers Arsenal travel to Brisbane Road to take on Leyton Orient, who sit 11th in League One and secured today's dream tie with wins over Dasgenham and Redbridge (after a replay), Droylsden (after coming from 2-0 down to win 8-2 in a replay) and excellent away wins over Championship sides Norwich and Swansea.
The Orient have been handsomely rewarded for their excellent run, with a money-spinning match-up with a Premier League team whose most recent encounter was a 2-1 win over Barcelona. As Orient manager Russell Slade attended that match, he'll know that all his players will have to do to advance to the next round, is play similarly intricate tippy-tappy football to that peddled by Messrs Hernandez, Iniesta, Villa and Messi, but also stay alert for the entire 90 minutes and make the most of any chances that come their way.
"It was probably one of my biggest mistakes, going to that game," laughed Slade in his pre-match press conference. "It scared me to death! There were two fantastic sides and it was a great spectacle, exactly the way the game should be played. If they perform like that then we'd probably have to say adios to the FA Cup, but it's a new day, a different day. It might be a different team, who knows?"
Arsenal's punishing schedule over the next couple of weeks means manager Arsene Wenger is almost certain to rotate his squad for this afternoon's match, with Premier League matches against Stoke and Sunderland bookending the Carling Cup final against Birmingham, before they travel to Camp Nou for the return leg of that Champions League match with Barcelona. Sébastien, Nicklas Bendtner, Denilson and Tomas Rosicky are all expected to feature for the Gunners against an Orient side who have lost just one in 20 and are unbeaten at home since 11 September last year.

Rutashubanyuma · Feb 20, 2011

Patrick Vieira sets up Manchester City stroll against Notts County

Comments (17)

FA Cup Fourth Round replay

Manchester City 5

Vieira 37,
Vieira 58,
Tevez 84,
Dzeko 89,
Richards 90

Notts County 0

Daniel Taylor at Eastlands
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 20 February 2011 16.14 GMT <li class="history">Article history

Patrick Vieira celebrates with David Silva after scoring the second goal for Manchester City. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images Manchester City took their time to demonstrate the gulf between the two clubs but, once they worked up a head of steam, it left their League One opponents grateful to be spared further punishment. Roberto Mancini's men can look forward to a fifth-round tie against Aston Villa courtesy of two headers from Patrick Vieira and a late onslaught that brought three goals from Carlos Tevez, Edin Dzeko and Micah Richards in the final six minutes.
Tevez has now scored 50 goals in his 74 appearances for the club, giving the Argentinian legitimate credentials to be recognised as the outstanding striker in their history. On a wider scale, however, the greater satisfaction for Mancini may come from Dzeko's contribution, an 89th-minute header to make it 4-0. The Bosnian subsequently wasted a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, Stuart Nelson, but his goal should soothe his confidence after Mancini's criticisms of his performance in the Europa League against Aris Thessaloniki last Tuesday.
Fifty-nine places below their hosts in the order of English football, Notts County played with spirit and togetherness. They will also think back to the moment, with the game scoreless, when Karl Hawley curled a wonderful shot against the post and dare to wonder what might have been. Yet the challenge of Paul Ince's team faded once Vieira had opened the scoring, heading David Silva's corner beyond Nelson in the 37th minute.
The second goal also came from a corner, Aleksandar Kolarov swinging the ball over from the left and Vieira directing a downhead header just inside the near post and, after that, City controlled the rhythm of the game and there was rarely any sense that they would forego their winning position.
Even so, the late capitulation of Ince's side was not truly in keeping with the game. Tevez, a second-half substitute, made it 3-0 when he ran on to Dzeko's clever through ball, rounded Nelson and slid the ball into an exposed net. Dzeko's header came from a Tevez cross and, as County failed to deal with another corner, Richards hooked in the fifth to make it a rout.

Rutashubanyuma · Feb 20, 2011

Fulham v Bolton Wanderers Match facts

FA Cup Fifth Round
Sunday 20 February 2011 15.00

Score line
Final score Fulham 0 – 1 (HT 0 – 1) Bolton Wanderers

Klasnic 19

Bookings

Baird 58

Muamba 51
Petrov 58
Robinson 72
Holden 90

Fulham's Percentage Bolton Wanderers's Percentage Corners 11 73% 4 27% On target 5 62% 3 38% Fouls 8 42% 11 58% Offside 7 70% 3 30% Fulham

Mark Schwarzer,
Carlos Salcido,
Brede Hangeland,
Chris Baird,
Aaron Hughes,
Steve Sidwell,
Zoltan Gera (Bobby Zamora, 67),
Danny Murphy,
Clint Dempsey,
Andrew Johnson, A,
Moussa Dembele

Bolton Wanderers

Adam Bogdan,
Paul Robinson,
Gary Cahill,
Mendoza Marcos Alonso,
David Wheater,
Fabrice Muamba,
Stuart Holden,
Martin Petrov,
Chung-Yong Lee,
Kevin Davies, K,
Ivan Klasnic (Johan Elmander, 79)

Referee Attwell, S Venue Craven Cottage Attendance 19,571

Rutashubanyuma · Feb 20, 2011

Fulham v Bolton Wanderers Match facts

FA Cup Fifth Round
Sunday 20 February 2011 15.00

Score line
Final score Fulham 0 1 (HT 0 1) Bolton Wanderers

Klasnic 19

Bookings

Baird 58

Muamba 51
Petrov 58
Robinson 72
Holden 90

Fulham's Percentage Bolton Wanderers's Percentage Corners 11 73% 4 27% On target 5 62% 3 38% Fouls 8 42% 11 58% Offside 7 70% 3 30% Fulham

Mark Schwarzer,
Carlos Salcido,
Brede Hangeland,
Chris Baird,
Aaron Hughes,
Steve Sidwell,
Zoltan Gera (Bobby Zamora, 67),
Danny Murphy,
Clint Dempsey,
Andrew Johnson, A,
Moussa Dembele

Bolton Wanderers

Adam Bogdan,
Paul Robinson,
Gary Cahill,
Mendoza Marcos Alonso,
David Wheater,
Fabrice Muamba,
Stuart Holden,
Martin Petrov,
Chung-Yong Lee,
Kevin Davies, K,
Ivan Klasnic (Johan Elmander, 79)

Referee Attwell, S Venue Craven Cottage Attendance 19,571

Rutashubanyuma · Feb 20, 2011

West Brom's Carlos Vela strikes late to leave Wolves bottom of the table

Premier League

West Brom 1

Vela 90

Wolverhampton Wanderers 1

O'Hara 39

Kevin McCarra at the Hawthorns
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 20 February 2011 14.21 GMT <li class="history">Article history

Carlos Vela celebrates his equaliser for West Brom with Peter Odemwingie. Photograph: Henry Browne/Action Images Timing is all. Wolverhampton Wanderers contested a local derby and, as the away team, took a point that means they are no further behind West BromWest Bromwich Albion – and safety – even if Mick McCarthy's side are still bottom of the table. It may take quite a while before the fixture is recalled in those terms. There is a need to disentangle all of the convoluted emotions that follow an equaliser in the second minute of stoppage time for the hosts. The substitute Carlos Vela, on loan from Arsenal, took his first goal for the club.
In a nerve-racked fixture it is natural that hands should tremble, and not only among the spectators. The goalkeepers were level on errors at one apiece, as each conceded when they would normally have been counted upon to deal with the shots. Perhaps such agitation is to be expected when there is so much at stake. The new West Brom manager, Roy Hodgson, might have anticipated a victory to establish a bond with the crowd, but a revival to share the points still sent those fans home far happier than they might have been.
The result is supposed to be all that matters, but the sequence of events has its own impact. It is, for instance, all but forgotten that Wolves outdid their opponents for much of the game. The leveller came as an effort by James Morrison was neither held nor beaten away by the Wolves goalkeeper, Wayne Hennessy. Instead the drive came off his leg and Vela snapped up the opportunity.
Faults at such a juncture cause angst and recriminations, but outsiders cannot marvel when errors are made in this sort of encounter. There is, after all, a reason for the lowly positions held by these clubs. They are no strangers to blunders. The aim, all the same, is to rise above the limitations. It appeared for a fairly long time that Wolves had found a superior version of themselves to the one that has made their followers so apprehensive.
West Brom have a fine scoring record at the Hawthorns, yet they almost drew a blank because it took so long for them to pin Wolves down. The visitors' goal, five minutes before the interval, was well-struck, yet as save-able as Vela's would be. Nenad Milijas rolled a free-kick and, from some 20 yards, Jamie O'Hara sent a drive high into the net as he, like Vela, opened his account for the club following his loan move from Tottenham Hotspur late in the January transfer window.
Boaz Myhill's response in the West Brom goal had, all the same, been poor and he ought to have reached the attempt. Perhaps it was to be expected that flaws would be important contributors to a derby match that had even more at stake than local pride.
Wolves had been the more fluent side, but holding a lead introduced tension. The combination of West Brom's urgency and their craving to protect a lead made for a one-sided struggle in the second half. Mick McCarthy's side were no longer so sure of themselves and were pinned down for spells. There was, indeed, one particularly clear chance that should have seen the hosts pull level earlier than they did.
With 62 minutes gone, Marc-Antoine Fortuné failed completely to connect with the ball after being picked out by Peter Odemwingie in front of the posts. There were half-chances and frantic covering. It may not have been an aesthetic pleasure, but it was still a match with an unrelenting grip on the spectators. By contrast, the players were too tense to take a firm hold of events for long. So it was that Matt Jarvis would miss the target entirely after going clear in the 50th minute.
The fallibility was common to all. It did nothing for the level of technique, but the anxiety in the stands was always liable to seep on to the field. Albion could have become fatalistic when it appeared that each thrust would be parried. Jarvis, for instance, cleared from his goal-line after a Chris Brunt corner reached the head of Jonas Olsson. If there was a haphazard characteristic to the contest, such nervousness was no mystery given the high stakes.
Ultimately it ought to be acknowledged that nobody was seen succumbing to boredom. It might so easily have been a grinding deadlock, yet there was an intent in team selection and attitude by both managers to chase a win. The lower reaches of the table ought to be relished by everyone other than the fans, players and managers who are trapped there.
Man of the match: Jamie O'Hara
The young midfielder, who is on loan at Wolverhampton Wanderers, showed all of the experience that he has gathered while at Tottenham Hotspur as he helped tilt the balance of power in favour of visitors
Best moment: A clean hit for the opening goal that exposed the frailty of the West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper, Boaz Myhill

Rutashubanyuma · Feb 20, 2011

West Brom's Carlos Vela strikes late to leave Wolves bottom of the table

Premier League

West Brom 1

Vela 90

Wolverhampton Wanderers 1

O'Hara 39

Kevin McCarra at the Hawthorns
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 20 February 2011 14.21 GMT <li class="history">Article history

Carlos Vela celebrates his equaliser for West Brom with Peter Odemwingie. Photograph: Henry Browne/Action Images Timing is all. Wolverhampton Wanderers contested a local derby and, as the away team, took a point that means they are no further behind West BromWest Bromwich Albion and safety even if Mick McCarthy's side are still bottom of the table. It may take quite a while before the fixture is recalled in those terms. There is a need to disentangle all of the convoluted emotions that follow an equaliser in the second minute of stoppage time for the hosts. The substitute Carlos Vela, on loan from Arsenal, took his first goal for the club.
In a nerve-racked fixture it is natural that hands should tremble, and not only among the spectators. The goalkeepers were level on errors at one apiece, as each conceded when they would normally have been counted upon to deal with the shots. Perhaps such agitation is to be expected when there is so much at stake. The new West Brom manager, Roy Hodgson, might have anticipated a victory to establish a bond with the crowd, but a revival to share the points still sent those fans home far happier than they might have been.
The result is supposed to be all that matters, but the sequence of events has its own impact. It is, for instance, all but forgotten that Wolves outdid their opponents for much of the game. The leveller came as an effort by James Morrison was neither held nor beaten away by the Wolves goalkeeper, Wayne Hennessy. Instead the drive came off his leg and Vela snapped up the opportunity.
Faults at such a juncture cause angst and recriminations, but outsiders cannot marvel when errors are made in this sort of encounter. There is, after all, a reason for the lowly positions held by these clubs. They are no strangers to blunders. The aim, all the same, is to rise above the limitations. It appeared for a fairly long time that Wolves had found a superior version of themselves to the one that has made their followers so apprehensive.
West Brom have a fine scoring record at the Hawthorns, yet they almost drew a blank because it took so long for them to pin Wolves down. The visitors' goal, five minutes before the interval, was well-struck, yet as save-able as Vela's would be. Nenad Milijas rolled a free-kick and, from some 20 yards, Jamie O'Hara sent a drive high into the net as he, like Vela, opened his account for the club following his loan move from Tottenham Hotspur late in the January transfer window.
Boaz Myhill's response in the West Brom goal had, all the same, been poor and he ought to have reached the attempt. Perhaps it was to be expected that flaws would be important contributors to a derby match that had even more at stake than local pride.
Wolves had been the more fluent side, but holding a lead introduced tension. The combination of West Brom's urgency and their craving to protect a lead made for a one-sided struggle in the second half. Mick McCarthy's side were no longer so sure of themselves and were pinned down for spells. There was, indeed, one particularly clear chance that should have seen the hosts pull level earlier than they did.
With 62 minutes gone, Marc-Antoine Fortuné failed completely to connect with the ball after being picked out by Peter Odemwingie in front of the posts. There were half-chances and frantic covering. It may not have been an aesthetic pleasure, but it was still a match with an unrelenting grip on the spectators. By contrast, the players were too tense to take a firm hold of events for long. So it was that Matt Jarvis would miss the target entirely after going clear in the 50th minute.
The fallibility was common to all. It did nothing for the level of technique, but the anxiety in the stands was always liable to seep on to the field. Albion could have become fatalistic when it appeared that each thrust would be parried. Jarvis, for instance, cleared from his goal-line after a Chris Brunt corner reached the head of Jonas Olsson. If there was a haphazard characteristic to the contest, such nervousness was no mystery given the high stakes.
Ultimately it ought to be acknowledged that nobody was seen succumbing to boredom. It might so easily have been a grinding deadlock, yet there was an intent in team selection and attitude by both managers to chase a win. The lower reaches of the table ought to be relished by everyone other than the fans, players and managers who are trapped there.
Man of the match: Jamie O'Hara
The young midfielder, who is on loan at Wolverhampton Wanderers, showed all of the experience that he has gathered while at Tottenham Hotspur as he helped tilt the balance of power in favour of visitors
Best moment: A clean hit for the opening goal that exposed the frailty of the West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper, Boaz Myhill

Rutashubanyuma · Feb 20, 2011

Premier League

Pos Team Pld W D L Pts 14 Birmingham City 26 6 12 8 30 15 Aston Villa 27 7 9 11 30 16 Blackpool 26 8 5 13 29 17 West Brom 27 7 7 13 28 18 Wigan Athletic 27 5 12 10 27 19 West Ham United 27 5 10 12 25 20 Wolverhampton Wanderers 27 7 4 16 25 Full table and stats

Rutashubanyuma · Feb 20, 2011

FA Cup Fifth Round

Leyton Orient 0
Arsenal 0

Barry Glendenning
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 20 February 2011 15.37 GMT <li class="history">Article history To receive updated content, refresh the page (F5 for a web browser).
This page will update automatically every minute: On | Off

Jimmy Smith: Leyton Orient's Leo Messi? Photograph: Tony Marshall/EMPICS Sport

GOAL! Leyton Orient 0-1 Arsenal (Rosicky 53)
51 min: "Good to see flames of the 'sexism in football row' being diffused by ESPNs 'banter' and close ups of the Leyton Orient cheerleading team," writes Bill Chilton. "In other news some one should also tell the broadcaster that someone has nicked the studio."
50 min: Denilson hobbles to the sideline after taking six in the stomach from Alex Revell. It was more of an accident than anything malicious and the Orient player goes unpunished.
48 min: It should probably go without saying if that woman had done the same thing at a Premier League ground she'd probably have been wrestled to the ground by stewards before being frogmarched away to a holding cell.
46 min: Just before the end of the half-time interval, a blonde Orient fan made her way on to the pitch with a Tupperware box of home-made biscuits and offered Stubbsy, Macca and Sav a piece each on live TV. She looked decidedly unimpressed when Stubbsy handed the lot, box and all, to Robbie for his second-half snack.

Rutashubanyuma · Feb 20, 2011

Celtic enjoy breathing space at the top after beating dismal Rangers

Comments (55)

Scottish Premier

Celtic 3

Hooper 17,
Hooper 28,
Commons 70

Rangers 0

Ewan Murray at Celtic Park
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 20 February 2011 14.44 GMT <li class="history">Article history

Gary Hooper celebrates scoring the opener for Celtic against Rangers. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images It seems appropriate that Gary Hooper, one of the most impressive performers of this, Neil Lennon's first full season in charge of Celtic, orchestrated this Old Firm victory. Finally, the manager's destiny is in his own hands.
Celtic now lead their oldest rivals by eight points in the Scottish Premier League, with Rangers' two games in hand no longer sufficient to send them back to the top of the table.
On what was an utterly miserable day for Rangers Kris Commons, who rejected a move to Ibrox from Derby County last month, scored Celtic's third goal.
Rangers' cause was not helped by the half-time loss of Steven Naismith although the Scotland international had looked short of fitness.
Celtic swarmed around their opponents in midfield, with Rangers painfully unable to offer meaningful supply to Nikica Jelavic.
Hooper is already worth considerably more than the £1.6m paid by Celtic to Scunthorpe United for his services. His goals may prove priceless in this title race.
Commons fed Hooper for the opener, with the striker skipping past David Weir with a terrific first touch. A subsequent one slotted the ball between the legs of the Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor.
El Hadji Diouf, who attracted the attentions of police and stewards every time he took a corner, caused chaos in the Celtic back line with a teasing cross, but the visitors were abject in the opening half.
Hooper ensured they were also all-but defeated. Georgios Samaras played in the full-back Emilio Izaguirre, whose low cross was converted by Hooper in smart fashion. The Rangers captain complained that Izaguirre had been offside when it was himself who had played the Honduran on. Given the scale of Weir's protests, and the fact he collected a booking later in the game, he was fortunate to see out the match.
Kenny Dalglish was a visitor to Parkhead, with the impressive Izaguirre a potential reason for the Liverpool manager's trip north.
Rangers improved after the interval, with Diouf forcing Fraser Forster into a save from a lobbed effort. Jelavic then headed narrowly wide of Forster's left-hand post.
At the other end Scott Brown almost capitalised on a McGregor error, with Sasa Papac clearing the Celtic midfielder's effort from his own goalline.
It was left to Commons to cap Lennon's perfect afternoon. The winger deceived McGregor with a 19-yard shot which appeared to swerve, although perhaps an international goalkeeper should not have been beaten by such an attempt.
For once in these fraught occasions, Celtic Park could relax for the final 20 minutes. Rangers, who were unusually disjointed, have been set a challenge to recover from a significant blow.

Rutashubanyuma · Feb 20, 2011

Kevin Pietersen opening for England is a 'calculated gamble'

• Andrew Strauss tips batsmen to shine in crucial new role
• England play Group B game against the Netherlands on Tuesday

Press Association
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 20 February 2011 10.50 GMT <li class="history">Article history

Kevin Pietersen will open for England, alongside Andrew Strauss, in the World Cup. Photograph: Tom Shaw/Getty Images England's captain, Andrew Strauss, believes the "calculated gamble" of opening the batting with Kevin Pietersen could give his side the advantage they need to do well in the World Cup.
England open their Group B campaign against the Netherlands in Nagpur on Tuesday and Strauss has backed Pietersen to shine. "We thought about it in Australia," said Strauss. "In the subcontinent the first 10 or 15 overs is always the best time to bat. We thought it would be a spur to him to take the World Cup by storm.
"It could work in our favour and put opposition teams under pressure. We have learned from past World Cups, where we have been a bit conservative. It's a bit of a calculated gamble on our part, but Kevin is capable of taking a game by the scruff of the neck without taking huge risks."

Rutashubanyuma · Feb 20, 2011

Hamish Bennett helps New Zealand thrash hapless Kenya in World Cup

New Zealand overhauled Kenya's 69 all out in eight overs to win by 10 wickets

Press Association
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 20 February 2011 10.28 GMT <li class="history">Article history

New Zealand's Hamish Bennett, second right, is congratulated after bowling out Kenya's Steve Tikolo. Photograph: Matthew Lewis/Getty Images New Zealand opened their World Cup by claiming an emphatic 10-wicket victory in their first match after bowling Kenya out for only 69 in Chennai.
Hamish Bennett took four wickets while Tim Southee and Jacob Oram took three apiece as the Kenya batsmen failed to cope with the pace of the New Zealand attack. Only three of them reached double figures as they collapsed from 40 for one to 69 all out in just 23.5 overs.
In reply, New Zealand's openers Martin Guptill, who made 39 not out off 32 balls, and Brendon McCullum, who made 26 not out off 17, overhauled the target inside eight overs to seal a comprehensive victory. The victorious captain, Daniel Vettori, saluted his fast bowlers for their part in the win.
"The wicket had a bit of variable bounce which our seamers exploited. It was a great performance," said Vettori. "It was good to start like this. The victory will stand us in good stead for the match against Australia on Friday."
Kenya's captain, Jimmy Kamande, admitted they were overwhelmed by New Zealand bowlers. "There was nothing wrong in the wicket. It was the areas New Zealand bowled," he said. "New Zealand came very hard at us. We have to learn from this performance today. There are some more games coming up for us."
The man of the match, Bennett, said he hoped the win would end New Zealand's poor run of form, which has seen them lose one-day series against Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. "It has been tough for us after the India game," he said. "I have been working on the yorker a lot, especially for the powerplays."
Batting first after winning the toss, Kenya got off to a dismal start, losing five wickets inside 16 overs, with Bennett doing the bulk of the damage. Introduced in the 10th over, he claimed four wickets in his fiery opening spell after Southee had caught out Kenya's opener, Alex Obanda, for six runs.
From 40 for one in the 12th over, Kenya slumped to 49 for five, with Seren Waters (16), Collins Obuya (14), Steve Tikolo (two) and their wicketkeeper, Maurice Ouma, back in the pavilion after failing to stand up to Bennett's pace.
The 23-year-old quick got three of his four victims lbw as he stuck to an impeccable line during his opening spell, which cost only 15 runs.
Oram then took over from Bennett and claimed Kamande for two to leave Kenya teetering on 59 for six. He struck again in his next over, when Thomas Odoyo's leading edge was caught at point by Jesse Ryder.
Southee then polished off the tail, dismissing Nehemiah Odhiambo and Shem Ngoche in successive balls while Oram sent back the No11, Elijah Otieno.
New Zealand wasted little time in rattling off the runs. Guptill began the chase aggressively and hit five boundaries and two sixes, while McCullum finished the match with two reverse-sweep boundaries.

Rutashubanyuma · Feb 20, 2011

Six Nations 2011: No need to turn tank-stoppers into ballerinas

France beware for England know how to bypass their own inelegant midfield through the skill of Toby Flood and his wings

Comments (38)

- Eddie Butler
- The Observer, Sunday 20 February 2011 <li class="history">Article history
England's Mike Tindall passes to Mark Cueto, whose link play with Toby Flood allows England to move the ball from wing to wing. Photograph: Tony Marshall/Empics The centrepiece of the 2011 Six Nations is obligingly the fixture at its centre, it seems. Sorry to start with the blindingly obvious but it may not turn out to be true. The meeting between the only two unbeaten teams may not be the be-all of the championship and the end-all of others' ambitions.
The title may well go to a team to have lost one game and that leaves Wales and Ireland still in the mix. The Irish really should have beaten France in round two. Sean Cronin, generally adhesive of hand and unafraid of open spaces, dropped the pass that mattered and we will never know if he would have made it to the line without the assistance of the queue of unguarded backs beyond him.
Wales may be in a strange place, not the chamber of horrors that goes with defeat by England but still a fog of confusion. To beat Scotland with 15 minutes of efficiency on the ball and 65 without it did not tell them much about themselves except that they may actually have played better against England.
Here we should mention Scotland if only because they are next up for Ireland. How you can go from fearless to toothless in a week must be etching furrows deep into brows from the Borders up.
The battle for the ball is still sacredly preserved in rugby because without it how else do you score? Scotland in possession have somehow managed to make themselves a scoring opportunity for their opponents. Why should anyone worry about the primary scrap when there may well be secondary gifts gratis?
Scotland will no doubt be honour‑bound to generate more bite against Ireland and they showed in the autumn that they respond quickly, going from defeat by New Zealand to victory over South Africa in a week. But Ireland will not be caught off-guard like the Springboks.
Scotland and Italy have to keep reaching for a broader set of options. Rugby has somehow managed to satisfy its desire to reward positive intent. No longer does the tackler initially control the breakdown.
No country should be better suited to this shifting of the balance of advantage from tackler to ball-carrier than France, instinctively drawn to demonstrations of skill. No country has responded more quickly to the opportunities of the new game than the former slaves to honest toil, England. Now they meet, unbeaten; something must give.
Toby Flood is the revelation of the year, his speed of reaction and precision of pass pulling England willingly forward. Chris Ashton is the most obvious example of England's response to the prompting from 10. Once upon a time David Duckham, a genuine genius, stood on the wing at Twickenham and could count chilblains in bigger numbers than passes. Now there is only a danger of overloading Ashton, of setting him up for a gang-tackle that speaks of opponents well briefed in his runs and irked by his gestures.
But even here, at strategic level, England may yet be a step ahead of the game. They have already found a way to bypass their slightly inelegant midfield, where Mike Tindall and Shontayne Hape are more of the tank-stopping school of centres. Why try to make them into ballerinas when Flood and Mark Cueto, coming off his wing, can sweep the ball from one touchline to the other in two passes?
There is nothing any opponent can do about the power of the England pack. Dan Cole and Tom Palmer have clearly accepted the invitation – the demand – to make an impact, Dylan Hartley to prove a provoker wrong.
There may be the odd quibble about the balance of the back row in a game of duress but the return of Lewis Moody could solve that, a scavenging 7, allowing James Haskell to launch himself, fresh-legged off the bench, as a runner in the final quarter.
And to supplement the eternal truth of forward power, there is the threat of the coiled spring. Ben Youngs so far has been dutifully serving Flood, accurately and speedily, but otherwise the scrum-half has been conspicuous only for a couple of uncharacteristic knock-ons. Little has been seen of his running.
How gratifying that must be, to know that the moment defences begin to close around threats visible to any analyst Youngs is poised to strike. He is on a leash at the moment but must sense a hand reaching for the release catch.
France may say that they worry about no single opponent, no collection of forwards, no wingers in particular. They have individuals of their own, such as Maxime Médard, a pack that will be looking to put England to the test at the scrummage if nowhere else. And in Aurélien Rougerie, Damien Traille and Yannick Jauzion they have a trio, all blessed with the combination of size and subtlety that eludes England, from which to perm a centre duo.
And either Morgan Parra or Dimitri Yachvili at scrum-half, in association with the brilliant Thierry Dusautoir at 6, are feisty enough to take care of Youngs. France are unbeaten on the field and settled in selection. They smile at their own erratic form sometimes, but, if they cannot make an effort to turn up at Twickenham in a World Cup year, they may as well give up.
Which, of course, is what they did against Australia in the autumn. And there was something about their reaction in Dublin that suggested a little too much relief at the victory and not enough displeasure at themselves. France on a roll would have scowled at letting Ireland come so close. Disgust is a portent of something special.
France, in short, may not yet be ready in their heads for a trip to Twickenham. The centrepiece of the Six Nations may be a tipping point, with imperious England marching resolutely and inventively forward. It does not mean the Six Nations is diminished, just that the climax moves to its rightful place, to a date further down the calendar.

Rutashubanyuma · Feb 20, 2011

Six Nations 2011: No need to turn tank-stoppers into ballerinas

France beware for England know how to bypass their own inelegant midfield through the skill of Toby Flood and his wings

Comments (38)

- Eddie Butler
- The Observer, Sunday 20 February 2011 <li class="history">Article history
England's Mike Tindall passes to Mark Cueto, whose link play with Toby Flood allows England to move the ball from wing to wing. Photograph: Tony Marshall/Empics The centrepiece of the 2011 Six Nations is obligingly the fixture at its centre, it seems. Sorry to start with the blindingly obvious but it may not turn out to be true. The meeting between the only two unbeaten teams may not be the be-all of the championship and the end-all of others' ambitions.
The title may well go to a team to have lost one game and that leaves Wales and Ireland still in the mix. The Irish really should have beaten France in round two. Sean Cronin, generally adhesive of hand and unafraid of open spaces, dropped the pass that mattered and we will never know if he would have made it to the line without the assistance of the queue of unguarded backs beyond him.
Wales may be in a strange place, not the chamber of horrors that goes with defeat by England but still a fog of confusion. To beat Scotland with 15 minutes of efficiency on the ball and 65 without it did not tell them much about themselves except that they may actually have played better against England.
Here we should mention Scotland if only because they are next up for Ireland. How you can go from fearless to toothless in a week must be etching furrows deep into brows from the Borders up.
The battle for the ball is still sacredly preserved in rugby because without it how else do you score? Scotland in possession have somehow managed to make themselves a scoring opportunity for their opponents. Why should anyone worry about the primary scrap when there may well be secondary gifts gratis?
Scotland will no doubt be honour‑bound to generate more bite against Ireland and they showed in the autumn that they respond quickly, going from defeat by New Zealand to victory over South Africa in a week. But Ireland will not be caught off-guard like the Springboks.
Scotland and Italy have to keep reaching for a broader set of options. Rugby has somehow managed to satisfy its desire to reward positive intent. No longer does the tackler initially control the breakdown.
No country should be better suited to this shifting of the balance of advantage from tackler to ball-carrier than France, instinctively drawn to demonstrations of skill. No country has responded more quickly to the opportunities of the new game than the former slaves to honest toil, England. Now they meet, unbeaten; something must give.
Toby Flood is the revelation of the year, his speed of reaction and precision of pass pulling England willingly forward. Chris Ashton is the most obvious example of England's response to the prompting from 10. Once upon a time David Duckham, a genuine genius, stood on the wing at Twickenham and could count chilblains in bigger numbers than passes. Now there is only a danger of overloading Ashton, of setting him up for a gang-tackle that speaks of opponents well briefed in his runs and irked by his gestures.
But even here, at strategic level, England may yet be a step ahead of the game. They have already found a way to bypass their slightly inelegant midfield, where Mike Tindall and Shontayne Hape are more of the tank-stopping school of centres. Why try to make them into ballerinas when Flood and Mark Cueto, coming off his wing, can sweep the ball from one touchline to the other in two passes?
There is nothing any opponent can do about the power of the England pack. Dan Cole and Tom Palmer have clearly accepted the invitation the demand to make an impact, Dylan Hartley to prove a provoker wrong.
There may be the odd quibble about the balance of the back row in a game of duress but the return of Lewis Moody could solve that, a scavenging 7, allowing James Haskell to launch himself, fresh-legged off the bench, as a runner in the final quarter.
And to supplement the eternal truth of forward power, there is the threat of the coiled spring. Ben Youngs so far has been dutifully serving Flood, accurately and speedily, but otherwise the scrum-half has been conspicuous only for a couple of uncharacteristic knock-ons. Little has been seen of his running.
How gratifying that must be, to know that the moment defences begin to close around threats visible to any analyst Youngs is poised to strike. He is on a leash at the moment but must sense a hand reaching for the release catch.
France may say that they worry about no single opponent, no collection of forwards, no wingers in particular. They have individuals of their own, such as Maxime Médard, a pack that will be looking to put England to the test at the scrummage if nowhere else. And in Aurélien Rougerie, Damien Traille and Yannick Jauzion they have a trio, all blessed with the combination of size and subtlety that eludes England, from which to perm a centre duo.
And either Morgan Parra or Dimitri Yachvili at scrum-half, in association with the brilliant Thierry Dusautoir at 6, are feisty enough to take care of Youngs. France are unbeaten on the field and settled in selection. They smile at their own erratic form sometimes, but, if they cannot make an effort to turn up at Twickenham in a World Cup year, they may as well give up.
Which, of course, is what they did against Australia in the autumn. And there was something about their reaction in Dublin that suggested a little too much relief at the victory and not enough displeasure at themselves. France on a roll would have scowled at letting Ireland come so close. Disgust is a portent of something special.
France, in short, may not yet be ready in their heads for a trip to Twickenham. The centrepiece of the Six Nations may be a tipping point, with imperious England marching resolutely and inventively forward. It does not mean the Six Nations is diminished, just that the climax moves to its rightful place, to a date further down the calendar.

Rutashubanyuma · Feb 20, 2011

Six Nations 2011: Chris Ashton keeps on smiling, diving and scoring

Less than a year after his England debut the winger has grabbed attention with his tries and his celebrations

Michael Aylwin
guardian.co.uk, Saturday 19 February 2011 22.00 GMT <li class="history">Article history

Chris Ashton just can't help himself when it comes to scoring tries for England. Photograph: Henry Browne/Action Images Anyone would think he had become the first man in history to dive over a tryline, the first to score four tries in a match, the first to enjoy himself on a rugby field.
To England fans, it probably does feel a bit like that. And so Chris Ashton has become a hero – within a year of his international debut, the most talked-about man in European rugby. Even more impressively, perhaps, he has managed to turn that commonplace flourish of the prolific try-scorer, the swallow dive, into a matter of intense and widespread debate. Should we celebrate it as an expression of his irrepressible joy, or should we frown upon it as an indulgence or a slight upon the opposition? And what if he drops the ball?
The airwaves have been crackling with these questions, but at the middle of it all we have a young man of 23 who cannot stop smiling and cannot stop scoring. Nine tries from nine Tests, and they comprise some defining scores in some defining wins. Even England's one proper setback in their recent improvement, the defeat by South Africa, maintained the correlation between the progress of England and that of Ashton. He was knocked out in a first-half collision with Victor Matfield and played most of the match stumbling around with concussion.
Ashton's star has risen perfectly in line with England's. Is it just a coincidence? He is just a finisher, after all. No, says Martin Johnson. "He's more than just a finisher. He's a good lad. He has brought an energy to the team, as have all the young guys. Everything's a little bit new to them, it's all exciting, and they're having fun."
So, too, is Johnson. Not so long ago a defining image of England was of Johnson smashing a table in frustration at yet another penalty conceded. Now the cameras turn to him during a match and there is a fair chance he will be smiling. He has caught the Ashton bug as much as anyone. "I always have fun," he says, practically laughing. "It's a weakness, isn't it?"
James Haskell is less measured on the emotional front and leaves us in no doubt about what Ashton's swooping does for him. "All I can say from a player's point of view," he says, "is that when Ashy scored and did it with confidence, my first reaction was: 'That's awesome, I love it.' He's put two fingers up and he's playing with confidence. It put a smile on my face and it just lifted the whole occasion. It wasn't necessarily the diving, it's just the fact that players are playing in this England squad with no inhibitions."
It is this exuberance that is endearing Ashton to his public. Diving for tries is nothing new. What strikes a chord is that he cannot seem to help himself. Here is what he said before the Italy game, in the wake of his swallow dive against Wales, which prompted warnings from the management not to jeopardise the team's hard-earned tries. "If I'd dropped it, there would have been a whole world of pain. I'll not be doing that again."
We all know what happened next. There were five seconds between Ashton receiving the ball for his first try against Italy and the scoring of it, plenty of time for us to turn over in our minds the question of how he was going to do it. We might as well have had a stand-off between him and Johnson. Twickenham was like a classroom of 80,000 kids holding their breath as the school miscreant was hauled up in front of the headmaster. And, boom, the place erupted at the sheer cheek of the boy.
"I didn't think about it until I was close to the line," he said that night. "I was going, eeny, meeny, miny, moe. I got to moe, so I thought I'd better do it." It's as if when it comes to swallow-diving he can't help himself.
Such antics tell us more about the boy than any number of interviews. Graham Mayor is a family friend of the Ashton's from Wigan. His son, Chris, is a professional rugby player, who played for a few years with Ashton at Northampton, and his daughter, Katie-Beth, was one of Ashton's best friends at primary school. She gave him his first scar, still there on his forehead, when they clashed heads in their rush to get to the playground, succeeding where Matfield failed by sending Ashton to hospital.
"He was always a cheeky chappie," says Mayor, "but not in an offensive sort of way. He was endearing, because that smile you see now on the telly, he's always had that, and it's got him out of a lot of scrapes."
Ashton's adventure into professional rugby started in rugby league with Wigan, for whom he made his debut as an 18-year-old in 2005, filling the boots of the legendary Kris Radlinski. True to his subsequent form, he scored twice. "He certainly doesn't let much get to him," says Radlinski. "He doesn't see the seriousness of life – it's just a big party to him. He seems to have matured a lot, listening to him in interviews, but I like his outlook on life. He plays like he's on a field with his mates."
In his first full season as Wigan's full-back, he was top try-scorer and looked set fair to become Radlinski's heir. "He might have been if he'd been managed better, but it's amazing how things happen. One minute he was frozen out, and his career could have gone either way. Luckily, he knuckled down and it has all paid off."
The dream of being the next Radlinski turned sour, as Ashton was dropped in his second season and took the huge step of turning to rugby union, when Northampton signed him in 2007. "When he broke into the team he had no money," says Ian Millward, his first coach at Wigan. "But we put him on a full-time contract of maybe twenty-something thousand. By the time union came in I'd left the club, but I reckon it was to his disappointment that Wigan let him go. His agent [Andrew Clarke] told me he was prepared to stay for £75,000. It was his town and his team, and he'd always wanted to be the No1 full-back for Wigan. But they didn't think he was worth that."
Northampton were offering him £140,000. For a 20-year-old, there was only one decision to make, whatever the heart said.
His first season at Northampton was a riot. The Saints had been relegated to the First Division. Ashton scored with his first touch and went on to register an extraordinary 41 tries in 28 games. But his inexperience of the intricacies of union caught up with him when Northampton went up to the Premiership, and he went through his second "second season", languishing in the reserves for long stretches, wondering whether union was for him after all.
For all his carefree irreverence, though, another trait that comes up over and again is his work ethic. Everything about Ashton's game may look effortless, but his gracefulness is belied by relentless industry beneath the surface, on and off the field.
"In that season in the First Division he was a complete unknown and he was scoring tries for fun," says Jim Mallinder, his director of rugby at Northampton. "What's pleasing about Chris is that he then had to go back and work hard at his game in that first year in the Premiership. But he's now moved it back to where it was, and he's managing to do it not only at Premiership level but at international level."
Attracting almost as much comment as his dives has been this ground-breaking knack he has for finding himself on the shoulder of the right team-mate at the right time. It looks simple, but it involves a rare instinct for second-guessing the patterns of a game, and it does indeed involve a hell of a lot of work, running countless, often unrewarded supporting lines.
It also involves sheer speed, which is another thing Ashton has worked on. Northampton have employed Frans Bosch, the Dutch sprint coach who is currently working with Wales.
"Rugby players have the same deficit when it comes to sprinting," says Bosch, "and if you keep on playing rugby it gets worse. If you are carrying a ball into contact, you have a tendency to crunch over a little bit. Then you switch off your abdominals and the muscles that are important for high-speed running. If you're diligent it can be fixed in about three months, and Chris has really bought into it. You can see a big difference in his running."
You can see a big difference in the England team, too. They have 10 tries in two games this Six Nations, and Ashton has six of them, equalling the Six Nations record of Will Greenwood and Shane Williams with three rounds to go. He is also in sight of the all-time record, eight tries, set by England's Cyril Lowe and Scotland's Ian Smith in the opening decades of the last century, when it was the Five Nations.
Everything is coming off for Ashton, and English rugby has not enjoyed someone enjoying himself like this since Greenwood, Ben Cohen et al were scoring every which way at the start of the millennium. He will almost certainly have to endure a third "second season" at some point when international rugby adjusts to the Ashton energy. How he reacts to that will define the nature of his star. It says a lot for him already that press, public and manager all hope against hope that it should never come down to earth with a dislodged ball bobbling harmlessly away.
People just really like Chris Ashton.

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