Mayan Christmas

As we celebrate this Christmas, jokingly using the last Mayan Calendar as a caveat of things preceding today, it is also a Christmas where 20 kids were unable to attend because of 1 mad man. 8 adults were also taken away from the world in the incident in Connecticut. And then there is the killing of firefighters in New York, which generated much less fanfare. Yet to me, both are equally upsetting. One taking innocence away. One taking goodwill and courage away.

Of course, if you read my last post, you know I am disappointed by many from Singapore chattering about gun laws for USA that they have no business in. I am neutral to gun law or lawlessness since the landscape here is too chaotic for gun laws to be adhered to. I do not believe in telling other countries how to do things, and that belief is held upon people who I interact with as well.

Now, I read a lot about whether or not to have gun laws. But the reality remains, the perpetrators do not care what we think. Like the people I talked to in Singapore who called for bans on guns without considering that some might have a legitimate reason to own guns, such as living in a dangerous neighborhood, criminals thrived on the advantage that they are armed and we aren't. Yea, some people thrive on not having guns. Most of us are lucky not to have to deal with situations that might involve a gun. Others may not be.

But the problem cannot be completely solved by everyone owning guns. Like all things in life, power, here in owning a weapon that can easily end a life, comes with responsibility. And the real problem right now is that many who wield power does not carry out their duties. Politicians bicker over a small deal that doesn't come close to scratching the surface of our debt problem. Newspapers selling drama rather than facts. People preferring style over substance. Well, I'm a bit of style over substance myself, but I digressed to show my understanding of my own weaknesses. In short, not everyone should own a gun simply because many will misuse them in times of need.

The question that come to my mind about the gun issue is, how did the perps get the guns? Or other criminals? Is it the same way the guns ended up in the gang lands of Mexico? Is the black market so powerful in getting anybody whatever they wished for given enough money? Are we missing something?

As humans, we always are missing something. That is the key to minimizing the gun problem. Copying Australia doesn't help if we can't account for the guns in the black market. Copying Singapore won't work, well, even for a day. The reality starts with whether we care. I care about the people I know of. When I heard about Newtown, instead of crying for gun bans, I actually wish I am at the scene of the incident with a gun, assault caliber or not, to take down that coward. I don't like to have guns but if I need to use one, I will. Same thing when I heard that firefighters are killed in an ambush.

It doesn't matter what laws we have because if we don't enforce it properly, the laws end up hurting us more than protecting us. Law will just become the weapon of the elected, the pen that constricts us of our sanity. One question I have for gun ban cry-ers when the incident happened: Why would we deprive the victims a means to defend themselves when we know that many criminals already have a weapon?

So before anyone starts talking about gun laws or banning guns or just about not having gun laws, stop for a moment, dissociate from the environment that requires you to be near any form of protection or a gun and take time to hug every loved one you know. Because until we all gain the wisdom to wield the power of a weapon, be it a pen or a gun, the problem will always linger and none of us can ever be too safe. Justice will fail to prevail from time to time. The solution we should be going after is to lower that failure rate, not eradicate it, because it is part and parcel of our life. For now, we can only hope that the sanity we have in us will keep us safe.

I can only look forward to the next moment I have with my loved ones because even after the Mayan Calendar ended, humanity has not stopped failing its lofty perception of itself.

Fueling Drama January

Well, Fellaini has been the star of Everton's great season. So much so that he's linked to every team in UCL now. Yea, even big spending Anzhi wants him. What do I want? Just that Everton go to UCL for the next few seasons regardless of where Fellaini is. And I'm sure he is well aware that he and the team will weigh their options should a reasonable offer comes.

Here's the fact regardless of whether Everton reaches UCL after beating Tottenham at the death of the game:

1. Everton is not wealthy, but we're not that broke to sell our best players for cheap, especially when we stand to gain more financing in doing well in the EPL
2. Good offers to Everton means pay day for Fellaini too, so Fellaini can afford to be patient
3. Who's to say #4 is all Everton can achieve?
4. Fellaini has a long career ahead and leaving to warm benches ensures his earning power and playing time is capped, or falter sooner if it is another team struggling to reach UCL
5. Fellaini should be even happier knowing that being the center of the team's good season, he can build on to that prestige by having the team built around him rather than on or without him at another team
6. A good team player will always succeed because a team win does not make one that much better but a team loss takes away the shine one gathers

Well, that's not addressing speculation to Baines and Moyes though. Still, the same argument applies. Good teamwork leads to good results and it all starts from the agreement between team executives, coach and players. Am I jealous of big spending teams? Yea, everyone wants more dough to splash but dough comes when good results string. I wonder whether we can continue our astute January buying trends and make sure that getting into UCL is the least of our worries. And for once, the refereeing did not damage us enough, even though referees are still Everton's archenemy to a great season.

Well, since this is the season of gifting, my wishlist for Everton's season are:

1. (1-2) Central Defenders, weird as it might be, but having turned into a more aggressive attacking team, Everton's tread thin lineup needs a boost in that regard, especially when our best attacks actually start from defence
2. (1-2) Central Midfield who can move to the wings once in a while since we will benefit if our high octane offence can stabilize the variations of pace depending on whether Pienaar, Baines and Mirallas are healthy or playing together or not
3. Either Jelavic, Naismith, Velios or someone picks up the scoring or we might need a goal poacher to increase conversion of our opportunities, although that might come from the above buys as well

Everton in trouble...?!?

Yea yea, Everton conceded the goal in the last minute. Lost 2 points. Below are the culprits based on all the comments I read:

1. Players not scoring with their chances...
2. Moyes losing his plot with the useless substitution in the 92nd minute...
3. Howler Howard is back...(Sorry Tim, that is a nickname I gave you when you're at Man U)
4. Everton is in danger of missing out of Europe...

Point 1 is mine, Point 3 is shared among some fans. I barely agree with Point 2 and am totally bemused by Point 4. Really? All this from 90 minutes? When is Everton a perennial European team? Since we reached UCL? Since we finished in the top 6 for 3 consecutive years? If not, when?

I have watched the team since 1990. I was 11 at the END of 1990, when they are under a boatload of debt and going nowhere. All the kids are rooting for Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and even flash-in-the-pan Blackburn. Why did I pick them? From the Shoot and Match magazine! Everton sounds like a nice team, grit and good history. My favorite mug is the one signed by the 1995 FA Cup winning team. And after some great work by Moyes, he is at the end of the road now? Seriously? Did the fans just joined when we won against Man U this year?

Yea, Moyes messed up. He should have stepped up the pressure for more goals by putting in Gueye, Velios or Barkley earlier. Yea, Howard messed up because that goal is quite un-Howard like. Yea, if we lose more points like these we might end up mid table or below. But really, I'm only reeling from the fact that we are not converting our chances enough. But to be so negative after 2 bad games is ridiculous! Heck, the only thing I will worry about is when we have 4 points from a 10 game stretch. Oh, that was QPR...

Do you know that THIS YEAR, we are leading the league by shots per game, second by shots on target. Hey, I didn't know Everton attack that much...why are we so poor last year? Oh, and the year before...And the year before that? We gained 6% points in possession time against last year. And we are a bad passing team for the last decade! So naysayers are out in force because we dropped 2 points against Norwich? Or the 3 against Reading? Why didn't Man U go bankrupt after their loss last week to 'lowly' Norwich? Or Mancini sacked for being knocked out of UCL? Oh by the way, we're still top 6 in shots conceded. Why is this stat important? Because that means Howler Howard will not have that many chances to create Howlers at least! And I still have faith that he will bounce back from here!

But to say I'm not disappointed would be false. Things I think we should improve on can make us really strong. I'm not sure if we'll win UCL but hey, I'm looking one game at a time. Ok, maybe the occasional seasonal planning... 

1. Dial Coleman or Baines or Heitinga back from attack slightly to shore up possession and strengthen defense, OR put an extra pacey defender in the middle
2. Play Management. While we're better in attacking, more possession and shots, we did not improve as much in passing efficiency. I rather we pass the ball into the net than hope for the smash to go in.
3. Game Plan. 2 parts to this item. Stop tinkering yet flexible!
1. Moyes should be more flexible. A great coach and manager off the field but he does not finish fixture sometimes, either by changing the plan due to an adverse event or to double up and finish the game off. I wished he was more gung-ho against Norwich and Reading and piled possession against them while holding a steady back line, but hey, maybe no one said these to him. I WILL NOW!
2. Playing the team/formation best fit based on what's available. Moyes has been great dealing with a small squad but there are times I feel that the 18 named for the game is not always positioned optimally. It's my hunch. Could be wrong. Subs need to conform to a plan.
4. Rest players often. I know its a small squad but do we need to play the first team against Leyton Orient? What was the next game's result? And as much as I like trophies, cup games are better games to test fringe players and tactics than league games...
5. Sometimes the best defence is to no give away the ball...Even if that means not shooting!
6. My personal favorite...And a long time since I looked at the players we got and just putting them into a Championship Manager formation. If you feel this formation is familiar, I have been championing it since I started playing the computer game. (Sorry, picture is blur)

I preferred 3-5-2, with 1-2 defensive midfielders with wingers moving from center midfield outward and wingbacks covering either the entire lane or moving inwards when supporting attack. And my setting for the style of play? Gung-ho. Passing. Shredding defences with Mirallas, Oviedo, Baines, Pienaar and Coleman. I don't mind the Hammer, Baines or our great Afrohead putting a few shots to open up defences once in a while.

I know, I know, we don't have money, or the players, or whatever. How can we have such high expectations when we're not supposed to dream? And are you sure we don't have the team to succeed now? I remember that I was laughed at, though not horribly, when I said Everton can reach UCL in 2003, right when we're halfway to team building and fighting relegation. Too bad I cannot find my comment/prediction on the Everton forum anymore...

Finally, I need to say I am amazed by the work Moyes done so far. It would be great if we can keep our star players because they have a better chance to grow and succeed here, rather than be a second thought elsewhere or under perform, and we'll succeed too. And am I upset we didn't win (or even lose last week)? Yea, but I will forget it by Sunday, or worst case, Monday. Why? Because we are improving! And heck, even if West Ham smashes Tottenham tomorrow, we are still top 6 for now! Look to win the next game and next game only! Hey, unless we actually fall below 15th (ok, my patience is probably 12th but I have been known to err on the side of stability), I can see Moyes being my manager of choice for a long time.

On a second thought, I am afraid we keep conceding goals. Wait, we are scoring much more goals than we used to, aren't we? And am I afraid of the next 3 games? Sure. My expectation is 0 points since we finished 5th-8th or the last 6 years. Anything more than 3 points is great! And remember our record against Arsenal...Next stop, Arsenal...Maybe we should park the bus...I hope not!