Blog Profile / Phil Mcnulty
| URL : | http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/ | |
|---|---|---|
| Filed Under: | Sports / Football | |
| Posts on Regator: | 128 | |
| Posts / Week: | 1.3 | |
| Archived Since: | July 6, 2011 | |
Blog Post Archive
Time for Liverpool to start winning
At Stamford Bridge
Brendan Rodgers insists Liverpool must no longer look in the rear view mirror - but admits the road ahead to restoration may be a long one.
In among the cascade of optimistic messages that have epitomised Rodgers's...Show More Summary
Mancini must recognise brutal truth for Man City
At Etihad Stadium
When Roberto Mancini's rage against the slow death of Manchester City's Champions League aspirations finally fizzles out, it will be replaced by the recognition of a brutal truth.
Mancini was the flesh and blood embodiment...Show More Summary
Mark Clattenburg claim takes the game into uncharted territory
Another inquiry into "who said what to who" means football comes second again, says the BBC's Phil McNulty
For an hour Stamford Bridge staged a football match to savour. Chelsea and Manchester United spent this time laying out every exhibit to illustrate their potential to be Premier League champions.
The scenery was suddenly, uncomfortably, shifted. Show More Summary
Taylor's unwise words fail to spark Sunderland riposte
At The Stadium of Light
Steven Taylor's provocative pre-match declaration that no Sunderland player would make Newcastle United's starting line-up should have been the spark to light a fire under Martin O'Neill's side.
This Wear-Tyne...Show More Summary
England flounder in Polish damp squib
In Warsaw After the deluge came the damp squib. England grabbed gratefully at a point as they flew out of Warsaw but this was not a performance designed to make a 24-hour wait worthwhile. England's visit to Warsaw has almost been plucked...Show More Summary
Farce and ineptitude reign in Warsaw
In Warsaw
England's World Cup qualifier with Poland was already dead in the water with U2's "Beautiful Day" ringing out in a moment bursting with irony as rain danced off a surface that resembled a swamp.
The DJ inside Warsaw's £400m...Show More Summary
England eager to avoid a repeat of 1973
Warsaw
England and Poland have World Cup history. It is a past that is revisited every time they meet and the next page will be written in Warsaw's spectacular National Stadium on Tuesday.
The history is both rich and poor in an England...Show More Summary
England negotiate San Marino mismatch
At Wembley England goalkeeper Joe Hart did not have many touches at Wembley but every one was cheered resoundingly. The rafters almost shook when he finally laid hands on the ball in stoppage time. Roy Hodgson's side got the job done...Show More Summary
Level-headed Baines flies under the radar
As Ashley Cole faces disciplinary action after his Twitter abuse of the Football Association, Everton's Leighton Baines was busy presenting the acceptable face of England's left-back fraternity. The 27-year-old Merseysider has livedShow More Summary
Terry & Ferdinand incident continues to cause problems
The fall-out from John Terry's exchange with Anton Ferdinand during the west London derby between Chelsea and QPR almost a year ago continues to scatter itself around the Football Association.
England defender Ashley Cole's profanity...Show More Summary
Brief fans' exchange should not overshadow fitting tribute
At Anfield
The mosaics had been removed and the 96 red balloons had long since flown away from Anfield when the truce agreed in exchange for decency was briefly broken.
Liverpool and Manchester United - the clubs and their supporters...Show More Summary
Champions League: British chances of success
The Uefa Champions League's power to surprise was illustrated perfectly by the hazards Chelsea negotiated to claim the prize owner Roman Abramovich craved most last season.
On the brink against Napoli, Abramovich sacked Andre Villas-Boas...Show More Summary
Contented Villas-Boas finally feels some warmth
At the Madejski Stadium
The recognition came 72 minutes into Andre Villas-Boas's fourth Premier League game in charge of Tottenham, moments after Gareth Bale's scuffed shot secured his first victory.
Spurs led 2-0 at Reading and theShow More Summary
Margin for error narrows after England stumble
At Wembley
"Let The Games Begin" proclaimed the match programme's front-page headline for England's World Cup qualifier with Ukraine - and how Wembley revelled in the great British summer of sport.
Or at least it did for a few minutes...Show More Summary
Easy assignment but England can feel optimistic
England fitted in seamlessly with their surroundings as the World Cup journey they hope will end in Brazil in two years started with the smoothest of passages in Moldova. Chisinau's Zimbru Stadium offers a mix of Moldova's old and new.
The...Show More Summary
Arsenal defeat adds to off field worries
Liverpool's inner workings will soon be exposed to public gaze via a fly-on-the-wall documentary. It may be to their eternal relief that the cameras stopped rolling before transfer deadline day.
The events of the last 72 hours wouldShow More Summary
Liverpool v Manchester City: Flat City gives Roberto Mancini ammunition in battle to buy players
At Anfield
Roberto Mancini's tongue was rattling loudly around in his cheek when he announced he wanted between 10 and 15 new players before Friday's transfer deadline - but he was happy to make his point all the same.
Mancini makesShow More Summary
Towering Fellaini leaves Ferguson fuming
At Goodison Park
The sound of Sir Alex Ferguson damning Everton with faint praise through grinding teeth will have been a sweet serenade to the ears of David Moyes. It was an unwitting tribute to a job perfectly done.
This thunderous...Show More Summary
Rodgers's warnings borne out by heavy beating
At The Hawthorns Brendan Rodgers's conviction on his arrival at Liverpool that his restoration of the club's fortunes would not be a quick fix was underscored by his presentation of a 180-page dossier to the club's owners as a signpost...Show More Summary
'Angry' Sir Alex Ferguson fired up to reclaim title
From the very instant the final words of congratulation left Sir Alex Ferguson's lips and headed in the direction of new Premier League champions Manchester City, the Scot will have fixed every fibre on reclaiming the crown.
And theShow More Summary