Underrated Women's Players Part 1

You may remember not too long ago I did a post all about the women's footballers to watch in 2019, well today's post is all about those players that I personally believe are underrated and are given nowhere near the credit they deserve, you will see this is titled as part 1 and that is because I had quite the list of players who aren't credited as much as they should be (keep an eye out for part 2 soon). There are a lot of players out there who are over looked on an international level and don't get the call ups and game time they deserve, there are also players who play week in week out for their clubs giving 100% and fantastic performances but go unnoticed due to either no being a big enough name or just from slipping under most fans radar. So here are the players who I believe are totally underrated.


I may be a Man City women fan but I have been following along with the journey of the Man Utd squad as it has been interesting to see how they progress in the league as a newly formed side. One player who has definitely stood out to me is Lauren James. At just 17 years old she is brilliant in front of goal and is proving a key player in United's race for the title. Lauren went to United from Arsenal and is the younger sister of Chelsea player Reece James. With Lauren being so young it is scary to think of what a player she will become as she gains more minutes and experience. I can see her becoming a big name player over time as she grows as a player.


Alex Greenwood is one of those players who is fantastic but usually tends to slip under the radar. She left Liverpool last season to join Casey Stoney's Man Utd where she became captain, I think this move has done her the world of good. She has been showing what a great leader she is and just how good of a player she is. Even though she dropped down a league I believe it has benefited her and she is now getting the playing time for England she deserves. I honestly thought when she dropped down a league she would end up with less playing time for England but she seems to have really left an impression on Phil Neville. I know I am a Man City fan but I honestly prefer Greenwood in the England left back position over Demi Stokes.


Ah Jane Campbell a young player with a whole loft of potential. Some of the saves that Jane pulls off for the Houston Dash are unreal. With Hope Solo no longer in goal for the USWNT I really thought Jill would have realised the importance of having a good rotation of keepers, but clearly she hasn't got that idea yet. Naeher is the usual number one and other keepers struggle for game time, when Naeher doesn't play it is usually Harris who steps in but honestly I believe give Jane the chance and she will show what she really can do. I hope Campbell gets called up for the World Cup roster but as  wasn't even named on the main She Believes Cup roster which I really don't understand Jill's reasoning, I honestly don't see it happening. But Campbell is definitely one to watch throughout the NWSL as she will be key to how Houston's season plays out, plus at only 24 there is plenty of time for her to develop as a player and get those call ups she deserves.



I was so excited when I saw that Janine Beckie had signed for Man City, the Canadian international is one of the players who had really impressed me in the NWSL. Sky Blue seem to have been struggling to keep players lately (a whole different issue for another day) and it has seen a couple come over to Europe to work on their game. Beckie said that Carli Lloyd helped point her in City's direction so thank you Carli. Janine is a game changer when she comes off the bench and I just hope she gets more starts in future games as she brings a different energy to them with her vision and dedication. She is also another young player at just 24 so she has plenty more years to become a bigger name in the game and has plenty of chances to win silver wear whether that is at club or international level, she has already won the Continental cup with City, providing the winning penalty kick.

So there you have it, those are my first set of underrated players. I think this will definitely be a little series on the blog so if you have any suggestions of players you think are underrated and should be including in this (I want a few parts to be other fans opinions) leave a comment below or drop me a tweet/message over on Twitter.

See you soon,
Lucy

Under Armour Spotlight DL Firm Ground SnrC99


It has been quite a while since I got to wear a pair of football boots. So I was on count down to been able to lace up these and get the ball back at my feet. I am 24 now and hadn't been able to play football  or have a kick about since I was 21 which is far too long in my eyes as I had played since I was really young.

I knew I wanted to get back into playing and training so when we moved close to a field with goals I knew I would be paying it a visit. The big question though was what boots I was going to buy. I have always been a Nike player but I have ventured into a few Adidas pairs occasion, one brand I had never tried though was Under Armour. From watching Kelley O'Hara and Rachel Daly play I knew this was a brand I was going to try sooner or later as the colour ways are fantastic in some models and the US ones they did for Kelley were just fantastic. So for my new pair I went for the change and picked some Under Armour boots.


The Model I ended up going for was the Spotlight DL Firm Ground SnrC99 boots and honestly I was pleasantly surprised. They are a synthetic upper but honestly they are a really nice upper and are yet to crease which is something that drives me mad in some boots. The upper is a matte green however in certain lights they do appear to be shiny just what I like. These boots are definitely a take down of a higher end model which unfortunately I couldn't find any info on as they are an old model. These were definitely a clear out model by the time I bought them as they were just so cheap. You can tell though they are a take down as they have the synthetic upper and came at such a low price. I really wish I could work out the release date for these boots as it would be great to see how the price has varied on these over the time they have been out.


I ordered the boots online without seeing them in person so I really wasn't sure what to expect. So when I opened the box I was pleasantly surprised. They are definitely a stand out boot with how vibrant they are but that isn't the biggest thing that surprised me I couldn't believe how light the box was, in fact there were 2 pairs of boots in the box and I thought I had been ripped off. The lighter the boot the better and when I picked them up so cheap I thought they would be more weighted as they are a take down. Overall I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the box and couldn't wait to get out and kick a ball in them.


One thing I have never liked is plain and boring boots, I want something that stands out on the pitch so the brighter the colour way the better. When looking for a budget pair of boots the only ones coming up were black so I knew it wasn't going to happen, then I came across these and clicked purchase. I hadn't had green boots in a long time and these just jump straight out on you, there is no way you are going unnoticed in these. the colour way is brilliant in my opinion the green and black compliment each over really well and work as a brilliant combination. I love the green laces too as they blend into the upper nicely and I think changing the laces out may end up ruining the look. One thing I noticed is that the heel is actually a bit of a greyish colour instead of  pure black, which fits really well with the rest of the design. The outer has a sort of blurred line effect which actually fades into the heel which works really well. The only issue I  think I am going to have with these is keeping them vibrant, they got really muddy throughout testing and I am just hoping that if I keep on top of cleaning them that they wont stain or ruin easily, fingers crossed but I guess only time will tell.


Over the years I have played on more pitches best suited for firm ground boots, so I opted for this option again as I know overall I am going to be training more as the warmer weather comes around, but I also would love to get into 5 a side if possible so these could double up for both. I found that these studs were a decent length for the natural grass although it was a little muddy, if the ground was a little firmer these would definitely be perfect as they really aren't very long so don't need to dig in too far to get a good grip, this also means they would be perfect for artificial grass as due to the length they don't need to dig down too far and are going to get you a good grip on even the artificial surface. The stud pattern is also quite evenly distributed so you are getting that grip all over instead of it been focused on one area (stud patterns are something I am going to do some research on for a future post so keep an eye out for that as they are something I really want to learn about). I was quite surprised with how sturdy the sole plate actually felt, I honestly thought with them being so cheap they would be made out of a really flimsy plastic however, that wasn't the case as it is actually a tough plastic, I tried to bend these as far as possible and whilst they are super flexible nothing happened to the sole plate and it went back to how it was instantly which is just what you need, you don't want it cracking mid game and coming apart. One thing that always annoyed me whilst growing up was trying to get mud off the sole plate due to all the studs and grooves but luckily with these it is overall a smooth soleplate, with a decent distance between each stud and only the logo and a few ridges on it. This meant just one hit to the goal post when we finished and 90% of the mud came off, I just needed to run a small brush over the rest and it was clean. Which is brilliant because I hate cleaning boots it usually takes far too long.


One of the biggest factors in any boots is the breaking in period, you don't want to absolutely destroy your feet whilst training and you definitely don't want to be playing in boots that are uncomfortable or that are going to negatively effect your performance. Therefore comfort and the breaking in period are key.  That is why I was really impressed with these, with me never trying Under Armour boots before I really didn't now what to expect, when I put them on and they fit perfectly and didn't actually rub I was quite amazed as my last few Nike's actually took a short breaking in period and they cost a lot more than these. These haven't even rubbed me once, which is amazing to say I have only been wearing a thin pair of Sondico socks whilst wearing these, normally I would have thicker socks on by the likes of Nike. I actually went up half a size in these and they fit perfect so I would definitely recommend looking into different sizes if you were to buy a new pair of boots, I have always noticed that my best fitting ones have always been half a size or a size bigger than normal, this is just down to factoring the width and thicker socks you wear when playing, they are definitely a snug fit but that is how I like them I don't want my feet sliding around in them as that is where injuries come from. The insole in these surprised me too as I thought it would just be cheap but it is actually pretty thick which gives you the perfect cushioning, I don't want boots where I can feel the ground or the studs I want comfort which is exactly what these provide they just feel great when on feet. As I touched on previously I thought these would definitely have been heavier with the low price tag but Under Armour have done brilliantly providing a light weight model on a budget. I did notice that the upper began to crease a bit after some time running and shooting but honestly it is nothing that is going to effect the comfort all this will effect is the overall look but the creases were to be expected with the simple upper. As a striker/ winger I want to get a good connection on the ball every time and sometimes laces can really effect this aspect of the game. However these laces fit perfect into the upper and don't stick out creating and unnecessary texture like in some boots in fact at points you forget they are there. even when fastened I just took the knot and excess lace into the boot and it works as everything is nicely hidden and you don't feel the knot against your foot. The laces are also a decent length so when you do took them in there isn't much on either side of your foot or on the underneath your feet, which is brilliant as you don't have to worry about them rubbing or causing discomfort.  Plus if they do come out you don't have to worry about tripping over them.


These boots have a natural touch on the ball and you can create good control with them you don't have to worry about the ball sliding straight off as the matte effect helps with keeping the ball where it should be even in wet conditions. As for the strike on the ball it actually felt nice and clean even after all the years not playing. You don't want the ball to hurt when you strike it and these provide the ultimate protection against this no matter how hard I hit it, there was no pain at all.


I managed to pick these up for just £18 where the box stated they had originally been £59.99 as I said before I don't know the date these were released however, they were definitely a clear out model as you can no longer find them. I would be surprised if these had started off life at £59.99 as for the quality I experienced I would have thought they were around the £100.00 mark. I definitely got a bargain at £18 but I think I would have picked these up for the £59.99 mark as even though they are a basic quality (lower model) they aren't flimsy at all they are durable and I can see them lasting me a long time. I was definitely very lucky in finding this deal and who knows I may be able to find more deals like this in the future but I don't think I could get lucky like this again.

This is definitely a brand you can expect to see plenty from on the blog in the future as I was so impressed with these boots, I will definitely be trying more over time. If you have any other boots or football related things you would like to see on here just leave a comment or drop me a message on twitter and I will see what I can do.

See you soon 
Lucy.

Weight Loss #3


Well thanks to being ill I totally forgot to post last week which meant I forgot to document the fact in fact gained weight. I was gutted I gained the weight as I had been doing so well which made me more determined last week to lose again. That is what I did, I am now back to my start weight but honestly I don't know how I managed it. When I am ill all I do is eat junk and lay around, we have both had no motivation the past week and it has shown overall but it definitely hasn't shown on the scales.

I honestly think I am more upset that I didn't get any exercise done last week just down to the pain, so I am hoping that I can change this during this week. I am just determined to try and keep on track, I have a few rewards in place now to keep me motivated so fingers crossed I can stick to it and get the rewards out of it. 

So my Aims for the week ahead are:

Make fresh food at least 6 times this week
Cut down on junk food
Drink plenty of water
Exercise at least once this week (if pain disappears)
Cut back on the fizzy drinks

Start weight : 15st 13 3/4 lb
Weight Last Week : 16st 1 1/4 lb
Current weight : 15st 13 3/4 Lb

Difference - 1 1/2 lb

I am pretty proud how I managed to lose weight even though I was ill and I am really hoping to keep up with this and lose more this week.

See you soon,
Lucy



Last Week #35


Well last week was a complete write off. Thank to not been well I only left the house 2 days out of 7. During the weekend though things seemed to pick up, I managed to get started on the little room with the help of my parents, actually hang some washing out and get jobs around the house done. It is nice to see we have finally started on the final house in the room for a while and honestly I don't think it will be long until it is complete. So here is what I had...

Been Watching: I have spent all my time off getting caught up on YouTube and have been loving it. I also finished The People vs OJ Simpson and what a brilliant show that is. The best thing I watched all week though was Man City women beating Arsenal in the Continental cup final.

Been reading : I have spent plenty of time doing nothing and I really should have tried getting some reading done in this time.

Been listening to : Ariana Grande has once again been on repeat.

Bought : With me barely leaving the house during the week I spent nothing which I am actually quite proud of.

Plans for this week : I want to get some plans in place for a new series I want to start on the blog. I have physio again which I am hoping could be my last appointment. I also want to try get some plans together for our garden so we can start getting prices together for getting it done. Hopefully I get a few gym sessions in too and keep up with the minimal spending. Fingers crossed I can get back on track with my blogging too as I missed it last week.

Last weeks posts : Last Week #34

So there you have it that was my week. What have you guys been up to?

See you soon
Lucy

Last Week #34


What a fun week last week was, more relaxing on nights after work even getting to see my grandparents for tea again ( I had missed a few weeks of this). We even skipped the football on Saturday to head on to a wedding anniversary party, it was a day party and I have realised I can't drink half as much as I used to in fact as Saturday went on I struggled more and more. Sunday was then a struggle as I was hungover (the worst one I have had in a long time) but we managed to power on through and actually went out and did some exercising, which involved me finally kicking a football again but today I am struggling. So here is what I had...

Been Watching: There was some football on which I managed to watch once again, but other than that we watched a bit more of The People vs OJ Simpson. I also watched a lot of Soccer Reviews For You over on YouTube, I am loving those videos and seeing more football boots.

Been reading : I am really slacking on reading once again, I really need to start that Hope Solo book.

Been listening to : I really can't stop listening to Ariana Grande in fact there hasn't been a day where I haven't listened to her album.

Bought : I picked  up a few new bits last week, I got a new pair of trainers for football, a new football shirt and a set of Star Wars candles.

Plans for this week : I want to get the house spotless again as we have really neglected the cleaning recently. I also want to try invest in something for me to edit my images for the blog with as I think it will get my images looking a whole lot better. I need to start stripping the walls in the spare room too as that really has been neglected. I want to find time to get some workouts in too so fingers crossed. 

So there you have it that was my week. What have you guys been up to?

See you soon
Lucy

Future Blog Set Up Goals

Now that I have changed the main focus on the blog I have so many content ideas it is unreal, and I want to make those ideas really come to life and be the best quality I possibly can. Which got me thinking about my blog set up currently and some improvements I would love to make in the future (some are small and some are pretty big) these would help me improve the quality of what I am putting on here.

One big thing I would love to have is my own space to take images and create the visual side of the blog. Where I live we are lucky if we get 10 good days weather wise a year so having a space just to go in to take the images would be a huge benefit. With me doing a lot of things football related I want to start doing equipment reviews and boot reviews so having a space near by where I could just go into no matter what the weather would mean I could make a lot more content throughout the year. This could either be an office locally or even just a shed in our garden but it would make things so much easier. Obviously not all the content would be shot in here as I would love some action sort of shots too but if I could do a few in hear it would really add to the posts.


In this space I would love a little bit of artificial grass to lay down to take the shots on just to give it that football feel and fits the theme a little more. It could be used for showing stud lengths and just adds a little extra to the shots instead of them just being on a plain floor or a carpet which doesn't really showcase the products for what they really are. who knows I could even kit the full room out in this and mark it out as my own little pitch.

I would love the shots to be against a plain white background for a change too as that will really show off the product too. As the product would then become the main focus without anything else in the background, whether that is an object or something on the wall.  



A ring light is something I will definitely be investing in this year as my photography for the blog really needs to be stepped up. I feel like I could do so much better for it and that with the correct lighting this could benefit the blog so much more, plus it could really help my Instagram (which I am trying to build up a following on, if you love football or fitness check out my Instagram here). A ring light is something I had been looking at for quite a while alongside a lightbox as the lighting in our house isn't as good as it could be so something to add a bit of extra light would be a huge benefit. 

It is not only lighting I want to work on but I also really want to start actually editing my photos, this is something I have never done but I know it will make the quality so much better. I really want to learn how to get the most out of my images and how to make them really stand out and look the best they can so this year I will also be investing in a photo editing tool, I just aren't sure which yet so if you have any recommendations please let me know.  


This might sound like a bit of a weird one but if I get my own space for the blog I just want a plain white table, just something nice and simple for it  I wanted to do some unboxings or if I had any posts where the image would be better suited to be taken from a height instead of on the floor. Plus it will also double up as a desk for when I sit down to type the content up, I just wonder if I could actually keep it looking white after a few weeks. The good thing about these is that the are pretty in expensive too.

If I got an office or shed big enough I wuld really love to recreate part of it to look like part of a changing room. Complete with changing room style seating and hanging space, it would just really add to the feel of the room and give it such a football style. I could hang jersey in there for images and ultimately use it for creating the content as well as it looking brilliant. There is so much inspiration for this available online and I really love to have that as part of my set up.



Finally to me this is one of the biggest parts, I would want somewhere to store any boots or equipment over time and Ikea would be the first place I turned for this. They just have some many different options I could go for. I love the Lack shelf where I could put a pair of boots on each shelf for an easy display but I also love the cube storage units, I could have boots in each cube with a mix of colours and styles on display. Plus the cubes could also have equipment in baskets hidden away. It just means items are out of the house and in their own little space. 

So there you have it those are the things I would love to have as part of my blog set up in the future. It is just so nice finding the motivation to post new content and get it online, I just really hope these changes I have made really benefit me and I can keep up with the schedule have created myself. Hopefully some of these set up changes may come into play at some point too.

See you soon
Lucy.

The Games Room


When we were originally house hunting we always said we wanted a games room so when we found the house we are in now we knew it would be perfect. With 3 decent sized bedrooms we were spoilt for choice that is why we opted for the biggest bedroom as our games room as we knew we had plenty to fill it. Plus we knew this was the room we was going to be spending the most time in. 


That is why the week after we moved in this was the very first room we made a start on and aimed to get done as quickly as possible. Granted it took quick a few months to get it to this stage but it has all been worth it. In terms of decorating all we had to do was paint the walls white, put up shelves and lay the new carpet then it was time to fill it. So here is how it is looking now... 




As you come into the room the wall on the right is filled with a few posters a game zone sign and our ever growing collection of pin badges. The posters just add something to the other wise blank space plus they add a bit more of the gaming character to the room, we have my favourite from Overwatch Tracer and a Nuka Cola one for Liam. Then we have my Demi Lovato one that I got when I went to see her last year. 


The long shelf above here has plenty of my collectibles on it which range from Pokémon to Harry Potter with a bit of Star Wars and Minecraft thrown in. 




Then we have my little corner. This is where most of my blogging happens mixed in with some PC gaming. I have my little shelf with Tracer and Stitch on it and my big whiteboard up on the wall. The whiteboard is where I put  rough blog schedule & any important things coming up, it has actually helped me out quite a bit. I have recently added some LED lights to the back of the desk to go along with my new gaming PC and keyboard although the keyboard will be switched out soon. The dual monitors are also great for blogging as I can write my content whilst watching something on the other screen or looking at product info.  


On the other side to my desk is Liam's set up where he spends the majority of his time, he also has his own whiteboard and the shelves above our computers are filled with our Funko Pop's & Tsum Tsum's I just wish Liam would keep his Funko's in the box.
In front of our desks we have a sofa bed, we wanted something comfortable to sit on whilst playing on our consoles and this really does the trick. Plus it is somewhere else for people to stay if needed. It is also filled with some geeky soft toys and pillows and a giant Ikea shark.



Now onto my favourite part our TV and consoles, plenty of hours get spent here playing FIFA and ignoring other games. Both book cases either side are filled with plenty of games for us to get through. On top we have a few random bits and our controllers. Each section on the bottom of the console unit holds a console whilst the PS4 & Xbox One are on the longer slimmer shelves. The Switch is currently right next to the TV. The little cubes down the right have a mixture of Disney Infinity characters, PS2 games, accessories and other random bits in, I am sure these will change around over time but for now I love it. We also need another poster for up above the unit.


We still have bits to add like a little side table we just bought but I am really happy with how it looks and how it has all come together. It is the perfect room for us to spend 90% of our time, I can't wait for the nephew to be old enough to enjoy games too because there can be hours of fun spent in here teaching him how to play the games we love.


So there you go that is what our games room is looking like. 

See you soon
Lucy

One Step Forward 10 Steps Back : Bradford City


Ah Bradford City the team that at the moment is driving me insane. It wasn't that long ago I was travelling to Wembley to watch them lose the playoff final against Millwall, since then I don't know what has gone on. Last season we just missed out on the playoffs and since January 2018 and now we are on our 4th manager & one of our joint chairmen have finally left after been a huge factor in the fans turning on the club. This season after buying the players we did in the summer you would think we would be fighting for promotion once again but nope, we have bought players who really don't show the dedication they should for the club which is ridiculous and we are fighting for survival in league 1. It shouldn't be happening but some of the players bought don't deserve the job they have and should have been sent packing by now. The joint chairman Edin finally left the club and honestly things started to get better, we had a brilliant December, but now I really don't know what is going on we seem to take one step forward and 10 steps back.

Take this weekend for example it was our first home game since the 4-3 win against Shrewsbury where we kept fighting to the very last minute and finished with the 3 points to looking lazy and sloppy against Fleetwood where we ended up loosing 1-0. The fans weren't happy and rightly so, after a good few performances once again we had gone backwards and that fighting spirit looked like it had already disappeared, it was like the players were happy to only concede one when we should have gone in fighting and actually got something out of the game. Granted Fleetwood came to slow the game down and spoilt it and you could tell within the first 5 minutes in the game that this was going to be the case, but we should have been one step ahead and actually countered this and made them play a totally different game with us on the front foot. Fleetwood looked in the first 10 minutes they would be happy to leave with a point so why didn't we try attack that, instead there was no threat from us and terrible defending once again meant they got an even better deal and left with all 3 points.

The referee could definitely have done more to punish their time wasting and there were quite a few decisions that once again went against City and weren't given but we are used to this by now, we should know that not all decisions are going to go our way so why not keep playing to the whistle and try calm our tempers, it is that exact reason why so many yellow cards when there is really no need.

I thought the days of hoof ball were over but clearly not as we seem to have reverted back to that too. When we actually play the ball on the floor we can string together some great passes and actually look a strong threat so why don't we do it more often, especially in a game like Saturday when one of Fleetwood's centre backs was 6ft 7, what makes you think that your lone striker who definitely isn't a target man is going to get anywhere near that? In fact the fans actually started shouting who it was going to before the ball even got near him we were just that predictable. It actually started to feel like I was watching tennis at certain points as it was just back and forth.

One other thing I noticed in the weekends game was a total lack of shots from City, again I thought we were over this. Especially with December showing us how many goals we could get if we actually took a chance and gave it a try. We seem to freeze whenever we get near goal again or just don't want to get the ball into the box. With players on the team like Payne, O'Brien, Doyle and Ball we have plenty of players more than capable of getting goals, they have done it on more than one occasion in the season already so why can't they get some form of consistency they should be scoring goals for the fun of it with the quality they actually have.

We really need Scannell back in my opinion as he is a threat down the wing when he is back to full fitness I really do believe that he can really add to the squad. Hopkin doesn't exactly play with wingers but he hasn't really had chance due to injury, at least if Scannell was on the pitch he will run forward and actually put a ball into the box. With us not necessarily playing with wingers we seem scared to put the ball in the box nobody seems to want that responsibility and we end up missing opportunities. But to be honest at times this benefits us because what is the point in putting a cross in when there is no one in the box. This one really frustrates me because why are those players never in the correct positions and why do they not want to take the opportunities. There is no point poor Caddis charging forward to attempt a cross into the box when our striker is just jogging slowly nowhere near where he should be. It is just pure lazy and there are players sat on the bench who would love to get some minutes under their belt and I am sure they could do no worse than the players out there week after week. I can't do with lazy players, there is just no need especially when they let a great shooting opportunity go by.

We have some great players in defence too some good names who really are better than how they are playing this season. The players at the back just look totally lost, I don't know why but they can't seem to communicate between themselves or the keeper either. They are out of place at crucial parts of the game and given away stupid goals to the opportunity. The left side in particular to me looks pretty weak and the lack of communication really shows on this side. Instead of playing out wide the centre back plays it to a crowd of players or back to the keeper when the left back is wide open. The left back charges forward and nobody pulls across to cover so there is a big gap left open. They won't go in for the challenge 90% of the time either they just back off and back off until the opposition is in the box or through on goal. For players of their quality they are caught out and out of position far too many times.

Not only that but they are putting unnecessary pressure on the poor keeper O'Donnell, why play it back when the striker is charging him down when there are players in front of them completely unmarked it is just ridiculous. Then to have a go at O'Donnell for putting the ball out for a throwing is just down right stupid, don't complain when you have essentially caused it. In fact I think that this could be the first ever season where my favourite player is actually the goal keeper, he is the one who has pulled off some great saves and actually kept us in so many games, without him I think we would definitely be at the bottom of the league almost certain to go down he has also definitely been the most consistent in his performances and shows the passion every time he plays in fact it is great seeing him so animated with what goes on at the other end of the pitch and you can see what every City goal means to him.

We did our usual on Saturday too, waited until it was far too late to wake up and look the slightest bit threatening. I don't know why it takes us too long to get into the game but it happens the majority of the time and it is getting ridiculous they should be playing the full 90 mins not just from the 80th minute on. We normally spark up once changes are made (when they eventually are), I though we were out of the stage of leaving it too late for a substitute to make an impact but clearly not. Why only give them 10 minutes to prove themselves when they come on they clearly make a difference so why don't we make it earlier like 90% of other teams do, it will be far more effective.

We have this brilliant skill this year too of making teams look way better than they are. It has happened at quite a lot of games now, teams we should be putting up a fight against and have a chance of getting points from just walk all over us and it is actually embarrassing because we all know we are better than that. Yet against the teams we shouldn't have a chance against we fight and fight and keep it a nice close game, its like we sit back and think we are better than those teams who walk all over us, when in fact we aren't.

I aren't keen on Hopkin's tactics and honestly I know a lot of fans aren't either, it is like the players don't even know what they are doing and I think something needs to be done about this soon or fans really will turn and want Hopkin out, no one wants to play League 2 football again and if something doesn't change soon that is where we are going to end up because if we play like we did on Saturday we will keep dropping points and drop out of the survival race. It is now time for Hopkin and team to try win back the fans and show us what they are really made of. If we do end up losing the next few games it may be the shock the players need but will it all be too little too late.

Valley Parade used to be a fortress, teams would worry about coming here and taking away any points at all and now we are gifting them all 3. It wasn't too long ago we had one of the longest unbeaten streaks at home now look at us we are lucky to even score a goal most home games. Goals in front of the Kop happen a lot less frequently now too and you can tell how happy we all are to see them at that end because when we do score down here it is like we have won a cup final, same when we actually win a game, it means a lot to the fans after the recent troubles and I am now hoping that the only way is up from here and we finish off the season fighting and retain our spot in League 1.

I have always been excited for my Saturdays and occasional Tuesday nights to be spent watching City but that is slowly dying down, why go sit in the cold and watch us give up straight away when I could be doing other things like playing Fifa as City and actually getting a win or even doing housework, which I would gladly take doing over freezing at the stadium watching us look lost for 90 minutes. I know either way I will be getting a season ticket for next season because I love the game and I still do love City but lets hope things change for the better and I am excited to go watch us again, who knows we may also get an atmosphere back if they spark up. So come on City please do something about this and get playing like you should.

See you soon
Lucy

Weight Loss #2


So last week I didn't manage to get one of these posts up mainly because there was nothing to report on. After work I was straight into bed due to the fact that this ridiculous cold came back full force, I am just hoping I am finally over it and can get back to usual. Last week I ate pretty bad too because me and Liam just really couldn't be bothered, but this week that is going to change. We went shopping and I actually managed to think meals through and we are stocked up for the week ahead, I even got bit for smoothies again too.


In terms of exercise this week I really want to go all out not only do I want to get back into the gym but I want to do some football work too. Not only will this help with many areas of my weight loss but it also gives me a fun way to do it as it doesn't feel like a chore if I have a football at my feet. Fingers crossed this all goes to plan and I can get doing this. I also want to reintroduce small home workouts into my routine for those days where I can't get to the gym, these will only be light work outs but it still keeps me active.


 I am also thinking that this week I m going to start tracking my food on MyFitnessPal once again, I used to love using this app and it really helped me so why not start again. I now have some kitchen scales in the house meaning it is a lot easier to track. 


So my Aims for the week ahead are:
Get at least 2 gym sessions in
Go do some basic football drills
Get some more football gear for training
Substitute meat out of 2 meals in the week



Start weight : 15st 13 3/4 lb
Current weight : 15st 13

Difference -3/4lb

It may only be a small difference but to say I didn't do very much I am pretty proud of actually losing weight. Lets hope I can keep it up this week. 

Sorry for the super short post but there just really wasn't much to report on last week, but lets hope this week is a different story. 

See you soon,
Lucy