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Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Highs and Lows of EPL Week 18 Boxing Day & New Year

The busy Christmas period is here. LvG may not have a merry Xmas as he sweats over the visit to Brittania Stadium to play Stoke. He walked out of the press conference ahead of the Boxing Day match, within 5 minutes, furious at the numerous reports of his managerial demise.

Boxing Day 2015
After the 4th consecutive defeat at Stoke (0-2), LvG hinted that he might resign rather than wait for the sack. Never happened to the Red Devils since 1961. The noose is not tightening around his neck and he has no time to breathe with Chelsea at home next in the tight end of the year programme on Monday.

Helpless LvG during loss to Stoke

Man United set to finally sack Van Gaal after he loses dressing room - report
Source : Getty Image

In light of United’s fourth consecutive loss, Paddy Power have begun paying out on Van

 Gaal to be the next Premier League manager sacked, and it’s hard to disagree with their 

reasoning.

Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2015/12/26/bookmakers-already-paying-out-on-manchester-

uniteds-louis-van-gaal-being-next-manager-sacked-5585660/#ixzz3vaTUx3Vq

Arsenal were thrashed 4-0 by the under-performing Saints at St Mary's, denying them a chance to go top since Leicester lost 1-0 to Liverpool. Just when Wenger side looked promising, they faltered once again. It was their worst performance in contrast to their beating Man City last week.
The Foxes lost for the first time, to Liverpool 1-0, in 4 months but stayed top.
Hiddink drew in his first match in charge, 2-2 against Watford.

29 December
Though the performance improved, the Red Devils still cannot find the net in the 0-0 draw with Chelsea ending a run of 4 defeats in a row. It is now 8 games without a win. Against all speculation, LvG is still with the Devils and will not quit.

Arsenal's inconsistent performances continues as they recovered from Soton thrashing to beat Bournemouth 2-0 to go top temporarily before the Leicester - Man City match. The late match ended goalless which meant that Leicester is joint-leader going into the new year. Last season, they were at the bottom of the table!
Image result for Leicester ranieri after draw with Man City
Missed chances in Man City-Leicester draw

Monday, December 21, 2015

Highs and Lows of EPL Week 17

The Special One got the sack!! Thursday 17 Dec 2015
All speculations came true when Roman finally sacked Jose Mourinho after an extensive board discussion over the poor results. Mourinho would definitely felt 'betrayed' but he would walk away with millions (£40m) in compensation. Last season's canter to the league title could not save him from this season's early implosion.
Next 'giant' to fall could be LvG! Could it be Mourinho at Old Trafford soon???




A shocking defeat 1-2 against lowly Norwich at home was something of a zenith disaster, a humiliation like when Moyes' team lost to Newcastle not so long ago. This was their third consecutive defeat and Norwich had won only 1 of 11. Unlike Chelsea, Utd players followed van Gaal's 'philosophy' to the word and action. Once again as always this season, they had lots of possession (more than 70%) and yet got no cutting edge. Except for de Gea and Anthony Martial, the whole team performed collectively below par. LvG feared the sack before the game and the pressure is surely crushing on him now. Utd failed to win for the 6th consecutive time, something not happened since 2004. With this defeat, how long more will the owners endure before removing him? The fans cannot wait! The traditional Christmas games could turn out to be damp Christmas presents for them, gloomy time. Rooney's 500th appearance for Utd turned out to be frustrating with his poor performance once again.
Sir Bobby Charlton distrusted the idea of handing the Portuguese the reins at Old Trafford

Leicester is merrily merrily staying at the TOP with  3-2 win over at in-form Everton. The odds for winning the title was 1000 to 1. It is considerably shorter now as the Foxes remained on TOP over the Christmas period and no one questioned their credentials now.

Post-Mourinho's Chelsea saw light at home with 3-1 stroll over relegation threatened Sunderland. Three players particularly were booed by the fans ie Fabregas, Costa and Ivanovic. How Mourinho wished that his 'betraying' players had performed this way during his tenure.

Watford 2 Liverpool 0 : Klopp's honeymoon at Anfield is over!

The Gunners are now starting to believe after beating Man City 2-1 at Emirates.

Wakayama, Japan Tour Winter 2015

10 to 15 Dec 2015
On a 6-day guided tour to Wakayama & Mie with CTC, Singapore
Map of Kii Peninsula, Japan


Day 1 Ise Grand Shrine, Mie


Ise Shrine, MieSake display 


Entrance to Ise Grand Shrine, a Shinto Shrine, Mie

Mikimoto Pearl Island viewed from aquarium
View of Ise Peninsula from Hotel Iseshima Room


Day 2 Azuchi Castle; Nachi Grand Taishi and Nachi Waterfall
 
Statue of Oda Nobunaga; Samurai

Coasts along Kii Peninsula


Nachi Grand Taisha



View of 3-storey Pagoda and Nachi Waterfall from Nachi Grand Taisha


Nachi Waterfall



Day 3 Taiji; Hasgui-iwa, Sandanbeki; Senjojiki


Hotel Urashima's Bokido Onsen overlooking Pacific Ocean, 6 onsens in the hotel

 

Taiji Whale Museum with dolphins






Feeding Dolphins

Hashigui-iwa - Bridge Pillar rocks formed by magna

 Engetsu Island


Senjojiki - 1000 Tatami mats sheet-like rocks

Sandanbeki - Steep cliffs with network of caves


Day 4 Yuasa; Wakayama; Osaka


Picking mikan at Yuasa

 With our guides, Lili and Jenny from CTC

Ancient Soy Sauce factory; soy sauce ice cream available at 250yen each


 Kuroshio Market, Wakayama; Eating self-BBQ sea-urchin & oysters (free use of BBQ pit)

Osaka Castle


 The very very busy and colourful Shinsaibashi, Osaka

Day 5 Kiyomizudera Temple, Kyoto, Osaka
Group photo outside Kiyomizudera Temple, Kyoto

Making a wish below darkened area in this temple

 Autumn foliage in Kiyomizudera Temple, Kyoto
The famous wooden support, Kiyomizudera Temple, Kyoto

 Sannen-zaka (left) & Ninen-zaka, Kiyomizudera Temple area


Original steps of Sannen-zaka remained unchanged through the centuries

Old lady selling delicate delicious tofu bun at Ninen-zaka junction

Human mass at Osaka Station

Day 6

Rinku Premium Outlet on way to airport