Aston Villa's grudge match with Liverpool is a damp squib on all fronts

When a homemade banner hanging from the top tier of the Holte End is the most memorable part of an afternoon's entertainment, it does not say much for the quality on offer at a damp Villa Park.

'Rafa Benitez is just a fat Spanish waiter,' it read.

And Villa Park held its breath in anticipation.





The stage was set and the home crowd pumped up by the perceived injustice of Liverpool's summer-long pursuit of Gareth Barry, and the spat between Benitez and Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill.


Conditions were perfect for 90 minutes that should have been packed with incident following a summer of intrigue and back-biting.

Would the England international prove his £18million valuation? Could O'Neill exact his revenge for a summer of angst? Or would Benitez demonstrate just why it was that his club could still cherry-pick stars of a rival owned by an American billionaire prepared to spend now and never ask questions?

In the end, not one of the 41,647 who attended is any the clearer as to whether Villa can challenge the top four or if Liverpool can finally mount a title push.

If you were looking for controversy, there was little to chew over.

O'Neill and Benitez even shook hands before the start. It was a sign of things to come.

Barry was competent, but little more, as were most on view.

The commitment was present, certainly, but the heart-stopping moments were missing. Indeed, the important outcome was the extent of a hamstring injury that forced Fernando Torres' withdrawal before the half-hour.

Benitez said: 'I think it will be seven to 10 days, but we need a scan to make sure.'

In the absence of Steven Gerrard, Liverpool will hope to have Torres back to face Manchester United in two weeks' time.

As for the match, Benitez's tactics were spot on, a fact his opposite number was keen to acknowledge after the final whistle.






Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso sat in front of John Carew while Alvaro Arbeloa allowed Ashley Young little time to get going before he charged over to sniff out any danger.

Faced with such tactics, Villa were nullified.

With new signing James Milner likely to cause problems on the other flank in future, that will not always be the case, but they huffed and puffed to their first goalless draw in 16 months.

'I've just said to Ashley that Liverpool have paid him the biggest compliment so far,' said O'Neill.

'They sent their full back to get as close as possible to him and decided to stop the danger at source.

'The full back almost neglected his covering duties. It was as if the rest of the defence said: "Don't bother about us, just keep him in check".'

The one moment, a few minutes before the interval, when Young broke free of Arbeloa's shackles, Villa almost scored.

After Barry and Carew combined, the England international reached the by-line, pulled the ball back and Carew side-footed goalwards but Pepe Reina blocked with his feet.

Stiliyan Petrov fired wide and Milner struck a shot straight at the Liverpool goalkeeper but the hosts never truly looked like improving a wretched record against the visitors, having drawn four and lost six on their own patch since last beating the Anfield side.

Benitez will be the happier manager, although he was subjected to some abuse that was not particularly tasteful as the afternoon progressed.

The one real chance Liverpool created came 19 minutes from time.

Centre half Martin Laursen raced out of his slot and headed away, but the ball was swiftly chipped back over his head and Robbie Keane raced clear.

He dithered over his shot and Nigel Reo-Coker made up sufficient ground to throw himself into a tackle.

Though Keane was thrown to the ground, he had already fired off a weak effort which dribbled wide.

It was the one instant of possible controversy but referee Martin Atkinson, who must have been expecting a far more testing afternoon, ignored Keane's pleas for a penalty.

Benitez said: 'We were better in the second half and kept the ball well but we need to improve in the final third.

'The only positive news from the afternoon was the fact we have an international break. As far as Torres is concerned, we are hopeful it is not the worst for us but we will have to wait for the scan.'

Asked whether he was upset by the chanting, he replied: 'I saw a television programme the other day and they said the Birmingham accent is the most difficult to understand. I couldn't quite make out what they were saying.'

'Fair enough,' replied the Brummie enquirer, 'I'm just happy you understood the question.

Capello snubs Owen and brings Bullard into the England squad

Michael Owen's international future was plunged into serious doubt last night after Fabio Capello took the extraordinary decision to omit him from an England squad that includes Fulham's Jimmy Bullard.

The manager will no doubt point to the injury problems that have limited Owen to just one start so far this season.

But the decision looks like madness when it leaves England going into two crucial World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and, more importantly, Croatia with just Wayne Rooney, Jermain Defoe, Emile Heskey and Theo Walcott as strikers.

While Owen has scored 40 goals in his 89 internationals, many of them in critical games, the strikers Capello has chosen to take to Barcelona and Zagreb have managed a combined total of just 24 goals in 119 England appearances.

Although Owen is short of match fitness - against Arsenal on Saturday he played for 90 minutes but in an under-performing Newcastle United side looked tired towards the end - he proved in the two previous games that he had not lost his eye for goal.




And those two strikes in two matches as a substitute have persuaded Newcastle to offer him a new £120,000-a-week contract - and they should have been enough to secure him a place in Capello's squad.

Owen can only hope it is purely for fitness reasons that he has been left out, although he was understood to be stunned by the decision.

Capello declined the opportunity to explain his thinking last night although he is understood to have been unimpressed by comments Owen made after a frustrating performance against France last season.





Baffled by Capello's tactics, Owen said: 'In terms of what we were trying to do, you'd better ask the manager.'

Any England team should be capable of beating Andorra. Even one with Bullard.

But an encounter with the Croatia team who eliminated England from the European Championship is one Capello cannot afford to lose if he wants a smooth passage to the World Cup finals in South Africa.

Capello might have been stunned by an apparent lack of support from leading Premier League managers in the last few days but he now fails to help himself, so surprising is the absence of Owen.

The Italian could have used Andorra to help Owen regain his fitness and then unleash him against Croatia.

Not only would that boost an England team badly lacking in confidence, it would also worry a Croatia side who, because of injury, did not have to face England's finest goalscorer in the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign. Just as surprising as Owen's omission is the inclusion of Bullard.

Capello is short of midfielders because of injuries to Steven Gerrard, Owen Hargreaves and Michael Carrick but Fulham's likeable middle man probably never imagined he would receive a callup, even if he was excellent for Fulham in last week's win over Arsenal.

Bullard once described his move from Dartford to Gravesend as the most significant of his career, and Swindon v Peterborough his biggest game prior to the 2006 Carling Cup Final for Wigan against Manchester United.

Until last night, he probably thought he had more chance of representing England as an angler - he is an outstanding carp fisherman - than a footballer.

A glance through the squad and there are other surprises.

Joe Hart has been axed as the third goalkeeper and there is no place at centre half for Jonathan Woodgate, even though he was terrific for Tottenham against Chelsea yesterday.

Two goals by Defoe for Portsmouth at Everton on Saturday may suggest he is running into form.

However, in Capello's last game - the 2-2 draw with the Czech Republic at Wembley - the Pompey striker looked seriously out of his depth.

Owen's exclusion came at the end of a day when Newcastle heaped pressure on their captain to accept a new contract after unexpectedly announcing what the club claim is an improved three-year deal.

However, the move could yet backfire with the striker and his representatives upset with Newcastle's decision to make the offer public before approaching them.

England squad to play Andorra in Barcelona on September 6 and Croatia in Zagreb on September 10:

Robinson (Blackburn), James (Portsmouth), Green (West Ham); Lescott (Everton), Bridge (Chelsea), A Cole (Chelsea), Terry (Chelsea), Brown (Manchester United), Ferdinand (Manchester United), Johnson (Portsmouth), Upson (West Ham); Barry (Aston Villa), J Cole (Chelsea), Lampard (Chelsea), Bullard (Fulham), Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy), Downing (Middlesbrough), Bentley (Tottenham), Jenas (Tottenham); Walcott (Arsenal), Rooney (Manchester United), Defoe (Portsmouth), Heskey (Wigan).

Emma Watson Italian Vogue article - English translation

Italian Vogue article

Is it possible to be included in the annals of cinema when your 18 and you still have your whole career in front of you? Well, looking at Emma Watson, it really seems possible. Class 1990, main character of the cinematic reduction of the biggest fantasy saga of our days: "Harry Potter" will be remembered as the strike-back of an European culture of the beginning of the millennium always more and more influenced by the American imports. It was 1999 when, at the age of just 9 years old, she passed "the audition of the auditions" for any child actor and obtained the role of the Harry Potter's friend, the little bookworm witch Hermione. Since then, nine years have passed and six more films among the most seen of the latest years, "cinematic arm" of the most profitable literary franchise of all time. Among the many records of this "big challenge", it also accompanied the lives of its protagonists: if it's true that cinema and television have done it many other times, especially with the soap operas, where the actors age with their public and their characters, it had never happened to see a movie series so strongly influecing the lives and careers of its really young protagonists as "HP" did.As it usually happens, in discussing "issues" about the myth of celebrity, we often fall prisoners of relativism. Fame and money - guess what - usually bring problems and disfunctions, especially if you suddenly got it too early.Emma agrees too: "In a certain sense, growing up in a film it's difficult. I've lived under the spotlights in a period which - on the contrary - should be full of learning and changing. People have the strange feeling they intimately know me just because they saw me becoming from child to woman, even if only through a screen."On the other hand, it seems like the solid background of her family gave her the right lessons to capitalize her experiences and to not let them overwhelm her. She loves painting, drawing and playing sports. "I would never want to change my childhood in the enterteinment industry. I've learned so much, met so many people of other different worlds and lived incredible experiences. It was a little bit different, but it's okay." Are you actually sure? "There are certain days when I'd like to have a more simple life, but for the rest of the time I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. All in all, who has a normal life?". If the "englishness" of "Harry Potter" is almost limited to the passports of its actors, Emma has all the upper middle class requirements of the case: parents who are lawyers, studies in Ofxord; even her birth in Paris, which makes her a quite "franglaise" creature, synthesis of two cultures historically enemies, but actually in love with each other. She looks aware of the traps of celebrity and fame. "I don't like being treated differently from others, I don't like being considered a celebrity, I don't like the words nor the meaning it has assumed. As far as I'm concerned, I'm an actress". Someone who loves acting and entertaining, who finds the job "interesting, cathartic, scary and exciting", who would like to work with her favorite directors, Baz Luhrmann, Guillermo del Toro, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, and who for now - "never say never, but I'd be surprised to find myself living over there" - doesn't even think to move to Los Angeles. It's a new Hermione, that woman that millions of fans will find in the next chapter, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince": a young woman who has the right to vote - on the eve of her last effort (the series will end in 2009 [nd. as we all know, it won't end before 2010] in the role that gave her notoriety and that will remain as a milestone in her career. Milestone that risks to become a tombstone: freeing herself from the "Hermione" tag will be the hardest thing to do for the post-Potter Emma Watson, but, knowing her behaviour and attitude, we can bet that she'll be able to do so. In her character, particularly loved by the author, J.K. Rowling, who said she shared many similarities with her when she was a child, Emma has much of herself: "My loyalty, my bad humour, my high-handedness, my will to learn, my competitivity, my determination, my fear of breaking the rules or being in troubles." And if you ask her what fame means to her, the answer, "it doesn't make sense for me, it's the result of what I love to do", sounds strangely not rethorical. In the end, she was born inside it, to the point she considers it natural. On her tastes and favorites there's nothing to object, at least remaining in the territory of the saga: "My favorite film is 'the Prisoner of Azkaban', same as the book. I had fun working with Alfonso Cuaron, and I had a really great role". In fact, it was a chapter directed by an "auteur" and the one where Hermione has a first-plan role. And it doesn't surprise too, that Emma's willing to add something else to her cv, maybe some theather, that theather that - after all - is all the rest in her actress experience (she starred in different school shows, when she was younger). "Yes, I'd like to. Roles totally different from Hermione, though." Talking about her role-model actresses of today and yesterday, the ones that she adds in the second category are quite surprising: it's weird but it's obvious that, for a girl who's born in 1990, Julia Roberts ("I've always liked to be her, when I was a child. Her smile, her actress personality are magnetic") is an icon of the past. The list is interesting: "Emma Thompson, because she's a so smart actress: I admire the fact that she writes her own screenplays. Goldie Hawn, because she's funny and because of her abilities in the show business. Cate Blanchett, because she's an extraordinary actress, and because of the different parts she had to face." Totally different thing, if we're talking about Natalie Portman, for the biographical similarities too: "She attended university, and she's able to behave under the spotlights. I don't know how she can do it. I'd like to receive some advices from her." J.K. Rowling has once said that the casting for Hermione had perfectly worked. Maybe it's because Emma has so much in common with her character: "If I'm feeling blue or stressed I try to apply myself at school. I love to dive in a book or a film". There's something more heavenly for the ears of those millions of HP fans' parents? A better role model for their children it's impossible to find even in a thousand years time.

source/credit:http://randeforum.proboards78.com/index.cgi?board=emma

Emma Watson- Italian Vogue photo shoot- STUNNING!

Seems somebody got their blessed little hands on a copy of Italian Vogue. I have to say this is probably THE best Emma photo shoot yet! Classy, artistic photos IMO. She looks beautiful- like we didn't know that- but the theme compliments her beauty. She sort of reminds me of Grace Kelly in some of these pics. Hopefully EWO or somebody will release bigger HQ pics but until then here's what we got:

For those poor, poor souls who have no clue know who Grace Kelly is:

Emma Watson and Ballet Shoes receiving great reviews

Emma Watson and Ballet Shoes continue to receive great reviews. In addition to the ones I've posted here is another that says "Harry Potter’s very own Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) in a refreshingly feminine and challenging period performance." This review overall is very informative so I have to put out a spoiler warning to those who haven't seen it.
link:http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/08/28/071204.php

This review says all the performances were exceptional!!
link:http://www.brianorndorf.com/2008/08/film-review-ballet-shoes.html

Plus this one really gives Emma thumbs up:
http://www.reeltalkreviews.com/browse/viewitem.asp?type=review&id=2736

The movie is still opening at selected cities so as reviews come out, I'll try to post them here. I won't catch all of them but I'll do my best.

Congrats to Emma and the rest of the cast and crew of Ballet Shoes for their success, even this unexpected one.

Emma Watson talks Ballet Shoes, Tabloids, and Future plans

Found a great little article on Alloy.com. It mainly talks about Ballet Shoes but does move to other areas, namely tabloid rumors. She talks about the Chanel rumor and the dating rumors, (she does find them funny and harmless.) She actually feels the tabloids don't bother her much! Plus she mentions what kind of movies she would like to do and says she is applying for university in September. I don't know when this interview was conducted but since they mentioned Chanel it has to be more recent.

link:http://www.alloy.com/5/86/7871/1/


Also there is another positive review for Ballet Shoes out, it's a nice read.
http://www.filmarcade.net/2008/08/ballet-shoes-review-by-kelsey-zukowski.html

There are some articles about how shocked some people are that Ballet Shoes is being shown in US theaters and most feel it's due to Emma's star power, which is cool. Here is just one: http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/104855/us_box_office_report_tropic_thunder_hangs_on.html
BTW Emma/Hermione is looking beautiful on the new cover of the official HP calendar:

Emma Watson wins 2008 SyFy award for best actress

Emma Watson came out a winner in the 2008 SyFy awards getting a best actress award for her performance in Order of the Phoenix. Johnny Depp won best actor for Sweeney Todd. OoTP also won best movie and J K Rowling won a lifetime achievement award. So congrats to Emma and Ootp! Plus I'm loving that James Marsters and Dr. Who were also recognized.

Quote from the Syfyportal website:
And in the movie category, Johnny Depp -- who last won a SyFy Genre Award in 2004 for "Pirates of the Caribbean" -- returned to the winners column for his role in "Sweeney Todd" while Emma Watson won Best Actress/Movie for "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." Watson's movie also won Best Movie, beating a strong slate of films that included "Iron Man."

link: http://www.syfyportal.com/news425320.html

Emma Watson - misc. news updates

Right now it seems things are pretty quiet. The EWO has updated with an official WB statement regarding the movie date change. Other HP news is that Rupert is not wanting to kiss Emma because she's like a sister. Pucker up Rupert;)
link:http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/film/article1572609.ece

Napoleon and Betsy News

Still nothing from the official site. We still just have the recent EW article and previously posted links have some information. (See last update.) Hopefully this project will be filmed this fall. I think a serious more grown up role would be good for Emma. I did see a different description for Napoleon and Betsy at the NY Times so I copy and pasted it here.
Review Summary:
In the emperor's final years, he befriends a young British girl to try and enlist her in his fantasy to regrasp power, but eventually becomes resigned to his fate. ~ Baseline StudioSystems

Ballet Shoes News

Things are moving along for Ballet Shoes. The movie will have it's limited theatrical release on Aug 26 and DVD release on Sept. 2. For all you facebook people, there is a facebook page that has official production photos and two official trailers. You can view them and join the group here.

link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ballet-Shoes/20591344385
Variety mentioned Ballet Shoes! Pretty excited about that since it's a hugely popular papar.
link:http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117990886.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

Plus Boxoffice has a cool little bit on the movie (says it's a must see hit:)http://boxoffice.com/exhibition_news/2008/08/20/ballet-shoes-us-premiere-marks.php

There are a few new reviews coming out already. Both very positive.

#1 from Bassie's corner: http://bassescorner.wordpress.com/2008/08/06/ballet-shoes/
#2 from Flick Filosopher: http://www.flickfilosopher.com/blog/2008/07/ballet_shoes_review.html

Perviously released reviews from the BBC Boxing day viewing:
Financial Times: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/f21fd408-b1c2-11dc-9777-0000779fd2ac,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2Ff21fd408-b1c2-11dc-9777-0000779fd2ac.html%3Fnclick_check%3D1&_i_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emmawatson-fans.com%2Fhome.php&nclick_check=1

TV Scoop (the best IMO): http://www.tvscoop.tv/2007/12/tv_review_balle.html

The Scotsman: http://news.scotsman.com/features/Motion-sickness.3615081.jp

The Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/exclusions/tvondemand/nosplit/LNoTV/bvballet26.xml

Digiguide: http://library.digiguide.com/lib/uk-tv-highlight/Ballet+Shoes-2171

Daily Record: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/comment/columnists/showbiz-tv-columnists/paul-english/2007/12/22/sisters-are-doing-it-for-themselves-86908-20262373/


The Tale of Despereaux

Looks like promotion is starting to take off since fall is around the corner. There is a video game going to be released in conjunction with the movie. Sounds pretty cool although I don't know if the actors voices are going to be used in the game.
lnk:http://gamesnews.virgin.net/Virgin/Lifestyle/Games/virginGamesNewsDetail/0,13470,4010962_playbetandwin,00.html

An Odd Bit:
On a funny note, it seems that chanel rumor won't ever die especially when an article mentions a contract on cooperation has been signed. That goes under "things that make you go hmmm?" Interesting article nevertheless.
link: http://www.fragrantica.com/news/Chanel-Addition-to-Coco-Mademoiselle-Collection-and-a-New-Face-Emma-Watson-406.html

Emma Watson aced her A levels

Just wanted to take a moment to offer a congrats to Emma for passing her A levels. She got straight A's in English lit, Geography, and Art. I can't help but be happy for her. I hope all those who got their results today are as equally thrilled. I imagine for Emma it's a relief to be done with that aspect of her studies. Now if we can only get more info on Napoleon and Betsy! Hint, hint.

So head over to the Emma Watson official site to read the news. Congrats to her again.

Some articles about her grades:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1045609/Harry-Potter-star-Emma-Watsons-A-Level-hat-trick-Three-straight-As.html

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20219417,00.html


As for Napoleon and Betsy, I saw an editorial that mentioned N & B is nearing production. So that's pretty exciting. The information is from Crimson Communications, a UK based company so I imagine they would know what's going on. Emma power - getting movies done!
http://www.crimsonuk.com/editorial/index.html

excerpt:
"August is generally the time for holidays but with the rising cost of fuel and the strength of the Euro, many are putting off their annual break for a more auspicious time. However, every cloud has a silver lining and the high Euro also means that the UK is in a more competitive position to pick up international productions so there are plenty of home-grown projects to keep us busy.
Kicking off with features we have a number of high-profile directors gearing up for production. The long-gestating Napoleon And Betsy is edging nearer to production aided by the addition of Harry Potter alumni Emma Watson to the cast, The Story Of You is based on the book by Julie Myerson about a mother struggling to come to terms with the death of a child and Hush director Mark Tonderai is in development with his next project I Die At Midnight."

Also the upcoming Entertainment Weekly mentions Napoleon and Betsy is filming this fall and will be Watson's first lead role outside of HP. Too cool! Actually the whole article is pretty interesting, s make sure you read it. Scans can be found at I heart Watson media.

Emma and fashion

Good news! Today the EW official site updated and not with Harry Potter news! Seems Emma got her own fashion section in Harper's Bazzar magazine. So head over there for the pics. The magazine article has quite a bit of information about Emma's fashion taste and where she shops.

So continuing on the fashion note, I found an article at Fashion Indie. It's an interview with Charles Anastase. If you recall Emma wore one of his dresses to the Cartier polo event last month, the white lace dress. He mentions Emma near the end of the article.

http://fashionindie.com/the-inter-views-of-fashion-charles-anastase/

Emma mention in the article:
RM: So who is the typical Charles Anastase woman?
CA: Very, very precise. This is why the label is so successful. The last girl we had in the magazines was Emma Watson. I think she loves Charles Anastase. I don’t even need to send her the clothes as she’s already bought them. Very girly, very young looking - but independent. She would be a little intellectual at the same time. Christina Ricci, Winona Ryder (they both wear lots of my clothes).

Lastly, Teen Vogue has a hit-or-miss poll about the Anastase dress that Emma wore. So go vote for Emma!
http://www.teenvogue.com/connect/polls/hitormiss/20080812

Emma Watson Shops with Friend

The Daily Mail has an article with a really cute pic. I don't know if they are dating or not, but it looks like they had a good time. She does have that " I just got caught" look doesn't she!

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1042497/Emma-Watsons-date-dashing-actor-met-polo-carries-bags.html

Another article about Emma and Roberto

The Sun, still trying to push the Borrell story that even Watson denied, has also published an article about Emma's night out. The Daily Mail article was better.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/film/article1528321.ece