´óÏó´«Ã½

Titus Crumble,
Eton Messi.

Nigel Reo Caker

you'll go some way to match Tam and Stuart on Off The Ball tho, Dan!

andrei koncheescake

for main - paul mince

"Patrik Battenberger" - BRILLIANT!

Top blog as always Dan, but no sign off!! :-)

Misty Hyman

Jean Jaques Misse Mississippi Mud Pie

Steamin' Willie Beamen

An early weekend bacon sandwich is an essential part of the weekend surely? Funny how unforeseen circumstances can be seen as an opportunity though in management speak.

What do you make of the Rooney thing? Obviously a great player in a strange place at the minute, here's hoping he starts to retain some sense of normality soon. Would you move away if you were him? Would you rather work in Salford or Barcelona?

Ned Nederlander

Oh, and not a cake as such, but you could have Eton Messi as a dessert?

Dusty Bottoms

Steven Steak and Kidney Piennar

I know it's not a cake, but it is a pie. mmmmmmmmmmm pie.

Homer Simpson

Is Frankie Bunn too obvious?

Danny Mills-ionaire Shortcake

Apollo Creed

Not a footballer but-

Michael Stich-y toffe Pudding

Robert Hatch

You could enjoy all these fine foods by listening to a bit of Robbie Savage Garden. ;-)

Vladimir Karpets

Not sure that fortune cokkies or flapjacks constitute cake there Danny boy.

What about Roman Pavlovachenko or Black Forest Gattuso...

Trudy Lovedonor

Sorry, freudian slip, that's cookies not cokkies!!

Much love

Trudy

Before dessert:

Peter Stilton

(Gabriel) Heinze Sticky Toffee (weak I know)


Lucas North (do you watch this??)

Pavlova Srnicek
Brian 'Choccy' Eclair,
Gianluca Feast
Alan Screwball

Nottingham Forest Gateaux should play LA Galaxy and Yorkie City

Mr Creosote

Neil Haddock and Julian Spotted Dicks at the back.

Domingo Hospital

Sundae Oliseh?

Michael Duberry Cheesecake

You missed the only thing worth reporting on: did Lawro put Karren Brady's Sugar Daddy in his place??

Did Lawro notice the Doncaster Rovers player say "Mark Lawrenson will be loving this!" during the Calendar feature at the end?

Can't believe nobody has Wayne Macarooney!

Dan

Many thanks for a bland and uninteresting blog about a programme (FF), which has become as equally mundane over the years.

A couple of questions, if I may:

Why does Garth Crooks think he is so clever and knows so much about football, when he in fact comes across about as knowledgeable and comprehensible as a battered haddock (albeit a rather intense one with its eyebrows raised (do Haddock have eyebrows)?)?

Is Steve Claridge such a high-voiced, giggling buffoon out of the office, as he is in the office (and on our goggle boxes)?

And why has Mark Lawrence no longer a moustache?

Keep up the poor work!

Cheers

Sir Steve

Paul Scones

John Terry's Chocolate Orange

Meringue Chamakh?

From the current German national squad:
Per Mertesacker-torte
Phillip Lahm-ington
Jerome Banana-Boateng (ok, it's a dessert, not a cake)
Mark Fishcake

Cesc Fabregateau!
Nice blog dan - What an earth does Lawro have on saturday breakfast now that bread is off the menu?

Up The Owls!

Love it!

Aaron Lemon Drizzle Cake? Nottingham Forest Gateaux could arrange a friendly against Northwich Victoria Sponge.

Mark Robins

Tomas Rosicky Toffee Pudding?

Do they all play for Nice?

Sean Dundee(cake)?

Nice one Dan
How about the Liverpool players bring the most cake-like team in the league?

Nathan Ecclescake
Jamie 'carra'tcake
Sotirios Cakeiakos
Arctic Raul Meireles
Paul Koncheescake
Ryan Bagel
Stephen Brown Darby
Tartin Kelly
Dean Boozecake

That's almost a squad! Wish I could make something out of Torres but like him I'm struggling!
Thomas Mince Pie
David 'Chocolate' Amouse

@24 SteveTreacle - oh the irony that you moan about a post when you have the most relevant surname to the subsequent discussion!!

Wayne Raspberry Foolney



Lord Stretchingit

Petr Cechccles?

Thank you for your curiously Bacon sandwhich heavy blog. I appreciate a weekly update on football focus and its love hate relationship with your waffered pork slices in bread.

I would however appreciate more detail.... what kind of bacon?(streaky or back), your approximate rasher to bread ratio? method of cooking bacon? your ratio of grams of butter to every gram of bread? who cooks the bacon? why the tax payers money is wasted on bacon?

It pains me to see that the recession hasnt curbed your emperiol demand for bacon

so many unanswered questions....

But Liquidising is now the approved method in this kingdom, either that or elbow skin donation.

I have my preference but im a fair king who believes in choice.

Oh but but what a revolution it was!! A bit of violence but not too much and just the right amount of fire.

Dont remember seeing you there dan, dont think that wont be remembered when job reallocation day comes along. Oh yes.


Swiss Roll en Hargreaves.

peter bonspeghetti
john terrys chocolate orange
cake DECOrations
clive walkers crisps
micky nutton
gary chivers jelly
mark fish
teddy sherryhams trifle
dwight york(IE)
ray kennedys (sausages).........known in south east london only
alan smiths crisps

my first eleven over the last 30 years

Oreo Ferdinand?

Chocolate Moussa Dembele

Rip Van Winkle

Here are some football player cakes.

Wayne Battenberg
John Black Forest Gateaux
Steven Cheesecake
Frank Fruitcake
Fabio Stollen

Do I win?

Jermaine Easter Egg?
Darcy Cake?
Dwight Yorkie?
Juan Pablo Angel Delight?

@24 Steve Claridge to me comes over as about the most knowledgeable pundit on the tv. I have to say that I hate the time allocations on the Football League Show, 25 mins for QPR, 8 seconds for a lot of the other teams. (Can't wait til my team plays QPR - might get to see a highlight or two).

Couldn't agree more about Garth though. Has nobody else noticed that his team of the week is only players who have scored, regardless of how badly they've played.

Emmanuel Petit Filous?
Charlie Snickerlas?
Marc Overmars?

Ba'Nani' Split

Pongo & Purdita

Craig Shortcake?
Ryan Figgs?
Craig Shortbread?

These ones aren't technically cakes however.....

Francesco Totti-Frutti Ice Cream

Nico Sherbet DibDabizas

Roland Browning

Rolo Toure?
Pat Rice Pudding?

Strawberry Danish Irwin

Zippy

Refereed by Mark Battenberg?

Bath Oliver Kahn?

Gordon McQueen of Puddings

Rod, Jane & Freddie

Steve McMuffin
Terry McDoughnut

Not technically cakes, but hey-ho.

As for pundits, get Five Live's Chris Waddle on the box. King of the pundits in my humble opinion.

I had to stop watching Final Score because Garth Crooks is so argumentative on it. And I never did get to find out why the number 11 he had on his shirt in his playing days had a much wider gap inbetween the numbers than any other number 11 of that period?

James McBaked Alaska

Desperate Dan

Ray Clemmon Curd

Gnasher

Dimitar BURGERtov!

#24

Totally agree with you to be honest. I watched FF a fair amount last season, but this year's show are pretty poor. The show at Sheffield Wednesday was probably one of the worst I have seen.

I think its the sporting equivalent of The One Show: A pleasant, well-natured PC programme that doesn't ruffle any feathers.

Barry Cream Horne?

John BARNes cake

Thought of some more:-
Ruud Fillet Steak = Ruud Gullit
Pep Granola = Pep Guardiola

I'll chuck out.....

Mark Fishcake

All though not sweet, technically still a cake.

There is also a swedish chocolate cake call a Kladdkaka which offers up the obvious Brazilian option.


Apu Nahasapeemapetilon

Ian Fruitcake Holloway

Jan Venison of Sausage Link

Youri Pork-Pie-ev
Chris Waffle
Fernando Hierro Roche
Robbie GuineaFowler
Trevor Eclaire
Bacary LaSagna
Gael Quichey
Moussaka Dembele
Gianluca Risotto
Almond Traore
Benito Carbonara
Massimo Maccarone
Francis Coq-au-Vin

Harry Kyule log?

Please! No savouries!

Just a general selection of snacks enjoyed by Nigel Snackman

Torte Andre Flo?

Samuel Gateau
Alexandre Gateau
McDonalds Mariga

Showing my age… Trevor Cherry Bakewell (70s Leeds fullback).

Craig Black Forrest Gateaux

I entirely agree with those who think Focus has become the One Show. Match of the day is pretty hopeless too as far as the "experts" are concerned. It would be nice to hear a pundit who had something interesting to say about the game rather than a cliched view.
I mean if I wanted someone to be in the box one on one with the keeper, I would choose Alan Shearer. Does that mean I rate his opinion about anything else? No.
And Mark Lawrenson looks like he can't be bothered and judging by what he says, he really can't.
Channel 4 American Football has a pundit, Mike Carlson, who really knows his stuff and you learn more about the sport as you watch. Thats what Focus and MOTD need to have, intelligent analysis that informs. Otherwise it's just for kids.

Diego MaraDONER kebab cake

Hello Dan,

Couple of things come to mind upon reading your post:

Why is Lawro "off bread"? Has he got some kind of newly-discovered wheat intolerance or is it for another reason?

In keeping with the theme of how hectic a programme Focus is to run, would you consider doing what your ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sport colleague Jake Humphrey did once, namely to put up a section of the programme with the gallery talkback on top so we can see and hear what you have to put up with on a weekly basis?

Peter SchTRIFLE

Adam Le Fondre-ant?

74. At 3:40pm on 27 Oct 2010, belleseb wrote:

I entirely agree with those who think Focus has become the One Show. Match of the day is pretty hopeless too as far as the "experts" are concerned. It would be nice to hear a pundit who had something interesting to say about the game rather than a cliched view.

---------

May I suggest Pat Nevin?

Here's a guy who played the game at International level, has been a chief executive of a football club and is never shy in coming forward with an articulate opinion.

Tom Huddlescone?

Has Lionel Eton Messi signed for Tottenham Cake Hotspur?

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

I don't understand why people are moaning about the pundits on FF, and the show in general. Alan Hansen is the 2nd most decorated player in English football history after Giggs. He certainly knows his stuff. Lawro also played for a very successful Liverpool side and also knows his stuff. Lee Dixon won a hatful of trophies, Alan Shearer (although incredibly boring) knows what it's like to play at the top level. He may not know what it takes to be a top defender for example, but he certainly played against a few. And i think it's great how there's sometimes players from the lower leagues on there, not to mention the great special guests sometimes (Alan Sugar was, as always, great).

Basically, The ´óÏó´«Ã½'s sports coverage, whilst not perfect, absolutely trounces ITV. No ad breaks, no Adrian Chiles, no Jim Beglin, no Clive Tyldsley, no Andy Townsend, happy days! ITV should not be allowed to show any sport of any kind. And i would even go as far as to say that The ´óÏó´«Ã½ beats SOME aspects of Sky's coverage too. Richard Keys, Andy Gray, Martin Tyler etc = AWFUL.

Keep up the good work Dan and team. FF is a great show.

Ron Tugnutt

Ruel-lade Fox?

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

The only thing duller than watching Football Focus is being reading a blog about the making of Football Focus.

As far as the pundits argument goes, maybe these guys were all a bit too successful to give a balanced perspective. There are plenty of people who were in the lower echelons of the PL for the majority of their career. Maybe then we could watch someone other than the "big" teams in the extended highlights.

Maybe ´óÏó´«Ã½ could get Fergie to start talking to them again by seriously reducing the amount of press it gives Man United.

Why not just have intelligent people who actually care about football as pundits. Some journalists are quite good - Gab Marcotti... James Richardson.
Hansen, Lawrenson, Shearer et all are phoning it in. They'd all rather be on the gold course.
And let's not even start to look at Match of the Day 2...

Emanuelle Petit-Frois

Ian Harte Tatin.

This is too much fun...

@SteveTreacle No-one forces you to read this blog and no-one forces you to watch Football Focus. Do one.

The only way I would improve Focus is to bring back Focus 5. Putting the pundits on the clock always produces an honest answer and it helps get lots of topics talked about.

Mark Battenburg (Referee)

Dan, some of the points here are valid.

Firstly, ´óÏó´«Ã½s sports coverage absolutely trounces ITV rubbish. But I think you can take a leaf or two out of Sky's- specifically, the pundits.

It WOULD be nice to hear sensible and objective opinions rather than the typical, Alan Shearer cliched view.

Hansen and Lawro always have something interesting and respectable to say, and are at their best when they share tactical knowledge to the audience.

Dixon, Shearer and Crooks are a waste of space IMO. Pat Nevin would be a great addition.

@83 Richard Keys is painful to watch. BUT Andy Grey and Martin Tyler are the BEST duo by a country mile.

Wow there are some grumpy people here today. I like it and I enjoy the blog. Don't get me wrong not every single aspect of the show and blog have my enthralled BUT I think the lads on the focus team (and Dan on his blog) seem to offer plenty of variety of content so there's always something well worth your time (personally a big fan of the "on the road" element, always offers new insight on different clubs on all levels). Oh annnd #91 - very well said. Although I wasn't such a fan of focus five. Liked the idea but often seemed to lack flow. Maybe it could be expanded a little or something.

My contribution - "ice cream and.." Jelle van Damme.

Chuck Norris.

#89 Do you mean Emmanuel Petit-Pois (not Frois) ? I like it but firstly its misspelt and secondly that basically means peas - so nothing like cake/dessert/etc !!

Hi Dan, Always look forward to reading your blog. Bit disappointed this week though, was something missing, but not sure what! Didn't get much out of it.

Thoroughly enjoyed FF last week. Off work again on Sat, so bring it on.

MB

Fabian Jam Tart-ez
Jam Roll Beglin
Carlos Choc-Pud-roll
Dan-Cake Agger
Diego Merenguedonna
Pavlova Nedved
Trevor Eves pudding
Graeme Souffleness
Ricardo Cake-a (Kaka)
Jammie Dodger Greaves
Emmanuel Ave-a-choc-bar

Manager
Ron Atkinson Diet (after all that sweet stuff)

Always happy to read your stuff Dan when I get the chance and some of the names people have suggested have been crackers!

Fair play in the handling of some criticism by Treacle, I hope you then poured him over your pancakes for breakfast in the morning :P then again....that might be too good of a punishment for him...

Swiftly moving on, being a bit of an aspiring journo myself, cannot for the life of me see what is wrong with the way the pundits conduct themselves on the show. On 606 you hear fans on the radio and they more often then not give the same if not similar analysis that the likes of Lawro or Hansen give.

Sure, there will be times when the content doesn't particularly interest everyone but at the end of the day you cannot please everyone.

We can dance if we want to
We can leave your friends behind

Dan, move the sofas round so we stare at the back of your head, that will mix it up!!

Or

whoever is sat on the other sofa has to change there top beofre the camera is on them again, see how many people notice!

OR

rotate the people you have on the show, every 8 minutes! Wearing the same clothes, and see how many people notice!

ORRRRR

Get a dog to curl up by your feet

awwww


cos your friends dont dance
and if they dont dance
then they're no friends of mine

oh sorry

laurent blanc-mange