FIFA '10 Revealed This Time Next Week

It was hardly the wildest of predictions but it appears my earlier post on the reveal of FIFA '10 is true.

Edge are now running a preview featuring the cover of next weeks issue that is due to arrive on Thursday.

The Difference

Firstly you are reading the blog of someone who's betfair account suggests he truly believed last nights final was going to penalties. In truth it was never going to be that close.

Man United took control early on whilst they had the ball, but it only took one attack and one sluggish lump of Serbian centre half being turned inside out by Eto'o for the Catalans to take the lead and all the control they needed to waltz to the title.

Games absolutely fly by when players like Xavi and Iniesta are given time on the ball to dictate the play. Once Man United were in a position where they had to chase the game, Barca had them exactly where they wanted them. United ended up playing 4-2-4 leaving Barca's beyond world class midfield with time, space and permission to do whatever they wanted.

The game was wrapped up with a cultured header by the smallest person on the pitch, it was at this point that Barca's footballing masterclass became a humiliation. Messi gets rave reviews and I have seen him labelled man of the match in some articles. For me though Iniesta was in a world of his own. My man of the final and arguably the next pretender to the Messi/Ronaldo crown.

He was the difference.

7 x 24 = 224 The Jack Bauer Kill Collection

Great video chronicalling all who ahve fallen at the gun, knife, leg-lock-neck-snap and vampire bite of the all american killing machine.

Long live Jack Bauer.

MW2 Revealed

What I want from 'The Incident'

I will review Lost’s fifth season as a whole at the weekend but right now I’m like a geek on the night before geek-mas waiting for the finale. Tonight in America and tomorrow in the UK via lovely illegal torrents we will all witness ‘The Incident’, but here is my request list of what I want to see before another painfully frustrating 8-9 month hiatus.

1. An end to all this time-travel malarkey.
I enjoy the time-travel angle on the show, it has opened all manner of avenues for telling the story of the history of the island but enough is enough. For the final season get the shows main characters in the same place and the same time.

2. Desmond
I hate watching the struggle to keep everyone’s favourite scotch button pusher part of the show, as he is clearly now the most withdrawn of all the characters. Get him back on the island, or at least in the thick of the action.

3. More Widmore
I’ve liked everything involving Charles Widmore this season, in each of the three different period personas we have seen. The finale needs Widmore, stat.

4. I want what’s in the box to blow me away
Whatever is in this crate on the Hydra beach in 2007 better be good, the only reason you leave a box unopened is to raise the tension. I want it to be surprising and I want to see it this season, not wait anxiously until 2010. Don’t hatch us off again.

5. Christian Shepherd
Ghostly resurrected drunk surgeon can only wander in and out of episodes for so long without us getting bored waiting for the answer, why is Christian alive on the island?

6. Jacob
Quite self explanatory, we have been waiting a long time to find out who Pickett meant when he uttered the words “Jacob’s List” back in 3.06 “I Do”, which in case you were wondering was Autumn 2006. We’ve seen a ghostly presence but it’s not enough, it’s time for the powers that be to deliver the most anticipated character since the show began.

7. The big questions going into season six.
The majority of the fans will be already counting down the days until the sixth and final season but I want what comes up in the finale to make the wait excruciating. Keep the level of quality up, and the anticipation from the fans will follow. In Damon and Carlton we trust.

LOST

Modern Warfare 2 Teaser

The first solid look at in-game action from Infinity Ward's 'Modern Warfare 2' hit american TV network TNT over the weekend. It seems we may be in for some interesting new concepts when the game launches worldwide on November 11th, underwater levels and snowmobiles certainly werent on my expected list.

The premiere trailer is set to be revealed on May 24th during an NBA game.

FIFA '10 revealed June 4th?

If like me your eagerly awaiting news on the next FIFA game then mark June 4th in your diary if you still use one. Edge magazine this month features a teasing 'next month' image (see above) that could very well imply that all FIFA related will be revealed in their July issue out on June 4th.

This may seem like sketchy intel but FIFA 10 has been revealed to some sections of the media who are heavily bound by NDA's. EA held a press event at the Emirates stadium to share information and even demo the game to some very privileged individuals recently. Shortly after it was rumoured that EDGE had the exclusive and it now seems that this is the case.

"Bring Your Wellies Neil..." - The Inbetweeners Finale

It seemed like a very long wait for the second series of 2008’s surprise hit comedy, but The Inbetweeners proved well worth it. The series has built up a loyal fan base; you only have to take a brief look at facebook on a Thursday or Friday at the moment to find the latest quotes and reactions.

As much as the show has become a cult hit, it hardly reinvented the wheel in its sophomore year. The characters hardly changed and the humiliating situations they found themselves in last year returned only slightly more frequently and infinitely more cringe worthy.

As a comedy that follows a simple structure; the boys get excited about finally crossing a social boundary only to fall victim to embarrassment caused by their own inadequacies. The Inbetweeners still oozes quality from its script and delivery. Not just the choice insults, but more importantly the emotional scenes are rich in teenage honesty and can easily take us back to a place we’ve all been. Two jumped out of last night’s finale, namely Simon’s long-wished-for kiss with Carly and Jay’s hilariously tragic emotional breakdown.

It doesn’t have the variety a show about teenagers should have, it isn’t Skins. It does however do comedy far better and is now a better lasting bet for e4 than its faux grown up elder brother.

The stand out episode of the series has to be the opener, for laugh out loud moments nothing beats Neil punching a fish to death. Bring on series three, and more of the same.

Finale - 4/5
Series 2 - 4/5

Lets all laugh at Chelsea

Both Andreas Iniesta and Michael Essien scored goals worthy of putting teams into a champions league final, it was however only Iniesta's that struck a fatal blow. As hard done by as Chelsea may feel they did not pursue the away goal with enough effort last week and have been caught out by a better footballing team.

However many penalties Chelsea should or shouldn't have had, the viewers of the game were later treated to more examples of how not to behave on the biggest of club football stages. Just like last years final Terry and Drogba behaved like complete idiots and I'm glad they're out. Now, lets all laugh at Chelsea.

Hatton vs Pacquiao, made more entertaining by EA Sports

So, Ricky Hatton failed to show up in Vegas at the weekend and was rightly battered, in less than two rounds by Manny Pacquiao. Boxing can be such a non-event sometimes, overdefensive bouts plumbing on without entertaining and other fights over in a flash leaving sunburnt mancs working out how many hundreds of pounds they have spent for each second of boxing they've seen.

Thank god then for EA Sports' 'Fight Night - Round 4' out at the end of June it looks likely to make boxing more interesting for even the most casual of fight fans, such as myself.

Hatton vs Pacquiao certainly seems more exciting and better value for money on the consoles.

For anyone who has watched this weeks Lost, 'The Variable'..(SPOILERS)

Below is a spoiler heavy question for anyone who has watched 'The Variable', any input would be welcome as it's got me stumped.

If Faraday dies from Eloise's gunshot wound, when does he help Chang record the film which was seen at comic-con. Changing the future may bring him back, interested to know what you think.

Lost Season 5 Cover Art

Whilst i work on a huge Lost blog post, which may or may not convey the staggering level of awesome that Lost has been at this season. I thought I'd quickly post this, the season 5 cover art for the DVD and Blu-Ray. It seems to suggest we may not be done with cataclysmic flashes. Bring on the finale.

Is This The New England Kit?

There has been lots of hype surrounding the reveal of Umbro's newest England kit. They are going out of their way to tell everyone how high the quality is, and how it is Tailored In England. I'll reserve judgment til I've seen it but this appears to be it.

This Is Brilliant. Fact

Fifa 09 Trophies Arrive Today With Ultimate Team

FIFA '09 launches ultimate team today, a card trading based management game which seems to have a huge amount of new content and possibilities for a piece of downloadable content, it could easily be launched as a game in its own right.



For more info check eafootballworld.com or follow @EARom

The DLC also brings trophies to Fifa, here are the prizes you will be collecting, probably quite quickly over the next few weeks.



Bronze

Gimme five
Score five goals in the arena

Time you played a match?
Score twenty goals in the arena

Hero
Save a penalty

Eat my chip
Score by chipping the keeper in a match

Screamer!
Score from over 30 yards out in a match

On the spot
Score from a penalty in a match

Like on the training field
Score from a corner

Wing play
Score from a cross

Last Gasp Goal
Score in the 89th minute

In off
Score off the woodwork in a match

What a Beauty!
Score on the volley in a match

One goal a season
Score with a defender in a match

Fling yourself at it
Score with a diving header in a match

Good head on your shoulders
Score with a header in a match

Director in the making
Upload a video to EA Sports™ football world

The ol' switcheroo
Successfully perfom a pass that switches the play from one flank to the other

Sparkly clean
Keep a clean sheet

Judas
Beat your favourite team with their rival

The Kwong
Score a headed goal with the shortest created player

Provider
Perform a cross for a friend who scores from it. (Co-op Trophy)

The Gipson Curse
Go into an online match after choosing your own arena player

Optimus Chung
Win a game with adidas Live Season enabled

The Venhola Ice
Win a FIFA 09 Clubs match with your club

The Poon Sang
Win with a team of 11 created players in an unranked online match

Club god
Reach legendary status for your club

Pictures speak a thousand words
Upload 5 screenshots to EA Sports™ football world

1st time out
Win an Online League match

Manual labour
Win a match with fully manual settings (no assistance can be switched on)

Ranked Winner
Win a Ranked online match

FIFA Fair Play
Play 5 consecutive matches without getting any cards (bookings must be enabled in the settings)

World Champion
Ultimate Team:Win the Gold World Trophy

Online Champion
Ultimate Team:Win Gold Ultimate Team Trophy

Silver Packs
Ultimate Team:Open first Silver Pack

Gold Packs
Ultimate Team:Open First Gold Pack

Bigger Venue
Ultimate Team:Upgrade to a Silver Rated Stadium

The Collector
Ultimate Team:Complete an 11 player team page in the collection

Best of the Best
Ultimate Team:Obtain your first Gold Rated Manager

Silver

Giant Killer
Beat a five star team with a half star team

Bend it like a pro
Score from a free kick in a match

On yer bike!
Score with a bicycle kick

A Man Down
Win a game when down one man

Custom sixty four winner
Win a Created Tournament that starts with sixty four teams

One star winners
Win a Tournament that starts with sixteen teams, with a one star rated team.

Huge investment
Buy a player in Manager Mode for 50 million of your chosen currency

Spending spree
Buy 50 players in your career in Manager Mode

The Peterson
Play for over fifty hours

Frequent flyer
Win in every stadium

Jonzo's lounge
Score 2500 points and win 5 badges in a single Lounge Mode match

Duo-Hedgeidecimal
Enter a match with 20 people in a FIFA 09 Clubs Match

Living legend
Reach legendary status for your country

Real world winner
Win 5 Interactive League matches

Club Tournament Mastery
Ultimate Team:Win all gold Club Tournaments

Online Tournament Mastery
Ultimate Team:Win All gold Online Tournaments

Solid Gold
Ultimate Team:Obtain 11 gold players

Gold

Huge return
Sell a player in Manager Mode for 50 million of your chosen currency

The purist
Complete a Manager Mode season without simming any games

Platinum

Football Legend
Unlock all other trophies (excluding additional content trophies)