'Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner'.. Are Londoners slowly loosing their identity?

So today I was sitting in my mothers car, on a pretty laborious journey listening to radio stations such as; ChoiceFm, Kiss100,Radio1 and CapitalFm, and the whiff of dissapointment infiltrated my nostrils not long after tuning in to each radio station about the horrible noise that was protruding out of the car speakers. These stations, in which all are based in London and claim themselves to be Londons No.1 music station, played near enough the same music for around 3 full hours. The most worrying thing about it is, I couldn't tell which station I was listening to because they all played the same American music and for a second I thought I was travelling on some long journey from west to east in the USA.


The point I am trying to make is that Londoner's in general are beginning to loose their identity to the American culture of today which for some reason, unbeknownst to me is so desirable. I mean a couple of years ago on the way to school, I could hear a variety of songs that all sounded different because they had difference influences, from UK Hip Hop to some American Indie Rock, it all sounded unique. But now London seems to be lost in the mire of America. I won't lie and say that British music is more successful than American music because it obviously isn't the case, but we should promote our homegrown talents and values over the country thats just over the pond. To be fair it has happened in some cases, such as Tinie Tempah and Chipmunk; although I wish it hadn't. But even they have become so commercial at times I think to myself whether some big American bloke has just wrote their lyrics and the music has no British influence, for example Champion and Till Im Gone.

The Bloodz and the Cripz rivalry goes far beyond
a normal gang rivalry.

Closer to home, this has become even more apparent as I explore Facebook, Youtube and Twitter and all I seem to see is people dressing up in a traditional American style, talking about all things American and quite sadly I even heard secondary school kids talking in a West Coast accent. The worst thing about this is that alot of teenagers and even young adults in London have lost some of their identity to the American way of life and some people have even convinced themselves that London is so rotten and so corrupt, people refer to their lives as though they are living in the gutter or slums like this is Compton Ave. or something. I think people actually find it fun to imitate the hardships in American life such as the gang culture, because out there the gangs mean alot more than a postcode or when someone comes up to you and says 'what school you from' or some nonsense. 

In UK gangs, violence is getting more common every year

Out in America we only watch the things on TV, but you can tell that the gangs give people a sense of identity out there because the ethnics are still treated like house flies in certain parts of the US, whereas here, despite the police at times being unreasonable and do target stereotypes do not treat teenagers or in fact anybody as bad as over there. I think sadly people want to think people are always out to get them, so they got to look 'Hard' and not show no emotion and act like they've come from the gutter. In the UK, London especially, people that join gangs or try to be something they arent, loose their identity and all the possibilities that their life holds.


I'm not saying London is all rosy because I know it isn't and the gun and knife crime continue's to get worse, but this addiction and fascination with imitating the American culture doesn't have to happen and before you think one day how bad of a life you have and 'the roads are cold' Remember you would rather live here than somewhere which is a real life slum or gutter such as Mexico or Rio De Janeiro.

Something Different... Prospects for Battlefield 3,MW3 and Resistance 3

Being a huge fan of Gaming, I decided it would be good to switch my blog up a bit and not just include my footballing opinion. 2011 is going to be a huge year in the world of gaming in more ways than one. Not only is the time looming for the big hitters such as FIFA/PES and Call Of Duty to be released in the autumn, but there are two names that have come back this year and they are already packing a Wladimir Klitschko fist.


The 3 games, which are bound to be up there for game's of the year are Modern Warfare 3, Battlefield 3 and the return of Playstation 3's flagship game, Resistance 3. These three games have all released their reveal trailers and various gameplays and so forth, but nowadays the gaming community has learnt from past projects that trailers only count for about 10% of the real thing, as was shown with the hugely successful trailers for Call Of Duty: Black Ops, only for it to turn out to be dull and boring, much like Call Of Duty 3. So this entry will be about my personal opinions on each of the franchises, and the prospects of them this year.


First off I will look at Modern Warfare 3, as Call Of Duty seems to be pretty much on every living persons shelves who has an Xbox 360 or Ps3. It is undoubtedly true, that Black Ops did not live up to its predecessor in the form of Modern Warfare 2, but then again was it really going to ever accomplish that? Modern Warfare  2 encapsulated the finest things about First Person Shooters(FPS), the intensity, the gameplay, oh and the complete idiots that played it. So when i look at Modern Warfare 3, I begin to think whether the game will be completely down to community pressure or the developers will switch it up. The reveal trailer did look very appealing to the eye, however it showed no actual gameplay, such as Battlefield 3 has. Which creates the question whether MW3 is just all show and no action.

Of course a lot of the success from MW2 will make MW3 sell instantly as fans have been calling it from the moment Black Ops released, but there comes a time when the COD franchise can no longer fall back on exactly that. Since the first Modern Warfare, the gameplay has been quite repetitive and the community is now looking for something different. If i was to guess what MW3 would achieve by the end of 2011, i would say HUGE sales, similar gameplay and basically a reboot of MW2. I would give it a 7/10 based on prospects alone. But you never quite know with these guys.


I intentionally didn't write that much about MW3 because i think COD has been talked about so much its just tiring these days. Anyway, onto my next game which is Battlefield 3. This game has changed its tactics quite dramatically, in that the release date for previous Battlefield games had been in March-May but has now moved to the autumn, to be in direct competition with COD. Battlefield 3 has already captivated millions around the world with its 12 minute long trailer 'Fault Line' and its marketing campaign is far ahead of that of MW3. Being a fan of Battlefield Bad Company 2, what captivated me about BF3 is how dynamic the game looks, even though it keeps the destructible environments and some key components, it has adapted by the looks of things to what the FPS community wants. BFBC2's multiplayer game mode was so vast and expansive anybody wanting to make the transition from intense shooters like COD would take a millenium to adapt. BF3 however has recognised this and the trailer looks completely dedicated to action, but also has added spontaneity, which is huge in making a successful FPS.

Battlefield 3 and the new Frostbite 2 interface is bound to be a huge hit with fans, finally allowing them the realism they have wanted for so long, as shown with the camera disorientating and and actual feel of the weapons. Furthermore as the trailer shows, the thing it has over COD is the use of vehicles which are essential in multiplayer and single player game modes on this game. My bet's for this game is that it will truly open up a new direction for first person shooters and i hope that it sweeps the board for all awards, especially game of the year. I see this game coming around a 9/10 unless something miraculous happens.


Last but most definitely not least, Resistance 3. Now this game is of course a bit more difficult to place alongside BF3 and MW3 as it is a sci fi shooter, but the fact of the matter is, it may well overwhelm both these games and should be definitely considered a dark horse. Not that much is known about what to expect in what could be the final entry of PS3's flagship series. The story and complete ambiguity is what sets this game apart from its 360 counterpart Halo. The story in which see's the ultimate alien race, the Chimera look to decimate human life has taken plenty of twists, the biggest ending with the main characters demise in the last game. This is what makes Resistance 3 a worthy contender because as the reveal trailer showed, there is far more then what meets the eye to this game. Of course the post apocalyptic scene appeals to most but at the same time, there is an eerie realism to the franchise. To see what Joseph Capelli and the remaining survivors of mankind can do is going to be something worth waiting 3 years for.

The conspicuous thing about Insomniac games' approach to their trailer, was to add a real life aspect to it, thus leaving the fans of this game even more clueless about what to expect, but at the same time just salivating for more. If one criticism of Resistance 2 could be made, it was the extremely short single player campaign, which was only a measly 13 hours. However Resistance 3 has been in production for 3 years so we are expecting one Goliath attempt from Insomniac. On a personal level, this is the game I would love to be the most successful, it is not as commercially successful as its counterpart Halo, but that has also worked to its advantage. Its prospects could range anywhere between a 7/10 to a full 10/10. Time will tell.

What to expect from Liverpool in 2011-12?

Liverpools January 2011 signings: Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez
who cost a combined total of £57m

Most football fans, and of course Liverpool fans, are wondering what will the club and the players achieve in the coming season. We have already seen many ex football players and pundits, chuck the same old expectations of a club of Liverpool's stature every season. 'They will be challenging for the title' or 'They will easily regain their top four status' I have even heard one fan say Liverpool will clear the board and win the League, F.A Cup and League Cup. 

Its nice to be optimistic like that, but to be quite honest, Liverpool would be lucky to achieve the same position they did last season and that was a mediocre 6th. This is not to say that the apparent rebirth of a club that this time last year were floating in the waters of the unknown, which is ultimately down to King Kenny. However it is becoming increasingly hard to see Liverpool challenging for the top four and almost laughable to honestly think they can challenge Manchester United. Yes Liverpool had the best form in the second half of the season last year, being second only to Chelsea, but us fans have to be realistic and when you realise after Liverpool steered clear of relegation, the pressure was completely off because nobody had expected anything from a squad severely lacking in depth.

New Boy: Jordan Henderson is already being claimed the replacement
For Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard

So what to expect from Liverpool in 2011-12? It has been very positive to see the impact of Luis Suarez last season as he is a player with undoubted flair and the natural ability to come deep then open up space for runners from deep. But when i look at the midfield of Liverpool, it is strong, but there are no runners. Steven Gerrard is beginning to lose the legs he has held Liverpool on for the last decade and the new boy Henderson is by far a runner from deep. This then brings the question of wingers. For about 10 years now Liverpool have not been blessed with a winger who can beat a man and swing in deadly crosses. Liverpool did have Jermaine Pennant, although when you look at Spurs, Manchester City and Man United's wingers, you can see why he is never mentioned. So the targets in the transfer market is simple. They have two strikers who can fit in perfect harmony, a very strong midfield but it is out on the flanks and a centre midfielder who can run beyond Suarez & Co.

Concerning what Liverpool will achieve in terms of results is extremely hard to estimate. Everyone thought last season we would steady the ship with Roy Hodgson in charge, but on the year anniversary of that appointment, even that managed to go wrong as Liverpool had languished in 19th place. Now though, King Kenny is at the helm and if Liverpool were to stop the rot away from Anfield, then and only then could they be considered to be in a position to claim a Champions League Spot. 

Expectations are high and always will be at Liverpool, but this season it is about regaining that 4th spot and perhaps actually trying in the F.A Cup or League Cup. Although many times said before, it is a huge season ahead for Dalglish and his men.