RECENT RELEASES
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MIDWEEK BOOT SPOTTING 31-1 FEBRUARY
Having switched their focus to the FA Cup over the weekend, Premier League teams were quickly back in action midweek. Along with some great spots on seasoned Premier League players we got to see some of the footwear being used by a few of the new January arrivals.
Having scored on debut for Liverpool and Sunderland, French striker Djibril Cisse made a great start to his third spell in English football when he scored QPR’s opening goal against Aston Villa. Cisse arrived from Italian side Lazio and wore a pair of Blue/White/Slime second generation Adidas AdiZero boots.
Although he has been at the club for a few seasons Frazier Campbell’s return from injury will feel like a new signing for Black Cats boss Mark Hughes. Campbell made his second appearance of the year and first in the Premier League wearing Adidas AdiZero MiCoach boots and opening scoring with a brilliant volley.
Cameron Lancaster is another player isn’t quite a new signing. The Spurs youngest was promoted into the first team for their game against Wigan after Defoe was ruled out, Pavlyuchenko was sold and Louis Saha yet to arrive. Lancaster came off the bench for Adebayor wearing White/Blue/Electricity Adidas AdiPower boots.
We got a first glimpse at Umbro’s new White/Black/Nectarine Speciali 3 boots a few days ago and now Swansea’s Danny Graham has introduces us to the alternate Black/White/Blue launch colourway.
We featured Chelsea’s Daniel Sturridge only a few days ago after the England forward was spotted having changed out of his Nike T90 Laser IV boots into Adidas AdiZero Micoach boots. Sturridge was however back in T90s midweek as Chelsea faced Swansea.
Emmanuel Frimpong has made a few appearances for Wolves already having arrived on loan from Arsenal. The Ghanaian midfielder has impressed in his short time at the Molineux wearing Puma PowerCat 1.12 boots and Mick McCarthy will hope he can help steer Wolves away from the relegation zone.
Jermaine Pennant has struggled for game time this season and wouldn’t have helped his cause to much after costing his side a penalty against Manchester United. The former Liverpool winger has been a boot spot favourite for awhile and gets to feature once again after he wore David Beckham’s Blue/White/Electricity Adidas AdiPower Predator boots.
Morten Gamst Perderson also has his own colourway after the Blackburn Rovers winger had a bespoke pair of White/Blue AdiPower Predators made for himself which he has been in for a few games.
There was much speculation surrounding Peter Odemwingie this transfer window. In the end the Nigerian striker has remained with West Bromwich Albion. Odemwingie has been a Nike Superfly wearer for the most part but started in a pair of Tiempo Legend IV boots. However he was quickly back in a pair of Superfly III boots for the second half.
Many thought Sergio Aguero gave Puma’s new Blue/White/Lime V1.11 colourway their onfield debut however it was Steven Pienaar. The new colourway seems to be an immediate hit with boots fans and is the first colourway Aguero has worn since signing with Puma and wearing their Green/Navy V1.11 colourway.
PUMA V1.11 SL – DRESDEN BLUE/WHITE/LIME PUNCH
Along with the standard synthetic and K leather versions, Puma have released the V1.11 SL in their striking new Dresden Blue/Lime/White colourway.
Few pros wear the V1.11 SL despite being one of the lightest boots on the market. A super-soft and ultra-thin microfiber synthetic upper features unique padded zones for improved ball contact. The V1.11SL’s redesigned upper provides great comfort and ball feel as well more protection than the V1.10 SL.
The unique outsole’s stability, durability and support is enhanced by the revolutionary engineered Thermoplastic outsole. The Pebax material offers outstanding mechanical, physical and chemical properties, by bridging the gap between thermoplastics and rubbers. Carbon fibre in the outsole adds mid-foot stability while the external heel counter is shaped and bonded to the upper adds strength and stability.
The new Dresden Blue/Lime/White colourway Puma V1.11 SL is now available for order however will not be available in South Africa.
PUMA POWERCAT 1.12 – BLACK/SHADOW/WHITE/LIME
PUMA has launched the new Black/Shadow/White/Lime colourway of the PowerCat 1.12, a performance boot featuring the most advanced PUMA technologies. The new PowerCat 1.12 colourway was worn by Michael Carrick and Tomas Rosicky over the weekend and will be worn by fellow PUMA stars including Cesc Fabregas, Phil Jones and Nigel de Jong.
Designed for power players, the boot is a perfect combination of engineering and comfort, giving players the confidence to perform on pitch. The PowerCat 1.12 features the new PUMA 3D DUO Power Shooting Technology, applied to the kicking area on the inside of the boot.
Made from an innovative thermoplastic material with two different degrees of hardness, the newly created PUMA 3D PST DUO technology enables improved grip on the ball through its exposed elements, and instead of absorbing the energy it increases the kicking power of the player. The kicking area employs a soft K-Leather while the lightweight microfiber material in the lateral quarter supports the midfoot and helps to keep the weight of the boot to a minimum.
The PUMA PowerLast, an evolution of the PUMA AptoLast, follows the foot’s natural contours, providing a glove like fit allowing the upper to mould to players fit. Coupled with the stable yet flexible outsole, the PowerCat 1.12 gives the best possible comfort. Optimal support, stability and protection are provided by the asymmetrical external TPU-injected heel counter.
The new Black/Shadow/White/Lime PowerCat 1.12 boots will retail for R1 999 in South Africa and will be in stores from February 2012.
FA CUP BOOT SPOTTING 28-29 JANUARY
The Premier League was on fold this weekend as the oldest federation cup competition in the world took centre stage. The FA Cup always produces some magical football as well as some great boot spots. Check out the best from this weekend’s 4th Round.
Easily the biggest game of the 4th Round was Manchester United’s trip to Anfield. United’s stand out performer over the past few weeks has been Michael Carrick (behind Welbeck), who gave the new Black/White/Lime Puma PowerCat 1.12 colourway their English debut.
Steven Pienaar gave us a glimpse of Puma’s new Dresden Blue/White/Lime V1.11 colourway last weekend against City when he gave them a short debut after coming off the bench. He came off the bench once again this weekend to help his side overcome Watford.
Stoke City forward Jon Walters has been through a variety of boots this season. Walters looked to have pledging his allegiance to Puma after wearing the PowerCat 1.12 but switched to Adidas AdiPower Predator recently. This weekend Walters was in Nike’s Stoke Kit complimenting White/Red Tiempo Legend IV boots.
We have been waiting for Adidas’ new AdiPure 11Pro to really arrive in the English football. Gareth Barry has worn the Black/White/Slime colourway a few times but we got our first glimpse of the White/Black/Energy colourway this weekend thanks to Bolton’s Mark Davies.
Another boot we have been looking forward to seeing is the Umbro Speciali 3. One of Umbro’s main men, Chelsea’s John Terry, is still wearing Speciali R boots but QPR’s Tommy Smith gave the new Speciali 3 its debut against the London club.
While on the subject of debuts, Darren Bent gave his brand new limited edition bespoke Yellow/Purple Umbro Speciali R boots a scoring debut against Arsenal on Sunday night. Having asked Umbro for a brighter pair of boots he was handing this Yellow/Purple colourway which unfortunately will not be available to the public.
We love bespoke boots here at TRW and we certainly appreciate Jermiane Beckford’s work. The Leicester City forward has matched a pair of custom Blue/Black Adidas AdiZero boots perfectly to his Leicester kit.
A boot that has popped up often, despite having no official on field support, is Adidas’ Leather White/White/Warning AdiZero which has been worn by a few Premier League players and this weekend by Crawley Town’s Tyrone Barnett (left).
Adidas often release boots that will have no official on field support yet they always find their way onto pitches. We aren’t surprised the AdiPure IV SL, worn this weekend by Beckford’s Leicester teammate Lloyd Dyer, has been spotted a few times. We wonder how long it will be before we see the AdiPure 11Pro SL on pitches.
Arguably the boot spot of the weekend was Chelsea forward Daniel Sturridge. Sturridge has been in Nike T90 Laser IV boots for most of the season but surprised us all on Saturday when he walked out against QPR wearing Adidas’ High Energy/White/Electricity AdiZero MiCoach boots.
Elsewhere in the world Cristiano Ronaldo surprised everyone by switching out of his CR7 Nike Superfly III boots and donning their White/Blue/Volt colourway which was released as an alternate colourway to the popular Purple/Silver Superfly III colourway. It’s not a surprise that Ronnie has taken a liking to this White colourway as the real Madrid man was one of the first to wear the popular Windchill Superfly II colourway. As was the case with his CR7 colourway we believe that these are actually the upcoming Mercurial Vapor VIII boots disguised as Superfly IIIs.
PUMA KING FINALE SL – WHITE/NAVY/TEAM ORANGE
Having already made their on field debut, Puma have now officially unveiled the King Finale SL. Described by Thierry Henry as the best boots he’s ever worn, the new King Finale SL have created a massive amount of hype and first impressions seem to imply they will deliver.
Weighing 225g the King SL is not the lightest leather boot (compared to the AdiPure 11Pro) on the market however do beat out the likes of Nike’s Tiempo IV Elite. The SL is based on the King Finale but features a thin premium K-Leather upper which is very lightweight and shapes perfectly to the foot for the same glove-like fit and ball feel you’d expect from the King Finale.
The heel counter has been stripped to reduce weight while the TPU injected outsole from the King Finale remains. The iconic fold over tongue has bee redesigned and the form-stripe is now an integrated feature of the light K-Leather upper instead of being another overlay of stitched material.
Thierry Henry and fellow Gunner Mikel Arteta have already worn the new Puma King Finale SL in this launch White/Navy/Team Orange colourway which is available now to order.
PUMA V1.11 – DRESDEN BLUE/WHITE/LIME PUNCH
Tonight sees Liverpool host Premier League log leaders Manchester City in the Carling Cup holding a 1-0 lead. It is the perfect opportunity for City star Sergio Aguero to show off the new Dresden Blue/White/Lime Punch Puma V1.11 colourway.
We got to see a very quick glimpse at the new colourway over the weekend as South African skipper Steven Pienaar gave the new colourway a Premier League debut. This new colourway will be the first time Aguero has worn anything other the launch Green/Navy colourway since signing with the German giants.
The V1.11 is a genuine competitor in the speed boot market. The upper is stitched rather than glued to the soleplate using special UNI technology which provides the perfect fit by replicating the unique PUMA Aptolast. Super soft premium lightweight microfiber upper material, which features central lacing, ensure a snug fit and provides a smooth kicking area, superb ball touch and a unique look. A carbon fiber composite in the forefoot helps provide optimal pressure distribution, reactivity and flexibility.
Greater playing stability is provided through an external heel counter and a Pebax frame that provides support to the outsole. The midfoot area is reinforced with a TPU composite which secures further stability and helps to avoid midfoot bending. This increased stability also enables an optimal traction as well as manoeuvrability, provided through the pointed stud configuration featured on this new boot.
We can look forward to seeing the new Dresden Blue/White/Lime Punch colourway – which will be available in the SL version as well - tonight after Aguero was spotted training in them with the rest of his Manchester City teammates this afternoon.
ADIDAS PREDATOR ADIPOWER – SLIME/NAVY/WHITE
Adidas’ AdiPower Predator has been a resounding success since its launch last year. Now Adidas unveil their latest (10th including two David Beckham’s colourways) colour combination – Slime/Navy/White.
The AdiPower Predator features a Taurus calf leather upper with a new re-engineered silicon rubber Predator Element is split into two zones. The first zone is an aggressive, structured surface which integrates the Adidas stripes is the ‘Power Zone’. The 3D fins give rebound upon ball impact, generating additional striking power from the boot. The second ‘Swerve Zone’ features a hexagonal pattern. The even and soft surface provides a longer contact time with the ball, resulting in higher friction and ultimately higher swerve.
Adidas’ groundbreaking SprintFrame outsole features a redesigned Predator PowerSpine from the Predator X. This allows additional energy transfer directly from the foot into the ball by preventing the foot from over bending while still allowing for comfortable running movements thanks to the flex grooves which keep the element highly flexible in the right direction.
Adidas like to use new colours across their silos. We saw their ‘Warning’ and ‘Electricity’ colours being used extensively and it seems that ‘Slime’ – making its Predator debut – has joined the bright colour revolution.
ADIDAS ADIZERO MICOACH – WHITE/BLACK/RED
Adidas have a knack of releasing great looking alternate colourways which deserve to be seen on pitches around the world but are scheduled to receive no official on field support. And we think they have done it again with the release of this White/Black/Red AdiZero MiCoach colourway.
The adiZero F50 boot includes a built in cavity within the outsole which houses the revolutionary miCoach Sensor (Data Capture Chip) -a technology which enables both professional and amateur footballers to analyze their personal speed, distance and work rate during a game.
The adiZero F50 miCoach features technologies such as Adidas’ Sprintweb which provides stability during high speed movements. The lightweight Sprintskin upper is a revolutionary single layer synthetic which provides incredible ball-feeling and reduced weight. Adidas groundbreaking Sprintframe uses geometrics and new stud construction to offer the perfect balance between lightweight and stability. All of this while still weighing just 175 grams.
The miCoach Sensor captures 360 degrees movement and measures key performance metrics including speed, average speed (recorded every second), maximum speed (recorded every five seconds), number of sprints, distance covered, distance at high intensity levels as well as steps and stride rates. The on-board memory stores up to seven hours of all measurements during your game or training and then wirelessly transmits the on pitch performance data to your tablet, PC or MAC.
BOOT SPOTTING 21-22 JANUARY
The weekend was dominated by Sunday’s two North London v Manchester games as Manchester City welcomed Tottenham Hotspur while Manchester United travelled to Arsenal. Saturday however produced equally entertaining football – as it did boot spots.
We keep expecting to spot Umbro’s main men to make the switch to the new Speciali 3. However it looks like we will have to wait at least one more week before we see them in the Premier League after the likes of John Terry and Aston Villa’s Darren Bent remained in Speciali R boots.
Despite the new Speciali not making it onto pitches yet, the new Umbro colourway are doing very well. Sunderland’s Connor Wickham this week joined Kyle Walker in the new Silver/Red GT II Pro colourway – which looked pretty good with his Black Cats kit.
Another great looking colourway is the new White/Red/Kingfisher Geometra Pro colourway Jordan Henderson has been wearing. Unfortunately Henderson was unable to help his side avoid a surprise defeat to Bolton Wanderers which put a major dent in their Top 4 chances.
Along with the Umbro Speciali we are awaiting the new Adidas AdiPure 11Pro. Gareth Barry gave them their Premier League debut last Monday but likes of Frank Lampard are yet to switch to the new AdiPure. We don’t know whether or not it is a personal preference or not but we would have thought the Chelsea man would have been one of the first to make the switch.
Boot spot favourite Hugo Rodallega once again came out in a bespoke pair of Nike Superfly II boots. We have seen Rodallega wearing this custom pair before when he wore them against West Ham United last May.
Hatem Ben Arfa is quickly becoming a boot spot favourite. Last week Hatem wore a pair of AdiZero I boots having previously worn Nike Superfly IIIs. This week however the Newcastle winger wore the new Adidas AdiZero MiCoach football boots and seemed to take an instant liking to them.
One player who doesn’t seem to be the biggest fan of the new MiCoach AdiZero is Tottenham Hotspur striker Jermain Defoe. It took Defoe a while to switch to them and has been in and out of them since. This weekend he started with the Black/Warning MiCoach but switched at halftime to his old Blue/Slime AdiZero Prime boots.
Darren Gibson made his Premier League debut for Everton this weekend after his switch from Manchester United. The Republic of Ireland midfielder will be looking to impress both David Moyes and international coach Giovanni Trapattoni. Gibson made his debut wearing Nike’s White/Silver/Purple CTR360 Maestri II colourway.
A Nike colourway that seems to be gaining a rapid following is the Dark Shadow/Volt colourway of their CTR360 Maestri II. West Brom stopper Ben Foster joined the likes of Balotelli and Huth in wearing the alternate colourway.
Arguably one of the best players of the weekend was Arsenal starlet Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The young winger impressed so much that the Gunner’s faithful booed Wenger (even Robin van Persie looked shocked) when he substituted Alex in the second half. Oxlade wore Nike’s Blue/White/blue CTR360 Maestri II football boots complete with his #MAKEITCOUNT personalization.
