Derby ho to aisa!
September 20, 2009
Saw an entire football match after a very long time – the Manchester Derby.
Part of the reason for watching it was the quick glance through the sports pages in the newspapers, where the scoresheet says that almost every single Premiership game this season has seen around three goals being scored. Wow! Part of the reason was that I am quite certain City will take the Premiership title this time – yeah, I know, but I am quite certain. Yeah, I’m with you Colin Shindler!
Of course, the Derby took place soon after Lionel Messi scored two in a 5-2 demolition of Atletico Madrid, but still…thought I’d catch the derby nevertheless. And at the end of it, here are some quick, and very random, thoughts:
1. City can’t do much despite their great strike force with this sort of defending. The United attack isn’t spectacular, and though Giggs had one of his greatest days in recent, or otherwise, memory, Given had it too tough because of the twerps in the defence. Real Madrid had the best attackers in the world playing together, but couldn’t do much – you can’t always outscore opponents; there’s a reason football is played the way it is.
- First goal: no one going in for the final tackle on Rooney
- Second goal: no one marking Fletcher
- Third goal: no one marking Fletcher again
- Fourth goal: yes, it was way past the end-time, but why was no one marking Owen
- The number of times Berbatov got free headers was also ridiculous
2. It’s very simple; Toure can’t, repeat can’t, be the team’s number one defender. He’s best as a support act, but definitely not as the prime defender.
3. Still talking about City, and I don’t think Tevez is up there yet –Adebayor has to be part of the starting line-up at all times, and with Bellamy in the kind of touch he was in today, man, what a strike pairing!
4. From United’s part, and this is aside of the usual dollop of cheating that they have survived on for decades now, I don’t think the team has that zing about it. I don’t see Giggs playing like this everyday, though I’ll bet my last rupee that he will keep trying to. I also don’t think Owen will be a regular solution, simply because I don’t see him playing more than 20 minutes at any stage.
I also don’t think you can count on Fletcher to pull you back like this too often – he is just not good enough, even if he plays with his heart on his sleeve. And I certainly think that Anderson is among the worst players to have worn the United strip ever. What United is missing is that one spark. The sort that Rooney is providing off and on. The sort that Giggs provided every minute of the second half today. The sort that Ronaldo used to provide. Or Beckham.
At the end of it, while I do believe City have it in them to pull off a Premiership win this season – I seriously do – I think this whole we’ll-score-more-than-them philosophy has to change. Fast. Else, those billions won’t add up to much.
Saw an entire football match after a very long time – the Manchester Derby.
Part of the reason for watching it was the quick glance through the sports pages in the newspapers, where the scoresheet says that almost every single Premiership game this season has seen around three goals being scored. Wow! Part of the reason was that I am quite certain City will take the Premiership title this time – yeah, I know, but I am quite certain. Yeah, I’m with you Colin Shindler!Of course, the Derby took place soon after Lionel Messi scored two in a 5-2 demolition of Atletico Madrid, but still…thought I’d catch the derby nevertheless. And at the end of it, here are some quick, and very random, thoughts:1. City can’t do much despite their great strike force with this sort of defending. The United attack isn’t spectacular, and though Giggs had one of his greatest days in recent, or otherwise, memory, Given had it too tough because of the twerps in the defence. Real Madrid had the best attackers in the world playing together, but couldn’t do much – you can’t always outscore opponents; there’s a reason football is played the way it is.
- First goal: no one going in for the final tackle on Rooney
- Second goal: no one marking Fletcher
- Third goal: no one marking Fletcher again
- Fourth goal: yes, it was way past the end-time, but why was no one marking Owen
- The number of times Berbatov got free headers was also ridiculous
2. It’s very simple; Toure can’t, repeat can’t, be the team’s number one defender. He’s best as a support act, but definitely not as the prime defender.3. Still talking about City, and I don’t think Tevez is up there yet –Adebayor has to be part of the starting line-up at all times, and with Bellamy in the kind of touch he was in today, man, what a strike pairing!
4. From United’s part, and this is aside of the usual dollop of cheating that they have survived on for decades now, I don’t think the team has that zing about it. I don’t see Giggs playing like this everyday, though I’ll bet my last rupee that he will keep trying to. I also don’t think Owen will be a regular solution, simply because I don’t see him playing more than 20 minutes at any stage.I also don’t think you can count on Fletcher to pull you back like this too often – he is just not good enough, even if he plays with his heart on his sleeve. And I certainly think that Anderson is among the worst players to have worn the United strip ever. What United is missing is that one spark. The sort that Rooney is providing off and on. The sort that Giggs provided every minute of the second half today. The sort that Ronaldo used to provide. Or Beckham.
At the end of it, while I do believe City have it in them to pull off a Premiership win this season – I seriously do – I think this whole we’ll-score-more-than-them philosophy has to change. Fast. Else, those billions won’t add up to much.
posted by Black Muddy River at 8:39 pm
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