Bore draw, futile posturing, becoming the greatest, the end of an aura
While some 0-0 draws are absorbing and entertaining the same can’t be said of Stoke City’s game at Villa Park on Saturday. In fact at times it was difficult to watch. Villa pressured us early on but lacked the craft to create anything substantial. Stoke were unadventurous and we seemed to have settled for a 0-0 draw from the start. Dull though it undoubtedly was there were some positive aspects of our performance. We displayed characteristic tenacity to gain a point. Organised and disciplined, we rarely looked likely to concede a goal. We’ve now conceded fewer goals than any other Premier League team. As has been the hallmark of Tony Pulis’ reign… we are hard to beat! A defensive record like ours is impressive for any team in any league in the world… some additional attacking drive into our approach would be most welcome.
An infuriating aspect of the match was Ryan Shotton’s sending off for two yellow cards. The first yellow was avoidable, not giving the ball back for a free kick was foolish. Ryan’s second yellow was an absolute travesty. Fabian Delph cheated for no reason other than to get a fellow professional sent off. For too long authorities have talked of removing diving from the game but decisive action is yet to be asserted. Shotton now has to serve a one match ban while Delph’s horrendous anti football hoodwink goes unpunished. If they aren’t prepared to act administrative bodies should spare us their futile fatuous empty posturing.
Having charmed much of Europe it’s now increasingly likely Michel Platini’s idea to stage the 2020 European Championship across the continent will come to fruition. The plan has proved to be unpopular with one poll stating that 82% of fans oppose the proposed format. The reason this formula was even suggested was borne of UEFA’s decision to expand the competition from 16 to 24 teams. As well as diluting the quality of football on offer it makes staging the tournament considerably more complicated and much more expensive. The problems finding bidders to host for the 2020 competition suggests UEFA’s number crunchers are seemingly oblivious to the current precarious state of the global economy.
On Sunday Brisbane Roar were beaten by Western Sydney Wanderers. Brisbane are a much different team than the one that won two consecutive A-League titles under Ange Postecoglou. Style panache and fluidity have been replaced by disjointed nervous vulnerability. During much of Postecoglou’s reign Brisbane carried an aura of invincibility, an aura borne of one simple factor… winning games of football. Since Postecoglou was replaced by his assistant Rado Vidosic, the players have lacked the previous years technique and, more significantly, the hunger that drove them to be crowned champions. Hopefully Vidosic and the players can address the flaws and Brisbane can launch a defence of their title, but the point has to be made, Brisbane Roar have well and truly lost their aura.
Few can deny that Lionel Messi is the outstanding player of the modern era. Messi combines agility with skill and, of course, goals. The method which leads to many of the goals brings inevitable comparisons with Diego Maradona. Amid the unquestionable brilliance he has another requirement to fulfill in order to be truly regarded amongst football’s all time greats. Despite what some of UEFA’s sponsors and marketing executives would like us to believe, the World Cup remains the pinnacle of world football. At a World Cup players are out of their comfort zone and face different challenges. if Messi is to be placed in the same bracket as Zidane, Pele and Maradona he needs to confirm his status by displaying his genius in Brazil.