Seldom do I write blogs about football, but when the World Cup comes along, I can't not help myself to a couple of posts about the beautiful game. Furthermore, in addition to my appearance on Kick Off last Thursday, I sincerely believe that any footballing analysis that I make is better than the tripe that they say on TV, thereby giving me the divine right to comment accordingly. A case in point is when the presenter asking me questions during my interview mistakenly asked what I would do if I were in Capello's shoes during the Italy game vis-a-vis half-time substitutions - of course, the Italian coach, at the time, was Marcello Lippi.
Anyway, today saw England face off against Germany, in what was undoubtedly meant to be one of the ties of the round of last 16. Instead, however, it transpired that Germany were in inspired form and England were rather pants, resulting in a 4-1 defeat for the English and yet another four years without winning the World Cup. By the time Brazil 2014 comes, they wouldn't have lifted the trophy (the real one, and not any replicas one might see) for 48 years, a streak which will almost certainly be extended considering who the hosts of the World Cup and automatic favourites for their 6th or 7th world titles are going to be. Despite the mauling, however, there was a massively controversial moment in the first half where a ball hit by Frank Lampard actually crossed the line (for once) by a good couple of feet, only for the linesman not to award the goal for some strange reason. Had it been allowed, the teams would have, perhaps undeservedly, gone in for the break at 2-2, and a different game would have been on our hands.
I will now proceed to analyse this incident both subjectively (simply because that perspective is fun) and objectively, and look at the overall impact that the incident had on the game and England's now-defunct World Cup chances.
The Subjective Perspective
For the Italian-supporting Maltese population, this disallowed goal will be seen as justice served for England. Not only have they been punished for being poor in the group stage - no matter how so much poorer Italy was, in all fairness - but there is always some form of delight at seeing one's bitter rivals being bruised, battered, hurt and destroyed. Justice will also be seen as served vis-a-vis the goal that never was in 1966, when, ironically, a goal that didn't cross the line was awarded to Geoff Hurst and gave England a 3-2 lead against West Germany in the World Cup final. That match ended up finishing 4-2 to England, which should have been the score this afternoon too.
This was one hell of a humiliation. Seeing defending as poor as that out there, where even a schoolboy would have been able to do a better job, is practically laughable. Critics and the media will be absolutely justified in criticising and smashing Capello and his team - the fact of the matter is that while there is no shame in losing to Germany, losing 4-1 is firstly embarrassing; and secondly, this was also done solely out of England's own ineptness. In a group containing Slovenia, Algeria and the USA, they should have finished comfortably top of the pile. Had they done so, they would be facing the likes of Ghana in the round of 16, and Uruguay in the quarter-finals, instead of a route to the final consisting of Germany, Argentina, Spain and Brazil. Hardly an impossible route to being among the best four teams in the world.
Yeah, on a personal level, I just can't stop smiling.
The Objective Perspective
Let's be honest with ourselves now - the ball DID indeed cross the line, and this was about as clear a goal as one would have seen throughout the tournament. I think there should be no dispute about this point, and indeed, perhaps, there should have been nothing controversial whatsoever about it.
Inevitably, arguments have come about over how this would have changed the landscape of the game. At the time the incident occurred, England were losing 2-1, which would have obviously meant that had the goal stood, they would have pulled level, no matter how much Germany had dominated the game up to that point in time and no matter how much England wouldn't have deserved it. However, the fact of the matter is what happened, well, happened; and nothing can be done about it.
Would it have raised England's morale and deflated Germany? Would we be seeing England in the quarter-finals instead of the aformentioned Germans? This is all part and parcel of the game - and indeed, no football game in history has been devoid of its what ifs. By the same token, one could ask what if that the goal that never was indeed did not stand in 1966 - would Germany have another world title to their name? What if Italy weren't awarded that penalty that sent them to the quarter-finals in 2006 against Australia - would they have become champions of the world? What if Thierry Henry didn't shield the ball with his left hand three times in the playoff against Ireland? What if Diego Maradona didn't score the "hand of God" goal? What if Ronaldo hadn't mysteriously fallen ill before the 1998 World Cup final? The list is endless for any competition, not just the World Cup.
The disallowed goal however beggars belief as to what the linesman was doing at that time. As mentioned before, the ball was at least two feet over the line, which in ordinary terms means that anyone would have been able to see it in the net. I just wonder whether the linesman was either extremely badly positioned, or rather whether his vision was obstructed in some way or another. Either way, in reality, there should have been no excuse - the goal was there to stand. One however cannot really blame the referee, who was probably too far back to determine whether the ball had indeed crossed the line or not.
This also once again reopens the debate vis-a-vis goal line technology. This afternoon's shot was so glaringly obvious that technology, per se, would not have been needed, but with the linesman on Mars, perhaps it might have indeed been useful. In a day and age where technology is so advanced and yet the football the best players in the world are using at these finals is so crap, it has already been proven to not be impossible to insert a microchip into the ball which would determine whether such a ball has fully crossed the goal line or not. It would also put those lovely big screens that many stadia have in this day and age to good use.
Other sports have progressed and embraced technology readily, even if some players aren't too happy about it. Tennis, for instance, has adopted hawk-eye technology, which determines whether a ball has clipped the line or not, rendering it 'in' or 'out' for that point. While an identical concept wouldn't be ideal for football, something along these lines could be conjured up and modified accordingly so as to avoid such incidents in the future. Another solution that would have undoubtedly been beneficial in today's match is UEFA's famed goal line assistants - someone placed on the goal line obviously would not have missed this incident.
But thereagain, what is the beautiful game without controversy?
God Bless You all!
Matti
Showing posts with label England. Show all posts
Showing posts with label England. Show all posts
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
The Joys and Hurts of the World Cup
It only comes about once every four years, but when it does, a football feast and fan frenzy obviously ensues. The World Cup has, over the years, provided its fair share of frills, spills, drama and excitement, and the South African edition of this seems to be no different - not for the abundance (read: 'lack') of goals that its producing, as a general rule, but because of the various storylines developing both on and off the field.
Of course, while the French continue to hog the headlines for being the most dysfunctional team of the whole tournament (judging by the way things are going at the moment, coach Raymond Domenech won't have any players at his disposal for the match against South Africa and have to play himself in the match!), English and Italian supporters have also had their fair share of heart attacks till now, and if recent form is anything to go by, then they might be going back home quicker than they expected. Both sides were expected to stroll through their groups, but both sides are massively struggling and can't hit the back of the net to save their lives. England, for all the hype surrounding Wayne Rooney's fantastic season, haven't seen their strikers hit the target yet; while Italy have fared precious little better - they've scored two goals in total, one of which was a penalty (and no matter how soft it was, it indeed WAS a penalty, just as much as New Zealand's goal was offside - stop whining about it!!)
While the English have looked toothless all over the pitch, as well as relatively uninterested in troubling the opposition; the Italians have at least attacked with some intent but have the worst bunch of strikers ever taken by their national team in World Cup history, which obviously doesn't help their cause one bit. Indeed, something positive to draw from the Italian performances is that they've showed some form of resilience in both of their games so far in order to come back from losing positions. The English, on the other hand, relied on a customary goalkeeper howler to let the USA back into their first match, and parked the bus in front of the Algerian assault on goal. Perhaps Don Fabio wasn't exactly the saviour that the English were hoping for - so far. In any event, both teams still know that in reality, due to the equally appalling performances of the other teams in their groups, they still have their fate in their own hands - win their matches and they get through to the last 16. But that too might be too much of an ask for these nations in their current form. And that's obviously not to speak of Capello's confident admission that England would reach the final of the tournament.
Having however seen some big nations falter, it's been the World Cup of the underdog so far. Shock results have been recorded pretty much across the board - Italy's draw with New Zealand, England's draw with Algeria, Germany's loss to Serbia and Spain's loss to Switzerland have all been unexpected, to say the least. That's not to say that each of these nations will now go on to win the World Cup - on a personal level, I still believe that the Spanish suffered a minor setback in that game against the Swiss and have the talent and the overall team to win the title - but at least, we're seeing that the minor nations of the tournament have managed to really close the gap on these superpowers. A group comprising England, the USA, Slovenia and Algeria definitely does not send any shivers down one's spine, but look at the position England are in at the moment, despite being predicted to steamroller one of the weakest groups, on paper, of the tournament.
The problem is that the superpowers have also underestimated their opponents. It's clear that a laissez-faire attitude is unacceptable in tournaments like these, where anything can pretty much happen. It also means that teams must be willing to go out there, fight for every ball and not enter each match thinking that they've won it from the start. Teams have become plucky over the years and are no longer willing to just roll over because the likes of Italy, Argentina, Brazil, France and England have come to town. Actually, for them, it's an opportunity to create a shockwave that the rest of the world will get to know about and even justify their places at the tournament. Perhaps it is for this reason, for the sheer unpredictability of it all, that this World Cup could be classed among the greatest at the moment.
God Bless You all!
Matti
Of course, while the French continue to hog the headlines for being the most dysfunctional team of the whole tournament (judging by the way things are going at the moment, coach Raymond Domenech won't have any players at his disposal for the match against South Africa and have to play himself in the match!), English and Italian supporters have also had their fair share of heart attacks till now, and if recent form is anything to go by, then they might be going back home quicker than they expected. Both sides were expected to stroll through their groups, but both sides are massively struggling and can't hit the back of the net to save their lives. England, for all the hype surrounding Wayne Rooney's fantastic season, haven't seen their strikers hit the target yet; while Italy have fared precious little better - they've scored two goals in total, one of which was a penalty (and no matter how soft it was, it indeed WAS a penalty, just as much as New Zealand's goal was offside - stop whining about it!!)
While the English have looked toothless all over the pitch, as well as relatively uninterested in troubling the opposition; the Italians have at least attacked with some intent but have the worst bunch of strikers ever taken by their national team in World Cup history, which obviously doesn't help their cause one bit. Indeed, something positive to draw from the Italian performances is that they've showed some form of resilience in both of their games so far in order to come back from losing positions. The English, on the other hand, relied on a customary goalkeeper howler to let the USA back into their first match, and parked the bus in front of the Algerian assault on goal. Perhaps Don Fabio wasn't exactly the saviour that the English were hoping for - so far. In any event, both teams still know that in reality, due to the equally appalling performances of the other teams in their groups, they still have their fate in their own hands - win their matches and they get through to the last 16. But that too might be too much of an ask for these nations in their current form. And that's obviously not to speak of Capello's confident admission that England would reach the final of the tournament.
Having however seen some big nations falter, it's been the World Cup of the underdog so far. Shock results have been recorded pretty much across the board - Italy's draw with New Zealand, England's draw with Algeria, Germany's loss to Serbia and Spain's loss to Switzerland have all been unexpected, to say the least. That's not to say that each of these nations will now go on to win the World Cup - on a personal level, I still believe that the Spanish suffered a minor setback in that game against the Swiss and have the talent and the overall team to win the title - but at least, we're seeing that the minor nations of the tournament have managed to really close the gap on these superpowers. A group comprising England, the USA, Slovenia and Algeria definitely does not send any shivers down one's spine, but look at the position England are in at the moment, despite being predicted to steamroller one of the weakest groups, on paper, of the tournament.
The problem is that the superpowers have also underestimated their opponents. It's clear that a laissez-faire attitude is unacceptable in tournaments like these, where anything can pretty much happen. It also means that teams must be willing to go out there, fight for every ball and not enter each match thinking that they've won it from the start. Teams have become plucky over the years and are no longer willing to just roll over because the likes of Italy, Argentina, Brazil, France and England have come to town. Actually, for them, it's an opportunity to create a shockwave that the rest of the world will get to know about and even justify their places at the tournament. Perhaps it is for this reason, for the sheer unpredictability of it all, that this World Cup could be classed among the greatest at the moment.
God Bless You all!
Matti
Monday, March 23, 2009
Jade Goody: The Pros and the Cons
I am by no means a biographer, a critic, nor a fan of the recently deceased Jade Goody. Nor do I care too much, in all honesty. However, I am writing this blog not as a means of celebrating her very controversial life, but as a means of bringing to light what is ultimately the end of a massively overcooked, if not roasted, media frenzy that has surrounded the woman since she found out that she had terminal cervical cancer. Make no mistake about it, her efforts in battling the disease were commendable, but this is finally one topic that will soon be laid to rest for good.
It's no secret that Goody was constantly seen in the public eye since she first participated in the popular Big Brother series back in 2002. She was loathed by the general public for her apparent lack of general knowledge, to the extent that she even called East Anglia, a region in Eastern England, East Angular; and also questioned whether the place was in England or not. Since then, she never looked back and went from strength to strength, despite being a controversial figure due to the fact that she would also come up with the occasional petulant or insulting remark. In 2007, for instance, on Celebrity Big Brother, she racially insulted a famous Indian personality, something that she was much criticised for.
Therefore, what was all the hype about this woman? One didn't have to be a genius to figure that she had a poor upbringing and was grossly uneducated in many a sense. Perhaps the only reason why this person became a sensation in the United Kingdom was because it gave other people hope that they too could achieve fame and fortune and make it to the top, and become a 'success story' like Jade. Uneducated she might have been though, but stupid she sure wasn't - riding on the waves of her ever-growing popularity, Jade essentially sold the rights to her life to Living TV, who had permission to film her and her daily doings at all times. From nothing, the woman became a reality TV star. A decent way of making a living, but the whole thing stank of intellectual prostitution. From a woman who wasn't really affecting anyone's lives, we now had a woman who was forced on the TV at Prime Time hours, hence making people see what she's really about. And that was a massive turn off.
That's probably the reason why not everyone was entirely sympathetic when the world found out that she had cervical cancer. The fact that she continued filming her reality TV series despite the illness reeked of trying to get the most money possible before she passed away, and she didn't deny this, stating that it was all for her children, and so that they would have a better upbringing than she did. Fair enough, but was she actually considering her children before this ordeal actually occurred, or did they only come into mind when she found out that her cancer was at an advanced stage? I'm of the latter school of thought, to be quite honest. At a tangent, as well, while she wanted to marry the love of her life, Jack Tweed, before she passed away, was his criminal record a consideration when one considers the children's upbringing - because although they were fathered by a different man, Tweed would invariably still form part of their formation years, one would think. If this case happened in Malta, under Article 67 of the Civil Code, he would certainly have to - for the husband is presumed to be the father of his wife's children.
The fact that she continued to pose for photographs and film while she was dying was a definite moral wrong. Exploiting such pain and suffering to the public was only done to make people express sympathy at, and empathise with, Jade's grave situation. And while although I never did watch an episode from Jade's elaborate life, and never too do I intend to do so for that matter, I can only imagine that it did not make suitable watching for all ages - adults included. Indeed, it was only towards the very end, when she knew that her death was near, that she finally decided to call it a day and stop all the filming. I, and many others too, I feel, would have done so much earlier provided we were in such a situation - God forbid it ever happened.
There were a couple of positives that came out of Goody's life, however, before she passed away yesterday. First and foremost, cancer awareness in the UK was raised, bucking the trend of it being on the decline. In fact, 20% more women than prior to Jade finding out she had cervical cancer are now doing smear tests, and the Government is considering revising its laws banning smear tests on women aged 25 and under. Indeed, prevention is better than cure and undoubtedly, Goody was a massive ambassador in raising awareness on the matter. The second commendable thing that she did, a few days before she died, was that she and her sons became Christians. It was a refreshing thing to see a reality TV star welcome the Lord our God into her life with open arms and to help her overcome her struggles and carry her cross. There is no doubt that now, despite her controversial nature, she is being welcomed into the hands of the Lord as you read this.
To conclude, while her death was welcome in the sense that her pain and suffering were finally finished, it also helped close a chapter that started to rule people's lives in Britain and worldwide. There is no doubt that this woman had some kind of an impact on society in general, which subsequently led to a media frenzy covering all aspects of her life from A to Z. It was something that might have given people hope to aspire for great things, but it was also something that was totally immoral and was over-publicised, especially in the days leading up to her death, where she should have received the most privacy. Ultimately, Jade Goody was a media magnet, and now, undoubtedly, there will be a lull in the press until they find another one.
God Bless You all!
Matti
It's no secret that Goody was constantly seen in the public eye since she first participated in the popular Big Brother series back in 2002. She was loathed by the general public for her apparent lack of general knowledge, to the extent that she even called East Anglia, a region in Eastern England, East Angular; and also questioned whether the place was in England or not. Since then, she never looked back and went from strength to strength, despite being a controversial figure due to the fact that she would also come up with the occasional petulant or insulting remark. In 2007, for instance, on Celebrity Big Brother, she racially insulted a famous Indian personality, something that she was much criticised for.
Therefore, what was all the hype about this woman? One didn't have to be a genius to figure that she had a poor upbringing and was grossly uneducated in many a sense. Perhaps the only reason why this person became a sensation in the United Kingdom was because it gave other people hope that they too could achieve fame and fortune and make it to the top, and become a 'success story' like Jade. Uneducated she might have been though, but stupid she sure wasn't - riding on the waves of her ever-growing popularity, Jade essentially sold the rights to her life to Living TV, who had permission to film her and her daily doings at all times. From nothing, the woman became a reality TV star. A decent way of making a living, but the whole thing stank of intellectual prostitution. From a woman who wasn't really affecting anyone's lives, we now had a woman who was forced on the TV at Prime Time hours, hence making people see what she's really about. And that was a massive turn off.
That's probably the reason why not everyone was entirely sympathetic when the world found out that she had cervical cancer. The fact that she continued filming her reality TV series despite the illness reeked of trying to get the most money possible before she passed away, and she didn't deny this, stating that it was all for her children, and so that they would have a better upbringing than she did. Fair enough, but was she actually considering her children before this ordeal actually occurred, or did they only come into mind when she found out that her cancer was at an advanced stage? I'm of the latter school of thought, to be quite honest. At a tangent, as well, while she wanted to marry the love of her life, Jack Tweed, before she passed away, was his criminal record a consideration when one considers the children's upbringing - because although they were fathered by a different man, Tweed would invariably still form part of their formation years, one would think. If this case happened in Malta, under Article 67 of the Civil Code, he would certainly have to - for the husband is presumed to be the father of his wife's children.
The fact that she continued to pose for photographs and film while she was dying was a definite moral wrong. Exploiting such pain and suffering to the public was only done to make people express sympathy at, and empathise with, Jade's grave situation. And while although I never did watch an episode from Jade's elaborate life, and never too do I intend to do so for that matter, I can only imagine that it did not make suitable watching for all ages - adults included. Indeed, it was only towards the very end, when she knew that her death was near, that she finally decided to call it a day and stop all the filming. I, and many others too, I feel, would have done so much earlier provided we were in such a situation - God forbid it ever happened.
There were a couple of positives that came out of Goody's life, however, before she passed away yesterday. First and foremost, cancer awareness in the UK was raised, bucking the trend of it being on the decline. In fact, 20% more women than prior to Jade finding out she had cervical cancer are now doing smear tests, and the Government is considering revising its laws banning smear tests on women aged 25 and under. Indeed, prevention is better than cure and undoubtedly, Goody was a massive ambassador in raising awareness on the matter. The second commendable thing that she did, a few days before she died, was that she and her sons became Christians. It was a refreshing thing to see a reality TV star welcome the Lord our God into her life with open arms and to help her overcome her struggles and carry her cross. There is no doubt that now, despite her controversial nature, she is being welcomed into the hands of the Lord as you read this.
To conclude, while her death was welcome in the sense that her pain and suffering were finally finished, it also helped close a chapter that started to rule people's lives in Britain and worldwide. There is no doubt that this woman had some kind of an impact on society in general, which subsequently led to a media frenzy covering all aspects of her life from A to Z. It was something that might have given people hope to aspire for great things, but it was also something that was totally immoral and was over-publicised, especially in the days leading up to her death, where she should have received the most privacy. Ultimately, Jade Goody was a media magnet, and now, undoubtedly, there will be a lull in the press until they find another one.
God Bless You all!
Matti
Friday, March 13, 2009
The End of an Era?
It's my first blog in over a month, and in typical me style, it's not going to be a thrilling, happy one to say the least. Actually, it's going to be one that takes a rather morose note, because the end of an era might have truly come - as of a couple of days ago. For Italian football, at least. Never have I witnessed such a disastrous campaign in the Champions League and the UEFA Cup combined, to the extent that Italy's only representative in any European competition is now Udinese, And even they, I believe, will soon witness the end of their (honourable) run in Europe, as they will face Zenit St. Petersburg, who are the defending champions, in the last 16 of the UEFA Cup, despite winning 2-0 yesterday.
When the draws for the Champions League were made in December, Inter boss Jose Mourinho stated that his team deserved the best as a punishment for finishing 2nd in the weakest group of all in the initial stage of the Champions League. And he got what he asked for, for his side drew Manchester United in the last 16. A few years back, I wouldn't have complained one bit because United were never really European challengers, just like Inter, but these last few years it has been a different story - in the last two years, they've reached a semi-final and won the competition. And, just for the record, this is possibly the best United side of all time that Inter had to face. Far from easy, I would say, and in fact, I feared for the worst from the outset. My fears were correct - Inter went on to lose 2-0 overall, although they were unlucky to say the least after playing well at Old Trafford and hitting the woodwork twice.
Juventus also showed that they lacked a certain European pedigree when they lost out to Chelsea. There's no doubt in my mind that injuries almost certainly played a big part in Juve's defeat to the Blues, and that they too were unlucky to not score at Stamford Bridge; but they eventually lost out to a Chelsea side that has looked reinvented under Guus Hiddink. I believe that had Big Phil Scolari still been there, Chelsea might have been sent crashing out of the competition, but alas - it was not to be. The returning Michael Essien's goal was the sucker punch for the Old Lady, as with that goal, they really needed to go out and chase the game down in order to progress. Over and above that, Chiellini's red card was harshly given after he got the ball before the player, something which disadvantaged Juve further. Personally, I thought that Belletti's handling of the ball in the box was more worthy of a booking - be it yellow or red - rather than Chiellini's tackle.
It was then left for Roma to pick up the bits and restore some of Italy's pride, and even though they too didn't manage, they were the closest to progressing from the Italian trio. Managing to score early against Arsenal due to Juan's goal, i Lupi could and should have had more goals to their name, but didn't manage. Extra time - which would have been fatal for the Capital side had it conceded a goal, as then Arsenal would have had the away goal and Roma would have had to score two to win - couldn't separate the two sides, and so it came down to the penalty shootout. Surprisingly, the people who normally score their penalties were the ones who initially missed - Eduardo and Vucinic. The latter in particular needs to be taught something about penalties from youth level, I believe, for his strike was the poorest penalty I have ever seen in my life. Ultimately, Roma lost the tie after Max Tonetto skied the last shot well over the bar, en route to Venus. However, yet again, credit must be given to Roma, who managed to outrun and outshine the Gunners despite having an injury-ravaged squad.
Which brings me to my initial question - is this the end of an era for Italy? I believe that disappointment obviously reigns supreme at the moment, but the Italian era is not yet over. It is a fact that the Premier League trounced Serie A 3-0, but it is also a fact that in each of these games, all Premier League sides were run mightily close by their Italian counterparts. In Inter's case, losing 2-0 to the World, European and Premiership champions isn't shameful in the least, especially after creating a multitude of chances that were begging to be converted. The English media might be saying that United dominated the nerazzurri, but witnessing the game from an Italian perspective certain derives different answers. Juventus and Roma, on the other hand, also firmly give it their all and were ultimately just unlucky at the end of the day - be it with injuries, decisions given against them or not converting their chances. It is clear that these sides just need one or two more quality signings to compete with the best. So yes, it might have been 3-0 to the Premier League, but it could have just as easily been 3-0 to Serie A.
Also, something that might be worth noting is that the Italian culture is slowly changing and evolving, as more and more teams - barring Milan, generally - are employing youthful players on the pitch. Juventus in particular have been advocators of this approach, as can be seen through exciting talents such as De Ceglie, Giovinco and Chiellini; and sides such as Inter - with Santon and Balotelli in particular - and Roma - with established talents from their own youth system, like De Rossi and Aquilani - are following suit. This wasn't the case until a few years ago. On the other hand, the Premier League is now so money-orientated that teams are simply buying the best players or talents from anywhere around the globe in order to try and attain instant success. One doesn't have to look further than Manchester City for such an example. Hence, at the end of the day, such an era might be coming, or has come, to a close; but a new, bright one is almost certainly on the horizon if that's the case.
God Bless You all!
Matti
When the draws for the Champions League were made in December, Inter boss Jose Mourinho stated that his team deserved the best as a punishment for finishing 2nd in the weakest group of all in the initial stage of the Champions League. And he got what he asked for, for his side drew Manchester United in the last 16. A few years back, I wouldn't have complained one bit because United were never really European challengers, just like Inter, but these last few years it has been a different story - in the last two years, they've reached a semi-final and won the competition. And, just for the record, this is possibly the best United side of all time that Inter had to face. Far from easy, I would say, and in fact, I feared for the worst from the outset. My fears were correct - Inter went on to lose 2-0 overall, although they were unlucky to say the least after playing well at Old Trafford and hitting the woodwork twice.
Juventus also showed that they lacked a certain European pedigree when they lost out to Chelsea. There's no doubt in my mind that injuries almost certainly played a big part in Juve's defeat to the Blues, and that they too were unlucky to not score at Stamford Bridge; but they eventually lost out to a Chelsea side that has looked reinvented under Guus Hiddink. I believe that had Big Phil Scolari still been there, Chelsea might have been sent crashing out of the competition, but alas - it was not to be. The returning Michael Essien's goal was the sucker punch for the Old Lady, as with that goal, they really needed to go out and chase the game down in order to progress. Over and above that, Chiellini's red card was harshly given after he got the ball before the player, something which disadvantaged Juve further. Personally, I thought that Belletti's handling of the ball in the box was more worthy of a booking - be it yellow or red - rather than Chiellini's tackle.
It was then left for Roma to pick up the bits and restore some of Italy's pride, and even though they too didn't manage, they were the closest to progressing from the Italian trio. Managing to score early against Arsenal due to Juan's goal, i Lupi could and should have had more goals to their name, but didn't manage. Extra time - which would have been fatal for the Capital side had it conceded a goal, as then Arsenal would have had the away goal and Roma would have had to score two to win - couldn't separate the two sides, and so it came down to the penalty shootout. Surprisingly, the people who normally score their penalties were the ones who initially missed - Eduardo and Vucinic. The latter in particular needs to be taught something about penalties from youth level, I believe, for his strike was the poorest penalty I have ever seen in my life. Ultimately, Roma lost the tie after Max Tonetto skied the last shot well over the bar, en route to Venus. However, yet again, credit must be given to Roma, who managed to outrun and outshine the Gunners despite having an injury-ravaged squad.
Which brings me to my initial question - is this the end of an era for Italy? I believe that disappointment obviously reigns supreme at the moment, but the Italian era is not yet over. It is a fact that the Premier League trounced Serie A 3-0, but it is also a fact that in each of these games, all Premier League sides were run mightily close by their Italian counterparts. In Inter's case, losing 2-0 to the World, European and Premiership champions isn't shameful in the least, especially after creating a multitude of chances that were begging to be converted. The English media might be saying that United dominated the nerazzurri, but witnessing the game from an Italian perspective certain derives different answers. Juventus and Roma, on the other hand, also firmly give it their all and were ultimately just unlucky at the end of the day - be it with injuries, decisions given against them or not converting their chances. It is clear that these sides just need one or two more quality signings to compete with the best. So yes, it might have been 3-0 to the Premier League, but it could have just as easily been 3-0 to Serie A.
Also, something that might be worth noting is that the Italian culture is slowly changing and evolving, as more and more teams - barring Milan, generally - are employing youthful players on the pitch. Juventus in particular have been advocators of this approach, as can be seen through exciting talents such as De Ceglie, Giovinco and Chiellini; and sides such as Inter - with Santon and Balotelli in particular - and Roma - with established talents from their own youth system, like De Rossi and Aquilani - are following suit. This wasn't the case until a few years ago. On the other hand, the Premier League is now so money-orientated that teams are simply buying the best players or talents from anywhere around the globe in order to try and attain instant success. One doesn't have to look further than Manchester City for such an example. Hence, at the end of the day, such an era might be coming, or has come, to a close; but a new, bright one is almost certainly on the horizon if that's the case.
God Bless You all!
Matti
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)