Free Kicks (5/22/08)
Posted by Obiora, May 22, 2008 - 12:46 pm
Some thoughts on the Champions League Final won by Manchester United over Chelsea on penalty kicks:
- Didier Drogba has always been a bit of a hothead but his petulant little face slap at Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic was pretty stupid even for the brash Ivorian. Rumored to be pursued by the likes of AC Milan, it would be a shame if this was his last game for the Blues. But at least he, unlike Zinedine Zidane, will have a chance to carve a different lasting image after this idiotic act.
- Cristiano Ronaldo is a freak of nature and for the sake of every other team in the EPL, I hope Real Madrid breaks the bank to buy him this summer. 42 goals this season. Ouch.
- I’ve always loved Carlos Tevez’s style. He’s a bull in a china shop against most teams with such forceful runs. Easily one of my favorite players to watch since I first saw him play for Argentina in the 2006 World Cup.
- Avram Grant has taken a lot of flack from Chelsea fans this year for the simple fact of not being Jose Mourinho. But at least he kept them in the EPL title hunt all year and got them to a Champions League final. He certainly shouldn’t be blamed for this loss.
- If Roman Abramovich really wants the Blues to play a more attractive brand of soccer, he will have to find someone other than Grant, who followed the same formula as the Special One - consistent, grind-it-out soccer. Abramovich wants to grow Chelsea’s worldwide popularity by playing a more entertaining game but ultimately, a sports brand grows by winning. Just ask Argentina how much good their free-wheeling ways did them in the Copa America final last summer against tactically brilliant Brazil. The Albicelestes got punked, 3-0.
- Despite the conditions, all due credit to Edwin Van Der Sar for stoning Nicholas Anelka to win the game. If John Terry can be forgiven for slipping on the wet turf on his failed attempt, then the same would also have to have been accorded to Van Der Sar had United lost. Van Der Sar says he slipped on the wet turf on Frank Lampard’s successful penalty kick.
- Speaking of Terry, I questioned the merit of him being England’s captain in the past given his injury woes the past couple years. But when healthy, there are few who play harder or with more passion. Too bad it came to penalty kicks. Even though my Reds won the Champions League on penalties in 2005, I’m not a huge fan of penalty kicks to decide a championship. I’m not saying United doesn’t deserve their victory. They surely do. But this was akin to deciding a tied baseball game with a home-run derby. Is it exciting? Sure. It’s just not the right way to end a contest.
Photo Credits: Shaun Botterill, Franck Fife of Getty Images
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dude great article. being a south asian born immigrant who loves baseball, i get a lot of indian questioning my fanhood of cricket which i also like and admire (but dont follow as closely as i do baseball).
so i completely understand the american closed-mindedness to soccer who they see as a competitor to our version of football.
it’s nothing like it, and there’s nothing in the names. Soccer is a beautiful game to follow.
for shits and giggles, i have decided to follow it this year as well with another close friend of mine who is a soccer fan.
John Terry slipped right AFTER his free kick, and the replays show it (and 9/10 of the other kickers didn’t slip, so, why the hell did he in the first place?). It brings to mind who is bigger choker: C-Ron or Terry. Real Madrid won’t get C-Ron; they’re trying to be sneaky and use the media to pressure Utd to give him up, but its completely bogus. Glory glory Man Utd!