In this blog, I will focussing on the weekend in football,
the start of a feud between Arsenal Fan TV and Gary Neville, I’ll be discussing
role models in football.
First thing on the agenda is weekend’s football, with
Arsenal losing to Chelsea, as well as Liverpool picking up another loss to
resurgent Hull City, Manchester City, United and Spurs all picked up victories,
two in albeit less convincing fashion than the other. This weekend’s action has
showed the gap not in class, but perhaps in desire and tactics on the day.
Arsenal delivered their performance of the season in knocking off Chelsea
comfortably earlier this season 3-0 at the Emirates, but early into Saturday’s encounter,
it was clear to see which team had a plan and which team showed more focus and
more application into their game and it was Chelsea.
Chelsea who are a team, on paper, which lacks star power apart
from players like Hazard and Costa, have shown that you don’t need flashy
players all over the park to be successful, they have grown through having
players with a winning, technical and gritty attitude one that I mirrors their
manager. The Passion of their manager mixed with an application of effective
tactics and a game plan, which is targeted at being as effective without the
ball as it is with the ball.
Arsenal started the game very effectively, but once a very
dubious first goal went in the plan went out of the window and the players
seemed lost. I feel like this has become all too common an occurrence with
Arsenal over the last few years, especially in the bigger games, there is a
heads drop mentality at teams with this team.
Even though there is clearly talent in the Arsenal team, it felt like
there was never going to be a breakthrough on Saturday, against a team who
albeit with a different tactics and confidence, had been ripped apart months
ago.
From one team in trouble to another, Leicester City. The reigning champions have been as
underwhelming as Roman Reigns Royal Rumble performance this year. Following a
poor performance against Manchester United resulting in a 3-0 defeat, Leicester
are just a point off the relegation zone. Their underwhelming start to 2017 has
produced the following stats. (Via Sky Sports). Leicester are the first Premier League to fail
to score in the first five matches of the calendar year, The only club in the
top four English leagues who haven’t scored a league goal in 2017 and only the
second defending Premier League champions to lose successive home games by
three goals.
Major factors towards Leicester’s downfall include the goal
scoring struggles of Jamie Vardy and Riyadh Mahrez, the massive loss of
midfielder N’Golo Kante who ushered the midfield and really was the unsung hero
of their Premier League win. In addition, a key point that may have gone a
miss, I feel is the increase in refereeing of penalty area situations from
corners such as shirt pulling. Robert Huth and Wes Morgan used this to their
advantage last season but the lack of physicality allowed in the box is making
them more vulnerable. Another glaring point is confidence, Leicester went on a confidence-boosting
run to stave off relegation, and then win the league. I feel like the lack of confidence,
couple with a lack of motivation has affected the players, more than the fans
and pundits might believe.
On to the latest rivalry brewing in the footballing world,
Gary Neville vs Arsenal Fan TV, if you have not watched Arsenal Fan TV it’s a
great watch for the non – Arsenal fan in your life especially after we lose,
usually full of fans who have been boasting after victories, verbally attack
every corner of the team. The Host of Arsenal Fan TV, Robbie does a great job
of interviewing fans and providing an entertaining show, the major problem I
have with it is the constant regulars on the show whether it’s the walking
armoury TY, some big idiot who shouts boom or idiots who claim we are amazing one
week and dire the next. I feel like Arsenal Fan TV needs to go back to its
roots and start to realise that the fan base is more than 10 or 11 regulars and
start to interview the normal fan.
The beef between Gary Neville and Arsenal Fan TV stemmed from
a fan sign towards the end of the Arsenal- Chelsea match, which read, “Enough
is Enough, Time to go”. Gary slammed the fan as an idiot and then later Arsenal
Fan TV, I feel in this case Gary is wrong to criticise both the fan and Arsenal
Fan TV for displaying their views on Arsene Wenger when Gary Neville has stated
that Wenger was naive, arrogant & had a 10-year string of errors. Even
though Gary Neville makes a very valid point about the ramifications that an
exit of Wenger would have on Arsenal’s future I seriously feel like if Arsene
Wenger lead teams with the likes of Djourou, Andre Santos, Yossi Bennayoun,
Park Chu Young, Nicklas Bendtner, Denilson and others to top four finishes. He
should surely be doing more than aiming for a top four finish, with the players
of the quality of Ozil, Sanchez, Giroud, Mustafi, Koscielny and others.
Gary Neville also states Manchester United’s fortunes since
Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement. The 2013-2014 Season saw Manchester United drop
from 1st to 7th in the league. There were major differences
between the seasons. The late goals that United scored in that season was a key
contributor to the title win, United attained 13 points from losing or drawing
positions in the last 10 minutes of games, this was key as United won the
league by 11 points. The next season saw Robin Van Persie miss time through
injury only scoring 12 league goals in comparison to 26 the year before as well
as the slow decline of key Manchester United players such as Nemanja Vidic, Rio
Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs and Patrice Evra who all left or retired by the start of
the 2014-2015 season.
Moving on to a more serious issue, one I feel that is neglected
in modern football is the issue of role models in football. I feel like there
is a very lenient approach with footballers in terms of how they are treated in
the eyes of the justice system. The example being some players who are have not
been convicted of crimes like Wayne Rooney or Jack Wilshere are seen by the
media as players who kids should not look up to. Whilst players like Marcos
Alonso and Patrick Kluivert who have both committed serious crimes, which resulted
both in someone losing their life and neither player going to jail. Kluivert
was sentenced to just 240 hours community service, (Eric Cantona was sentenced
to half that for kicking a fan) whilst Alonso’s 21 month sentence was changed
to just a €61,000 fine. I just feel
because you are famous and have money does not have mean you should be able to
be above the law.
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