The Top Five Football Moments of 2012*

So December 21^st came and went, the earth didn’t fold in on itself and the world didn’t end, though if you are an Aston Villa fan, one could be forgiven for thinking that way. But for the rest of us the planet has stubbornly continued to spin and instead of humanity’s untimely doom we look forward to another year of football – hopefully as full of surprises, ecstatic triumphs and memorable moments as its predecessor. And so, in no particular order -

5. Lionel Messi surpasses Gerard Muller

Menmedia.co.uk

Messi finishes 2012 with a remarkable haul of 91 goals, in the process breaking the 40-year-old record of Gerd Muller who in 1972 scored 85 goals in the calendar year. What can you say about Messi that hasn’t already been repeated infinitely by thousands of misty eyed fans and pundits? This is yet another boundary smashed by the young Argentinean; one which will surely add another stumbling block to the path of Cristiano Ronaldo as he keeps chasing his Barcelona rival for the as yet elusive title of the best player in the world.

4. Manchester City become noisier neighbours

Eurosport.com

Despite the fact that they had hundreds of millions sunk into the club since their wealthy Arab owners took over, silverware was still proving somewhat elusive for the blue half of Manchester, particularly the Premier League crown which would, amongst other things, force their rivals at Old Trafford to finally reset their infamous banner, counting the years since City last won a trophy. The 2011 FA Cup triumph was only the beginning and City battled hard to take the throne from United, and due to a combination of resilience, a remarkable collapse from the red half of Manchester and some serious last day drama courtesy of a late winner from Sergio Aguero against QPR, the trophy which had eluded the club since 1968 was finally back in their hands.

3. Fabrice Muamba unites football

The Telegraph

Everyone’s heart went out to the former Bolton player when he suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed during the first half of a cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane. Bolton’s club doctor later revealed the severity of the situation; Muamba’s heart having stopped for 78 minutes. But two weeks later, pictures emerged of the player sitting up in hospital smiling. Though all Muamba wanted to do was get back on the pitch and start playing again, it wasn’t to be and on the 15^th of August 2012 he announced he was retiring from the game, based on the advice of his medical staff. What we can all remember, however, is the reaction from fans and players alike all around the world; an immediate and immense outpouring of concern for the player which united football on a truly global scale.

2. Abramovich’s dream comes true

The Telegraph

2012 was a year for big wins under somewhat surprising conditions, as Manchester City proved in early May and Chelsea highlighted not too long after. The latter stage of the blues’ journey to the Champions League final was quite impressive; beating Barcelona is no easy feat and Chelsea formed a wall around their goal as solid as concrete. Skip forward to the Allianz Arena on the 19^th of May 2012 and their opponents were an impressive Bayern Munich side, on home turf, in the Champions League final. Bayern had control for much of the match and it appeared as if it was going to be just another one of those days for the blues, Muller taking the lead in the 83^rd minute. Against the run of play, Didier Drogba scored just five minutes later, taking the game first into extra time, then to penalties, where all of Bayern’s hard work was undone, missing two key penalties and handing the initiative back to Chelsea as Drogba, taking his final touch for Chelsea, sent Manuel Neuer the wrong way to finally seal Roman Abramovich’s dreams of European glory.

1. Glory for the Bhoys

Dailyrecord.co.uk

It’s not really surprising that Barcelona feature, in one way or another, three times in this list. But once again (sorry Barcelona) it is to highlight the impressive nature of any team which manages to beat their particular brand of flowing football. Mankind loves nothing better than an underdog. It’s why countless films are chock full of lesser people rising up and overcoming the odds stacked against them, why on shows like Survivor those who seem unlikely to win often receive a lion’s share of the support. These are people we can relate to, people like us, on our level, and we love them for trying for a share of the spoils. Football is no different. Which is why, when Celtic faced off against Barcelona, so many of us were silently or not so silently willing the Bhoys on. The stage had been set perfectly. Their first meeting with the Catalans in October had ended in a 2-1 defeat; Celtic had played with fire and heart, having taken the lead in the 18^th minute through Samaras, though an equaliser on the stroke of half time and a late, late goal from Jordi Alba broke Scottish hearts. And in early November they faced Barcelona once more, a day after celebrating their 125^th anniversary, and still hurting from a defeat in which they gave so much and took so little. The result, now, is emblazoned in history. But for a 91^st minute Messi goal which briefly threatened another bitter disappointment, Celtic were 1-0 up and looking quite equal to arguably the greatest club team in the world, taking everything which was being thrown at them with verve and aplomb, and looking every bit as threatening each time they took their chance to break. And then, from a Fraser Forster kickout, that next bit of European magic happened, as Xavi missed his attempt at putting the ball back in Celtic’s half, as 18-year-old Tony Watt latched on to the ball and fired his way into the back of Victor Valdes’ net and Celtic’s history books. The stuff of legend.

*As with any football list there will be much arguing over what was and wasn’t included and why in particular this list is so very wrong. Please not this is a list rather the list. Though 100 per cent correct all the same.

Looking Back and Forward – Football 2012

Image from coachingbadges.blogspot.ie

There’s a reason that football is one of the best loved sports across the globe. 2012 has seen heartbreak and triumph as in the Premier League, Manchester City barely grasped the trophy from their red rivals in the last minutes of the last game, as a resurgent Chelsea finally saw their Champions League dream come true, as a hopeful Irish nation saw their dreams of European glory cruelly extinguished while a triumphant Spain steamrolled their way to the top of the pile and Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s goal against England brought a smile and a shake of the head as we marveled at his skill. An unbeaten Juventus clinched the Serie A, Lionel Messi continued to dazzle the globe and break down records, while the plight of Fabrice Muamba united the footballing world.

 

These are the reasons we love football. The highs and lows, the great and the bad, the legends and the ordinary who toil away on the pitch week after week for their clubs and their fans. This is football. And we can’t wait for 2013.

Clash of the Titans

Having drawn Real Madrid in the next round of the Champions League, United fans and neutral supporters alike will be looking to February with great anticipation as two of world football’s biggest clubs go head to head and Cristiano Ronaldo returns to his second home.

Here’s what happened when the club’s legends met last -

 

This Day in History – Birth of a Journeyman

Picture from Liverpool Echo

December 14^th has seen its fair share of events down through the years. On this day in 1799, George Washington died on his Mount Vernon estate, Nostradamus, the French astrologer and physician first arrived in the world in 1503 while on the 14^th of December 1896, Dennis Bergkamp made his professional debut for Ajax against Roda JC. And in 1979, the world first caught a glimpse of one of the most recognisable strikers in his day – Michael Owen.

Often criticised and seldom praised, Owen is still limping along the final stretch of his footballing path these days, his time spent at Stoke perhaps a testament to at least some semblance of desire to remain in top flight football – a move to the likes of China or Australia, following fellow journeymen Didier Drogba and Emile Heskey would have been a financially lucrative move no doubt. In another sense its somewhat sad and a little surprising to see the player who was once a worldwide sensation in the colours of his country, who played for Liverpool, Real Madrid and Manchester United, an impressive CV many a footballer would consider giving a foot, or at least several toes, for.

Owen rose through the ranks at Liverpool and signed his first professional contract a mere four days following his 17^th birthday, his best season for the reds coming in 2000/01 when he aided his team in clinching a trophy treble – the UEFA Cup, FA Cup and the Football League Cup, while he picked up the Ballon d’Or for a season in which he scored 118 goals in 216 appearances.

Following his move to Real Madrid which had been brought on by a desire to improve himself in Europe, Owen’s career stalled, and failed to reignite as he was shipped off to England once more – first to Newcastle and then to Manchester United in 2009, all the while plagued by injury problems and forced to play a bit role. Owen himself has acknowledged what many others have voiced – his excessive playing in his youth may have ultimately led to his shortening career at the top of the game. His latest move to Stoke City has seen the same old story unfold, though the next few weeks may see him fit enough once more for Tony Pulis to send the journeyman back onto the field once more.

Love him or hate him, there’s no denying that Owen will be remembered as not only one of the better footballers who have graced the game, but also as one who could have been so much more.

Vintage Ryan Giggs

Match Preview – Manchester United vs Manchester City

Image from 2.oceansvibe.com

Plug out the computer, switch off the phone and sit yourself down in front of the TV for 1.30pm this Sunday because Britain’s biggest derby is about to kick off.

Aleksander Kolarov will miss Sunday’s big clash between the Manchester rivals, while Gael Clichy and James Milner are unlikely to feature, each battling ankle and hamstring injuries respectively though David Silva will be looking for a place in the starting lineup.

With United three points clear and City with a greater goal difference, the two clubs are in the exact same position they found themselves in the corresponding fixture towards the end of last season; they went on to beat United with a Vincent Kompany header, going on to claim the title. United will be battling to keep their grip wrapped firmly around the top spot while City can’t really afford to fall further behind, ensuring that the meeting will be an explosive battle rather than a limp affair.

In the red half of Manchester, Tom Cleverley, Shinji Kagawa and Nemanja Vidic are all against the clock in a bid for fitness though it’s unlikely the Serbian defender will start at the Etihad on Sunday afternoon.

Manchester United supporters would be forgiven for approaching this fixture with some apprehension. While City are struggling to score and have only just been dumped unceremoniously from the Champions League, United having been going through this season with a defence as leaky as a colander, something Mancini and co will have long since identified. However, as is often the case in these big matches, form and past could fly out of the window and the recent return of Chris Smalling and in particular Phil Jones, who has looked impressive since his re arrival, will certainly boost United’s hopes.

Predicting a scoreline is perhaps the hardest thing to do between these two. Who could have anticipated the 6-1 drubbing United received last season? I’ll go for a 3-2 victory for United but in reality, anything is possible.

The Art of War

From Soccernation.com

‘Football is only a game.’ That is the most outrageous nonsense of the lot. Football is a science, it’s an art, it is war, ballet, drama, terror and joy all rolled into one.

- Tom Utley, The Daily Telegraph