Young Guns ..Old Foe :(

Its another big Champions league night today where the young gunners take on the mighty basques in Camp nou …For those who dont know the tradition of this basque team ..let me put history in front of you ..barca soccer is just not a sport its there freedom of expression, freedom of language and freedom of there exsistence in this world.There were times when basque language was banned from spain and people used Camp nou and soccer stadium to talk in there language and protect there culture and tradition and Barcelona FC is there identiy and not just a sport. The uniqueness of the team also shows on there T shirt sponsors UNICEF and not any Commercial brand .

Back to soccer now Barca have there own identiy with the golden generation of player mostly from the spanish internations like Xavi, Inesta, Puyol, Pique in the side and the arguably best player in the world MESSI. Then there are people like Ibrahinovic and Henry who dont need introduction and are the lengends of the game.then they have Bojan , Daniel Alavez who are stars on there own right. This is a fabulous team who can pass ,defend and show some individual skill. But above all they are the best when it comes to the pace at which they play both offensivelly and defensively. Last match at the emirates they suffocated the gunner by not allowing time on the ball for any of the players .

But being the gunners fan i look up to the sky …sorry the GOD is here in the locker room Arsene Wenger, the masterfull tactician who has loads of experience much better then Josep Guardiola.

IF Barca have the players then Arsenal have the coach and the united strengh of the teams spirit. For after the invincible era of 2004 Gunners have always depended heavyly on the passing game and not on individual briliance. Samir Nasri has to be the special one again today like the other night against Porto . But the deady differnece is that they will not be playing at home but face the music in the camp Nou…

Let the Starts shine ..lets just hope for a beautifull game. For this to happen..Gunners have to score first which will give some nervous moments and test the metal of the Great barca side ..

Arsenal are with out the son of Barcelona Cesc Fabregas with injury, William Gallas , Arshravin.

Memories of the 2006 final in Paris where Barca defeated Arsenal 2-1 is till soar..Go gunner get the old foe..LETS just hope that the GUNNERS fire in all Cylinders ..GO Gunner GO !!!

FEARLESS AND YOUNG HERE WE COME …WE are the GUNNER  🙂

Premier League Obsession

With Liverpool’s defeat at the emirates , Manu’s draw to Aston villa and Tottenham’s defeat, Man city look like strong contenders for a champions league spot. They are level on points with Liverpool but have 2 games of at their disposal.Gerrard the captain has focused on booking a fourth place in the table and has called for all efforts necessary to beat Mancini’s side.

On the other end of the table the Pompeys are fighting a battle with Bolton and Burnley for a place in the premier league. With just 16 points made of 25 games it looks like the Pompeys are going out. But you never know, what can happen in the future.

Coming to the red devils,the boss Fergie feels the pressure flying all the way to Milan and back to face Everton and Aston Villa again. “These next weeks are crucial” he quotes training the side for Italian football. Will liverpool book a place in the champions league next season? We will just have to wait and watch.

There is some heat in the premier league.With  Rio Ferdinand facing a 3 match ban,a united fan throwing a coin  on Craig Bellamy,  behavior is going on a roll there. A small source recently revealed that former united striker and present City striker Tevez called Gary Neville a ‘suck up’.He claims that the defender allegedly made negative gestures
at him. He hence called him a ‘moron’ and a ‘suck up to the boss’.

Injuries seem to play a crucial role too. With Vidic not playing and with other recent injuries, Ferguson is having misery. He quotes

Injuries have never favored me and they never will. I hope there are no more crucial ones for the rest of the season.

League leaders Chelsea have their left back Ashley Cole injured for a span of three crucial months worrying both Ancelloti and England coach Capello.Elsewhere away from the premier league, Spanish Premiera league leaders Barcelona have an injury crisis  with Eric Abidal,Dani Alves,Yaya Toure and Gerrard Pique sitting on the bench watching with hope!

With the Barclay’s premier wobbling its way to the end, Chelsea are at the top with united down their throats missing them by just a point. Rooney is the top scorer of the season with 21 goals coming out of his pocket, five of which has come in his last three games.He is in splendid form continuing to score in almost all matches. Looks like united will take home the Carling cup.

It is an interesting fact to know that the premier league is one of the most watched championships in the world. Lets take that as a given, lets wait and watch what goes in these coming weeks.

By

Rohith V

Colour Red for the Week end

It was 2006 when i started watching sports other then cricket. Bizarre that it all started with Rugby. All Blacks Vs Spring Box ( new Zealand Vs South Africa) . The thing that stood out for me was the passion with which the sports are watch and played. In cricket for a long time passion is in the stands and not in the pitch. This was the first time i saw fire in the eyes. A show not of a sport but in the levels of a WAR .

The Rugby match started with the national anthem. when the player face the main stands where the flags of the nations are fluttering. And as the music started there were thousands of people singing the Anthem along with the music. The camera were focused on the bruised faces of the players with there protective head gear. I was taken a back by the emotion and passion of the player. They were as passionate as a soldier walking into a BATTLE.

And then some thing happened a long standing tradition of the Pacific counties especially of New Zealand. HAKKA…HAKKA HAKKA…My hands still tremble to type the word. The tribal war dance .The opposition Face the invitation of WAR from the All Blacks. GOD the eyes of John O LOMO was as bright as a Tiger. He led the hakka the leader of the team . As the frightful opposition watched the ritual. There was fire in the eyes … with there tongues out and there teeth biting them. The Last move was as if they want the enemy’s head as they flashed there fist to reassemble a knife across there throat. As if sign of decapitation. Intensity above any thing..not be scared

Sport is a non-bloody war with out a life lost. No degree below a war. A fight between a group of people to show there supremacy. The rules are to ensure just to limit them from harming each other too much.

After watching that i watched a UEFA champions league match that Liverpool played at home. The cop as they call it has rituals of flying a stadium size Flag of the club and then the mangers Face flag. The atmosphere is like a cyclone hitting a peacefull rustic village where they had no clue that such thing exists.

After watching the Passion i liked the then champions of BPL Arsenal for the flair and free flowing and passing game under Arsene Wenger. Arsenal are a side with a french connection and they are like French cheese smooth in the way they kick the ball like cutting a cheese , passing ,holding possession and showing there talent.

For a Arsenal fan for 6 years now, this is the crucial test for the young Arsenal team. Yes it is a young team but the time is running out for this young team, they cannot be young and inconsistent for ever. Yes Van presie is injured, but there is no reason for a poor showing against the red devils last week end at home. If they again just show up with out spirit and emotion against the well organized unit like Chelsea. The Gunner fans will have to Go out home with red faces and not with the red warm heart.

There is also the oldest fiercest mercy side derby of Liverpool Vs Everton, for sure there will be no love loss between the side. The history of this rivalry goes back to the inception of the greatest and the most passionate fan following of the footballing history Liverpool which was a part of Everton and then moved away. Ironically when i started watching soccer it was this fan following that glued me to the sport. Liverpool ” we will never walk alone ” the fans have always been the biggest attraction of this Club.Unlike Manchester united fans i love the way the Liverpool fans back the side in the toughest tests in the history. Manchester United has always had a arrogance correlated with them because of there managers image (Furgie) …

I am supporting Liverpool and Arsenal for this week end. Soccer is most watched game where the show is just not put by the players who play but by the spectator who watch it .

And watch the game for the fans with the heart as gold in there passion and courage to take the result as it come.

Let the best team win but let us watch and grow the sports that give us good health and team spirit.

Any one who wants to discuss Soccer please do , i am never tired of it. I miss Rohit and Roshan here in Noida though.

The fireworks are there to watch and don’t blind your self from the beautiful game and no more reason required this week end.

This week end is the Red Week.Dont know in colour of the team or my eyes though 😉