FA Cup Final
George Pawley
SO, THE FIRST showpiece match at the new Wembley really didn’t justify the occasion. Then again, it didn’t even justify the FA Cup.
Tactical geniuses Ferguson and Mourinho masterminded a stalemate brilliantly, but it was not the game everybody wanted.
It was just disappointing that the teams didn’t show just how good they are to the half a billion worldwide audience. Then again, the game was so devoid of interest maybe the tens of thousands of corporate guests may have been deterred from ever watching a Cup Final again; it’s unlikely but we can only hope.
Both teams set up 4-3-3 in attack and 4-5-1 in defence so this literal man-for-man approach meant that Ronaldo, Drogba and Co. had little space to play. Chelsea didn’t have much choice considering their injury situation but Sir Alex could have gone 4-4-2, a formation which has produced some brilliant football in their triumphant league campaign. Rooney was isolated and had no support when he conjured up a few heart-stopping runs through the Blues’ defence.
Most disappointingly of all, Wembley just didn’t feel right for me.
Forget the fact the surface tore up as soon as the players stepped onto the turf, and that when the game actually started, the ball lost momentum in a manner akin to gameplay on a very, very old version of Pro Evo.
The problem is the new Wembley isn’t the old Wembley. Sure, it’s new, has better views, facilities and transport links but watching on TV, it just looked like the Millenium Stadium’s pitch. I already miss the absurdly big areas behind the goals, and what happened to the epic trek from the corner just to reach the pitch as the teams emerged from the tunnel?
Maybe you just need to experience it in person to understand the hype. All that requires is the minor miracle of being able to get your hands on a ticket – maybe I should apply for a job at a City institution or something.
Champions League Final
Dave Menon
AS THE FINAL whistle blew in Athens, the nation was disappointed. Although Dirk Kuyt’s late strike restored hope among the Liverpool masses, history didn’t repeat itself. Unlike two years ago, this match was hailed by many as a Greek tragedy.
The Mirror claimed the following day that AC Milan committed ‘armed robbery’ (because Inzaghi scored with his arm in the first half), while the Sun also bemoaned bad luck as the reason for Liverpool’s downfall. I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.
But nobody (to my knowledge anyway) has criticised Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez’s slightly negative tactics. By playing Steven Gerrard in the hole behind Dirk Kuyt, Liverpool lacked attacking options.
And the decision to play Bolo Zenden was questionable; the Dutchman was rightly taken off for putting in an abject performance.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that Liverpool didn’t play well and deserved to lose. If anything, the Merseysiders were the better side. But Benitez should have used the height of Crouch and the pace of Bellamy for a longer amount of time, especially after going 1 – 0 down. Because when Crouch did make an appearance, Liverpool began to look more dangerous.
Yet on the positive side, the match in Athens was a marked improvement in comparison to last week’s drab FA Cup final. Liverpool showed passion and determination to win at all costs; the same could not be said about Manchester United and Chelsea at Wembley.
And the match certainly was a spectacle. My decision to miss the Apprentice last week was vindicated.
Conference Play-Off Final
Pete Evans
WITH TICKETS available for £25 rather than £95, involving players earning £20,000 per year, not every few days, the Conference Play-Off Final had everything the first FA Cup Final at the new Wembley lacked.
Exeter v Morecambe actually had attacking football with end-to-end excitement.
It took Exeter’s Lee Philips 108 minutes less than England’s two best teams to break the deadlock, heading in a beautifully chipped cross at the far post to the delight of the 30,000 fans from Devon.
Next, Paul Jones became the first player to save a penalty at the new Wembley. He would eventually be beaten just before half time when an error let Morecambe striker Thompson barge through on goal and slam the ball over Jones via the crossbar.
Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale dared to throw on three strikers in the hunt for the winning goal, a thought seemingly alien to messers Mourinho, Ferguson and Benitez.
This tactical gamble ultimately proved to be Exeter’s downfall though, as Morcombe struck on the counter attack. A route one clearance from, was controlled by Danny Carlton, who letting rip with an amazing arrowing twenty-yard strike worthy of winning any Wembley final.
The drama did not end there; Exeter’s Matt Gill then head-butted his name into FA Cup folklore by becoming the first player to be sent off at the new Wembley.
How refreshing it was to watch two teams bursting with passion, commitment and drive serve up a thoroughly entertaining game. There was no sign of two sides setting out to infuriate and contain each other; this match was a brilliant advert for the Conference.
