From Bendtner and Fabregas hitting the turf from light touches my pub and office footy discussions have taken a nasty turn. Have the skilled superstars of my club become balletic swans, dragging their reputation to the bottom of the English footballing lake? To 1986 and a sublime solo smash from the tiny ‘tinian Maradona; sublime, skilful, memorable, historic…but one nub of passion to win for his country and a stray limb later football’s Frankenstein monster had been created. Two goals Two different people!
Back to the future and it seems in particular with the diminutive el capitan ‘Fabregas’ the passion again is over-riding the skill. Cesc’s reverence is being shadowed by simulation, card gestures to refs and whinges to aggrieved opposition. Does Fab feel as other prem players do that the stakes are so raised that a fall or a feint or foulmouth are needed? Do step overs, back heels and bicycle kicks lose there touch when the chips are down? Is too much money, reputation and a NEED to win spoiling the talent on show?
Are we supporting die hard everything goes for the badge heroes or the “same ‘ol footballers, always cheating”?
