Skip to main content

PUTTING IT INTO PERSPECTIVE: MAN UNITED'S CARABAO CUP WIN

 Okay, fine they did win it, they're third on the league and are still in contention for a rare quadruple. Manchester United look like a team on a roll, and the only question is: who's gonna stop them? Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves. This analysis requires some levelheadedness, something rare and very rare indeed among the United fan-base. You'll remember Liverpool were at the exact spot just 6 months ago and we all know what happened.

But before we address all that, let's spare a moment to analyze the game - something the mass media and the pundits don't seem to be able to do. Jose Mourihno once opined that that the pundits analyze the result rather than the game, the outcome rather than the means. In fact, that is the same thing we've been treated to since last night. No one is talking about how brave Newcastle United fought. No one is talking about the kind of negative football Man United played just to get the result. But that has been the Man United way, so to speak, playing long balls lobbed forward for the quick legs of Marcus Rushford to chase. You might object to this but that only proves my point. You see the media has created this false narrative that Manchester United are a proper ball-playing, possession dominating team. But that's as far from the truth as you can get. Look at the premier league possession table - there are sites that offer this kind of information - you'll be shocked to see where United lie. A team that has had, Jose Mourihno and David Moyes as their head coach in recent years cannot be said to price the method over the result or appreciate any aesthetics or care about how a team is set up. Only results count. Well, that how small teams reason.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not chiding united for playing negative football - which they did - I'm only pointing it out that their reputation of a ball-possessing team playing attractive, expansive football is unmerited to say the very least. You see I was sitting at the couch last night watching the game, and all I saw was Newcastle United taking the initiative, pushing for an opening, pegging United back, and I was thinking, "how did United come to this?" Their manager, Erick Ten Hag is reputed with playing total football and the current United team looks anything but. Newcastle dominated the game. No one's giving them any credit for that. Instead all praise is heaped on Manchester United for two lucky goals. 

Newcastle United went on the game with a handicap, playing a third choice goalkeeper and a number of forced changes. No one is even talking about that. People say "Man United are good, they beat Barcelona". But that's the same Barcelona team that lost to Almeria last night. I guess then that Almeria are really that good too. No matter what you make of it, United were lucky - and very lucky indeed - to win the Carabao cup. What's most disturbing is this new trend United have adopted of playing long balls, defending deep, being frugal with possession of the ball, and a knack for lucky, dead-ball goals. That's how small teams play.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

20 LINGALA WORDS YOU SHOULD KNOW THEIR MEANINGS

Over the last couple of years the Lingala language has gained and continues to gain unprecedented popularity in Kenya . Many Kenyans now can speak fluent Lingala. Some even sing in the langauge! I'm talking about Papa Fololo, Igwe Prezda Bandasson, Awilo Mike of Jamnazi Africa, Fofona Bangali and myself, just to name but a few. Part of the reason for this popularity is: Lingala is easy to learn (For Lingala-Swahili similarities, click here ). I mean, it is ridiculously easy. So easy, in fact, it takes just a few months. Forget about the Lingala you hear in songs that's bedeviled with iterations of Lingalized French (Hahah, what does that even mean?). I'm talking about Lingala in its purest form here, the one not polluted with foreign languages. Well, before I bore you to death with detail, I'm happy to present you here with 20 popular lingala words and phrases I thought you could be interested in knowing their meaning. Let's get right into it, shall we? 1. Bolingo...
86 comments
Read more

TOP 5 LUO BENGA SONGS AND MUSICIANS OF ALL TIME

Luo benga is a crowded scene. It is a boiling pot teeming with hundreds of artistes, both dead and alive, young and old, males and females jostling for space in this very competitive music world.We have legends like the late George Ramogi, the late Owino Missiani (also known as DO Missiani), The late Okatch Biggy, the late Prince July, the late Prince Kassam, the late Omondi Tony, the late Kollela Maze, The late Kodiyo, to sample but a few. We also have an emerging crop of young talents like Dolla Kabarry, George Dume, Otieno Small, Kamaliza Majengo, Aluoch Jamaranda, Reggie Kabaselle  (son of the late Ochieng Kabaselleh ), Aluoch Jipanoran, Ogina KoKo, Omondi Longlilo, Jerry Jalamo Ka'John  and Osito Kalle to mention but a few. We cannot all agree who is the best and I am not going to impose my choices on you. But we can agree that from the long list of Benga artists in Luoland a few names stand out and a few songs stand out from the bunch like giraffe in heard of gazelles (...
16 comments
Read more

5 POPULAR LINGALA PHRASES EVERY RUMBA LOVER MUST KNOW

Lingala is probably the fastest growing indigenous African language largely due to Congolese music (Rumba, soukous, chatchto and the like). Some of the greatest composers and singers in Africa have sung in this language producing some renown hit songs that have dominated the African airwaves for decades while introducing some endearing phrases and catchphrases that never just never fade from our collective memory. Lingala is reputed as Africa's most romantic language and it has surely lived up to this reputation. Lingala phrases are a pure joy to listen to, especially when you understand them. Some of these phrases are priceless pieces of wisdom while some overflow with sardonic humor and wit. But one thing is for sure, these phrases are simply unforgettable, for one reason or another. Maybe it's because we tend to be fascinated with exotic languages and ideas. Or maybe, the Congolese people are just damn good at composing music. Either way, their singing, their music and mann...
4 comments
Read more