Sunday 29th November: How was Derby-Day for you?

Sunday 29th November was geared up to be a good day. After a comfortable and promising display at Fratton Park quietly reminded everyone that we’re still in it (or rather have never been out of it), results yesterday could not only have enhanced the significance of our own result; they would have given a surprisingly encouraging appearance at the top of the league: in the form of a reduced deficit with Chelsea dropping points as well as daylight between Liverpool and a Champions League spot. Failing to observe any positive results domestically, there was always Sky Sports' 3rd derby of the day with the first Barca/Real game of the season that should hopefully do a good job in reminding us all why we love this game so much…





Game 1. Everton vs Liverpool. 0-2



With Everton on top for the majority of the game, a point looked likely, even though they found themselves a goal down on 12 minutes. Their resilience in midfield and decent possession play was unable to be converted into anything more meaningful however as Liverpool completed the win with Kuyt’s shit 80th minute finish. Despite their first win in the league since they beat us (over a month ago), the game will hopefully be overshadowed by the staggering, yet delightful, realism that Liverpool are not very good; especially a surprisingly poor turn out for their ‘lacking match fitness’ captain…how much longer is he going to hold on to that excuse? Better strikers than Jo and Cahill (who missed a sitter in the first half) would surely have deservedly punished Liverpool’s poor performance in the same way Fulham and Sunderland have done in the past few weeks. As a derby game, it was also lacking something; and I’m not talking about justice, as the better team walked away with nothing.

Everton’s competent yet ineffectual display was the most exciting thing about this game, yet as soon as Liverpool got the 2nd it was all over and the result became nothing more than an opportunity for Liverpool to ignore their failings and disappointing performances to instead focus entirely on this ‘amazing derby win’ that will definitely ‘turn their season around’ ('win is a turning point' - Benitez). Idiots.





Game 2. Arsenal vs Chelsea. 0-3



Undoubtedly United’s most significant match of the day. If Chelsea dropped points at the Emirates it would reduce that annoying 5 point gap at the top and breathe a bit of confidence into our lethargic title challenge. I don’t think I was too presumptuous in assuming Arsenal would turn up for this much, however evidently I was. Chelsea tore them apart in a manner that Giggs of old would be proud of, and in doing so they ripped away what little genuine title aspirations Arsenal had.

Maybe we were all unrealistically expecting too much in banking on Arsenal to do us a favour, and so what should have been a spurring afternoon – that could’ve potentially seen a humiliating derby-day defeat for the Scouser’s and more importantly a few points dropped for Chelsea – is turning into a shit ‘back to square one’ sort of afternoon. On this form, Liverpool will still undoubtedly struggle…but on this form, Chelsea will comfortably see off their opponents one-by-one right the way to the end. The Wigan defeat is still very much the pinnacle that represents how Chelsea can be broken, yet it is looking increasingly like a freak result rather than a potential blueprint for ‘how to f**k Chelsea up’.





Game 3. Barcelona vs Real Madrid. 1-0



By now, all I wanted to do was watch a meaningless yet utterly attractive game of football; so what better match than the ‘El Classico’. As with my hopeful plea that Arsenal would help us out by doing a job on Chelsea, a Real classico (get it?) appeared to be further wishful thinking.



As the game progressed it became increasingly apparent that this wasn’t the most immense, beautifully contested footballing encounter that it was geared up to be. So, I decided to replace my excited footie fan hat with my twat-who-thinks-I’m-an-analytical-genius specs (fully equipped with a Lawro tache, Hansen forehead scar and annoying Andy Grey accent).



Barca, as expected seeing as they made minimal changes to their illustrious 2008/09 side, were often confident on the ball and more than often formidable. Real however failed to really impress, and though they tried to play a similar possession game, they sometimes spent too long on the ball; which included highlighting Ronaldo’s single flaw as he sometimes failed to release the ball quick enough and consequently cost his team possession.



Probably THE most impressive thing about Barca which really makes you consider them as a truly incredible all-round team is the strength and ruthlessness of their defence. You expect great cup-winning teams to be flash on the attack, and so because the focus is so regularly on the creative players, you really notice when the defence do their job competently. As much as Real failed to genuinely break Barca – mainly in the second-half, when the home team really took off – you have to credit their captain (who I still think is a c**t after his theatrics last May) and, of course, ‘the one who got away’. Puyol and Pique, as well as performing their defensive duties more than capably, were able to find the Barca playmakers to brilliantly lead the ball out of defence and slowly build an attack.



Ibrahimovic, along with the unbelievable Messi, was also an important player and probably the difference when he came on. Barca’s hard work on the ball was finally granted the finishing touch it deserved, as his dynamite finish killed off any hope Real had of winning this clash; even though it was still only 1-0 with a good half an hour remaining.

So, with my judgemental gaze intently fixed on this rather pointless encounter (for United anyway) came a more pressing, relevant question: how would United fair against this lot? With both teams through to the Champions League knock-out stages – and the chances of facing them in no way unrealistic – it was important to look at this as a ‘checking out the competition’ opportunity.



So what can we draw from this? Real ooze ‘all bark no bite’, yet to underestimate a team bursting of elite footballs who's who (literally bursting; with no place in the starting XI for £35million Benzema or their legend Raul) is probably a tad ignorant. Are they the Real deal (...brilliant)? Not quite yet, but they will be.



But how about their Catalonian rivals? A season-after hangover? Has Ibrahimovic managed to comfortably slot in without disruption and live up to the ‘2nd most expensive player in the world’ tag? And is Messi the best player in the world? Unfortunately for us, and all of European football’s wary teams, the answers to those questions appear to be: no, yes and definitely. A Barca slip-up in the Champions League may still happen, as their two shocking results against Rubin Kazan (0-0 away and 1-2 at home) have shown. But you still believe that a team with so much fluidity who possess such potency and natural understanding can achieve anything. If this match was supposed to set the bar and display the new standard, on one of the most epic stages in world football, then I genuinely feel we have a way to go yet. Remember, there is a slight difference between Fratton Park and the Nou Camp after all.