Messi, joy and a World Cup

It was weird, the experience of an absolute football junkie deciding that on a personal level, this World Cup was an event that should be skipped. They were the same reasons everyone who skipped it had, of course. And as the tournament moved through its paces, being part of Football Twitter of course made it… Continue reading Messi, joy and a World Cup

Gracies, Gerard Pique

Wow. Just … wow. Gerard Pique is retiring. Quite abruptly, it might appear. People will grumble that it took too long, etc, etc, but why be churlish? However and whyever he did it, an emblematic player is leaving the club in a way not entirely of his own doing, or choosing. Obituaries are weird in… Continue reading Gracies, Gerard Pique

Valencia 0, Barça 1, aka ‘At the death while dying’

In all of the talk about whatever this mythical thing labeled “the Barça Way” is, as in “They just have to start playing the Barça Way again,” we have forgotten a great many things, so many of which made themselves evident as Barça wrestled mightily with a Valencia side they should have been able to… Continue reading Valencia 0, Barça 1, aka ‘At the death while dying’

What if it’s us, not Dembele?

During a rewatch of the Inter Milan sludgefest, my annoyance at Ousmane Dembele tilting at yet another bank of Inter players and losing the ball was like something fresh, even as the outcome was already decided. The match progressed, and Xavi changed everything about the team and how it was playing that vexed him. Static… Continue reading What if it’s us, not Dembele?