More UEFA CL, and leaky defences
Those of you unfortunate enough to have known me since our schooldays might remember I used to have an astral beard. I think now's the time to resurrect and stroke it, and wax philosophical, because...
... Real Madrid trounced an ill-at-ease Dynamo Kyiv tonight. (Adding insult to injury, Raul took the chance to overtake Shevchenko's European goal tally.) Sasho is looking psychologically brittle - that's the only way I can explain that straight red card. Mrs Shovkovskiy must be sitting opposite a very bleak face at the dinner table these nights. I don't believe for a moment that a goalkeeper is ever solely to blame for big goal differences; there has to be a leaky defence and a lack of spark at the front too. Still, one wonders what the UNT reserve goalies are like, and whether they might be better placed to prevent Italy from scoring early.
By the way, Ruud van Nistelrooy does the most wooden 'bebeto' goal celebration I have ever seen. Please, no puns about rocking horses, that would just be cruel.
I watched Man U v. Benfica in between Stephen Fry's fascinating personal expositions on mental illness. Which led me to conclude that Manchester United have bipolar disorder. Tonight, Rooney looked distinctly depressed, whilst Cristiano Ronaldo was at the peak of manic confidence. No Benfica defence was too daunting, no step-over was too gratuitous (see Figures 2,3,4 etc.),
no pout too trouty. Not even the synchronised Portuguese booing from the stands could dampen CR's determination to be defender, midfielder, striker, free kick specialist and all round homem da estrela at the same time. Advice that CR should reintegrate with Man U has been taken with a slight twist; CR's solution has obviously been to replace the entire team. And with a reptilian tear in my eye I recall that touching declaration when Cristi decided to heal the rift back in July. "It is my friend," said Ronaldo of Colleen's boy, completely earnest in his choice of pronoun. Yes, I'm sure it is very happy that you've stuck around.
... Real Madrid trounced an ill-at-ease Dynamo Kyiv tonight. (Adding insult to injury, Raul took the chance to overtake Shevchenko's European goal tally.) Sasho is looking psychologically brittle - that's the only way I can explain that straight red card. Mrs Shovkovskiy must be sitting opposite a very bleak face at the dinner table these nights. I don't believe for a moment that a goalkeeper is ever solely to blame for big goal differences; there has to be a leaky defence and a lack of spark at the front too. Still, one wonders what the UNT reserve goalies are like, and whether they might be better placed to prevent Italy from scoring early.
By the way, Ruud van Nistelrooy does the most wooden 'bebeto' goal celebration I have ever seen. Please, no puns about rocking horses, that would just be cruel.
I watched Man U v. Benfica in between Stephen Fry's fascinating personal expositions on mental illness. Which led me to conclude that Manchester United have bipolar disorder. Tonight, Rooney looked distinctly depressed, whilst Cristiano Ronaldo was at the peak of manic confidence. No Benfica defence was too daunting, no step-over was too gratuitous (see Figures 2,3,4 etc.),
no pout too trouty. Not even the synchronised Portuguese booing from the stands could dampen CR's determination to be defender, midfielder, striker, free kick specialist and all round homem da estrela at the same time. Advice that CR should reintegrate with Man U has been taken with a slight twist; CR's solution has obviously been to replace the entire team. And with a reptilian tear in my eye I recall that touching declaration when Cristi decided to heal the rift back in July. "It is my friend," said Ronaldo of Colleen's boy, completely earnest in his choice of pronoun. Yes, I'm sure it is very happy that you've stuck around.