Stone Age Football

Had the opportunity to compare development in the wide world of football. Watched Barcalona’s surgical dismemberment of Arsenal last week and noted how possession was crucial to their style of play. Pass and move, lots of little triangles, accepting a pass and in an instant sending it on to the next player. Xabi apparently passed the ball over 280 times in the two matches. Constantly ‘giving and going.’ Arsenal were pathetic in their response - not one shot on target in the entire game. That is embarrassing for such a club with a fine passing tradition themselves. Barcalona 71% possession; Arsenal 29%.  Our best passing side are humiliated. 

And so to Buxton to watch the local heroes play the top of the league (by many,many points) Halifax Town. Yes that Halifax Town who used to be stalwarts of the football league and who include notable FA Cup scalps in their history - including Man City in one of their better spells. 

This game should have been renamed airball as the ball spent so much time being hoofed, belted, clipped and headed into the ether. That was when it wasn’t bouncing over the stands onto the railway track or into nearby gardens. It was all extremely physical - and not without physical skill and stamina. Lots of little confrontations all over the pitch and especially at either end. Players lived off scraps with snatched shots and headers. Shapeless and formless, the first half was dire. Halifax had a lot of fans with them - quite a long way to travel to watch such garbage. Midfield tended to be bypassed as the ball was belted from end to end. Highly competitive but highly dispiriting. These were among the better semi-pro teams - allegedly. 

Referees have something to answer for as they set the tone very early in the game. This one allowed over-vigorous challenges in the air - lots of elbows, pushing, shoving and barging. Most was let go. As was possession. Xabi and Messi would have been appalled.

The second half improved a bit and Buxton beat the runaway leaders by 2 goals to 1. Many apparently contented fans left the ground. Having seen Buxton a couple of times this season, it was sad to see them abandon a passing game which they had used to some effect. 

Challenges that are commonplace in British football are quite rightly outlawed in most parts of the world. Ex-pros lament the lack of physical action whilst not seeing that skillful players get kicked out of the game. A pathetically weak and clueless FA; a very greedy Premiership with egotistical owners (many extremely dodgy)allied to rabid one-eyed fans produces the blood and circuses which passes for big football in the UK. 

And each time we go to the World Cup we are embarrassed.