Title HUSH / PUSH

In a pro footballers season this time of the year is the most crucial in what may appear sluggish, hard and to reach the summit top, they need to put in performances week in week out. They would probably make their clubs push closer to another title, a champion’s league spot or even make the plane to the world cup in South Africa.

I have had quite a bit of excitement when I look at the premier league table and it’s such an open one. The turnaround has been Arsenal, what dark horses they have been all season. They have a relatively easy run in to remainder games at hand than Chelsea and Man United and with the resurgent form they are on I’d place a healthy bet for a top finish this season. What worries me is that they somehow manage to lose games when they would ideally have their noses upfront. That has been the problem for them for a while now isn’t it?

Crikey! Me what a thumping Milan got from Man United. Their chief tormentor in head boy Wayne Rooney has been phenomenal. Rooney has stood out this season, with 30 goals and counting he has lead the pack by stepping from the shadows of his former partner C. Ronaldo. Milan looks old, they have an ageing squad who couldn’t match up to United’s tempo and make no mistake I watched 2 legs which was dominated by the current English Champions.

Ronaldo on the other hand cut a despondent face with Real Madrid failing to win against Lyon at Santiago Bernabeu. The stadium where they play this year’s CL final. It is just plain disappointing to see that a club that has invested over 250 million dollars in the summer buying big name stars has not been able to qualify to the quarters. As a matter of fact Real has not qualified to the quarters in the past 6 years. What a shame!!

Nonetheless they stand atop in the Primera Liga at the expense of Barca who has lost a bit of fluency, due to their injuries. Yet they are title contenders and I wholly expect them to finish the race on top.  This weekend comes away specialists Valencia at Nou Camp. I think the title push will be brilliant this year around and I hope the matches to the run in will give us enough entertainment.

Fancy Beckham back in OT a well deserved reception by the United faithful, the team with whom he brought his career to glorious heights, a really shocking injury for young Aaron Ramsey, the boy was just too quick for Ryan Shawcross and I hope he gets back stronger. A struggling Pompey side who are battling every match to exit the league with a bang, the frustrated gaffer at Merseyside- Rafa knows Liverpool blew their best chance to make a top four finish with a loss at Wigan and many such more events that can decide if a team will stay put on course a title or a European spot or even history. Better or worse, make or break the HUSH / PUSH period is here.

Darel Luiz