Scott Murray's Blog, page 203
April 25, 2014
Football transfer rumours: Barcelona to sign Mesut Özil from Arsenal?
Ryan Giggs is going to get the Manchester United gig full time, isn't he. He'll trot down the touchline at Old Trafford on Saturday to a tumultuous reception, Norwich City will be dispatched 4-0, one of the goals will be half decent, and the papers will be full of United's spiritual reawakening, as though Giggs has just invented passing. It'll be irresistible. There goes Juventus coach Antonio Conte's chance of getting the job, then! Though, to be honest, what are two Serie A titles worth these days anyway? They'll be mentioning Neil Lennon in dispatches next.
Continue reading...Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend | Scott Murray and Toby Moses
Poor old Norwich City, desperate for points, and facing a preposterous run-in: Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal. It couldn't get any worse. Except, yes, yes it could. Because they now travel to United with the home team feeling good about themselves pretty much for the first time in a season. The home fans want a show, and Ryan Giggs wants a job, so the players have been ordered to rediscover their lust for life and ping it about accordingly, in the time-honoured United way. Given that Norwich have picked up fewer points on the road than any other side, they seem ill equipped to poop this particular party. Unless, unless. United haven't responded particularly well to hard, relentless pressing this season, and Norwich managed to put the wind up Liverpool last weekend by doing exactly that. A long shot, but a repeat performance of that staunch second-half display at Carrow Road could be enough to scramble an invaluable point, especially if Norwich find their hosts a touch too demob happy. Scott Murray
United set sights on Cavani
'The Chosen One' banner removed
Title bid has surprised players, says Luis Suárez
Chelsea trio charged over Sunderland incidents
Everton desperate for fourth, says Martínez
United favourites for £30m Luke Shaw
How Tony Pulis turned Crystal Palace around
City have not given up on catching Liverpool, says Zabaleta
Yannick Sagbo fined £15,000 over quenelle support
Dejagah says Magath is the man to keep Fulham up
Lerner refuses to deny that he is set to sell Villa
Staying up: five players with big say in survival
Sherwood admits his Spurs team are 'much of a muchness'
Gay fan groups take lead on equal rights
Pepe Mel | The Gallery
Allardyce criticises sacking of David Moyes video
Shola Ameobi: Newcastle must strengthen squad
Football transfer rumours: Arsenal to sign Benfica's Guedes
Mourinho furious at officials after Sunderland defeat
Marshall determined to save Cardiff from relegation
April 24, 2014
Football Weekly Extra: Manchester United dump David Moyes
Football transfer rumours: Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley to Everton?
The Rumour Mill isn't really about the Guardian, that's the whole damn point, so forget our lead story about Manchester United purchasing Edinson Cavani from Paris Saint-Germain for silly money.
Turns out Chelsea fancy scuppering that little scheme. Or, more specifically, Roman Abramovich does: he's pulled rank over youth team manager José Mourinho, who has been proselytising for Atlético Madrid's Diego Costa, and it's Cavani he wants. Abramovich, whose eagle eye has in the past unearthed gems such as Andriy Shevchenko and Fernando Torres, must have been mighty impressed by Cavani's recent performance at Stamford Bridge, where he blootered witlessly over the bar when it was easier to break the net and seal the tie for the French champions. José will be thrilled but then he's been a little ray of sunshine all season, so where's the news in that.
Continue reading...April 23, 2014
The Fiver | Screaming in the style popularised by Klaus Kinski | Scott Murray
It's been a whole day since Manchester United became the first professional football club in All History to sack its manager. The United Nations have dispatched crack engineering taskforces to all four corners of the world, with a brief to get the planet winched back up onto its normal axis within 24 hours, and further plans are afoot to get the globe spinning again by the end of the week, end of the month at the very latest. No progress has been made as the Fiver goes to press but neither is there any major panic yet, as the contingency plans look pretty good too, if there's anything in these reports about Louis van Gaal taking over at Old Trafford and appointing Roy Keane as his second in command. That would kickstart the spin again and then some, in doublequick time to boot.
Continue reading...Real Madrid v Bayern Munich: the night Juanito kicked Matthäus in the face
"Illa! Illa! Illa! Juanito maravilla!" As the crowd at the Santiago Bernabéu remind the world during every match Real Madrid play, yes, yes, yes, Juanito was a wonder. An indomitable winger-cum-striker of the 1980s, Juanito played with a never-give-in determination, and wore the famous meringue-white shirt with pride.
His influence, presence and spirit proved integral to some of Real's most famous European comebacks: turnarounds against Celtic in the 1979/80 European Cup (3-0), Anderlecht and Internazionale in the 1984-85 Cup Winners Cup (6-1 and 3-0), and Borussia Mönchengladbach in the 1985-86 Uefa Cup (4-0). As a consequence, the iconic and beloved Juanito who perished in a car crash in 1992 at the tragically young age of 37 is to this day remembered whenever the match clock at the Bernabéu ticks round to seven minutes, a callback to the number he usually wore.
Continue reading...April 18, 2014
Football transfer rumours: Cheik Tioté to Manchester City?
The world's nicest football manager, Manuel Pellegrini, has failed to land a quadruple this season for Manchester City, but his bosses, perhaps mindful that it was Vincent Kompany who was giving it the big talk, still have full confidence in the Chilean manager. They'll give him ££££££££££££s to spend this summer on the Porto centre-back Eliaquim Mangala, Cheik Tioté of Newcastle, and the order of a striker or two from a dead shiny catalogue featuring Radamel Falcao, Edinson Cavani and Diego Costa.
John Terry, who sent off Chico Flores of Swansea City last weekend, isn't quite ready to go into full-time refereeing yet. He'd like to play for Chelsea a while longer but has been told to accept a massive pay cut if he wants a new contract. Galatasaray are prepared to give him full whack, and tax-free to boot, plus the prospect of immersing himself in a new footballing and cultural environment. It should help the contract negotiations along if nothing else.
Continue reading...April 13, 2014
Masters 2014: final day live! | Scott Murray
8.15pm BST
Scrub that about Spieth being out alone up front! Kuchar, who escaped from 15 yesterday with chip of the year, has just bundled one in with his wedge from the back of 3! He's -6, and this could be his time. He's been sniffing around long enough, after all. Speaking of longevity, Couples rakes in a par saver from the fringe at 6! Stunning! Here's how we stand:
-6: Kuchar (3), Spieth (2)
-5: Watson (2)
-4: Blixt (3)
-3: Couples (6), Bjorn (5), Fowler (4)
8.12pm BST
Back on 2, young Jordan Spieth takes sole ownership of the lead by sliding in a 12-foot left-to-right birdie putt. He's -6, and out on his own for the first time this week. He's not been driving particularly well so far, but that should settle the early nerves. Couples in a spot of bother at 6, finding thick, lush grass at the back right of the green and failing to reach the putting surface with his chip back
8.10pm BST
Thanks to Dan there. And no need to apologise re Jimenez! Nobody will be happier than me to see him in the Butler Cabin just after midnight, trying to put on a Green Jacket with glass of red in one hand and lit Cohiba in the other. A little do-si-do with Billy Layne and Jim Nantz, prime-time CBS entertainment at its best. A birdie finally for Ian Poulter, on 7, and he's back to level par. The news isn't so good for Lee Westwood, who is up to his old tricks with the putter. After bogey on 3, he's just taken three putts from five feet at 4, and that's a double bogey. He's back to +1, and bye bye bye.
8.02pm BST
Birdie for Kuchar, who is now tied for the lead after an easy short birdie putt. Fred Couples is only two off the lead and looking very cool. He rolls in a third straight par at 5 to follow on from two birdies on the opening holes. I'm still cheering Jimenez on though, sorry Scott Murray.
Speaking of Scott Murray, he's back! Hope you didn't all miss him too much. Bye folks!
7.59pm BST
Blixt has a tough shot here at 2. He's in the bracken to the left but plays a decent shot on to the green; it doesn't bounce forwards though and there will be no birdie here I imagine; it's a good 30ft short. Bjorn, cool as you like, has found the cup with a par putt from the fringe and McIlroy has just fallen short with a long-range birdie putt at 10, which has been a bit of a nightmare hole for him on days 1-3. Kuchar hits one of the shots of the day with a nice lob on 2, which goes just to the right of the hole and I think gives him a shot at a birdie. Blixt is too high with a long-range birdie putt that breaks miles left to right.
7.54pm BST
Westwood is unlucky not to save par here at 3. His approach was poor and sliced off to the right of the green, but an excellent chip on gave him a chance to save par. It's not an easy putt, breaking hard from left to right from 8ft or so, but it brushes the edge of the hole on its way past. I say unlucky, but it's his fault for being off to the right in the first place I guess.
7.52pm BST
Fowler can't make it birdie putt and it's a tricky-ish one for par from four feet. Oh he's hit the rim and is left with another four-footer for bogie. He makes it, but that was a bit of a mess. Jimenez has tapped in for a birdie at 2 to go back to even par for the day, while just behind him Spieth can't make his birdie putt. Bubba has a similar lie, pretty flat, just a little closer. 12 feet I'd say. Ah shows what I know: there's a soupcon of turn to the left and he too settles for par.
"I just hope the pressure doesn't turn Spieth in to a basket case," writes Green Day fan Matt Dony, "or cause him to burn out. He's probably taking the long view, and thinking 'when I come around the to the last holes, I might get a welcome to paradise. And Bubba can FOD.'"
7.48pm BST
This doesn't look pleasant for Jordan Spieth, who is under the trees with a tricky lie on the left. It's a good recovery though, low on to the green where it gets over the first ridge and then comes back down the second to lie level with the pin. Watson's tee shot wasn't as good as I thought, ending up as it did in the bunker rather than above it. His recovery is wonderful though and leaves him with a 12ft putt for a birdie. More bad luck for Poulter as he can't get it over the ridge on the sixth green and it trickles back down the slope.
7.45pm BST
Jonas Blixt, whose name reminds me of a Bond villain, saves par with a tricky-ish 6-footer on the first. That's more than Justin Rose can do though, as he dribbles a very weak putt short, breaking right to left on the third, which means he'll drop back to even par.
7.42pm BST
Here come the leaders. Jordan Speith is first up and is that nerves? He's hooked that left into the pine needles and it doesn't look like the easiest of lies. You can't blame him: he wasn't born when Dookie came out for crying out loud! It's a good drive from Watson and he's just above the bunker, 100 yards or so from the green. Poulter has just missed a birdie putt, which won't please him.
7.40pm BST
Rickie Fowler didn't really look like being much of a contender on days one and two at least I don't recall anyone really talking about him but a birdie on the opening hole has seen him take a share of second place at -4 (1). McIlroy now has three birdies on the spin and comes in +1. Here's the leaderboard:
-5 Jordan Spieth
-5 Bubba Watson
-4 Rickie Fowler (1)
-4 Matt Kuchar
-4 Jonas Blixt
-3 Fred Couples (3)
-2 Lee Westwood (2)
-2 Jim Furyk (1)
-2 Thomas Bjorn (1)
-2 Miguel Angel Jimenez (1)
7.35pm BST
Thanks Scott. My hands tend to hurt enough after a session of the OBO, so quite how the marvellous Mr. Murray has been handling these epic shifts is a thing of wonder. Still, I'll try and keep up the standard as best I can.
Fans of Rory McIlroy which I understand many of you are will be pleased to know that he's recorded back-to-back birdies at 7 and 8. Fans of Rory McIlroy will still be grumbling though as he's seven shots off the lead and in need of a Kim Jong Il-esque round to have a hope today. It's not going to happen. Meanwhile Ian Poulter is about to drop at least one shot at the fourth.
7.30pm BST
A long par putt for Poulter on 4, the result of finding sand at the front right of the green. He's back to +1, and doesn't appear to be in any kind of mood for a charge. He's in a kind of mood, though. Back on 1, Jimenez leaves his approach short of the green, and utters some colourful words in a romantic European language. Fowler however hits his ten feet past the pin for a birdie chance. Hardly a gimme, as it's downhill, but decent enough. Senden prods an uncertain par putt on 3 wide of the cup. He's back to -1.
And with that, I'm off for a bowl of - you know the score - Hamburger Helper. Try and get the jingle out of your head.* The glove chases me in my dreams. Anyway, Dan Lucas is your man for the next half hour or so. See you soon!
7.24pm BST
Jimenez and Fowler are out. Either man would be an extremely popular winner. The Spaniard wangs his opening drive down the left, the American down the right. Down on the green, steady pars for Jim Furyk and Lee Westwood. Meanwhile up on 2, Couples makes it two birdies in a row, splashing out from the bunker to 12 feet, then stroking in a tricky left-to-right downhill putt. Already a sense that things are slowly simmering up. We should be at a rolling boil by 9pm UK time, which is 4pm in the local measurement.
7.21pm BST
An early contender for round of the day, from a man in the opening pairing. Joost Luiten - who ruined 1970s Radio 2 listener Simon McMahon's day at 5.28pm - birdies the last, and signs for a 67. That's only been matched this week by Rickie Fowler, and bettered by Miguel Angel Jimenez. He ends the tournament at +4, and for what it's worth is the current clubhouse leader. Eh?
7.17pm BST
More trouble for Poulter, this time in a bunker to the side of the 3rd green. But he hits the flag when splashing out. Par. Back on 2, Senden takes up Scott's Antipodean slack, with birdie at 2: he's -2. A shocking start yesterday, three bogeys and a double in the first seven holes, but Senden simply refuses to go away. The 42-year-old is really coming into form towards the end of his career.
7.11pm BST
Birdie for Freddie Couples on 1! He rolls in a 25-foot left-to-right curler from the back of the green. He's -2! And so the charge of the superannuated swingers begins. Come on Freddie, come on Miguel Angel. Meanwhile a birdie for Sandy Lyle on 16! He's +7, what a fine week he's had. He eagled 13, by the way. Alexander Walter Barr Lyle. I like typing that. Alexander Walter Barr Lyle, who hit the greatest shot, and winning putt, in Masters history. Only two majors, but a legacy as good as any, huh?
7.05pm BST
Poulter makes his par. That's not ideal, but at least he's got out of a badly played hole without any serious damage. "Come on Rory!" shouts a wag in the crowd, perhaps taking the painfully unfunny "Come on Tim" schtick Andy Murray has to put up with at Wimbledon as his comedy template. Probably best to workshop that one a little while longer. Another godawful start by Adam Scott, meanwhile, with bogeys at 2 and 3. He's +3, and won't be joining the select group of back-to-back Masters winners: Jack Nicklaus, the criminally underrated Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods. Australia's charge this year is down to John Senden, then, who has opened with a par and stays at -1.
7.00pm BST
Poulter is making a bit of a mess of the 2nd hole, sending his third shot from the second cut short right of the green. With a bunker in between ball and hole, he's got a job to save par. This could already be a serious blow to his already slim chances of doing something today; this hole has been offering up plenty of birdies to the field. A really good fourth shot, a chip bumped up the green and swung round towards the hole, left to right, and he'll have a six footer to save par. He can't afford to give up birdie opportunities like 2, never mind drop a shot. Jason Day, a wee bit earlier, showed how it's done; his birdie there takes him to +1 overall. How Day must rue that mini-collapse around the turn on Thursday, when five shots went between 8 and 11. Par golf there, and he'd be in with a chance of another second-place finish.
6.47pm BST
Oosthuizen's just creamed a gorgeous approach into 7, and will reclaim the shot he gave back to the field at 6. It's into the heart of the green, the ball breaking round to the right and creeping to the back of the hole, two feet away. He's +1 overall again. Back on 1, Poulter doesn't hit his uphill 25-footer for birdie, but that'll be an opening par, and he'll stay at level par for the tournament.
6.45pm BST
Bad news for the overnight leaders. Angel Cabrera was the last man to be at the top of the tree after 54 holes at the Masters and remain there at the reckoning, and that was back in 2009. Since then, Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Peter Hanson and, last year, Cabrera and Brandt Snedeker have all failed to convert their ideal positions into wins. Some really poor final rounds in there too: Rory's humiliating 80, a 75 for Snedeker last year, and a fairly stodgy 73 for Hanson two years ago. God speed, Bubba and young Jordan!
6.41pm BST
Langer's back on it, with birdie at 5. He's back to level par for the tournament. There's nobody out on the course on a better mark. But all the leaders will be out within the hour. It's slowly beginning to warm up. Poulter - red shoes, incidentally - clips his second into the heart of the 1st. That should be an opening-hole par, unless he does something amazing or very stupid with the flat stick.
6.38pm BST
Ian Poulter tees off. He pearls his opening drive straight down the middle. He's in a splendid ensemble of blue shirt, blue, red and white checked pants - more tartan than gingham, I'd say, though I'm prepared to be corrected by the fashionistas - and a neon orange peaked cap. It works better than it sounds. "If there are scoring opportunities, there must be 15 or so in with a shout, probably down to Poulter," argues Seamus Devlin, not without reason. "If Ryder Cup Poults turns up, who knows?" Indeed. Meanwhile, Stricker and Kirk have both birdied 2: they're +1. Oosthuizen drops a stroke at 6; he's back to +2. And wanderin' stargazer Jimmy Walker, who was in hot form until his 76 yesterday, birdied the opening hole and is +1 overall through the first four holes.
6.29pm BST
Nobody threatening to do a Woodland, Jimenez or Fowler as of yet. The defending champion Adam Scott, who looked to be the major threat this week after his opening day 69, stumbled to a 76 yesterday. He's out and about already, far too early for his own liking. Par on the opening hole. Also with steady starts down the first: Russell Henley, Chris Kirk, Steve Stricker and Jason Day. Rory McIlroy, who has been a bitter disappointment this week, his putter a risible piece of metal nonsense, has opened with three pars, but he's hit his tee shot at 4 fat, and will do well to get up and down from behind a bunker.
6.17pm BST
Case in point, Bernhard Langer, who has just followed up his birdie-eagle start by dropping one at 3. He's back to +1. A quiet start to the day. The calm before the storm, I'll be bound.
6.13pm BST
So much for Bowditch's flying start: he's double-bogeyed 4, and is back down at +3. Augusta National can be stripped naked of shots if you're feeling frisky. However, it can also handcuff you to the headboard and run off with your keys, wallet, trousers and shoes.
6.04pm BST
A blistering start by 2012 runner-up Louis Oosthuizen. He's birdied 1 and 2, and is +1 overall, six off the lead. He'd need to post something really daft, and the greens would have to be baked into concrete later this afternoon, so hard as to cause multiple golfing nervous breakdowns near the top of the leaderboard. But he's clearly decided he's not going to go away wondering. The same applies to the 1985 and 1993 champ Bernhard Langer, who has just eagled 2 and, three under for his round already, is level par overall! Now, let's be honest, all of this will probably have little significance unless one of the great tales is about to be told. But if nothing else, we're learning that scores are certainly out there, which augurs well for some preposterous drama later. It's on!
5.56pm BST
A lot of talk about how this week has been lacking a little without Tiger Woods. Undoubtedly golf's biggest star and greatest talent has been greatly missed, but I wonder if the biggest hole at Augusta today is Phil Mickelson shaped? Lefty loves nothing more than making ridiculous charges through the field on Masters Sunday, but this year he missed the cut for the first time since 1997. It's not quite the same without him bothering the others at the top of the leaderboard, or standing in the trees with a confused look on his face, realising the run of six birdies he's just made was all in vain now he's needlessly winged a shot under the azaleas. With an era nearer its end than its beginning, this is the first taste of what life will be like after Tiger and Phil have gone. Golf will prevail, of course, but the thought furrows the brow nonetheless.
5.48pm BST
Here, in that roll call of ageing former champions I forgot to mention Vijay Singh. He's had a pretty steady week, the highlight his 71 on Friday, and he's opened well today, with a birdie at 3. He's +3 overall for the tournament. Langer, who I did remember, has birdied the opening hole to move to +2.
5.43pm BST
Steven Bowditch started the day at +4, so even if he shoots something daft like 64, you suspect he's too far back to make any real difference. But he's the first player to come properly flying out of the traps: the Aussie has eagled 2, and followed it up with a birdie at 3. He's suddenly +1 overall, and no doubt an inspiration to quite a few of those chaps who'll be teeing off around the level-par mark.
5.38pm BST
Mind you, Simon McMahon's right. Gallacher and Luiten doesn't roll off the tongue so well, does it? A real mouthful, like Sunderland Brothers & Quiver, or Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich (a group which would surely pick up more than its fair share of citations for slow play). Luiten's one of the few chaps out on the course in red figures at the moment, -1 for his round through 10, though +8 overall. His partner Gallacher is back to his old tricks, though, double bogeying 10 for the second day in a row. This hole has cost Scotland's finest five shots this week. Seeing he's only +7 overall, that's been pretty costly for him.
5.28pm BST
It might be getting a wee bit much for the local hero Mize today, but his opening rounds of 74 and 72 were damn fine, and some of the other old champions have been putting in a good shift this week, too. Fred Couples is obviously the standout turn - more of him later - but two-time winner Bernhard Langer starts the day at +3, Mike Weir is one under for his round today through 8 holes, Sandy Lyle shot a level-par 72 on Friday and is only +2 for his round through 8 today, and the last European to emerge victorious here, Jose Maria Olazabal, has birdied 2 and is +4 overall. Hats off to all of these good men and true. "I was hoping that Gallacher and Lyle would be paired together today, and that they both might breakaway from the chasing pack," quips superannuated pop kid Simon McMahon, crafting hit-parade-based puns you'd have to be at least 55 years old, or Paul Gambaccini, to get. "Never mind, time to put my heart on my sleeve, I hope young Jordan does it (and not just because I've got money on him)." Hopefully he'll stop this now, folks. It's just a phase he's going through.
5.14pm BST
Today's chastening experience appears to be Thorbjorn Olesen's. The young Dane was a very dark horse coming into this week, on account of the speed at which he took on board Augusta National's lessons last year, when he famously responded to a debut round of 78 with rounds of 70, 68 and 68. He ended the week tied for sixth, a fine result for his first competitive outing here. But it's not really gone to plan this week. He was hovering on the outskirts of action at the midway point, +2, but a double bogey at 2 yesterday set the tone, and he shot 76. Now he's managed to run up a triple bogey at the same hole today, and through four he's bogeyed all the others. He's +6 for his round already, and +12 overall. Only the 55-year-old Larry Mize is lower than him on the leaderboard, at +14, and he's got memories of 1987 to keep him warm tonight. Still, plenty of time yet for young Thorbjorn, who is more than likely to bother the upper reaches of a Masters leaderboard again one day.
5.05pm BST
Some good news to start the day. Who'd want any other sort? And it comes courtesy of Stephen Gallacher of Scotland, who was poised nicely at -1 after the second round, and upon being asked whether he could challenge for the title, replied: "Why not?" Sadly, the Augusta debutant, after opening rounds of 71 and 72, was given a belated welcoming primer yesterday. Four double bogeys, plus another three of the single variety, offset by a solitary birdie, and that was a chastening round of 81. He's out of it, obviously, but appears determined to leave Georgia with nothing but good memories on his mind. He birdied the opening two holes today, and has sandwiched a bogey on 6 with birdies at 5 and now 7. He's three under for his round through 7, and +5 overall. Of today's early starters, he's the one proving that there might be a low score out there, if someone a little bit off the pace fancies posting a testing clubhouse total to worry the leaders. Those men yesterday were Miguel Angel Jimenez (66), Rickie Fowler (67) and Gary Woodland (a 69 that, for a while was threatening to be a 63 or somesuch). If someone makes an early run today, with the greens expected to become more of a test as the day goes on under the 28-degree spring sun, the cat could firmly be placed among the pigeons. Well, then? Anyone?
4.55pm BST
Right, here we go ...
4.00pm BST
The kids made their mark on the Masters Tournament from the get-go. The first Augusta National Invitation Tournament, as it was known in 1934, was won by Horton Smith, who was 25 years, ten months, and three days old. Three years later, Byron Nelson (25 years and two months) bettered that record, beating Ralph Guldahl (25 years, nine months and 14 days) to the title by two strokes. Nelson's mark stood until Jack Nicklaus came along in 1963 and shaved nearly two years off the record: he pulled on his first Green Jacket at 23 years, two months, and 17 days.
It would take a great man to make off with the Golden Bear's record. Ah, here he is, Hurricane Severiano sweeping through Georgia in 1980, the Spaniard winning the title at the age of 23 years and four days. Happy birthday, dear Seve! That one stood until the force of nature that is/was [delete according to preference] Tiger Woods pitched tent at Augusta National, winning the 1997 Masters by a frankly preposterous 12-shot margin over Tom Kite. Tiger was a mere cub at 21 years, three months and 14 days.
Continue reading...April 8, 2014
World Cup: 25 stunning moments No9: Diego Maradona's Hand of God | Scott Murray
High noon, one blistering Sunday in Mexico City, and a quarter-final shootout between two arch rivals who hadn't met in a World Cup for 20 years and had grievance on their minds. Rattín's Revenge! Or, in the offices of various tabloid newspapers and the heads of the slow: Falklands II. Here are 10 things that happened during a first half everyone's long forgotten about:
1) Just before kick-off, instead of focusing on the players warming up in the oppressive sun, the Mexican television director chose to zoom in on a topless man necking the final third of a plastic cup of lager while sucking hard on a cheroot, having clearly been caught in two minds over which craving to sate first. A wonderful tableau of the relaxed atmosphere in the Azteca before kick-off, both sets of supporters in good humour, the Argentina team handing each England player their own personal pennant. A lovely touch, a small gesture of friendship, and to think everyone had been banging on about bad blood caused by the Malvinas conflict.
Continue reading...Scott Murray's Blog
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