Anyone who knows me, knows that I love football; playing, watching and talking. And anyone who knows me, knows that I can talk football until the cows come home....so I thought why not start a blog. What better way to interact with everybody else out there who loves football. If you agree, disagree or just plain think I'm insane, let's talk it out.
Cesc Fabregas will tomorrow undergo his medical at the Nou Camp as he puts pen to paper on a five year contract that will see one of the longest running 'will he wont he' sagas come to end. Fabregas, 24, left La Masia at the beginning of the 2003 season seeing opportunities at the Nou Camp limited with the likes of Xavi and Iniesta ahead of him in the queue. At the age of 16, he became the youngest ever first team player for Arsenal, the youngest goalscorer a few months later.
8 years have passed and Fabregas has firmly established himself as one of the best central midfielders in the World. Last season he finished 2nd behind Florent Malouda (Chelsea, 117 from 2810 mins) in the number of chances created in Premier League games with 72 from 1887 mins, ahead of the likes of Ryan Giggs, Nani and Raphael Van Der Vaart. In the last 5 season he comes 1st with 486 chances ahead of Xavi (455), Lampard (452) and Gerrard (396). It is easy to see why his ability to assist the strikers, alongside his goals and leaderships skills have made him so sought after.
For the past 4 seasons the Catalans have tried to bring Fabregas back to the Nou Camp but proceedings really picked up last season with Barce encouraging the player to force the move through. Arsenal stood firm on their want to hold onto him despite being offered £40 million. Fabregas decided against forcing the move seeking assurances from Arsene Wenger that the squad would be strengthened to challenge for the domestic crown. It seems that this Summer however Fabregas had had enough and wanted out wanting to return home and play alongside some of his best friends; Gerard Pique and Victor Valdes in particular.
The real shift this season has been the increased role of Pep Guardiola in proceedings. As a player Guardiola was very much the prototype of the modern midfielder; technically gifted, balanced and an immaculate passer of the ball. He was at the heart of Johan Cruyff's side and as a youngster Fabregas idolised him. Some have suggested that Fabregas will become nothing more than the World's most expensive sub waiting behind Xavi and Iniesta for his chance, but this is simply wrong. The Barce squad last season, inspite doing the double was stretched with no more than 15 players playing the entire season. He'll play in rotation with the other two, allowing everyone time to recover and giving Guardiola options.
In 2001, when Fabregas was going through the pain of his parents' divorce, Guardiola signed his number four shirt and handed it to Cesc and on it it said 'one day you will be the number four of Barcelona' and it appears that that day has finally arrived.
Throughout the history of football, pundits and fans alike have been heard reminiscing about their favourite moments; those moments that simply take their breath away and leave an ever lasting impression. These moments include those saves that we thought were virtually impossible, those tackles that made us turn away and those passes that made us collectively gasp with our fellow fan.
Above all else however it is the scoring of the goal, the putting of the ball in the back of the net that is that moment above all others that leaves an illuminable mark on all fans with all debating with one another as to how good it really was. Fans across the World can be heard debating about how good that Brazil 1970s team goal finished off by Carlos Alberto was or the whether Ronaldinho meant that goal against England in Japan in 2002.
All fans have got their favourite goals, those goals that they remember forever. For me there is one that stands out above all others but before I get on to it an honourable mention goes to the genius of Zinedine Zidane and 'that' finish in the Champions League final of 2002. Having moved for big money from Italian giants Juventus, Zidane was under immense pressure to justify that price and bring trophies to a side that had struggled on the European front.
Madrid too an early lead through Raul but Leverkusen hit back 5 minutes later through skipper Lucio. With Leverkusen mounting pressure on the Madrid back line and dominating events, Zidane scored a goal of the highest order. With the ball dropping over his left shoulder Zidane executed the most perfect volley from 20 yards out to send the ball into the roof of the net and take Madrid to yet another European title. The goal encapsulates everything that is beautiful about football, it was not a strike of great power from 40 yards out but rather technically perfect a
strike that simply was amazing.
My favourite goal ever however might not be as well as known as my 1(A) above but for me it is simple phenomenal. The Brazilian great Rivaldo played for Barcelona for 5 seasons notching up almost 170 appearances with more than 90 goals to boot. During the 2000-1 season Barcelona had struggled with manager Louis Van Gaal struggling to get the side to click as a unit. The individuals in the side however managed to pull the side to the top end of the table in the position to qualify for the Champions League for the following season. Into the last game of the season and the side needed a point to guarantee themselves fourth spot ahead of Celta de Vigo and were at home to the newly crowned La Liga champions Valencia.
The league winners were ahead 3-2 at the Nou Camp with one of the most enthralling games of the season and as the clocked ticked towards injury time it appeared that the Catalans were heading out of the Champions League for the following season and up stepped Rivaldo; their leader on the pitch. The ball was chipped in from about the half way line towards the edge of the box and landed perfectly on the Brazilians with his back towards the goal. With him seeming to be in perfect position, the ball bounced of his chest and above his head and in one fluent motion he struck the ball into the roof of the net driving the near 100,000 crowd crazy.
Everything about the goal was perfect. The moment. The chip into him. The chest up. The strike. The sound he ball made on hitting the net. There may be other goals that are more spectacular or more impressive their individual brilliance but for me the sheer occasion and nature of the strike render it the greatest goal ever.
