El-Classico and the Khan-Peterson fight were two massive sporting events that didn’t turn out the way we expected them to. The results have colossal repercussions for the respective sports and are a major setback for those who were at the receiving end of the beatings. Meanwhile, our national sport has unpleasant ramifications of its own to deal with after an abysmal showing at the Champions Trophy in Auckland last week.
Real squander opportunity
Last Saturday’s (or Sunday depending on where you find yourselves on the globe) El-Classico was touted as Real Madrid’s time to seize the moment and announce the change of guard in Spain. As showcased by last week’s column, they had been the form team, they were at home, already on a scoring spree and Ronaldo had looked unstoppable. Au contraire, Barca had looked lacklustre, their performance level way below the towering standards they had set over the recent past. There had been genuine scepticism over their squad’s desire and will, considering the fact that their respective medal cabinets are mini gold mansions. Hence the unanimous consensus prior to the kick off was that Madrid should outdo Barcelona and in turn herald a new dawn of domination – as we all so conspicuously found out around 4 a.m (PST); that wasn’t to be.
When Benzema put Real up one-nil before some of us managed to bring in their popcorns and snacks from the kitchen, (surely, the writer was not only one Benzema caught unprepared) one felt that the pre-match prophecies were going to be vindicated. And even after the opening goal, owing to the not-so-brilliant footballing skills of Victor Valdes, Madrid controlled the game. Barcelona’s passing was uncharacteristically diffident, and it was the home team that propelled wave after wave of attacks and had the Catalonian third under siege initially.
However, the turning point of the game came when Cristiano Ronaldo frittered away Di Maria’s pass – one of two huge misses from the Portuguese – when the score was 1-0. Had that gone in – and it should have – one fancies that Barca would’ve found it difficult to conjure up a reversal. Ronaldo’s nemesis Messi however, was not in a similarly generous mood, and he brilliantly capitalised when Madrid gave him one-tenth of an inch to manoeuvre and set up the equaliser that was stunningly finished by Alexis. The volatile forward has the makings of filling David Villa’s boots aptly and with four goals in four games he is definitely making his mark.
After bringing the score at a level pegging, Barca began to dictate matters in their emblematic fashion, and were lead dependably by Iniesta’s orchestration – easily the player of the match – and Xavi’s composure. What makes Barca’s ‘tika-taka’ brand of football an absolute nightmare for the opposition is its defensive fortitude. While Barca’s perpetual control over the football ensures that the opposite team feels that they are aging right there in the middle of the park, what it also does is it sucks out their energy. Combine this induction of lethargy with Barca’s relentless pressing whenever the oddity of them being without the ball comes and the adversaries fail to put two and two together in the latter stages of the match. Barca personify defending from the front astoundingly well and after taking a two goal lead they still fielded a 4-2-4, reminiscent of Brazil of 1970.
While Barca were typically merciless, there was a lot that Real could’ve done better. For starters, Coentrao should never have played at right-back, and Lassana Diarra would’ve been the more apposite replacement for the injured Arbeloa. Secondly, while Benzema is more of a team player, and of course his early goal might have vindicated his selection, but if you have to pick one between Higuain and the Frenchman to trouble Barca’s rearguard, Higuain is more likely to create opportunities for himself. And, as we all witnessed after Benzema’s goal – which again was courtesy Valdes – he faded out of the game and didn’t manage to create any opportunities. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly Madrid rely more heavily on Ronaldo than Barca ever did on Messi, and hence when the Portuguese puts up a no-show his side is bound to struggle. Not only was the aforementioned chance at 1-0 criminal, the free header he wasted from an Alonso ball when Madrid were 2-1 down was even more profligate.
The league is definitely not over following the result, Madrid still have the lead over Barcelona and look like having enough drive to overpower the other 18 sides in Spain. However, the question marks over them overcoming their archenemy have become all the more daunting following the 7th El-Classico of 2011. All the same, if the column were to put a wager on this year’s La Liga champions, it would still opt for Real Madrid.
Disappointment for Khan
Yes, we could have a rematch; yes the refereeing was straight out of boxing joke books and yes the result was controversial, but all things said and done the Khan-Peterson fight should never have hinged on this. Controversy and boxing go hand in glove and Amir Khan had enough of an arsenal to ensure that the fight doesn’t end up being as close as it was and in turn it would’ve ensured that the adjudicating didn’t prove to be the decisive factor.
What the loss has also done is that Khan’s jump up to welterweight has come under scrutiny. Even though a potential matchup against Floyd Mayweather Jr was being hyped up not so long ago, it should be shelved for the time being since Amir is clearly not ready for that acid test.
Khan is without a doubt a top drawer boxer, and a publicity magnet to boot, but technical deficiencies are still present and he does make that crucial error of judgment that costs him – like it did against Peterson. Khan was evidently far superior in skill and athleticism, but what cost him the fight – apart from the refereeing – was Peterson’s technical superiority and apparently Khan is too willing to be lured into a brawl, something that Peterson capitalised on.
However, being a fan-friendly boxer ensures that the fans find it easier to overcome losses. Regardless of the result and the potential rematch, Amir must realise that if he wants to continue his march towards the apex, he cannot afford to lose that often. Nonetheless, Amir still has the dynamics to be an all-conquering star. He has impeccable footwork, sweltering hand speed and solid balance. If he were to profit from his strengths and remove the chinks in his armour, he could fulfill his immense potential.
Pakistan disintegrate at CT
Though Pakistan is nowhere near their halcyon days, one has always felt that instead of criticising the present bunch, one should be supportive despite its being in a state of unending transition for about 17 years. The seventh place finish in the Champions Trophy has capped off an eerie year, leaving more questions than answers.
The 2-1 defeat against England, 4-2 beating at the hands of Spain, 6-1 mauling by Australia and a 5-0 battering by Germany – in the lower tier of second round pools – are disheartrending to say the least. These teams are the Who’s Who of world hockey and by pitting ourselves against them we can gauge where we stand against the very best in hockey; and that place is isolated from the zenith of hockey, unfortunately. And again, one must stress that merely the results don’t narrate the entire tale, the performances were sheepish and it was almost as if we were scared stiff against the topmost sides in the world. The Champions Trophy was another throwback to the demons of malfunction in global events for the hockey side.
There was a stark contrast in the fitness and speed between Pakistan and the rest of the sides. The forward line was pedestrian, and they flaunted an inability to keep hold of the ball and kept on losing possession. Salman Akbar and Imran Shah have been criticised following the exploits in New Zealand, but like Mansoor Ahmed has judiciously pointed out, one would find it hard to block the leakage of goals if one faces a barrage of attacks every now and then. Keeping hold of possession, defending from the front is the more consummate form of defending – something that Barcelona and indeed the topmost European hockey sides depict.
Now, with the Olympics coming up next year and with the performance in the biggest global tournament in the lead up no way near the desired standards, it does leave Pakistan hockey in a veritable fix. One needs to dig deep into a bottomless pit to extract any optimism; and while we owe some patience to the national sport for its historical grandeur, the current crop owes it to the fans to present an upsurge in performance and desire.