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Nagbe reflects on Columbus Crew’s journey to MLS Cup final
Columbus Crew captain Darlington Nagbe speaks about what it means to reach the MLS Cup final.
Unai Emery’s quiet revolution at Aston Villa host league-leaders Arsenal
After Aston Villa’s magnificent, overwhelming victory against Man City on Wednesday, it’s fair to say that I haven’t quite calmed down yet, nor descended from the clouds. It is not an exaggeration to state that it was the best performance I have ever seen from my club in the Premier League. Unai Emery finally defeated Pep Guardiola, but it wasn’t just a win, it was a knockout punch as the home side outclassed City in almost every department.
Villa’s 22 shots was the most Pep Guardiola’s side has conceded in the league while the treble winners only managed two shots against Villa — the fewest ever against a Guardiola team from a run of 535 matches. The biggest favor Villa did to City that night was allowing it to stay 1-0.
Numbers aside, this journey under Emery is a renaissance for Villa fans. Villa, who were relegated in 2016, nearly faced the reality of liquidation and have never truly received the respect they often ache for, are a totally different club under the Basque manager.
As someone who started following this club upon immigrating to England from Peru in the early ’90s, helping me create a bridge to acclimatize to my new home, I can’t help but romanticize the whole thing. At the final whistle on Wednesday, I cried. It means that much to me and many other Villains who share my sentiment. This sport can bring out the cynic in all of us, but at the core of it all, it’s about passion and an emotion that can only happen inside a prosperous football community.
But that was Wednesday, and make no mistake about it, Emery has forgotten all about it. In fact, it might as well not exist because Arsenal are coming to town and that is the only thing that matters now. Arsenal, the leaders of the table — also managed by a Basque man obsessed with perfection and a will to learn — are a totally different animal. Given City’s recent struggles, they are a much harder test.
For one, the battle will be in the midfield, and this is the advantage Villa had over City on Wednesday. But Arsenal have Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard to worry about. It’s been 25 years since Villa fans saw their club face-to-face and win against the Gunners (two wins in 2020 and 2021 with no fans inside stadiums during COVID) at Villa Park but if this season has taught us anything, it’s that anything is possible.
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Arteta praises ‘remarkable’ Emery ahead of clash vs. Aston Villa
Mikel Arteta speaks about Unai Emery’s influence on Aston Villa since taking over as manager.
OFFSIDECopa America: Argentina are favorites, but Scaloni’s future is worrying
When Argentina won Copa America in 2021, it was significant for many reasons. To begin with, it was the end of their 28-year drought without a major trophy. It was also Messi’s first ever major title with the senior national team, thus generating a new relationship and sense of trust and belief with national team fans, notably after losing two prior Copa America finals against Chile in 2015 and 2016.
Most importantly, however, it was also manager Lionel Scaloni’s first commemorative chapter since he took on the role of rebirthing La Albiceleste in 2018, a move that was questioned by many, including Diego Maradona. After coming third in the 2019 tournament, there was an even bigger call to fire Scaloni, but the federation stuck with him. Two years later, they were champions, and as we look ahead to next summer’s Copa America edition, Argentina will enter it as World Cup champions and the best team in the world.
Scaloni has been completely vindicated and once again, his team will arrive in the U.S next summer as the undoubted favorites. This could also have a poetic narrative as this might just be Messi’s final one. The group (Peru, Chile and Canada or Trinidad and Tobago) is relatively easy for them, and the bracket’s format points to the fact that — if everything goes to plan — they wouldn’t even have to face Brazil or Uruguay in the final, which consequently is in Miami — Messi’s home and a cultural haven for Argentinians in the U.S.
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Scaloni says he’s still considering his future with Argentina ahead of the Copa America
Lionel Scaloni talks about his future as Argentina manager and looks ahead to the 2024 Copa America.
But at this point, Argentina doesn’t even know if Scaloni will be there. After last month’s win against Brazil in World Cup qualifiers, the 45-year-old manager added doubt in the postgame presser. “Argentina needs a coach who has all the energy possible and who is well,” he said. “I have a lot of things to think about during this time.”
Then, on Thursday night after the draw, he once again stated an air of uncertainty to Tyc Sports. “I am here because I am still the coach, but I’m still thinking about my decision. I said after the Brazil game that it is a moment to think and I am still in that instance. I am calmly thinking, how everything goes, whether to restart or what,” said Scaloni.
This has to be rectified sooner rather than later because the last thing Argentin want is to enter this competition with little time to prepare. Yes, they are a formidable force, but what’s made them so electric is twofold: the talent and Scaloni’s management. It’s obviously a monumental task that comes with so much pressure, that’s why Scaloni keeps referring to “energy,” because to be Argentina’s head coach means to deal with an avalanche of expectation as well as earning the trust of the greatest player the game has ever seen.
When it comes to sexism: Don’t give this any attention, just keep rising
I read an outstandingly good quote from Taylor Swift recently, as she commented on haters and those who have criticized her throughout the years. “There’s no point in actively trying to quote-unquote defeat your enemies,” said the music icon to Time magazine, as she was named 2023 Person of the Year. “Trash takes itself out every single time.”
This line should be echoed by all of us, including supporters of women’s football. I mention this because of the words from Joey Bartom, a controversial former player and manager who recently came out with one of the most misogynistic comments I’ve read in a while.
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Since then, he has doubled and tripled down, including an appearance on “Piers Morgan Uncensored,” to defend his laughable point. “You have to be there on merit, not to fit this woke agenda that is going on in society,” he said, when discussing female pundits in men’s football and going as far as comparing them to him talking about “knitting.” “You don’t have to have played the game, a lot of managers haven’t, a lot of commentators haven’t. But they’ve earned the right with hard work over a prolonged period of time to get into that space.”
Barton was saying this as images of Alex Scott MBE (Champions League, WSL, FA Cup champion, World Cup runner-up and 140 appearances for England), Karen Carney (four World Cups, four Euros, third-most appearances for England) and Eniola Aluko (Serie A, WSL champion, former sporting director) appeared on the screen.
What makes this type of person so angry at seeing a woman in the men’s game? I’ll tell you the answer: it’s jealousy. It’s fear. It’s ignorance. And sadly, women in football will never stop fighting this battle. Barton represents millions of others who think like this, not because it has any merit, but because the merit lies in their anger, it justifies their agenda. It has nothing to do with “wokeness.”
I can only imagine how devastating it must be for women all over the globe reading and seeing comments such as Barton’s and having to fight 10 times harder than men for their quality to be recognized, never mind accepted. And I’m not even talking about the football industry anymore.
So in general, there are a few ways we all can react to Barton’s comments. One of them is anger; another is frustration. While understandable, it seems like nothing will change Barton’s mind, so in the end, I think the best strategy is self-preservation. Ignorance can’t be reversed unless the person committing the act is willing to change, and this is not the case here, so comments like Barton’s need to be combated with a collective desire to grow. Collective is the operative word here, and as the fight continues, remember the words of Taylor Swift: In the end, trash takes itself out.
Final word
Congrats to Lionel Messi for winning Time magazine’s Athlete of the Year, becoming the first male soccer player to win the award. I was lucky enough to cover his arrival to South Florida, which included a one-on-one with the man himself, and this isn’t hyperbole: The summer completely changed the cultural landscape of sports in America.
In fact, the shift of sporting attention in the country is fast gearing towards soccer and Messi’s role with Inter Miami and MLS plays the biggest factor. With competitions such as Copa America, Club World Cup and the World Cup in 2026, the train keeps moving and La Pulga acts as conductor.
Lionel Messi is TIME’s 2023 Athlete of the Year https://t.co/qPR75Hgt6f pic.twitter.com/EXqxl08lZN
— TIME (@TIME) December 5, 2023
Source link : https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/39063703/usmnt-biggest-hurdle-copa-america-players-watch-mls-cup
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Publish date : 2023-12-08 03:00:00
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