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Nov
2007
A Splash of Liquid Football
By Dina Ely
When it comes to good soccer, Alan Partridge said it best: “This is liquid football!”
The concept coalesced in fine form on Saturday as Portsmouth took on Newcastle, ripping apart Newcastle’s stellar home record and propelling themselves to the fourth spot on the Barclay’s Premier League ladder.
For Newcastle, it was like reveling in a saucy dream and suddenly waking to a bucketful of cold water upside the head. Within the first eleven minutes Portsmouth—that very bucket of water—smacked three goals into the Newcastle net and gave the Magpies a rude awakening. It’s a salient lesson about letting your guard down because the home advantage has worked in your favor. The home field advantage is a phenomenon but it’s never, ever a rule.
More than 50,000 Newcastle fans watched in dismay as Portsmouth’s tidal wave rushed on, but the visitors weren’t content to simply take the home team down by three goals. They apparently needed a go at the opposite end and in the 15^th minute, caught up in the downpour, Sol Campbell had a crack at his own goal.
Newcastle up one, thanks to Portsmouth’s bucket of uncontrollable liquid football.
It seemed as though the score was set for the rest of the match, until Portsmouth squeezed out one final drop in the 71^st minute. 4-1 was how it ended, with a bedraggled Newcastle side booed off the pitch by their own fans. All of the goals were scored by Portsmouth players.
If Portsmouth can control their torrent they will retain a decent and well-earned shot at the top half of the EPL table. Newcastle, on the other hand, must have a long hard think about their attitude and their defense, and hope their standing doesn’t slip far beneath the 10^th spot they currently occupy.
And they might invest in some raincoats just in case liquid football comes their way again.
Dina Ely is a journalist, blogger, poet, and author of short fiction.
Readers can contact her at dely723@yahoo.com
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