A certain Italian Galileo by name made a contraption that
swings this way and that way in order to tell the time. That machine was named
the pendulum; oscillating hence and thence on a never ending mission. What inspired
Galileo though was not gravity or some other story you might have heard, it was
his dream of a football match that swung this way and that that inspired him to
make such a device. Today, the EPL season of the 2011/2012 proves in the end
that the pendulum learnt a thing or two from the beautiful game.
The EPL has been touted by its promoters as the greatest
show on earth. Sometimes it does not offer much sound football that some really
savvy spectators might revel in but make no mistake; it never fails to thrill
with excitement. Every season, twenty teams compete for the trophy where every
match in the 380 game series is a contest for three points. Some teams do not
chase just the three points though, they chase the ultimate prize: the league
title. Failure to pick up three points means losing and losing means dropping
on the standings. The least three placed teams are considered not good enough
to remain in that division and must drop out of it. The just concluded EPL
season was no different but had an even more thrilling conclusion.
Two teams chased themselves all the way at the top until
one of them by the stroke of providence, added on time, purchasing power, luck
or fate or whichever theory you choose to subscribe to were crowned champions
of the Barclays English Premiership. That team was Manchester City.
But the tale would not be complete without my failing to
tell you that Manchester City did not run away without challenge. They had champions
Manchester United breathing down their necks for a greater part of the campaign
and then at some point, Manchester City or City for short faltered. United took
over the league’s leadership and nearly every analyst in the world, this writer
no different predicted it would end this way. We were not correct as we
sometimes painfully are not.
The momentum swung again this time to City as United
failed uncharacteristically to get past struggling Wigan Athletic and even lost
to them in April. Even then, we remained doubting Thomases as to the oscillating
season. United then entertained Everton
at Old Trafford and led 4:2 with eight minutes left to play. Some way or the
other Moyes’ men found a way to end the game at four all. This meant United had
only three points between them and City with a potential league decider to be
played on April 30 at the Etihad nee City of Manchester Stadium.
Vincent Kompany’s headed goal from a David Silva’s well
taken corner gave City the lead and put them on top but only by reason of superior
goals difference. It could still swing either way. City-United, City-United,
City-United, City-United…. Everyone who likes football waited and watched
impatiently at this pendulum of a title chase. City won at Newcastle and United
also beat Swansea at home thus pushing the decider to the last day of the
season with no one sure of which way it would tilt. At this point I had voted
City and many others too. At the start of the week, Sir Alex began his mind
games trying very hard to motivate Mark Hughes who leads Queens Park Rangers to
get one over his former employers and thereby hand the Scot a thirteenth star. City
was to play QPR who needed at least a point to escape the drop while United
were to visit Sunderland. Which way was it to end: City-United, City-United?
City would have none of it. They got one through Zabaleta
and looked in control while United led at Sunderland. With the results that
way, City would clinch their first league title in 44 years. Out of the blue
though, QPR scored twice and City were destined to lose as the game approached
its end. No one saw City scoring the two goals they needed to upturn the tie
again. Everywhere, people reluctantly or joyfully congratulated United fans and
Sir Alex but it was a premature congratulation as we have come to learn in this
sport that it is not over until the fat lady cries. Centre ref: Mr. Mike Dean
thought it wise to allow game an additional five minutes as injury time to make
up for the sending off of Joey Barton.
Even now, the two-horse race looked very like United was
going to escape with it but then £27m Edin Dzeko scored an equalizer
that paid his transfer figure before Argentine Kun Aguero got the winner just
in time probably justifying his £38m transfer from Athletico Madrid. It
is one of the most memorable comebacks in the modern game. More importantly, it
left City the winner of the season as the clock chimed O’clock with the
pendulum on City’s side of the swing.
Roberto Mancini cannot attribute this victory solely to
his tactical genius. Nor does he owe it to the celestial stars in the heavens
that make him Jupiter’s son in Sagittarius. He must look at the stars on the
pitch that dug in and held firm till his side finished champions. And for Manchester
United? Sir Alex had described City as the noisy neigbours at the start of the
season. His failure to silence them on two occasions this term has allowed their
noise to grow into a deafening cacophony.
Many a time, champions have risen and champions have
fallen. Respect must be accorded to champions who remain in contention yearly
and Manchester United has remained such a team. Sir Alex duly acknowledged City
and recognized that they deserved it. For us fans, followers and analysts, it
was a most memorable season that saw two horses run neck and neck till the very
end but one had to win it when the pendulum swung in its favour for one can speculate
now that given another maybe two matches, it just might swing again the other way.
Football is sport like no other that even the pendulum
watched and learnt a thing or two before imitating it.
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