By Paul FredericksonMy local team, Brisbane Roar, returned to form with a 2-nil away win against the ladder topping Central Coast Mariners. Aston Villa meanwhile lose to Newcastle as is their want in recent seasons. Fully fired up from watching today's fantastic Superbowl here is this weekend's good, the bad and the downright ugly.
THE GOOD
Arsenal were lambasted at the start of the season when they were obliterated by Manchester United 8-2, since that time Arsenal have recovered to be on the verge of making the UEFA Champions League play-offs. The recovery has been highlighted by the weekend's sensational 7-1 against Blackburn, a team that only weeks ago beat Manchester 2-1 at Old Trafford. In Wenger we trust may all Arsenal fans say.
THE BAD
Rangers were arguably one of biggest clubs in terms of attendances, results and finances in the 1980's and early 90's. In a relatively short period of term one half of the Glasgow duopoly faces football obscurity. The size of their current debts have been speculated to be between $70-100 million dollars, this could expand even further when the results of an investigation by Scotland's taxation department, HM Revenue and Customs, concludes. The Scottish giants could receive a fine, immediately payable, of $30 to $40 million dollars. Whilst the debt would seem relatively small compared to what other European clubs have accrued, the debt is very large in the Scottish game where revenue streams are decreasing rapidly. The debt coupled with the meek surrendering of an 11 point early season league lead has the blue half of Glasgow very worried.
THE DOWNRIGHT UGLY
People should never go to a football match and not return home safely. Whilst the tragedy in Egypt did not occur over the weekend it had to be mentioned in this article. Approximately 74 people were killed and thousands injured after a game between the home team Al-Masri who beat the visiting Cairo team Al-Ahly 3-1. Security were amongst those killed, with many cameras as well as State television capturing the hours of madness in and outside the stadium. This was not football violence but the culmination of vast political disruptions, violence and dissent.The Muslim Brotherhood, which is one of Egypt’s biggest political parties, have since accused Mubarak supporters of instigating the violence. The football did not cause the violence, the violence was political in nature and the game was the powder keg used as the excuse to let it destroy people's lives irrevocably. As mentioned earlier, no one should go to a game of football and not come home.
**Please be aware that the following video does contain disturbing scenes of violence. Please consider before viewing the content**
What are your thoughts? What was your weekend's the good, the bad and the downright ugly?
