Henry is NO SAINT!!

My comp has been out of sorts for quite a while now, despite my best efforts and so I have not been able to blog about the World Cup. I sincerely apologize to all those football fans who have been reading blog regularly (quite a few though). Now this is not why I am sitting in my friend’s place desperate to get a blog in.

This world cup has been unlucky and cruel for me. More cruel than the last edition.

Many people suppose that I am a biased England fan. I am an England fan alright. But I am not all that biased. I have supported England and Argentina since I started watching football in the early 90’s (even before I started watching cricket). But watching them go out on penalties, yet again, was too much for me to take.

First, Argentina. Argentina held back for most of the game and even though Germany equalized I had confidence that Argentina will score the winner before the old argentinian fear of penalty shootouts can strike. My man Juan Roman was taken off and Messi dint come in. I realized it might be a costly error by Pekerman. And painfully costly it was. Franco was no match for Lehmann. Lehmann justified his selection ahead of Kahn and made himself the hero for Germany. End of the World cup for Argentina and my heart broke. Once again. Silent agony for me while Germany celebrated on screen. In the heat of the moment, I blamed Lady luck in the heat of the moment, but it was Pekerman’s strange substitutions that did us in.

Before the start of the world cup, I really believed in England and was sure that it will go atleast till the semis. My confidence started wearing off after England’s Wc begun. Instead of waiting confidently for an awesome English goal, I was waiting in dread. In each of England’s 5 games, I was desperately hoping that England shoudnt lose, instead of being sure of a thumping England win.

And in the quarterfinal, What shouldn’t hav happened , happened. Rooney was sent off for pushing Ronaldo, angered by Ronaldo’s attempts at trying to send him off. I seethed in rage when Rooney saw red. I accept Rooney was wrong to push Ronaldo, but a straight red was too much. After that incident, my hopes of an English win began diminishing at am alarming rate. The familiar foreboding began to grasp hold of me. England has a woeful record in penalties and they proved it once again. Lamps, Carra and Gerrard lost it and Ricardo was the hero. My whole world came crashing down. Last night was cruel. Tonight…. I really translate my pain into words. Two successive heart breaks for me.

Lets leave it at that.

But this is not why I am blogging now. I want to talk about cheating. I want to talk about France.

Italy’s undeserved win over Australia was disgraceful enough. But for Henry to indulge in such lowly behaviour was truly pathetic.

I was really instigated when I heard people blasting Ronaldo and dint utter a word about Henry. I wholeheartedly agree Ronaldo’s a cheater. He deserves much of the criticism leveled at him. But people are ignoring Henry’s cheap antics. Strangely.

I realized most were Arsenal or French fans, ManU haters and Ronaldo haters.

Ronaldo is a cheat obviously. But why nobody's talking bout Henry? Henry's playacting is more serious, simply because he won a penalty in the WC semis, while Ronaldo has been unsuccessful in his attempts (well.. trying to send Rooney off qualifies to a certain extent as morally wrong behavior). But HENRY!! He may be the greatest forward, but he is not the saint that biased Arsenal and French fans claim to be. He dint show much of this playacting attitude for Arsenal and I almost believed he was a saint. I am a big fan of his ball skills and pace. The only thing I dint like about him was that he was a gunner. But I really dint expect such unpardonable tactics from him. I guess he is desperate to advance in this WC (even though his contribution to his team’s progress has been a bare minimum) as the stakes are high. Getting a penalty, in the World cup semis, a match where France dint dominate and had very few shots on goal, is a total disgrace to football. And it is not the first time and certainly not an isolated incident. In the Spain match, when Puyol spanked him in the chest, Henry went down clutching his head. Henry clutched his head once again in the Brazil match, when there was absolutely NO CONTACT!!! And it was a matter of time before his playacting attempts fetched him an Oscar, in the form of a Penalty. And his efforts paid off yesterday against Portugal.

Being Zizou’s team mate and a famous ambassador of the stylish French game, Henry should not indulge in such lowly behaviour. Many “experts” say that it was a penalty. It is most certainly not!!

Carvalho’s tackle was unintentional and his touch on Henry was ever so light. And Henry went down like a house of cards. The referee should have considered the seriousness of being in a World Cup semifinal, before pointing to the penalty spot. But it was not to be Portugal’s day. The penalty was converted by Zizou, obviously!!! Zizou is God, he is calm under pressure.

Portugal’s equalizing efforts were in vain after that. It was not Portugal’s day. I am not saying Portugal is unlucky because their shots dint go in. They lacked the cutting edge in front of goal. I am saying Portugal’s unlucky because it was NOT a penalty!!

The bottom-line of this blog is..

Henry is NO SAINT!!! This is for all you biased Arsenal and French fans.

Dive Henry Dive. But he has got competition in the final. Italians are a class act, literally, in playacting.

Coming to the final, I think I have decided on who I should be supporting. Better France than Italy is my line of thinking.

I want France to win it, despite my loathing of Henry’s diving and my general dislike of France. One Reason!!! Zizou!! I love him. I hoped he would have a bad tournament and France would be sent packing. But unfortunately, Zizou has reminded the world that he is still the KING. I would be glad if France wins it, only because of him. Zizou can bid adieu in style.