Re: De Jong injury to Ben Arfa
From the Times. Interesting perspective.
Nigel de Jong typifies an ugly victory
Manchester City 2 Newcastle United 1
The left foot extended to claim the ball, the right met his opponent’s body as the men connected and tumbled together in a brutal clinch, the victim’s left leg buckling and twisting in an S-shape as he fell.
No one complained too much, even as one of the most exciting prospects in English football covered his face in agony and was carried off on a stretcher.
Nigel de Jong timed his tackle as well as he could have wanted; there was no malicious intent. In short, Hatem Ben Arfa’s broken leg was a terrible misfortune.
De Jong’s was not what would typically be termed a two-footed challenge, but his two feet made contact with Ben Arfa all the same, the trailing leg doing the damage. Near the halfway line, amid a cluster of players, De Jong launched himself horizontally, feet first. Great technique — for the luge.
That Martin Atkinson did not even award a free kick should not be given much significance such was the referee’s performance. Yet after introducing his studs to Xabi Alonso’s chest in the World Cup final, for which he somehow escaped a red card, De Jong has a reputation.
Perhaps that is what he wants. This was an alert bulletin sent in the third minute of the match: I’m Nigel de Jong: disruptor, enforcer, reducer. Don’t want to hurt you; don’t mind scaring you, though.
Twelve yellow cards last season and two this; all we need is for him to flounce out of the Holland training camp this week and be pictured walking his dog, then we can officially crown him the new Roy Keane.
The City of Manchester Stadium’s pitch yesterday was as wet as a Welsh golf course. Rain poisons golf tournaments but empowers football matches, adding a febrile intensity, a gladiatorial attrition.
Roberto Mancini, the Manchester City manager, is not yet convinced that Adam Johnson merits a starting job; he must be in a minority of one. The winger, who scored against Juventus in the Europa League on Thursday, came on as a late substitute, scored a captivating winner and was, pointedly, named man of the match.
Brian Kidd, the City assistant manager, gave the post-game press conference because Mancini left straight after the match to visit his father in Italy, who has been unwell. Kidd was delighted that City had emerged victors of a close contest.
“That sums up for me what the Premiership’s about,” he said. “You’ve got to be able to play, you’ve got to be able to fight, dig results out, win ugly.”
When City win ugly, it is because they have chosen to hide their good looks. Mancini had started with just the three holding midfield players at home to a newly promoted team. Chasing victory with the scores level inside the final 20 minutes, he replaced two with forwards and City were unfettered.
It was like seeing George Graham-era Arsenal enter a telephone box, rip off their outer clothes and reveal their secret identity as a side modelled on the attacking philosophy of Arsène Wenger.
City took the lead after Mike Williamson tackled Carlos Tévez from behind when he ran clear on goal, Atkinson awarding a penalty even though the challenge was slightly outside the area.
“I’m sure I got the ball — even Tévez said afterwards that it was not a penalty,” Williamson said. It was still a risky move by the defender, although he only received a yellow card — a sure sign of an official diffidently fudging a decision. The incident merited a red card or nothing.
Tévez scored, but five minutes later, Jonás Gutiérrez slammed in an equaliser. Newcastle United were admirably spirited, City undercooked apart from the indefatigable Tévez.
“They had more possession but they didn’t trouble us as much as their possession should have done and a draw would have been a fair result,” Chris Hughton, the Newcastle United manager, said. It was hard to disagree.
However, with 15 minutes to go, Johnson tricked his way past two opponents, cut inside from the right and spanked a low shot into the far corner. Two minutes later, Joleon Lescott’s clumsy attempt to win the ball from Shola Ameobi felled the Newcastle striker, but Atkinson curiously failed to give another spot-kick.
England and City fans will be thankful that De Jong and Johnson are on the same team. If the winger’s cameo highlighted his development, the match, and the support for De Jong from pundits such as Kevin Keegan, reminded us that the English game needs to mature. Two-and-a-half years after Eduardo da Silva’s broken leg, English football remains at a point where intent is afforded more importance than consequence; where the bloodthirsty is as crowd-rousing as the beautiful.
