Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote “Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all”. Spanish fans echoed similar sentiments following their recent 1-0 loss to England in an international friendly. It was a brave defensive display by England’s somewhat makeshift lineup missing the likes of Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, Jack Wilshere and Ashley Young. When you read that list of absentees, the lack of potency in England’s attack becomes clear. But Capello clearly played to the strengths of the personnel available. They were compact, stubborn, and very disciplined against the Spanish world beaters who were predictably dominant in possession but lacked real creativity in the final third. England got their chance and took it resulting in a somewhat surprising win.

International breaks have been largely uninspiring and, though this match will quickly fade from memory, it has sparked considerable debate. Many in the English and Spanish press have greatly criticized Capello’s tactics as being ultra conservative and unadventurous. Certain Spanish pundits proudly stood behind their squad stating ‘we would rather play beautiful football and lose, than play as defensively as England did and win’. Make no mistake. This was a friendly. But there was no shortage of reaction. The debate has become philosophical in nature.

Who defines what is ‘football’? Perhaps the Spanish are the current writers of history as they are the most recent victors on the world and European stages. Therefore, Spain and Barcelona’s slick passing, intricate, possession based style rules the day. Though I would argue that Barcelona’s defensive tenacity from top to bottom is their biggest difference maker.

I often hear pundits use the phrase ‘they’re a good footballing side’. Of course, I understand their opinion. They are referring to teams that keep the ball on the floor and try to pass their way through opponents using technical ability. But that phrase has always struck me as a strange one. For example, every team in the Premier League has earned the right to play at that level regardless of their style. Each team takes to that green pitch and plays on the same stage. The manager uses the tools at his disposal and comes up with a strategy to beat the opposition. If Barcelona’s personnel were not so technically gifted, they would play a different way.

Is it not the diversity of footballing styles that makes the game so interesting? If every team played the same way, would it not become predictable? Fortunately teams are made up of individuals with differing talents based on physique, training, footballing background and culture. I think that is one of the reasons why the Barclays Premier League is so attractive to viewers. There are so many different styles of play. Even recent Premier League history is filled with successful teams of differing styles: the free flowing attack of Arsenal’s Invincibles, the impregnable rock that was Mourinho’s Chelsea, the counter-attacking dominance of Ferguson’s Man United with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Many people would like to see Barcelona play at Stoke City’s Britannia on a cold, wet Tuesday night… well except for Stoke. Though this is often said in jest, it speaks to the curiosity of viewers and pundits in the clashing of styles, environments, and cultures within the game. So I do not reject the ‘Lord Tennyson’ view of football as it is an opinion. But for me, it is the differing philosophies that make the game great.

I invite you to share your opinions on some of your favorite teams of the past and their unique footballing philosophies.

“Y gem brydferth” — that’s Welsh for the beautiful game. Now I don’t know how many of Swansea’s players can speak their native tongue, but their fluency in the language of football was evident for all to see at Anfield this past Saturday. Approximately 650,000 people on earth speak Welsh (of which approximately 25,000 hail from the Chubut Province in Argentina, go figure). I would hazard a guess and say that far fewer than that can play football like the Swans of South Wales.

In the beginning of the season we saw glimpses of their easy-on-the-eye football, but they suffered a few lessons of humility on the road to some of the country’s best sides. They struggled to convert superior possession into goals. Once Danny Graham started finding the net, the pressure had eased somewhat. But even though they were seemingly turning a corner, doubts were still there. It was not so much the lack of goals as the primary criticism. Complaints were more heavily directed at Swansea’s conservatism around the half way line as they were often content to pass the ball backwards and sideways instead of taking risks with more threatening passes into the opposition’s final third.

At Anfield, commentators were slinging these same accusations in the early stages of the first half, before Swansea started to turn on the style and what transpired was a breathtaking display. Ironically, the game finished 0-0. But this was a classic example of the game’s potential to awe the spectator watching as the game unfolds, enjoying the build-up as it is often the events leading up to goals that involve the most magic rather than the goals themselves. This was not a vintage display from Dalglish’s Reds, but they still had opportunities to win the match. I doubt the Kop would have begrudged Swansea coming away with all three points as they were arguably the better side. It is rare for any team to come to Anfield and give them such a game, particularly a recently promoted side.

5’6”…..5’5”…..5’6”…..and 5’7”

These are the heights of the Swans’ midfielders Joe Allen, Nathan Dyer, Leon Britton, and Wayne Routledge respectively. But their speed was something to behold, and it caused real problems for Liverpool’s midfield. This was not only evident in attack but defensively as well. At moments it was like watching ‘Children of the Corn’ on the pitch: these little spritely figures darting around nicking red pockets.

A couple of times Luis Suarez dropped deep to pick up the ball only to be dispossessed by diminutive midfielders with far superior quickness. That is saying something because we all know how adept Suarez can be with ball at his feet. They applied considerable pressure when they did not have possession and passed the ball with Catalan ease. Swansea may not have scored on Saturday, but I believe they are getting closer to being a true threat in the Premier League. But unlike the swashbuckling football of Blackpool last season, Swansea have patience which will lead to fewer mistakes. An interesting statistic is the fact that Swansea have the best defensive record at home in the Premier League. They have only conceded one goal at home (and that was an own goal by Danny Graham). If the opposition can’t get the ball off you, they can’t score.

Long live the Welsh Barcelona! And perhaps the leaky defenses near the top of the table should take a leaf out of the Swansea playbook?

“You know what you are.

You know what you are, Anton Ferdinand.

You know what you are.”

Those were the chants from a section of Chelsea fans in Genk during Tuesday night’s Champions League clash. Tell me it ain’t so. Someone wake me up. I just plunged into football apartheid. Okay, maybe that’s taking it a step too far, but honestly I was naive enough to think this sort of mentality was history in British sport on this sort of scale. I’ve sometimes counted my blessings that my Eastern European linguistics have let me down when the likes of Emile Heskey have ventured beyond the Iron Curtain. But this was loud and clear in surround-sound English. I could not ignore it. In some ways I found it more disturbing than the incident at Loftus Road between John Terry and Anton Ferdinand. I suppose the mob is always more intimidating than the individual. My use of the term ‘mob’ has likely conjured up some frightening images given the context at hand. After all, if the poison comes from a single person, the public can more easily disassociate itself, even if it is a famous figure. But when it is cast by a larger group surely it starts to raise more questions at the societal level. Football truly reaches deep within the fan. Sometimes it brings people together with feelings of pure joy and common cause…..and on some occasions it tears people away from decent human behavior.

But perhaps we are taking the fans out of context like Terry himself. John Terry’s alleged comments to Anton Ferdinand, regardless of the outcome of the pending investigations by the FA and police, will have a damning affect on the image of the English game. I have no doubt the league will recover, but I have a feeling the FA is going to send a harsh message to any parties found guilty of racial abuse and rightfully so. I do not see ‘context’ as being a valid defense, unless it was a game of ‘Simon Says’. The FA did not take kindly to Wayne Rooney’s ‘f word’ outburst last season at Upton Park giving him a two match ban. The context of his actions was that of emotional release after months of on-field frustration and off-field scrutiny. Surely, we can understand the poor guy is just showing his own form of passion?Wrong! Some things cannot go unpunished.

Is it any wonder that some top tier footballers develop a god-complex? They are constantly being handled like deities. Their agents issue their words. Their managers either see no evil or make apologies on their behalf. Even their fans blindly support them as John Terry fans did in Genk. Something tells me these same fans were not slagging off Anton Ferdinand at the water cooler in their office on Wednesday morning, but maybe my naivety catches up with me again.

It appears to me that football’s tribalism has yet again reared its ugly head. This is a time to put tribalism aside and kick racism out of the game. After all, it is the beautiful game we crave the most….in all its shapes and colors.

First, this derby proved to be the 2nd one-sided derby we’ve seen after the 6-0 humiliation in 2000/01 serie A season, surely both matches was won by the red & black AC Milan. Second, this derby was so important for both Inter and AC Milan, as the two sides wanted to win this match for not making their Serie A campaign a huge disappointment (I will return to discuss this point later).  Last but not least, Inter is dominating serie A for the 2nd season and destined to win their 3rd title in a row; moreover, an Inter win last sunday was going to break Berlusconi’s heart as Milan has not lost 3 consecutive derbies against Inter in Beslusconi’s era. And eventually, and unfortunately for many people, AC Milan just like Italy voters, didn’t want to disappoint Berlusconi. Forza Italia.

Destiny is Milanese. Milanese here refers to the whole city of Milano interests. How? An Inter win would have killed AC Milan hopes of a Champions League spot next season; however, if Inter lost this derby they will still retain the title as the Nerazzuri will still have their destiny in their own hands, and it only needs a miracle for this not to happen ( also AS Roma is not Juventus, so miracles are far from happening. Ask Moggi if you don’t believe). So, this derby win for Milan will give them the 4th place in the table, but will not affect Inter hopes of winning silverware this season too, as winning at home against Siena next round and in front of more than 80,000 Interiste in the Meazza, will not be a huge task. Also, Inter fans will like it more against a Black & White stripes (refering to Siena’s kits)  for the 2nd consecutive season, as Juventues and Udinese (Black & White stripes also) are the only teams Inter couldn’t defeat this campaign. So God’s will didn’t want to make half of the Milano city miserable and the other half full of joy. This is fair. And DESTINY is MILANESE.

Digging deeply into the match now, lets discuss the lineups of the teams.

Ancelotti fielded the strongest team, as he made it clear he wants the 3 points at all costs. Although looking at Milan’s startup would make us think this is a defensive Milan, as Pirlo, Gattuso and Ambrosini are all defensive midfielders with a little of creativity in Pirlo legs. Also fielding Kaka as 2 nd striker alongside  Pippo and not as a playmaker behind 2 strikers proves to be a defensive approach from Carletto. But hey, Kaka and Inzaghi scored 14 goals in the last 4 games for Milan. So, yes AC Milan wanted to win at all costs. What Mancini did?

Everyone who looked at Inter’s starting 11 for the derby, just looked and said Why? Yes, Mancini always surprises us with his formations, but this one was like Inter was telling Milan: “Come rape me please”. A defensive couple (Matrix and Rivas) who didn’t play together one whole match this season, with both having a poor campaign too was really a dangerous thing to do. In front of the this weak defensive wall, Mancini fielded 3 defensive midfielders alongside each other (Vieira, Cambiasso, Zanetti) with a defensive midfielder in front of them (Maniche). The 4 players are aggressive, strong and ill-talented. This was not enough for Mr. Mancio, as Crespo and Cruz were his strikers for the show. So this was the picture: A defensive wall of plastic, a midfield square that cant cant pass the ball beyond its vertices, and an offensive partnership that was meant to be isolated. So as a result, Inter lost the match before it starts.

To the match details: The 1st half was somehow even, as AC Milan was trying to impose their game, creating 2 or 3 opportunities in front of goal, thanks to Julio Cesar it ended 0-0. We all thought Mancini knew it, and he will try to alter this handicapped team with one substitution or two. No, Mancini wanted unusually to stick to his decision. In the 2nd half, Milan just did what they were supposed to do: 10 mins in the 2nd half, Milan 2 Inter 0. For sure, we also want to give credit to Milan, they really proved they wanted to win it. Here, Mancini ate his words again: 2 substitutions in 10 mins, Balotelli for Maniche, and Maxwell for Rivas. Mancini wanted to tell us, “this was supposed to be my starting lineup, but Grandma dreamt Maniche will score”. OK Mancini you broke our hearts. Inter then started to dominate, with Suazo taking the place of poor Crespo, Inter pushed on the Milan’s defensive wall, gaining couple of near free kicks, and scoring in one of them. But Milan stood and kept their lead.

This was the weirdest games of all. Inter, or Mancini’s Inter, didn’t want to win. This turned to be a fact after Mancini’s post conference: “Today we lost, but nothing has changed… I always thought it would be next Sunday against Siena.” I would fire him for just saying those last words. Please Mancini, on the scale of humans, be a good coach and then start building a Prophet career.

All things said now, this serie A season is almost over: Inter will win the title. Roma, Juve and Milan will play in the Champions League. Fiorentina will give it another shot in the UEFA Cup next season. And I believe only one coach of the above mentioned teams will go home: Roberto Mancini. It is clear like a summer’s sun now, and by looking at Moratti’s face after the loss, Mourinho is coming. This will be a happy ending for all people who wants a man of his word at Inter’s Bench.