Wednesday 17 December 2008

Football Feature: Reflections

What would Christmas time be without football?!

Having grown up in Germany where football takes time out over Christmas and New Year since the 1986/87 season (yes, it’s true!!!), I know there are actually places where they celebrate the holidays without a single game! 

Thank god my parents have Sky Plus! I could not even try to imagine what Boxing Day and the New Year would be without the main meals and matches of the season! It is the most decisive period of the season! Whoever ends up top of the Christmas tree/table and has a happy New Year ends up the happiest end of the season, too, nine times out of ten!

When the Germans blow their final whistles of the year, the English season just kicks off to its peak time with big - if not the biggest and most decisive - matches like title defenders Man Utd against contenders Chelsea (11/01/2009) and Arsenal versus top-of-the-table Liverpool (21/12/2008, can’t wait!). 

Other juicy delights from the current top seven: Seventh place Everton against second Chelsea who keep the chase close at the top with only one point separating them from top Liverpool at the moment (22/12/2008); Champions League place face-off between Aston Villa and low-in-form Arsenal (26/12/2008); high flyers Hull against Aston Villa who want to consolidate their chances of competing in Europe next season (30/12/2008).

These amongst many other fixtures may, and most probably will as always, prove the most decisive of the season – at the top and bottom of the table.

As a Liverpool fan, I obviously have the Reds on my Christmas and New Year wish list for glory and as champions, but apart from that, I wish all teams and fans a juicy, festive and happy Christmas and New Year! Christmas and football forever!

(image taken from lakenheath old boys blog)

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