Standstill
Another great season was unfolding before our very eyes. 2019 had ended with a bang and the year ahead had promised us the fans some thrillers that would have gone down in history. March started and Liverpool’s lead was remarkably staggering. Jordan Henderson was just returning from his injury and the final lap would have the team’s most consistent in the anchor leg. Momentum had been broken at Watford, Chelsea made matters worse in the FA Cup and Athletico Madrid rubbed salt in their wound at Anfield. It was supposed to be the ultimate bounceback. Victory in the Merseyside Derby would put them within touching distance. Now the excruciating wait continues especially for Liverpool as they’ve waited 30 years for this moment.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Norwich would be dying for things to resume. They got off to a blistering start and since then, have gradually returned to where we were expecting them to be. Top scorer Timo Pukki’s goals have dried up and since securing Euro 2020 qualification for Finland, he hasn’t done much. The last few games would be an opportunity to rediscover that form shown at the beginning of the season. The likes of Aston Villa and Bournemouth will also be salivating as the latter would think they don’t belong there and Villa are bound to lose their key man in Grealish should they get relegated.
Arsenal and Spurs were in unfamiliar territory as Mourinho’s mindgames are now solely between him an his players. Arteta’s diagnosis may have been a blessing in disguise as Arsenal is still lacking direction. Strange but true, Sheffield and Wolves are deservedly in the Europa League spots.
Should the league end today would we be satisfied? The leaders and champions-elect have already amassed more points than several previous champs. The valiant has definitely fallen and we were on the cusps of a new heir. As the rocks which once held him firm on his pedestal now crumble, Pep Guardiola too should be appreciative of this breather. He’s now in a maze as nothing around him makes sense anymore. The institution he built to reflect his image is now being dragged through the ugly gutters of corruption and fraud. We wonder if he’ll be there when the smoke clears, but like the rolling cloud left after the storm we can expect the huge repercussions. Victory over Real Madrid in Spain would have pumped hope into his season. “I might not need to stick around if I do it this year”, he’d be thinking but it was not to be. If and when there’s a resumption, Real would’ve gotten back some of their stars from injury and what was previously an advantage would now be a level playing field.
Manchester United earned themselves a true gem and having captured the Player of the Month award for February we anxiously anticipated what he had coming next. They had turned a corner and would be even more motivated as Lampard tried to contain the Chelsea’s toddlers. The final UCL spot was on the horizon and the boat closest was on the brink of capsizing. Had Olé finally proved his doubters wrong? Was he really the man needed at the wheel?
A season of football stopped in its tracks. Millions left unanswered and fans left wanting. Summer switched with Spring and a gap waiting to be filled. What could have been? What would have been? Questions that will loom on lips across all cardinal points for decades ahead. Stories will be told and literature would have made intricate notes of 2020. The year football went on standstill with the rest of the world.
Comments
Your post got me thinking that perhaps authorities should reschedule the transfer window taking into account the fact that the season will likely continue in summer. I mean it would be quite weird if players will switch teams during the most important stages of the season, right?