Weekend Football Round-up: Wayne wows Wembley and Rafa winds up Sam

Premier League / Ralph Ellis / 01 March 2010 / Leave a Comment

Rafael Benitez says Barcelona are students of the Allardyce school

"I believe Barcelona are thinking about copying Allardyce's this style.”

Spanish class triumphs over native aggression at Anfield but Rooney shows there's more to English football with a superlative cup-wining display. Ralph Ellis rounds up the weekend's football and selects the best bets going forward.

Look at the average Spanish beach on holiday and you can understand why the British play a different game to the rest of the world. See two groups of four kids - the Spanish ones will be playing keepy-uppies and juggling the ball from one to another. The English boys will be playing two v two and tearing into tackles.

We learn the phrase "get stuck in" before we ever mention taking a clever first touch. And the men who collect the fans' Player of the Year trophy at almost every club are the ones who put 100 per cent of running and tackling into their game rather than the ones who produce moments of sublime skill.

You can hear that cultural difference in the acerbic words of Rafa Benitez after his Liverpool team stood up to a ferocious Blackburn assault to win 2-1 and stay in the race for a top four finish. "I'm sure his (Sam Allardyce's) style of play and behaviour is a model for all kids and managers everywhere," he said. "I'm sure parents everywhere will enjoy this model and tell their kids: 'This is how it should be done'. In fact, I believe Barcelona are thinking about copying this style."

If you've ever stood on an Under 12s touchline, you'll know Benitez is actually right about what parents tell their kids! And the culture won't change, which means the teams and players who prosper will continue to be those who can mix it physically as well as produce the moments of magic.

Step up Wayne Rooney, whose superb second half display gave Manchester United the season's first piece of silverware with a 2-1 Wembley win over Aston Villa in the Carling Cup final. The winning header continued his sensational 20 goals in 20 games streak and he's now as short as [1.37] to be Premier League top goalscorer. Brilliant on the ball and with wonderful movement, he's strong as an ox as well, as Villa were reminded to their cost.
Phil Dowd's refusal to give Nemanja Vidic an obvious red card for the early foul on Gabriel Agbonlahor underlined the British game's indulgence of physicality - especially in a Cup final. Think back to Gazza's horrendous tackle on Gary Charles. No ref wants to send off a player in a showpiece.

Arsenal are always accused of having a soft centre, but their steely resolve at Stoke after the sickening injury to Aaron Ramsey might prove a landmark. They are now as tight as [3.9] for the Premier League. Chelsea, a week ago massive odds on, have shot back out to [2.7] after losing 4-2 at home to Manchester City. John Terry isn't their iron man any more as he deals with his personal problems - and United are just a point behind them now and [2.72] to come through and take the title.

Birmingham got through the 40 point barrier that guarantees safety with a 1-0 win over Wigan. Alex McLeish was immediately talking about investing not in dazzling new players but in more sports science and gym equipment. It's what he needs, he says, to help the ones he's got stand up to the physical challenge of Premier League football. Wigan, meanwhile, sold their enforcer when Lee Cattermole left and with five points from 13 games remain sensational value at [5.6] to be relegated.

Burnley are the other relegation side with a soft centre, and a 2-1 home defeat by Portsmouth saw their price to stay up cut to [1.41]. Clarke Carlisle's mistakes were well highlighted on Match of the Day, but in front of the Countdown defender are plenty more who won't beat the clock!

Hull slid back into the bottom three through not having a game, and are now third favourite for the drop at [2.16]. But Wolves are [2.56] and actually had a worse weekend with a 1-0 defeat at Bolton. They now face Manchester United at Molineux.

Best battlers of the season are Fulham, who have already played 44 games and stepped off a plane from Russia, having knocked out holders Shakhtar Donesk from the Europa League, to slog out a 0-0 draw with Sunderland. It might not have been pretty, but then that's what we admire about British football. Isn't it?