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Day: 2 November 2016

Manchester City 3-1 Barcelona

Written by Harry Newton on . Posted in Sport.

If this game was a song…

Anything you can do, I can do better.

Manchester City out-Barca’d Barca tonight. When Sheikh Mansour brought in Pep Guardiola, this must have been exactly what he was expecting. Both teams had the same set up from the back, as the goalkeepers played it out to their wide centre-backs and passed their way slowly into the midfield: the one difference being that Manchester City were better at it. The pressing style from City’s front line is what made this especially difficult for Barcelona, as they were forced into a number of errors and never really felt comfortable. The first half was much more even with Barca having more of the ball, but the second half was a masterclass in how to play like Barcelona… by Manchester City.

Pab Zab’s Rehab

Pablo Zabaleta somehow managed to get fit enough for this game, despite how Pep Guardiola pretty much said that he would be injured in his pre-match press conference. Zabaleta has gathered quite a bit of stick this season after a struggling start to the year, as it seems he has been a little off the pace, but nothing could have been further from the truth in this game. The Argentine rolled back the years and pulled out a fantastic performance both defensively and offensively. He was quite visibly pumped for the game, as he turned to the fans a couple of times and spurred them on to sing for the team.

MSN or KDB?

MSN is what the press have dubbed Messi, Suarez, and Neymar, because it’s obviously so necessary to try and do this with every successful front line. But who needs these three, when Kevin de Bruyne is around to run the show. The Belgian pulled out a superb performance against the Spanish giants, as he dictated everything. Silva dropped deeper and had a fantastic defensive game, which allowed de Bruyne and Gündoğan to run free in the middle: with Gündoğan being that little bit more defensive-minded it really allowed de Bruyne to have so much attacking freedom which paid dividends. KdB also scored yet another beautiful free kick to give City a 2-1 lead early in the second half.

Man of the Match

Silkay İlkay Gündoğan

İlkay Gündoğan cost a ridiculous £20million in the summer when the Blues bought the German from Borüssia Dortmund, and it looks to be one of the bargains of the summer! With two goals against West Brom at the weekend, the German proved right the old saying: “Anything you can do against West Brom, can be done better against Barcelona.” He was in the right place at the right time for both of his goals as he tapped home from five-ish yards each time. Silkay İlkay would have been man of the match despite these goals though, as his positioning play and balance in both attack and defence is really what pieced together the midfield of Silva, Fernandinho, de Bruyne and himself. The four are beginning to really look like one of Europe’s most feared midfield. They tore apart one of the greatest football teams ever today.

Reffing Hell

Pep Guardiola once said that he does not talk about the referees, as they have such a difficult job, and this is exactly the kind of attitude that a good football manager should have. But I’m a reporter and not a football manager, so I can say that the fella in the middle today was pretty bobbins. He missed two pretty clear penalties, one for either side, and even booked Raheem Sterling for ‘diving’ in the penalty area during a quite obvious foul. It wasn’t a bias display despite what many City fans may tell you, as it’s possible that he missed a handball by Sergio Agüero in the lead-up to Silkay Ilkay’s second goal. Ball to hand for me, but I do have a ridiculous man-crush on Sergio. Whose beard is that intimidating and yet so inviting?

Quote of the Presser

“Look at Zabaleta tonight, he’s had two or three weeks out. He only trained yesterday, and look at him tonight against Neymar… Neymar!” – Pep Guardiola.

One of the Classics

Every City player had to be at their best to get past Barcelona, and I simply don’t have the time/get paid enough to go through each and every one of them, but some notable stand out performances must be mentioned. John Stones looked entirely at home on the big stage as he managed MSN with ease. David Silva changed his usual game and acted more defensively, as the little Spaniard came out on top in many crunching challenges. Raheem Sterling should have scored two, and should have had a penalty instead of a booking, after he had a great game finding little pockets of space in the final third of the pitch. And finaly Sergio Agüero is certainly back in form, after scoring twice at the weekend against West Brom, as he was up to his usual mischievous self, pulling defenders out of position with his runs.

This may be a big game in City’s history — on the 1341358151015th time of asking in the Champions League, they finally got past Barcelona, and they did it in incredible style. City have been seen as a big European club in the last five years, but this is the only time where they’ve genuinely outclassed one of the big guns. With a performance like this so early on in the season, we must consider City serious contenders for the Champions League trophy itself.

 

The drugs don’t work – the true cost of drug-taking

Written by Rebecca Carr on . Posted in Lifestyle.

The Priory Group have developed an interactive infographic to educate students on the long term effects that drugs can have on both the body and mind.

The infographic launch has been timed to coincide with the return of students to university, as well as freshers living away from home for the first time. This is a time when young people are likely to be curious about experimenting with drugs, as they enter into new friendship groups and experience new freedoms.

It is commonly thought that the main danger in taking drugs is around the purity of the drug and the short-term physical effects. There is a believed lack of awareness that drug use can lead to mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and paranoia.  The infographic developed by Priory specialists details the long-term damage caused by taking drugs.

Priory Roehampton’s Lead Addictions Consultant, Dr Niall Campbell, states: “I see an increasing number of patients, often only 18, who are not only addicted to street drugs but have developed significant depressive and anxiety disorders. Distressing panic attacks from stimulants and hallucinogens — synthetic or mushroom-based — are on the increase.

I have also noticed an alarming number of cocaine-induced, severe paranoid states requiring admission to hospital. Unfortunately, as I say to patients, this paranoia may not be controlled by antipsychotic medication and may become a permanent state. Research from the Maudsley Hospital suggests that over 25% of chronic paranoid psychoses, i.e. those which don’t go away when drug use stops, are marijuana-induced.  Marijuana is continually being redeveloped to be stronger, and hence more dangerous.  So the problem is worsening.”

Given the increased freedom and feeling of invincibility most young people experience during their time at University, and the added peer pressure, it is no surprise more young people are giving in to temptation. The Priory feels young people require further information about what it is they are putting in their bodies and the repercussions.

Armed with the hard facts about drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, ketamine and ecstasy, young people will be equipped to make an informed choice and the ability to say ‘no’.