While I will (try to) avoid making this post come across as bitter and melancholy, it was truly a sad day when this fantastic player was cut down in his prime and is now another casualty of the wet Referee epidemic sweeping the game. While that is a discussion for another time, surely Referee's need to clamp down on reckless challenges and properly punish players who's challenges severely inhibit a players career? More needs to be done at both FA and Club level to ensure this is minimised. However, that is for another time.
Photo courtesy of www.dailymail.co.uk
As an Arsenal Fan , it is quite difficult to swallow the amount of reckless challenges that fly into players which result in injury that are waved away as harmless or "innocent" challenges. All too often I heard last year that the only way to stop Arsenal from playing was to be rough and "go in hard" in order to disrupt their game. I am no purist, or naive, as I fully understand the need for football to become more a mans game and not the soppy, diving-ridden sport an outsider may think looking in. Whats more, there is no problem sticking a "reducer" on a pacy winger if it means you have won the mini-psychological battle which is fought during 90 minutes.
However, in the case of Diaby, Eduardo and more recently Aaron Ramsey, these players need protection from others who either tackle to injure or players who lack the ability to challenge properly and thus cause injury. Martin Taylor, now plying his trade in the Championship with Watford, probably meant no malice - however this doesn't detract from the fact he has significantly altered another professionals career. I, like many fans, know Managers encourage their players to use either hard/dirty challenges if it means securing a point or three, just because a player may be honest as the day is long, they are different on the field of play. We will never know if Taylor meant to harm Eduardo, his post-tackle reaction suggested it wasn't meant, however watching replays of the incident suggest either Taylor is a pretty poor defender (hence now at Watford) or over-estimated how much he intended to send a message to Eduardo in order to inhibit the performance of a possible threat during the game.
Enough conjecture, the incident happened two years ago and has been written about enough. My point was that Edaurdo could have been brilliant, and still could be, but we may never know.
Why am I so certain he could have been prolific? His record speaks volumns. While at Dinamo Zagreb, he scored 83 goals in 123 appearances, not too bad at all. He was named best player in the Croation league during 2004, 2006 and 2007 while also winning two Croation League Titles and a Domestic Cup. In addition, he also won the Croation SuperCup in 2006, helping to win 4-1 over Rijeka. He was at his most prolific during 2006/2007 for Dinamo scoring 18 goals in 18 matches.
Photo courtesy of www.oleole.com
In 2007 he transferred to Arsenal for a reported c£ 7.5m (therefore generating a loss on sale of c£1m - however there could be additional sale clauses which mean Arsenal break even on his transfer out) and became a regular during the 2007/2008 season due to injury to Robin Van Persie, scoring a particularly delicious goal against Man City in a 3-1 away victory. After returning from injury in early 2009, Edaurdo demonstrated some of the outrageous skill he offered during on/off sub and starting appearances. During one particular game against Burnley in March 2009, which I was in attendance, he scored the most outrageous outside-the-boot flick to contribute to the eventual 3-0 victory. A further brace against Cardiff in a previous game in February 2009 gave the supporters hope he had truly recovered both physically and mentally however it wasn't to be.
After struggling with several hamstring injuries and recovery set-backs, his absence was noted by the Arsenal faithful. For a while supporters, myself included, questioned whether he was being carried by the team as it was evident the Edaurdo of old had disappeared and the flashes of brilliance were just that. It is a real shame a player of that calibre is now gone from the Premier League. I, as many Arsenal supporters, wish him well. A prolific player in his prime, Eduardo will surely go on to have a successful career with Donetsk, but I am sure his will always be a career overshadowed with "what could have been".
An extremely likable player who was well loved and respected. He will be missed and remembered as a real fox-in-the-box, a superb player gifted with outrageous skill and an ability to entertain and astonish.
No comments:
Post a Comment