We all love excuses – so much so that some have become popular idioms, meaning something far beyond the literal.
Consider, for example, “The Dog Ate My Homework,” which now describes any excuse story; “wrong kind of snow”, which refers to incidents that officially extend far beyond stopped trains; or “I’m left-handed and blind,” shorthand for all kinds of lazy incompetence, not just tinkering avoidance.
Okay, this is specific to the Daily, but you get what we mean.
And nowhere are excuses used more often – and less cunningly – than in football.
Yet the football machine is incredibly receptive to them because it keeps the debate going, keeps the treasury cheering, which gives permission to players and managers who don’t want to take responsibility about his incompetence to blame the officials.
Luckily we had all of this resolved with VAR, we lost the complete and unparalleled ecstasy of our team having to pay a small price to pay for the certainty we had.
currently enjoying.
Related:
Aston Villa requested new kits after the team complained about feeling heavy
That doesn’t mean the game is stagnant.
A relatively new reason, and indeed a relatively new cliché, is that a particular shirt is too “heavy”, the weight of expectation is too heavy for some players – e.g.
Manchester United’s number 7, worn prominently by Michael Owen.
, Antonio Valencia and Alexis Sánchez, or Newcastle’s number 9, made legendary by Imre Varadi, George Reilly and Ian Baird.
However, no one could have predicted that in the age of breathable clothing and base layers, the line would go from metaphorical status to real-life status.
However, today we heard that Aston Villa are complaining that their kits are too heavy, weighing them down and affecting performance.
The offending suits were made by Castore, who are also responsible for outfitting Andy Murray with some of the saddest outfits ever seen – although, in their defense, Ben Stokes looked very healthy in the hat shove.
“Demand better – premium performance” is the company’s slogan, and although it takes a freewheeling approach to creating meaning, that’s what Villa’s actors did.
It is said that current shirts cling to them like a second skin as they heat up and sweat, creating a wet look that is not ideal for elite sports.
Concerns have also been raised by Villa’s women’s team, who will wear their kits for their televised WSL opener at home to Manchester United on Sunday.