Stade de Reims 3 v Sheffield United 1
Pre Season Friendly
Saturday 3 August 2019
Pre Season Friendly
Saturday 3 August 2019
SUFC 2019/20 Game 9
Stade Auguste-Delaune, the home of Stade de Reims is the 221st different ground I have seen a Sheffield United XI play on. I am contractually obliged to explain that is any XI, including Under 23s & other age groups, including all competitions & friendlies, on all surfaces, parks, plastic, the lot. It so happens that is the first time I've seen any United team play in France. And, Oh, mate, those floodlights.
Very much a will they won't they, is it on, have they confirmed it fixture this one. Only fixed eight days before, so not much time for fans to get their arses in gear. If you happened to need a fixture to breathe some new life into a stagnant Blog about football & drinking, then Reims away is perfect. I'm sick to death of writing - had a pint of beer on the way to Stocksbridge, lots of flavour, well balanced. What it must be like reading that shit week in, week out, I can't imagine. In case you missed it, Reims is the centre/home of Champagne. I'll declare an interest, I'm a Drinker….
My early Champagne Social Media Content from Reims attracted some gently chiding replies.
"You've changed, fancy pants"
"That's not beer, you flash git"
"Premier League has gone to your head"
Look, I get it. Champagne has this fancy, flash image. Formula 1 drivers spraying it over the balcony. Hip Hoppers blinging it. Etcetera.
But, here's a Champagne Inconvenient Truth. It's just an ordinary, everyday, I'll just have one, drink of choice here in Reims. The first time I was here on HoliBobs, I went to an ordinary bar "on the wrong side of town". Saturday afternoon. One of those, get a beer, get a coffee, buy some fags, look at the paper, maybe a Twix, have you got any stamps, bit of every fucking thing bars that the French specialise in. Marvelous. Natch you could also put a bet on. The horse racing on a little screen above the bar.
Well. What an eye opener. Half a dozen locals. Women & men. Placing bets on the machine in the corner. Something comes in. Hey. Up to the bar. Another round of Champagne please. Could have been any local, backstreet pub in England. Except. Instead of a Smiths, a Carling, a Bud & a White Wine. It was simply - coupe de Champagne. Makes sense if you think about it. Local drink, for local people. Champagne is only flash & fancy faraway from Reims. By trying to set a new three day Champagne ticking record, I'm just blending in, integrating, I'm like that.
Look. We're the Carrier Bag Firm. We're a bit geeky about stuff. I'm "quite interested" in how booze is made. Here's one you can have on me. There are obvious similarities between Real Ale & Champagne. The head, the fizz, the bubbles in both is NATURAL. By leaving a little sugar, yeast & a bit of gunk in a real ale cask, or a Champagne bottle, the fizz & bubbles are produced.
If you ever find yourself in this neck of the woods, have a wander to Trésors De Champagne. Essentially a sort of co-operative for 28 independent Champagne growers & producers. I pitched it to them to call themselves MicroBubbles - whoosh. Honestly, the shop/bar is a bit up itself. Sofas, armchairs, that caper. But, if you don't want a meal. If you don't want a whole bottle of bubbles. If you just want to mooch around, and try different, won't find it in your supermarket, Champagne. By the glass. I've yet to find a better place.
But, for sheer fucking front, I'm going to give Tipple Of The Trip to L'Epicerie Au Bon Manger. That is an organic Deli & shop, specialising in small grower organic Champagne. Here's the trick. If you want a glass of Champagne, he won't let you choose it. If you ask for a glass, he chooses it. And, he won't even tell you what it is until you've finished. The cheek.
Champagne Ruppert-Leroy, Brut Nature, 11, 12, 13…
It's called 11, 12, 13… because it's been blended with SIX years vintage, 2011 onwards.
All that palaver. He chooses. Won't tell you. Blended with older vintages. All that. Pushes CBF buttons.
That was a bit of a bump down to Earth for United. I'm not knowledgeable about this. Ligue 1 certainly has some big teams in it. But, the thing is skewed by the money Paris St Germain have. Sure, it's not as physical as English football. And, they try all the possession & skills & shit. But, is it "much above the Championship" standard? Don't know.
United looked flat at times. Subbing Billy Sharp on gave us an initial buzz. Died. Subbing Jags on, gave us a buzz uplift. Died. I'm still thinking our best chance is relentless, press, press, overload, Jesus we're overloaded, stay overloaded. And, I didn't see much of that today. We need intensity methinks. Inexplicably, in the first half, we mainly resorted to pumping it up top to McGoldrick & Robinson. How's that going to work? Even Henderson going long to them.
Lundstram looked lost. I like the bloke. He's suited to that - take it off the keeper & three - role. But, with Norwood doing that, I couldn't quite work out what Lundstram was supposed to be doing. Link that to him giving the ball away a lot. And, he's had a poor afts.
Once we had a proper attacking midfielder on, Luke Freezy the Freezerman Freeman, we looked a lot more dangerous. But, overall, that's a let's move on game.
We're beginning to see teams working through the "new rules". At one point, the ref was blowing & waving like someone trying to attract a Barman's attention. A Stade de Reims goalkick, their fellas hanging around inside the area (as per new rule). Callum Robinson closing them down. But, having to be told, told again, then explained to as if idiot. You have to stand outside the area.
The ref shepherded a few Stade de Reims players "to the nearest touchline" as per new rule, as they were being subbed. However. United wanted to Sub Oli Norwood for Ravel Morrison. Norwood was waiting to take a corner. The nearest & quickest way to get off the pitch was exactly where he was, that is, already off the pitch. Not good enough. The fourth official couldn't cope. Norwood had to come back on the pitch, in order to get off the pitch. Needs work….
Stats
I have now Blogged from 827 games in 1,810 days
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