Champions League: VAR at the Center of A Controversial Defeat in Denmark

Manchester United traveled to Denmark last Wednesday for a Champions League group stage match against FC Copenhagen at Parken. This was a replay of the match a fortnight ago which United won 1-0 at Old Trafford. The Red Devils needed a victory to get out of 3rd place in the group and help secure progression to the knockout stages.

A full match summary would easily be close to 3000 words given it’s chaotic nature, so I am not going to fully summarize this one. United scored the first two goals via striker Rasmus Højlund, who continued his fine form in the Champions League this season. He hasn’t shown up in the domestic league yet, but he’s been on fire in the Champions League. The game changed however when forward Marcus Rashford was controversially sent off on 42 minutes. The Red Devils showed some signs of mental weakness yet again, and Copenhagen got two goals in quick succession before halftime. More on the decision to send off Rashford (and other suspect referee/VAR decisions) below.

Despite the lads collapsing a little bit at the end of the first half, United took the lead again on 69 minutes when midfielder Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty to give them a 3-2 lead. Unfortunately though, Copenhagen scored again in the 83rd minute to level the score, and then got a winner on 87 minutes. Playing with ten men for over a half probably got to the team towards the end, which may explain the collapse. It was a devastating blow to United’s hopes of moving on to the knockout rounds. They are bottom of Group A with a daunting trip to Turkey to play Galatasaray next, and then they host group leaders Bayern Munich at Old Trafford in the final group game. Needless to say, I am not optimistic.

Now, a couple of things before I dive into the refereeing decisions – there’s no excuse for this team to concede two goals just before half time. Can’t have it. This team is still mentally fragile, and that is something manager Erik ten Hag must work on. The tactics weren’t terrible in this match and United were not aided by the officials, but the defending simply has to improve.

That said, VAR is making this sport unwatchable. It seems like in every match that’s played, there’s at least one controversial decision made by a VAR official that affects the outcome of the match. Rashford’s red card was – simply put – not a red card until the referee was alerted to review it by the VAR official. United’s penalty to give them the lead was also (candidly) not a penalty. And it’s not just United that are getting screwed by VAR, even though it seems like VAR has been overtly harsh on us this season. Mikel Arteta and Jurgen Klopp, managers of Arsenal and Liverpool respectively, have both been publicly critical of this particular instant replay system in recent weeks. Arsenal had a goal given against them against Newcastle that should not have been given due to a foul, which even the Premier League officiating council has since admitted was the wrong decision. There’s a just a laundry list of incidents that have caused a mountain of controversy this season, and the problem is present in all different competitions.

If the goal of VAR was to reduce the controversy of the game and ensure that correct decisions are made, then VAR and the application thereof has failed spectacularly. There’s no clarity in what the standard of proof is, and subjectivity is reigning supreme when subjectivity was supposed to be eliminated altogether. No one knows what a “clear error” is, and no one seems to know how far back VAR officials are looking when it comes to confirming or negating a given referee’s decision.

Perhaps the biggest issue with VAR however is that it has taken the excitement of scoring a goal out of the game. It used to be that as soon as the ball hit the back of the net you could wheel away and celebrate, but not anymore. VAR has made everyone stop and pause. VAR makes everyone wait. You can score, but then you have to wait for the VAR check to happen before you can really celebrate. The unsteady application of the review system has made everyone, particularly United fans, extremely cynical. When Bruno scored the winner last weekend against Fulham, I expected the VAR official to go and find some random rule or incident that would have disallowed the goal. Further, these reviews often take as long as 4 or 5 minutes, which totally kills the momentum and flow of a match. It’s much more difficult to enjoy football with the way VAR is currently done, and that’s going to lead to fewer spectators, which in turn will lead to less money coming in.

It behooves the Prem and other domestic leagues to review their VAR rules and when it is supposed to be applied. There also needs to be a clear standard of proof as to when a referee’s decision should be overturned or confirmed. This problem must be fixed in order to make the sport watchable again. Instant replay is a good idea in general, but of course the actual replays are not the issue. It’s the human application and interpretation of what the replays show. These inconsistencies must be fixed by the powers that be.

As far as United goes, I think they should throw in the towel on Europe this season. I don’t want us in the Europa League, as it will only detract from the remaining domestic campaign. Center back Jonny Evans was also injured at the end of the first half, which makes our back line even thinner than it already was. Well done to Højlund and left back Diogo Dalot for having good matches, but the collective mental collapse after Rashford’s red card was unacceptable. Bad decisions are going to happen with or without VAR, and professional players should be able to cope with that mentally.

United play newly-promoted Luton Town at Old Trafford on Saturday in the Premier League. Last but not least – this is my 350th post on this blog. Thank you all so very much for reading! I hope I have been able to spur your interest in this fantastic sport.

Glazers Out!

Women’s World Cup: Spain Defeat England in the Final

It’s an extremely sad day for supporters of England and the Lionesses. They were comprehensively beaten by the Spanish in their first ever Women’s World Cup Final earlier today, falling 1-0 at the Stadium Australia in Sydney. The score line belies the nature of the match, though. It could have easily been 2-0 or 3-0 if not for the outstanding play of England keeper Mary Earps. She was England’s best player by a mile in this match, but your keeper being the best player on the day is usually a sign that nothing else went right. England’s midfield was completely overrun for most of the match by a well-drilled Spanish side, with left back Olga Carmona getting the only goal on 14 minutes. The resiliency and ruthlessness the Lionesses showed against Australia and Colombia was simply not there today. Perhaps the injuries England had pre-tournament finally caught up to them. Congrats to the Spanish players on a deserved victory.

But I don’t want to do a full match report. It doesn’t feel right. Instead, I’d like to highlight two important takeaways that more accurately capture my thoughts.

For one, these ladies should be incredibly proud of themselves and their efforts. They are still the reigning European Champions and they are the first senior England team to reach the final of the World Cup in 57 years. They’ve brought joy to a national team that has been devoid of it for so long. Sarina Wiegman may have been out-coached today, but she’s still the best England manager since Sir Alf Ramsey. They’ve inspired women and young girls all over the country to pick up the game, and their success has been crucial to a levelling of the playing field between men and women both on the pitch and off. From the 1920s to the 1970s, women were banned from playing professional football in England. It wasn’t seen as “proper”, but we’ve come a long a way since then! There’s still progress to be made of course, but the level of inspiration provided by this team both this summer and last summer has been nothing short of monumental. I’m sure they’re all hurting right now and that’s totally normal, but in time they will see just how important they were to the growth of the game in England. All of them are heroes, and they were going to be heroes regardless of the result today.

The other point of focus I wanted to explain was how this loss is the perfect encapsulation of what it’s been like to be an England supporter since 2018. From about 1968 to 2016, every England team was a perennial under-achiever. Lots of talent and decent coaches, but they could never really figure out how to put it together. From 2018 to now though, it’s become a scenario where they play really well and get close to winning, only to lose it in the most heartbreaking and gut-wrenching fashion possible. The women’s Euros title last summer was a notable exception, but it seems like there have been multiple scenarios in recent years where senior England teams get everyone’s hopes up before dashing them in dramatic fashion. The men’s 2018 World Cup semifinal, the men’s 2020(1) Euro final, and now this women’s World Cup Final today. We always expect our teams to do well, but nowadays there’s even more expectations since our teams are typically better than they used to be. England fans are dying for a taste of glory and success, and while we are the closest we have been to achieving that in decades, it’s agonizing to get so close without actually winning. Put succinctly, a high degree of mental fortitude is needed to be a fan of the England national team, and matches like today’s are the exact reason why.

Euro 2024 for the men’s side is next summer in Germany. I am excited to naively get my hopes up again!

As always and forever: IT’S COMING HOME!

Women’s World Cup: England Through to the Final!

With Spain securing a chaotic but nonetheless deserved victory over Sweden yesterday and advancing to the Final, the only remaining matter of business was the host nation Australia taking on England. The 80,000+ crowd inside the Stadium Australia in Sydney were obviously on the side of the Matildas, and all those fans were doing their best to create a hostile atmosphere. The Lionesses would need to use every single ounce of their tournament experience and resiliency to get a result in front of such a belligerent crowd. Australia came out in their usual 4-4-2, while England deployed the 3-5-2/5-3-2 that they have adapted over the course of this tournament.

England had the first real chance of the match on 9 minutes when midfielder Georgia Stanway ran onto a long ball over the top of the Aussie defense. She got a shot away first-time, but it was saved by Matildas keeper Mackenzie Arnold. The match was devoid of chances for a bit after that as both teams elected to settle in and feel each other out, but England were able to open the scoring on 36 minutes via attacking midfielder Ella Toone. England won a throw-in high up the pitch, and it was thrown in towards the end-line and collected by England strikers Alessia Russo and Lauren Hemp. Russo spotted an opening and played a cut-back cross along the ground, which took a slight deflection before reaching the run of Toone into the area. Australia failed to mark her properly, and she unleashed a vicious shot from the left hand side of the box high and into the opposite corner of the goal. It was a wicked strike with Arnold having no chance at all to save it. Australia switched off at the back, and England punished them for it. At halftime it was 1-0 and the Lionesses were 45 minutes away from history.

England came close to doubling their lead on 57 minutes when Hemp saw her long-range effort tipped over the bar by Arnold. It was the Aussies who got the next goal on 63 minutes though, and it was an absolute worldie from superstar striker Sam Kerr. She collected the ball near midfield and found herself in space for the first time all match. She carried the ball forward for about 30 yards while the England defense retreated, and it appeared she was going to lay off a pass to her teammate. She elected to shoot however, and she delivered a howitzer from 28 yards out that beat England keeper Mary Earps. Kerr is easily the best Australian player ever (man or woman), and goals like that are the exact reason why. England maybe could have done better to slow her down, but realistically it was just a fantastic goal from a fantastic player. Stadium Australia exploded in rapturous joy, and the game was very much on at 1-1 with 27 minutes to go.

England were undeterred however, and the momentum for Australia didn’t last long. They simply kept playing their game, calmly keeping possession while attempting to forge chances. Striker Rachel Daly and right back Lucy Bronze both had efforts that caused some nervy moments for Arnold in goal. England were in the lead again on 71 minutes, thanks to some poor defending and a dominating display of effort from Hemp. Center back Millie Bright played a long ball forward over the top, and Hemp was running with two Aussie defenders in an attempt to get it. The Aussies failed to clear the ball away properly, and Hemp was able to get a low shot away despite all the bodies in front of her. Arnold had come off her line to close the angle, but the shot went past her anyway and settled into the bottom opposite corner. 2-1 England! Very poor defending from Australia, but credit to Hemp for pushing them into their mistake. Hemp had an excellent match, and she wasn’t done contributing.

The Matildas regained some possession after that and attempted to find another equalizer. Kerr saw a header go over the bar, and then Earps was forced into a fine save by Aussie striker Cortnee Vine. Kerr’s best chance for an tying goal came just after that save on 85 minutes, when the ball fell straight to her after a Earps knocked away a corner. Mystifyingly though, Kerr skyed her effort wide and over the bar, and the chance went begging.

England took advantage of Australia’s misses and nailed the coffin shut on this match on 86 minutes. Hemp went another marauding run through the middle of the park, after which she slid the ball out to her right towards Russo just as she was being closed down. The precision and placement of the pass created an angle for Russo to shoot, and she re-directed the ball with her first touch back across goal and over the line for 3-1 on 86 minutes! A good finish from Russo, but Hemp’s run and pass after heavily exerting herself for almost 90 minutes bordered on the sublime. She played it perfectly, and Russo rewarded the pass with a great finish.

Despite 6 minutes of stoppage time, there were no more major chances. Russo’s goal killed off the game, and the Aussies had no hope of clawing their way back with so little time left. The referee blew her whistle and the Lionesses secured passage to their first ever World Cup Final, and the first World Cup final for any senior England team since 1966! The depth of the crowd’s shell-shock was inversely matched by the jubilation of England’s players and coaching staff on the pitch.

England has some very talented players, and of course you can’t win a football match at this level without talented players. But the most important piece of this England side is the woman in charge, manager Sarina Wiegman. She has instilled a resiliency and ruthlessness in these players that is requisite for going deep in a major tournament. It would be perfectly normal to expect a team to look a little fragile after conceding an equalizer in a World Cup semifinal, but England did not appear to be all that bothered about it. They just went straight back to playing their game knowing that more goals would come, and surely they did. Resilient and ruthlessness.

Wiegman is now the first manager (man or woman) to take two different countries to the World Cup final, having done so with her native Netherlands in 2019. Since then though she has guided England to victory at the Euros, and they also won the Finalissima over Brazil last summer during her tenure. Her tactical game is great of course, but the mentality she instills in her players is what makes her so special. She has figured out how to compensate for the losses of defender Leah Williamson, midfielder Fran Kirby, and superstar winger Beth Mead – all out due to injury. She was also unable to select winger Lauren James these past two matches as well due to suspension. Losing that many quality players would be enough to stump any manager, but not Wiegman. She crafts her game-plans exceptionally and has a plan for every scenario. If England win against Spain on Sunday and raise the trophy, she deserves a statue outside Wembley.

Fantastic matches today from Hemp, Bronze, Toone, and Russo. The ladies all celebrated in the locker room after the match and team chemistry is very high right now. But the job is not done, yet! There is one more match to be played, and it’s biggest one any footballer can aspire to play in. Spain will be a tough test, but England are in fantastic form right now and have conquered every challenge presented to them. The return of James from suspension will only give Wiegman and her staff more ammunition to use.

THREE LIONS ON THE SHIRTS! IT’S COMING HOME!

End of Summer Review: Women’s World Cup Reactions; Manchester United Season Preview

We are at the business end of the Women’s World Cup, with the semifinals all set to go. This tournament has been filled with surprises and upsets, which is indicative of a levelling playing field. Perennial favorites such as USA, Germany, Norway, and Brazil are all already out of the tournament, and we are left with four teams who have refreshingly never won the Women’s World Cup. Spain will play Sweden on Tuesday, with England pitted against co-host nation Australia on Wednesday. The matches will be played overnight in the United States and early in the morning Europe time. While the kickoff times have been absolutely brutal for anyone living in the USA, that’s really the only complaint anyone can have. The drama and level of competition in these matches has been nothing short of fantastic. England’s penalty shootout against Nigeria in the Round of 16 was electric, only for it to be topped by the longest penalty shootout in World Cup history (men or women) between Australia and France earlier today. 20 total penalties were taken before Australia finally won!

England have not been at their best so far this tournament in terms of style and flair, but they continue to win matches thanks to thoroughly resilient defensive performances and holding their nerve at the right moments. Pre-tournament injuries were always going to present issues to England this tournament, and unfortunately they have dealt with more player unavailability as the tournament has gone on. Superstar midfielder Kiera Walsh injured herself in the group stage and is not playing at 100%, while Lionesses winger and leading scorer this tournament Lauren James was suspended for this match and will also miss the semifinal against Australia after a red card in the Round of 16. England are fortunately blessed with strength in depth and experience at major tournaments, but they will need every ounce of willpower to get past the Australians in Sydney on Wednesday. The match atmosphere in the quarterfinal earlier today against Colombia was decidedly anti-England, but that will be amplified times ten in the match against the host nation and former British colony. The Matildas are in their first ever World Cup semifinal, and they will do all they can to secure a final on home soil.

But what happened to the Americans? They were the defending champs and a favorite to win it again this year before the tournament started. But they went out in the Round of 16 on penalties to Sweden, after struggling to make it out of their group. While their early exit was joyous to those of us who find USWNT fans’ arrogance and exceptionalism off-putting, it was certainly a major disappointment to a team that is filled to the brim with raw talent. Many casual “fans” who don’t follow the game closely pointed to the team’s political activism and collective attitude as reasons for the loss. That’s potentially a small part of the reason, but a much bigger on-the-pitch issue was their awful tactics. They seemed to be intent on walking the ball into the net, or in the alternative, waiting on a moment of individual brilliance to save them. There did not appear to be a coherent tactical plan from (soon to be former) manager Vlatko Andonovski. His substitutions usually did not make sense, and poor finishing from good chances didn’t help either. As referenced above, the playing field is much more level now in terms of talent and player development, and the Americans failed to take that into account. The result is a lackluster early exit.

Quick shoutouts to South Africa, Jamaica, Nigeria, Colombia, and Morocco. Everyone expected those five teams to go out early in the tournament, but they all defied expectations by making it to the knockout rounds.

***

Manchester United have completed their preseason tour, and the Premier League is officially back underway. The Red Devils’ first match of the new season is not until Monday 8/14 against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford, but all other Premier League teams played today or will play tomorrow. My first post-match article will be for the 8/14 match.

This summer transfer window has been a very successful one from United’s point of view. Refreshingly, there are still three weeks left in the window and United have already completed three key signings, a far cry from their usual methods of waiting until the very end of the summer before making a desperation signing. One gets the sense that manager Erik ten Hag has been the main impetus and driving force behind getting all of these transfers done. At the end of last season I said we needed a goalkeeper, a a ball-carrying midfielder, and a striker. As of the beginning of August, we have signed a goalkeeper (Andre Onana), a ball-carrying midfielder (Mason Mount), and a striker (Rasmus Højlund). While Højlund is young and will not be available until early September due to injury, his ability to find the back of the net is something United desperately needed. I cannot count the number of chances we created last year that weren’t scored due to poor finishing.

Given that the window is not closed yet, it seems there will be additional signings made to cover some of the departing players. Midfielder Fred, defenders Harry Maguire, Alex Telles, Phil Jones, Axel Tuanzebe, Eric Bailly, winger Anthony Elanga, and goalkeeper David De Gea all left Old Trafford this summer. It’s a massive clearing out, with the goal being to bring some balance to the weekly wage bill and also to make room for players who better fit ETH’s tactical system. De Gea and (former club captain) Maguire are the most obvious examples of this. Both were on massive wages, yet neither really fit the club’s overall football philosophy. It’s a tough decision to let them go, but I believe it’s the correct one. I’d like to thank all of these players for their services to United and I wish them all the best. United are heavily linked with midfielder Sofyan Amrabat and defender Benjamin Pavard, both of which could still come to Old Trafford before the end of August to replace some of the outgoing players.

United need to aim for the Premier League title this season. It has been over a decade since they last won it, and we finally have the manager and the squad to achieve it. Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, and even Newcastle will present staunch opposition, but there is no reason why a team with this level of talent can’t make a title push. I think the main thing supporters want to see is improvement to our away form, which was horrendous against the “top 6” clubs last season. Moreover, it is no longer enough to shoot for the top-4 and being happy with meeting that goal. We need to be winning trophies. A deep run in the Champions League and one of the domestic cups is also expected. I am sick and tired of watching Man City win everything, like they did last year.

Unfortunately, there are no major updates on the sale of the club. Indeed, it looks more and more likely every day that the despised Glazer family will stay in control. They were supposedly close to selling over the summer, but it’s very unclear just how genuine those intentions were. They still need to go, and fan groups are planning protests throughout the season that will not stop until the leeches have finally left our club alone.

Speaking of protests, there is another batch of controversy brewing among supporters, and it has to do with the potential reinstatement of winger/forward Mason Greenwood to the team. Greenwood has been away from the club for the better part of two years, having been accused of domestic violence and sexual assault from his former (current?) girlfriend, and many have called for him to never wear a United shirt ever again. His criminal charges over the matter have been dropped, but many in the court of public opinion have already deemed him guilty based on social media videos posted by Greenwood’s girlfriend. The author of this blog is not qualified to make a judgment either way as to the veracity of the claims, but I think it is for the best if Greenwood went to play somewhere else. Whether the allegations are true or not, they will be discussed every time he touches the ball. This is the kind of locker room distraction that can really hurt team chemistry, and Greenwood (despite his obvious natural talents) was supposedly not one for team camaraderie anyway. The club should listen to the open letter posted by a female supporters group and terminate his contract permanently.

Here’s to the Red Devils in 2023/2024! Glazers Out!

Lionesses Beat US Women at Wembley – International Friendly

Football fans don’t usually look forward to friendlies, but this has been a mouth-watering fixture ever since it was set a few months ago. England – champions of Europe, versus the Yanks – reigning world champions and global powerhouse for 25 years. The two best teams in the world, currently. While it’s true that both sides were missing some usual starters, there were still enough regular starters out there for both teams so as to be able to gain some kind of takeaway from it. A sold out Wembley stadium roared with delight as the match got underway, and the atmosphere was buzzing. This match was attended by a number of celebrities as well, including the cast of the popular football show “Ted Lasso” and NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Having their presence at the match brought even more attention to the women’s game, which is what today was all about.

The first 45 minutes were absolutely frenetic. High intensity and more action than one would expect from a friendly. England dominated the possession in the opening 15 minutes, and they were rewarded with a goal on 10 minutes from winger/forward Lauren Hemp. England broke down the right wing via all-world winger Beth Mead, who did well to find Hemp with her pass along the ground into the box. The American defender made a meal of her challenge, and Hemp was able to tap the ball just to the right of keeper Alyssa Naeher. Wembley erupted and the flag of St. George’s Cross was raised behind the goal. England had done well to possess the ball and play their game, but I wasn’t expecting a goal on ten minutes.

It wasn’t all sunshine and daisies though, as the Americans got an equalizer on 28 minutes via striker Sophia Smith. The Lionesses attempted to play the ball out from the back after a goal kick, but the Americans were alert to it and pressed up on England’s center backs. After an American attacker won the ball, it was played to Smith who made no mistake with her finish. It was a goal almost from nothing, but it just goes to show what the Americans are capable of if you give them a chance. It was a frustrating goal to concede as things had gone so well for England up until that point.

England found themselves 2-1 up just after the half hour mark though, this time from the penalty spot. The Americans tried to clear a high, bouncing ball, but England right back Lucy Bronze took a boot to the face in the process. Initially the referee did not give a penalty, but VAR got into her ear a few minutes later and she was required to go over and check the video monitor on the sideline. Replays showed clear contact with Bronze’s face from the high boot, and a penalty was given. Midfielder Georgia Stanway stepped up the spot and dispatched the penalty past Naeher with ease. All credit to the VAR official for getting this one right.

Of course, as soon as VAR gets one right, there is controversy soon to follow. The Americans thought they had found another equalizer via winger Trinity Rodman (daughter of American basketball icon Dennis Rodman), after a neat move down England’s right wing. Even though the referee awarded the goal, VAR stepped in and disallowed it due to a potential offside in the build-up to the goal. From my perspective it was a call that could have gone either way, so of course there was plenty of complaining and remonstrating after the goal was disallowed. There was no more major action in the half and both teams hit the locker rooms with the score 2-1.

The second half was decidedly less entertaining, but there was a rhythm to it nonetheless. England would build possession and create a half chance, while American winger Megan Rapinoe was trying to hit England on the counter-attack with long passes onto forward runners. Neither team fashioned quality chances until late on though, when the Americans were denied a penalty by VAR. No controversy in this call, though. The ref awarded a penalty as she adjudged the ball to have come off of Hemp’s hand in the box, but replays clearly showed the ball actually hit her in the rear-end, which is of course not a penalty in any way. With no VAR, this would have been a very harsh decision on England indeed. Stanway also fashioned 1-2 half chances with shots from outside the box, but the continuous substitutions by both sides really slowed down the flow of the game. The match ended 2-1 and England beat the Americans for only the third time in the past 11 meetings, and for the first time at Wembley.

I’ve never seen the US Women overrun in midfield like they were today. The Americans are usually the ones to dictate possession and the pace of the game. Today though, that was England. Stanway and fellow midfielder Kiera Walsh were excellent in possession, while Mead and Bronze were causing problems on the wings all night long. Manager Sarina Wiegman set up the team perfectly to counter the US’s pace and power. All credit to England’s back four as well, as they were on hand time and time again to clear away a cross or snuff out a break.

The big question for today was this: England are the best team in Europe, but can they compete with the best team in the world? The conventional wisdom before the match was that USWNT are just head and shoulders above everyone else in terms of talent, and that there’s no one who can really test them. But England did that today and more. Rapinoe looked off the pace (dare I say old?), and while the Americans are stacked with individual talent, they didn’t really look like a team today. Their chemistry was off and they never really got into a flow.

While today was only a friendly, the victory sends a message to the Americans and the rest of the world – the Lionesses may not have won a World Cup just yet, but watch out for us at the tournament in 10 months’ time. The Americans need to reset and re-think their tactics as well if they want to defend their world title next summer in Australia/New Zealand. They’re still ridiculously good and anything short of the final would be a disaster for them, but the level of competition is higher than it was in recent years. England, Brazil, Germany, and France will all be gunning for them. What a match today, though! If you want to be the best you have to beat the best, and England did that today.

Three Lionesses on the Shirts!

Your 2022 Women’s European Champions: England

I’m still caught up in the all emotions of today’s match but I’ll try to put together something coherent and cogent for you all. Not going to lie, this might be the happiest I have ever been writing for this blog. England fans have been waiting for a senior trophy for 56 years, and these ladies have delivered it for us. To beat Ze Germans at home in a major final is truly, truly special. For a little bit of history, the German women’s team has won the Euros a staggering eight (8) times. They had, until today, never lost a Euros final. England had only been to two finals including today, having been previously shellacked by these very same Germans in the 2009 final.

The atmosphere inside Wembley before kickoff was positive and upbeat, and it was shown on the stadium big screens that over 87,000 fans were packed into England’s national stadium for this match – a record for a Euros final, men’s or women’s. Considering how well the Germans had played this tournament, England would need all the help they could get to pull a win. They got a little bit of luck when it was announced that star German striker Alexandra Popp would not be playing, having been injured in the warm-ups. That was a major blow to the Germans. I personally would have wanted her out there because you always want to beat the best, but no one was going to complain that she was out.

England manager Sarina Wiegman named an unchanged side yet again, not having changed the starting line-up once this entire tournament. I was concerned about that, but England dominated the first 10 minutes of the match or so, with German keeper Merle Frohms forced into a save from England striker Ellen White about 2 minutes in. The first half was largely choppy and very staccato though due to all the fouls and hard challenges being put in. The referee was perhaps a tad generous towards the Germans in the first half an hour or so, as it was clear that their strategy was to slow England down with hard challenges on the ball and not let them string passes together.

The Germans had their best chance of the half right around 30 minutes or so when a corner was played into the penalty box and England struggled to clear it. The Germans looked sure to poke the ball home, but somehow the ball ended up in the grateful hands of England keeper Mary Earps. White then had another good chance for England a few minutes after that, but she uncharacteristically blazed her shot over the bar. At halftime it was 0-0, in a very tense and tough match.

Since the starting XI for each side appeared to be cancelling each other out somewhat from a tactical perspective, Germany manager Martina Voss-Tecklenburg made a substitution at halftime. She brought on winger/forward Tabea Waßmuth, and it seemed to have an immediate positive effect. The Germans dominated England for the opening 15 minutes of the second half. They were running the counter-press as effectively as any team I’d ever seen, and England couldn’t get on the ball. Germany had several shots that were either saved by Earps or they went wide, but they were creating all the chances. Wiegman also brought her usual changes in response, bringing on breakout star forward Alessia Russo and Manchester United midfielder Ella Toone.

But England got their noses in front against the run of play, and there was nothing super inventive or creative about it. Route 1. English football at it’s very basics: long ball over the top to a runner from midfield. Midfielder Kiera Walsh found herself with a bit of space in her own defensive third, so she looked up and spotted Toone on a run between the German center backs. She played a long ball over and between the German defenders, which Toone was able to get to first. Toone dribbled into the box and chipped the ball deftly over the outstretched arms of Frohms and into the far corner of the net. Wembley erupted in celebration as Toone was smothered by her teammates. Perfect timing on the run and pass from Toone and Walsh respectively, with the German center backs guilty of ball-watching. Walsh has been a very underrated player for England this tournament. She doesn’t always get the assist like she did today, but she usually plays the pass that leads to the assist.

England kept their foot on the pedal a little bit and created another 1-2 chances after that, but it was the Germans who got the next goal. The Lionesses were 11 minutes from history, only to be let down by some momentarily poor defending. A low cross with pace was played in from the right wing by Waßmuth towards midfielder Lina Magull, who was streaking into the box. No one could clear the cross and England center back Millie Bright was too far from Magull to get a tackle in. Magull just stuck her left leg out with an angled foot, after which the ball flew up over the tops of Earps and into the net at the near post. Just a simple re-direct really, as the ball already had pace on it. Magull had been playing well the whole match, along with her fellow midfielder Lena Oberdorf. I was crestfallen when they conceded, but it was a well-executed goal nevertheless. England lost concentration for only a split second but the Germans made them pay for it.

The 90 minutes ended at 1-1 and the prospect of every England fan’s worst nightmare was now on the horizon: penalties against Ze Germans. There was half an hour of extra time to play of course and anything could happen, but in a major final it’s rare for teams to concede. Given that the men’s side lost on penalties in this very same stadium last summer, no one was relishing the prospect. There is even an old joke that goes, “football is a game played by two teams of 11 players over 90 minutes and in the end the Germans win on penalties”.

The first 15 minutes passed mostly without incident, with both teams making tactical and injury substitutions as the match wore on and the players tired. England lost star winger Beth Mead to injury late on, with winger/forward Chloe Kelly coming on in her place. As it turned out, her introduction to the proceedings would be game-changing. England did well to win themselves a corner in the early part of the second half of extra time. Kelly screamed at the Wembley crowd for support, which was vociferously given to her. She then parked herself right in front of the goal while winger Lauren Hemp set up to take the corner.

The ball was played in, and what ensued can only be described as a mad scramble. It appeared that two England players got some indirect contact with the ball, which caused it to bounce towards Frohms. However, she couldn’t collect the ball and Kelly took a swing at the rebound, but she mostly missed it. The ball bounced off the leg of Frohms again though and back to Kelly, and this time she made no mistake. She got her toe on the ball and rolled it over the line. There was an odd pause for half a second or so to make sure the goal stood. The Germans were calling for a foul in the build up, but the referee pointed to the center circle to confirm the go-ahead goal. Kelly wheeled away and removed her shirt in celebration while she was mobbed by her teammates. It wasn’t clean or pretty, but it doesn’t matter how they go in.

England then carried out some of the best tactical time wasting I have ever seen. From the 113th minute onward, they simply ran the ball to the Germany corner flag and held it there. The Germans tried mightily to get the ball back, but England managed to win a corner, a foul, or throw in almost every time. Even on the occasion when the Germans did get it down the pitch a bit, they did not execute their passes well. Many of them seemed extremely tired, while the Lionesses were positively wired. Again though, brilliant and perfectly legal shithousery timewasting. I saw a few German fans complaining about those tactics late on, but also saw some smarter German fans admitting that they would be doing the exact same thing if they were in the lead.

After two minutes of largely uneventful stoppage time, the final whistle blew and England were champions. The first song played over the Wembley loudspeakers was “Three Lions”, known for coining the now ubiquitous “It’s Coming Home” chant that England fans all know and love. The players collapsed on the pitch in celebration. Wiegman had to dodge her own players coming off the bench and running onto the pitch. The fans were roaring in joy at Wembley, around England, and around the world. For the first time in 56 years, a senior England team had won a major trophy. For the first time ever, the England women’s team had won a major trophy.

Neither team played their best football today, but in the end the goals told the story. We finished more of our chances than Germany did, and sometimes that’s all you need to do. All credit to the Germans for fighting to the death and giving me numerous heart attacks, but this was England’s day and England’s tournament. The players all led the crowd in a few chorus’s of “Sweet Caroline” while the stage was set for the trophy presentation. I think the moment when Prince William (chairman of the English FA) handed the European Championship trophy to England center back and captain Leah Williamson will go down as positively iconic, up there with 1966 when Queen Elizabeth II handed the Jules Rimet trophy to Bobby Moore. Williamson and White hoisted it over their heads together, with pyrotechnics and confetti going off in abundance.

Sarina Wiegman deserves a damehood. I know she’s Dutch technically but I’m sure they can figure out a way to make an exception. She is an absolutely brilliant manager, and she is the first one (man or woman) to win the Euros with two different countries, having won with her native Netherlands in 2017. I love her approach to the game though. She has a plan for everything, and she has mastered the difficult skill of knowing what plan to implement and when. She knows when to play conservative, she knows when to play possession, and she knows when to roll the dice. Your team has to be able to play in multiple different styles in order to win, and that’s exactly what England did throughout this tournament. In her post-match pressor, she humbly gave credit to her players, saying that she couldn’t do any of this without exceptionally talented players.

Speaking of, give all of these ladies MBEs/OBEs/damehoods as well, for what they’ve done not only for national pride but for every single girl in England who wants to play football. There was a time in England where women were literally forbidden from playing professionally by the Football Association. We’ve come a long way since those days. Many women in England love football just as much as men do, but I’ve heard a lot of stories from Englishwomen online and in the media about how the game has not always been kind to them. They had to grow up wanting to be like Gary Lineker, David Beckham, or Wayne Rooney because there was no money in the women’s game or it simply didn’t exist. But young girls now can grow up idolizing Mead, White, Kelly, Earps, Russo, Lucy Bronze, et al. This victory is good for gender egalitarianism in both football and British society as a whole. Credit to the FA for righting the wrongs of the past by investing heavily in the women’s game in the past 10 years or so. This trophy is a product of that investment.

I am also personally going to make it a point to watch more of the Women’s Super League this upcoming season, given that there’s at least three Manchester United players in this England squad (Russo, Earps, and Toone). The next step of evolving the women’s game is for people to devote attention to it outside of major international tournaments, and that’s what I’d like to start doing. I also need to buy an Alessia Russo #23 England shirt, but I can’t find one in men’s style right now! Crazy.

Congratulations to everyone involved in the England team! Time to celebrate!

Lionesses Romp to Victory, On To the Final of Women’s Euro 2022

The first match of two semifinals at Women’s Euro 2022 took place today with England taking on Sweden at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, UK. On paper this was set to be a matchup of heavyweights in women’s football. England were in their fourth straight major semifinal, while Sweden were the highest-ranked team (2) left in the tournament. Both sides boasted a lot of attacking talent and even though it was a semifinal of a major tournament, most fans knew there was potential for a goal-fest this evening. Bramall Lane was sold out for the occasion and the crowd provided a raucous atmosphere for this match.

England got off to a slow start as they have sometimes done in this tournament, but a sharp save from keeper Mary Earps just 22 seconds in kept things level. The Swedes continued their sharpness for the opening half an hour, creating most of their chances via set-pieces. They were perhaps wasteful with the chances they created, though. Then, against the run of play, it was England ahead on 34 minutes after a sensational strike from winger Beth Mead. She controlled the aerial cross from the right brilliantly with her first touch, which allowed her to turn and lash a shot on the half-volley into the far corner past Sweden keeper Hedvig Lindahl. Despite being under significant pressure from the Swedes, England found themselves ahead. The goal seemed to give them confidence too, as all of a sudden England were playing with a lot more confidence and Sweden weren’t sure how to respond.

At halftime it was 1-0 to England, but there was a general sense that they were somewhat fortunate to be ahead. That was probably the case, but possession and chances don’t win matches. Goals do, and England had taken their chance while Sweden had not. The general consensus at halftime though was that England needed a stronger second half in order to keep Sweden out.

And what a strong second half they delivered! England’s all-world right back Lucy Bronze found herself free at the back post from a corner on 48 minutes, and she nodded down a fairly simple header back across goal that Lindahl could not keep out. No one was expecting England to be up 2-0 at any point in this match especially when Sweden were the better team for the opening half hour, but all credit to Bronze for being in the right place at the right time. There was a VAR check for offside, but the goal stood. Bronze had actually had a somewhat questionable performance defensively up until that point, but her attacking prowess has never been in question. With a two goal lead in the second half, many England eyes were turning to Wembley on Sunday.

The match was put on ice by substitute and Manchester United striker Alessia Russo, who continued her sublime tournament performance with arguably the best goal of it so far. A good passing move down the left wing opened up the Swedish defense, but Russo’s shot on target was too direct and blocked by Lindahl. The rebound along the ground came back to her, and even though everyone thought the chance was gone, Russo was able to backheel a shot towards goal that nutmegged Lindahl for 3-0. Easily the most audacious and downright filthy goal I have ever seen in a semifinal of a major tournament. Her level of confidence is sky-high right now and with her four goals at this tournament she has proven to be one of the most effective substitutes maybe ever. To even have the audacity to attempt that shot speaks volumes by itself.

Even though Sweden were finished from a competitive standpoint, England were not. Attacking midfielder Fran Kirby, having probably her best match of the tournament thus far, added England’s fourth with a chip over Lindahl from about 20 yards out. The strike wasn’t the prettiest, but Lindahl was perilously far off her line for some reason. She got a hand to it the looping shot, but couldn’t get enough contact on the ball to keep it out. England were up 4-0 and the final loomed large.

I couldn’t be more complimentary of this team. Yes there was a bit of luck in the beginning with how Sweden were dominating possession and set pieces, but the finishing in the penalty area was the difference today. England converted their chances, and Sweden became more despondent as the goals went in. Earps also made a spectacular save when England were up 2-0 to keep the score the same, and it was right after that save that Russo got the 3rd. The second half in particular was one of the most complete performances I have seen from any England team – men’s or women’s.

The Lionesses are now in their first major final since 2009, where they will play either France or Germany at Wembley on Sunday morning (America time). They have a chance to be the first England team – men’s or women’s – to win a major trophy since 1966. This team could not be any more ready for it. Mead has now levelled the record of goals scored in a Euros with 6. The back four looks very solid. Russo is toying with defenses when she comes on. Manager Sarina Wiegman has worked wonders with this team, and she deserves all the credit in the world for getting the most out of these exceptionally-talented players. This victory is the result of long-term investment in the women’s game in England by the Football Association, and the success they’ve experienced should ensure that England is a powerhouse of women’s football for years to come.

But we’re not done yet. England in recent years has been a team that has come excruciatingly close to a trophy, only to fall short at one stage or another. That can’t happen now. This team is too good, and they’ve come too far to not win it.

A legacy-defining 90 minutes awaits on Sunday.

Three Lion(esse)s on the Shirts!

Lionesses Come From Behind to Beat Spain, Advance to Semifinals

The quarterfinals of Women’s Euro 2022 kicked off today, and it featured a mouth-watering fixture between host nation England and an up-and-coming Spain side at the Amex Stadium in Brighton. England won Group A handily, while Spain finished second to Germany in Group B. Even though England were probably favorites in this match, no one was underestimating the Spanish. Much like Spain’s men’s team, the women’s team is capable of maintaining possession with ease, and it can be very difficult to take the ball off of them.

And indeed, the first hour or so was dominated by La Furia Roja. They were compact in possession and England were having a hell of a time just getting on the ball. When England were on the ball, they looked slow and lethargic. The Spanish were able to capitalize on their dominance just after half time when Real Madrid striker Esther González slotted home past England keeper Mary Earps. Given the lack of goal scoring chances for England up until that point, a sense of all-too-familiar dread crept over the England fans. It could even be argued that the Spanish should have had another one just a few minutes later, if not for the heroics of Earps.

This game changed however upon some poor Spanish substitutions and a complete switch of tactics by England manager Sarina Wiegman. The Spanish took off several attacking players and elected to try and defend their lead. England switched from a back-4 to a back-3, which allowed players like Beth Mead to push higher up the pitch. The Spanish seemed to be more stretched out defensively as a result, and the press from England became much more effective.

England were six minutes plus stoppage time from going out of the tournament. They were that close to losing this. But then a goal arrived on 84 minutes, and it was crafted at Carrington training ground. A cross was played into the box from the right, and it was headed down by Manchester United striker Alessia Russo straight into the path of her club teammate (and best friend) Ella Toone, who bundled the ball over the line for England’s equalizer. The Amex erupted in celebration, despite the protestations of the Spanish who felt that Russo fouled her marker in the build-up to the goal. VAR was consulted however, and the goal stood. A massive sigh of relief came over the stadium when the goal was confirmed. England pushed for a winner in normal time, but it was not to come. Extra time and potentially penalties would be the order of the day.

But not to worry, because England found themselves ahead on 96 minutes thanks to an absolute worldie from attacking midfielder Georgia Stanway. She received the ball from midfielder Kiera Walsh in space, about 45 yards from the goal. None of the Spanish players elected to press her, so she ran forward about 20 yards with the ball. The Spanish kept backing off of her and giving her room, so she elected to shoot from just outside the box. It was truly a wonderful strike with her right foot, crossing in front of the Spanish keeper in the air and into the far corner. It was truly a goal worth winning a match!

Even though they were ahead and in the driver’s seat, England still had to see off the opposition, who were hell bent on winning their first ever knockout game as a women’s side. Due to fatigue from both sides though the final 18+ minutes were rather disjointed. The Spanish created one or two moments for potential heart attack, but England’s defenders were all brilliant at closing the game out. Earps was not really troubled in goal, despite the Spanish having lots of possession at the end when trying to find their own equalizer.

We knew going in that the Lionesses can score goals. We knew that they were a very complete team. The win today however showed that this team has another world class trait: resilience. They hadn’t been behind at any point in the tournament up until today, and they handled the adversity splendidly. The players were clearly frustrated when they went behind, but they never stopped pressing, running, and haranguing the Spanish when off the ball. It’s true the Spanish didn’t help themselves with their substitutes, but Wiegman deserves a lot of credit for the win today as well. Without the tactical change to a back-3 and making some key substitutions, it’s entirely possible that England lose this match 1-0. A note to men’s manager Gareth Southgate – sometimes you’ve got to roll the dice if things aren’t going your way!

England have now reached the semifinals of their last four major tournaments. Truly an era of dominance in terms of consistency. We just need a trophy now. Two more matches with winning results, and England will have their first one since 1966. The Lionesses will now face either Sweden or Belgium in the semifinals of Women’s Euro 2022!

Three Lion(esses) on the Shirts!

Lionesses Brush Aside Northern Ireland; March Into the Quarterfinals of Women’s Euro 2022

Today was the last group match for the England women’s team at Euro 2022, where they hosted Northern Ireland at St. Mary’s Stadium in Southampton, England. England were already group winners thanks to their win over Austria and thorough demolition of Norway earlier in the group. Northern Ireland were already eliminated unfortunately, although their supporters and team were looking to make a good accounting of themselves. The supporters did for sure, and their team did for about 40 minutes as well.

The Northern Irish defended much better than the Norwegians did in the previous match, and it was sheer tenacity and a desire to hold on that kept them in it. Talent-wise, England were far and away the better side. More money has been allocated to the women’s game in England as opposed to Northern Ireland, and as a result England’s players can train and play as professionals. The Northern Irish do not have that luxury at this time, and as a result they were forced to field a group of semi-professionals who only can play when they aren’t working at other jobs. You frequently see this on the men’s side with small countries like Gibraltar or Malta that don’t have a ton of money to allocate to football. That problem is magnified 10x on the women’s side.

But still, you can only play against the team that’s put in front of you. The Lionesses were frustrated for most of the first half, but eventually broke through thanks to the efforts of England legend Fran Kirby. Beth Mead was able to follow up with a goal on 44 minutes just after that, and what was a very tense match suddenly became very comfortable for England.

The gap in quality and the score line widened even more after half time, with substitute Alessia Russo coming on to score England’s next two goals. It was Russo’s goal on 48 minutes that really sunk the Northern Irish. Conceding so early on in a half against much better opposition is devastating for a team. Despite the fact that they kept at it and tried to hit England on the counter as much as possible, they never really looked like England keeper Mary Earps. England were simply faster, stronger, and had a lot more depth on the bench than the Northern Irish today.

The fifth goal was an own goal from Northern Ireland, and that would end up being the final goal on the day. Russo was guilty of missing a sitter for her hat-trick, but that was the only blemish on the face of this match. England won handily in front of a near-capacity crowd, and the celebrations for making the QFs were well and truly on. Full credit to Northern Ireland for not fully capitulating, and even more credit to their supporters for singing their heads off even when already eliminated.

The Lionesses dominated the group stage of this tournament. 3 matches, 3 wins, 14 goals scored, 0 (zero) conceded. There is no such thing as perfection in football, but this is about as close as it gets. No team – men or women – has scored this many goals in a Euro group stage without conceding. Mead, Russo, and Ellen White lead an absolutely stacked front line. Fran Kirby and Ella Toone are both excellent midfielders, and the stalwart defender Lucy Bronze is still in the conversation for best left back in the world. The passing through to the forwards today was phenomenal, and England could have 6-7 goals if not for some last ditch tackling by the Northern Irish.

Up next is the quarterfinals, where England will play the runners-up of Group B, having handily won Group A. Germany has already won Group B, so England will play either Denmark or Spain in the next round. I’d prefer for them to play Denmark, but in the end it doesn’t really matter. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. On a quick aside, congratulations to Austria on also moving on to the QFs today.

There is no team in better form than this England team right now. There is talent and depth throughout the squad, and manager Sarina Wiegman (who missed the match today due to a positive COVID test) has employed tactics that suit the strengths of her players. She knows who her best XI is, and she seems to be sticking with it. At this point though, given that England are winning and winning handily, she can likely do whatever she wants and no one will question it. The team is harmonizing like a barbershop quartet. The ladies need to celebrate a bit tonight, but then tomorrow its time for game faces again. The matches only get harder from here on out.

Come on England!

Lionesses Demolish Norway at Euro 2022; Club Transfer News Roundup

I’ve been guilty of making a very large mistake – not paying a lot of attention to the England women’s team at Women’s Euro 2022. I’ve been checking scores once results are over, but that’s really about it. Not anymore though! The Lionesses are legit trophy challengers this tournament. Many of the pundits are regarding them as the most complete team, and they really showed that today against a Norwegian squad that’s ranked among the best in the world.

Many recall the USA hitting Thailand for 13 at the last Women’s World Cup, and while that was undoubtedly impressive, England’s 8 (eight!) to 0 (nil) victory today over Norway at Amex Stadium in Brighton, UK was arguably even more so. Along with France and England, the Norwegians were favorites to win this tournament and have one of the best players in the world in striker Ada Hegerberg. To beat a squad like this so thoroughly really shows the class England have at all 11 positions and on the bench.

England were all over them from start to finish. Pressing very effectively, and Norway could not figure out what to do about it. Forward Beth Mead earned her first hat trick of the tournament today, while stalwart forward Ellen White contributed two goals as well. It was 6-0 to England at half time! Things did kick off with a soft penalty awarded to England, but that does not excuse the Norwegians from allowing seven more goals after that. This was the biggest victory by any team – men or women – at the Euros ever.

Coupled with their 1-0 victory over Austria last week and their now massive goal difference, England have effectively won Group A and will move on to the knockout rounds. The formality of the final group match against minnows Northern Ireland remains, but England manager Sarina Wiegman now has the luxury of rotating her squad before the next match.

Come on England!!!

*****

On the men’s side of things, pre-season is about to kick off for Manchester United, who are currently on a tour of southeast Asia. It has been a spicy close season and transfer window indeed, most notably for who United have failed to sign. Due to our own inability to complete a transfer swiftly and the fact that United will not be in the Champions League next season, a lot of the top shelf talent has gone to our rival clubs. Manchester City have signed all-world striker Erling Haaland and midfielder Kalvin Phillips, Liverpool have signed striker Darwin Nunez, while Arsenal and Tottenham have strengthened their midfield and attacking options respectively as well.

United have so far lost more players than they have signed. Nemanja Matic, Juan Mata, Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, and Andreas Pereira have all signed elsewhere, will sign elsewhere, or have retired from the game. While we did need a clear out and to offload some bloated contracts, the other half of a competent transfer strategy is replacing those departing players while improving the squad. Not sure United has done that, yet.

The Red Devils have officially signed left back Tyrell Malacia from Dutch side Feyenoord, and they appear very close to announcing the signing of attacking midfielder Christian Eriksen from Brentford. United also appear to be in for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, but the process has taken so long and the rumors flying every which way has made this saga about as clear as mud. Barcelona and United are currently two of the most poorly-run clubs in the world. Indeed, United would arguably be the worst if not for the stunning incompetence of the Barcelona board of directors. There seems to be a contractual issue at the forefront, and it’s unclear whether De Jong even wants to play for United next season. I understand he may be important to new manager Erik ten Hag’s plans, but what’s the point in dragging out this whole process if he doesn’t want to be here?

What to do about Cristiano Ronaldo has also caused some head-scratching it seems around Carrington training ground. Ronaldo will be 38 by the end of next season, but the argument could easily be made that he was United’s best outfield player last season. He was leading scorer after all, and seemed to win matches on his own at times. But now he is supposedly not happy with the lack of transfers, and there are rumors that he has requested to leave Old Trafford. That could happen, but two major obstacles are in the way. For one, Ten Hag has explicitly stated that Ronaldo is in his plans for the upcoming season. Second, and this is potentially the bigger obstacle, are Ronaldo’s massive weekly wages. He is rumored to be on a whopping £510,000/week contract, and there are simply not many clubs that can afford to pay him that much. He probably won’t take a pay cut unless he really wants to leave. It is important to note that Ronaldo is not currently with the squad in southeast Asia, as the club has given him leave to address “family” issues. Whether he stays or not will be interesting. Chelsea are rumored to be the only destination that checks all the boxes, but would Ronaldo really leave United for a competitive rival? Is he that much of a mercenary? Many fans want to believe he isn’t, but as we all know, money talks.

United still need a true defensive midfielder in my opinion, but that’s been the case for about two years now. Ten Hag seems to have the lads training hard every day, but I have to question whether he feels supported by ownership and club officials. There’s a lot of pressure on him to succeed at United, but that will be near impossible if he is not given the support from ownership that he needs.