FA Cup: Manchester United Shock Liverpool in Quarterfinal Classic

There’s no denying that this hasn’t been a good season by the illustrious standards of Manchester United. They won’t be winning the Premier League, the top-4 seems like it will take a borderline miracle to attain, they lost their League Cup crown earlier in the season, and they are out of all European competitions. They’ve been incredibly inconsistent all year, with injuries playing a massive role in their sputtering form. The Red Devils’ last realistic chance at any trophy this season is in the illustrious FA Cup – the oldest single-elimination football tournament in the world. United squeaked by Nottingham Forest at the City Ground 1-0 in the 5th round, which set up an incredibly juicy quarterfinals tie with their hated rivals Liverpool earlier today at Old Trafford. While these two sides have their own rich histories and traditions of winning, title-contenders Liverpool were the heavy favorites to move on to the semifinals at Wembley Stadium.

But under-fire United manager Erik ten Hag and the squad had other plans. United were the dominant team for the first 10 minutes or so, and cashed in on their dominance thanks a rebound finish from midfielder Scott McTominay. They couldn’t add another one in the first half though, and Liverpool struck back twice at the end of the first half via midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and winger/forward Mohamed Salah. United scored via winger Antony dos Santos (playing at left back today) on 87 minutes though, which forced extra time at 2-2. Liverpool then went ahead again on 105 minutes via attacking midfielder Harvey Elliot, only for United to continue to fight back and get a 3rd from winger/forward Marcus Rashford. Finally, in the dying seconds of stoppage time and after a breathless 120 minutes of football, United winger Amad Diallo found the opposite corner with a low finish after a breakaway. Old Trafford erupted in joy as the ball rolled past Scousers keeper Caoimhin Kelleher for 4-3. Diallo ended up being sent off on a second yellow card for removing his shirt during the goal celebration, but it was an absolutely legendary 30ish minute cameo from the Ivorian winger.

I blitzed through the goals and major incidents recap mostly because there are so many other talking points to discuss. For one, ETH may have saved his job next season with this performance. I have long been a defender of ETH because I generally believe his footballing philosophy is one that can win matches, but it was becoming more and more difficult to defend him with each head-scratching lineup or substitution. But today, he got it 100% right. It was extremely unorthodox at times, with numerous players playing out of position and we didn’t seem to have a midfield late on in the match, but it somehow worked. I could have sworn I saw us in a 4-1-5 formation at some point! I also saw Antony at left back, Bruno Fernandes in central defense, and Harry Maguire was effectively a striker! It was ludicrous, but again, it worked. Bringing on Diallo and Antony ended up being brilliant moves as well. It was chaos ball, but maybe some chaos is just what was needed to make the Scousers uncomfortable.

But moreover, I think the big headline from today is not about ETH, nor is it about United beating their biggest rival in a classic football match. The biggest takeaway from today from the perspective of the supporters is that the Red Devils finally showed some fight. They kept trying to win the match and never stopped, and it paid off big time. Far too often this season and last, this has looked like a team that lacked a competitive spirit. Every once in a while they show some spine, but more often than not United have repeatedly shown a lack of backbone in bigger matches once they get punched in the face. Even with a lead, if they concede a cheap goal or a call from the referee doesn’t go their way, they have often just capitulated and lacked a desire to carry on fighting. That did not happen today, however. Indeed, it was just the opposite. They got a somewhat surprising lead, but conceded two very cheap goals just before halftime. It was sadly expected by many (including me) that they would yet again surrender and not really try in the second half. But they came out with dogged determination, Liverpool were a bit sloppy with some of their chances, and they got an equalizer late on to force extra time. They could have easily capitulated again when Liverpool went ahead 3-2 on 105 minutes, but they just kept running forward and getting the ball ahead to the attacking players. Again, it paid off when Rashford made it 3-3. That put them in a position to go and win it, and they took advantage of some questionable tactics by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp to go and win the match.

Brilliant match today. Absolutely brilliant. Likely the best one during the ETH regime. To beat our biggest rival in the FA Cup quarterfinals as underdogs in the dying seconds of extra time is the stuff dreams are made of. Excellent matches from Rashford, Bruno, McTominay, Maguire, Diallo, midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, winger/forward Alejandro Garnacho, and Antony. Some special recognition to right back (left back?) Diogo Dalot as well, who did not put a foot wrong for 120 minutes. When this team believes in themselves, they have the ability to beat some of the best teams in Europe. Well done to the home supporters at Old Trafford too, who were raucous from start to finish.

It’s true this season has not gone well. It’s true that inconsistency and injuries have plagued the Red Devils all year. It’s true that we are still at the beginning of a massive overhaul that will continue for several more seasons. Today made all of that much easier to digest, though. I believe this will show both the Glazers and new owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe that ETH is the man to guide us through this rebuild and get us back the promised land. All of the problems surrounding the club can be temporarily forgotten, because today we knocked the Scousers out of the FA Cup. Hope the lads get some good celebrating in tonight.

United have been drawn against Championship side Coventry City in the semifinals of the FA Cup, to be played in about a month’s time at Wembley. They have some difficult matches to be played in the Premier League between now and then, but all eyes are now on the weekend of April 20/21. The top 4 would still be a great achievement given how this season has gone, but honestly, if I had to choose, I’d want us to go and win the FA Cup. Let’s turn this crap season into something positive by finishing strongly with a trophy. Manchester City take on Chelsea in the other half of the semifinal.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Premier League: Back-to-Back Defeats Leaves the Top 4 Race Hanging in the Balance

I was too upset and frustrated to write about Manchester United’s loss away to Brighton & Hove Albion last Thursday, so I thought I would wait until after the match away to West Ham United earlier today and do a double-post with the hope that the result today was better.

It wasn’t.

United have suffered back-to-back 1-0 defeats on the road against those aforementioned teams. They looked to achieve a respectable 0-0 against Brighton until center back Luke Shaw mysteriously stuck his hand in the air to meet the ball in the box in stoppage time, and midfielder Alexis Mac Alister converted a 97+ minute penalty to steal all three points for the Seagulls. Today, United were behind on 27 minutes after Hammers winger Saïd Benrahma’s speculative effort embarrassingly slipped through the gloves of United keeper David De Gea. United were unable to find the net as the match wore on. Truthfully, United could have easily lost by a 3-0 margin today in East London. The referee saved them from further goals awarded despite the Hammers finding the back of the net several times, and they likely should have been awarded a penalty for handball in first half stoppage time.

Usually I’m able to point to one specific problem that leads to a defeat, but in this case it appears there are several. Each problem by itself is probably not enough to cause these losses, but taken together it’s all a recipe for disaster.

For one, the Red Devils have been terrible away from Old Trafford this season. We have more defeats away than relegation-strugglers Everton, and it speaks to a problem with the team’s mentality and attitude. Manager Erik Ten Hag has shown he is capable of good man-management at times, but this team wilts like a flower in the July sun away from home and it must be changed going into next season. Whatever ETH did at the beginning of the year to get this team to buy in, he needs to do it again.

Another reason for these losses is the overall play of De Gea. His error today was terrible and probably one of the worst of his career. But his shot-stopping issue today is still not the biggest concern. Again, his distribution when playing the ball out from the back has been below standards in multiple matches this season. Part of that is the center back pairing in front him (and that is addressed below), but he has repeatedly shown he is not capable of effectively distributing the ball out from the back, which is crucial to the tactics and philosophy of ETH. De Gea gets it right every once in a while, but at this level he has to be much more consistent. The casual observer might think he’s had a good season given that he’s on pace to win the Golden Gloves (awarded to the keeper with the most Premier League clean sheets), but that is a misleading statistic for keepers. Keeping a clean sheet involves all 11 players, not just the keeper. ETH likes to use the keeper to start the build-up play and then for the team to move the ball up the pitch along the ground, but when the keeper is consistently making poor decisions with the initial pass, the build-up doesn’t work. ETH has resorted to letting De Gea play long balls at times, particularly against Brighton, but those haven’t been the most accurate either.

It does not help De Gea that center backs Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane are battling long-term injuries. Martinez and Varane were first choice under ETH for a reason – both are very good on the ball and can usually withstand a high press from the opposition. Replacement center backs Victor Lindelof and Shaw have shown that they are capable defensively for the most part, but they are not as good on the ball and struggle to make the key passes into midfield when pressed. Shaw is normally very good on the wing when he plays his natural left back position, but as he has had to deputize at center back, the left wing has looked unproductive. It’s no coincidence that the scoring of forward Marcus Rashford slowed down once Shaw was required to move into central defense. Shaw and Rashford have good chemistry between them, and they scare teams with their movement and passing down the left wing. Deputy left back Tyrell Malacia had a good start to the season, but his form the last several matches covering for Shaw has left a lot to be desired in attack.

Of course, no one man or unit is responsible for the team losing. De Gea hasn’t been good, but this team is more than capable of getting results against teams like Brighton and West Ham. The rest of the outfield players have frankly been poor. Winger Antony dos Santos usually looks good for a half, then he disappears. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes is always running his tail off, but his passes haven’t been accurate recently. Midfielder Casemiro is being knocked off the ball too easily. Striker Anthony Martial hasn’t looked sharp since he returned from injury. Rashford’s goals have dried up. Striker Wout Weghorst can’t find the back of the net to save his life, and indeed no one’s finishing has been good. The list of players underperforming goes on and on. As hinted at above, this is a team that is collectively low on confidence, and it is on ETH to reignite the team’s confidence and get them firing again. It took them until the 90th minute today to really start playing with intensity, which is unacceptable. I imagine several of them will be out the door this summer while ETH continues to rebuild.

The top-4 is now in serious jeopardy for United, and failing to qualify would be borderline catastrophic for the club’s finances and moreover their ability to recruit players over the summer. They are just one point ahead of Liverpool in 5th, as these losses have seen their cushion evaporate. They still have a game in hand over Liverpool, and fortunately three of the last four matches will be at the fortress known as Old Trafford. But, all of Liverpool’s games seem very winnable for them as well. United still need 9 points to mathematically guarantee the top-4, and there are only 12 maximum points available. The Scousers and/or Tottenham Hotspur could still bottle it themselves of course, but you never want to leave qualification in the hands of the opposition.

United return to Old Trafford next Saturday to host Wolverhampton Wanderers. Wolves are safe from relegation and likely do not have much to play for, so hopefully United are able to get back on track with three points.

FA Cup: United Through to the FA Cup Final on Penalties

Manchester United travelled to London earlier today for an FA Cup Semifinal matchup with Brighton & Hove Albion at Wembley Stadium. This match was full of intrigue for a variety of reasons. Brighton and manager Roberto De Zerbi are probably having the best season in their history, and they’ve been extremely successful with their scouting and recruiting of players who fit De Zerbi’s system. He also knows how to get the best out of his players. They play a possession-oriented style that you don’t often see from a mid-table club, and they are anchored in the center of the park by a World Cup winner in Argentine midfielder Alexis Mac Allister. United and manager Erik ten Hag were looking to right the ship after the woeful 3-0 loss to Sevilla in the Europa League. The back line was shuffled once again, with left back Luke Shaw moving into the center of defense alongside center back Victor Lindelof. The FA Cup is United’s last realistic chance of winning another trophy this season.

The first half was decidedly even. Both teams were cancelling each other out tactically, and the defenses were playing extremely well. Brighton forced an early save from keeper David De Gea on 7 minutes from a Mac Alister free kick, after which midfielder Bruno Fernandes forced a save from Seagulls keeper Robert Sanchez with a shot from just outside the box on 14 minutes. There were half chances created as the first 45 minutes wore on, but there was also a litany of fouls and injuries that really stopped the match from getting into a rhythm or flow. Neither side had a great half in terms of finishing. The final touch or shot was seemingly always just off. Winger Antony dos Santos forced a kicked save from Sanchez in stoppage time, but it was a fairly routine one at that. At halftime it was 0-0, and it was hard to give an edge to either side.

The second half was a bit more dynamic. For the first 15 minutes or so, it was all Brighton. They were dominant in possession and were winning free kicks left and right. De Gea was forced into a big reflex save on 55 minutes from Brighton forward Julio Enciso after the Red Devils failed to effectively clear a corner. United did well to weather the storm though, and they became the more dominant team as the second half carried on. The problems with finishing for both teams carried on, however. Each time someone got the ball into a promising position, it was inevitably followed by a bad touch or last-ditch challenge that ended the danger. The usual second half substitutions from both sides also slowed things down. Seagulls winger Solly March forced a low but again routine save from De Gea on 83 minutes, but that was the only goal mouth action in the latter stages of the half. As the minutes ticked down, it became clear that extra time and maybe even penalties would be needed.

The 30 minutes of extra time that ensued followed the same pattern as the previous 90. A half chance for Brighton, then a half chance for United, then Brighton, et cetera. Some very solid defensive play from both teams, coupled with more poor finishing. The best chance for United was a deflected shot from striker Marcus Rashford that sent Sanchez diving, but he got a hand to it and palmed it away. Rashford came very close again on 112 minutes after a fine pass from midfielder Casemiro found him on a run, but his curling effort from 16-17 yards went wide of Sanchez’s far post. After 120 minutes of football and stoppage time it was still 0-0, and the ominous aura of penalties loomed large.

The weather seemed to understand the importance of the moment too, as what was previously a sunny day in west London suddenly became a downpour just before the shootout began. Water on the pitch is not what a penalty taker wants, but both De Gea and Sanchez would have been pleased to see it. Mac Alister went first for Brighton and dispatched his penalty expertly, as did Casemiro for United after him. Seagulls defender Pascal Groß then converted his penalty, after which United full back Diogo Dalot dispatched his as well. That’s how it went for the first five penalties for each side – clinical finishing. Sanchez did get a hand to midfielder Marcel Sabitzer’s sixth penalty, but he couldn’t keep it out. The big break for United came when March skied penalty number 7 over the crossbar, which allowed Lindelof to step up to the spot and send Sanchez the wrong way! United won 7-6 on penalties and advanced to the FA Cup Final!

Tons of talking points from this one but I want to highlight United’s makeshift back four of Shaw, Lindelof, Dalot, and right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka. All four of them were immense today, as was De Gea with some key saves. Lindelof in particular was impressive. It’s true he’s fallen down the pecking order this season due to the play of center backs Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane, but he has proven himself to be a reliable option when those two have not been available. Having Shaw next to him was a risky but ultimately correct decision as well. He doesn’t usually play centrally, but the two of them work very well together. Lindelof’s cool and steely approach to taking what was ultimately the winning spot kick is part of the reason why he’s called Iceman. I hope ETH sticks with those four players at the back until Varane is fit to return.

All of the penalties taken in this shootout though – aside from March’s – were excellent. Credit to Rashford and winger Jadon Sancho in particular. The last time those two took part in a shootout was the disastrous England match against Italy at Euro 2021 where they both badly missed, but you never would have known that judging by their confidence today. Sancho buried his penalty high and in the opposite corner, which is unstoppable if it’s executed correctly. There was a confidence about the penalties that I haven’t seen from United in a long time. March was unlucky to miss his, but sometimes that’s how these things go. Penalty shootouts are always a roll of the dice, and for Brighton today they came up snake eyes. They will rue their poor finishing today, just like United would have done had they lost. Some real nerve on display from the lads today, which was a nice contrast to the previous match where they looked like they couldn’t be bothered.

United will play in the first ever Manchester Derby FA Cup Final against fierce rivals Manchester City on June 3, 2023 at Wembley. Between now and then though are the final 8 matches of the Premier League campaign, with the first one being yet another trip to London to play Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday. United are temporarily in 4th place due to Newcastle’s victory over Tottenham today, but United have a game in hand. This match against Spurs is a big one in the race for the top-4. Win, and United will be a virtual lock for the Champions League next season.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

World Cup Final – Lionel Messi Leads Argentina to Victory

This was a fantastic tournament on the pitch. Not quite the best tournament of all time, but still very good nonetheless. We should remember it for the football, not who hosted it.

I can remember watching World Cup finals going back to the late 90s, and I have to say that this was the best one I have ever seen. An absolutely thrilling match in every way.

Argentina vs. France

The opening half of this match belonged to the South Americans, full stop. They were better in possession and looked much more threatening in attack. They went up 1-0 on 23 minutes from the penalty spot, after Argie winger Angel Di Maria went down in the French penalty area. The contact on Di Maria from French winger Ousmane Dembélé appeared to be minimal, but Di Maria is a master of making the most out of contact in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. The legendary attacking midfielder and captain Lionel Messi stepped up to the spot, and with the eyes of the entire world on him, he calmly sent French keeper Hugo Lloris the wrong way for the first goal of the match.

La Albiceleste extended their lead on 36 minutes after a very swift and precise counter-attack. They won the ball just outside their own box and after a series of neat passes involving Messi and striker Julián Álvarez, the ball was played to midfielder Alexis Mac Allister in space just outside the French penalty area on the right side. Mac Allister hit a deft diagonal pass back across the face of goal along the ground, where it found Di Maria streaking toward the back post. He redirected his first-time shot back across Lloris and into the right hand corner of the net. He wheeled away in celebration of a beautiful counter-attacking goal. Di Maria has not played much this tournament due to injury and fitness issues, but he still an incredible player and he certainly contributed heavily today. The two goal deficit forced France into tactical substitutions on just 40 minutes, a rarity at this level. At 2-0 though, Argentina went into halftime with one hand on the Jules Rimet trophy.

But it was indeed only one hand. They needed to come out and continue attacking the French, but for whatever reason they did not seem as committed to doing that as they were against Croatia in the semis. This approach was a cause for concern. Yes it was 2-0, but the Argentines have given up two goal leads at this very tournament. Their defense is good, but they have problems holding up to sustained pressure with no outlet. Almost any defense would. They kept France out for about 34 minutes or so, but everything changed on 79 minutes when French striker Randal Kolo Muani was fouled in the box after beating his defender to the ball. Truth be told, if the light contact in the box on Di Maria earlier was a penalty, then this one was definitely a penalty. Muani sold it well, but the contact on the back of his leg was much more significant than the one on Di Maria earlier. Superstar striker Kylian Mbappé stepped up to the spot and planted the ball past a diving Emiliano Martinez in goal to pull one back for Les Bleus. Martinez frustratingly got a hand to the ball, but the shot had so much power on it that he couldn’t keep it out.

This match turned into absolute bedlam just a minute later though, barely after the restart. France won the ball in the Argentina third, and Mbappé played a very neat 1-2 with forward/winger Marcus Thuram on the left side of the Argentine penalty area. Thuram’s neat ball over the top found a sliding Mbappe, who swept home with an impressive finish from about 16 yards that Martinez had no chance at. A truly impressive goal from a very impressive striker. Argentina were shell-shocked and the French were in ecstasy. The Argies had this match won, but they lost their heads for just a moment France punished them. The goals in quick succession late on were also typical of France. They had done largely nothing in this match in terms of creating dangerous chances, until they all of a sudden decided to start playing aggressive roughly 80 minutes in. Argentina brought this on themselves though. A third goal at any point before then would have salted the match away, but they played too conservative and took their foot off the gas. There was chances for both sides after that goal, but after 90 minutes and stoppage time it was still 2-2.

Extra time would be needed to decide this match, and the chaos would continue for another 30 minutes. Argentina had been attacking more since the French goals, and France’s defense was looking shaky at best. Lloris had to spectacularly deny Messi the winner in stoppage time from long distance. They’d always manage to get the final block or clearance in, but Argentina were in the ascendancy for the first half of extra time. They got their reward on 108 minutes from the magical Messi once again. The Argentine front 3 combined well with a series of passes that quickly found substitute striker Lautaro Martinez. Martinez unleashed a wicked shot from about 12 yards out on the right side that Lloris did well to save, but the rebound fell straight to Messi who powered a shot over the line. A French defender cleared the ball out quickly, but he was at least 3 yards inside his own goal and the ball definitively crossed the line before he cleared it. Messi celebrated with his teammates and after a quick VAR check for offside, the goal stood. 3-2!

Argentina supporters had thought they won it. And normally, a goal that late is the winner. But France weren’t done. There would be one more twist of the knife, and it came on 118 minutes when France were awarded a second penalty. A shot from Mbappé towards goal was blocked by Argentina, but it came off the elbow of right back Gonzalo Montiel in the area. I saw this exact same thing happen in a Paris St. Germain match in the Champions League a few seasons ago – a defender jumping and turning in the air to make a block that results in a handball. Defenders are trained to turn their backs to the ball when trying to clear an oncoming shot, but a side effect of jumping into the air is that one’s arms tend to be raised up to one’s sides. Under the old handball rules this kind of deflection likely would not be a penalty as the defender wouldn’t even be looking at the ball, but nowadays if the arm is an “unnatural position” when it contacts the ball, it’s a penalty. What constitutes “unnatural” however is not always clear. It looked harsh on Montiel, but it’s the correct call under the current rules. Mbappé confidently stepped up and dispatched his penalty to complete his hat-trick on the day. He sent Martinez the wrong way, and in doing so became just the second man to score a hat-trick in a World Cup Final. 3-3!

The French got one more gilt-edged chance in stoppage time of extra time when Argentina failed to clear a bouncing ball over the top and it fell to Kolo Muani on the edge of the area. Martinez rushed out and made himself big, and in doing so pulled off one of the biggest saves of the tournament with his left leg. Kolo Muani should have scored and he knew it. The final whistle blew though shortly after that and we were headed to penalties.

Penalties are always a test of nerves, and it was the Argentines who had slightly more nerve. The keeper Martinez is a big man of course but he has an equally big personality, and he is never short on confidence. His aura alone was much more imposing than that of Lloris. Aside from Mbappé, I wasn’t really impressed with any of the French penalty takers. They weren’t willing to take risks with their shots in the same way Argentina was. The French missed one penalty wide, and I think 1-2 more of them were saved by Martinez. When Montiel redeemed himself for the penalty by scoring the winner, Messi sank to his knees in the center circle and yelled with joy while he was mobbed by his teammates. Argentina won 4-2 on penalties!

Leo Messi is the greatest player ever. Hands down, no two ways about it. People talk about Pelé, Diego Maradona, and Cristiano Ronaldo all being the greatest, but it’s Messi. He has the skills, the accolades, and now he has a World Cup to hang his hat on. He has brought Argentina it’s third world cup and it’s first in 36 years, and the reactions from the people in the streets of Buenos Aires was magical. Pure elation and joy. Well done to Messi, all of his teammates, and manager Lionel Scaloni. His tactics in this match almost cost them, but not even a poor 2nd half plan could stop Messi achieving destiny. Watching him raise the trophy with his teammates was amazing to behold. His little kiss on the trophy as he walked past it earlier will be an iconic photo for years to come.

Despite the Herculean efforts of Mbappé, he could not drag his country over the line. France’s injuries finally caught up to them, and truth be told they were lucky to still be in the match despite doing basically nothing for the first 78 minutes. In most scenarios, Argentina wins this handily 2-0 in 90 minutes. It was primarily due to Mbappé that France even made it to penalties. While Messi is done at the World Cup, Mbappé is only just getting started. If France can have better luck with injuries next time, they can still easily win it in 2026.

Individual Awards:

Golden Gloves winner (best keeper) – Emiliano Martinez

Best Young Player – Enzo Fernandez

Golden Boot (top scorer) – Kylian Mbappé (8)

Golden Ball (best player) – Lionel Messi

And with that, the World Cup is over for another four years. I’ve really enjoyed doing these write-ups, and I want to thank everyone who took the time to read. Wish it was a different result for England, but us losing is nothing new. Now it’s time for a few days off before the domestic leagues start again. Manchester United play in the League Cup Round of 16 on Wednesday, Dec. 21! Congrats to Argentine center back Lisandro Martinez on bringing a World Cup winner’s medal back to the red half of Manchester!

World Cup Final – Preview: Argentina vs. France

Qatar should get no recognition or goodwill for hosting this event and FIFA needs to be investigated by some sort of regulatory commission for corruption.

Congrats to Croatia for taking 3rd place today. Coupled with a runners-up spot in 2018, this is by far their most successful era. Morocco also deserve a congratulations, as their 4th place finish is the highest ever for an African side.

France vs. Argentina

France: The team known colloquially as Les Bleus are in their second straight World Cup Final and are looking to be the first team to repeat as champions since Brazil did it in 1958 and 1962. They already have two World Cups, having won in 1998 and 2018. They have an array of talented players throughout the team, with the obvious focal point being all-world striker Kylian Mbappe. He has been fairly quiet in recent matches as defenders have been focused on marking him out of the game, but he has been able to contribute with his runs on the ball pulling defenders away from teammates. The main thing I’ve noticed about this France team is that they do a lot with very little. Their past two games against Morocco and England have frankly been unimpressive, aside from brief moments of quality that they take full opportunity of. France only had two meaningful attacks against Morocco, but they scored on both of them. “Clinical” is a good word to use to describe France. Their greatest strength this tournament has been their ruthlessness in front of goal.

That being said, there are weaknesses in this team that did not exist in 2018. Their central midfield is lacking a consistent long-range passer, their fullbacks are backups or other players being played out of position, and they don’t have a ton of depth off the bench. All of these problems are caused by the numerous injuries that happened both before and during the tournament. Paul Pogba, Karim Benzema, Presnal Kimpembe, N’Golo Kante, and Christopher Nkunku would all be in as starters normally, but none of them have played a single minute in this tournament. Fullback Theo Hernandez, deputizing for his injured brother Lucas Hernandez, has had some calamitous moments at left back. Despite the presence of stalwart center back Raphael Varane, this French defense might be their biggest weakness. Argentina’s attackers will know this, and will likely be licking their lips.

Argentina: La Albiceleste are in their first final since 2014 and are looking to win their first World Cup since 1986. The South Americans lost in heartbreaking fashion in that 2014 final to Germany, and they find themselves facing European opposition again this time around. The big headline for Argentina of course is that this will be the last ever World Cup match for their captain and attacking midfielder Lionel Messi. Regular readers of this blog (and basically anybody who has ever taken the time to watch football) know all about Messi, and his plaudits are far too many to list. Suffice it to say, he’s the Greatest Of All Time. Of course, the one and only trophy he is missing from his treasure trove of silverware is the Jules Rimet trophy, a.k.a. the World Cup. This is literally his last chance to win it. He showed against Croatia he still has the mesmerizing ball skills that made him famous, and his contributions will be the key to Argentina’s chances. Messi will undoubtedly be looking at that patchwork French defense with hunger in his eyes and 2014 fresh in his mind. He is already the best to ever a kick a ball, but hoisting that trophy above his head will eliminate all lingering doubt.

Unlike 2014, Messi has a lot more support in attack and midfield this time. Striker Julian Álvarez is having himself a sensational tournament at the young age of 22. He has been the principal and primary beneficiary of Messi’s brilliance in recent matches. When Messi is able to pull defenders out of position, it leaves holes for Álvarez to sneak into and get a shot away. Argentina’s third goal against Croatia in the semis is the perfect example of this. A brilliant run from Messi to pull defenders in, and then Messi finds a mostly unmarked Álvarez for a simple tap-in. I have also been impressed with their build-up play through midfield, and they have the work rates of Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez to thank for that. When you couple attacking support for Messi with an improved midfield and the usual stingy Argentine defense, you start to see that this is a very complete team. Center backs Nicolas Otamendi and Lisandro Martinez have been having very good tournaments respectively.

The tactics of manager Lionel Scaloni will likely determine Argentina’s fate, however. How will they play this should they manage to get themselves into the lead? Will they keep attacking like they did against Croatia and win easily? Or will they go into defensive mode and try to hold on, like they did against Australia and the Netherlands? In those two games they conceded late, and it nearly cost them both times. They had to rely on penalties to beat the Dutch, for example. Put simply, if Argentina get an early goal or two, they should keep their foot on the gas for all 90 minutes. If they start pulling men back on 70 minutes to protect a slim lead, that could be disastrous against a team with France’s attack.

Here’s to an entertaining final where the referee is not part of the headlines!

Prediction: Argentina 2-1 France (Argies get a late winner in extra time)

World Cup Roundup – Groups C and D

Qatar is a socially backwards country but FIFA doesn’t care because they have money. There is nothing FIFA loves more than money.

Group D

Winners – France

Runners Up – Australia

Eliminated – Tunisia, Denmark

The French knew they were already through to the next round, so manager Didier Deschamps changed up his team significantly for this final group match against Tunisia. France are so deep in talent though that starting some bench players doesn’t necessarily mean a big drop off in quality for them. Tunisia needed a win from this match and then for the Denmark/Australia match to go their way as well. Even against a rotated side, Tunisia were still heavy underdogs.

But all credit to Tunisia for going out and earning themselves a famous 1-0 victory. France defended well in this match generally, but were rather toothless going forward until it was already late on in the match. Tunisian attacking midfielder Wahbi Khazri got what was ultimately the winner on 58 minutes, after he went on a long run with the ball in the center of the park. France did not get a challenge in until he was already in a position to shoot, and although his effort was rather tame it fooled France keeper Steve Mandanda just enough. It rolled over the line and the Tunisians were ecstatic.

Make no mistake – France were outplayed today. Tunisia were the ones playing the ball forward the most and had the most attacking intent. Les Bleus did have an Antoine Griezmann goal ruled out for offside late on, but that was their deadliest attack. France will need to be better in the Round of 16, especially going forward.

Tunisia did their part to advance, but needed a draw between Australia and Denmark to secure progression. After their final whistle blew, the Tunisians flocked to video monitors to see the final few minutes of the other match.

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Australia/Denmark was a much more intense affair, probably because both sides were fighting for their World Cup survival instead of just the one. Both sides really went for the winning goal, but it was Australia that came away with the surprising, maybe even shocking, 1-0 victory.

Denmark were the better side for the opening 45 minutes, as they created most of the chances. Aussie keeper Matthew Ryan made 2-3 fine saves to stop them, and on other occasions his defenders made a last-ditch tackle to help him out. They improved and started creating half-chances of their own in the second half, and it was on the hour mark that they finally got their breakthrough. They recovered the ball in their own final third, and it was eventually collected by attacking midfielder Riley McGree. He spotted striker Matthew Leckie in front of him making a run between two defenders. He played the ball to Leckie, who brought it forward while being closely marked by a single Danish defender. Leckie was allowed to carry the ball into shooting distance, and after some nifty dribbling he got a low shot away from just inside the Danish box that nutmegged his marker and beat Danish keeper Kasper Schmeichel at the far corner. It was a well-worked counter-attack that could go down as one of the most famous goals in Australian history.

The Danish had more possession after that and tried to find a winner, but their finishing was truly woeful. Headers going wide or high every single time. Well done to Australia for holding on, but Denmark were just as poor today as they have been the whole tournament. A team with that level of quality in it should not be struggling as much as they are. They had a lot of injuries pre-tournament and several of the players were rusty as a result, but that’s not really an excuse. Against Australia and Tunisia at least, the Danish should be winning. Very toothless in attack for all three of their matches.

But Australia’s famous win sees them through to the knockouts for the first time since 2006. They can defend well and got just enough offense to progress. The win wasn’t without drama though. Had Leckie not scored and the match ended 0-0, it would have been Tunisia going through instead. Well done to the north Africans for getting a famous victory as well, but it wasn’t enough to secure progression. If such a thing as a “bittersweet victory” exists, this one for Tunisia was one of them.

Group C

Winners – Argentina

Runners Up – Poland

Eliminated – Mexico, Saudi Arabia

There was even more drama in this group than there was in Group D! Argentina beat Poland 2-0 today thanks to goals from midfielder Alexis Mac Allister and striker Julian Alvarez. Poland were in this match until the Mac Allister goal just after half time, as keeper Wojciech Szczęsny had saved a penalty from Lionel Messi on 39 minutes. The Poles were struggling in attack, but Szczęsny did well to make the save and keep his team in it for a little while longer. Poland looked rather toothless today, but I think that’s because psychologically they knew they were in a good place to advance, even with a loss. They went through today as runners’ up, but they will need to play much better in attack to have any chance at winning their next match. Credit to Argentina for improving over the past two games and getting the results needed to win their group. Their defense in particular has looked much stronger.

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The high drama was in the Mexico vs. Saudi Arabia match. The Mexicans were desperate for a victory, and needed not only to win but to do so by several goals to overtake Poland on goal difference. Saudi Arabia knew that a draw might be enough for them to go through, but realistically they needed to win to guarantee progression.

Mexico were the better team in this match, although it was 0-0 at halftime again. Carlos Vega had the best chance early on, although his effort after being through on goal was snuffed out by Saudi keeper Mohammad Alowais. The Mexicans kept their impetus though and found the back of the net (for the first time at this World Cup) just after halftime thanks to a header from forward Henry Martín. 1-0 wasn’t enough though, as they needed at least two more to overcome the goal difference tiebreaker. They either needed to score themselves or hope that Argentina could get a third against Poland. The Mexicans got their second however just 6 minutes later from a thunderous free kick from midfielder Luis Chavez. This was another Goal of the Tournament candidate, given that he was almost 30 yards out and still placed it into the top corner. World-class strike!

For the next 30-35 minutes or so, Poland and Mexico were level on points, goal differential, and goals scored. The final tiebreaker kept Poland ahead though, and much to my surprise that tiebreaker was/is yellow card accumulation. Poland had two fewer yellow cards at that point, so they were placed ahead of Mexico in the standings. That rule needs to be changed. Instead of punishing teams that are playing aggressively, why not have shots on target be the final tiebreaker? The rules of the game should be set up to reward attacking football, after all.

Ultimately however the yellow card tiebreaker did not matter, as the Saudis got a goal back in stoppage time from attacking midfielder Salem Al-Dawsari. That was a hammer blow to Mexico, as it largely ruined their chances of overcoming their negative goal difference. Mexico had the ball in the back of the net twice after they got their second, but each was called back for offside. The second decision was correct, but Hirving Lozano’s run and shot just a few minutes after the second goal was a much closer call. In all reality, it was too little too late for El Tri.

I think Mexico’s fate at this World Cup was sealed before a ball was even kicked though. There was no call up for Javier Hernandez or Carlos Vela by manager Tata Martino, and it was clear that Martino would be fired once Mexico’s World Cup run ended due to his contract situation. Martino is positively reviled by the Mexican media, and I can’t say as I blame them. His failures here are numerous. He did not call up two of Mexico’s best players, and no one seems to know why. He did not set up his team to win with his tactics, and he did not make the right substitutions when needed. Mexico have a fair amount of talent, but they need play in a tactical system that suits them. They did not do that until the second half of today’s match, when it was far too late to start doing so. If this is the last World Cup for legendary keeper Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa, it is a rather lackluster way to go out.

The Saudis got off to a fantastic start in this tournament, and their upset of Argentina in the opening group game is probably the most famous one in their history. They did not do enough in the other two group games, and were particularly poor today against Mexico. They can take pride in their improvement, but they ultimately will need more talent to make a deep run at any World Cup going forward.

Argentina vs. Australia – Saturday December 3 at 11 am PST

France vs. Poland – Sunday December 4 at 7 am PST