Premier League: Victory at Villa Park

Manchester United traveled to the Midlands of England for a Premier League match at Villa Park earlier today. United were in good form going into this match, thanks to some improved attacking play and the return of some key players from injury. Villa however were trending in the opposite direction after a very hot start to the season under manager Unai Emery. Despite beating Liverpool and Manchester City earlier this year, they have been in stuttering form recently and were at a risk of dropping out of the top-4 with a loss today.

Villa were somewhat better than United in terms of chance creation in the opening 20 minutes or so, but it was United who found themselves ahead 1-0 on 17 minutes through striker Rasmus Højlund. United had won a corner, and it was played aerially into the box by midfielder Bruno Fernandes. The ball was only partially cleared by the Villa back line though, and it was played back into the box from the opposite side by center back Harry Maguire. The ball fell straight to Højlund, who was given far too much space in the box by the Villa defense. He bundled the ball home past Villans keeper Emiliano Martinez, and then wheeled away in celebration. Not the prettiest of goals, but credit to Højlund for showing his striker’s instincts and getting the ball over the line. He has now scored in 5 consecutive matches and is positively on fire right now!

Villa kept up their chance creation throughout the half, but United were defending well and sitting back as they had a goal advantage. I was wary of this approach from manager Erik ten Hag, as inviting pressure on the road against a top-4 side usually does not result in positive outcomes for this squad. However, United were still 1-0 up at halftime and were nevertheless on their way to a massive result.

Villa continued much as they did in the first half – creating chances fairly frequently, but failing to finish them off either due to lack of composure or good defending/keeping from United. During this period of the match, United were limited to counter-attacks and playing hopeful long balls over the top. Villa were rewarded for their pressure on 67 minutes when midfielder Douglas Luiz turned the ball into the net from close range. United keeper Andre Onana had made some brilliant saves from very close just before that, but a failure by the Red Devils to fully clear their lines led to Luiz capitalizing on the Villa pressure. United’s defense is simply not good enough to keep a clean sheet on the road at this time, so it was puzzling why ETH elected to invite so much pressure by having the team sit back. The roar from the Holt End supporters at Villa Park also suggested that Villa would now go on to try and get a winner.

In response, ETH brought on midfielder (forward?) Scott McTominay and took off forward Marcus Rashford, and a collective groan went through the away end. Many thought this was ETH waiving the white flag and playing for a draw, but it was interesting to see McTominay take a spot further up the pitch in attack. United did not regain a strong sense of possession until the 80th minute or so though, and the hour was getting late to find a winner.

However, cometh the hour, cometh the man. Around 85 minutes, United had the ball forward and were probing the Villa penalty area. United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo did well to leave the ball for right back Diogo Dalot to put in a peach of a cross from the right wing, and McTominay out-muscled his marker to get his head on the ball. He redirected the ball goalwards, and the velocity on the header saw it go straight through the arms of Martinez and into the back of the net! 2-1 United, and what a thumping header it was. McTominay was given the opportunity, and he capitalized on it. Somehow, the Scotsman is United’s leading scorer in the Premier League this season with 7 goals. That is more goals this year than his past two combined.

Even though there was 6 minutes of stoppage time, Villa failed to really test United again, aside from a series of long-range efforts that amounted to little more than catching practice for Onana. The final whistle blew, and United had their first away victory over a quality side in nearly three seasons. You could see how much it meant to the players and manager, and a hard-fought win like this can do wonders for team chemistry and the locker room dynamic. United are still in 6th place, but the gap between them and 4th place Tottenham is now down to just six points. With 14 matches left in the season, there is still definitely a lot to play for. Given how crap this team was at the start of the year, it’s a borderline miracle that they are within shouting distance of the Champions League at this stage of the season.

I still don’t agree with the tactic of sitting back and trying to defend a slim lead, especially on the road against a decent side like Villa. United can be effective on the counter-attack to be sure, but why give the other team a chance of getting their footing again? Why concede possession for such long periods of time? Once we score, we should be possessing the ball as best we can in an effort to find another goal. There is still a missing element of ruthlessness in this United team, and that could be a problem in future matches. It’s a better idea to go and kill the game off early, so that the opposition doesn’t get the chance to believe in themselves a bit. I am sure ETH has his reasons for this style of play, and he will correctly point to the result as validation of his choice. Still, we shouldn’t have to consistently rely on a late substitution to get us over the line.

Nevertheless, three points is three points. Well done to the lads. Great games from Højlund, Maguire, Bruno, and Dalot. I can’t complain too much about 4 wins in a row. United next travel south to Luton Town next weekend, for a match with a relegation-threatened club of the same name. Luton will no doubt be in the mood to try and claim a big scalp by beating United, but there is no reason why the Red Devils should not come away with all three points next Sunday.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Manchester United: It’s Been Bad, But Is There Light On the Horizon?

It’s been a while since I last wrote, but truthfully there hasn’t been a lot to write about aside from bad news. Since their victory over Chelsea at Old Trafford on December 6, Manchester United have lost to Bournemouth (bad), lost to Bayern Munich (almost as bad), drew with Liverpool away (not too shabby), then lost again to West Ham (bad). I have been calling for the Red Devils to play with consistency this whole season, and they have responded with consistency – consistently being bad. Be careful what you wish for, I guess.

The biggest change at United in recent weeks is the acquisition of 25% of the club’s ownership stake by British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his company Ineos. This sale has been pending for over a year and many were wondering if it would even happen, but the move was finally announced on Christmas Eve. More on this takeover below.

Things were heading down a losing path yet again today, when they hosted 3rd place Aston Villa at Old Trafford, one of the many fixtures on a busy Boxing Day. The Villans, coached by the ever-capable Frenchman Unai Emery, were up 2-0 by halftime. United looked rather listless as usual, and there was no pattern to their play. Many in the terraces and online were calling for manager Erik ten Hag to be sacked, mostly out of frustration rather than logic. The tactics were unclear, the defense was leaking goals, and there didn’t seem to be any fight in the team. It was shaping up to be another disappointing day, despite the presence of United legends Robin Van Persie and Edwin Van Der Sar in the stands.

But the second half of this match will be one for the memory banks of the United faithful. United were the better team from the resumption of play onward. Winger Alejandro Garnacho had a goal (dubiously) disallowed by VAR on 50 minutes for an alleged offside. He was undeterred by that setback though, and found himself scoring a goal that stood on 57 minutes. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes pressed at the right time and won the ball while Villa were trying to build possession, after which he played a brilliant pass up the left flank onto the run of winger/forward Marcus Rashford. Rashford squared the ball along the ground, and it fell to the feet of the onrushing Garnacho for a relatively simple tap-in back across the face of Emiliano Martinez’s goal. Villa were still up, but the game was very much on! Much better tempo and directness from the Red Devils.

Garnacho wasn’t finished, either. He got United’s equalizer on 71 minutes, and it was the result of another quick-moving and incisive attack. The ball was won in the center circle by midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, who then played it out wide to Garnacho on the right wing. Garnacho brought the ball forward a bit more and then played it even further out to the right to Bruno on an overlapping run. Garnacho then moved more towards the center of the pitch, and Bruno pinged in a cross that was deflected into the exact space Garnacho was running towards. He hit it first time from about 12 yards out, and it took a minor deflection off a Villa defender before hitting the back of Martinez’s net! 2-2!

There was still plenty of time for United to find a winner, and that’s precisely what they did on 82 minutes. They had won a corner, with Bruno swinging in the ball from the right wing in the air. The ball took two deflections off of Villa players before falling directly to the feet of striker Rasmus Højlund. Højlund instinctively swung at the ball with his left foot while it was still in the air, and it banged into the back of the net off the inside of the left hand post. A true striker’s goal – predatory in nature. He was in the right place at the right time, and while it wasn’t a pretty finish, he did exactly what he needed to do in the circumstance. Højlund has scored 5 goals in Europe for United this season, but he had yet to open his domestic account before today. What a time to get your first Premier League goal, too! A late winner in front of the Stretford End at Old Trafford. That’s the stuff dreams are made of! You could see how much it meant to Højlund emotionally, too. The young man was in tears while his teammates and the crowd celebrated all around him. It was a huge relief for him, and everyone was incredibly happy for the lad. After an agonizing final 20 minutes and an even more agonizing 9 (nine!) minutes of stoppage time, the whistle blew and United had their first win in close to 3 weeks.

Well done from the front three in the second half today. Rashford looked like the Rashford of last season, Garnacho turned in a Man of the Match performance on the right wing, and Højlund did well to bag his first Prem goal and the winner. Great game from Bruno as well. He didn’t get on the score sheet, but his tenacity and technique played a role in all three goals. Quick and incisive chance-creation is key to the tactics and style of play of ETH, and it was on full display in the second half. The main takeaway though is that the players upped their tempo and desire today. It’s truly amazing what this team can do when they actually try. We have all the talent and skill a manager could ask for, but desire, passion, and determination have been lacking this season. There’s no reason why United can’t win every game they play if they play with the level of energy and belief they had today in the second half. They need to remember that when they play hard, they usually get a favorable result.

It will be interesting to see what United’s new part-owners do going forward. It was a good start to their tenure today, but there’s still plenty to work on going forward. The challenges to be faced are numerous. While it’s unclear what specific tasks are to be handled by Ineos/Ratcliffe, it seems they will primarily be football-related and less finance-related. The squad needs further revamping, the youth academy needs investment, the medical staff are behind on the times, and Old Trafford is in dire need of repairs and improvements. It’s a daunting task ahead of them to get United back to the top of European club football, but they should be given every opportunity and be afforded patience by supporters. Ratcliffe has a history of doing well in sports business, and more importantly he was a Manchester United supporter as a child. That means he understands what this club what means to people at the local level. He sees it as more than just a money-making venture, something the much-hated Glazers seem to be unable to fathom.

Ratcliffe and his team have taken a good first step in writing an open letter to the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST), a prominent fan group that has been leading the vocal criticisms of the Glazer family. In that letter, they made it clear that the results from the past 10 years or so are not acceptable and that he is just as “ambitious” as the club’s supporters are. And while the contents of the letter are important, they are of secondary importance to the mere fact that Ineos/Ratcliffe has taken the time to directly address the supporters. Ratcliffe has been part owner for a grand total of 2 days, and he’s already done more to address the concerns of supporters than the Glazers have for the better part of 18 years. All he had to do was write a letter saying “we hear you, and we’re going to try to fix things”. Of course, being a better owner than the Glazers is a low bar to clear, but he is definitely as emotionally invested in the success of the team as he is financially invested. If the club’s fortunes turn around in the next year or two, one would hope that a full sale of the club would be next on the cards. Ratcliffe will likely help improve things,

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out! Happy Boxing Day!

Premier League: A Narrow But Vital Three Points

Manchester United played hosts to Birmingham-based side Aston Villa FC at a rainy Old Trafford earlier today. Manager Erik ten Hag and the Red Devils needed three points to really solidify their place in the top-4, while the Villans were looking to continue their impressive form under manager Unai Emery. The Frenchman has Villa in outstanding form since his appointment. He is a master of tactics and setting up his team to frustrate the opposition as much as possible, and he is aided in that endeavor by a World Cup-winning goalkeeper in Emiliano Martinez. They’re not only good defensively, but they can score too. Villa has scored in every match Emery has been in charge of thus far. He has been a fly in United’s soup many times before, and he would look to do that again today. United once again fielded a makeshift back-4, although given the good form Luke Shaw has been since sliding over to center back, it feels less “makeshift” than it previously has.

The beginning of this match was marred by a protest from United supporters, roughly a thousand of whom marched on Old Trafford before the game started to show their distaste for United’s owners – the Glazer family. They are rumored to be selling the club soon (a separate article is needed for that topic), but they are dragging their feet and it’s unclear if they will indeed sell or not. Fans have wanted the Glazers out for a variety of reasons for the better part of a decade now, and this author stands behind any fan group calling for their removal. Full sale now! Glazers Out!

The first few minutes of the match were a little tepid but United slowly and surely asserted themselves. Most of the forward runs into the attacking third were being made by United. Striker Marcus Rashford fired wide of the post 8 minutes in, but it wouldn’t have counted as he was adjudged to be offside. Rashford then forced a save from Martinez from a tight angle on 11 minutes, with midfielder Marcel Sabitzer firing a difficult shot over the bar on 14 minutes. United were having a lot of success with playing the long ball over the top of the Villa back four and letting the pacey attackers run onto it. However, Villa got their best chance of the half on 19 minutes. A neat passing move saw midfielder Emiliano Buendia play the ball across the face of United keeper David De Gea’s goal, but Villa striker Ollie Watkins had fallen down and the ball bounced off him and away from the goal. However, it fell straight to Villa left back Alex Moreno, who lashed a shot straight at De Gea. It was saved and the danger evaporated, but it was an extremely close call. Watkins was shouting for a penalty as he felt he was pulled down by United right back Diogo Dalot, but it would have been a soft decision to award one.

United’s dominance soon resumed, with midfielder Casemiro striking the crossbar from about 15 yards on 28 minutes. The Red Devils did finally cash in on their chances on 39 minutes. Martinez cleared the ball long, but the aerial header was won by Casemiro in midfield. The long rebound off his head travelled forward in the air, and Rashford was on hand to run onto it. He did well to get into the box and get a shot away, but it was parried away by Martinez. Fortunately, midfielder Bruno Fernandes was on hand to sprint to the rebound and lift it over the sliding Villa defenders and into the net for 1-0! Sometimes in this sport you get a lucky bounce, and you have to take advantage of it when it happens for you. Great composure. More on Bruno below, but at halftime it was 1-0 and the Red Devils were good value for their lead.

The opening 10 minutes of the second half were again somewhat tepid, with both sides not really forging many chances. Rashford came close again on 58 minutes, but he couldn’t quite get to the final ball before Martinez did. Worryingly though, Villa were growing into the game. They struggled with their own final balls and finishing, but they were now consistently putting together the neat passing moves in attack that Emery is known for. There was a penalty shout for United on 73 minutes when Rashford was seemingly pulled down in the box, but the referee waved off protests from the United players. The referee was consistent in his calls today, at least. If the challenge on Watkins in the first half wasn’t a penalty, then neither was this one.

Villa then got another very good chance on 81 minutes after another good passing move led to the United defense being at sixes and sevens. Watkins hit a cutback cross inside the box that found midfielder Douglas Luiz in space about 12 yards from goal, but his first shot was blocked by a United defender. The ball came back to him though, and he struck another shot towards goal that center back Victor Lindelof cleared off the line with his head. The flag eventually went up for offside on Watkins in the build-up, but none of the players would have seen it. Well done to Lindelof for covering, even if the goal likely would have been disallowed had it gone in. Villa came somewhat close again from a corner on 85 minutes, but the glancing header from center back Tyrone Mings was unintentionally cleared away by fellow Villa defender Ezri Konza. Villa had another chance from a free kick in the dying seconds of stoppage time, but they failed to create a shot on target. The final whistle blew and United won 1-0!

This was a tightly contested match and I am proud of the Red Devils for holding onto their lead, which is something they have had issues with this season. Old Trafford is a fortress for United now, and their streak of never losing a Premier League match there once in the lead continued today. United at home are simply a different beast than when on the road, and our form at home is a major part of the reason why the top-4 now looks likely. Massive games from Shaw and Lindelof today. They were both sensational, and it’s a testament to the coaching of ETH and his staff that there hasn’t been much of drop off in quality in central defense after injuries to our regular starters. Shaw is still best at left back, but his emergency pairing with Lindelof in the center of defense has been nothing short of a revelation. Well done to the lads for being the first team to hold Villa scoreless under Emery!

The difference maker for United today and on many other occasions this season was Bruno. Not only is he vital to our attack in terms of playmaking ability, his leadership on and off the pitch is vital to the chemistry of this team. Opposing fans would argue that he spends too much time moaning and complaining to the referee when he doesn’t get a decision, but that is part of his game – passion. This squad rallies around his passion for the game, and he is a key part of the accountability installed by ETH. His tactical system and man-management style only work if the players buy into it, and Bruno clearly has. There is no one better at making sure everyone does their job than Bruno. He was even remonstrating with Casemiro at full time today, and that was after a victory! He is the engine in our team and if center back Harry Maguire is sold this summer (as seems likely), Bruno should be awarded the club captaincy.

United are now solidly in 4th place. They are still 2 points behind Newcastle, but with a game in hand. It would be great to finish 3rd, but most importantly United are now 7 points clear of Liverpool in 5th place, also with a game in hand. As we are near the tail end of the season, the mathematical permutations and clinching scenarios have become clear. If United can secure a minimum of 9 more points (three victories) from their final six matches, they are guaranteed a position in the top-4 and the Champions League next season. Next up is a tricky away match on the south coast against Brighton & Hove Albion on Thursday, May 4th.

Glory Glory Man United! Regardless of where we finish, it’s always 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 Semifinals – Magical Messi Shines

This post is dedicated to victims of oppression, in Qatar and the world over.

Argentina vs. Croatia

Not many picked Croatia to make it to this stage of the tournament. They were considered to have peaked in at the 2018 tournament when they made the final. They were too old and too slow. But they have shown that experience gets you a long way in major tournaments, and their team mentality is collectively very strong. They had beaten two teams on penalties already and would look to keep this match against a dangerous Argentina side at 0-0 for as long as they could. Their workhorses in midfield – Luka Modrić, Marcelo Brozović, and Mateo Kovacić -would need to play an almost perfect match.

Argentina meanwhile seemed to be a team living slightly recklessly. They shockingly lost their first group match to Saudi Arabia 2-1, but recovered to win their group. They were then comfortably in the lead against Australia in the Round of 16 before giving up a goal that led to a nervy finish, and then were nearly knocked out of the tournament by the Netherlands when they surrendered a two goal lead late on. They won on penalties, but Argentina had certainly ridden their luck to get this far. They had been doing this weird thing where they got a two goal lead and then stopped attacking, opting instead to play more defensively. The decidedly mixed results it yielded led many in Buenos Aires to question the tactics of manager Lionel Scaloni late-on in matches.

Sadly, no matter the outcome, a legend would likely be finished after today. This would be the last World Cup the 37 year-old midfielder Modrić, the greatest player in the brief history of Croatia as an independently competing nation. It was also more than likely the last World Cup for the iconic Argentina attacking midfielder Lionel Messi, a man who many consider to be the greatest player of all time. His résumé speaks for itself, but the one glaring omission is a World Cup trophy. He has won literally everything else individually, at the club level, and for his country.

This match was a tense affair for the first 30 minutes, with maybe a slight edge to Argentina. Neither team was really forging anything dangerous, but Argentina’s attackers were moving the ball more fluidly up front. The match was blown wide open however on 33 minutes when Croatia keeper Dominik Livaković was adjudged to have fouled Argentine striker Julián Álvarez in the penalty area. I thought the foul was harsh on the big Croatian keeper at first, but replays showed Livaković was late coming off his line to collect a loose ball and Álvarez got a touch to it before Livaković barged into him. It was probably a penalty in most scenarios. Álvarez went down and the referee pointed to the spot. It was time for a Messi moment. He stepped up and buried the penalty high and straight on, with Livaković diving out of the way after guessing wrong. Messi celebrated with his teammates and with the mostly Argentine crowd.

The goal forced Croatia to change their game plan and move towards attack, which unfortunately is not their strong suit. Striker Andrej Kramarić has proven himself to be a good goal-scorer at times, but he lacked the physicality needed today for the Croatians in the penalty area. They simply had no one to pass it to up there at times. Croatia did well to move the ball through midfield, but their attacks always broke down at the end. Sometimes they couldn’t even move it through their usual rhythm of passes though due to a very effective Argentine press. The Croatians usually do not get overrun in midfield, but it almost happened several times today.

Croatian backs were up against the wall on 39 minutes when Argentina got their second, this time via Álvarez himself. It was a good counter-attack by Argentina, although Alvarez carried the ball most of the way on his own. He showed amazing balance and strength to ride the challenges coming in from Croatian defenders, and he got a little lucky with the bounce at the end of his amazing run, but he toe-poked it home past Livaković from close range to spark even wilder celebrations. It went to halftime at 2-0 with the Croatians well and truly behind the 8-ball. A stunning solo goal from the young man!

Croatia manager Zlatko Dalić was forced into tactical substitutions at half-time, and he brought on additional attacking threats. The Croatians were able to sustain a little bit of pressure to open the half, but they still struggled to create shots on target. Throughout this match, they were mostly limited to long range efforts or set pieces. Argentina’s defense held firm throughout, thanks in part to Manchester United center back (and substitute on the day) Lisandro Martinez.

But then Messi decided he wanted to have his signature moment and claim this tournament as his own. He picked up the ball on the right wing just inside the Croatian half, and he was being marked by center back Joško Gvardiol. Gvardiol had emerged as one of the best defenders at this World Cup, and at 22 you would think he could stick to the 35 year-old Messi fairly easily. That was not the case though. Messi demonstrated again why he is the best player ever with a twisting and turning run with the ball that left Gvardiol unaware of what country he was in. It was truly a thing of beauty to watch. Messi has better close control on the ball than anyone ever, and he made getting the end line and around Gvardiol look easy. Livaković had closed down the angle for a shot though, so Messi quickly hit a cutback cross along the top of the grass to the onrushing Álvarez. He hit the ball first time low and away from Livaković for 3-0. Álvarez got the goal, but Messi was the architect. A signature run from the diminutive magician.

Croatia kept throwing men forward, but truthfully never really tested Argentina keeper Emiliano Martinez. Again, it was long-range efforts or set pieces that they failed to convert. In the end, the star-power of Argentina shown through. The final whistle blew and they were in the World Cup final again! Congrats to the Albiceleste and to Messi. He gets one final shot at the Jules Rimet trophy. The last time Argentina was in the final was 2014 when they lost to Germany, but this Argentina team is better than the 2014 iteration Messi dragged to the final. He has support in attack this time. Álvarez has been extremely good, and they have been getting goal contributions from midfield. The defense has also been difficult to penetrate, but most importantly they figured out they need to keep attacking today. Much like England, Argentina’s best defense is a good attack. When in doubt, give Messi the ball and let him work! They did that today and they won in dominant fashion instead of scraping by at the end.

Commiserations to Modrić and Croatia. They simply didn’t have enough in attack to compensate for the firepower of Argentina. That penalty in the first half really ruined things for them. Throwing men forward left them perilously exposed to counter-attacks. They have come from behind before in this tournament, but conceding two in five minutes was absolutely devastating. They did their nation proud though. These lads never stopped running and they never stopped trying to get back into the game. A very professional display that all 3.9 million Croatians can be proud of! Scalping Brazil on penalties will go down in their history as a legendary result. I am sure they will give Modrić a proper sending off should he decide to call it quits.

World Cup Final – Argentina vs. France/Morocco – Sunday December 18th – 11 AM PST

World Cup Quarterfinals: Croatia and Argentina Progress on a Wild Day

Now more than ever we must remember that FIFA is a corrupt cartel and Qatar is exploiting that greed for their own benefit.

On the pitch, it was an absolutely brilliant day. Both matches went to extra time, and both matches went to penalties! Days like today are what make the World Cup so special.

Brazil vs. Croatia

This was the early match of the day, and it got underway at a rather slow pace in the opening 20 minutes or so. Neither team was really willing to take the risk of sending men forward. Each team had half-chances, but at half time it was 0-0 and unfortunately a little on the tepid side of things.

Brazil kicked into gear a little more after the resumption of play, and they began to display the talent they have in attack. Keeper Dominik Livaković was called into action early and often, with his save from a deflected clearance on 46 minutes where he effectively did the splits to keep the ball out among the highlights. Striker Neymar was then denied from close range by a last-ditch block. Livaković then denied Neymar again with a save from close range at a tight angle on 55 minutes. Attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta was also denied from close range by Livaković just 10 minutes later. Every time Brazil came close to scoring, it seemed like the big keeper was always in the way. Croatia would have the occasional spell of possession here and there, but they failed to register a shot on goal in the opening 90 minutes. They have their Dynamo Zagreb-based keeper to thank for getting them through that very one-sided second half. He made a stunning 8 saves in 90 minutes.

At 0-0 though an additional 30 minutes would be needed to sort out the winner. Croatia got the first half-chance but saw a shot blazed over the bar from a good position. Brazil then forged themselves ahead on 105+1 minutes thanks to a brilliant team goal orchestrated by Neymar. He played a quick succession of 1-2 passes with two Brazilian teammates very rapidly, all while continuing a run forward into the box. The touch passes in the build-up were sublime. Neymar almost lost possession right at the end from a Croatian tackle less than 5 yards from goal, but the ball fell to him again. He took a touch to get around the onrushing Livaković, and then blasted it into the roof of the net! It was s spectacular passing move, and it saw Neymar equal the scoring record of the legendary Pelé, both of whom have now scored 77 goals for Brazil. An amazing goal and amazing achievement from an amazing player that was worthy of being the match winner!

But someone forgot to ask Croatia how they felt about that. Interestingly, despite be 1-0 to the good, Brazil kept sending men forward. I know attack is their philosophy and scoring goals is something they take very seriously, but it was curious that they were leaving themselves exposed at the back to such a high degree. Croatia noticed the tactic as well, and they got their equalizer on 117 minutes on a classic counter-attack. The ball was brought forward through midfield rather easily, as Brazil had four men still standing in Croatia’s box. It was played out to the left to winger Mislav Oršić, who dribbled the ball into the box before playing a cross along the ground just inside Brazil’s 18 yard box. Brazil then failed to pick up the late run of striker Bruno Petković. He was mostly unmarked and hit the ball first time, seeming to hit the ball into the ground slightly. It took an awkward bounce and settled into the corner of the goal, with the diving keeper Alisson beaten. It took Croatia 117 minutes to get a shot on target, but they scored with their very first one! It was absolute bedlam inside the stadium. The Brazilians were in shock.

The final whistle blew without too many further incidents, as both teams were utterly spent. A penalty shootout would decide this one. Going into it I was concerned about Brazil’s mentality, having had the game won and then conceding so late. You have to think it affected them, as they lost 4-2 in the shootout. Livakovic further cemented his national hero status with a save, and another penalty from Brazil came back off the post to seal it for Croatia. For their part, Croatia’s penalties were all very good. All of them hit with power and placement, just like they probably practiced them. These Croatians are stone cold assassins! Incredibly strong team mentality.

This will go down as an upset in the history books, and Brazil will be a nation in mourning for at least a week. This was a prime opportunity for them to win the whole tournament, given all the talent they have. They had the match won, but overly aggressive tactics and tired legs let Croatia back into it. All credit to the Croatians for showing resolve and determination. And how about the story of two Dinamo Zagreb players being heroes on the day? Given that this team has players in England, Spain, and Italy, I think it’s great that the men who effectively won the match for them still play in Croatia. Livaković will be tempted by lucrative offers from the bigger leagues very soon though, no doubt.

Croatia in the semifinals of the World Cup for the second straight tournament! Underestimate this lot at your own peril.

Netherlands vs. Argentina

It was going to be hard for this match to top the dramatics of the first one, but it did.

This match was also somewhat tepid for the opening 30 minutes or so, with both teams making runs at the opposite defenses, but nothing really came of them. Both defenses were holding firm. The match sprung to life on 35 minutes though when the Argentines went ahead via right back Nahuel Molina. I don’t want to bury the lede though, as this goal was crafted purely by the genius of attacking midfielder Lionel Messi. He is the greatest player of all time for a variety of reasons, and everyone knows about his dribbling and goal-scoring abilities. But today he displayed a tactical and positional awareness not possessed by many others in this sport. He was moving with the ball in midfield running kind of diagonally towards the Dutch goal, about 45 yards away from it. He – somehow – spotted the run of Molina into the area, after which he played one of the best passes I have ever seen directly into his feet. Molina took a touch and beat the onrushing Dutch keeper Andries Noppert to the ball and slotted it home for 1-0. Good composure on the finish for sure, but Messi didn’t even look up for the pass! His head was down the whole time! He just seemed to know that Molina was there, and he pulled off a minor miracle to get the ball through the sea of legs in between the two of them. Simply sublime from Messi the magician. It was 1-0 at halftime and the Albiceleste were good value for their lead.

The second half quickly began trending in favor of Argentina as well. They were simply the more confident side now that they had a lead. They more or less controlled the game while the Dutch were limited to half-chances on counter-attacks. Argentina got their second goal from the penalty spot thanks to Messi, after Dutch wingback Denzel Dumfries was adjudged to have fouled left back Marcos Acuña on the very edge of the box. The contact was light, but it was there and of course Acuña went down like he’d been punched in the face. The ref pointed to the spot, and Messi dispatched it rather simply. At 2-0 on 73 minutes, it felt as if the South Americans were in cruise control for the quarterfinals.

But Dutch manager Louis Van Gaal knew a change was needed, and he had been making subs throughout to try and conjure up a goal. But the wily old manager had a few more tricks up his sleeve. He brought on striker Wout Weghorst, a 6’6” giant of a man, and Van Gaal told him to play as a forward destroyer. His job was to simply outjump the diminutive Argentine center backs and knock the ball down to teammates in the penalty box. It was a roll of the dice but 2-0 down the Dutch had nothing to lose. They began to throw men forward in large numbers, and it payed off on 83 minutes when Weghorst found the back of the net himself with a flicked header! The cross from the right was a good one, and Weghorst showed great technique to use the muscles in his neck to flick the ball into the far corner past keeper Emilio Martinez. It was poor marking from Argentina, but game on nevertheless!

Now this is where the match started getting out of hand. It had been a physical match, and Spanish referee Mateu Lahoz had been doling out the yellow cards left and right. The physical nature of the match had led to some tempers flaring over the course of the game, but things really kicked off when midfielder Leandro Paredes cleared the ball forcefully and directly into the Dutch bench. The Dutch substitute players and coaching staff stormed the field, and it seemed like we were about to have a massive brawl on our hands. There was some pushing and shoving, but cooler heads prevailed and several more players were shown yellow cards. What was odd though was the lack of a red for Paredes. Lahoz really should not have left him on the pitch. There were also some very questionable tackles put in by players already on yellow cards, none of which were enforced by Lahoz. Overall, he really did a poor job with this match. His only saving grace is that he got so many things wrong for both teams that they almost cancelled each other out. Paredes really should have been off the pitch, though.

I tell you all of this because it led to a whopping 10 minutes of stoppage time at the end of the 90, and the Dutch got their equalizer right as that 10 minutes was expiring. It came from a well-worked set piece, and it is the closest thing you will ever see to a buzzer beater in this sport. The Dutch won a free kick just outside the Argentine penalty area, and it was taken by midfielder Teun Koopmeiners. Everyone expected him to shoot due to the advantageous position of the ball, but he instead played a short pass forward into the feet of Weghorst, who had positioned himself next to the wall of Argentine defenders. He took a touch and used his size to hold off his marker before slotting home from about 7 yards out past a bewildered Martinez in goal. Ecstasy for the Dutch, agony for Argentina. Just like their South American counterparts earlier, they had the match won but let the opposition back in it. The goal was scored at the 101 minute mark! And it took a fair bit of…let’s say gumption and gall to attempt something like that at this stage. Van “Gall”, as it were. Credit to Van Gaal and his players for being prepared for the situation. The whistle blew shortly after the re-start and we were headed to extra time!

The first 15 minutes of it was uneventful, aside from each manager making substitutions in the event of penalties. Argentina crafted some half-chances in the second half of extra time, but this match was always heading to penalties. And what a shoot-out it was! Argentina went ahead 3-1, but then the Dutch managed to tie it up at 3-3. The Dutch then missed again however, and then striker Lautaro Martinez buried home the 4th and winning penalty for his side. Heart attack after heart attack in both these matches. A sad day for the Dutch, but their team is mostly pretty young still and they will be even stronger for having gone through this. But ultimately it was Messi’s day, and his last World Cup marches on.

Semifinals: Argentina vs. Croatia – Tuesday December 13th, 11 AM PST

World Cup Roundup – France Secure Progression and Argentina Arrives

Qatar is actually the perfect host country from FIFA’s point of view. It’s run by an authoritarian regime that is absolutely loaded with money. What a double bonus for them!

Australia vs. Tunisia

Australia got an absolutely vital victory today over Tunisia, winning 1-0 thanks to a goal from striker Mitchell Duke on 24 minutes. He did well to get good contact on the ball, straining all the muscles in his neck to redirect a deflected cross from fellow striker Craig Goodwin past the Tunisian keeper. The Socceroos had to endure a torrid 68+ minutes after that from the overwhelmingly Tunisian crowd who created an extremely hostile atmosphere, but they kept them out and secured all three points.

Tunisia find themselves at the bottom of Group D with one point, with Australia in a surprising second place thanks to this victory. The Aussies would have been eliminated with a loss today, but they showed some real nerve and put themselves in good position to progress instead. The one thing Tunisia have going for them is that France might play reserves in their final match, so they might have a better chance at a result than normal. Unlikely given France’s talent, but possible.

France vs. Denmark

The other match in Group D saw defending champions France take on Denmark. Many tipped Denmark to be dark horses candidates for a deep run in this tournament, but that has so far proven to not be the case. They lost today 2-1 and find their World Cup hopes hanging by a very thin thread. Two scintillating goals from superstar striker Kylian Mbappe saw France through, despite being pegged back from a set piece header by Danish defender Andreas Christiansen. Both goals from Mbappe were from close range, but he was in the right place at the right time. Sometimes that’s all you have to do.

France have a lot of injuries right now, but as long as they have Mbappe, that’s really all that matters. While there are questions as to his ego and locker room presence, there is no denying his abilities on the pitch. The numbers speak for themselves. He has 7 World Cup goals at age of 24, something only Pelé has done. He has 32 goals for France as well. He is going to smash numerous international records if he keeps going like this.

By virtue of their victory today, Les Bleus have qualified for the Round of 16 and are the first nation to do so. They need only a draw against Tunisia in their final group game to guarantee 1st place in the group. The Danish are not eliminated, but they need a victory over Australia to secure progression. Anything less will do them no good, and would be a disappointment for team that is underrated in terms of talent.

Poland vs. Saudi Arabia

Group C was also in action today, with the surprising Saudis taking on a (so far) lackluster Poland team. This match ended 2-0 to the Poles though and was notable for the antics of the Saudis, who were flopping and diving so effectively they should have been awarded gold medals. They are a well-coached team, so it was no accident that the plan was to slow the game down as much as possible and make Poland really work to beat them.

Poland got their first from a swift move down the right flank, which ended with a deflected pass from striker Robert Lewandowski straight into the path of midfielder Piotr Zielinski, who blasted the ball into the roof of the net from close range on 29 minutes. The Poles were overjoyed at scoring their first goal of the tournament.

Polish keeper Wojciech Szczęsny was called into action on 55 minutes and made a fine double-save from close range to keep the Saudis out. The highlight of the match then came on 82 minutes, when Poland sealed the points via Lewandowski, who stole the ball off a Saudi defender on the edge of the box and slotted home Poland’s second and his first-ever goal at a World Cup. The joy on his face was impossible to miss, as he is 34 and therefore potentially at his last World Cup. His lack of goals at this tournament over the years has been the one black mark on his illustrious goal-scoring career, but today he can take pride in helping his nation go top of Group C on 4 points. Poland can advance with a draw against Argentina, and they can win the group if they beat them.

For the Saudis I have to feel that perhaps the success of the Argentina match was still lingering in their minds. They went behind fairly early and aside from the aforementioned close range chance on 55 minutes, they did not offer much in attack. They will need to regroup for their final group match against Mexico, as they are 3rd on 3 points. A win over Mexico sees them through for sure, although they might be able to get away with a draw depending on how the other match goes.

Argentina vs. Mexico

This match was highly anticipated by both sides, as there is a little bit of a rivalry between them internationally. For one reason or another, they always seem to be playing each other come the World Cup. Lots of shit-talking was happening online between supporters of both sides before kickoff. The Argentines would win 2-0, but it took two glorious strikes to get it done.

Before getting to the goals, a quick moment of recognition for how the Mexicans played for the first hour of this match. They were the better team in the opening 45 minutes. No two ways about it. They had the possession, they were passing better, and they had more attacking intent. Mexico’s best chance of the half came when winger Alexis Vega forced keeper Emiliano Martinez into a fine save from a free kick just before half time. It was 0-0 at the half but you sensed that the negative headlines in Buenos Aires were probably already being written.

The problem with Argentina however is that you cannot lose concentration when playing them, not once and not even for a second. They have a player named Lionel Messi that some may have heard of, and he proved today why he will go down as maybe the greatest player to ever kick a ball. He received a pass from winger Angel Di Maria and found himself in the most space he had been in the whole match, in the middle of the field just outside the penalty area. He took a touch or two forward and then lashed a low and powerful left-footed shot towards the right hand corner of the goal that beat Memo Ochoa and settled into the net just inside the post. The expression of joy on Messi’s face was similar to that of Lewandowski’s, and the Argentines inside the stadium were ecstatic.

Messi then turned provider on 87 minutes for the Argentine’s second, when he found midfielder Enzo Fernandez on the left side of the penalty area. Fernandez dribbled to create space and then lashed a beautiful curling shot into the opposite corner of Ochoa’s net. Points sealed, and it was largely thanks to Messi. Time and time again he has saved Argentina, and he was clearly not ready to bow out of this World Cup just yet.

Mexico will be disappointed with not capitalizing on their dominance in the first half, and for the momentary lapse in defensive concentration that led to Messi’s opener. They simply backed off him too far and let him do what he does best – run at defenses in space in the center of the pitch. That is a recipe for disaster against him, and it must be said that Ochoa did not cover himself in glory with his positioning either. The goal wasn’t his fault, but he maybe could have done better. Nothing he could do about the second goal.

Mexico’s problems are deeper than losing by two wonder strikes though. They are bottom of the group with just 1 point, and must beat Saudi Arabia to have any chance at progression. They were uninspired in attack against Poland and again today. They can play a lot of neat and tidy passes in the buildup, but then they fall apart when it comes to the final ball or getting a shot on goal.

It seems this team lacks a center forward, so one has to ask yet again why Mexico’s all-time leading goal scorer Javier Hernandez was not included in this team. He is fit to play and was in good form pre-tournament, yet it seems there are some internal politics and ego in play here. Mexico manager Tata Martino apparently has some kind of personal, non-football related issue with the man nicknamed “Chicharito”, and it has led to him not being called up to this tournament. If that is the truth, and by all accounts it is, then Martino must be sacked as manager. Hernandez is arguably Mexico’s best player, so to leave out over a personal dispute is completely unprofessional and outright negligent. Couple this baffling decision with some of the questionable tactical decisions Martino has made during this tournament, and it becomes clear why so many Mexican fans are calling for his head.

World Cup Groups C/D Roundup – Saudi Arabia Shocks the World; and the Canonization of Santo Memo

Starting off as we always do – Qatar is an awful host country and FIFA are the most corrupt, hypocritical, and money-grubbing bastards on the planet.

Saudi Arabia vs. Argentina

Truthfully, this match was a blip on the radar of this World Cup when the groups were announced. Argentina are one of the top teams at this tournament in terms of talent, and given that it’s the last World Cup for the legendary Lionel Messi, many thought Argentina would be extra motivated to play well. Further, the gulf in talent between the teams in this particular match is about the size of the Grand Canyon. Everyone thought this would be a neat and tidy result for the Argentines without too much fuss from the Saudis. However, those predictions not have been more wrong. What happened in this match is arguably the most stunning upset in World Cup history, and it’s certainly the biggest upset in at least 25 years.

Argentina were on the front foot first via Messi, who slotted home easily from the penalty spot after a Saudi defender pulled down an Argentine in the box during a corner. It was a pretty clear penalty, as the tackle in the box was probably more appropriate for rugby than football. But with a 1-0 lead early on, everyone fancied the South Americans to kick on and win comfortably. They even had the ball in the Saudi net again a few minutes later, only for it to be called back for offside in the build-up. It was close call, but VAR was consulted and it was ruled out.

As the first half wore on though, it became clear that Argentina was going to struggle to get a second goal. The tactical discipline of the Saudi back line in this match was among the best I have ever seen. Every single player along that back line of defenders was on exactly the same page today, probably even the same line and word. They executed the offside trap perfectly at least three or four times, despite Argentina finding the back of the net those three or four times. To rely on the offside trap is dangerous, as a defense has to rely on the linesman to call offside when the trap is sprung. Relying on an official to get the call right/in your favor is risky, but the Saudis played it to perfection today.

They got their equalizer in the opening moments of the second half via striker Saleh Al-Shehri. Argentina lost the ball in midfield and it was played forward in the air towards Al-Shehri and fellow striker Firas Al-Buraikan. Al-Buraikan got a touch on the ball with his foot that directed it straight into the path of Al-Shehri. He took a touch to go around his marker on the outside before slotting home across the face of the Argentine goal and into the far corner. A goal from nowhere to be sure, but a very good goal nevertheless. Well done to Al-Shehri for maintaining his composure on the finish and to the Saudi players as a whole for pouncing at just the right moment. The Argentines were stunned.

They went from stunned to downright dizzy just five minutes later though when Saudi Arabia went ahead. The ball was being passed around in and near the Argentine penalty area, and the Albiceleste (as they are sometimes called) failed to clear their lines properly. The ball fell to winger Salem Al-Dawsari, and after controlling the ball he dribbled around just inside the left hand portion of the penalty box a bit to try and create an opening. He eventually found one and placed an excellent shot high into the opposite corner and beyond keeper Emiliano Martinez for 2-1. The Saudis players and supporters were jubilant!

The Saudis then had to hold on for another 35+ minutes and the Argies had their chances to find an equalizer, but the Saudi defense and keeper Mohammad Alowais held firm and the match ended 2-1. This is by far the biggest result for Saudi Arabia at a World Cup and the goals scored by Al-Shehri and Al-Dawsari will go down as the most famous goals in their national team history. The level of upset pulled off here cannot and should not be understated, especially given that this is the same nation that lost to Russia 5-0 in their opening match in 2018 and have generally been World Cup whipping boys for at least 25 years.

This is what I’m talking about when I say that team spirit and tactical discipline can overcome a lack of talent. Argentina should be playing a team like this off the pitch on paper. They are simply better in every which way. But this victory for the Green Falcons was no accident; it is the result of a specific plan put in place by French manager Hervé Renard and his staff. They offside trap was the key feature, and they also clogged up the midfield effectively in the second half. It also helps that nine of the starting XI players for the Saudis today all play at the same club in Saudi Arabia. They all know each other very well, to say the least. Renard also said that after the match he felt that Argentina did not take them seriously, which could explain some of their misfiring in attack in the second half.

Whatever the reasons, all citizens of Saudi Arabia get the day off tomorrow to celebrate this victory, as declared by the King himself. That’s a bit of sportswashing for sure, but it’s also sure to be enjoyed nevertheless. I like this Saudi team, but I have the same level of disdain for their government that I do for Qatar, maybe even more. I expect Argentina to bounce back from this defeat as well, and rather emphatically. Today was embarrassing for them, but it should serve as a wake-up call.

Mexico vs. Poland

With Saudi Arabia turning Group C on it’s head, both Mexico and Poland knew that a win for them in this match would take them top of the group and strongly increase their respective odds of progression. This match was very close on paper. Poland have all-world striker Robert Lewandowksi and a very good goalkeeper in Wojciech Szczęsny, but the rest of the team around them is fairly average. Mexico do not have a world class player at any position, but their talent is more evenly spread throughout the team. They have many above-average to good players, and today they had the support of the crowd. Credit to the Mexico supporters today for a fantastic atmosphere.

Mexico were on the front foot for almost the entire first half. They were pressing, passing well, and generally doing all the things a team needs to do to find a goal. Poland by comparison were poor. They didn’t appear to have a plan for Mexico’s press and were caught in possession several times and had to rely upon Szczęsny to bail them out. Lewandowski was isolated by the Mexican midfield and defense, and he can’t work his magic when he doesn’t have the ball. The tactics from Mexico were simple but effective in terms of keeping Poland out. Mexico failed to score at their end in the first half as well, but they looked like the team more likely to score when the halftime whistle blew.

Poland changed their tactics somewhat at halftime though, and they were better after the resumption of play in terms of pressing and getting the ball forward towards Lewandowski. They were rewarded for their attacking intent on 57 minutes when the referee gave them a penalty after a VAR check for a foul in the box. This penalty incident was a little more questionable than some others I have seen, but the decision stood and Lewandowski stepped up to the spot to take it.

But now we pause. We pause to stop and talk about Mexico’s keeper, Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa. This man has been between the sticks for Mexico since the 2006 World Cup. He is adored nationally not only for his flying saves and wild hairstyle but for his leadership and reliability. The man is truly fearless, and that attitude is loved by Mexicans far and wide. He has saved their skin numerous times, and he was called upon today again to do so. Despite the big occasion and moment, Memo was certainly not going to be over-awed, even when facing a striker the caliber of Lewandowski. His nickname is “Santo Memo” for a reason.

With all of Mexico and Poland waiting with baited breath, Lewandowski struck the ball to low and to his right, but Memo was equal to it and parried it away after he dove. The overwhelmingly Mexican crowd roared in approval and there was a mad scramble in the box to clear the ball. Memo had done it again! Even if you’re not Mexican, you have to appreciate the level of goalkeeper he ascends to whenever playing for El Tri. His save today was celebrated as if the Mexicans had already won the tournament, and the fans were singing and chanting his name for the rest of the half! From a Polish perspective, Lewandowski’s shot was rather poor. It wasn’t far enough away from the keeper and it lacked a bit of power.

Despite Poland’s good spell of pressure for 20 minutes or so, the Mexicans regained a foothold as the match wore on. They created several half chances, but could not find a winning goal. Memo’s save was the highlight of this match, and it ended 0-0. Mexico can take some positives from the day, but it is clear they are missing a good center forward. They need a finisher, plain and simple. The absence of one Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez from this squad is rather conspicuous.

Group D

This part will be shorter, don’t worry.

France came from behind to beat Australia 4-1, while Denmark and Tunisia tied 0-0. The French keep losing players through injury, but that was not a problem for them today. Australia looked confident at times in the first half but it was clear the French were a step ahead today in terms of talent in attack. Kylian Mbappe is simply the best striker in the world when he’s in the mood. Their injuries could be a problem later in the tournament though. They are the defending champions and are easily the deepest team at this tournament talent-wise, but I worry that the French are due for an implosion soon. Injuries interfere with team chemistry, and the French have to be clicking with one another for them to be at their most deadly.

Both Denmark and Tunisia were both largely uninspiring in their match today, but it was nevertheless a massive result for the Tunisians against a Danish side many have picked as a dark horse to make a run in this tournament. Australia vs. Tunisia now becomes a very interesting match indeed, should the Danish lose to France. The winner of Aus/Tun could easily find themselves in second place in the group, perhaps somewhat unexpectedly.

A Win Choked Away Versus Aston Villa

First things first, apologies for the belatedness of this post. Got sidetracked by a busy weekend and the NFL playoffs. I try to get these done same-day, but that doesn’t always happen. Thanks to those who waited patiently!

It’s not often that you play the same club twice in successive matches, but that’s exactly what Manchester United faced on Saturday when they travelled to Villa Park in Birmingham, England for a Premier League match against Aston Villa. United beat Villa 1-0 at Old Trafford in the FA Cup 3rd Round, and they were looking for another victory to get back on track in the push for the top-4.

And indeed, it was United off on the front foot after just six minutes when Villa were let down by a massive error from goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. Bruno Fernandes was on the left side of the box near the edge of it, and ran onto a touch pass from left back Alex Telles after a free kick. Bruno lashed a shot directly at keeper Martinez, who mysteriously fumbled the shot and let it slip between his legs for a goal. He was crying for offside or some kind of foul to save his embarrassment, but really it was just a very poor error from him. A shot like that from Bruno, which was at some distance and at a tight-ish angle, should be saved by the keeper every time. It was speculative at best from Bruno to shoot from there, and it is possible that Martinez was distracted by striker Edinson Cavani trying to get a touch on the shot just in front of him. But that’s why we play the game and don’t let stats decide outcomes – human error is a very real contributing factor to the game.

The rest of the first was arguably the best the Red Devils have played under interim manager Ralf Rangnick. They were passing the ball around well and creating chances for further goals. They were even more impressive when out of possession. The systematic pressing and positioning of our players left Villa with nowhere to pass the ball when they tried to go forward, and I don’t think they got a shot on target until about the half hour mark. Keeper David De Gea was forced into a fine reflex save from Villa midfielder Emi Buendia’s header from a corner, but aside from that United were strong and it was 1-0 at halftime.

United’s position was further strengthened by a second goal, which was again provided by Bruno on 67 minutes. Brazilian midfielder Fred was on the front foot and pressed a loose pass along the Villa back line, and was rewarded for his efforts by winning possession. He played a simple pass to his left along the ground and into the path of the onrushing Bruno, who lashed a shot off the underside of the crossbar and into the goal. Villa had been giving the ball away dangerously in the early part of the 2nd half, and this time United were there to capitalize on it. At that point, it felt like the points would go to United.

But it was not to be. Villa got a goal back ten minutes later, and it was thanks to their growing possession, some key substitutions by manager Steven Gerrard, and confidence in themselves. Yes they were down 2, but they knew that they could fight their way back into it if they just kept persisting with their game plan. United almost seemed to switch off a bit after the second goal went in as well, which is a mental error that must be addressed by Rangnick. Villa put some neat passes together in the left attacking third, and the ball was eventually under the feat of substitute Phillipe Coutinho, the former Liverpool midfielder on his debut for Villa. Fred actually stuck a boot out and knocked the ball away from him, but it went straight into the path of midfielder Jacob Ramsey. Ramsey swept a high curling shot past De Gea from about 10 yards out, and suddenly Villa were only down one goal. All credit to Ramsey and Villa for finishing the move, but the goal was a tad fortuitous nevertheless. Ramsey is a Birmingham native who grew up watching Villa, so it must have been incredibly exciting to score his first goal for the club at such a crucial time.

Villa got their equalizer just four minutes later, as United completely lost their heads defensively. The ball was played in to Ramsey on the left side as he ran in behind the United defenders, and he hit a great cross in front of the face of goal that found Coutinho unmarked at the back post. Coutinho is not known as the best finisher, but it’s incredibly hard to miss when you’re only 6 yards from goal and no one is marking you. Coutinho clipped a shot to De Gea’s left, and he had no chance to save it. Poor defending from United all around. Ramsey should never have been let in behind, and the marking on Coutinho was non-existent.

Injuries and poor passing from both clubs highlighted the final 10 minutes, and there were no further goals. The match finished 2-2, and while United still earned a point, it will feel more like a loss psychologically. We had them beaten soundly after 67 minutes, but let them back into it through poor effort and poor tactics.

It seems that Rangnick is having a lot of trouble finding the balance between attack and defense. United let Villa have the ball for most of the second half, and only scored thanks to some opportunistic pressing. United seem to be overly-reliant on winning the ball high up the pitch and trying to score. We need to improve from set pieces as we have not scored from one yet this season, but there also needs to be some thought put into how we want to maintain possession and kill a game off. Rangnick needs to continue working on his system to be sure, but the lackadaisical defending from the players in the final 15 minutes or so is a much bigger concern. There is something wrong with our players from a mental perspective, as it is incredibly rare for any Premier League side to choke away a two goal lead in such a short amount of time.

Good game from Fred, Bruno, forward Anthony Elanga, and De Gea, but a very poor game from the back four and Cavani. United could not get out of their own half in the second 45 minutes, and that is in part due to poor hold up play from Cavani. A striker is not only supposed to score goals, they are also supposed to be an outlet for when the team is pinned back in their own area. In that scenario a strong center forward needs to use either strength or dribbling to them to maintain possession while teammates run forward for support. Then the CF can play the ball to a teammate and then run forwards towards the goal. I didn’t see any of that from Cavani on Saturday, or any of our attacking players really. United were capable of breaking up crosses and passes for the most part, but the ball came straight back at them repeatedly. Villa were able to continuously recycle possession for themselves and keep United under the cosh without too much difficulty.

It’s a match typical of United under Rangnick so far – good for a bit, then terrible for a bit. The first half was some of the best play I’ve seen, followed by some of the worst in the second half. It’s maddening.

United travel to west London on Wednesday for a Premier League match with newly-promoted Brentford FC. You would think United would win such a match, but I don’t trust our form or team mentality at this point. United are currently 7th in the Premier League.