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 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 Round of 16 – Croatia Survive, Brazil in Cruise Control

This post is dedicated to the 6,500+ workers who lived and died in brutal conditions during construction of the stadiums for the World Cup. Qatar and FIFA don’t recognize their contributions, but I do.

Japan vs. Croatia

This was the more intriguing of the matchups today, with the surprising Japanese taking an aging but wizened Croatia side. It was thought by many that Japan would be the more industrious team, and given their spectacular results against Spain and Germany, many had them favored to beat Croatia. But this match ended 1-1 after 120 minutes, and we had our first penalty shootout of the tournament which the Croatians won 3-1.

This looked like Japan’s match to lose in the opening 45 minutes, though. They were dominant in terms of possession and chances created. They got their opener just before halftime, when a cross from a nifty corner-routine fell to Daizen Maeda, who slotted home from close range with Croatia keeper Dominik Livakovic beaten. The Blue Samurai were good value for their goal too, and many figured they would go on to wrap it up given the rather listless effort from Croatia up until that point.

The second half was an odd one though, in the sense that the Japanese were still probably the better side, but the Croatians had figured out how to slow them down significantly. They had more possession in Japan’s final third, but for the first 10 minutes or so there was no opening to be had. But the Croatians found themselves level on 55 minutes thanks to a very well-placed header from winger Ivan Perisic. An aerial cross from defender Dejan Lovren was played into the box, and Perisic did well to get goal side of his marker and head the ball down and away from Japan keeper Shūichi Gonda. It was a goal almost from nowhere, but the experience of Croatia shined through there. At this level of football, it is suicidal to switch off defensively, even for just a second or two.

The match finished after 90 minutes at 1-1, although Japan were probably still the more attack-minded side. That carried on into extra time as well, and Japan had one or two half chances in that period as well. It was clear by the end though that they were physically spent. They had run themselves ragged, and I was concerned about their physical and mental fatigue going into the penalty shootout. Croatia were not quite playing for penalties, but they certainly seemed less enthusiastic about getting the ball forward.

That concern was well-founded, because what I saw from Japan was a series of 3-4 of the worst penalty kicks I have ever seen taken. No power, no placement, no venom in any of the shots. Livakovic was the Croatian hero on the day and credit to him for making three key saves, but any keeper worth his salt would have saved those. Croatia’s penalty takers weren’t spectacular either, but they did happen to convert more of them than Japan did.

The lesson from this match is that sometimes there is no justice in football. You can be the more attacking and endeavoring side, but if you don’t convert enough of your chances, the opposition can get right back into a match fairly easily. Croatia were fairly negative today, but in the end their experience in penalty shoot-outs shown through. They did just enough to win, and sadly that was all that was needed. Japan need to take great pride in what they achieved at this tournament. They played some great football and shocked the powerhouses with their industriousness, tactics, and neat passing. If they can get themselves a world-class striker with that same work rate, they will be a threat to anyone. A credit to them and their supporters for a very classy display the past few weeks.

Brazil vs. South Korea

This one was over before it barely got started. The 4-1 victory for Brazil today was a statement – a message to the rest of the teams left in the tournament that they are confident and expect themselves to lift the Jules Rimet trophy in a few weeks’ time. A dominant display from the South Americans, particularly in the opening 45 minutes.

Winger Vinicius Junior got the samba party started just 7 minutes into the game when he swept home a delightfully-placed finish into the opposite corner from the left side of the box. The Koreans had left him perilously unmarked, and although they got themselves in the way of Vinicius rather quickly, he showed great composure to place his shot into the far corner instead of just blasting it. A goal that early was the worst possible situation for South Korea, as their game plan was undoubtedly to defend as well they could and take chances on the break. But now they would be forced to chase the game, and you don’t want to have to chase the Brazilians.

There was more calamitous defending on 13 minutes though, when Brazil striker Richarlison went down in the Korean penalty area and the referee pointed to the spot. VAR replays showed a minimum amount of contact on Richarlison, but there was contact nevertheless and the penalty decision was allowed to stand. Star forward Neymar stepped up to the spot, and after a bit of a delay he slotted it home past keeper Kim Seung-gyu. The shot didn’t have a ton of power on it, but the placement (low and away from Kim) was perfect. Neymar will likely be Brazil’s all-time leading scorer once this tournament is over, and that is an illustrious list to be at the top of.

Richarlison himself then got in on the act on 29 minutes, and this was probably Brazil’s best goal of the day. Fantastically precise teamwork and passing around the Korean penalty area. Richarlison juggled the ball on his head about 20 yards in front of goal before finding a teammate on the edge of the area. The ball was then played to center back Thiago Silva, who found the continuing run of Richarlison and he finished with his left from close range after taking a touch for control. That’s not a very good description, but there was so much intricacy to the goal it’s about the best I can do. A fantastic example of team football and the South Koreans were hypnotized by it. I don’t blame them – everyone who saw them do it was hypnotized by it.

Vinicius then turned provider just before half time, when his looping cross over the top found the late run of attacking midfielder Lucas Paquetá. There was a lot of congestion in the box and it was unclear who Vinicius was crossing it to at first, but Paquetá arrived just as the ball was coming down and finished to the right of Kim in South Korea’s goal. It was the perfect seal on a near-perfect half of football for the 5-time World Cup winners. South Korea looked thoroughly dejected, and understandably so.

Brazil obviously took their foot off the gas in the second half, and being four goals to the good you can understand why. They were still running at the Koreans and creating chances, but the impetus on display in the first half was missing from the second. The Koreans got a consolation goal on 76 minutes thanks to a good strike from midfielder Paik Seung-ho, but that was the only major action the second half. The result never looked seriously threatened, as Brazil were just happy to pass it around amongst themselves and keep the Koreans at bay.

But yes, a statement of intent from manager Tite and his players today. This was their best performance of the World Cup so far, and I have a feeling they are going to continue in this dominant fashion. If they weren’t favorites to win the tournament before today, they certainly are now. It was obvious that they have way more talent than South Korea, but I was disappointed with South Korea’s tactics today. I thought they were going to park the bus and hit Brazil when the opportunity presented itself, but that bus seemed to have a flat tire today. Absolutely naïve defending for the first and second Brazilian goals. And once they were 2-0 down, it was basically over. They couldn’t get close to Brazil in attack, and they couldn’t keep them out in defense. That is a recipe for a beatdown.

Quarterfinals – Brazil vs. Croatia – Friday, December 9th – 7 AM PST

United Go Out of the FA Cup on Penalties; Match Marred by Controversy

Manchester United returned to action after a 2 week break on Friday afternoon, where they took on Championship-side Middlesbrough at Old Trafford in the FA Cup. I’m a big fan of the FA Cup due to the match-ups it frequently produces. Boro, as they are locally known, did not start their season well but have had a resurgence in form under manager Chris Wilder. United were looking to continue to develop the style of play instituted by Ralf Rangnick, and were heavy favorites going into the match.

It was a high-energy start by the Red Devils, which was a nice change from the slow and laboring starts supporters have become accustomed to. Jadon Sancho did well to hit the crossbar just 90 seconds in, and Cristiano Ronaldo had a bicycle kick effort saved by Boro keeper Joe Lumley. The best chance of the half came on 19 minutes however when Paul Pogba was fouled in the box by a Boro defender. Pogba, playing for the first time in several months due to injury, did well to get the wrong side of his marker, and the defender had no choice but to bring him down. Stonewall penalty, correctly awarded by referee Anthony Taylor. Unexpectedly however, Ronaldo stepped up to the spot and promptly missed the penalty kick, with his shot going wide left. He usually doesn’t miss those, but when he does it feels like a big let-down. Bruno Fernandes then fired a shot over the bar on 23 minutes. Despite missing the chances, you felt a goal was coming.

And it did, via Sancho on 25 minutes. He used his pace and dribbling to beat his man on the left side box while he streaked towards goal. He fired a shot across the face of goal that may have taken the slightest of deflections before beating Lumley at his far post. A good goal and deserved goal, given United’s dominance in the match. Ronaldo almost got a second straight after the goal, but he missed again. Marcus Rashford was then guilty of missing a chance after Ronaldo’s shot/cross almost reached him at the back post. Rashford had the ball in the net on 30 minutes, but VAR called the goal back for offside.

United were creating everything in the first half, and Boro barely had a sniff of Dean Henderson’s goal. Despite putting the opposition under siege, United could not find a second goal in the first half. There was a succession of corners that came to nothing, and they could only manage to fire tame efforts directly at Lumley. It was the best half of football I had seen from Rangnick’s United so far this season, in terms of possession, pressing, and passing. Bruno and Pogba were running the midfield, and Boro were struggling to get out of their own half. It was only due to United’s lack of clinical finishing in front of goal that the score was not 3 or 4 to nil.

The second half was when the match started deteriorating into nonsense from a United perspective. United dominated the first 15 minutes or so similar to how they did in the first half, but again there were no additional goals scored. Rashford and Ronaldo missed good chances on 54 and 55 minutes respectively. Somewhat worryingly though, Boro were starting to grow into the game. They started believing that United were not going to score, which in turn led to more belief in themselves. Henderson was called into action to make his first save on 57 minutes.

Boro were able to snatch an equalizer however on 64 minutes, and it was very much against the run of play. Here is where the controversy comes in. The ball was crossed into the box and controlled by winger Duncan Watmore, who definitely used his hand to control the ball after he took a touch with his foot. His left arm was extended far away from his body, and he definitely used his hand to control the bounce of the ball. United’s defenders almost stopped, expecting a whistle for a flagrant hand ball. No whistle came, and Watmore had the time to pass the ball to Matty Crooks at the opposite post who tucked the ball into the top of the net with Henderson beaten. This goal should have been disallowed, but due to the idiotic finagling of the handball rule and a poor interpretation of the rule by Taylor, the goal stood. The current laws of football allow for an “accidental” handball in the buildup to a goal to stand. Had Watmore scored himself, the goal would have been disallowed. But because he passed it to Crooks who then scored, the goal was allowed to stand. However, Taylor got the call wrong because there is no way this particular handball was “accidental.” It did not bounce up and come off Watmore’s hand. He stuck his arm out and deliberately used his hand to control the ball. Intentional conduct all the way. It’s ridiculous that the rule is written so stupidly. When the rules of a game are unclear, the stage is set for controversy. The FA has gotten the handball rule wrong for ages now and it must be fixed. In previous years, the goal would not have stood. Absolutely appalling from the FA and Taylor. Use your common sense! He used his bloody hand, and it was deliberate! Disallow the goal.

But, this is what happens when you don’t kill a game off. United have no one to blame but themselves for that. Had it been 3-0, a 3-1 deficit makes little difference. At 1-0 though an equalizer makes ALL the difference. Even more frustratingly, United were given more opportunities to win that they simply did not take. Rashford had a shot saved on 71 minutes, but Bruno wasted the best chance of them all shortly after that. Lumley and the Boro back four gave the ball away directly to Bruno, with Lumley badly out of position. So much so that Bruno had roughly 2/3 of the net wide open to slide the ball into, and he was only about 14 yards from goal. Any other day of the week, Bruno slides that home and it’s 2-1. But for whatever mysterious reason, his shot slid wide and hit the left hand post before bouncing away harmlessly. It was shocking the Ronaldo missed his penalty, but this one was perhaps even more shocking.

Due to fatigue from both sides, Fred and Anthony Elanga were subbed on for Pogba and Rashford on 81 minutes. United dominated the final 10 minutes in possession, but again no additional goals were scored. Elanga had the final chance of the 90 minutes, but his header was straight at Lumley for an easy save.

In previous year, an FA Cup match that ends in a draw would be replayed at a later date at the opposite stadium. Due to Covid and player safety concerns though, there are no more replays. It’s 30 minutes of extra time, followed by penalties if need be. Both sides were exhausted in extra time though and it was a very choppy and disjointed portion of the match. Watmore went close for Boro with a shot across the face of goal, and Ronaldo hit the side netting on 101 minutes. Fred saw a shot go wide, with Bruno having a chance called back for offside. Henderson made a key save on 115 minutes and United kept the ball around the Boro penalty area for most of extra time, but they had 11 men in defense which made it exceedingly difficult to break them down.

The final whistle went and the lottery of penalties was going to decide this one. Juan Mata, Harry Maguire, Fred, Ronaldo, Bruno, Scott McTominay, and Diogo Dalot all did well to hit their penalties, but Boro were equal to them every time. Henderson could not get near their shots, aside from one that went under him that he probably should have saved. Unfortunately, Elanga blazed his penalty over the ball and Boro won on penalties 8-7.

It never should have gotten to that point though, and Elanga should not take really any blame for the result. United did not do enough to kill the game off in the first half, and they allowed Boro back into the match. It’s true the refereeing was atrocious and their goal never should have stood, but again it shouldn’t have really mattered given United’s dominance in the first 60 minutes. But in close matches like this one, the referee has to be better. The rules surrounding handball must be fixed, and idiot referees have to be held accountable for their terrible interpretations of the laws. Right now they make a mockery of the game.

United are out the FA Cup though, which was our best chance to win silverware this season. It’s very disappointing, and it’s typical of United under Rangnick. Sometimes we look like world-beaters, and other times we look like we don’t know what we’re doing. We certainly picked the worst time to forget how to finish, and it’s inexcusable with two weeks of preparation for a match against a Championship side. This one stung, and it stung bad. Ronaldo, Bruno, and Rashford all deserve blame for the loss, given all the chances they collectively missed. This one is not fully on Rangnick – he can’t go out there and score them himself. To field what is effectively our strongest team and fail to beat a Championship side is inexcusable.

Up next, United travel to Burnley in the Premier League on February 8th. Three points must be the objective to keep pace in the chase for the top-4. I’m not pleased, but the season doesn’t stop after a bad result. The lads have got to get up and get ready for the next one.

*****

A very quick shoutout again to Nottingham Forest FC, who managed to knock the reigning FA Cup champions Leicester City out of the FA Cup today. It was an emphatic 4-1 win, and I will be supporting them in the FA Cup for the rest of the season now that United are out. Forest supporters haven’t had much to cheer about in recent years, so they deserve all the fun they’re having on this magical run right now. Also very happy for non-league side Boreham Wood, who continued their own surprising run today after beating Bournemouth 1-0.

Euro 2020(1) Semifinal Day 1 – Italy Edge Spain on Penalties, Plus England-Denmark Preview

I did pick Italy to win yesterday, but I did not think it would be as close as it was. Indeed, Spain did an excellent job today against the Italians in terms of disrupting their normal tactics, but Italy showed a real resiliency as the match wore on.

The first half was goalless but based on possession and chances created, you would say that Spain were the better side. They took a page out of Italy’s book and decided to incorporate more pressing into their normal possession-based tactics. Spain played the same as they always do when they were on the ball, which is to spring some passes together in midfield and eventually move the ball up to the edge of the box. They tried to work several openings free in the first half, with attacking midfielder Dani Olmo looking very lively. His dribbling and passing was causing the Italians problems, but they always managed to get a final block in.

The most notable aspect of their press though was when they went at Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. He normally likes to play it short to one of his defenders when it comes to clearing the ball or taking a goal kick, but he could not do that today due to Spain’s forwards playing tight to the defenders. That forced Donnarumma into longer passes up the pitch, something he clearly was not comfortable doing today. Spain fashioned several half-chances using this method of pressing, but while they did not score this also prevented Italy from growing into the game and creating their own chances.

I have to say that in the first half, the epic battle in the midfield was won by Spain. Sergio Busquets and Pedri were dominating the middle, and Spain manager Luis Enrique deployed midfielder Koke (CO-kay) to man- mark Italian midfield general Marco Veratti. When Veratti is allowed time on the ball he can play some devastating passes to his teammates, but with Koke constantly harassing him, he never really found time on the ball to makes those passes. The same could be said for Italy’s defensive midfielder Jorginho. When he was on the ball, Busquets and others were always on him quickly so he could not find an outlet pass. This resulted in Spain winning possession much more frequently than Italy would have liked.

Despite Spain being the better team, the Italians went ahead on the hour mark after a now-familiar error in the Spanish defense. Italy hit them on a counter-attack, and a slick backheel from striker Ciro Immobile found Federico Chiesa on the left-sided edge of the penalty box. Spain didn’t have many men back and failed to clear the pass. Chiesa launched a shot at goal, and it found the top corner of the net. The positioning of the defenders and the angle of the shot did not give Chiesa a lot to aim for, but he put the ball probably in the one place it stood a chance of going in. Misery for Spain as they had been the better team. With a 1-0 lead fairly late on in the game, I figured the Italians would shithouse the rest of the match and escape with the win.

All credit to Spain though, as they kept fighting and created several good chances in an effort to equalize. Mikel Oyarzabal was guilty of missing a gilt-edged chance when he missed making contact with a cross by a matter of centimeters. Spain were rewarded for their efforts though 20 minutes later when Olmo found himself in a good position with the ball on the edge of the Italian penalty box. He played a lovely 1-2 with substitute striker Alvaro Morata, who exorcised some of his earlier tournament demons by finishing along the ground from close range. No chance for Donnarumma, and we had ourselves a semifinal.

There weren’t many further chances in normal time, and it ended 1-1 after 90 minutes. The same pattern of play continued in extra time, with Spain probably being the better of the two sides but stalwart Italian defending kept them out. It was just incredibly crowded in the box every time Spain got close, and that made it very difficult to have time for a shot. Italy sometimes broke out and attempted to hit Spain on the counter, but some tired legs and timely challenges from Spain kept it 1-1. Penalties were needed.

Football is such a fickle sport, and penalties are the most fickle part. Both sides missed their first respective penalty, with Olmo and substitute Manuel Locatelli both missing. That would be the last penalty the Italians would miss though. It stayed tied until Morata stepped up on the 3rd penalty for Spain and hit a rather tame effort low and to Donnarumma’s left. Donnarumma made the correct choice with his dive, and he saved Morata’s effort. Jorginho then took the decisive fourth penalty, and he showed some real ice in his veins by calmly sending Spain keeper Unai Simon the wrong way with his shot. The Italians stormed the field having won, and Spain were left to wonder what could have been.

Commiserations to Spain. They were the better team on the day, but Italy has been the best team this tournament. Italy showed an ability to adapt today that only elite-level teams have. They completely changed their usual tactics and still managed to execute the game plan almost to perfection. That’s very difficult to do in the middle of a tournament. They deserve a lot of credit, with manager Roberto Mancini deserving in particular. You have to feel also that a lack of finishing, both today and throughout the tournament, was a major problem for the Spanish. Morata did well to finish his chance, but they had several other opportunities to score today that they did not cash-in on. I do hope that the idiots on social media do not blame Morata for this loss. It’s not on him, at least not solely. Yes he should have done better with his penalty, but this is a team sport. Spain could have helped him out a lot more today by scoring other chances, and had they done so penalties might not have even been necessary.

Italy will play in the Euro 2020(1) final at Wembley next Sunday, July 11. They await the winner of England/Denmark. Whoever they play, it will be very difficult to beat them. They don’t quit, they have a lot of talent, and they know how to manage different scenarios well.

England vs. Denmark – Preview

Noon (PDT) at Wembley tomorrow. 60,000 fans are expected to fill Wembley to 3/4 capacity and the atmosphere should be electric.

Denmark

Denmark came into the semis as the lowest-ranked remaining team, but they don’t care about that. Not at all. England have played against more talented teams this tournament, but I am not sure we have played a team quite like Denmark so far. That is not to say they are without talent – indeed they have players who ply their trades in the top divisions across Europe, including the Premier League. What I mean is that this is a team that truly believes it is a team of destiny, and it’s hard to argue against that point. Yes they lost their two opening group games, but they have shown a resilience and team spirit in this tournament that vastly makes up for their lack of superstar talent. This is a team on a “Cinderella run” in every sense of the phrase. They are playing for Christian Eriksen, and that kind of motivation is impossible to duplicate. Denmark actually won the Euros back in 1992 and they were a “Cinderella” team back then as well, but they haven’t really come close to winning it again since then. This is the most unified and determined team left at this tournament, and that unity and determination gives them a strong sense of confidence in themselves.

It could be argued that the Danes have had an “easy” path so far, seeing off Wales in the Round of 16 and then the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals. That take is slightly disrespectful to those two other countries, but when you consider that the Swiss had to beat France and England had to beat Germany, you get the sense that the draw has been kinder to them than to other teams. The last time the Danes lost was to Belgium in the group stage, a team with an actual degree of quality about them. Yes the Danes scored first but they conceded two after that as they were not capable of dealing with the technical abilities of Kevin De Bruyne. Sometimes, an overwhelming amount of talent is really the only thing that can beat a stubborn defensive unit.

The Danes do have some talented attacking players, and I think tomorrow they will use their speedier players to try and break out quickly and hit England on the counter-attack. I don’t think they have the talent in midfield to hold possession against England for long spells, so the counter and opportunities from set pieces will be key. They scored four in a knockout match earlier this tournament in the Round of 16 against Wales, so they are capable of getting goals when they need to.

Players to Watch: Youseff Poulsen, Mikkel Damsgaard, Joakim Mæhle, Kasper Dolberg, Simon Kjær, Kasper Schmeichel 

Side note on Schmeichel: he is a Premier League winning goalkeeper with Leicester City and is the son of one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time: Peter Schmeichel. It was Peter who helped the Danes to glory in 1992, and now his son is trying to do the same thing! It’s a great story, and while Kasper is probably not quite as good as his father, he definitely has the ability to morph into a brick wall on a given day. Harry Maguire and probably a few other England players will be fully aware of his talents, having played both with and against him. Kasper perhaps was a tad braggadocios today by making jokes about the phrase “it’s coming home” in his media interview, and I hope England players saw that. People in the media or online coming with banter is one thing, but it’s completely different when an opposition player is saying something. Perhaps could serve as a motivation to England’s forwards. Speaking of!

England

England, both the team and that nation, are positively rocking right now. The match against Ukraine was the best I have seen this team play in a tournament probably ever. We hadn’t scored 4 goals in a tournament knockout match since 1966, and we will have a distinct home advantage at Wembley. 95+% of the fans in attendance will be supporting England, and I expect every single one of them to be in full throat for all 90 minutes.

Given that the best way to beat Denmark appears to be to overwhelm them with attacking talent, I suggest England does that very thing. Manager Gareth Southgate doesn’t need to change the lineup much or if at all, as the most important thing will be an aggressive approach. The entire game plan can be summed up in one two words: aggression, ruthlessness. We need to come out and be ruthless from the get-go, and if we can score another early goal it will get us a long way to the final. The longer it stays 0-0, the more confident Denmark will feel. We need to be on the ball, dribbling with the ball, and making forward runs. When we are not on the ball, I would like to see England constantly haranguing the Danes and trying to win the ball high up the pitch. No matter who is on the pitch for us, they need to be playing with unrelenting aggression and ruthlessness. Even if the Danes can withstand it for the first 45 minutes, they will eventually tire. Once again, you can expect England’s depth of talent on the bench to factor in heavily if things are not going our way.

Denmark’s defense has been “good enough” this whole tournament. They’re doing enough to win matches, but I do not think Denmark will be able to keep England at bay for 90 minutes. They have conceded at least 1 goal in every match they’ve played in so far except for one. England were dangerous from both set pieces and open play in the match against Ukraine, and we have proven to be exceptionally efficient at crossing the ball over the top. Most of our goals this tournament have come from crosses over the top. The wingers and full backs, in particular Luke Shaw, have been nothing short of incredible.

We are the first team in the history of the Euros not to concede a goal in their first five matches. Jordan Pickford looks locked to win the Golden Gloves for fewest goals conceded. The back line communicates well with each other and we have the athleticism at the back to keep up with anyone. As good as we are at heading the ball in for goals, we are equally as good at heading them away from goal when defending. Denmark’s best chances for a goal will probably come from set pieces, so alertness and concentration will be vital when those inevitably happen.

This match is England’s to lose. Having said that, it would be very English of us to come this far and do this well only to falter in the semis. I must say though, it feels different this time. I hope that line doesn’t come back to bit me in the ass, but it really does. The draw has been somewhat kind to us as well after beating Germany, and we must take advantage. The stars will not align like this for England again.

Players to Watch: Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Jadon Sancho, Shaw, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Marcus Rashford, Mason Mount

No prediction because of course not, I’m not stupid.

Manchester United Lose Out to Villarreal in the Europa League Final on Penalties

I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed.

The Red Devils lost out on the chance to win silverware for the first time in 4 years after an epic penalty shootout that saw them lost 11-10. Goalkeeper David De Gea’s tame penalty was saved by Villarreal keeper Geronimo Rulli after the score was 1-1 at the end of regulation and the end of full time.

The match was cagey and sloppy by both sides, but several things went wrong for United that on another day may not have. For one, United were without club captain and center back Harry Maguire, still recovering from an ankle injury. That definitely contributed to Villarreal’s goal, scored from a set piece by Villarreal forward Gerard Moreno. The ball was played in from the left channel and no one bothered to mark Moreno, who scored from close range. It really was poor defending from United, who looked very disorganized on the play. The first half overall was poor for United, as we created very little up front and conceded such a soft goal. Down 1-0 at the half was a familiar position for United though, having won a whopping 31 points from losing positions in the Premier League this season. If any team knew how to make a come back, it was this one.

United did improve in the second half and created a few more chances, and eventually did get an equalizer through Edinson Cavani. This goal was also the result of a set piece, although this time it was a corner. The ball fell to Paul Pogba on the edge of the box, and he lashed a shot along the turf that came back off Rulli directly to Cavani for a tap-in. VAR checked for offside, but the goal stood. I thought after that United would kick on and get another, but Villarreal’s defense held firm and United could not capitalize on their dominance in possession.

Extra time was eventually needed, and United’s second half dominance waned significantly. The players looked tired, as manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hadn’t made any substitutions. Villarreal kicked into a gear a little and created a half chance or two of their own, but again there was never any real threat to De Gea’s goal. Penalties would decide.

And what a shootout it was. I don’t think I have ever seen a shootout in a professional match where all 22 men on the pitch had to take one. Not only that, but every single penalty was scored as well, up until De Gea’s low-energy shot. My nerves were absolutely shot at the end and I couldn’t imagine how the players must have been feeling. For those unfamiliar with penalty shootouts, they usually end within the first 5 shots from both teams. It’s rare to go to 6, and even rarer to go beyond that. All 22 men taking a penalty and 21 of them being scored has to be some sort of statistical record.

De Gea was crestfallen at the end and understandably so, but he isn’t the reason we lost this match. Certainly not primarily, at least. No, this match was lost primarily due to the tactics of OGS and a lack of execution from several major players. I said in the match preview that the big players such as Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Cavani, and Pogba would all need to show up, but it was really only Cavani and midfielder Scott McTominay that can hang their heads high today. Bruno was anonymous due to being man-marked out of the game by Villarreal. Rashford had his worst game in a United shirt I’ve ever seen. Pogba was too far back in terms of the position assigned to him, so he couldn’t contribute to the attack.

United beating themselves was the main theme, but not the only theme. The tactics of Villarreal manager Unai Emery were spot-on, and objectively he must be credited for that. They set up two banks of four just on the edge of the penalty box, and they always ensured that someone was following Bruno around and harassing him every time he was on the ball. He likes to play between the midfield line and defensive line, but their lines were so close together there was nowhere for him to receive the ball. The plan was to make Bruno retreat further and further back to get on the ball, and it worked like a charm for the majority of the match.

I think playing Pogba as a defensive midfielder next to McTominay was a mistake as well. Pogba has had success on the left hand side of the attack this season in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where he combines with Luke Shaw and Rashford to give defenses major headaches. I understand the thinking from OGS there, as it allowed him to put Cavani, Rashford, and Mason Greenwood on the pitch at the same time to potentially create a more potent attack. But due to the defensive positioning and discipline of Villarreal, those attackers were cut off from Pogba as he could not venture forward without shirking his defensive duties. He was too far back and Villarreal had too many men in the area.

But I think the biggest error from OGS today were all the issues surrounding substitutions. It was clear that a change of pace was needed around the 75th minute, yet OGS waited over 20 minutes to make a change. Emery had made several changes in the second half and it was clear that Villarreal were the fresher and more energetic side for it. I simply don’t understand what OGS was thinking there. We had dynamic players with pace who could run at more tired defenders in Daniel James and Amad Diallo, and while James was eventually brought on it was again too late to make a difference. I understand the depth of our squad isn’t where it needs to be, but I strongly believe that we have players who could have made a difference today had they been deployed earlier.

Further, the substitutions made by OGS didn’t really make sense to me. It was clear he was playing for penalties once extra time started, and I absolutely hate that strategy. Penalty kicks are a lottery, and a team like United shouldn’t be holding out for them when we have the firepower that we have. Besides, you play to win the fucking game! The most glaring example of this conservative approach was the fact that Rashford was left on the pitch when he should have been off much earlier. He lost possession more times than I can count today, and while I love what he’s done this season it was clear that today was not his day. Taking Greenwood off instead of Rashford was clearly a decision made with penalties in mind, and I think it was the wrong move. Rashford might be a better penalty taker than Greenwood, but at least Greenwood had showed flashes of competency today! He might have been able to combine with one of our pacey wingers to create something, you never know.

Also, lastly, if you are going to hoard your subs and play for penalties, at least put your penalty-saving goalkeeper in the match. De Gea is excellent at stopping shots from open play and distributing the ball, but hadn’t (and still hasn’t) saved a penalty kick since 2016. Dean Henderson was the keeper on the bench today for United, and he has had more success stopping penalties recently. It may not have made a difference, but I think OGS should have doubled down on his penalty-gamble and subbed on Henderson for De Gea. It would have given the Villarreal players something to think about and I think Henderson may have saved at least one of them. De Gea looked somewhat unsure of himself and as a result never really committed to any of his dives. He got near one of their shots but couldn’t keep it out. The point though is that if you want to gamble on penalties, you have to go all-in. You can’t half-ass it and then be mad when the gamble doesn’t pay off.

I do hope OGS has learned from this experience and that he uses it to bring us a trophy next season. I think Emery taught him a lesson today, and it’s a lesson he won’t soon forget. If you set up your team tactically to take risks, but then your players don’t take any risks and you don’t change the game plan, there’s a good chance you can lose a one-off final to less talented competition.

The season did end on a sour note but there is Champions League football to look forward to next season and the promise of challenging again. Going to a European final is progress, but we need to win something, and it needs to be soon. This upcoming summer transfer window will be absolutely crucial.