Europa League: United Rally to Beat Barcelona

Manchester United played host to Catalan giants Barcelona CF earlier today at Old Trafford in the qualification round for the Europa League. This was the second match of the two-leg tie, with the Red Devils earning a 2-2 draw with the Blaugrana at the Camp Nou last week. This tie was finely poised, and both managers (Erik ten Hag and Xavi Hernandez) knew there was all to play for. Both managers also named strong starting squads for the fixture, indicating they wanted to go and win it.

Before getting into the summary, a quick but sincere Rest in Peace to BBC commentator John Motson, who died today at the age of 77. Anyone who watched a World Cup tournament on the BBC between 1986 and 2018 heard him call a match, and for many fans he was the voice of English football in their childhoods. I’ll always remember his iconic “Beckham can raise the roof here with a goal” call in 2002, just before Becks hit a trademark free kick against Greece (at Old Trafford!) that sent England to the 2002 World Cup. He’s a true legend of football and sports broadcasting, and this author will never forget the influence of John Motson.

The match got off to a strong start for United, with midfielder Bruno Fernandes forcing a save from Barca keeper Ter Stegen just 4 minutes into the match, after a lovely cross-field pass from fellow midfielder Casemiro. Bruno was working with a tight angle and it was a good save from Stegen, but he probably should have scored it given that he was virtually unmarked. In a turn of negative fortunes tho, it was Barcelona who got the first big break of the match when Bruno was adjudged to have fouled Barca left back Alejandro Balde in the area. This penalty decision was softer than the blankets on my bed! Bruno did grab the arm of Balde, but Balde theatrically spun around and fell to the ground intentionally afterwards. Bruno didn’t need to grab his arm so that’s one thing, but the referee and VAR official have to be more astute in these situations and see that the contact is minimal while the fall is exaggerated. Ugh, whatever. Balde isn’t the first player to dive on light contact, and he won’t be the last.

Barca’s all-world striker Robert Lewandowski stepped up to the spot to the take the penalty. After a brief delay for VAR to (futilely) review the decision, he tried to fake out United keeper David De Gea by dawdling on his run-up to the ball. He tried to make De Gea dive early by faking like he was going to strike the ball, but De Gea held his nerve. Lewandowski got a powerful shot on target and De Gea actually managed to get a hand on it, but the force behind the ball was too much and it deflected into the net. A very frustrating goal to concede for a number of reasons, but it was 1-0 to Barcelona on 18 minutes.

The goal seemed to rattle United a little bit, and they had to hold on for the rest of the half to ensure it stayed 1-0. It must be said that the starting tactical setup and line-up for United was probably not the one needed today. Striker Wout Weghorst was likely told by ETH to use his size and strength to hold the ball up and in turn set up runs behind the defense for players like winger Jadon Sancho and forward Marcus Rashford, but it was clear that Xavi and Barcelona had anticipated that. Weghorst was being closed down every time he was on the ball, and as a result the Red Devils lacked fluidity in attack. Rashford was isolated on his own on the left wing and Sancho was being forced to drop deep to pick up the ball. To make matters worse, Barca nearly got a second goal in first half stoppage time when De Gea clumsily gave the ball away in his own box. If not for a few lucky bounces and last-ditch block by Casemiro, it could have very easily been two goals for Barca and the tie would have almost been over.

Fortunate to only be down one, ETH realized a change in tactics was needed. Weghorst was taken off, with winger Antony dos Santos brought on in his place. Rashford was moved inside to the central striker role, with midfielder Fred moved up slightly in midfield. He also must have gave the lads a proper bollocking at half time, because they upped their intensity as well. The improvement in the second half was nearly instantaneous, as they got their equalizer on 46 minutes from Fred. United won a throw in the attacking third, and it was thrown into the left channel by left back Luke Shaw. After some half-hearted clearances by Barca, the ball was finally won by Sancho. He played the ball along the ground to his right and into the feet of Bruno, who instantly found Fred off to his right and on the edge of the box. Fred took a touch to control the strong pass, and it bounced up into the air nicely for him. It rolled down his leg and off his extended right foot, and Stegen could not get over to it as it rolled into the corner of the goal. 1-1, and 3-3 on aggregate! Fred had a rather tepid display in the first half, but he played like a man possessed in the second. ETH pushing him a little further forward proved to be a prudent decision.

Old Trafford was rocking once United equalized, and it created some real momentum for the opening 15-20 minutes of the half. Antony almost got United’s second just after the restart when he was played through on goal by Casemiro’s long ball over the top, but he elected to try and pass to Rashford instead of shooting and a Barca defender got a block in. The pressure was on the visitors now, though. Xavi tried to change things with some substitutions, but Barca looked rather toothless in attack in the second half. Left back Jules Koundé forced a spectacular flying save from De Gea, but that was the best chance they crafted for most of the second half. United center backs Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane were in their usual excellent form today.

United got their vital go-ahead goal on 73 minutes, with Antony finding the back of the net this time. Martinez played a long ball forward down the left side, which Shaw did well to get to and keep in play. His optimistic back heel pass found Bruno, who shrugged off a challenge and dribbled into the penalty area along the end line. His angle for a shot was bad, so he hit it diagonally backwards into the feet of substitute winger Alejandro Garnacho. Garnacho’s low shot was blocked by the feet of a Barca defender, but the rebound fell to Fred on the edge of the area near the middle of the box. His shot was also blocked away however, but this time it fell to Antony on the right side of the box. He hit it first-time very sweetly with his weaker left foot, and the dip of shot saw it bounce under Stegen and into the far corner for 2-1. Antony is a polarizing figure among the United faithful, but there’s no denying the quality of that strike. He normally struggles with that left foot of his, but all credit to him for finding an excellent finish at a critical time.

Barcelona re-established their familiar possession game in the final 15 minutes plus stoppage time, but some additional subs and stoppages for injuries slowed the game down significantly. United were definitely taking things as slowly as possible so as to burn off more clock, and Barca were really struggling in the final third. As is sometimes the case even for the best sides, the final ball was just not falling for them. They would open up a gap with their passing routinely, only for the key final pass to be too long or cleared away. It was a very nervy final 15 minutes, made all the more nervy by Varane making a goal-line clearance in the 4th minute of a lengthy stoppage time. De Gea was stranded out of position and Lewandowski had the ball at his feet with a clear view of the net. Normally, that means a goal for a striker of his caliber. But Varane got back and booted it clear just in the nick of time, and Barca had no more chances after that. The final whistle blew and United had beaten La Liga leaders Barca 2-1, 4-3 on aggregate!

The significance of a win like this one against such quality opposition cannot be overstated. Barca are a European powerhouse and United outplayed them for almost the entirety of the second half. This is our biggest victory in Europe since 2016, when we upset Paris St. Germain in the Champions League. Great games today from Fred, Antony, Casemiro, Garnacho, Martinez, Varane, and Bruno, but the lion’s share of the credit needs to go to ETH. The first half tactics didn’t work, but his ability to read the flow of a game and make the correct changes is at the elite level. His managerial skills are not limited to tactics and substitutions though, he has changed the core mentality of the club. This man does not know the meaning of the word “quit”, and he has instilled that mentality into this team. What a manager this bald Dutchman has turned out to be!

United have qualified for the Europa League Round of 16, and their opponent will be determined on Friday morning via a draw. But there can’t be too much celebrating this win, because on Sunday, Wembley Stadium beckons. United will face Newcastle in the League Cup final, which is the club’s first chance for a piece of silverware since 2017. It’s not the most important trophy in the world, but it still would represent another important milestone achievement in the young tenure of ETH. This club is used to winning to winning trophies, and we need to start winning them again.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Europa League: United Hold Barcelona to a Draw in Catalunya

Manchester United travelled to the northeast of Spain yesterday for the first leg of a two-leg playoff tie at the historic Camp Nou against European giants Barcelona CF. It was an odd fixture in the sense that these two teams have traditionally played each other in the Champions League instead of the Europa League, the “smaller” of the two European club tournaments. It came about in the Europa League due to United’s poor play last season and failing to win their Europa League group earlier this season, while Barcelona crashed out of the Champions League pre-World Cup. This tie seemed inevitable once it became clear the two sides were eligible to play each other. It was also an odd fixture in the sense that these two clubs are playing Champions League-caliber football right now, with Barca sitting atop La Liga in Spain and United in 3rd in England. The Blaugrana have been a defensive fortress at the Camp Nou this season, with manager (and club legend) Xavi righting a previously wayward ship. United manager Erik ten Hag named a strong side for this fixture, indicating that he is prioritizing this tournament even though United have a very congested fixture list.

The opening 20 minutes were slow in parts but United did have a half-chance just 17 seconds in, when midfielder Fred narrowly missed turning in a cross from fellow midfielder Bruno Fernandes. Aside from that though, it was half chances at best. Barcelona did have a slight edge in terms possession and passing, but the difference between the sides was negligible. The Red Devils grew into the game a bit more though in the next 25 minutes. Winger/forward Jadon Sancho missed just wide of Barca keeper Ter Stegen’s goal, with forward Marcus Rashford forcing Stegen into a diving save from a tight angle a few moments later. United’s best chance of the half was around 35 minutes when striker Wout Weghorst was put through on goal by an astute aerial pass from Bruno, only for his shot to be denied by the feet of the onrushing Stegen. The Barca defenders claimed Weghorst was offside, but the flag had stayed down and a goal would have potentially counted had he been able to turn it in.

Barca then had their best chance of the half when a wayward pass from midfielder Casemiro was not properly collected by right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka. It was a dangerous pass to play given that Casemiro was only about 30 yards from his own goal, and the ball was pounced upon by Barca left back Jordi Alba. AWB did well to get back into position and make a last-ditch challenge on the ball that took the power out of Alba’s shot, and United keeper David De Gea was then able to push it wide. Xavi and the Barca players called for a penalty, but replays showed that AWB got his toe to the ball before making contact with Alba. At halftime it was 0-0, but it was an entertaining half despite the lack of goals.

The second half was even more entertaining because some goals were finally scored. The chances came flying in almost immediately, with a Barca shot from distance missing just wide and Sancho missing just wide from much closer. Barca nudged themselves in front though on 50 minutes, when an in-swinging corner found the head of Barca center back Marcos Alonso at the back post. Alonso rose higher than Fred and De Gea was unable to cover his near post. The downwards header bounced over the line and Barca were ahead 1-0. The 90,000+ inside the Camp Nou roared in approval.

That lead was short-lived though, as United struck back in lightning quick fashion just 2 minutes later. Fred advanced the ball up the pitch quickly and found Rashford on a run between two Barcelona defenders. The ball from Fred was weighted perfectly, and Rashford took a touch of the ball to knock it forward. It looked like his touch was too heavy at first and that the angle for a shot wouldn’t be there as he was off to the right of the goal, but he unleashed a low and powerful shot towards the near post that Stegen couldn’t keep out at his own near post. Great pass from Fred, great run and finish from Rashford. He now has 22 goals this season, which is tied for the most he’s ever scored in a single season, and there’s still 3 months of games left! It’s easy to see why Xavi called him “one of the best strikers in Europe” during his pre-match press conference.

United had a half chance almost at the re-start, but the resulting block and counter-attack resulted in Barca winger Raphinha stretching De Gea into a catching save from distance. United then went ahead on 59 minutes, and again it was Rashford that was the catalyst. Center back (on the day) Luke Shaw played a short corner to Rashford, who then went around Raphinha like he wasn’t there and went on a run along the end line towards the goal. He played a fierce cross in over the top, and after several deflections it was eventually turned into the Barca net by the hip of their right back, Jules Koundé. It was purely accidental from him of course, but United were good value for their lead. 2-1! Rashford again showed how electric he is on the ball.

There was some controversy after that, as Koundé harshly fouled Rashford just on the edge of the penalty area. It was a strong challenge from the back that normally results in a red card, and it was close to being a penalty as well. Koundé escaped with a yellow, much to the ire of ETH, who was also booked for his protests. Barca striker Robert Lewandowski then went wide from a free kick, with Fred doing the same after a good run just moments later. Barca did find their leveler on 76 minutes, and it was a rather poor goal to concede from United’s point of view. Raphinha hit a cross into the box from the right wing that De Gea failed to deal with properly, and it crept into his far post after being just missed by Lewandowski. De Gea must command his penalty area better than that. Sure it was an awkward cross and Lewandowski did well to get himself in the way, but De Gea needs to be getting to the cross and/or drawing a foul there. De Gea is a top class shot-stopper, but a modern keeper has to be more active in the box than that.

The final 20 minutes served as a grand finale to the fireworks on display. No further goals, but plenty of controversy. Barca felt they should have had a penalty on 80 minutes after the ball struck Fred’s arm in the box, but nothing was given by the referee. Similar to how Barca escaped a red card earlier, United escaped here. Fred’s arm was stretched out from his body when the ball hit it, and I have seen plenty of penalties given for that. Barca had several half chances in the closing stages as well, and United could have easily had a third if substitute winger Alejandro Garnacho had fully capitalized on a through ball to him. His touch was heavy though, and Barca cleared. After a nervy 2 minutes of stoppage time, the final whistle blew and it ended 2-2.

This match was more akin to watching basketball than footie/soccer. End-to-end stuff throughout, and it made for a thrilling game! Lots of quality on display from both teams, and mistakes from both teams as well. If you told me before the match that we’d get a 2-2 draw at the Camp Nou, I would have broken your arm off shaking on it. Interestingly though, it was probably United who felt more disappointed with a draw. We had a lead for about 17 minutes, only to give it away with a cheap goal. Still though, the fact that I am disappointed at a draw with Barca at the Camp Nou is testament to how far United have come under ETH. He is a brilliant manager and has instilled a mental strength in this team that was grossly lacking last season.

So then, all to play for in the return leg at Old Trafford next Thursday. There is no away goals rule any more, so the tie is perfectly level. Barca will be without some key players next match due to injury and suspension, but United center back Lisandro Martinez and midfielder Marcel Sabitzer will be back from their respective suspensions for United. Given how today went, United should feel confident about getting a positive result. Barca have only conceded 7 total goals this season, and only 1 at Camp Nou before this match. The fact that we came in with and understrength side and put 2 past them (with the chance for several more) is fantastic.

Between now and Thursday though, United have a Premier League match on Sunday at home against Leicester City. Leicester are struggling for form at the moment, but it is also the last match of a domestic suspension for Casemiro. United’s midfield will be light again, but three points are needed to maintain their position in the top-4 race. The title is still a long shot, but to keep any chance at winning it they will need three points.

Glazers Out!

World Cup Round of 16 – France and England Clinical

The government of Qatar is repressive and fascist. FIFA is corrupt and hypocritical. Simple as.

Neither match was a close one in the end today, but we have ourselves a serious showdown set in the quarterfinals here.

France vs. Poland

This was the early match of the day and defending champions France won fairly comfortably in the end 3-1, but there were undoubtedly a few moments of panic for them before and after they scored the opening goal on 43 minutes via Olivier Giroud. The Polish defense gave him far too much space and he was able to redirect a shot back across goal. Giroud actually hit the ball into the ground a bit first, which caused it to bounce over the hand of Polish keeper Wojciech Szczęsny and in for 1-0. It could be argued though that Poland should have already been ahead, and would have been if not for some goal line clearances by the French defense around the 35 minute mark. Szczęsny had been brilliant up until then, but his defense really let him down.

France were the better team on the day, as they were frequently the ones pressing the Polish and winning the ball high up the pitch to create chances. When the opposition’s front four contains Giroud, Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Antoine Griezmann, giving the ball away to them is suicidal. The Polish were lucky to hold the French out for the first 40 minutes, and they were also fortunate to keep it at 1-0 until the 76 minute mark.

It was then that Mbappe decided to take over the game, and he did so by scoring two goals in quick succession, each of them powerful and precise finishes over Szczęsny that gave him absolutely no chance. Mbappe is one of, if not the, best players in the world right now and he showed why with those two goals. Everyone knows he’s a world-class sprinter, but he showed a real striker’s instinct and technique today too. Mbappe is the current top scorer at this World Cup with 5 goals.

Polish striker Robert Lewandowski got a goal back for his side from the penalty spot in the dying seconds of the match, and while it fooled French keeper Hugo Lloris it was nothing more than a consolation goal. Even Lewandowski knew it was just going to be one for the statistics, and of no other real significance.

France decisively move on to the quarterfinals. They look incredibly strong right now, even if it took them a while to score today. I was concerned about their injuries and team spirit coming into this tournament, but so far those worries have been unfounded. It helps that Mbappe is in absolutely scintillating form right now. Poland will be sad to be going home, but they lost to an extremely good team today.

England vs. Senegal

My stomach was turning itself inside out in anticipation of this match. England were favored coming in, probably in part due to the unavailability of Senegalese all-world winger Sadio Mané (injury) and industrious midfielder Idrissa Gueye (suspension). But the team known as the Lions of Teranga were not to be underestimated, as they are the reigning African champions.

And indeed, it was the Senegalese who were on the front foot almost from the off. They were using their pacey forwards to press England’s defense high up the pitch, knowing that England like to play the ball out from the back. This tactic employed by manager Aliou Cissé worked quite well for a bit, and they almost caught England out several times. Their best chance came around half an hour into the match, when forward Boulaye Dia found some space in the box and lashed a powerful shot towards goal that required a rather magnificent save from England keeper Jordan Pickford. He stuck out his left arm and held it firm to deny Dia, and England cleared.

England had a lot of possession in the opening 35 minutes or so, but they weren’t really doing anything with it. The middle of the park was devoid of England shirts, so there was nowhere for the center backs to pass it to. However, England finally got a meaningful attack going down the left wing on 39 minutes, and it resulted in the first goal from midfielder Jordan Henderson. A neat backheel fell to striker Harry Kane, who spotted the run of midfielder Jude Bellingham ahead of him. His weighted pass made it through the defense, and Bellingham latched onto the ball just outside the box. He ran into the box as his marker was level with him, but his cutback cross found Henderson in space. Henderson hit it first time along the ground, and it rolled into the goal just past the reach of keeper Edouard Mendy. A massive relief for England and very much against the run of play, but we’ll take it! Henderson is the 8th different English player to score at this tournament.

Senegal pushed forward to try and find an equalizer, but it was England who got an important second goal on the very stroke of halftime. England won the ball back via Bellingham after a deflected cross fell into his path, and he carried the ball forward while riding challenges from the opposition. He found winger/forward Phil Foden ahead of him to his left in a one-on-one with a defender. Foden hit a return pass into the path of Kane, who was running forward in support and unmarked. The ball deflected off a defender before falling to Kane, who took a touch and then buried a powerful shot into the net from about 12 yards out, just to the right of the penalty spot. Mendy had no chance, and Kane is now just one goal behind Wayne Rooney’s all-time England scoring record. Kane has been a wonderful facilitator of play so far this tournament, but getting him on the scoresheet today was very important. He showed his striker’s instincts with that finish, and England will need those instincts going forward.

The England fans in the stadium and around the world went from anxious to buoyant in the span of about 8 minutes! Cissé was forced into making three changes at halftime, but they failed to make much of an impact as England got the next goal on 57 minutes from winger/forward Bukayo Saka. This time it was Senegal giving the ball away in a dangerous area, with it being brought forward by Kane. Kane was tackled though and the loose ball fell to Foden, who beat a defender on the left wing before spotting the diagonal run of Saka across his man. The cross from Foden was inch-perfect, and Saka deftly lifted it over Mendy with his first touch for 3-0. England were running rampant and well on their way to the quarterfinals.

The tempo of the game slowed down a bit from there, as both managers made changes. England boss Gareth Southgate was keen to get some of his key players off to save them for the next match, while letting the talents of the bench players shine as well. Although no more goals were scored, England were closer to finding a fourth than Senegal was to finding a first. In the end it was a very satisfactory day for the Three Lions, if a bit nervy to start off.

Credit to Southgate for sticking to his guns and going with the team he felt was right. I was surprised at the omission of forward Marcus Rashford and the inclusion of Henderson in the starting line-up today, but both of those worries were without merit. It turns out that Southgate might just know what he’s doing, although I certainly could do without the slow starts in the future. In the first half hour I feared this game would go the way the one against the Americans did, with it ending 0-0 and England generally looking lackluster. But once England moved the ball up the levels of the pitch with pace and purpose, there was little Senegal could do about it. The first goal today was a product of Southgate’s system, make no mistake about it. The players’ positioning on the wings and playing the ball out from the back led to the opening for Kane to find Bellingham. The system does not always work of course, but today it did.

A special shoutout to Bellingham, who was Man of the Match (among many fine candidates) for me today. The 19 year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder showed a range of skills today I have not seen from an Englishman since maybe…ever? He can pass, he can dribble, he can head the ball, he can tackle, he has positional awareness, and while he did not score today he did so against Iran in the first match. This lad can do it all, and he can do it all at an extremely high level. If he keeps going like this, he can develop into the best midfielder in the world. Not being hyperbolic.

CAM ON INGERLAND!!!

Quarterfinals – England vs. France – Saturday, December 10th at 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.

Three Lions Labor to a Draw In Warsaw

England wrapped up the current international break with a trip to Warsaw where they took on Poland in the 6th match of the World Cup 2022 qualifying campaign. England had maintained a 100% win record thus far in the campaign but the Three Lions knew they would be facing probably their toughest test so far.

Poland are very tough to play at home, plain and simple. Their fans always provide an intimidating and raucous atmosphere, and they are led by a talismanic striker who was probably the Ballon d’Or winner last season (had FIFA awarded one), Robert Lewandowski. The Bayern Munich man is their principal goal threat, and if England were to win they would need to neutralize him. It is fair to focus much of the defensive effort on one man in this case because, truthfully, Poland do not have much attacking quality outside of him. England had already beaten Poland 2-1 at Wembley earlier this summer, but Lewandowski did not play in that match due to injury.

The first half followed a familiar pattern for England these past few matches – tidy, but slow. We can pass the ball around nicely among the back four and even into midfield, but we seem to slow the ball down too much when we get into attacking areas. They looked unwilling to take chances, and I don’t know if that’s because of instructions from manager Gareth Southgate or because Poland simply weren’t giving them anything. Whenever England got on the ball they were quick to get back and defend, and it seemed that players like Raheem Sterling and Jack Grealish were unwilling to try and dribble directly at defenders. Both Sterling and Grealish are excellent dribblers and they need to be running at their markers more directly. England were not helped by several very questionable officiating decisions from referee Daniel Siebert. He was trying to let both sides play a bit which might be ok to a degree, but that is a dangerous prospect when it comes to the shithousers on the Polish national team.

Speaking of shithousery, at halftime it was a rather tepid 0-0 but the action really kicked off after the whistle had gone for the end of the half. There was some sort of scuffle between Polish center back Kamil Glik and England center back Harry Maguire that led to all 22 players plus some off the bench getting into a shoving match near the touchline. Cooler heads eventually prevailed and the incident resulted in bookings for both Glik and Maguire. It was tough to see how the altercation started from the broadcast, but you have to believe that Glik grabbing onto/pinching the face of England right back Kyle Walker a few minutes previous was part of the issue. Glik had been antagonizing several England players throughout the half and probably should have been booked previous to that. Again, letting the players play is generally applaudable, but there has to be a line drawn somewhere. Siebert almost let this match get out of control and he largely failed to stamp his authority down.

In the second half England were better but still struggled to create any real clear-cut chances. Poland had made some substitutions and seemed to have plenty of energy to defend and hold on for 0-0. But as he has done so often and consistently for England, Harry Kane arrived. He had been rather quiet in this match but he reminded everyone of what he can do on 72 minutes when he received the ball from Walker about 45 yards out from goal. He realized there was no pressure on him so he dribbled the ball about 10 yards before lashing the ball with his toe toward the Polish goal. It appeared to be going straight at Polish keeper Wojciech Szczesny at first, but then the ball began a vicious dip to the right that Szczesny had no chance of getting to. It was world-class from Kane and he has now moved into sole possession of 5th all time in goals scored for England (41). He won’t score many better than that one though!

I thought England were going to hold on, but the goal seemed only to galvanize the Poles and credit to them for keeping at it and playing for pride in front of their fans. Lewandowski had been quiet for most of the second half but saw a shot go just over the bar from the edge of the box, and England keeper Jordan Pickford was spared from a massive error when his goal-kick deflected off a Polish player and back towards the England goal. Pickford was able to scramble back in time to save it before the ball went over the line, but that had the potential to be really embarrassing. Curiously and somewhat frustratingly, England had failed to make any substitutions despite Poland’s growing presence in the match. More on that below.

Poland were rewarded for their tenacity in stoppage time when Lewandowski found himself on the ball on the left side of the penalty area, as a result of Poland’s siege on the England goal. He was allowed to take a few touches and hit a cross to the back post, where his compatriot Damian Szymanski was crashing towards the goal. Luke Shaw tried to get in the way but Szymanski got to it first and headed in from point-blank range with Pickford stranded. It was a very good goal and a stark reminder that Lewandowski can create just as well as he can score. The goal secured a vital point for Poland and they now sit in 3rd place in Group I.

From England’s point of view, there are worse things than an away draw to Poland. Yes we lost the 100% qualification record and yes it always sucks to have a lead and squander it, but those are minor blips on the radar. The truth is that we are one step closer to World Cup 2022 after today. England have a four point lead at the top of Group I with 4 games left to play in the campaign, with two of the remaining matches against minnows San Marino and Andorra. Qualification is not secured of course, but England will feel very good about their chances despite today’s minor setback.

The biggest negative by far today was that it seems that Southgate has not learnt his lessons about substitutions, tactical flexibility, and risk-taking that he should have learned from the Euro 2020(1) final. For some inexplicable reason, Southgate did not use a single substitution in today’s match. I do not understand that at all. He defended his decisions after the match by saying he didn’t want to “disrupt” anything due to the fact that things were going well. Was he watching the same match everyone else was? It was clear to see even to the most casual observer that England were tiring in the final 15 minutes or so. They wanted to just hold on and defend, and they were having issues maintaining possession due to being constantly harassed by the Poles. Some new and energetic legs in midfield or defense would have been just the remedy to potentially get Poland out of our half of the pitch. Poland were knocking on the door at the end there and it was obvious that the lead was in jeopardy, but Southgate did nothing about it.

To be clear, it’s not like he had to bring another forward on or an attacking midfielder. He just needed to bring on a defensive midfielder like Jordan Henderson and also maybe a replacement for Mason Mount or Grealish. All we needed was to be a little more solid in possession for the final few minutes and we’d have all three points. But no, he let obviously-tiring players stay out there and we were overran by Poland due to the simple fact that they made subs and we did not. So maddening. Sure, the penalty for it this time is minimal, and Southgate is still of course the most successful England manager of my lifetime. However, if we lose another big match this way by squandering a lead due to our own errors I’ll be calling for him to be sacked. This generation of England players is simply too talented to let them be wasted due to basic managerial errors like failing to make a substitution ins a close game, or making them too late for it to matter.

All of the players will be returning to their clubs now for the resumption of club football at the weekend. Manchester United will be hosting Newcastle at Old Trafford on Saturday, September 11th. This shall likely be a very notable match to watch because it will almost certainly mark the return of Cristiano Ronaldo. While he likely won’t start, he will likely come off the bench in the second half so the fans can give him a rousing reception. All I would like is a relatively stress-free 3 points, please.

England Maintain Their 100% World Cup Qualifying Record With a Comfortable Win Over Andorra

England were back at Wembley today for the first time since the great tragedy of Euro 2020(1) where they took on minnows Andorra in a qualifier for World Cup 2022. England were heavy favorites going into this match and it was apparent from the outset why that was the case. It was not a question of whether England would win, but rather how much they would win by. For those who don’t know, Andorra is a tiny country in the Pyrenees mountains that straddles the border of France and Spain. As a team they are made up largely of semi-professionals and players who frequent the lower leagues in Spain. Indeed, Andorra as a country is so small and so mountainous that it doesn’t even have an international airport. If you want to fly to Andorra from anywhere else, you have to fly into Barcelona and then take a car/bus trip two hours to the north through the mountains.

Manager Gareth Southgate made wholesale changes from the team that started against Hungary, probably due to the facts that Andorra aren’t very good and because England have a much sterner test away to Poland on Wednesday. It seems that England have largely figured out who their best XI is plus two or three substitutions, so this was a match for the fringe players to make a case for inclusion on the plane to Qatar. Some notable players to watch today were Leeds striker Patrick Bamford and Liverpool right back/midfielder Trent Alexander-Arnold. Bamford was on his debut and looking to make an impact, while Alexander-Arnold came into this match with something to prove. He is a dominant force at Liverpool with his range of passing, but he has not quite matched that level of play in an England shirt. Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard was also given a start. He has not played much, if at all, for United this season but he does tend to perform well in an England shirt and he was in a rich vein of form at West Ham towards the end of last season.

The gulf in class between the two sides was immediate from the outset, as the match kicked off in a festive atmosphere at a packed Wembley. None of the fans were really worried about the result, they just wanted to see some good football, sing some songs, and have a pint or two in the nice weather. Usually, a less-talented side can cause the opposition problems through tactical discipline and defending, but England’s players were just too big and too fast for the Andorrans. For example, Tyrone Mings got a start in defense today and while he is very good he is still definitely the 3rd-choice center-back right now. But even our 3rd-choice center-back was bigger, stronger, and more tactically adept than the best Andorrans. When England were on the ball they couldn’t win it off us, and when Andorra was on the ball it was often won back with ease. Not just with Mings either, but every England player.

The match was cagey for the first 15 minutes or so, with England having all the possession and playing more passes. Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham looked very lively, and was probably the best player of the half in a white shirt. He is only 18 but he already looks and plays like a man in his late 20s. Despite the resistance though, the deadlock was broken just 18 minutes in via Lingard. The ball was won in midfield by Mings and after a bit of a scramble the ball was played out to Arsenal winger (and birthday boy!) Bukayo Saka on the left side of the penalty area. He put in a cross that was only partially cleared by the Andorran defense, and the ball fell directly to the feet of Lingard who scuffed it past Andorran keeper Josep Gomes with his left foot. It wasn’t the cleanest or prettiest of hits, but Lingard did just enough to get it over the line. His celebration was joyous and a tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo, his friend and recently-returned teammate at United.

Despite that early-ish goal, it must be said that Andorra did a fairly solid job of damage control after that. England were still the dominant side, but no more goals were scored in the first half. England just seemed a tad too fancy at times and Andorra were able to clear away attack after attack. They didn’t create really anything themselves as England and West Bromwich Albion keeper Sam Johnstone did not face a shot on target. It was hard to tell just how good he is at the international level when a stern-looking traffic cone could have done his job today.

The early part of the second half was a carbon copy of the first half. England had all of the ball and they were playing all of the passes, but Andorra were very stubborn in their resistance. Again they did not really look like scoring themselves, but they were determined to not let England get another one. Right back Reece James came very close to finding a second after his long-range shot hit the crossbar, but aside from that chance England were again struggling to get clear shots on target. Southgate decided to ring the changes shortly after James’s effort, bringing on Harry Kane, Mason Mount, and Jack Grealish.

Southgate was rewarded for the changes on 72 minutes when Grealish and Mount combined well in the area, with the latter being brought down from behind in the box. It was about as stonewall of a penalty as you’ll see in this era of VAR. The Andorran defender was the wrong side of Mount and Mount probably would have scored had he not been brought down via contact on the back of his leg. Mount has been very good these past few matches for England and looks to be a shoe-in for 2022. Kane, England’s designated penalty taker, stepped up and beat Gomes to the keeper’s right with a low and powerful shot into the side of the net. Gomes guessed correctly and jumped the right way, but he could not keep Kane out. Kane now has 40 goals in 63 caps for England, and has scored in every World Cup qualifier for England going back to 2017. At age 28, you have to feel that England’s all-time scoring record is well within his grasp. He only needs 14 more goals to break the mark of 53 currently held by Wayne Rooney, and he has at least two major tournaments left in his career. At this point, it would be more surprising if Kane didn’t break Rooney’s record.

The points were secured, but in similar fashion to the match against Hungary in mid-week, England kept their foot firmly planted on the gas pedal. Lingard got his second goal and England’s third just six minutes later, as it became apparent the Andorrans were tiring and the proverbial floodgates opened. Some good build-up play from Grealish saw him find Saka in the middle of the park, and Saka was allowed to run diagonally forward and to his left. He spotted Lingard mostly by himself in the left channel, so he played the ball along the ground into his feet. Lingard took a touch back to the inside to create a space, and his marker was much too far off of him. He toe-poked a shot with his right towards the goal, and the movement created with that technique took the ball away from Gomes. It bounced in front of him once and went over his arm for 3-0.

England dominated possession some more and got their fourth and final goal on 85 minutes, this time with Saka scoring and Lingard being the provider. England won a corner and Alexander-Arnold adeptly played the corner quickly while Andorra were still setting up. Due to them being asleep at the wheel, Alexander-Arnold was easily able to find Lingard in the right channel near the edge of the box. Lingard chipped a ball in over the top towards the England forwards in the box, and the ball was met at the back post by Saka’s head and steered into the goal. He wheeled away in celebration and the England fans roared their approval. Not only was it a birthday goal for the 20 year-old, it was an opportunity for England fans to show their support after the nightmare Saka endured back in July. It was his missed penalty that handed Italy the trophy, so it was good to see him back on the score sheet at Wembley and to hear the fans singing his name. No one has forgotten the missed penalty, but it also seems that many fans have moved on from that intensely negative moment. He’s an excellent player and deserves all the support he can get. He had one bad moment that whole tournament and his career should not be defined by that one bad moment.

All in all, a positive result that sees England maintain their five point lead at the top of Group I. 5 games played, 15 points secured, and a goal differential of +16. There really isn’t much to complain about with any of that. Of course England fans are still England fans and some are complaining about how it took the addition of Kane/Grealish/Mount to finish off such lowly opposition, but those fans really need to calm down. Andorra had 11 men behind the ball for most of this match and it can be difficult to break through teams like that due to the sheer amount of bodies in the way. Also, I think England would have gotten a few more goals even without bringing on the big guns. The Andorrans were physically spent by the 70th minute and we probably would have gotten more goals without the changes.

I think the biggest positives to take away from this match were the individual efforts of Bellingham, Lingard, and Alexander-Arnold. It’s true that the opposition wasn’t good today, but it’s beyond doubt that Bellingham is going to be a superstar. He needs to keep developing his game and progressing at the club level, and all signs indicate he is going to continue doing that. Alexander-Arnold will also give Southgate some food for thought. He is a natural right back but due to England’s current over-abundance of right backs there may not be a spot for him there due to his occasional lapses in defense. If Alexander-Arnold finds himself on the plane to Qatar, it will likely be as a right-sided midfielder. His passing might be simply too good to not bring him along.

Lingard is probably the most enigmatic English player I’ve seen in years, though. Sometimes he plays like he did today – quick, alert, and instinctual. He enjoys playing at Wembley and has scored some big goals in big games. At other times though he looks utterly lost on the pitch and it appears as if he’s never played the game before. He also likely won’t get much playing time at United this season, as he sits behind Bruno Fernandes in that attacking midfield position. However, there is no denying his contributions today. Even if he does not make the final squad, he is an important rotational player for this qualifying campaign. It’s unclear what Southgate will do regarding his future, but his Man of the Match performance today will not be forgotten.

In the bigger picture, there is also some lively debate about whether teams like Andorra (such as San Marino, Luxembourg, Gibraltar, Malta, Monaco, Liechtenstein) should even be playing the bigger teams like England in World Cup qualifiers. My personal stance is that there is a flaw in the way the qualification tables are set-up. I’d like to see a system where these smaller nations all play each other in the same group, and then the winner of that group gets to qualify. For example, right now Andorra and San Marino have a snowball’s chance in hell of qualifying because they have to go through England, Poland, Hungary, and Albania to do so. However, if the six smallest teams in UEFA only had to play each other in a group, all of a sudden the prospect of qualifying looks much easier. This format change would also ensure that only the best of the small teams makes the tournament. They would still be heavy underdogs, but they would at least have a shot at shocking the world and making a run. Even if the “small nations” group idea doesn’t work, I’d like to see some sort of merit-based process for getting these teams a fairer shake at qualification. National sides are constantly on the rise and fall. For example, Belgium were a laughing stock just 15 years ago but now they are a European powerhouse. The current format is not working, and I think football in these smaller nations could suffer as a result of it, if they aren’t already.

But, England can only play the team put in front of them, and they played them off the pitch today. A whopping 88% possession, 20 shots, 6 shots on goal, and a clean sheet. It does not get much more dominant than that at the professional level. England can now turn their full attention to Robert Lewandowski and Poland, where they will travel to on Wednesday evening. Three points from that match would put a canyon-sized chasm between them and second place in the group. They would be 8 points clear of second with only four qualification matches left after that. Poland away will be a much tougher test, but even if Lewandowski scores I don’t think the Polish will be able to stop England from scoring.

Three Lions on the Shirts!

Champions League Final: Brief Preview

The closest thing Europe has to the Super Bowl is happening tomorrow at noon PT / 3 pm ET. The match features two very successful and well-funded teams who are chock-full of superstars, Paris St. Germain and Bayern Munich. They are the reigning champions of France and Germany respectively, and it is the first time PSG have made it to a European Cup/Champions League final in their 50 year history. Bayern on the other hand have won it five times in their history and are looking to add to the trophy cabinet.

This match should be highly entertaining because both teams have amazing attacking players. Neymar, Angel “The Snake” Di Maria, and Kylian Mbappé are all deadly for the French side while Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, and Serge Gnabry have dominated both Germany and Europe the whole year. Given the fact that both teams can potentially have issues on defense, this could be a very high-scoring affair.

Of course, I said the same thing last year about Liverpool vs. Tottenham and I was proven extremely wrong. Hopefully the final this year is a better match.

What gives me pause about this match is that no matter who wins on the field, the government of Qatar wins financially. Qatar outright owns PSG and have a marketing deal with Bayern via Qatar Airways. A state-run football club such as PSG winning the CL would I think be a negative thing for the sport. When you have the finances of an entire nation backing your club and the club is winning, it could encourage other nations to try the same thing. The waters are further muddied when the country in question has questionable moral principles.

Qatar has an absolutely atrocious human rights record, and it is only because of its financial power (oil money) that FIFA/UEFA even care about the nation at all. They have no football history of their own to speak of due to the fact that they are a small peninsula with a population of only 2.7 million. They incarcerate journalists who are critical of the royal family, punish LGBTQIA+ people simply for being who they are, and are using slave labor to build the stadiums needed for their 2022 World Cup. The rampant and flagrant corruption at FIFA enables all of this because they have all filled their pockets with Qatari money. Qatar is attempt to “sports-wash” itself; meaning they are trying to use success on the athletics field to cover up their human rights violations and bring about an increase in tourism to the country. They know oil won’t last forever and are looking to diversify their economy. FIFA cannot let human rights violations be associated with football, but they do not seem to be interested in doing anything about it. Makes me somewhat depressed, but this is the current state of the sport.

As for the match itself, I think I will have to give Bayern a slight advantage. They have been so dominant all season and I expect that to continue. PSG will give them a run for their money for sure, but I believe Bayern will emerge victorious.

Wrap Up of Champions League Quarterfinals and United-Sevilla Preview

With the semifinal of Paris St. Germain vs. Red Bull Leipzig already locked in, it was time to determine the other two teams in the semifinal match. The winners of Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich and Manchester City vs. Olympique Lyonnais would advance to play each other.

Barcelona 2 – 8 Bayern Munich

That is not a typo in the scoreline there. It seems like it should be, but no – Bayern scored 8 (eight) goals against Barca and thoroughly demolished them in every way. It would almost take a separate blog post to list out all the goal action, but Thomas Müller (x2), Ivan Perisic, Serge Gnabry, Joshua Kimmich, Robert Lewandowski, and Phillipe Coutinho (x2) were all scorers for the dominant German side. Barca got an early own goal via Bayern center back David Alaba and a 2nd from Donkey Face Luis Suarez just after half time, but Barca never got within 2 goals of Bayern after that. 

There are many reasons for such a lopsided victory, which was a record in many different ways. For one, Bayern are an absolutely ruthless and well-oiled football machine, and they do nothing but churn out goals. Every single player in the side from the goalkeeper to the forwards is excellent on the ball, and they can all pass with precision and power. Add in the fact that they seem to be able to communicate with each other telepathically at times, and you have the recipe for an incredibly dangerous team. Alaba’s blemish and a few wasted chances early on by Barca aside, Bayern were almost perfect today. All credit to their German manager Hansi Flick because I think Bayern are the best club team in the world right now and it will be difficult for any team left in this tournament to beat them. If they weren’t the favorites before, they certainly are now.

Fun fact: I learned today that Bayern have a guy from Canada playing for them! I haven’t seen a Canadian playing in Europe in ages, let alone for a major club side like Bayern. Shout out to left back Alphonso Davies for representing North America well today with a scintillating run and assist on Kimmich’s goal.

I think the other reason for the major defeat today is that Barca are a powerhouse in decline. They have been a dominant side in both Spain and Europe for the past 10-12 years thanks to the efforts of legendary players like Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry, Neymar, Suarez, Xavi, Carlos Puyol, and Andres Iniesta to name a few. However, the superstars they have left are all now on the wrong side of 30 and the club has not invested properly in replacements. They have relied on the greatness of Messi to bail them out for a very long time, and because he is the greatest player of all time that strategy has worked in the past. But he’s 33 now, and today he couldn’t bail them out. Bayern didn’t let him anywhere near the ball for long periods of the game and Barca’s attack was stifled significantly.

It would be easy to lay the blame for Barca’s worst loss since 1951 today solely on the players and manager Quique Setien, but truth be told the problems Barca have go much deeper than just the players and manager. I think the massive defensive errors, poor player selection, and poor tactics on display today are all symptoms of an overarching disease. As stated briefly above, the players brought in by the Barca board of directors and president Josep Bartomeu have not panned out in the way they were expected to. Further, they have let key players go that probably should have stayed, such as Coutinho. His departure stings especially because technically Coutinho is only on loan to Bayern and scored twice against his parent club today.  They are paying him to score against them! The club’s famed La Masia youth academy is not turning out quality players on a consistent basis, either.

This team plays stale tactics with players that are not where they used to be physically. It’s obvious that Setien is getting sacked before too much longer, but nothing will change at the club unless Bartomeu and the board are also sacked. The structure of the club needs to be rid of the egos that have created such a toxic environment there. Will Messi stay? Will Messi go? That is just one of many questions that need to be answered if Barca wants to return to it’s previously elite status.

Manchester City 1 – 3  Olympique Lyonnais

Before I get into the analysis here I need to take a moment to laugh at Man City. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Ha.

Right then. City came into this match as heavy favorites, and before kick off this game had a feel similar to the Atalanta/PSG match. You knew PSG were likely to win it, but Lyon’s team play and tactics are solid so you weren’t quite sure who would come out on top. City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola is considered one of the best managers in the world and he has a plethora of talent to choose from in any given game. Despite his successes at Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Man City in their respective domestic leagues, he has struggled in Europe since leaving Spain. Man City have never won the Champions League and with Real Madrid and other giants like Juventus and Barcelona out of the way, there has never been a better opportunity for City to do well.

As has been a theme in this tournament though, nothing has gone according to script. Despite having the possession advantage for the first 20 minutes or so, City found themselves down 1-0 on 24 minutes after a goal from French left back Maxwell Cornet. A long ball over the top of the City defense fell to Cameroonian forward Karl Toko-Ekambi, but City keeper Ederson was quick off his line and got a block in on the shot, but the ball rebounded to Cornet who deftly hit the ball around Ederson and into the left side of the goal. It was just what Lyon needed to make City start worrying and begin to doubt themselves. The scoreline did not change after that in the first half, even though Cornet was forced to make a key block on England forward Raheem Sterling that could have easily led to a City goal. Lyon keeper Anthony Lopes was called into action on several occasions to make saves and also break up crosses into the box. It looked awkward at times for him but he and the Lyon back 4 did just enough to keep City out in the first half

City were in the ascendancy for the first 25 minutes or so of the second half, and it was via Sterling and all-world midfielder Kevin de Bruyne that they got their equalizer on 69 minutes. Sterling did well to beat his man in the left side of the penalty area, and he cut the ball back towards de Bruyne who streaked in and side-footed past Lopes. De Bruyne had been in excellent form throughout the match and the captain was easily City’s best player on the day. Excellent vision, passing, free kicks, and ball control from the Belgian today. Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus was unlucky to not put City up 2-1 when the ball fell to him in the right side of the penalty box. He tried to hit the ball on the volley first-time but accidentally struck the top of the ball, meaning most of the power in his shot went straight into the ground. The ball bounced harmlessly over the goal and out for a goal kick.

Lyon did not fold under the pressure though, and to their credit they kept attacking. Lyon manager Rudi Garcia played an absolute blinder tactically today. Guardiola was out-witted, and not for the first time this season. Garcia put on substitute striker Moussa Dembele for the largely ineffective Memphis Depay, and the dividends were paid almost immediately. City’s back line were caught high up on the pitch, and the ball was played through towards Ekambi who had made a run behind the City defense. He appeared to be offside, but let the ball run through his legs to Dembele who was streaking in behind him and to his right. Dembele had shed his marker Aymeric Laporte and after a few touches slid it under Ederson and into the City goal for 2-1 Lyon. This was a controversial goal due to not only the potential offside by Ekambi, but also due to a foul on Laporte by Dembele before he received the ball. Dembele appeared to clip the heals of Laporte in order to get around him, causing him to fall. However, VAR confirmed the goal and Lyon had restored their lead 2-1 on 79 minutes. City fans probably felt particularly aggrieved by the decision.

City pushed for an equalizer and almost had one on 85 minutes when a good cross from Jesus on the right side found an unmarked Sterling about 7 yards from goal with the keeper stranded on the other side. Sterling hit the ball first time but somehow turned the ball over the top of the goal and out of bounds. It was a very bad miss from him. Indeed, from that position and that close in it’s harder to miss than it is to put it in. City were punished for this error just 59 seconds later when the ball was won by Lyon in midfield and brought forward by substitute Jeff Rene-Adelaide. He played the ball to his left and found midfielder Houssem Arouar, who cut inside onto his right foot and lashed a shot at the City goal. The ball was only parried by Ederson and not very well, as it fell straight to Dembele who scrambled it over the line for 3-1. Sheer bedlam on the Lyon bench and utter dejection from Guardiola and City.

City forged a few more good chances in the dying minutes, but as was the case for most of the match, they could not convert and struggled to get shots on target. Many questions will be asked of Guardiola after this stunning defeat, such as why he failed to bring on more creative players when down 2-1 despite having 3+ substitutions left. City fans can only blame the referee for so much here. This loss was largely down to the tactics of Guardiola. City had 72% of the possession today but could only manage 7 shots on target over 90 minutes. That’s a very low shot-on-target rate for a team with players the caliber of which City has. Lyon’s keeper was in good form and their back-4 generally played very well to be sure, but City spent far too much time passing it around near the halfway line, and nowhere near enough time getting men forward and creating shooting chances. There was some poor finishing on display to be sure, but the missed chances hurt more when you don’t create many of them. It will be interesting to see what happens with Guardiola and the ownership of Man City going forward.

Lyon advances to play Bayern Munich in the semifinals of the Champions League.

Preview – Manchester United vs. Sevilla (Europa League Semifinal)

The Red Devils will take on Sevilla FC from the south of Spain in Cologne, Germany on Sunday at noon PT / 3 ET America time. This is a one-off match with the winner advancing to the Europa League final on Friday August 21.

United will hope for a cooler day than the sweltering weather they played in against Copenhagen, as a warm day will favor the Spanish opposition. The south of Spain is incredibly warm 8-9 months out of the year, so a bit of heat won’t really bother them. Manchester, in the northwest of England, is usually rather cold and I don’t think a lot of our English/northern European players are used to playing in heat.

Anyway, enough about the weather. I was impressed with Sevilla’s performance against Wolverhampton Wanderers in their quarterfinal match, although their victory was not without flaws. Sevilla are very good in possession, and Argentine midfielder Ever Banega pulls the strings for them in attack. He is a little past his prime at age 31, but clearly still capable of running a game for his side. They also look solid in defense as well, having shut down the Wolves attack for most of the second half.

I did see opportunities for Sevilla to be hit on the counter-attack though. The speedy Adama Traore was able to run at the Sevilla center-backs once or twice in the first half, and with some more clinical finishing Wolves may have found themselves ahead. That encourages me. Wolves have 1 player that can break quickly and attack. United have at least 4-5. I think if United sit back and absorb pressure, we can get at them on the counter-attack. Of course the passing and the timing of the counter-attacks will need to be spot-on, but I think the play of Anthony Martial and Harry Maguire will be especially important. Martial for his hold up play and passing when other forwards are running to join the attack, and Maguire for his ability to clear crosses in the air in a way that gets United off and running on the break. My expected line-up:

Romero

AWB – Lindelof – Maguire – Williams

Matic – Pogba

Greenwood – Bruno – Rashford

Martial

Paul Pogba will be given license to push forward when appropriate, and look for Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood to switch sides occasionally if the attack isn’t clicking. I expect Sevilla to try and attack us down their right side and expose the defensive frailties of Brandon Williams, so it will be the duties of Maguire and Nemanja Matic to ensure he gets extra help when he needs it.

Glory Glory Man United!

 

 

 

Champions League Recap So Far + Barcelona Preview

If there has been a theme to the opening two matches of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals, it is the theme of late drama. Both the Atalanta/Paris St. Germain match and the Red Bull Leipzig/Atletico Madrid match had goals after the 87th minute that changed the result. Both were great games for the neutral!

Paris St. Germain 2-1 Atalanta

Atalanta came into the match as underdogs to PSG, but as a result there was little to no pressure on them in this match and ALL of the pressure was on PSG. PSG are owned by the royal family of Qatar, and they have spent quite a lot of money on the squad in order to ensure European glory. PSG usually win the French league handily, but had not progressed so the semifinals of the CL since the 1990s. Manager Thomas Tuchel knew his job was potentially on the line if PSG did not advance.

Brazilian superstar forward Neymar had the first chance of the match and really should have scored on his breakaway run at the Atalanta defense. Neymar was in absolutely scintillating form throughout, but had a lot of problems finding the back of the net. It was Atalanta that broke the deadlock about half an hour in when Croatian midfielder Mario Palasic struck a curling effort into the top corner of Keylor Navas’s net. It was a surprise to be sure, given that PSG had squandered some good chances. Atalanta showed that while they may not have the all-world talent of PSG, they are solid tactically and know how to execute their game plan.

They held on despite wave after wave of PSG attacks, and my one criticism of Atalanta in the second half is that they did not attempt to play their passing game as much as they did in the first half. That was ultimately to their detriment. Once PSG brought on yet another superstar in French forward Kylian Mbappé the game seemed to change. Atalanta’s fatigue started to show and unfortunately conceded an equalizer via Brazilian midfielder Marquinhos. The massive relief of tension emanating from the PSG bench was palpable. They knew they had likely forced extra time, at the least.

PSG weren’t done though, and the Italian side’s hearts were broken in two when French winger Eric Choupa-Mouting tapped in from Mbappé’s cross. It was a very well-worked around the Atalanta penalty area and they couldn’t keep the ball out. The Parisian club was in ecstasy as the final whistle blew, especially their talismanic forward Neymar. PSG paid a world-record £200 million for Neymar and were expecting him to deliver today, and he really did. 16 dribbles completed for him was a CL record.

Red Bull Leipzig 2-1 Atletico Madrid

This match earlier today was somewhat more tepid in parts but still carried plenty of drama. Upstart German side Red Bull Leipzig took on CL veterans Atletico Madrid, and I expected a more defensive affair than the PSG match. Atletico manager Diego Simeone plays a very defensive style of football, and while it’s not the most fun to watch it has proven to be very effective in European tournaments. Meanwhile, Leipzig were trying to become the first non-Bayern and non-Dortmund German club to make the semifinals of the CL in a decade.

The first 45 minutes ended 0-0 with both sides having some good chances, but there was a slight edge to Atletico in my opinion. They had slightly more attacking intent when on the ball, with Leipzig stifled by the defense. Not a classic 45 minutes by any stretch.

The second half was a lot better though in terms of entertainment, with Spanish defender Dani Olmo giving the game a much needed shot of life when he headed Leipzig in front. This seemed to shake Atletico a little bit and Simeone was required to bring on Portuguese wunderkind Joao Felix for some more attacking intent. That move paid off when Felix was fouled in the box and won his side a penalty. Felix stepped up and calmly slotted home the penalty, leveling the match at 1-1.

The match wore on without much creativity from either side, until the ball broke for Leipzig in midfield and they got the ball moved up the pitch quickly. A cross from the left side found American midfielder Tyler Adams in open space on the edge of the box, and he unleashed a shot the deflected off an Atletico defender and into the back of the net with Polish keeper Jan Oblak wrong-footed. That goal in the 88th minute gave Leipzig a strong chance of advancing, and after quite a lot of stoppage time that involved a sideline scuffle among the opposing players, the whistle finally went and Leipzig pulled off the upset.

Well done to Adams especially, who probably scored the biggest goal an American has ever scored in the CL. Right place, right time, and a little bit of luck.

Leipzig will play PSG in the semifinals of the CL.

Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich (Preview)

Seasoned readers of this blog know that I like to bring in guest writers from time to time. Here is another great contribution from our resident Barcelona expert: Jose!

“Quick recap after a very dominating game against Napoli from my lord and savior, Leo Messi. Barcelona were able to dominate against the heavily Italian style defense of Napoli. Although that is in the past now, I saw one glimmer of hope: the rotation of subs to start 11 players. My hope is the Barcelona coach finally is getting into groove with the Catalan football style. Now to the future fixture of the dominant Germans, Bayern Munich, how do we defeat them? The simple answer is I HAVE NO IDEA. Munich is stacked with players and with Lewandowski on a very hot season it’s almost impossible to breakdown. The only hope I have is for an early mistake by Munich’s defense and the front 3 of Suarez, Messi and Griezmann capitalize and hopefully have the Bayern defense push up higher which would lead to more counter attacks. Barcelona CAN NOT make any mistakes against the German league-winning side. Bayern is known as the power house of champions league this year and quiet honestly could be champions with the form that they are playing. An interesting fact you note is that Barcelona are a much better team when they are the David to Bayern’s Goliath. Overall I believe that eveyone will need to press and defend together but most importantly to keep a cool head throughout the game. With that being said this would be my starting 11 which I believe would dominate and pressure Bayern’s midfield in a 4-2-3-1:

Ter Stergen

Jordi-Lenglet-Pique-Semedo

De Jong-Vidal-Ansu F.

Messi-Griz-Suarez

Although this is more defensive lineup I believe with our best 4 strikers in form right now attacking early we will have a much better chance at attacking the Bayern Munich young defense. But I most likely see a classic 4-3-3:

Ter Stergen

Jordi-Lenglet-Pique-Semedo

Rakitic-De Jong-Vidal

Griz-Suarez-Messi

This is our classic 4-3-3 I believe that this game will be a mostly possession game and the game will end in a 2-1 or 3-2 match. The game will come down to who can capitalize on more mistakes earlier in the game rather later.

And on a final note “Que donde esta 07 07 donde estasss” Madrid fans you can thank Varane for starting your summer a little early this year!”

Jose’s analysis is spot-on. Bayern are probably favorites but you would be very unwise to count out Leo Messi. Barca vs. Bayern is the tie of the quarterfinals, and if you want to watch an exhibition of great football then I suggest throwing the game on at noon PT / 3 ET America time.