RE: Andriy Shevchenko is the Coach of Genoa
๐ I can't remember what we call that here - ah yes - "game management". When Chiellini clothes-lined Bukayo Saka in the final, it was always going to be just a yellow card but it was so cynical that it deserved more.
We so often hear "that was a good foul to give away" or "that was a clever foul" in the commentary. And how teams like that a praised for "breaking the game up". It's always accompanied with a fake injury and time wasting. A goalkeeper catching a cross, landing comfortably and then diving to the floor on top of the ball.
I don't know where it is but I wrote a post once about teams that are winning by 1 goal in stoppage time at the end of the game. It was along the lines of - If a goalkeeper doesn't get booked for time wasting, then he's not doing his job.
I'm sure you watched the finale. I can only imagine your feelings after the match.
When Pickford saved Jorginho's penalty, I celebrated and then the noise in my house went as follows....
"Who's going to take the next one?"
"Saka? No, it can't be him."
"Why's he taking one? He's never taken a penalty in his life."
"Come on Bukayo."
At a significantly increased volume...
"Wankers. Why was he taking one? Fucking wankers."
Switches of TV. Cleaned teeth.
Whilst cleaning my teeth, I thought...
Rashford and Sancho subbed on to take a penalty. Both missed. Saka missed too. I have a feeling tomorrow's headlines won't be about the football.
I went to bed. And forgot all about football.
And rightly enough, the final barely got a mention in the newspapers the next day. Racism did.
Sometimes I am happy that the Ukrainian national team never reaches such heights. It is better to lose faster than to lose in the final. It seems to me that I understand your emotions.
Nevertheless, I am confident in the England national team. Now it has a good players and good form. I think this generation will fight for the championship more than once.
I remember reading that the worst time to lose, is the semi-final - because you don't get to enjoy a big day out at the final. When it comes to watch and supporting Reading and England, my catchphrase has become...
If you go into a game expecting to lose and you play really well - better than a bigger club - the hope starts to creep in where at the beginning of the game you had none. It's only with hope, that the disappointment and sadness follow.
I wish that I shared your confidence but I'm afraid that I don't. Our goalkeeper and defenders aren't good enough (Jordan Pickford, John Stones and Harry Maguire are nowhere near the best goalkeepers and defenders in the world). This combined with a defensive manager means that we'll concede against the better teams and not know how to attack them.
I hope I'm wrong but with Gareth Southgate in charge, we'll always be a team that comes close (at best).
Oh, how well I understand those words. We almost always play with better teams.
The words of the fan.
In fact, attacking football is very spectacular, fans adore it. Your team cut the opponent to pieces. But attacking football never brings stable results. Today you defeated a strong team. Tomorrow you play with a weaker team, which is in full force in its own penalty area. Such a tight defense is extremely difficult to pass, and at the end of the match you miss a counterattack. That's it, the points are lost. Everyone is angry.
But I agree that England should not play in defensive style. And it has to play very fast football, like in the Premier League.
I remember asking somebody (we were talking about England once) if they'd rather see their team defend in every match, and always be in with a chance of winning - but it would be so boring that you probably wouldn't want to watch it... or attack in every match - but not know if you were going to lose 8-4 or win 7-6.
I know I prefer the latter. The likes of Kevin Keegan who was totally useless tactically but adored by the fans. Or Jose Mourinho who's won almost every trophy going and universally disliked.
Well, you convinced me. Football is played for entertainment, football is a show. And you need to demonstrate this show, and not boring to go to victory.
Coach at work, he needs to show the result, he earns money. Apparently because of the fear of losing their jobs, coaches prefer defensive football.
It's a dilemma isn't it? It's possible to play attacking football and win - which it could be argued that Man City and Liverpool do - although their success is built upon 2 of the best goalkeepers in the world and a good defence.
I know why I watch football though and as I've gotten older and my time has become more precious to me, I don't want to watch boring football.