1. The tournament peaked early…
After the glut of goals and classics of the group stages it was strange to see just two decent matches in the knockouts, both of which involved Germany. Indeed, before Super Mario stepped up yesterday we had not seen a goal in almost five hours of football. Of course, any run of games involving England does carry that threat, but it was still both a surprise and a shame to see the tournament peak so early. Even more of a shame that only a penalty shootout denied us from a Portugal v Italy final. That would have been an impossible to call match and would have featured, in Pirlo and Joao Mountinho, the two best midfielders the tournament has had to offer. As it is, not to labour this point, we are left with Spain continuing to tiki-taka the crowd to sleep whilst we sit and hope Mario can do something special again. Spain aren’t some evil empire like Chelsea and I certainly don’t believe that it is “good for football” if they don’t win. On the contrary, they are the benchmark all other teams continue to come up short against. Spain have lost just one competitive match since 2006, have conceded not a single knockout tournament goal since 2006 and average 63% possession in tournament matches since 2006. They are themidfield team
to beat. And I don’t expect Italy to get close to beating them on Sunday.
Indeed, the really scary statistic to consider is that so far Spain haven’t even played their best football.
Xavi & Silva look tired, Iniesta guilty of trying too hard and Alonso and
Busquets continue to play essentially the same role. Spain’s best player so far
has been Jordi Alba. Which is why it took Barcelona about 5 minutes to buy him
as soon as this became clear. The bastards…
After the glut of goals and classics of the group stages it was strange to see just two decent matches in the knockouts, both of which involved Germany. Indeed, before Super Mario stepped up yesterday we had not seen a goal in almost five hours of football. Of course, any run of games involving England does carry that threat, but it was still both a surprise and a shame to see the tournament peak so early. Even more of a shame that only a penalty shootout denied us from a Portugal v Italy final. That would have been an impossible to call match and would have featured, in Pirlo and Joao Mountinho, the two best midfielders the tournament has had to offer. As it is, not to labour this point, we are left with Spain continuing to tiki-taka the crowd to sleep whilst we sit and hope Mario can do something special again. Spain aren’t some evil empire like Chelsea and I certainly don’t believe that it is “good for football” if they don’t win. On the contrary, they are the benchmark all other teams continue to come up short against. Spain have lost just one competitive match since 2006, have conceded not a single knockout tournament goal since 2006 and average 63% possession in tournament matches since 2006. They are the
2. Rooney could do a lot worse than look at Balotelli.
As England limped out of the tournament like a dying animal being slowly put to sleep, one man awoke Monday morning to receive the most flak. Not Ashley Young, not Ashley Cole, not the manager and certainly not England’s Brave John Terry. Wayne Rooney was held accountable by the same press who had lauded him as a saviour two games previously. The same press it has to be said, who if they had done even the most cursory of research, would have discovered that Wazza last played well for his country when he was a teenager. Sure he has given the odd good performance in qualifying since then, but never to the levels of intensity and energy that he performs with week in week out for Manchester Utd. Contrast that to the efforts of Mario Balotelli last night. Balotelli has often made Rooney look like a saint by comparison over the past 2 years; he has sulked, cheated and moaned his way through a good 70% of his matches showing only occasional glimpses of his obvious ability. Last night though he showed us all one thing, that he cared about playing for his country. I don’t ask for miracles, I don’t ask for Rooney to be the best player on the pitch every time he pulls on the shirt… but I do ask to make it look like it matters to him to play for his country. It is time that England don’t pick 10 players plus Wayne Rooney. It is time they pick 11 players based on form, effort and ability. For his country at least, England’s white Pele is continuing to make that nickname one of the greatest insults of our time.
As England limped out of the tournament like a dying animal being slowly put to sleep, one man awoke Monday morning to receive the most flak. Not Ashley Young, not Ashley Cole, not the manager and certainly not England’s Brave John Terry. Wayne Rooney was held accountable by the same press who had lauded him as a saviour two games previously. The same press it has to be said, who if they had done even the most cursory of research, would have discovered that Wazza last played well for his country when he was a teenager. Sure he has given the odd good performance in qualifying since then, but never to the levels of intensity and energy that he performs with week in week out for Manchester Utd. Contrast that to the efforts of Mario Balotelli last night. Balotelli has often made Rooney look like a saint by comparison over the past 2 years; he has sulked, cheated and moaned his way through a good 70% of his matches showing only occasional glimpses of his obvious ability. Last night though he showed us all one thing, that he cared about playing for his country. I don’t ask for miracles, I don’t ask for Rooney to be the best player on the pitch every time he pulls on the shirt… but I do ask to make it look like it matters to him to play for his country. It is time that England don’t pick 10 players plus Wayne Rooney. It is time they pick 11 players based on form, effort and ability. For his country at least, England’s white Pele is continuing to make that nickname one of the greatest insults of our time.
3. Pirlo conducts but the orchestra still has to perform.
The way some people have gone on about Pirlo this tournament you’d think Italy were a one man team. This is a player who, according to Ray Wilkins, “has vision so good it would make the Cyclops jealous” (just think about that for a moment Ray… please… for me). However, Italy have been anything but a one man team so far. The strikers have impressed in their endeavour and talent and Buffon remains as good as anyone in the business. In front of him Italy have selected a different defensive combination in 4 of the 5 games and not conceded a goal from open play in the three that have truly mattered. Their squad has strength, depth and skill, but the main credit has to go to the midfield. The reason that Pirlo has been given such time and space on the ball isn’t just that Roy Hodgson decided not to bother, it’s because the three players around him in Marchisio, De Rossi and Montolivo have guarded him like a quarterback with their tackling, running and movement. The latter of these looks a real player. Montolivo has been pretty much a one club man since joining Fiorentina as a 20 year old 7 years ago. He has been crucial to Italy’s last two victories by dropping into the spaces and feeding the ball back into Pirlo or into the flanks for the strikers to run onto and create more space. Win or lose on Sunday, few would now deny that Prandelli has been the manager of the tournament. He has adjusted his tactics accordingly and successfully with every match Italy have played. If he really can do it one more time against the team of the past 5 years, he will deserve even higher accolades than I can bestow on him.
The way some people have gone on about Pirlo this tournament you’d think Italy were a one man team. This is a player who, according to Ray Wilkins, “has vision so good it would make the Cyclops jealous” (just think about that for a moment Ray… please… for me). However, Italy have been anything but a one man team so far. The strikers have impressed in their endeavour and talent and Buffon remains as good as anyone in the business. In front of him Italy have selected a different defensive combination in 4 of the 5 games and not conceded a goal from open play in the three that have truly mattered. Their squad has strength, depth and skill, but the main credit has to go to the midfield. The reason that Pirlo has been given such time and space on the ball isn’t just that Roy Hodgson decided not to bother, it’s because the three players around him in Marchisio, De Rossi and Montolivo have guarded him like a quarterback with their tackling, running and movement. The latter of these looks a real player. Montolivo has been pretty much a one club man since joining Fiorentina as a 20 year old 7 years ago. He has been crucial to Italy’s last two victories by dropping into the spaces and feeding the ball back into Pirlo or into the flanks for the strikers to run onto and create more space. Win or lose on Sunday, few would now deny that Prandelli has been the manager of the tournament. He has adjusted his tactics accordingly and successfully with every match Italy have played. If he really can do it one more time against the team of the past 5 years, he will deserve even higher accolades than I can bestow on him.
4. Where does punditry and commentary go next?
This has been a watershed moment for domestic television football coverage. For the first time in history, ITV have delivered better coverage and analysis than the BBC. The reason for that is very simple… they have bothered to try. The network has gained plaudits for its selection of Martinez and Carragher alongside the usual duo of Southgate and Keane and rightly so. The former is intelligent, likeable and has at least twice pointed something out to me that I didn’t already know simply by looking up the result. Carragher on the other hand, has been enjoyable, refreshing and candid. Although his claim, along with many others (not least Pat Nevin) that Italy were “very average” now looks a touch absurd. The BBC on the other hand has continued to follow their tried and tested formula of three grumpy men and a Walkers crisp advertising board. In short, it’s just not working Auntie. The real pain though hasn’t come in the analysis, which you can at least fast forward if you’re forever watching the game on pause like me, but in the commentary box. TV commentary has always treaded a thin line between English pride and xenophobia and this tournament has seen the balance tip completely in favour of the latter. Right from the moment Clive Tyldesley introduced England v France with the words “Agincout, Waterlook, Donetsk” you knew things were not going to change anytime soon. Since then we have been treated with some of the most offensively biased, terrible and simply inaccurate commentary I’ve ever heard. ITV have one terrible commentator, the BBC have at least four. It is their job, for starters, to learn about the players who are taking part. Not just how to pronounce their names, but who they play for and what they do. Martin Keown said three times on Wednesday “I’ve not even heard of his player.” In short, it’s your job to hear of them and at least assimilate some sort of basic knowledge as to how they’ve played. In the same game Keown derired Hugo Almedia for opting to shoot when on the edge of the box and unmarked. “He’s just got to give that to Ronaldo every time, he doesn’t have the technical ability to shoot.” You what Martin? This is a player who has scored 80 times in the past 5 years. A Portuguese league winner and German cup winner? And Martin fucking Keown is telling him he should never be allowed to shoot at goal? The final nail, as ever, comes with the pathetic biased to anyone who has ever played in the Premier League. And not just that, but the questions asked about anyone who doesn’t. Only Barca and Real players are spared this dubious honour. Countless others are spoken of in “he’s got great ability, I don’t know why he’s not in the Premier league” terms. Here’s a thought, instead of comparing everyone else to our wonderfully entertaining but technically deficient league, why doesn’t a commentator say the opposite for a change? How refreshing it would be if watching Italy v Germany anyone had said “wouldn’t it be nice if some English players went over and competed in these leagues?” Maybe, just maybe, an Englishmen would then learn how to pass the fucking football.
This has been a watershed moment for domestic television football coverage. For the first time in history, ITV have delivered better coverage and analysis than the BBC. The reason for that is very simple… they have bothered to try. The network has gained plaudits for its selection of Martinez and Carragher alongside the usual duo of Southgate and Keane and rightly so. The former is intelligent, likeable and has at least twice pointed something out to me that I didn’t already know simply by looking up the result. Carragher on the other hand, has been enjoyable, refreshing and candid. Although his claim, along with many others (not least Pat Nevin) that Italy were “very average” now looks a touch absurd. The BBC on the other hand has continued to follow their tried and tested formula of three grumpy men and a Walkers crisp advertising board. In short, it’s just not working Auntie. The real pain though hasn’t come in the analysis, which you can at least fast forward if you’re forever watching the game on pause like me, but in the commentary box. TV commentary has always treaded a thin line between English pride and xenophobia and this tournament has seen the balance tip completely in favour of the latter. Right from the moment Clive Tyldesley introduced England v France with the words “Agincout, Waterlook, Donetsk” you knew things were not going to change anytime soon. Since then we have been treated with some of the most offensively biased, terrible and simply inaccurate commentary I’ve ever heard. ITV have one terrible commentator, the BBC have at least four. It is their job, for starters, to learn about the players who are taking part. Not just how to pronounce their names, but who they play for and what they do. Martin Keown said three times on Wednesday “I’ve not even heard of his player.” In short, it’s your job to hear of them and at least assimilate some sort of basic knowledge as to how they’ve played. In the same game Keown derired Hugo Almedia for opting to shoot when on the edge of the box and unmarked. “He’s just got to give that to Ronaldo every time, he doesn’t have the technical ability to shoot.” You what Martin? This is a player who has scored 80 times in the past 5 years. A Portuguese league winner and German cup winner? And Martin fucking Keown is telling him he should never be allowed to shoot at goal? The final nail, as ever, comes with the pathetic biased to anyone who has ever played in the Premier League. And not just that, but the questions asked about anyone who doesn’t. Only Barca and Real players are spared this dubious honour. Countless others are spoken of in “he’s got great ability, I don’t know why he’s not in the Premier league” terms. Here’s a thought, instead of comparing everyone else to our wonderfully entertaining but technically deficient league, why doesn’t a commentator say the opposite for a change? How refreshing it would be if watching Italy v Germany anyone had said “wouldn’t it be nice if some English players went over and competed in these leagues?” Maybe, just maybe, an Englishmen would then learn how to pass the fucking football.
5. Never, ever, ever, ever – trust your mates to beat a
woman at fantasy football.
That is all.
That is all.
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