World Cup update
Much of the build up to England’s game v Belgium was spent on the debate on whether either side would try to win given they were both already promoted from the group and second place offered seemingly the best route to the Final since it avoids France and Brazil. It was one of those surreal debates that football grows up when coaches say the right thing but hope – and possibly plan – for another. The ex-players notably Alan Shearer weighed in that no professional goes out on the pitch other than to win.
In reality, a loss would suit both countries nicely. Sensibly both Gareth Southgate and Roberto Martinez made changes to rest players and assess their squad. Martinez would have been the happier: Moussa Dembele in particular looks worth a place in his side for the knockout games.
Southgate learned something too: Marcus Rashford is no more likely to score than Raheem Sterling; Eric Dier has not the presence of Jordan Henderson; without Harry Kane we have no attacking potency.
He would be worried too about keeper Pickford’s tendency to parry the ball into dangerous areas, not wide or for a corner. I used the word “surreal” but existentialist might have been better. The game was about “being and nothingness” and perhaps a Sartrist philosopher should have been added to the panel.
In an excellent article in the morning in The Racing Post Bruce Millington applied a welcome note of caution from the increasing gung-ho fever, pointing out England had only beaten two teams one in the last minute and the other – Panama – the worst in the competition, our defence looked vulnerable and we had only Kane to score. He went on to attack the momentum theory on the grounds that of the 10 teams that won every game in the qualifying group World Cup stages none went on to win the trophy and that Portugal won the last Euros with their first outright win in the semi-finals. John Pargiter says you can never go bust betting against England in tournaments
I am not one to dance on dance on Germany’s grave for their early elimination. The business end of the World Cup is about traditional rivalries and I would have enjoyed Germany v England, Italy v Spain, Argentina v Holland, France v Brazil, but only the last one is now feasible.
My view is that Germany was not a happy squad nor a happy nation, divided now by immigration which impacted on the Mannschaft when the allegiance of Ozil, Khedira and Gundogan was questioned. Add to this the underperforming Muller and Neuer and poor preparation by Joachim Low.
Arsenal must be happy, they could have offered Low the job only to be saddled with a lame duck manager. Low must be even more delighted. He was given a 3 year contract prior to the tourney and if he is sacked as seems likely he will have lucrative compensation.
