Two Hours On The Bogota: England v Colombia

[Wouter D]

I was traveling for work during most of the group stage so didn't see Colombia's second match against Poland, which seems to be their only solid performance. Their midfield was lacking; I don't think they could have played better for 90 (in response to some of the posts above about using the last 20 minutes as model for the full game). Colombia lacks a deep lying midfielder who can distribute the ball and Quintero was ineffective on his own (made worse by an ineffective Cuardado, who I think is past his best days when he was with Fiorentina). I don't know if Macnelly Torres was hurt or if Peckerman did not call up Torres because Torres refuses to track back, but that was the midfield general who was needed in this game for Colombia. (Plus the previously mentioned deep lying midfielder).

I am annoyed by the conservatism inherent in the lineup. Colombia played a quite attractive 4-2-3-1 in some of the group games, with Falcao upfront and Quintero, Cuadrado, and James Rodriguez in the creative positions behind him. Now with the latter out injured, something had to be done. But I would have expected Luis Muriel to simply slot into that open place in the same system. Instead, Pekerman decides to revert to a more defensive 4-3-2-1, because...

I have no proper ending to that final line, and that annoys me. To me, this loss feels quite similar to the 2014 quarter final exit against Brazil: hobbling your own firepower with a needlessly cautious game plan because you're being overly afraid of the opponent. If Colombia would have gone for the jugular against either Brazil 2014 or England 2018, they would have had a good chance for a glorious victory. It could also have gone horribly wrong, of course, but then at least you've tried. Instead, we have two exits* characterized by a big shrug, unrepresentative of the talent present in the squad.

*even if they would have won on penalties yesterday, it wouldn't fundamentally change my conclusion: a progression into the semis characterized by a big shrug, unrepresentative of the talent present in the squad.

[Sean of the Shed]

Anyway, has Southgate explained his sub/penalty choices in the media? Vardy didn't take one, imagine the opprobrium on player and manager if England had gone out.

What would be the point? No matter who missed or scored it would have been picked apart by a media that only wants to find a scapegoat anyway had England gone out. Regular penalty takers such as Pearce, Gerrard and Lampard have missed in the past. From what I have read they couldn't have put any more preparation in than they already have.

[tuckwat]

https://twitter.com/fishplums/status/1014272687097737219

I thought Sterling did ok and thought he should have stayed on. Vardy didn't even take a penalty . He takes them for Leicester City doesn't he ?

[Ray de Galles]

It was a largely excellent set of penalties from England, echoing Kane’s fantastic technique throughout the tournament. All struck firmly and decisively towards corners as I recall and it took a wonderful save from Ospina to stop one.

It’s like the set pieces and winning penalties & other aspects of gamesmanship Southgate has drilled the side in. England have been focussed on the aspects of their game that are improvable within the confines of an international set up by practice and organisation in order to offset the technical deficiencies that have plagued them in other tournaments.

[ad hoc]

I think bringing on Vardy was the logical thing to do. Sterling looked tired, and Vardy - paradoxically- adds something defensively, since you can leave him hovering around the half way line giving you a player to hit as you clear the ball out. Basically Colmbia needed to leave a couple of players back as they poured forward in the last ten minutes. Now once they had scored and it was extra time it may not have been the ideal set up, but inb fact in the second half of extra time he did come into things a fair bit and actually played OK I thought.

I read that the penalty line up was already clearly decided, so perhaps Vardy is not in it because he's less likely to be playing. Mind you that doesn't explain why Dier was one.

[N est à?]

I have no proper ending to that final line, and that annoys me. To me, this loss feels quite similar to the 2014 quarter final exit against Brazil: hobbling your own firepower with a needlessly cautious game plan because you're being overly afraid of the opponent. If Colombia would have gone for the jugular against either Brazil 2014 or England 2018, they would have had a good chance for a glorious victory. It could also have gone horribly wrong, of course, but then at least you've tried. Instead, we have two exits* characterized by a big shrug, unrepresentative of the talent present in the squad.

Yeah, this. I'd add that it was more understandable to be afraid of Brazil in that furnace in Fortaleza with everyone assuming the refs were all homers (correctly in that game). Far less so yesterday, when most of that didn't apply- and indeed Colombia had most of the crowd this time. Anyway, Pekerman- he can add this one to the Riquelme Game on his CV. Back at the next one coaching Qatar, no doubt, the Roger Waters looking choke-merchant.

[N est à?]

Luis Muriel was crucial in turning that game against Senegal round for them, absolutely baffling why it took until the 87th minute for him to come on. And then, what do you know, Colombia have their best spell of the match.

[kiwicherry]

Truly terrible game- England have been involved in arguably the two worst games of the tournament, which may / may not tell a story. However, Southgate has surpassed expectations for this England team and is the most likeable manager we have had for a while, so I hope he keeps his job. As for the penalties, I cannot agree ours were good. Henderson's was poor and Dier's arguably worse and should have been saved.

[Sean of the Shed]

Sweden will also have a full team of Ikea Food Hall products, unlike England with just their one measly packet of Lingard.

So a flat pack four, then.

[Patrick Thistle]

Chortle

[Pietro Paolo Virdis]

It was a largely excellent set of penalties from England, echoing Kane’s fantastic technique throughout the tournament. All struck firmly and decisively towards corners as I recall and it took a wonderful save from Ospina to stop one.

It’s like the set pieces and winning penalties & other aspects of gamesmanship Southgate has drilled the side in. England have been focussed on the aspects of their game that are improvable within the confines of an international set up by practice and organisation in order to offset the technical deficiencies that have plagued them in other tournaments.

From what I understand Southgate has made them practice penalties which is a good thing in my opinion.
You hear several other teams, they don't. One of the players in Sweden said there's no point to practice penalties since you can never emulate the moment in practice, which occurs at a penalty shoot out. He's not the first one reasoning like that and I think it's total, utter bullshit.

No, you can't emulate it during a practice session. That's obviously impossible. But the coach can find the players who don't fuck around with them. All the English players took theirs exactly like they should be taken. Walk up, pick your corner or side, twat it in there. Distinctly. Hard. None of this fucking about starting 500 steps from the ball and hope whoever is the patron saint of penalties will sort it for you once the ball is hit, none of this chippy-dippy EA sports crap, and none of this trying to trick the keeper one side then nudge the ball the other in a way it takes forever for it to roll over the goal line. Just twat the fucker in, and if the keeper saves it, well that's bad luck.

The Henderson penalty wasn't terrible. It wasn't excellent, but it wasn't crap. The keeper simply happened to throw himself that way.
If you kick the ball distinctly and hard, chances are good the keeper won't save it even if he does throw himself to the same side. But if you fuck about and kick it like a boy scout, you're evening the odds between yourself and keeper when in a penalty shoot out it's something like 80/20 for the shooter if done properly.

[Jah Womble]

Truly terrible game- England have been involved in arguably the two worst games of the tournament, which may / may not tell a story. However, Southgate has surpassed expectations for this England team and is the most likeable manager we have had for a while, so I hope he keeps his job. As for the penalties, I cannot agree ours were good. Henderson's was poor and Dier's arguably worse and should have been saved.

Well, all teams have been involved in 'arguably' the worst games of the tournament.

But, in the majority of cases, it's not an argument that's likely to be won.

[NHH]

The reason Henderson's penalty was saved and the others weren't was the pace of them. Ospina went the right way every time IIRC, but got there too late every time, aaprt from Henderson's which was too weakly struck. Positionally, it was fine, but Ospina could get to it because Hnderson's nerves prevented him really striking the ball with the requisite strength. And tou get that strength in the main from confidence in your technique which comes from practicing.

It was fucking hilarious to see Shearer on MOTD praising Southgate's penalty prep last night; he's been the loudest of the 'you can't practice them' bollocks. Thank christ Allardyce wasn't around to bring this gem to bear on his preparation:


People go on about making your team practise taking penalties, and it’s nonsense. You should give players the opportunity to practise if they want, but many a player has practised his penalties and said he will take one, but on the night he couldn’t do it because the pressure is so great that he feels he would be better off not taking one. You can practise and practise but it’s the ones with the most bottle on the night that you need to rely on. Then you just pick your most consistent penalty takers to take the first and last ones – and find someone willing for in between.

[ad hoc]

The worst game of the tournament without much question I suspect was Denmark France. That doesn't tell us much about France.

[Ray de Galles]

Did I hear it claimed in commentary last night that Barcelona are considering letting Mina go already? If that’s true then there’s going to be a queue of Premier League clubs wanting him based on his display throughout the tournament and last night especially. The €100m buyout might be a problem, of course.

[Jah Womble]

https://twitter.com/fishplums/status/1014272687097737219

Shouldn't the D***y M**l be busy celebrating the fact that 23 South Americans have been booted out by England?

What was it? U17, U20....?

Both, yes.

[ad hoc]

Nice piece by once-of-this-parish Garcia https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soc...53011?mode=amp

[Duncan Gardner]

Garse/ Ken enjoys the game. Is that his old mate Tactical Genius?

[Felicity, I guess so]

Higuita adopting the Southgate way. Did he get it at Marksies?

[Satchmo Distel]

The better team on the night went through, and there is a definite improvement in temperament between this team and those of 2006-2016. You can easily imagine how those sides would have been dragged into a scrap, someone getting sent off, and the team resorting to just hoofing it, then not missing three penalties due to not practicing.

Southgate is also clearly a better coach and tactician than Pecker-brain.

The bottom half of the draw is going to be decided by mistakes and last night's mistake count was higher for Colombia, which would not have been the case in the Stevie G era in my opinion, especially after Euro 2004, the last time England looked OK.

[Stumpy Pepys]

So a flat pack four, then.

Billy Bookcase for corners

[Pietro Paolo Virdis]

Do any of you know what IKEA stands for? Without googling.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

The better team on the night went through, and there is a definite improvement in temperament between this team and those of 2006-2016. You can easily imagine how those sides would have been dragged into a scrap, someone getting sent off, and the team resorting to just hoofing it, then not missing three penalties due to not practicing.

Thought Maguire and Henderson were getting dragged into it for a while, but Henderson was wise enough to tread carefully after his booking.

[Satchmo Distel]

IKEA: Isolate Kane Elbow Alli

[ursus arctos]

Ingvar Kamprad something something