England 0-1 Germany
The World Cup is only three matches away and England are still far from sure of their strongest XI. What is needed in this situation is friendlies with teams who will allow the players on trial to showcase - not stifle - their talents.
However, in Chile and Germany, the FA picked too tough practice opponents. So tough, in fact, that England failed to register a shot on target in the second match against Germany. Even more depressingly, this was essentially Germany's reserve team, as Mesut Ozil, Manuel Neuer, captain Philip Lahm and vice-captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, Miroslav Klose and Sami Khedeira were all missing. Germany's final bullet in the chamber, Thomas Muller, was an unused sub.
Against Chile, England faced a lose-lose situation. The danger of their South American opponents was drastically underestimated: Chile are a well-drilled unit, assured of their best team and with a clear focus to the way they play. It was a situation where had England won, they wouldn't have received the credit they deserved, while a loss would see the team slated and put on a downer for the tougher task of Germany.
This invaluable two-game opportunity for the players to gel was wasted. Playing for your country should be the pinnacle in any sport, but the international scene can be daunting. Only Adam Lallana emerged from the match against Chile with credit; his Southampton teammate Jay Rodriguez looked at sea, while Fraser Forster never looked comfortable and was shown-up for the second goal by a world-class forward in Alexis Sanchez.
Before these two games, England were on a ten-game unbeaten streak. They hadn't lost in 2013. In February, Jack Wilshere delivered an electrifying performance that helped England defeat juggernauts Brazil.
Now they end the calendar year after being defeated twice at home, and failing to score in either game. It has seriously darkened the mood ahead of next summer's World Cup. The FA could have guarded against this simply by scheduling matches against more forgiving opponents.
Showing posts with label 2013. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2013. Show all posts
Wednesday, 20 November 2013
Friday, 21 June 2013
The boom of Latin America's latest megastar
Two games was all it took for the star of Brazilian football to shatter any negative preconceptions held about him.
Neymar began the Confederations Cup under enormous pressure. He was expected by the most expectant of footballing nations to lead the Selecao to a third consecutive triumph at the tournament – of which they are hosts. Their belief in the 21-year old Neymar was grounded in the swapping of shirt numbers with Oscar, which saw the former land the esteemed number ten jersey.
Brazil see Neymar as their messiah, the one to lead them to glory.
Added to that, he had to justify to the rest of the football-watching world the 57m euros that Barcelona recently shelled out to sign him.
Shoots too often, unproven in Europe, doesn't pass enough, a ‘YouTube player’ and forgets he has teammates are some of the charges levelled at Neymar. Many of those who hadn't followed his progress at Santos in the Brasileiro even claimed that the transfer was only founded on the masterful work of his PR team.
These criticisms were answered within three minutes of the tournament beginning. As Siphiwe Tshabalala and Philipp Lahm had done before him, Neymar began a tournament with an iconic opening goal for the host nation, a stunning strike that span up and away from the reach of the Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima.
If a few sceptics remained, Neymar went closer to appeasing every one of them when he scored a second early opener in Brazil’s following match. This one was of equal brilliance, a perfectly-met left-footed volley in the ninth minute against Mexico. But it was in stoppage time when he gave the greatest demonstration in the tournament to date of his remarkable individual quality.
From an unthreatening position on the left side of the pitch, Neymar glided to the edge of the box, only to be met by two defenders who were obstructing his entrance. Then with a swish of his feet so impossibly quick that it is hard to observe what trick he had conjured even in slow motion, he sliced through those in his way and laid on a tap in.
The best players are judged most critically on their performances in major tournaments. A strong display in a World Cup is the only remaining barrier from Lionel Messi claiming the title of greatest of all time. One more rival to Messi’s hopes of achieving this has emerged, as Neymar has certainly proved he is capable.
While Neymar’s star has risen during the Confederations Cup, another South American’s has floundered.
Edinson Cavani has been the subject of speculation linking him with a transfer to Chelsea, Manchester City and Real Madrid. Napoli have turned down bids of 40m euros plus Fernando Torres from Chelsea already, and are waiting resolutely for his release clause of 63m euros to be met in full.
Cavani has yet to score in this year's Confederations Cup and spurned excellent chances from almost identical positions against Spain and Nigeria. Each time a floated free-kick reached the head of the most clinical striker from last season's Serie A, but Cavani failed to direct the ball at goal on either occasion.
He was guilty of another glaring miss in the match against Nigeria. Similar to the one Diego Forlan converted, only this time falling on the striker's preferred right foot, Cavani shanked an ugly shot that rose high and wide.
With only 14 goals in over 50 appearances for his country, Cavani needs to summon his club form if he is to justify on the grand international stage the price tag that his South American counterpart Neymar has done so emphatically.
Neymar began the Confederations Cup under enormous pressure. He was expected by the most expectant of footballing nations to lead the Selecao to a third consecutive triumph at the tournament – of which they are hosts. Their belief in the 21-year old Neymar was grounded in the swapping of shirt numbers with Oscar, which saw the former land the esteemed number ten jersey.
Brazil see Neymar as their messiah, the one to lead them to glory.
Added to that, he had to justify to the rest of the football-watching world the 57m euros that Barcelona recently shelled out to sign him.
Shoots too often, unproven in Europe, doesn't pass enough, a ‘YouTube player’ and forgets he has teammates are some of the charges levelled at Neymar. Many of those who hadn't followed his progress at Santos in the Brasileiro even claimed that the transfer was only founded on the masterful work of his PR team.
These criticisms were answered within three minutes of the tournament beginning. As Siphiwe Tshabalala and Philipp Lahm had done before him, Neymar began a tournament with an iconic opening goal for the host nation, a stunning strike that span up and away from the reach of the Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima.
If a few sceptics remained, Neymar went closer to appeasing every one of them when he scored a second early opener in Brazil’s following match. This one was of equal brilliance, a perfectly-met left-footed volley in the ninth minute against Mexico. But it was in stoppage time when he gave the greatest demonstration in the tournament to date of his remarkable individual quality.
From an unthreatening position on the left side of the pitch, Neymar glided to the edge of the box, only to be met by two defenders who were obstructing his entrance. Then with a swish of his feet so impossibly quick that it is hard to observe what trick he had conjured even in slow motion, he sliced through those in his way and laid on a tap in.
The best players are judged most critically on their performances in major tournaments. A strong display in a World Cup is the only remaining barrier from Lionel Messi claiming the title of greatest of all time. One more rival to Messi’s hopes of achieving this has emerged, as Neymar has certainly proved he is capable.
photo by Jefferson Bernardes
------------While Neymar’s star has risen during the Confederations Cup, another South American’s has floundered.
Edinson Cavani has been the subject of speculation linking him with a transfer to Chelsea, Manchester City and Real Madrid. Napoli have turned down bids of 40m euros plus Fernando Torres from Chelsea already, and are waiting resolutely for his release clause of 63m euros to be met in full.
Cavani has yet to score in this year's Confederations Cup and spurned excellent chances from almost identical positions against Spain and Nigeria. Each time a floated free-kick reached the head of the most clinical striker from last season's Serie A, but Cavani failed to direct the ball at goal on either occasion.
He was guilty of another glaring miss in the match against Nigeria. Similar to the one Diego Forlan converted, only this time falling on the striker's preferred right foot, Cavani shanked an ugly shot that rose high and wide.
With only 14 goals in over 50 appearances for his country, Cavani needs to summon his club form if he is to justify on the grand international stage the price tag that his South American counterpart Neymar has done so emphatically.
Tuesday, 11 December 2012
Sports Personality of the Year 2012 - Andy Murray
The case for the tennis player who grew to greatness in front of a nation's eyes
Winning a tennis major is an extraordinary achievement. A player must go on a solo journey through seven matches, each more testing than the last, pushing themselves to their physical limits when at the same time defying nerves that inevitably surface. Winning one with the pressure of 76 years of a nation's pent-up hopes focused entirely on you is something else.
Winning a tennis major is an extraordinary achievement. A player must go on a solo journey through seven matches, each more testing than the last, pushing themselves to their physical limits when at the same time defying nerves that inevitably surface. Winning one with the pressure of 76 years of a nation's pent-up hopes focused entirely on you is something else.
These are the enormous obstacles Andy Murray had to conquer when he beat Novak Djokovic in September to win the US Open, becoming Britain's first grand slam winner since Fred Perry's 1936 triumph.
His victory is even more impressive when you consider that he's competing in arguably the toughest era of men's tennis ever. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic are all multiple grand slam champions and three of the best players to have picked up a racquet. They all possess phenomenal grand slam pedigree and invariably Murray has to overcome any two of them in a slam to win.
While the US Open victory was the greatest achievement of Murray's breakthrough year, the public basked more in his success at the Summer Olympics, where he won singles gold and mixed doubles silver.
photo by Marianne Bevis
As home favourite, Murray was under huge pressure to deliver the title for Team GB. But he did so, and emphatically, losing only one set all tournament and crushing Roger Federer 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 in the final.
Murray was also making his way to another final with 18-year-old Laura Robson. They forged a fearsome partnership and were only beaten by the No.1 seeds Victoria Azarenka and Max Mirinyi.
Another long-standing record fell to Murray at Wimbledon. He became the first British male to make it to the All England Club final since Bunny Austin in 1938. He was leading Federer too, but dropped intensity at a crucial moment in the second set and from that point momentum was firmly against him.
But Murray won the public's affection with a moving post-match interview on the court. It was a tear-jerking speech that was cruelly conducted immediately after he had lost. Murray poured his heart out to the nation after two emotionally and physically draining weeks. He has been accused before of not showing personality through his play, but in this touching moment at Wimbledon Murray revealed his hopes, motivation and bitter disappointments.
Tennis is an individual sport, where once you're on the court no one can help you. Under the guidance of Ivan Lendl, Murray has shown he can be the very best. It has been a breakthrough year for Andy Murray.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)