Sam Allardyce: a penny for his thoughts * right now. Here is an excerpt from John Crace that tells how the nation fell hopelessly in love with Big Sam's accidental successor, Gareth Southgate
So the end of the tournament business starts today with France-Belgium. Lots of walks on the rest of the week, no less how history will come to see this tournament. USA 94 was pretty awesome, but the memory was seriously tainted by two extremely boring semi-finals and a decisive match between Brazil and Italy who had promised so much – a recovery of 1970, essentially – but delivered bugger everything. Conversely, Italia 90 was almost satirical, but two epic semifinals did much to save the reputation of this tournament. Let's hope for a settlement in Russia 2018 in line with everything that has already been done. Since there is no completely reliable defense, we could get lucky. Fingers crossed
Hello Britain, Roddy Frame has already sung in a time just as hectic for a conservative government. England played a pretty big football match in 1990, too, to think
Alas, that's all the time for me, Richard Parkin, on the Gamepad at HQ of the Guardian World Cup. Thank you for your e-mails, tweets, comments etc. I do not know about you, but I really have a buzz for these two semi-finals. Let's hope that football continues as it has done so far.
Scott Murray throws himself into the lion's gaping mouth, and you're in good hands while the UK wakes up. See you next time!
I am intrigued by the commentary "Caesar of Rome":
Like everyone else, I will take root for Belgium will win but the trio of Mbappé-Griezmann-Giroud will be much more difficult to manage for Belgian defenders than Inui-Kawaguchi-Kagawa or Neymar-Coutinho-Jesús. Japan and Brazil both had attack lines that were certainly of good quality, but a bit on the fly – stop Neymar's cursed dribbles and you're in Kagawa's bondage game and you're fine . But with Giroud you have physicality and airborne force, with Griezmann you have intuitive gameplay, long range efforts from nowhere and first class finishes and with Mbappé you have rhythm, dribbling and unthinking verve .
The obvious representative being that in Hazard-Lukaku-De Bruyne, the Belgians have a "front trident" that mixes brute power, cunning and mercurial talent, thus posing a dilemma similar to the French backline.
though. For reasons that may not have been unpacked yet, there is no doubt that Jesús had a rotten tournament, partly due to Neymar's inability to share his toys. But does Martínez have a better range of defensive options, or at least defensive tactics, to adjust, adapt and neutralize such a diverse front line?
And speaking of penalties – at random, I stumbled across the deeper and darker arches of the Internet – a wire from Guardian from so long ago that we ask correspondence by mail. Bless
One of my dreams of attending a World Cup is that during a penalty shootout, someone tries a panenka just so the goalkeeper does not move and l & rsquo; Catches comfortably at mid-height. certainly this has happened already, yes?
The following does not come from a World Cup, but for fans of the A-League, two of their stars (or former stars, now) have slammed horns this week in a pre-season cup. season in China, and for the way he left Sydney FC, I am, agreeing, with what is happening to the Polish winger Adrian Mierzejewski.
As someone coming from a football confederation does not blush for the success of the World Cup [should AFC, CAF, CONCACAF and OFC just give up and have their own Europa League style Cup? Discuss.] I
But for the African fans who follow this blog, this Ed Aarons' thread casts a slightly different light on the final of the European final.
And one of the most beautiful aspects of history, is that England rediscovers its affection for its national team at this World Cup, it is the adoption of a new, more cosmopolitan face to "modern England". Until Sterling misses a penalty, I guess.
Returning to this piece of Adam White (see above – or, here) – the fact that three four of them they were not the first choice per se during qualifying, which is a pretty interesting aspect of the clash today.
Neither Benjamin Pavard nor Lucas Hernández are lagging behind; you do not reach clubs like Stuttgart or Atlético Madrid if you are a weak link. But they did not really face the top three like Hazard, Lukaku or De Bruyne at this tournament.
Yes, Argentina should have been redoubtable (or at least an Argentina that absolutely did not crack at the back); but do not forget even a stutter Albiceleste puts three times France at stake.
One or the other of the backs, or even Samuel Umtiti whose l 39; inexplicable brain explosion handball threw Australia into the group stages, target of a tactical plot Roberto Martínez?
Another who knows a bit about the victory of France in 1998 is Marcel Desailly (aka "the original front of Harry Maguire" ) and what I think he's on board as a columnist for this World Cup.
It is not surprising that he identifies Mbappé 's pace as a key factor in today' s match:
I really like what 's going on. He says of the confidence, or better yet – carelessness – of youth, and how important it may be in great games.
In other words, sometimes players may be too young to have accumulated the baggage of fear, loss. And it's a powerful and dangerous thing. Anyone who remembers that Michael Owen made a penalty in France 1998, say, David Batty, can testify to that.
I hope this is the case of Mbappé. With Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar gone, it would be good to see someone illuminate the final stages of this tournament. Kieran Trippier aside, that's right.
A secondary intrigue that fascinates me before today's game is the "Thierry Henry's dilemma" – by which the l? One of the great French players of all time accidentally finds himself in the middle of a coach's team trying to prevent the country from the winner of the 1998 World Cup to make another finals.
Kristof Terreur unpacked this for us a little more:
Needless to say that his compatriot Olivier Giroud also finds a little bemus. :
Some tips and reflections from you, the right people:
Gokul Kannan writes:
It's fascinating. Predict this game. Funny that you mention "tactics are as good as the players' performance". Martinez has the players who can execute them. Fellaini in Januzaj. It's entirely up to him to do the right tactics. Play 3 at the back with Carasco as the winger would invite Mbappe to knock you down. Play Deep Bruyne would implore Kante to become the hero
The commentator btl delightfully appointed by the Guardian "AdFalsoQuotLibet" estimates:
Extremely tight match today. If they push me, I would make sure that France go because I think they have a little more margin. Griezmann and Hazard are both incredible playmakers with dazzling skills, but the Frenchman is the top scorer, for example. Lukaku is by far, much better than Giroud in all respects, apart from any set kicks, but again Belgium has no one comparable to Mbappé.
Mark Jenkins says:
Mbappe and Griezmann will provide a more important test than Neymar to the Belgian defense. That's because they have a better midfielder supporting them with Pogba and Matuidi very capable of being playmakers.
I'd like to win a Belgium (as they are more entertaining) but World Cups have traditionally seen boring and functional teams win. ] And the commentator "sarkmah" states:
Key key-ups will certainly be Kante v Hazard, Griezmann v Fellaini, Bruyne v Matuidi, Martinez v Wigan fans.
Wigan fans still love RM, is not it? At least more than the fans of Manchester City, I imagine.
I like this idea of "heart vs head" that seems to play for a lot of neutrals – which, because of a football brand a little more attractive, is a slight sentimental favorite; but marked by "the end games of the World Cup" (USA 94, no matter who?) the smart money is on France.
Or are all English fans hoping that Hazard and his friends represent the "easier" final opponent?
Meanwhile, if you wake up across mainland Europe, there have been some interesting developments on the transfer of world football with Manchester . The city and Barcelona do some splashing early:
He's a busy boy, as Pep Guardiola, who will note our antipodean followers of this blog has sprung up at the Melbourne City sister-club / franchise's training facilities this week at The pleasure of fans and players .
Speaking of football, the mission to bring in Australia the former legend of Atlético and Liverpool, Fernando Torres, failed. Who would have thought that the United States could have proved a little bigger drawcard.
The Spanish Football Federation also moved quickly to put Lopetegui-gate behind it, with the announcement of its new manager:
And, look, Jack Wilshere has finalized his departure from the club that he called home for 17 years (or 65% of his life). All that's best, Jack's supporters in England, imagine I'm looking forward to rebuilding your career.
The fast pace of Kylian Mbappé immediately raises questions of the defense of Belgium – how Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld and Vincent Kompany will fight against the early teenager? There are squeaky legs out there, not to mention Kompany's well-documented history of fitness, especially given the tight schedules of the tournaments.
As David Hytner mentioned (see above), with Thomas Meunier suspended, Martínez could be forced reshuffle that could see Nacer Chadli on the right wing. Could the French target him, in the same way that the Belgians have identified Brazil's third choice, Fagner, as the free link?
These are just a few options to ponder; your thoughts on others?
The prediction is necessarily a mug game, but you know, the more I think about this game, the less I'm sure of how that's will unfold.
What do you think? Send me your tips by email, but above all, the reasoning behind them – and I'll throw them my red pen (with comments like "need to quote").
Much has been said about the impressive tactical work of Roberto Martínez Brazil (although he will remind you, the tactics are as good as the execution of the players, just ask Andres Villas Boas)
Does the Swansea ex-man have more in the locker than his counterpart Didier Deschamps, perhaps?
David Hytner has pretty glimpses of the "battle in the battle" that delights football anoraks and men-who-still-play-Football-born around the world: [19659119] Updated
Keith Forbes is at the very beginning of the gates:
My 14-year-old son, Julian, coined the phrase "Battle of Fries "for Belgium v France I think it's smart enough
Ah, yes, Keith, but we all think our kids are exceptional
Ha I do not mind to be fair.Happy, Julian.Now, do not start a Nuremberg war against Rothenburg "who has the best mustard", but what do we think Belgium with an advantage in the "Battle of the Fries" on the mayo front
On the other hand, is it right to presume that France is a favorite, albeit marginally, for this one?
200 million + Brazilians could disagree, waking always frightened by the apparitions of Kevin de Bruyne in the Chucky style, haunting their sleep.And it's even before we start with Ede n Hazard or Romelo Lukaku who both seem to be in better shape.
As we know, a team is much more than individuals, and I think that's why this piece of Adam White me – looking at the two second-backs of France's second-choice , and how they held out at this World Cup:
These good friends from the Schengen area. Comrades in many historical games, they will walk on the 620 km of their common border today.
For one of these groups of supporters, as one day Guus Hiddink once said: "These are the games, what is it?" And for the neutral, what an enticing prospect – two sides who are attacking with brio and enthusiasm (unless they have a gentleman agreement with Denmark, that is).
There is absolutely no argument to claim that Russia 2018 as a football festival has canceled anyone, but the remarkable 16th of France against Argentina and the defeat in the quarterfinals of Brazil in Belgium are two of the most exciting matches of international football We have seen in recent years.
As always, it is difficult to classify things as subjectively as football games. That said, Nick Ames set his sights on the quarter-finals four days ago, and here's what he thinks of where our latest 'fabulous four' are.
And so at this point in the World Cup where every day without match feels inexorably useless – we wake up with a spring in our step, and hope in our heart, because football, dear reader, is back once again.
Just three epic games to play (and a "good we can as well as we are here" encounter "- until Russia 2018 announces its ultimate winner; Vladimir Putin, aside. Will it be France? Belgium, England or Croatia?
18 of the 20 World Cups of all time went to nations that are not these four – have we ever seen such an open contest? Two of them have never won one, let alone the World Cup finals – will Belgium or Croatia make history?
All that & # 39; It can be said, it is for two of these four sides, the answer will come earlier than today.): One of these nations returns home
Schedule of the day:
19h BST / 21h MSK / 4h Wednesday AEST: France / Belgium Saint Petersburg
So prepare your herring and slippers, make your own e morning (or evening) gymnastics now, and for the sake of heaven, call mom, otherwise you'll know that she will call you during the game.
As always, send your best ideas, discussion points and questions to join the conversation today: by email ([email protected]), twitter ( @rrjparkin ), or simply comment under the line. Especially if you know more about Belgian football than your humble scribe today.