MARACANÜ-WOE
There is a common mistake that is often made when it comes to Argentina; they are regularly referred to as Lionel Messi’s Argentina; It’s a nickname that hurts the players who truly take the team to new heights. In a night of attacks, fouls and wild waving of police batons at visiting fans at the Maracana, it was Nicolás Otamendi, one of the real heroes, who stepped up to inflict a first defeat on home World Cup qualifying for Brazil. history.
It is naive to think that World Cups and Copa Américas will be solved with forwards. As any teatime football email will tell you, goals win matches but defenses win championships. Argentina have two of the toughest men at centre-back in Otamendi and Cristian Romero, so it would be foolish to think Messi is more important than them. It took Giovanni Lo Celso’s pinpoint strike to find the former Manchester City man for the result in the 63rd minute. He doesn’t have any of the dribbling and fantasy skills that people like so much.
Messi is the spin doctor of the team, a man who manipulates like no one else does, sees methods that others cannot to achieve the desired result, but sometimes requires an iron fist. Before the start of the match, when the police entered, waving batons and shedding blood, he approached the away section and tried to calm the situation, which delayed the match for half an hour as some fans sought shelter on the field. “This team continues to make history,” Messi later tweeted. “The great victory at the Maracana, although in Brazil it will once again be marked by the pressure of the Argentinian fans. This madness is intolerable and must end!!” Knowing a thing or two about the iron fist, Emi Martínez sprang into action as he tried to stop a police officer who was brandishing his baton in the fray. It is assumed that the police backed off when they saw Otamendi and Romero handing them guns. the look.
After an important victory was achieved after a tense night in Rio de Janeiro, there was another surprise when Lionel Scaloni announced in the post-match press conference that he was considering leaving the world championship. “It’s not a goodbye or anything but I have to think because the bar is so high and it’s complicated to move on and it’s complicated to keep winning,” the former West Ham defender said. Manager departures can often disrupt a successful team, but few in Argentina will worry about Otamendi and Romero producing the goods and Messi doing odd jobs. You can bring your fouls, your batons and your food because until then La Albiceleste You’re done with you, you’re going to need it.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Last year I was too quick to compare my brother Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to Harry Maguire. Mr Speaker, I now apologize. Today Mr Maguire has turned the corner and is a transformative footballer. Maguire is now scoring goals for Manchester United. Mr Speaker, Harry Maguire is now He’s one of Manchester United’s key players. As for our ‘Maguire’, he’s hanging around at the moment. [International Monetary Fund] with a cup in his hand. As for our economic Maguire, he can get retirees to leave their homes and come and march on the streets” – Ghanaian MP Isaac Adongo apologized to Harry Maguire in parliament for comments made about his competence. In 2022, Adongo claimed that Maguire “has become the biggest threat at the center of Manchester United’s defence”, likening the player to the vice-president. But like all good politicians, he has now backtracked on at least some of his condemnation.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
Manchester United players therefore feel that their great turmoil this season has been caused by anyone other than themselves being overworked in pre-season. It seems to me that it’s an interesting thought experiment in the style of Schrödinger’s cat, if you put a limited number of Manchester United players in a locked dressing room, how long would it take for just one of them to achieve some degree of self-awareness, and are you suggesting that they might be the problem? But self-awareness is not their thing, although the irony clearly is” – Noble Francis.
Answer: increase the score (Football Daily letters passim). Youth football in the USA USA The USA can be extremely one-sided. A common tactic that coaches use when they start to break away as a result is to impose passing restrictions before shooting. I’ll hear the coach shout something like ‘we have to make three passes before we shoot’ or ‘we have to make five passes before we score’. As a parent standing on the sidelines, I wonder what’s more insulting to the other team: running up the score or hearing the other coach shout those instructions? Losing heavily is one thing, but knowing you are part of a training session that turns into a game is another level of humiliation” – Stephen Jackson.
I was an umpire for the Catholic Youth League in Maryland, where the Mercy Rule was enforced. If a team was seven goals ahead, they had to withdraw a player from the field. This player can enter the game again if his opponents reduce the gap. I (and only I) call this the Sisters of Mercy Rule. Or Canon 18 – Commanded by Our Lady. Clear evidence that Football Gods exist” – Ian Plenderleith.
As kids we played in the cubs league with a team that included Murdo MacLeod (future Scotland, Celtic and Dortmund star) and two other future professionals (one of whom was his brother). I was our goalkeeper and although we were down 21-0 in the first half, I managed to keep the score at 28-0 at the end of the game. This is not because they give up any sports activities. Number? In the first half there was a fence two meters behind the goal. The second had 50 yards of red blae (no net, of course). My slow walk to collect the ball was a masterclass in game management. Oh, did I mention that each half of the match is only 30 minutes long?” -Gavin Stewart.
Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. The winner of today’s letter is… Arsène Who? Gavin Stewart, who received a copy of his book. By Ryan Baldi. We’ve got more to give away all week, so get writing.
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RECOMMENDED SHOP
Big Website’s unique photographer Tom Jenkins has released some of his best photographs as limited edition prints. Football highlights include Lionel Messi’s Human Rights World Cup victory, the Lionesses celebrating at Wembley and Rodri finding the net in the Major Cup final. Perfect for an early Christmas gift. Take a look at the gallery and order your prints here.
THE ROAD TO WEMBLEY
Just when Horsham thought they were out, the FA Cup draws them back! Yes, the Isthmian League Premier side has been reinstated and will travel to Sutton in the second round after he was unceremoniously sent off for fielding an ineligible player in Barnsley’s replay win. In the statement made by Tykes, it was said: “We would like to apologize to our fans, players and staff for this regrettable mistake.” “This mistake, although unintentional, falls well below the high standards we have set at this club and is certainly not what you deserve.”
NEWS, TITS AND BOBS
The FA has revealed that clubs are taking collective action as they pledge to improve ethnic and gender diversity. defective to achieve any of their annual goals.
Celtic were fined £15,200 after fans waved the Palestinian flag during their home match against Atletico Madrid in Glasgow last month.
The Euro 2024 play-offs await Wales after Croatia beat Armenia and a 1-1 draw with Turkey was no big deal. Finland, Iceland or Ukraine will travel to Cardiff on March 21, with the winners facing Poland or Estonia five days later to qualify for the tournament. “I don’t care, we’ll beat ’em all,” Jordan James shouted.
England boss Gareth Southgate is determined there won’t be another Baden-Baden circus – you may remember – when England travel to Germany next summer. “Basically a [Uefa] catalog and you have to get into certain venues early, or you can step out of the catalog and try doing something different,” he chirped.
Harry Maguire, who proved his point in Ghana, has expressed his despair at the number of “soft” and “ridiculous” penalties handed out. “They are given for everything,” he fumed. “They make it harder for defenders to defend like they should.”
The divisions in the Premier League 20 emerged after a proposed loan ban between the clubs involved was rejected. Sigh.
Things are not getting any better for Germany after Leroy Sané was sent off in the 2-0 friendly against Austria. “The players are perhaps not playing as freely as they could,” said new coach Julian Nagelsmann. “We are not a unit where we are off the field. He’s just missing on the field.”
STILL WANT MORE?
“Hope Sogni” is a hypothetical female FIFA presidential candidate created by artificial intelligence. Confused? Let Suzanne Wrack explain.
Jess King can play football, write music, and perform spoken word. To move the goalposts, Júlia Belas chatted with Trindade.
Symmetrical scores, relegated clubs from the European Cup and more. Knowledge has the answer.
Belenenses is back baby! Morgan Ofori explains how they came back from oblivion.
Emma Hayes, USA USA A truly exciting appointment for the USA, so why is Gregg Berhalter still managing the men’s team? Graham Ruthven takes a look.
WITH MEMORY STRIP
A freezing January in south London is forcing Nottingham Forest’s Johnny Metgod to don tights and gloves for the FA Cup clash with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. It didn’t do him much good in the 1-0 defeat. So how about that orange ball?