England gut through for semi showdown with Italy and ‘full Tardelli’ with Euros punditry refreshingly good
Last Friday, Spain beat Italy. The former are great in attack but defensively seem vulnerable, probably because they have the ball a lot. Enjoyable, skilful game. The quarter final v Switzerland isn’t a forgone conclusion.
Germany v Sweden was also excellent and open. As an avid football watcher, I think what I’m enjoying about the Euros and women’s football generally is the unalloyed joy when goals are scored. The happiness shines through and I find it very uplifting to see in this world of tears. It seems to feature little or no cynicism or ‘look-at-me’ ego. When Elisabetta Oliviero scored against Spain she went full Tardelli. Irresistible. In a world so frequently joyless, it feeds the soul.
The Swedes had noticeably smooth, fantastically even-toned, unblemished skin. Must be all the fish and open-deck sarnies, as we used to call them. They were too good for Germany who looked a bit ragged after an early strike and suffered their first four-goal loss at the Euros.
Sweden are strong and will take some beating, as we shall see.
ITV brought us the sleepy Preston v Liverpool friendly on Sunday afternoon. Interesting that they did so without presenters and pundits. I think we’ll see a lot more of this as coverage expands but budgets fail to keep up. Stylistically it is usually superior not to have pre-match cliches and the usual talking loud saying nothing preamble.
Channel 5 was optimistic in starting the Club World Cup final programme 90 minutes ahead of kick off, surely testing everyone’s patience. Obviously, like most, I didn’t watch it and favoured ITV’s coverage of the England v Wales game.
Those who love to be disgusted, I hear, have been complaining about the adverts the English players have been in. Honestly, you can’t win. Surely an example of picking on the wrong targets. I’m sure people just start bitching to try and feel good by making others feel bad. You’d be pushed to find a group of better, more deserving people.
Emma Hayes was in the studio and she’s always worth listening to and is such a generous spirit. You do get a sense of this being about humans with all the emotion and psychology that implies, not just athletes. The game is so high profile and is played out to a capacity stadium, I have to sometimes pinch myself that it’s happening at all. I never thought I’d see the day. That kids are growing up with this as the norm now is, at least for me, absolutely heart-warming.
England were imperious, Wales a bit naive. 4-0 at half-time, Emma took a tactically critical look and found Wales’ weaknesses all over the pitch, just giving England room to play. Karen said they were basically taking the mickey. A 6-1 win in the end. I do find England sportingly and emotionally so satisfying and similarly the accompanying programme. It seems so emotionally intelligent in an entirely refreshing way.
Sweden next – ‘that’ll be the hardest game yet’, I wrote. Perceptive, moi?
Chelsea won the CWC gold toilet and proudly held it aloft in an excruciating encounter with a mad, deluded grandad in clown’s make-up, making an expression adjacent to, but not actual, grinning, looking like an escapee from an asylum, with Infantino as his helpless nurse. If Chelsea fall apart mid-season due to injuries, the more positive interpretations of the CWC will fall by the wayside and they’ll be mocked for inclusion.
For all the many justified criticisms of the competition – and it wasn’t new, this was just an expanded version – unspoken is how seriously the players threw themselves into what was accepted as little more than exhibition football played purely for gross riches as if it’s the future. Watch this space.
We’re approaching the quietest weeks of the year, now that the CWC toilet has been flushed. Just seven Euro games left. There’s the Champions, Europa and Conference League qualifiers and a few pretend tournaments overseas plus something called the Premier League Summer Series. There is the Scottish League Cup but not much until league football begins on August 1. Time to look for Scandi, Russian and Icelandic football on obscure apps.
Linfield v Shelbourne in the Champions League first qualifying round second leg was on the iPlayer which would normally be my destination on Wednesday but Norway were playing Italy so that took precedence.
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Two dark horses. Jonno was quoting Springsteen in the commentary. An engaging game with a last-minute winner, though I’d wager Italy will be the fourth of four in the semi-finals. The programme with Alex, Steph, Anita and Nedum was a civilised affair, as you’d expect, just relaxed, with no-one looking like they expect to be arrested at any moment. For someone who would rather sit on a stick than endure most punditry, this tournament has been a pleasant surprise in how it’s been handled by both channels. I think it shows the importance of tone as much as content.
Which takes us to Sweden v England on the BBC. Co-comm, Rachel Brown-Finnis had an iridescent tan. A nice programme with Ellen, Fara, Gabby and Jonas because the team is such a pleasure to watch. And what tension! This is football and why we come back for more and more and why the feeling that anything might happen is always present.
England got beaten up for 79 minutes, then nearly won it. I never thought they’d come back level but when it went to spot kicks I knew they’d do it. They’ve such guts and the heart to balls it out, just like Germany used to do to us.
Gabby and guests were emotional and I think everyone was totally wrung out by the long night. It was hard to suppress the hysteria and indeed, why would you want to? Football, eh? Bloody hell.