It seems like the whole nation is mourning because England lost 2-1 to Argentina last night, but in reality, they have finished in the top four again, which is pretty impressive.
Yes, the Argies are dirty, sneaky bastards. But they were even worse in 1966, when England manager Sir Alf described them as “animals” and stopped his players from swapping shirts with them.
Last night, England were outplaying Argentina until the 55th minute, when England went 1-0 up. To everyone’s dismay, manager Tuchel suddenly went all defensive and invited the Argies to attack – which they did. And since their attacking line included Messi, that’s unfathomable.
Anyone following England at this tournament would have noticed that our defence was our weakness and that we got results when we played attacking football with our most creative footballers. How the “master tactician” Tuchel didn’t appreciate that is astonishing. If we’d carried on playing the football we played in the first 55 minutes, we’d have won the match and got to a major final for the first time in 60 years. What a waste.
No happy ending for England, yet again. It just doesn’t happen, does it? And the trouble with international football is that you have to wait four years for the next World Cup to come along.
Happily, redemption comes along much more quickly in club football. Take my friend and fellow writer Andrew Stephen’s beloved Cambridge United, for example. Two seasons ago, fans were in the depths of despair when the club was relegated from League One. But last season they were euphoric as the U’s bounced back, winning promotion at their first attempt.
If you like football with a happy ending, make sure you read author Andrew’s book on the subject – The Season That Really Was. It’s available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle e-book formats and is sure to put a smile back on your face. It’s the perfect cure for a World Cup hangover!
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