Photo from Freepik
Morning all.
I’ve just been watching ITV’s Big Match Revisited. The game was between Newcastle United and Manchester United with snow on the ground and the players wearing the shortest of shorts and some of the Newcastle players with short sleeved shirts on. Nowadays, the game would be called off I’m sure. Some of the challenges were what I’d call proper, ball first followed by a piece of the player. At the end of the game, the Division One table showed Everton as leading the way with Arsenal fourth. The season, 1984/85.
Football has come a long way since or has it? There’s more money in the game, ridiculous amounts in my opinion, the fans now sit instead of standing, usually behind fencing and the shorts have definitely got longer. There wasn’t a team of pundits back then, just a commentator telling viewers what was going on. As for the so called experts dissecting every game on Sky Sports, well there was none of that thank goodness.
But if you’re old enough to remember those good old days, did you prefer watching football from the stands more than you do today? I used to go to Elm Park on a Saturday afternoon when I could and loved it. My favourite Reading players were Michael Gilkes and Stuart Beavon.
Anyway, back to the here and now…..
That was some England debut for Myles Lewis-Skelly. Given his first start by Thomas Tuchel against Albania, not only did he have a good game but scored England’s opening goal. Jude Bellingham play a lovely through ball from midfield for our young left back to run on to and finish through the keepers legs. No nerves there eh.
Thomas Tuchel:
He is such an open character. He was amazing in camp. Full of confidence, full of humour. You see everything on the pitch, off the pitch. He does it with a natural confidence. That’s how he plays football. Full of courage and quality. He was decisive and opened this game for us.
That’s what younger footballers are like though in my opinion. Fearless and hard working. Not all I know as some get caught up in the fame which playing football for a top club can bring but Lewis-Skelly, and Ethan Nwaneri for that matter, seem sensible young men. Bukayo Saka is another player who we don’t really hear anything about other than for footballing reasons. I don’t think it’ll be long before Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri will be playing together for Arsenal and for the England senior team.
A few of the back page football writers are already having a dig at Tuchel for not singing the national anthem which I think is ridiculous. The man is German so why on earth would anyone expect him to start singing the national anthem? I know there’s the old saying about ‘When in Rome……..’ but for goodness sake, leave the guy alone to do what every England fan hopes he can do which is to make England stronger and successful.
From the bits I saw of the game, he’s got his work cut out. Rashford and Foden? I wonder how long Tuchel will stick with either. Or Kane for that matter because unlike the commentator, I didn’t think his goal was world class at all.
Declan Rice had this to say about his teammate:
He does everything right off the pitch. He prepares himself. He’s only 18. I try to look after him as best I can, but I knew he was going to play like that because of the confidence he has in himself, and the way that he’s trained all week, and what I’ve seen at the club, and how he is around the club. His mum, his dad, everyone, and his brothers, they should be so proud of him because his rise this year has been unreal. And he’s kept his feet on the ground. This is only the start for him so he’s got to keep going.
His rise has been incredible and very soon, he’ll be joined by Ethan Nwaneri I’m sure. If Tuchel really wants to make England an exciting team to watch, he’ll need to ditch a few of the players who Southgate relied on for so long. Tuchel might be able to tweak the tactics but as the old say goes, you can’t make a silk purse out of a sows ear.
One more international game to go for our players and then it’s home to prepare for the visit of Fulham a week on Tuesday.
Lastly, what a great result for the women yesterday as they dished out a 4-0 thumping to Liverpool. Two own goals – who cares eh…
Catch up in the comments..