Monday 21 June 2010

The Revolution will not be televised?

Lets get this straight. Football is not quite political enough to mention revolution in the England camp without having the distinct purpose of attempting to engineer such a situation. It is perhaps most striking that the nation's current favourite jester, James Corden, was confused as to the basis of disharmony and infighting caused by the relationship between Fabio Capello and deposed and mutinous captain John Terry. Striking because Corden, on his show World Cup Live represents the feeling of the average football following Englishman, and perhaps most other casual football fans. How did a 15 minute long interview with John Terry placed centre stage yesterday, where he set out ideals and plans that most England supporters wanted to hear, turn into an act of sedition? Terry had spoken about his time in the camp, his desire to improve and speaking on behalf of the other players reflected their commitment to work tirelessly to get through to the next round. All in all, he said all the right things. Except for the peculiar fact that the media circus that follows the England team like a swarm of midges in the Scottish Highlands (Scots hate those midges just slightly less than they do the English football media), had meticulously planted the seeds of the next days sensationalist news in the details of their questions.

The first one of the conference was this; "We are hearing stories of disorder and disharmony in the camp this morning, what is your view?... Terry's reply...There is no unrest in the camp at all." However the section of his answer that was reported was Terry's declaration that he was speaking on behalf of the players against Fabio Capello. This is categorically untrue. He was speaking on behalf of the players to present a united front to the nation and critics of the team. The overwhelming message of his conference was a determination to solve the obviously apparent problems with the performances of the players, whatever the method. There seemed, perhaps more than there has been at any footballing tournament before, a blatant need to generate a rift between power-hungry villain John Terry and the floundering Capello. The stories were already written, Terry has just played his staged role and incriminated himself. Essentially Terry's uttering about the qualities of Joe Cole, prompted by questions, have been spun into a challenge to the authority of Capello in his ability to pick the team. Again this is not the content of Terry's answer, he was professing a professional trust in the abilities of Cole and noted that if required (by Capello) could do a good job for England, in his opinion. Frank Lampard had discussed similar themes in his outing with the media savages the day after.

Capello has talked of a 'big mistake' in Terry's judgement for mentioning Cole by name, as he stated clearly that it is unhelpful to mention players as it will be disrespectful and a more difficult choice for the manager if a storm is generated for the inclusion of a player, in the public frame, when it could contravene his tactics. This does not entail that Terry is a mutineer, but that is the frame presented by the English media now, culminating in the ITN evening news presenting this episode as a 'showdown' between Capello and Terry. If we weren't in trouble after 5 minutes of playing Algeria on friday, we certainly are now and not because we are playing badly, but because the media fuelling the team's downfall. Oddly enough there are comparisons which can be drawn with 2006 in Baaden Baaden. Essentially Eriksson's attitude to the media was to allow them celebrity style access to the player's and thus distract them from the detail of winning football matches. As such, when England have performed disappointingly in the microcosm of the England contingent in South Africa, the media have had only one choice, to dismantle the team and create the ensuing inquisition. The England team might to best to refuse any media exposure 2 days before the crucial game of Capello's era. If it pays off a line can be drawn and built upon, if it fails Capello will be eaten alive, by the media and John Terry will be blamed, by the media resulting in a week's media coverage and calls for the revolution to be conducted swiftly, publicly and openly with televised executions. They have prepared the guillotine... now John Terry and co must make the crucial choice; whether it is better to die on your feet against Slovenia or to die on your knees... but perhaps the media have framed Zapata to meet their own ends too.

Friday 18 June 2010

I'm fighting Lions with a strong chest and a broken left arm

The England equation is a simple one and has been since Paul Scholes, someone Zinedine Zidane remarked amongst his favourite players and arguably (or though I do not see another candidate) the ablest and most dexterous attacking midfielder of England's past, was shipped out to the left, a position he not only doesn't play but isn't equipped to play. You could argue that this means our problem is on the left; this is not the case. When a manager looks at the players at his disposal and sees many talented central midfielders that play in the same position, he notices the strength in depth in that area. Automatically it seems the right policy to try and incorporate a system where all of the most talented players play, a policy which proved effective against giants like Belarus, and Kazakhstan. The difference is that at the World Cup there is a considerable step up in the opposition, both Algeria and Slovenia beat seasoned opponents to make it this far and we have underestimated them.

However, this is not a concrete excuse for a dismal performances in the last two group games, England should have beaten both of them with a team containing our talents. The problem as ever is not confidence, not lack of effort, or chances, it is a glaringly simple reason. We are playing our best midfielder, who plays either behind the striker or in an advanced position on the left wing, a position, like Paul Scholes he doesn't play and isn't equipped to play. We are not playing someone who attacks the left flank as a result (or effectively down the right either), who will give what should be two aerially dominant strikers in Rooney and Heskey even half chances resulting in a bastardised version of Spain's passing football, great exchanges through midfield, then tragically nothing else.

Fabio Capello is paid £6million a year, a similar amount to his predecessors, to make this England team play well, but more covertly and sinisterly he is paid that sum to make that difficult choice. Lampard or Gerrard. In the 442 that we see now only one can play in the attacking midfield position, their position. We treat them as if they are professionals and use old adages like "they can play together". This is a falsehood, they are not central midfielders, but attackers and as a result one must make way. Traditionally, (from 2002) England Managers have decided that the more talented player should move to the left, incorporating the most talented players into the team and retaining Frank Lampard in the centre. This has the effect of braking a Gladiator's left arm and throwing him into combat, even though he is strong in the heart and chest area, his central cage, without his left arm he doesn't stand a chance against those Lions. If England are to salvage anything from this campaign he must be dropped. In theory this means we now can play two wide men, probably Joe Cole and Lennon and cross the ball. I would much prefer to play Rooney on his own up front and use pacey wingers who might be able to catch up with the recklessly deficient Jabulani ball, but we unfortunately left Theo Walcott and Adam Johnson at home. Shaun Wright-Phillips is allergic to the left flank. As such it seems like we may plod along with the same stubbornness to our eventual demise, but like a Gladiator with a broken arm fighting lions, the effort will be cruel, inevitable, and perhaps even comically bad.

Thursday 17 June 2010

Why Maradona is more than just an entertaining clod

The perception that Maradona is a fool is a myth. Despite what people feel about his life, his style, the gambeta (The idea that off balancing opponents is the way to win), he lives football; he is immersed in it, and it augments him. As such I have confidence in his ability to help, what is possibly the most gifted attacking line-up a nation has ever possessed, get through tough matches and win the World Cup.

Argentina had a strange qualification, but it counts for nothing here, many critics are using this as the litmus test for his ability as a coach, but did he not qualify? The Argentina side he inherited was in stagnation, despite it's talent. He made tough decisions in dropping stalwarts of the side in Cambiasso and Javier Zanetti, and after such excellent European campaigns, it seems to Europeans such as ourselves that he is mad for not taking them. Whereas lesser men may have buckled to the pressure, he is going with his game plan, Mascherano screening, bullying midfielders and Veron metronomically making the side tick. (A la Capello and his views on Heskey).

Furthermore, he has been labelled as clueless for using too many players in qualifying, 107 in total, but most of these were Argentina based players, giving them a chance for international exposure against opposition that is not as strong as the final tournament. We often say here how good it would be for Capello (and by the same token other England Managers of the recent past) to give in-form players a game. Not just friendly matches however, ones which Darren Bent plays alone upfront and is offered no ammunition for goals, real qualification games where the aim is only to win.

In a strange way, Argentina, because of this mentality, are the best prepared team in the tournament (only Germany can lay claim to being more prepared, their players have used the Jubalani for an entire season compared to the 20 days that has been given to the rest of the teams.), they have the attitude of a flexible team that plays in different manners when required and with the ability of Messi, not only talismanic, but malleable (I believe he may be dropped back into midfield in Veron's absence), they have a player that can win them the tournament through sheer genius.