englandtilidie

In a meeting between footballers there is sometimes a dissonance in the game caused by  different values being applied.  Grit and determination and physical strength can be met with guile and hidden violence and deceit.  All is fair in world cup semi finals. The result is the only adjudicator.

In 1990 we knew Gascoigne could destroy anyone. Now we know England have fire power again and Harry and Jude are backed up by Rashford, Gordon and Saka.  We can take them. 

There is much love for our friends from Argentine.  Their colours, the albini celeste are beautiful. Matias told me he was flying out to watch – his second world cup.  Good luck to all the football lovers from that wonderful country. 

In England the tension is palpable.

It is the last evening and night.

Then the day dawns and on Wednesday our fates mingle.

The footballers from England and the footballers from Argentine.

There can only be one winner.

Its coming  ..  Can you feel it?

Its the three lions,

Come on England. 

It will be 10pm in London when the England fans will find out if a tall blonde on a Saturday night is going to be a pleasure or a disaster. England vs Norway in the World Cup.

Erling Harland is a fantastic footballer. Superb. It is easy to be stunned by his long blonde hair and strength and height.

So what though. We play with him every week.

Harland was born in Leeds and he is not nearly as dangerous as the dodgy people on FIFA who like to influence things. Just a bit. No surprise our Quansah is banned for two games.

Should England deal with a tall blonde on a Saturday night they will have to face Argentine in Atlanta. And Argentine boast Messi who is the most beloved thingy ever. He plays in the USA, he is a latino icon and everyone loves him. Especially FIFA who really, really don’t want the Premiership powered England to triumph.

That would be too much.

There is a cultural bond between us and the Nordic people. Deeper than makes sense.

It will be a good game. It will be rugged and uncomplaining.

It will be fair and uncomplicated.

Lets get it done.

Come On, England.

Jordan Pickford pushed one round the post, clawed another one up and over from the top corner, then punched away all the crosses while Dan Burn and John Stones reinforced the England defence in a classic backs to the wall performance.

At 3-2 up and with England down to 10 men Tuchal made the call to hold back and simply man the trenches and see the game out. A big call. The clock ticked down. It was in-play game management at the critical moment. When the whistle went – kudos to the England manger.

It was less edifying to see the post match whinge about the refereeing. This is England – Fifa, UEFA, the powers that be have been tilting the game against us forever. We are England, the home of football, everyone is jealous and we have to put up with petty connivances all the time. In victory, Tomas, you need to be magnanimous.

Up front Saka produced, Gordon produced, Kane and Bellingham scored goals. We are having to improvise at right back – but we still have Rashford to stretch his legs and Madueke to get back to his waspish ways.

England go to Miami to face Norway.

There is little fear left now.

This a good team of English professional footballers.

Yep – really good.

Come On England.

It is Mexico in the Azteca .. a footballing nation on their home turf.

Our guys have all been in places like this – the Bernebau, the Nou Camp, Anfield, Wembley, Elland Rd, the Den. Its a big game in a big stadium – but England are finding their groove.

Mexico have home advantage and the referee will make poor decisions. The stadium will inspire the Mexico team. They have the advantage of the altitude inhibiting Englands running game.

We look a bit inexperienced and fragile at the back. This is the serious pressure football at the highest level. Young men wearing the England shirt cannot afford a single wrong moment.

It is somehow different from before, from the 2024 Euros. Now we have more belief and a touch of arrogance.

There is nothing to fear.

This our England – our Wonderwall.

In the Azteca .. bring it on.

Come On England.

England 2 DR Congo 1 ….. and now onto the conflagration in the Azteca.

Our football tradition includes the wonder of knockout football in the FA Cup. The biggest clubs with the biggest stars have to play on tight intensely hostile grounds against lower ranked professionals who are motivated because know they can live in glory forever – if they can only get a result.

The Azteca might overpower the referee. The passion might overpower an England player and a rash tackle leads to a red card. There is the heat and the altitude and the bad air. The stadium will rock.

To play in such a place is a privilege. Like playing at Anfield or playing at Millwall. Or playing for Madrid or playing for Bayern. It is just football. At this level its another game.

England showed a few sinews. Rashford looked like he could get loose. Madueke softened them up, Rice was cooking up the dead ball plays. The relentless Anderson was pushing, Bellingham ghosting about and we have a centre forward.

It will be 1am on Monday morning in London when the images from the Azteca will allow us to watch the game.

Electric action from across the atlantic ocean. Into our homes.

It is a beautiful thing – this world cup.

Is it coming …

Come On England.

It kicks off at 5pm London time.

Its is a tough test against the footballers from Congo.

Only one team can progress and possession and ball retention does not win you the game. You need something extra. Power at set plays or moments of brilliance to change the game, to score a goal.

Then everything changes.

Nothing is easy. Our opponents are good at playing the clock. They only have to defy us for 120 minutes – and maybe in that time take chance – to win.

Nothing is easy.

This though is England.

Lets go through ..

Come On England.

Germany never looked like a team. Somehow the collective will was not there. A ridiculous VAR decision disallowed a goal and then they were out on penalties. Stuff happens, but you have to win.

Japan were within a few minutes of taking the blue and gold of the mythical Brasil to extra time. Then the samba boys scored and it was over. And the Dutch were sent home by a fast and fluid Morocco.

It happens. There are no easy games.

England face the DRC tomorrow. Good teams get beat. You can win with a long defensive game and effective penalties. A solitary moment of brilliance can take any underdog to victory.

You cannot cover every eventuality. A bad decision, a moment of madness, a poor referee, an injury. Anything can happen.

England will take the field against a strong, athletic, proud footballing nation from Africa.

It will not be easy. This is the World Cup of the greatest game on earth. Every man will give everything in the search for glory.

The footballers from England will compete for a place in the round of 16.

Can they do it ? It is easy to lose, easy to not be there.

Go Harry and the boys. Go!

Lets do it..

Come On England .

England 2 Panama 0

The DR Congo are waiting for England on Wednesday.

A tough challenge to make the last 16.

Three Lions on your chest.

Its England at the World Cup.

Come On England.

England have fallen into the Premier League ego trap of thinking passing the ball around and around in circles, boosting pass completion rates, and letting players strut about on the half way line is clever and intelligent football.

It does mean men, who are centrebacks by trade, are left holding the ball looking for an attacking solution. And if it all goes wrong a team like Ghana can break away and only get robbed of a victory penalty by stupid referees.

Tuchal had no answers. Saka did, Rashford did – but by then it was too late. The Black Stars had got their point and it was all over.

next ..

Come On England.