England went out with a whimper against Argentina in the semi-final. Even beyond the subjective judgements on the tactics when the team retreated into the lowest of low blocks and allowed the opposition to dictate play and also the substitutions, Ezri Konsa for goalscorer Antony Gordon, Dan Burn for Declan Rice, the stats are damning. Continue reading “World Cup Week 5”
Tag Archives: Lionel Messi
World Cup Week 3
So England squeaked past DR Congo with Harry Kane yet again the saviour and in the process stretches his record as England’s leading scorer at World Cup finals with thirteen, three ahead of Gary Lineker. England’s reliance on Kane is clear to see and he has scored 62.5% of our goals in this tournament soContinue reading “World Cup Week 3”
World Cup Nuggets – 18th January 2023
Photo © Jono Vernon-Powell Exactly a month ago, one of, if not the greatest World Cup finals reached a breathtaking endgame. With a nonchalance betraying the occasion and his relative inexperience (this was his 22nd international), Gonzalo Montiel stroked home the winning penalty. The 25-year-old had entered the frenetic match as a substitute in extraContinue reading “World Cup Nuggets – 18th January 2023”
World Cup semi-final Nuggets Part I
Argentina take on Croatia this evening, a match that has been characterised as the meeting of two players who are heading for Roger Milla’s Last Chance Saloon. The battle of the legendary LMs – Lionel Messi versus Luka Modrić. It is understandable that these two are the headline act although there is so much moreContinue reading “World Cup semi-final Nuggets Part I”
World Cup Nuggets – The quarter-finals Part I
It has been a hellish two days without any World Cup action so thankfully the quarter-finals now are here and each one has something to attract our attention and get us excited. The wait is almost over and the even better news is that we have Nuggets aplenty. We start with an absolute humdinger thatContinue reading “World Cup Nuggets – The quarter-finals Part I”
World Cup Nuggets Day 13
The Round of 16 started with relatively straightforward wins for Netherlands and Argentina who now meet in a mouth-watering encounter in the quarter-finals on Friday. DUTCH CONSISTENCY – The Dutch have now reached at least the last eight in seven of their last nine appearances. The Oranje have not lost in 90 minutes in 18Continue reading “World Cup Nuggets Day 13”
The Football Mine 