Daily Archives: June 30, 2021

Flexible England win battle for the centre ground in collective triumph

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“Inevitably, it would be the attackers who grabbed the headlines. Amid the uncorked pandemonium of England’s 2-0 win against Germany on Tuesday, perhaps it was only natural that the defining motifs would be of England’s two goalscorers. The gnarled, gritted features of Harry Kane, staring out from Wednesday morning’s front pages like a king restored to his throne. The stern thousand-yard stare of Raheem Sterling adorning a thousand memes and highlights reels, daring you to doubt him ever again. But perhaps the most interesting element of England’s night of jubilee at Wembley was that on first glance it didn’t appear to have an obvious architect. …”
Guardian
Tactical Analysis: How England found a way past Germany in the Euros
Tactical Analysis: Germany vs. England
***England 2 Germany 0: Euro 2020 Tactical Analysis

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An appreciation of Paul Pogba’s incredible passing

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“Watching Paul Pogba pass is a special experience. It feels luxurious. It feels expensive. It feels like those of us on our sofas at home should have to pay to watch him in central midfield, just like the in-stadium crowd did. Few can do what Pogba can do. We were treated to Pogba’s brilliance while watching France at Euro 2020, even if we won’t be anymore. His distribution in their last-16 defeat by Switzerland on Monday was a major highlight of what was otherwise a disastrous night for the world champions. …”
The Athletic
Tactical Analysis: France vs. Switzerland

Ukraine-Sweden provides more late Euro drama, as match-winner Dovbyk pops up as the unlikely hero

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Ukraine’s Oleksandr Zinchenko scores the opening goal
“It was never going to live up to Monday’s drama, but Ukraine and Sweden closed out the Round of 16 with a dramatic ending of their own, after a tremendously absorbing match. Ukraine have a new folk hero, his name is Artem Dovbyk and generations of Dovbyks will remember the moment he scored his very first international goal. Or, better yet, they’ll look it up on YouTube, because if they’re merely told the story, they may not believe it. Dovbyk, a 24-year-old forward with SC Dnipro-1, only made his international debut in March and is not exactly what you’d call a rising star. He’s a young man whose itinerant career has seen him play in the Ukrainian second division, the Danish league and the Moldovan league. Before Tuesday night, he had played just 51 minutes of international football… against Kazakhstan and Bahrain. …”
ESPN (Video)
Euro 2020: Artem Dovbyk scores dramatic 120th minute winner to send Ukraine throught to meet England
Guardian: Ukraine strike late in extra time against Sweden to set up England quarter-final