Tag: 1966

Interestingly, this is how Argentina plays – by pushing all their strikers up into the opponent’s half – even substituting midfield and defensive players for even more strikers! England did not go that far – but the effect was similar. If you can dictate the pace and where the game will take place – you can “hide” the weaknesses in your team. Obviously, at half-time, the French coach re-set the approach of the French team – and they came out attacking England’s shaky defence (they got round the back)! We know this worked as they quickly scored “4” goals and put England under intense pressure until substitutions could be made that soldified the formation. Although never drawing equal – it was close – and England had to work hard to score two-more goals! Was Tuchel right to play this England side? Well, probably “yes”. The French could have scored “4” goals against England’s a-team – and England might not have had an answer to any of it! England could have gone 4-0 down and stayed 4-0 down! Instead, an inspired choice of fresh and highly motivated English reserves caught the French totally by surprise! The “4” goals England scored gave a sevurity blanket against the French avalanche – when it came – and come it did! We already had the goals in the bag – but had to work to stop it getting any worse – or throwing away the first-half lead! Many thought that England and France should have been in the final – and were the best two sides. We got our final in the end and can proudly hold our heads up high with a well-earned third-place in the world. One-day, we will regain the top spot in world football – the game England invented!