towards the semi-finals

So now we know the third piece in the semi-final puzzle.

France’s 2-0 defeat, a few days ago, by eliminated Sweden, was clearly not the best psychological preparation for their up-coming quarter-final against Spain and, with reports of arguments breaking out within the French camp following that defeat, my mind went back to the disintegration of the French campaign in South Africa and the opprobrium with which their World Cup squad was mired as it returned home, broken and defeated, to France.  I seem to recall that the bête noir of that fiasco was Nicolas Anelka.  He, of course, has moved on; now no longer playing for France or Chelsea and, as his powers diminish, is printing his own money in Shanghai.  2010 captain Patrice Evra, clearly a man of firm principles, having fought his battle with the then French coach Raymond Domenech and subsequently making a determined and successful stand, at club level, against the throwaway racist remarks of Liverpool’s Luis Suarez is back in the squad, but never got on the pitch for this game.   

In 2010 the whole thing fell apart on Domenech’s watch and it was, no doubt, seen as somewhat of a poison chalice for new coach Laurent Blanc to grasp although some might argue that things could only have got better, and indeed they did.  France entered the tournament with a run of 21 undefeated games under their belt whereas Vicente Del Bosque’s Spain, current European and World Champions, has a recent history punctured by the odd defeat – remember England’s 1-0 victory at Wembley in November last year for example - but there is always a feeling with that bunch of individuals that, whatever might happen in the friendlies, they can, and will, underpinned by the brilliance of their El Classico stars bring their game up to the boil almost at will.  

Just as I suggested that, from the outset, Greece had been playing for penalties in their quarter final so, it would seem, France were looking to shoot it out over the final half-hour of normal time.  As they brought on more penetrative players towards the end so Spain withdrew theirs and concentrated on protecting their lead.  The last-act denouement therefore never happened despite Riberry briefly coming to life like a stuttering firecracker and we returned to watching the Spaniards trying to unpick the French defence like a bunch of gossiping old ladies hunched over a bundle of old rags.  Unlike Germany v Greece we couldn’t view the fortunes of the game through the faces and gesticulations of the two team coaches, both of who were several degrees more implacable than Messrs Löw and Santos.  Laurent Blanc’s still youthful, handsome face looks like a cross between Franz Beckenbauer and a studious secondary school teacher whilst Vicente Del Bosque’s older, more lived-in, elongated countenance that is redolent of an 18^th century Bourbon king straight out of a Goya portrait, even though he is a few tassels short of being the real McCoy, were altogether much less animated. 

 

Now we look forward to England v Italy tomorrow (Sunday).  I can’t help admitting that England doesn’t seem to be emerging as such a skilful or penetrative unit as the three teams already through.  They do, I suppose, increasingly have the ability to retain possession; to ping-pong the ball around in mid-field but, unlike the Spaniards they make fewer one-touch passes and are therefore more ponderous; they find it harder to make that telling forward pass that has to come from possession sooner or later if there is to be any point to it.  With Italy also, in their traditional way, expected to be cautious I don’t foresee a game charged with high-octane excitement.  England may not be a great side but I am grateful that Roy Hodgson and the Football Association, with the help of Avram Grant and some holocaust survivors, if nothing else, have shown Wayne Rooney and all our other millionaire footballers that the beautiful game is, after all, just that!

 

Nevertheless we can hope for an exciting contest worthy of the occasion.