Henry Winter’s World Cup Diary, Day 26
“Has anyone stopped Erling Haaland?!” Morgan Rogers asked after England training.
Well, yes, Rogers’ Aston Villa did in their last four meetings with Haaland and Manchester City. So Ezri Konsa will be up for the challenge. As will Marc Guehi, who defends against Haaland in City training. Konsa and Guehi, probably ex-City man John Stones when he comes on, will need to be at their very best.
If they stifle Haaland, England will reach the World Cup semi-finals. So here’s a rudimentary compilation of the accepted methods of cracking the Norse code and halting a tall, mobile footballing Viking with thunder in his left boot.
No space in behind. If Martin Odegaard starts dinking balls in behind the defensive line, Haaland will kill England. Guehi, a swift anticipator of incoming threat, may need to drop off.
Force him onto his right. A glance at Haaland’s Premier League numbers tells the story: 112 goals, 80 with his left peg, just 13 with his weaker right, including only three in the season just gone. Easier said than done, as he does such damage first time. But important.
Cut off the supply. Don’t let wingers cross. Don’t let Odegaard settle on the ball and look up. Get Elliot Anderson and Declan Rice to shield the back-four, stopping balls in to Haaland. Rogers: “We’re going to have to try and stop how the balls go into him and how he gets his chances because he’s so deadly in front of goal.”
Be physical. Don’t let Haaland bully you. Konsa in particular has to get to grips with Haaland.
Concentrate. Konsa, Guehi and Stones cannot switch off for a split-second. Rogers again: “He can just turn it on with a click of the fingers. We’ve just got to be so focussed, so aware of the runs he makes and where he is in the box, especially, and how deadly he can be.”
Communicate. Haaland’s such a stealthy clever mover that defenders need to pass him on. Rogers: “He’s such an unbelievable player. You’re just in awe of how good he is and the level he’s at. When he’s on the pitch, anything can happen. You can never be surprised if Erling scores two goals, he keeps doing it.”
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Talking to a middle-aged local here in Kansas City, I asked how he felt about USMNT sliding almost shame-faced out of the World Cup. “We cheated,” he shrugged. He felt embarrassed over the whole FIFA/Folarin Balogun fiasco and perception of interference. His team were clearly affected by events, just as Belgium were motivated by them. Calling it cheating is a debate but it is undeniable that FIFA’s own goal over Balogun helped contribute to the demise of one of the co-hosts.
USMNT’s exit from the World Cup inevitably comes at a cost: to US pride; to hopes of a bigger boost to interest in soccer; and a slowing of commercial streams. Going into my local chemists in KC for some shaving foam, I came across some different foam. FIFA World Cup foam hats retailing at $24.99 were now half-price. The boom town rates are dropping.
Kylian Mbappe clocked the top speed of the World Cup so far of 23.36mph. Few American sportsmen come close to Mbappe. DK Metcalf, the wide receiver now at Pittsburgh Steelers, reached 22.23mph while at Seattle Seahawks. He’s been posting about soccer. “I’m known to kick it like the captain of a soccer team,” DK said on Instagram.” Maybe DK and Mbappe should have a sprint on the White House lawn. Winner gets the FIFA Pace Prize.
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Of all the things to get vexed about at the World Cup the length of the World Cup final half-time show isn’t one of them. Fifteen minutes isn’t sacrosanct. It’s run over before. If it’s 20 minutes, so what? If Justin Bieber, Shakira, Madonna and BTS put on a show that converts soccer agnostics then good. I’m not an NFL nut but I’ll watch the half-time show for the entertainment value (and admiration of how staff assemble and pack up the temporary stage). Fear of the Americanisation of the world’s game is understandable. Dynamic ticket pricing, commercial breaks masquerading as welfare slots and political interference have damaged the World Cup. But five minutes’ more of Bieber putting on the hits shouldn’t have Lord Kinnard spinning in his grave. Bieber doesn’t need to say sorry. Just to sing it.
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Catch up on the rest of Henry Winter’s World Cup Diary here
