GOM World Cup Diary #14 – Whatever Happened To Just Having A Go?
I spent a large part of yesterday evening watching England pass the ball sideways.
Then backwards.
Then sideways again.
Then backwards again.
At one point I considered making another coffee simply to give the ball a chance to arrive somewhere interesting.
England had nearly 80% possession against Ghana.
Eighty percent.
If possession was a currency, England could probably have bought a small country.
Unfortunately, football matches are still decided by goals.
And poor Harry Kane spent much of the evening standing in the penalty area looking like a man waiting for a bus that had been cancelled without notice.
Now, I am repeatedly told that England possess some of the finest midfield talent on the planet.
Rice.
Bellingham.
Saka.
Gordon.
Rogers.
Madueke.
If any of them became available tomorrow, somebody would probably offer enough money to fund a small space programme.
Yet somehow, between them, they managed to provide one of England’s greatest ever goalscorers with roughly one genuine opportunity all evening.
Which got me thinking.
Whatever happened to just having a go?
Modern football seems terrified of making mistakes.
Every attack must be carefully constructed.
Every pass perfectly measured.
Every movement analysed by people with access to graphics, statistics and words I don’t understand.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s tactical plan appeared remarkably straightforward.
Put everybody behind the ball.
Stay there.
Wait.
And it worked.
The commentators called it a “low block.”
When I was younger, we called it “everyone back.”
The phrase was shorter and required fewer coaching badges.
You could hardly blame Ghana, either.
If somebody offered me a point against England before kick-off, I’d probably put eleven men behind the sofa.
I sometimes wonder whether modern life suffers from the same problem.
Nobody wants to do anything until they’ve found the perfect solution.
People spend weeks researching holidays.
Months comparing televisions.
Years planning things they could have started yesterday.
We’re all waiting for certainty.
Football doesn’t do certainty.
Neither does life.
Sometimes you simply have to take a chance.
Have a shot.
Put the ball into the box.
Cause a bit of chaos and see what happens.
Of course, I should admit that I spent most of the second half shouting “Just shoot!” at the television despite possessing absolutely no tactical qualifications whatsoever.
So perhaps I am not entirely innocent.
Croatia’s victory over Panama means England can probably expect more of the same in the next match.
More packed defences.
More patience.
More probing.
More commentators discussing how to unlock stubborn opponents.
And maybe they’re right.
Maybe the answer is incredibly complicated.
Or maybe, every now and then, somebody should simply have a go.
Because sometimes it feels like we’re all looking for the perfect opportunity while life quietly passes the ball sideways.
Anyway, what do I know?
I’m just a grumpy old man.
If you’ve got a better take, drop it below. If not, I’ll assume you’re an England fan.
