“Because maybe, you’re gonna be the one that saves me, and after all, you’re my wonderwall”… Yep, four weeks in and we’re still singing (not that we’re superstitious but if we stop now that could be curtains and then I will have to think about something else to write about).
Naturally, we recognise you might be getting a little fed up with my tactical masterclasses but, hey, why change a winning formula?
And, it seems, everyone is jumping into the World Cup bunfight. We even received word from global cloud communications company Sinch (me, neither) that, as the World Cup enters the knockout stages, football managers are using 50% more clichés than they did during the group stage.
Citing its Expected Cliché Tracker (how I wish I could get my mitts on that), apparently coaches are increasingly replacing tactical explanations with familiar themes of heart, belief and togetherness as the pressure builds.
As the tournament heads into the quarter final stage, the most widely used single phrases across the field are “we respect every opponent” (9 managers, 15 uses), “we focus on what we can control” (9 managers, 11 uses) and “we know our qualities” (6 managers, 9 uses). “It is what it is” and “we take it step by step” have also become the signature knockout fillers.
Of course, the question on everyone’s lips is, how can England overcome the Norwegian big lad so all you marketers can ensure British shoppers keep buying stuff for the rest of the World Cup? After all, it has already been predicted that this cup run could deliver a £7.6bn boost to the UK economy. That’s a lorra, lorra “stuff”…
As I have said on numerous occasions, I am no expert but I do believe our boys need to employ an aggressive counter-press in the middle of the park, as disrupting the transitions prevents Norway’s creative engine from pulling the strings.
Off the ball, England must deploy a compact low block or a double-pivot screen to intercept passing lanes. One centre-back must act as the enforcer to track deeper runs, while the other sweeps to handle aerial targets.
In possession, England should stretch the pitch with overlapping full-backs. Forcing Norway’s backline to shift horizontally will open pockets of space between the lines, with quick, direct counter-attacks to catch Norway on the break if they commit too many numbers forward.
Alternatively, just nobble Erling Haaland early doors, otherwise we’re coming home empty handed…
Foxy has ditched X but is still on Instagram, just don’t get too excited as she’s never there
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