THE MARACANÃ-WOE
A common error regarding Argentina is the tendency to label them as “Lionel Messi’s Argentina,” which undermines the contributions of other players who are also propelling the team to success. During a tumultuous night at the Maracanã, where there was aggression, fouls, and police violence towards visiting fans, it was one of the team’s true champions, Nicolás Otamendi, who scored the winning goal and handed Brazil their first home defeat in World Cup qualifying history.
It is naive to believe that forwards are solely responsible for winning World Cups and Copa Américas. While goals are important for winning individual games, strong defenses are crucial for winning championships, as any football email will inform you. Argentina’s centre-backs, Otamendi and Cristian Romero, are known for their tough playing style, making it foolish to consider Messi more important than them. In fact, it was a perfectly executed corner by Giovanni Lo Celso that led to Otamendi scoring the deciding goal in the 63rd minute. None of the flashy dribbling and fancy skills that people often admire were necessary.
Messi is the master strategist of the team, using his skills to achieve results that others cannot. However, there are times when a tough approach is necessary. He approached the section of opposing fans as police arrived, ready to use force. He tried to calm the situation as some fans took refuge on the field, causing a delay in the match for half an hour. Later, Messi commented on the team’s historic victory at the Maracanã, but also expressed disappointment in the treatment of Argentinian fans by Brazilian authorities. He called for an end to this unacceptable behavior. While Messi used his words, Emi Martínez, who is experienced in tough situations, physically intervened to stop a police officer wielding a baton. It can be assumed that the police backed down after seeing Otamendi and Romero’s intimidating stares.
After a tense night in Rio de Janeiro, there was a surprising announcement during the post-match press conference from Lionel Scaloni. The former West Ham defender stated that he was considering resigning from his position as manager of the world champions, citing the difficulty of maintaining such a high level of success. While a change in leadership can often have a negative impact, Argentina remains confident with players like Otamendi and Romero performing well and Messi contributing in small but significant ways. Any opponent should come prepared with fouls, batons, and dinner, as La Albiceleste will surely dominate.
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Today’s quote is:
Last year, I was hasty in comparing my elder brother, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, to Harry Maguire. However, I must apologize, as Mr Maguire has since shown great improvement and has become a transformative footballer. He is now scoring goals for Manchester United and is a crucial player for the team. On the other hand, our own ‘Maguire’ is now representing us at the International Monetary Fund and has achieved notable success. As for our economic ‘Maguire’, he has been able to rally pensioners to join him in celebrating on the streets. In 2022, Ghanaian MP Isaac Adongo had compared the player to the vice-president, claiming that Maguire was a major threat in the Manchester United defense. However, like any good politician, he has now retracted at least part of his criticism.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
The current state of Manchester United’s players has been attributed to external factors rather than their own efforts during pre-season. It seems like a thought experiment, similar to Schrödinger’s cat, would be interesting to see how long it would take for just one player to realize they may be the root of the issue if they were locked in a dressing room together. However, self-awareness is not their strong suit, although irony appears to be. – Noble Francis.
Regarding the topic of increasing the score during soccer games (referenced in previous Football Daily letters), it is not uncommon for youth soccer matches in the USA to have one team dominating the other. In these situations, I have noticed coaches implementing a strategy of limiting the number of passes before a shot is taken. This often involves coaches shouting phrases such as “three passes before shooting” or “five passes before scoring”. As a parent watching from the sidelines, I question which is more disrespectful to the opposing team: continuing to increase the score or hearing these instructions from the opposing coach? Losing by a significant margin is one thing, but being aware that you are essentially part of a training session rather than a real game can be even more humiliating. – Stephen Jackson.
In the Catholic Youth League in Maryland, I used to be a referee where a rule known as the Mercy Rule was enforced. This rule stated that if a team had a lead of seven goals, they were required to remove one player from the field. However, if their opponents were able to reduce the lead, the player could rejoin the game. I personally referred to this rule as the Sisters of Mercy Rule and it was also known as Law 18, named after Mother Mary. This serves as proof that the Football Gods do exist, according to Ian Plenderleith.
When I was a child playing in the cubs’ league, our team faced off against a formidable opponent. This team included Murdo MacLeod, who would go on to become a star for Scotland, Celtic, and Dortmund. There were also two other players on their team who would go on to become professional players, one of them being Murdo’s brother. I was the goalkeeper for our team and despite being down 21-0 at halftime, I was able to limit the final score to just 28-0. This was not because the other team went easy on us, but rather because of a clever tactic. In the first half, there was a fence just two yards behind our goal, making it difficult for the other team to score. However, in the second half, the fence was removed and replaced with 50 yards of red blaes (a rough, gravel-like surface) with no nets. This forced me to take my time retrieving the ball, effectively managing the game and preventing the other team from scoring more goals. And let’s not forget that this match was only 30 minutes per half.
Please send all correspondence to [email protected]. The recipient of today’s featured letter is Gavin Stewart, who will receive a copy of Arsène Who? by Ryan Baldi. We will continue to have more prizes throughout the week, so start writing!
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Source: theguardian.com
