The international Break thread.. | Page 10 | Vital Football

The international Break thread..

I have to say I was mesmerised at the beauty and artistry being weaved on the left of their penalty area.
Time and time again we showed how intricate passes , ball control , and back passes were making them look like cart horses .
It was just a shame really no one remembered that the ball has to go in the direction of the goal at some time .

Can anyone remember more than one actual cross into the box .
There was one that Harry headed to the feet of the goalkeeper after two bounces !

Grealish's evening was one ball slid across the face of goal. He pratted around with it on the left playing one-twos with Shaw and Mount and completely forgot the entire point of football - scoring and assisting goals. It's not as if Grealish is up for a defensive shift in these games either. Pep has a lot of work to do if he is going to get finished product out of him.

We were much better on the right through Sterling, although he does need to find the right time to get the ball in. I actually like Sterlings directness but can see a time when Foden, Saka and Sancho need to come to the fore.
 
When have we ever been on top?

The worst thing about us doing well at tournaments (even with a flukey draw) is all the pricks continually singing that bloody song.

It's marginally better than that damn ummpah ummpah brass band that made me want to give up attending home games forever or alternatively running amok with a machine gun.
 
I have to say I was mesmerised at the beauty and artistry being weaved on the left of their penalty area.
Time and time again we showed how intricate passes , ball control , and back passes were making them look like cart horses .
It was just a shame really no one remembered that the ball has to go in the direction of the goal at some time .

Can anyone remember more than one actual cross into the box .
There was one that Harry headed to the feet of the goalkeeper after two bounces !
Haha Walt exactly my thoughts when watching....lovely pretty football but not making an ounce of difference or problems for their GK.

I think, that's why HK popped out of the pen area and thought what the fcuk is going on, better do it myself lol! result him scoring a blinder against the ex Gooner, loved it.
 
"We were playing well, we were in control," said Southgate.

"At those moments, it's not easy to come on as a substitute and we would be taking people off for the sake of it, frankly.

"We were in total control, there was no issue, why disrupt it when you're in control?"


This is why Gareth will never be a top coach. He can't see that you simply have to make subs with the 5 sub rule. You can't leave your 10 tired outfield players playing against 5 pairs of fresh legs at the highest level.

Kane's one bit of magic saved his manager from getting slaughtered by everyone this morning.

Still saddens me that this golden generation is being left under his guidance. We all know we won't win anything.
 
"We were playing well, we were in control," said Southgate.

"At those moments, it's not easy to come on as a substitute and we would be taking people off for the sake of it, frankly.

"We were in total control, there was no issue, why disrupt it when you're in control?"

This is why Gareth will never be a top coach. He can't see that you simply have to make subs with the 5 sub rule. You can't leave your 10 tired outfield players playing against 5 pairs of fresh legs at the highest level.

Kane's one bit of magic saved his manager from getting slaughtered by everyone this morning.

Still saddens me that this golden generation is being left under his guidance. We all know we won't win anything.

See my view of him above!
 
See my view of him above!

Yep, like me you've seen it with your own eyes. I will never forget the tactical mess I saw in Moscow in a WC semi-final. Will stay with me for life.

The FA (and Allardyce) have saved him from falling way down the football management ladder like a lot of his peers. He's a very lucky guy to be earning all this money. A good guy, but a massively incompetent one.
 
Government considers relaxing red list restrictions for Premier League footballers

Full exemptions appear unlikely, but a compromise in game's escalating club versus country crisis appears close to being reached

By Tom Morgan, Sports News Correspondent and Ben Rumsby 8 September 2021 • 7:02pm



The Government is considering relaxing its red list restrictions for Premier League footballers in a bid to ease the game's escalating club versus country crisis, the Daily Telegraph understands.
Potential solutions to ensure clubs will release players in the next window have been drawn up by senior Whitehall figures and are now under consideration by Public Health England.
Full exemptions appear unlikely, but a compromise - which could even allow Tottenham and Aston Villa's four Argentinian players to return earlier than expected - appears close to being reached.
A solution this week is possible although senior footballing figures fear it will be too late for Brazil to change their mind in stopping their eight star players featuring in England's top tier this weekend.
In total, 11 players are now banned from playing this weekend following a backlash from South America against a Premier League pact to stop stars from travelling before the international window opened.
Richard Masters, the Premier League chief executive, had written to clubs to say he is still hopeful of striking a solution, but on Wednesday the league was dealt its heaviest blow as Brazil confirmed it would join other nations triggering five-day sanctions affecting Liverpool, the Manchester clubs, Chelsea and Leeds United.
The furore following the farce involving health authorities stopping Brazil's match with Argentina after just eight minutes on Sunday comes a fortnight after Fifa president Gianni Infantino wrote to Boris Johnson to urge him to give footballers allowances to play games in red list countries.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden is understood to be pushing for a solution that does not compromise public health, having played a key role ensuring Government previously showed flexibility in granting exemptions around Euro 2020, Wimbledon and the Indian cricket team travelling to England.
Senior figures within world football are also increasingly optimistic that allowances are now within reach to avert another club versus country spat in October and November.
The Telegraph revealed how the Government had previously suggested players could see out their quarantine period at St George's Park, but that option was swiftly rejected by the clubs.
As it stands, the clubs who held firm on an arrangement to stop players from travelling to red list destinations prior to the current window are now subject to five-day sanctions preventing them from using them in club matches. Clubs have no choice but to follow the Fifa rule as they would be effectively fielding ineligible players if they chose to ignore the governing body. There is no appeal process for such a ruling. Instead, the clubs may need to make direct representations to Brazil to ask the national body to revoke its decision.
Liverpool and City are understood to believe Fifa has no basis to sanction given the extraordinary circumstances around Covid-19 travel rules which prevented them being able to report for international duty.
The ban currently rules out three Liverpool players, Roberto Firmino, Fabinho and Alisson; Manchester City's Ederson and Gabriel Jesus; and Leeds forward Raphinha. Wolves' Raul Jimenez, Newcastle's Miguel Almiron and Watford's Francisco Sierralta are also affected as Mexico, Paraguay and Chile had previously backed sanctions.
Chelsea's Thiago Silva and Manchester United's Fred will also be missing from Tuesday's fixtures, but Everton's Richarlison has been spared the sanction, and can play against Burnley on Monday because he had been involved in the Olympics and other matches this summer.

Fifa, meanwhile, had announced on Tuesday night that Brazil was facing disciplinary proceedings alongside Argentina over the chaotic scenes that saw the visiting team marched off the pitch on Sunday for playing four Premier League-based players in Sao Paulo.
Uruguay has not asked for the rule to be triggered yet. The punishment is arguably favourable that the 10 day isolation that players would have faced had they been released.
Premier League clubs had unanimously decided not to release players for international matches played in red list countries due to Fifa’s current position not to extend its temporary release exception for players required to quarantine on their return from international duty. However, Tottenham and Villa's Argentine contingent ended up travelling to South America regardless.
Charlie Marshall, the European Club Association chief executive, said the chaos involving Tottenham's Cristian Romero and Giovani Lo Celso and Aston Villa pair Emiliano Martinez and Emiliano Buendia illustrated why the clubs should not be punished
"We don't think there should be sanctions because if a player has to quarantine he is unavailable to immediately play for his club again, so it would be longer than the agreed release period," he said at an ECA general assembly in Geneva.
Andrea Radrizzani, of Leeds United, had also praised Raphinha for sticking with the club. "We invited him to make a decision and he decided no," the Italian added. "He showed great respect for his club and the Premier League in giving up this opportunity to play for his country for the first time."
 
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If I were the FA / PL, I would just tell FIFA we are playing those players this coming weekend. I would tell them that they are no longer empowered to make that call.

We all know that international federations couldn't take and return players in the agreed upon calendars windows for international fixtures. We also know that governments didn't provide COVID waivers to allow that to happen, orchestrated by FIFA.

So no PL club or player are to blame here and should not be punished.

As much as I love international football, the domestic setup needs to stop recognising FIFA's governance until they start showing value.

I'd also happily see England walk away from the Qatar world cup. We're a bunch of hypocrites taking the knee and then jumping on a plane to that country.
 
If I were the FA / PL, I would just tell FIFA we are playing those players this coming weekend. I would tell them that they are no longer empowered to make that call.

We all know that international federations couldn't take and return players in the agreed upon calendars windows for international fixtures. We also know that governments didn't provide COVID waivers to allow that to happen, orchestrated by FIFA.

So no PL club or player are to blame here and should not be punished.

As much as I love international football, the domestic setup needs to stop recognising FIFA's governance until they start showing value.

I'd also happily see England walk away from the Qatar world cup. We're a bunch of hypocrites taking the knee and then jumping on a plane to that country.
Regarding the World Cup in Qatar, I wish some journalist would have the cojones to pose that question directly to Southgate or a spokesperson for the FA if they could find one.
 
It's funny how sanctions against Hungary by UEFA dont apply to FIFA competitions but punishments for not playing in FIFA competitions is expected to be applied to Premier League and UEFA competitions.
 
Regarding the World Cup in Qatar, I wish some journalist would have the cojones to pose that question directly to Southgate or a spokesperson for the FA if they could find one.

6500 workers have died in the construction of the stadiums according to a Guardian report. I think journos and tv radio may be conflicted on the world Cup. Its big business to them. Lots of money at stake if it didn't go ahead.
What should a player feel knowing thousands of people had died building the stadium he is playing in ? I wouldn't want to play. It just seems disrespectful and wrong in so many ways.
 
6500 workers have died in the construction of the stadiums according to a Guardian report. I think journos and tv radio may be conflicted on the world Cup. Its big business to them. Lots of money at stake if it didn't go ahead.
What should a player feel knowing thousands of people had died building the stadium he is playing in ? I wouldn't want to play. It just seems disrespectful and wrong in so many ways.
Well, I was following on from Muttley's point about England withdrawing from the World Cup as a point of principle and in keeping with their anti-racism campaign. Of course, the World Cup should never have been awarded to Qatar anyway.

As to the journalists I'd hope they'd be operating with journalistic integrity and report the story honestly and factually, and without interference from their bosses. And in some ways England's withdrawal would be as newsworthy as their participation. They've had to report on big tournaments before where England have failed to qualify.

It would be nice to see one or more players make a stand too.

The whole thing stinks though. And FIFA have had a comparatively easy ride over it.
 
Well, I was following on from Muttley's point about England withdrawing from the World Cup as a point of principle and in keeping with their anti-racism campaign. Of course, the World Cup should never have been awarded to Qatar anyway.

As to the journalists I'd hope they'd be operating with journalistic integrity and report the story honestly and factually, and without interference from their bosses. And in some ways England's withdrawal would be as newsworthy as their participation. They've had to report on big tournaments before where England have failed to qualify.

It would be nice to see one or more players make a stand too.

The whole thing stinks though. And FIFA have had a comparatively easy ride over it.
gary you hope that one or more players make a stand, your avin a laff there, no seriously you are so right, but mark my words it will not happen!
 
Well, I was following on from Muttley's point about England withdrawing from the World Cup as a point of principle and in keeping with their anti-racism campaign. Of course, the World Cup should never have been awarded to Qatar anyway.

As to the journalists I'd hope they'd be operating with journalistic integrity and report the story honestly and factually, and without interference from their bosses. And in some ways England's withdrawal would be as newsworthy as their participation. They've had to report on big tournaments before where England have failed to qualify.

It would be nice to see one or more players make a stand too.

The whole thing stinks though. And FIFA have had a comparatively easy ride over it.

You cannot respect Human Rights unless you also respect Equality for all people, you cannot respect equality unless you oppose racism, if you oppose racism, you must treat a lack of equality in the same manner. These edicts are indivisible.

It was a disgrace when they won the bid through outright manipulation and bribery. but FIFA chooses to do nothing. I've opposed them having it and our participation from the start. I will not watch it and I and my family have decided that whenever we see a brand promoting its sponsorship or association, wherever we can we will boycott that brand forever and will help spread that boycott via Twitter and every other social media that we can

this is Qatar now:

Much of what they've done can be described as 'long overdue' and a token acknowledgement of the criticism that this country quite rightly recieves.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/middle-east-and-north-africa/qatar/report-qatar/

We also cannot just ignore it's ties to terrorism - terrorism that has claimed many British lives:

https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/fact-check-is-qatar-supporting-terrorism-1.5484124

QATAR 2020

New laws were passed offering migrant workers better legal protections. Despite government measures to control the spread of COVID-19, migrant workers bore the brunt of the pandemic’s impact. The authorities further tightened restrictions on freedom of expression. Women continued to face discrimination in law and practice. Executions resumed after a 20-year hiatus.
Background

The Gulf crisis that started in 2017 continued, with ties severed between Qatar and Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

In January, the Emir appointed Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani as Prime Minister and formed a new cabinet.

In March, the government introduced a series of measures to control the spread of COVID-19, including access to free health care, and provided financial support to businesses. The Emir also amended the Prevention of Infectious Diseases Law to increase fines and prison sentences for anyone violating its provisions and established a Health Prosecution Unit dedicated to such prosecutions.

In November, the Emir announced that long-promised elections to the Shura Council (an advisory body that acts as a quasi-parliament) will be held in 2021.
Migrant workers’ rights

Significant reforms aiming to protect migrant workers from labour abuse and exploitation were introduced, but employers continued to retain disproportionate powers as they oversee the entry and residence of migrant workers and can file criminal “absconding” charges against them. Following announcements by the Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs (MADLSA) in 2019 to abolish the kafala (sponsorship) system, in January the Ministry of Interior extended the abolition of the exit permit requirement to include domestic workers, stipulating, however, that they inform employers 72 hours before their departure.

In June, MADLSA announced the opening of a joint office with the Judiciary Supreme Council to facilitate implementation of the decisions of newly established committees to resolve labour disputes. However, access to justice for migrant workers remained largely slow and fruitless, and the conditions under which workers could collect their unpaid wages from the support fund, set up to help them recoup their money, were unclear.

Around 100 migrant workers, employed on a construction project for a FIFA World Cup stadium, worked for up to seven months without pay. While most employees eventually received the majority of their basic salaries, some workers still had several months of salaries or allowances outstanding at the end of the year.1

Despite some pilot projects to set up joint committees to represent workers in various companies, migrant workers, unlike Qatari nationals, were still unable to form or join trade unions.

In its July report following a visit to Qatar, the Special Rapporteur on racism raised serious concerns regarding the “structural forms of racial discrimination against non-nationals” and called on the government to “take urgent steps to dismantle what is in effect a quasi-caste system based on national origin”, including in the private sector.

In August, the Emir signed a series of laws setting a non-discriminatory minimum wage that must be revised annually, and two others abolishing the necessity for migrant workers to obtain the “No-Objection Certificate” from their employer to change jobs. The new legislation enabled workers to change jobs freely through an online process led by MADLSA.2 In preparation for this move, in July, the government launched a re-employment platform to enable companies and employees to seek new employment opportunities.
Migrant women domestic workers

Migrant domestic workers, mostly women, continued to face severe forms of abuse without access to a remedy despite the Domestic Workers Law introduced in 2017. Many employers made women work an average of 16 hours a day, denied them rest, prevented them from taking a day off in the week, and confiscated their passports despite this being illegal. These abuses took place in a climate of complete impunity for perpetrators. The only shelter, established in 2019, to offer refuge for domestic workers fleeing abuse and exploitation was not fully operational, making it even more difficult for them to leave an abusive workplace, let alone press charges against their employer.3
Right to health

The COVID-19 crisis exposed the vulnerability of migrant workers in Qatar.4 Although the government introduced some positive measures, such as free health care and testing for everybody, migrant workers were particularly affected by the pandemic and exposed to infection as a result of overcrowded and often insanitary living conditions.5 Cases of unpaid wages increased sharply from March and despite government-backed financial packages to support businesses and mitigate the impacts of the pandemic, thousands of companies failed to pay workers on time. Despite the government’s announcement of measures and efforts to provide support to migrant workers, some of those living in lockdown areas complained about the lack of food and supplies.

In April, police rounded up dozens of Nepali migrant workers and told them they were to be tested for COVID-19 and then returned to their accommodation. Instead, they were taken to detention centres and held in appalling conditions for several days, before being expelled to Nepal without explanation or due process.6


Continued,.....
 
Freedom of expression

Freedom of expression was further restricted by a vaguely worded law passed in January that criminalized a broad range of speech and publishing.7 Under the law, “biased” broadcasting or publishing can be punished by up to five years in prison and a fine of QAR100,000 (over US$25,000).

The authorities continued to exercise arbitrary executive powers, placing administrative sanctions such as travel bans on individuals without judicial process, in some cases seemingly as punishment for their political opinions or peaceful activities.8
Women’s rights

Women continued to face discrimination in law and practice.

Family law continued to discriminate against women, including by making it much harder for them to seek a divorce, severely disadvantaging them economically if they sought a divorce or their husband left them.

In its report following its visit to Qatar, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention noted that women under the age of 25 must obtain the permission of their male guardians to engage in daily activities such as signing contracts and leaving the country. As a result, it said, “women were prevented from leaving their family homes without the permission of their legal guardians, resulting in de facto deprivation of liberty by their families.”

On 2 October, the Qatari authorities took a number of women off planes when they were travelling out of Doha’s airport in the capital and subjected them to forced, private medical examinations to determine if they had given birth; a baby girl had been found abandoned in a bin at the airport. The incident drew a public outcry prompting Qatar to issue an apology and launch an investigation into the incident.
Right to privacy

Qatar’s contact tracing app EHTERAZ, developed by the Ministry of Interior to contain the spread of COVID-19, had a serious security flaw that exposed sensitive personal details of over 1 million users. Once the authorities were alerted to the flaw, they quickly fixed it.9 The app, like many others, remained problematic due to its lack of privacy safeguards.10
Death penalty

Executions resumed in April after a 20-year hiatus.
 
I'm not in the least bit surprised that the South American players are able to play this weekend. Of course FIFA will now be trying to take the credit for coordinating talks between countries like Brazil and Chile and the FA / PL. We all know it was FIFA's incompetence in the first place that led to this mess. We also know they weren't going to leave themselves in a place where we overruled them and weakened their governance over football.

My concern is that nothing is in place for the next sets of international windows. If COVID waivers are not in place then we shouldn't release any players.
 
England's long ball approach cost them Euro 2020 final against Italy, Uefa analysis finds

The technical report also singled out Jorginho and Gianluigi Donnarumma for praise and highlighted the value of Italy's experience

By Tom Morgan, Sports News Correspondent 14 September 2021 • 4:09pm

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/footbal...-approach-cost-euro-2020-final-against-italy/

England's second-half long ball tactics in the Euro 2020 final have been cited by Uefa analysts as a key reason for them failing to win the trophy.
A comprehensive study of each match at the tournament found Italy's Jorginho played 98 passes after half-time - more than the combined total of England's midfield.
"Finals are often decided by small details," concluded Gines Melendez, the coach behind Spain’s previously successful under-20 and under-19 teams. He suggested a switch to direct approach tactics from Gareth Southgate was undone by the experience of Jorginho and "warriors" Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci.
"I think that the decisive element was that Jorginho, Chiellini and Bonucci are players with a whole heap of experience," he added. "In my opinion, the experience of those Italy players came out on top, against the youth of England."
There had been praise for Southgate's tactics at the start of the match, which saw England take an early lead. Packie Bonner, the former Ireland goalkeeper who is now a Uefa technical panel member, wrote in the report: "I looked at my notes and after 17 minutes, I hadn't written a word about Italy. It was all about England - they were tactically excellent getting deep into the wide areas with Raheem Sterling and Mason Mount finding pockets of space and giving the Italy defenders plenty to think about."
Uefa's 55 page "Technical Report" adds that Italy manager Roberto Mancini "obviously made a good team talk at half time because the game changed totally". "Their positional play was much better and Jorginho was able to get on the ball and become the absolute leader on the pitch," it added.

England, the Uefa analysis added, "retreated into an ever deeper defensive block" and "Italy controlled the ball with enough comfort to record their lowest average passing distance of the tournament - 15.3 metres - and total twice as many passes as England".
"The result was a second half when England no longer exerting energetic high pressure", which "gave Italy's midfield trio the time and space they needed to take a stranglehold".
Jorginho then became “the absolute leader on the pitch” while England’s “aerial bombardment did little to perturb the warriors Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci”, the report added.
England’s share of possession dropped to 35 per cent, their lowest of the tournament, before Southgate’s men eventually lost on penalties.
“When you use wing backs, you need to play out from the back and have a good share of possession,” added Bonner. “When England started to give away possession they started to lose control of the game.
“When Jordan Pickford felt obliged to play it long, the wing backs found it difficult to get into attacking mode and [Harry] Kane was losing the ball in the air instead of being able to drop deep and receive along the ground.”
The report also praises Gianluigi Donnarumma, Italy’s goalkeeper, for his three saves in the shootout. Peter Rudbaek, Denmark’s technical director, said: “In five years’ time, if I close my eyes and think back to this tournament, I’m sure I will recall that Italy won because they had a very good goalkeeper and two very, very experienced stoppers. Those two guys were the fathers of the team.”
 
If ever a report/analysis rubbed in the tactical and substitute failings of Southgate, this has to be it.

That said, who could we replace him with (which I desperately want to do!)?