Spot The Dot
WAS this the best World Cup goal ever? ask the Times on the cover of its THE GAME football supplement.
Well, Peter Crouch did rise like very long salmon to head home Englands first against the mighty Trinidad & Tobago, but the best ever? If anything, Steven Gerrards strike that made it 2-0 was better.
But we are mistaken. The paper is not talking about England but Argentinas Estaban Cambiosos fine finish to his teams 24-pass move.
For anyone who wants to replicate the strike in their company car park or school playground or if Sven Goran Eriksson wants to give his side an alternative to the long ball the Times reproduces a graphic of that goal.
Its an artistic move, a little Damien Hirst in its execution, what with all those yellow dots, but no worse for it. Over in the Sun, the 24 carat goal is turned into a patchwork of blue dots and black lines.
Looking at the intricacy of movement and passing, the Sun thinks it would be good idea if England avoided Argentina. Avoid em like the plague, it says. Argentina! Its just like watching Brazil, it chimes. And not a bit like watching England.
But England need not worry. Argentina dont stand chance. The weight of history is against them.
Sure the great goal was the second of six Argentina scored against Serbia& Montenegro. But, as the Times says, none of the past six sides to score six or more goals in a match at the World Cup finals has won the tournament.
Thats the kind of statistic Eriksson might like to post up on the changing room wall. You dont want to peak too early, lads. Save your goals for when they really matter.
And goals will surely come Englands way. Now Rooney is playing, Sven can revert to Plan A and get the ball to him as quickly as possible and with minimal fuss.
But Rooney might not have yet returned if in the build up to Englands match against T&T he had done as Alex Ferguson had suggested.
The Express says that before the match Rooney received a phone call from the Manchester United manager.
The paper says Ferguson tried to persuade Rooney not to play. Even if selected, he should not face T&T. To do so would be wrong.
Rooney was less than pleased. And now he is said to be fuming – which is pretty much Rooneys usual state of being.
And if Wayne can channel his anger the right way, he may yet score a better goal than Cambiosos. And we might see a graphic of a little spotty red dot running all over the pitch.
Posted: 17th, June 2006 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
