If you're anything like me, and I guess you are, you will have been living on your nerves since Brendan Rodgers confirmed that he's off to Liverpool, and the regular summer search for our next gaffer began to take place.
Daily, the Boomakers fluctuate, mentioning the sublime (Bergkamp, Laudrup) to the ridiculous (Mick McCarthy, Lee Trundle). It just drives me further into the Fugue, and I look forward to the day when Huw Jenkins and the Board are able to announce an appointment that we can all get behind. Please, please, let it be soon.
Latest reports suggest that Huw Jenkins is in Cyprus on Holiday, but is remaining committed to filling the vacancy, with some courteous "no comments" from Michael Laudrup's agent at least leaning toward my preference.
Oh, that we could.
Whilst my daily concerns remain the Swansea City appointment, we've at least got the distraction of the Euro 2012 Championship start - and it promises to be a hum-dinger.
I don't know about you, but I confess to feeling at a loss for the availability of live football, so the start of Euro 2012 has come as a sort of Methadone relief from the rigours of my mainline Football addiction.
Incidentally, please don't think I'm making light of an often tragic and life changing set of circumstances, it's just that it seems to me to mirror, socially, our dependence (almost) on live football. Respect.
If we think we've got turmoil at our Club, spare a thought for the recently appointed England manager, the generally perceived second choice Roy Hodgson.
No sooner had he been appointed but that beacon of quality journalism, The Sun, took it upon themselves to criticise the choice in their own inimitable way.
They do have a way with words. More's the pity.
Much as I'd love to debate the demerits of this rag, for the purposes of this article, we need to move on.
The Euro Tournament kicked off last night with a pair of cracking games that saw the joint host nation Poland take an early lead against Greece's negativity, only to see the downtrodden Greeks roar back and secure a 1-1 final score, and one, moreover, where they could have won subsequent to Sczezesny's sending off and a saved penalty.
Later, Russia took the Czech Republic to the cleaners in a mightily impressive 4-1 spanking that included a sublime cameo from Andrei Arshavin, late of North London, but nowadays ensconced more comfortably in St Petersburgh. A genuine Home bird.
Whatever, it was a great start to a fantastic Tournament.
The second days' play saw another compelling duopoly of matches, when Holland took on near enemies Denmark, and Die Mannschaft Deutschland rocked up for a cracker against Portugal, CR7 included.
In technical terms, this pair of games was better still since we saw a cachet of payers who regularly attract slavish devotion from fans in some of the best Leagues in the world.
Btw, if, like me, you're a Twitter afficionado, check out the Guardian's interactive Tweet Map of the Euros.
Genuinely good fun.
Tweet of the day thus far, a group of Irish Fans who have a message for Europe's Nanny...
Germany's win over Portugal was ultimately a reward for persistence - but in this exalted company, that's sometimes what sides have to do.
In the other game, the sneakily efficient Danes were too good for the profligate Dutch and triumphed 1-0, but in this regularly branded "Group of Death", don't yet bet on the outcome.
Which led to the first truly cosmic meeting of the Tournament, and today's Italy v Spain clash, along with a rabid outburst of delight in tonight's RoI v Croatia clash. Wow.
The ESP V ITA clash was an absolute delight of tactical treats, which, if like me you delight in the process involved in out-thinking your opponent, gave us a feast of options.
Most readers will be aware of ITV's limitations in televising these Championships, where each little chunk between the constant ad-breaks is sure to contain a reference to how England will do, despite the fact that they're NOT PLAYING TODAY, along with the embarrassing Adrian Chiles, drowning in his morass of links to "coming after the break" before we get to see any football.
Their panel's discussion of Spain's tentative 4-6-0 set up beggared belief - and they were also, criminally, even to offer an opinion on the Italian formation. Was it 3-4-3? Was it 4-3 2 1? Who knew? Certainly not them.
Gordon Strachan has his faults (an awful temper), and Roberto Martinez his too (can be very Smarmy), but both are tactically astute. Couple them with the erudite and experienced (front line) Patrick Viera and you ought to have a group that can enhance your understanding of the game. Thanks to Chiles's inept leadership, all that was blown away in a farrago of local gossip and Rio Ferdinand-esque debate about nothing. I got so angry at one point I wanted to smash the screen. Instead, I poured another glass of wine - and it was not yet 6pm!!
In a cracking first half of sublime football, the World Champions strutted comfortably, but were matched by the industrious Italians, who also carved out the best chances, and Casillas made two at least World Class saves. Phew, I drew breath.
I looked closely at both formations.
Spain were really playing a 4-2-3-1, the complication being that the front 4 (Silva, Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas) were constantly switching. Whilst Xavi Hernandez never quite became the 1, the other 3 switched incessantly. and allowed Busquts and Xavi Alonso as the 2 to protect efficiently.
However, despite this exciting and innovative soundness, Cesare Prandelli had gone for broke, and Italy were a swirl of bodies competing ably. There were 3 at the back, but Daniele de Rossi patrolled both in front, and sometimes swept.
In front of that, Pirlo was the pivot, dovetailing with Marchisio, whilst 3 were ahead and Balotelli and Cassano roamed dangerously up front. Or so it seemed at first sight.
I've thought again, after the game, about the Italian formation.
Was it a 4-2-3-1, or, as it seemed to me, a 3-1-4-2, where de Rossi played in the middle of the back 3 (but often brought the ball out), Pirlo held ,pivoted and plotted, with the wing backs wide, leaving Montilivio/Giovinco and Thiago Motta to support the front 2 of Balotelli and Cassano.
I'm convinced that's how it was. Whatever, in the first half it worked really well, in the Second, more was at stake.
Although Spain had been matched in the first period, with both teams occasionally on top, in the 60th minute the game changed.
Pirlo won a pressing tackle, made an excellent run gaining ground on the left, and Antonio di Natale, who had just a minute previously replaced Mario Balotelli, was played in free on goal and beyond the high line. Di Natale is a class act - he's been around a long time, and he slotted home.
The game had truly come alive, for Spain stirred. Within 2 minutes, the World Champs were level.
Another close passing interchange on the edge of the box put Fabregas free, played in by Silva, and he took the chance gleefully past Buffon.
Spain substituted Jesus Navas (on) for David Villa (off) and I got the feeling with the introduction of the Sevilla winger they were going for gold.
On 73m Torres came on for Fabregas (that's the quality of this side), and within 2m he almost put Spain ahead but was driven wide by Buffon.
At the other end, di Natale volleyed just wide. What a game!
Torres gave a cameo of his skills, and frustrations of late - he got into great positions, but put both a chance and a chip wide. You feel he's 99% there. Oh for the hundredth percentile!.
As both sides played quality football, the game drifted toward an inevitable conclusion.
A fantastic game, the best of the Tournament, and it ended in a 1-1 draw.
Which left us with the RoI's game against the consistently underestimated Croats. What is it with people. Since their inception as a separate Nation they have always been good.
Two minutes in, they took the lead, with a cute header from an astute (if deflected) cut-back. Game well and truly on.
Ireland, to their credit, battled hard, and from that competition got a deserved equaliser on 18m when Sean St Ledger headed in from a free kick on the left. There's a lot to be said for spirit and self-belief.
2m before HT, Jelavic smelled a goal from an Irish failed clearance - and scored, 2-1. And, as it turns out, 3-1 eventually, when another header hit the post and bounced in off Given.
This is turning out to be an excellent tournament that showcases football at the highest level. No sympathy here.
Today's treat includes the ever hyped England's debut against Les Bleus, and Laurent Blanc's team promise to give a real test to the recently appointed Roy Hodgson. Followed,of course, to round off the first round of fixtures Ukraine at Home in Kiev against the dangerous Sweden. A veritable smorgassbord, one might say. (Ouch).
With that I'll leave you, to return in a couple of days when the weeping and gnashing at England's defeat has calmed down.
And we, Swansea City, are hopefully nearer to announcing a Manager.
Bye for now, and let's hope I'm able to say then.......
Onward, Swansea City.
No comments:
Post a Comment