With 31 minutes gone at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium Harry Maguire did something poignant, touching and deeply moving, summoning out of the air a moment to express the basic absurdity of the occasion, of this entire Narnia-on-acid World Cup; of staring in peeled eyeball fascination at this hurled together England team as it muddles through the group stage, preamble to the games that really are the games.
Picking up the ball 40 yards from goal Maguire trundled forward with a sudden urgency, swaying and feinting diligently, but always heading left, unable to turn or tack, and transformed suddenly into a heavily laden supermarket trolley with a broken wheel.
Eventually, he decided to propel the ball violently out of his presence. Fire the cannons Mr Midshipman. The shot or cross flew in a fierce arc to the other side of the pitch and out for a throw-in. And it was, without doubt, the best moment of the opening half hour of this final Group B game, a moment to unite the stadium, hands reaching out, united in joy. We are the dreamers.
Here’s a thing. England entered this World Cup facing, on paper, the toughest, highest-ranked group in the tournament. They have now eased through it while scoring nine goals, never trailing at any stage, and with a stroke of cunning tactical switchery from the manager to break this game open; a manager who now has the best tournament record of any England manager, ever. Yes, yes, they managed all of this. But still, the question remains.
Are they any good?
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der November 30, 2022-Ausgabe von The Guardian.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der November 30, 2022-Ausgabe von The Guardian.
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