I know what you’re thinking. Who cares about my middle-school soccer team? But stay with me here.
Will Fattal is an old friend of mine from my junior and middle school, the Hall School Wimbledon (outside London). But more relevant to this particular piece, Will was also the star playmaker and striker on our middle-school soccer team. I was the goalkeeper and, I like to think (apart from a shocking performance against Hornsby House circa 1998), delivered some truly Neville Southall-esque performances for our team.
Still, it was Will who delivered the goals, the on-pitch leadership, and the anger when we lost. Will is now an entrepreneur in London, but he retains his superb knowledge of soccer. Here’s his take on how England can beat Panama in their second World Cup game on Sunday and thus secure qualification to the knockout stages.
Question: What does England need to do versus Panama?
Will: Panama will be wide open as they need to chase the game. If England play patiently for the opening 15 to 20 minutes, their pace upfront will exploit Panama when the gaps appear. Which is perfect, because what we need is more goals! We want at least three goals and ideally three different names on the score sheet. Goals and assists settle nerves, and we want more tranquil players, as Harry Kane will now perform for the rest of the tournament. A clean sheet would be a bonus, but it’s not essential.
Question: Should Marcus Rashford start in place of Raheem Sterling? Should England change formation?
No to both. Starting Rashford would be poor man management for numerous reasons. Dropping Jesse Lingard or Sterling would be the end of their personal World Cup journeys because their confidence would evaporate. It would also create tension within the team. Southgate has chosen his starting team and has committed to a formation for months. His decision was accepted and has now been fully justified with a massive victory [over Tunisia]! The entire squad need to stick with the manager’s decision, support him and their teammates.
Rashford played well, and he should be rewarded with an earlier substitution against Panama, which is almost as good as a start. He will then know that he will play a part in every game and does not need to look over his shoulder at Jamie Vardy. If utilized correctly, Rashford’s pace and directness could hurt any team in the last 30 minutes of a game, when the fullbacks begin to labor. Similar to how Everton used to play Daniel Amokachi [this is Will’s homage to the Rogan family soccer team, Everton].
Question: Any other thoughts?
England now have a great chance to go far. Momentum is crucial in a tournament, and we have the opportunity to build plenty! Belgium will slaughter Tunisia, and thanks to the current goal difference, a draw against Panama will be enough to see us through. However, I am expecting England to flex their guns against Panama. I’d be very surprised if Belgium and England did not both have six points when they face each other.
