Arthur Virgo

Football incl @mcGroupGlobal & @goal. Multiple top 5k @OfficialFPL. Lv4 Diploma @YourAAT. Work politics & @DPAlliance. Guardian-reading Tory. Views mine.

[Arthur Virgo @arthurvirgo]

Watching #England going all the way, although playing the third place play-off rather than the final meant it’s not coming home, was a great experience.

I enjoyed writing about #Russia #WorldCup2018 here & with photos & videos at https://t.co/XcBKg3bHc9.

https://t.co/YshEQrqvV5

[Arthur Virgo @arthurvirgo]

@FIFAWorldCup @FFF @England Best World Cup for 60 years
England England
Best World Cup for 60 years
England '26
England '26
Best @FIFAWorldCup for 60 years
@England '26

[Arthur Virgo @arthurvirgo]

Bronze exhibition match @FIFAWorldCup fewer fans & players rotated might enjoy opportunities. Mbappe goal @FFF #France could overtake Messi for golden boot & raise spirits after thorough defeat to Spain. Tuchel rests players too @England & Rashford & Rogers get starts. #FRAENG

[Arthur Virgo @arthurvirgo]

@Argentina @England Defeat @England sad after solid start & opening goal reward early effort but Tuchel team unable to sustain possession & without counter-attack defeat passive. Magical #Messi🐐 & Scaloni stability inspire great belief @Argentina @FIFAWorldCup final. #ENGARG
https://t.co/4RadAlmpPT

[Arthur Virgo @arthurvirgo]

Scaloni @Argentina cohesive & experienced team platforms 39yr🐐 Messi with Alvarez running & wonderful variety on ball in technical core. Tuchel needs enough @England possession for Kane & Bellingham to finish & so Rogers added to fearsome athleticism & pace on sides. #ENGARG

[Arthur Virgo @arthurvirgo]

@Argentina @England @FIFAWorldCup Same 💩 Different Day feel to it all makes me think how far @England must still go so players capable of responding bravely to keep the ball under pressure. Or perhaps it is simply fault of coach so #TuchelOut begins! Would be the outlet we lacked once Gordon withdrawn. #ENGARG

[Arthur Virgo @arthurvirgo]

@Argentina @England @FIFAWorldCup Like 2018 exit to Croatia but more quality both @England & @Argentina. Southgate had fewer options but similar mistakes made in the Euro final defeat to Italy. Why retreat to back 5 & let Messi pick his moments & allow such ball striking quality of Enzo & Mac Allister? #ENGARG

[Miguel Delaney @MiguelDelaney]

It isn't that France haven't turned up. It's that Spain basically rendered them irrelevant.

Best performance of the tournament so far, by a distance. Just imposed their game on them.

Deschamps also got it wrong, too. They knew two on three in midfield was a risk.

[David Garcia @IJaSport]

This is how Spain have already beaten France.

Exactly a year ago, Spain and France met in the UEFA Nations League semi-final, and one of the things Spain did really well in that game was how aggressive they were defending. Any time a French player received with their back facing goal, Spain were able to press them, force them to play backwards, and they were super, super aggressive in how they stepped to the ball.

Another thing I noticed in that game, which slightly differs from the Spain we are seeing now in the World Cup, was where they started their attacks. They often started further from France’s back line, and once the ball went forward, it went forward fast. They did not necessarily push France into a low block. They maintained most of their possession from further away from France’s goal, and then when it was time to go forward, they attacked quickly.

And they finished the attack. That was the key.

Whether it meant a corner kick, a goal kick, a shot on goal, whatever it was, Spain tried to finish the attack fast and prevent France from counterattacking. They did not want possessions to end with a loose pass, a poor touch, or France recovering the ball with space in front of them. They wanted every attack to have a clear ending.

I think this is the key because France are good in every moment of the game. They can counterattack. They can play against you when you are in a defensive low block. They can play through your high press. There is no comfortable game state against France because they have enough quality to punish you in all of them.

And we saw that in this game.

Spain were up 4-0 until around the 65th minute and were in complete control. The game still ended 5-4.

That shows you exactly what France are capable of. They can create chances, punish mistakes, and easily, easily turn a game around, even when they are down 4-0. You can control the game for long stretches and still find yourself in trouble because France do not need many moments to create danger.

That is why Spain’s approach a year ago was so interesting. They were aggressive when France received with their back to goal. They defended forward. They prevented turns. They started their attacks a little further from France’s back line. And once the ball went forward, it went forward fast.

Most importantly, they tried to finish every attack.

Because against France, an unfinished attack can become a French counterattack in seconds.

This is a game I am really looking forward to, but I think Spain have a really, really good opportunity if they can play the type of game they played a year ago. Be aggressive when France receive. Force them backwards. Attack quickly when the moment appears. Finish the attack. Prevent the counterattack.

Spain have already shown they can control this matchup.

The challenge is doing it for the entire game.

[Ron @HalfSpaceRon]

What makes Spain so strong is their movements. Football is simple, you create space and then exploit that space. Spain’s team is filled with players who are excellent at creating space through intelligent movements - Oyarzabal, Olmo, Pedri, Merino, Yamal. But it doesn’t end there, Spain also have the best players to identify those gaps and exploit them - Pedri, Rodri.

Other teams might have different strengths, like France have extraordinarily talented individuals- Mbappe, Olise, Dembele, Doue any one of them can generate a special moment but you can try to cut the source. Same for England, very good goal scorers - Kane, Bellingham but again you can try to cut the source to them.

Spain are different. The only team closest to them is Argentina.

[Arthur Virgo @arthurvirgo]

@FFF @SEFutbol @FIFAWorldCup Performance @SEFutbol #Spain excellent & showcases football as a team sport where cohesion & talent distributed across all players matters more than star qualities of #France @FFF. Not a lesson implying success for @England but Tuchel knows how to improve! #FRAESP

[Arthur Virgo @arthurvirgo]

Deschamps #France @FFF weapons until deployment. So #Spain @SEFutbol going ahead is only the beginning of the challenge @FIFAWorldCup semifinal. But love proactive & creative attack penalty success against defence & counter-attack from superstars who could impress more. #FRAESP

[Arthur Virgo @arthurvirgo]

@FFF @SEFutbol @FIFAWorldCup Defenders @SEFutbol #Spain excellent so far with Rodri so reliable in stopping attacks. #France @FFF made to a bit less dangerous than they are under Deschamps whose deep squad have proven they can change games and hit back. #FRAESP

[Arthur Virgo @arthurvirgo]

@FFF @SEFutbol @FIFAWorldCup That Rabiot running from deep is what I think one emergency plan from Deschamps @FFF #France will be. #FRAESP

[Arthur Virgo @arthurvirgo]

@England @ManCity @nff_landslag @FIFAWorldCup Haaland thwarted by @ManCity teammates defending but #Norway� @nff_landslag playmaker Odegaard led organised team to threaten after Schjelderup opener. Tuchel subs ineffective but @England had Bellingham finishing in hot humid Miami @FIFAWorldCup. #ENGNOR
https://t.co/3jETV8GbYz

[Arthur Virgo @arthurvirgo]

Heat of humid Miami unfamiliar for both teams but more expectation @England to progress & Tuchel to attack as favourites, with @ManCity defenders facing teammate Haaland scoring form & athleticism as #Norway @nff_landslag enjoy @FIFAWorldCup success with Viking humour. #ENGNOR

[Arthur Virgo @arthurvirgo]

@FIFAWorldCup @miseleccionmx @England Historic Azteca stadium passionate @fifaworldcup in friendly #Mexico City altitude & storms. @miseleccionmx strong spirit & captain Jimenez forced saves as @england pushed to excel taking chances & defend at 10 in Tuchel back 5 tense finale. #MEXENG
https://t.co/sIfpgwTz6s

[Arthur Virgo @arthurvirgo]

2km+ #Mexico City in @FIFAWorldCup historic Azteca stadium with summer storms moving ko times make challenging conditions for opponents @miseleccionmx with local home advantage & in form forwards Jimenez & Quiñones. @England need solid start & defence to manage tension. #MEXENG

[Arthur Virgo @arthurvirgo]

@FIFAWorldCup @miseleccionmx @England Wonderwall celebration @England fits Tuchel emergency back 5 with big Dan Burn enduring with 10 as @miseleccionmx attack thwarted despite domination of possession. Home advantage still big @FIFAWorldCup. #MEXENG

[Kate Mason @kvlmason]

Jude Bellingham sought out djed spence to celebrate his performance after the win against Mexico. Haven’t seen any pics of it around so just sharing this screengrab off the BBC coverage so you know he is valued by the best x