In this issue
Five day hiatus - weddings, hangovers, colds, jet lag
To absent friends
Life after Lauren James
Well guys, I’m sure you noticed that Go with the Flo took an unplanned break over the past week. My friend’s wedding last Saturday, the reason I delayed by Australia departure, not only put a spanner in the works for my World Cup plans but it also set things spinning for the newsletter schedule. I was podding on the day of the wedding, and podding the day after (on a horrendous hangover). I barely had time to pack but planned to do a newsletter while on my travels, but then I got a cold on the plane and that plus jet lag wiped me out for a few days. So I’m sorry, but we’re back in action now and it’s the serious bit of the tournament.
Taking comfort in low expectations
I’m writing this issue ahead of England’s quarter final crunch game against Colombia which is Sydney tonight. I think after England came through against Nigeria in that very nervy penalty shootout, expectations are both low and high. It now feels like England are tapping into that tournament-winning game mentality and elite energy which has taken them to a new level, even when performances haven’t been good. But, what has been clear in this tournament so far is that the favourites are never favoured. There have been endless shocks and upsets and that shifts the mindset of any fan, but not necessarily in a bad way….
Japan’s defeat to Sweden on Friday night was disappointing for so many neutrals as Japan had been the most entertaining and impressive team so far. It epitomised the fact that no one is safe at this World Cup, expect the unexpected. At the same time, that’s quite nice as an England fan, when you know your team haven’t been playing that well but they’ve scraped through at times, that isn’t necessarily a scary thing. Head into the game with your expectations lowered, knowing there’s a high chance of an upset, but then you might get a nice a surprise. Prepare to be disappointed is probably the philosophy of most English people let alone English football fans but it’s a better way to live. Even though England are winners now, this tournament doesn’t respect those people anymore, there are no more World Cup winners left. It’s every man for himself.
The ones we lost along the way
With Japan’s departure, the only real “favourites” left in the competition are England, Spain and Australia. The latter two were definitely on the periphery given neither of them have ever gone beyond the quarter finals (or in Spain’s case Round of 16) of a World Cup previously. Sweden have been to a World Cup final four before and have been Olympic Games silver medalists but not many people thought they would match this time around.
The fact that these are the last teams standing means we’ve lost:
USA - Four time winners
Germany - Two time winners
Japan - 2011 winners
Norway - 1995 winners
Brazil - 2007 finalists
It feels incredible that none of these sides will be in the semi finals. What a World Cup it’s been and there’s still eight days to go!
Life after Lauren James
Lauren James’ sending off in England’s round of 16 game means she’ll miss two games (not three) including the quarter final against Colombia and a possible semi final, if England were to go through.
Not having James for those games is a very scary prospect, given she’s been England difference maker in so many moments during this World Cup so far. She has been the creative spark that England needed desperately, making something out of nothing, much like Colombia’s Linda Caicedo. England will need to be much more clinical in this game without James to sprinkle some get out of jail dust for them. Alessia Russo will need to stick away any opportunity that comes her way, as will Chloe Kelly, Lauren Hemp or Rachel Daly. England can feel confident that if it does become about playing for pens they have a good chance at winning that lottery, but that tactic isn’t always a smart plan. England need to tap into their Euros habit of scoring early. It didn’t work out in the Euros quarter final against Spain but they did still find a way. In so many of their other games scoring early built confidence and belief. It’s going to be a tough battle for England, up against a technical and savvy Colombia team. Even if they do get through, an even bigger prospect awaits in the semi final, maybe even a game against the hosts Australia. Gulp.
Below is a picture of Sweden’s Amanda Ilestadt with a bin on her head and I think this just about articulates how I was feeling with jet lag and a cold.
Till tomorrow friends.