It is interesting when you hear how professional footballers still practice things. They have been playing at an elevated level for so long yet still practice free kicks, corners, and so on. My excellent piano teacher used to give me sound advice that I need to practice more than 5 minutes per week and thinking about our set pieces in the first leg vs AZ Alkmaar, it looked like we could have taken that advice. The second leg was much better, it was not always comfortable, and we still had the usual fragile defensive moments, but better. Having Mickey van de Ven back made a stark difference and bringing him off was a game-changing sub, just not in the way Ange hoped. We did enough to get through though and a tougher test awaits in the quarter finals.
One part of the game where we did far more than just enough was the third goal. This was not something because of practice but of instinct and ability. It showed everything about the way Ange wants to play. It was a goal to be a perfect example of Angeball: continually play, continually take risks, and continually try to get forward.
It even started in a typical Angeball way. A poor ball out of the back, and then some overplaying putting us under pressure. Looking boxed in on the left side near our own goal there was no panic. Instead, a ball was calmly worked to Maddison who made an outstanding move to get away from two defenders. Dropping your shoulder and letting the ball run across to beat a player is one of those football skills that cannot really be practiced (even more than 5 minutes per week) but instead sensed. It works in a specific situation with a pass coming to you at the right pace and opposing players in the right position. Maddison did this to get away from not one but two opposition players at once, taking them both out of the game without even touching the ball. It was one of those moments that does not get dull to watch again.
He released the ball to Spence, who then had some good interplay with Son, resulting in a cross, a Solanke flick, and Odobert in the right place to finish. A truly excellent team goal, capping off an improved performance. A flowing move fit to win any game. No England call up for Maddison in Tuchel’s first squad but if he can consistently produce performances like the second half here, then hopefully he can be pushing for a place again.
We wanted better, and we got it, even if the game was a little closer than it should have been. Onto the quarter finals.