25-06-2018, 13:36
Shep you are a harsh man. I bet you played centre back.
This is Panama's first World Cup. They made it without a single player who holds down a place in a really big club. They have no real weapons at this level up front, their defence is moderate and certainly slow and their midfield is outclassed by most teams here.
In football terms they are a developmental nation. Their population is less than half London's and much of it still lives in grinding poverty. Football is a way forward.
A few ugly tactics helped them vaguely to compete against England and Belgium - they were never going to win by them. I think we should save our vituperation for those nations who really can play at this level and are choosing to cheat at every turn rather than win because of the skill they DO actually possess.
This is Panama's first World Cup. They made it without a single player who holds down a place in a really big club. They have no real weapons at this level up front, their defence is moderate and certainly slow and their midfield is outclassed by most teams here.
In football terms they are a developmental nation. Their population is less than half London's and much of it still lives in grinding poverty. Football is a way forward.
A few ugly tactics helped them vaguely to compete against England and Belgium - they were never going to win by them. I think we should save our vituperation for those nations who really can play at this level and are choosing to cheat at every turn rather than win because of the skill they DO actually possess.