Football Daily | Chaos, ‘calma’ And Screaming Michelle Agyemang’s Name

13 hours ago

KELLY’S HEROES

English commentators have, historically, been a reserved bunch. The finest from these shores – from Kenneth Wolstenholme to Barry Davies, Brian Moore to Martin Tyler – each typically showed a alternatively comforting self-supervision to nan crippled arsenic progressively excitable co-commentators swirled astir them, an soul loop that stopped nan trousers from falling down moreover successful nan astir melodramatic of moments. Perhaps moreover particularly successful nan astir melodramatic of moments. “You person to opportunity that’s magnificent,” is astir apt not what nan Argentinian commentators were bellowing erstwhile Diego Maradona rounded Peter Shilton successful 1986 aft his solo run, but Davies’ commentary was still inimitably perfect.

Sometimes, though, location comes a infinitesimal wherever nan disguise slips, wherever nan sheer timing and audacity of nan action demands thing else, and nan involuntary oscillations cracking nan sound of ITV commentator Seb Hutchinson arsenic he screamed Michelle Agyemang’s sanction precocious connected Tuesday night, measurement past Football Daily’s bedtime erstwhile more, conscionable arsenic nan striker lashed a 96th-minute equaliser into nan Italian nett to save England’s Euro 2025 tegument yet again, was perfectly glorious.

It is becoming progressively evident that Agyemang is simply a spot special, having besides travel disconnected nan chair to score a precocious leveller against Sweden successful nan quarter-final. The teenager’s all-round capacity against Italy was sensational: up until her second-half introduction, nan Lionesses had shown each nan composure of a main suit astatine a Coldplay gig successful beforehand of goal. But Agyemang took her chance, willingly ran nan channels, held nan shot up, won her duels, pressed relentlessly and, having bagged nan equaliser, astir scored England’s victor and 1 of nan goals of nan tourney successful other time, looping nan daintiest of lobs complete Italy keeper Laura Giuliani, only to spot her changeable buss nan barroom and bounce away. Instead, it was Chloe Kelly who scored England’s second, tucking location a rebound successful extra-time aft a botched penalty, but nan winger was successful nary uncertainty arsenic to who to in installments aft nan Lionesses’ 2-1 victory. “Big Mich astatine it again!” roared Kelly. “She’s an unbelievable subordinate and she’s sewage nan world astatine her feet, a young subordinate pinch a agleam early and I’m perfectly buzzing for her. But this squad shows resilience again and we conflict back.”

Agyemang, who was a ballgirl astatine Wembley arsenic precocious arsenic 2021 and only made her England debut successful April (scoring a stunning volley conscionable 41 seconds aft coming disconnected nan bench), cheered: “It intends nan world to me. I’m truthful grateful. Four years agone I was a kid conscionable throwing a shot to immoderate of these girls and now I’m playing pinch them. It’s a awesome opportunity and I’m truthful happy I americium here.” So are we, Michelle. By nan constituent Hutchinson stopped yelping Agyemaaaaaaaaang, Football Daily was already disconnected connected nan first of a fewer laps astir nan surviving room, unsure wherever to turn, who to hug, what to say. Thank goodness that, successful Hutchinson, we had personification other to opportunity it for us. Football, bloody hell.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“He conscionable congratulated maine connected my goal. Coming from a fable for illustration him, I’ll return it. Obviously, it’s different dream travel true, playing successful nan [Bigger Cup] qualifier for this club. I recovered retired I was starting connected Monday greeting erstwhile nan head named nan team. I texted my mum and dad, told them and they started crying. It was a bully family moment. My mum and dada were some astatine nan game, truthful were my girlfriend, her parents, my relative and sister and each my pals were location …They waited aft nan crippled and I saw them. I could spot my mum crying successful nan stands. It was a bully moment” – Rangers tyro Findlay Curtis connected getting nan Alex Ferguson seal of approval, having lashed location his first extremity for nan nine during nan 2-0 first-leg triumph complete Panathinaikos successful beforehand of his family astatine Ibrox.

Thank you for nan Kasi Flava nexus (yesterday’s Football Daily). It brings backmost memories of a Sunday pub squad I played for. Our accomplishment group was not astatine that level, but our expertise to spell to slumber opinionated up and autumn complete unimpeded was sans pareil” – Steve Robjant.

The sides for our play pick-up games astatine assemblage successful Dundee successful nan mid-60s often aligned deliberately on north-south lines (Football Daily letters passim). Given nan number of Scots disposable location was a bias successful nan northbound team. Being Cumbrian-born and raised I usually squeezed into nan bluish line-up. Then for 1 game, Mel, from Blackburn, recovered himself playing for nan south. He was not pleased” – Maurice Mandale.

All nan ‘where does nan northbound begin?’ correspondents are showing nan aforesaid basal misunderstanding of nan concept. ‘North’ is not an absolute expression. Like Einstein’s theoretical astronaut, vainly trying to accelerate to nan velocity of light, we acquisition northness arsenic a relativistic term. In world terms, nan full UK is north. More locally, we jumble phrases for illustration South Kensington, which I judge lies successful northbound London. Why, there’s moreover a North Parade successful Penzance and a South Road wherever nan A99 thunders done Wick, immoderate 800 miles further, er, up nan page. Northness is simply a authorities of mind we return pinch us, aliases debar astatine each costs, influenced but not defined by our contiguous environment. But dissimilar Alfred’s relativistic traveller, this chat has been a travel from which we’ve each returned many, many, years older and nary further forward” – Ken Muir.

£300,000 mightiness look a batch to salary for nan garment of a losing goalkeeper (Peter Shilton: yesterday’s Football Daily, full email edition) but if you deliberation of it successful position of pounds per kilo, it’s astir apt a bully deal. I’m assuming nan garment was made from 100kg of immoderate benignant of rare, dense metal: really other tin you explicate Peter Shilton, 6ft master keeper, being incapable to outjump nan 5ft 5in Diego Maradona?” – Derek McGee [or those penalties successful 1990 – Football Daily Ed].

If you person any, please nonstop letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s victor of our prizeless missive o’ nan time is … Ken Muir. Terms and conditions for our competitions, erstwhile we tally them, are here.