Shadow Scholar Syndicate: FWM/CA/N 2019--Day Twenty-One Recap

Your “Syndicate Hangover” is proudly presented by “Perrier”

Your friendly bookie remains more of a San Pellegrino man, but we’ll accord the hosts some respect for their second-rate club soda. Along with La Croix, it’s an acceptable option when the only other alternative happens to be Seltzer Water.

Day 21: Recap

Bookie’s Stats—

Spread: 36-43

Straight up: 49-21-9

We’ll file this evening with Brazil-Paraguay and Tanzania-Kenya still on tape. There can’t be any impediment to giving this day to the Three Lionesses. Marvelous match from them to kick off the FWM Quarterfinals.

Attagirl, Lucy. Nice set piece-design as well.

S.S.S. Tactical Breakdown

We’ll continue to track on the bookie’s selected favorites, as of this post slated for a semi-final showdown with the U.S.

Bookie’s been reviewing them from the onset and encouraging you to do so as well. For some reason, I think I finally have the attention of some of you.

Lineup—England—Match Five (Projected) (4-1-2-3) (6/26/2019)

Toni Duggan Ellen White Nikita Parris

Fran Kirby Keira Walsh

Karen Carney

Alex Greenwood Lucy Bronze

Steph Houghton Millie Bright

Karen Bardsley

Lineup—England—Match Five (Actual) (4-1-2-3) (6/27/2019)

Toni Duggan Ellen White Nikita Parris

Jill Scott Fran Kirby

Keira Walsh

Demi Stokes Lucy Bronze

Steph Houghton Millie Bright

Karen Bardsley

Interesting. Neville ignores the bookie’s personnel recommendations (as he should) but does tweak the formation from a 4-3-2-1 to a 4-1-2-3. That’s at least how it appeared most of the time. Tons of interchanging from those three midfielders, who suddenly rediscovered the intuitive chemistry the bookie lauded so much after the first match.

Scott still looked lumbering at times. Her early goal actually wasn’t all that great of a finish. White deserves most of the credit for—I’m convinced after watching the replay five times—was actually a dummy fake. I initially had “WHIFF” written in my notebook. It took plenty of review to change my mind. Might be wrong, but I think she left it for her on purpose.

Walsh gets another mixed review for her central midfield work. I suppose burying her alone in the pocket enabled Kirby to get especially pacey on the break, not to mention giving Scott the freedom to roam wherever she wanted. She had her own moments as well, but there were more bad giveaways and missed markings.

Of course, quite a bit was asked of her today. Being given your own axis and being told to keep an eye on Caroline Graham Hansen, Vilde Boe Risa, Karina Saevik, and Ingrid Syrstad Engen is akin to be asking to juggle twelve feral cats while ice-skating backwards away from a drunk Zamboni driver. Small wonder Lisa Karlseng Utland was able to murder her completely drained ass. Okay. Bookie has talked himself out of giving her a "C".

That gifts us a segue into the grades. In fact, no one gets a "C" in what was a prime all-around performance. Georgia Stanway came on when everyone was just playing leisurely long-pass Sunday in-the-park footy. Rachel Daly checked in when everyone was sipping lemonade and playing scrabble on their blankies.

Grades—England (Match Five)

Ellen White	A+
Steph Houghton	A+
Lucy Bronze	A+
Nikita Parris	A
Demi Stokes	A
Jill Scott	A-
Toni Duggan	A-
Fran Kirby	B+
Beth Mead	B
Keira Walsh	B
Millie Bright	B-
Karen Bardsley	B-

But for the post and the….er….“dummy” Shiny Bright Ellen White might have had a Hat Trick. Incredible what she’s been able to do this tournament. The bookie didn’t even have her starting way back at the beginning. For some reason it never occurred to me that she was paying tribute to Bundesliga legend Anthony Modeste with that goal celebration.

How the hell did I miss it?

Nikita Parris did some missing as well. She miffed a couple of great chances in addition that penalty. By all accounts, she should have gotten on the score sheet. No sense in docking her too much as she really did play a great match. Her and Bronze rediscovered that magic from the first match, taking turns bombing down the right and executing all sorts of slick tricks and drags. Wonderful footwork from both of them today.

One might think that Duggan’s grade is a bit inflated. I happen to think she did a fantastic fucking job shutting down Caroline Graham Hansen and was terrific in her limited offensive role as well. Another set of marks I anticipate I’ll get some flak for are Bright and Bardsley, who had their absolute nightmare moments. But for Steph Hoguhton’s hustle, this game might have turned out very differently.

I’ll give them both credit for playing in spite of some reported sickness in the England camp. According to some reports, they both caught the same virus that kept Alex Greenwood out today. No way to confirm any of this of course. Stokes actually did a wonderful job filling in. She appears fully recovered from the injury that kept her out of the starting XI to begin with. On a couple of occasions she was flying forward so elegantly that I actually thought Parris had switched.

You’ve quite the date next Tuesday U.S. fans. Stop worrying about France and focus on these girls.

“Riffs of the Day”—Day Twenty-One

Reader: Your Teranga Lions a’int looking so hot.

Vicey: Bookie doesn’t want to talk about it 146-M. It was awful. A shitty day for the pups and the purse. We’ll get to that when we get to that.

Reader: What exactly is a Barea?

Vicey: Some sort of large bovine digestion machine if I’m not mistaken. Might have seen one on safari once.

Reader: Awwww…David Beckham brought his daughter.

Vicey: Laura Linney showed up too! You might have blinked and missed it. The commentators didn’t mention it for some reason.

.Reader: I miss Lisa Karlseng Utland already.

Vicey: That is one fiery “chub chick.” Is the hair or the heft, 53-M? Bookie hazards a guess. Knowing you, it’s got to be those few extra pounds. I actually like her too.

Reader: Tell me Alex Greenwood is okay.

Vicey: She’s fine, 56-M. Just some stomach issues. Hope you had nothing to do with it as I know you would have liked to.

DAY TWENTY-TWO—PREVIEW

Tunisia vs. Mali

vs.

After what we saw today, bookie might have backed the wrong North African side to give a mulligan to. Line rolls down slightly. Too late for a switch.

THE LINE: Pick em’ (rolling down soft from Tunisia +1)

Morocco vs. Cote d’Ivoire