A close match at Wembley in the English summer of 2021 and a bit of watching the clock and the bench to see if Jack Grealish could get in. It has practically become a national pastime.
Obviously, this was the quieter setting of the Community Shield between Leicester City and Manchester City, whose newly minted £ 100m man was among the substitutes, and not the fevered pit of passion of a push for Euro 2020 glory. More the kind of occasion that might have you happily waving a sparkling wine around rather than sticking a flare somewhere unmentionable.
Not that the men on the sidelines took it lightly. Pep Guardiola, surprisingly enough, managed to get a yellow card as he did during the 2019 version of this match. He deliberately disagreed after referee Paul Tierney penalized Cole Palmer for an aerial challenge over Leicester full-back Ryan Bertrand.
Soon after, Brendan Rodgers responded to a failed authorization from Kasper Schmeichel by throwing a bottle of water into the gray London sky.
Grealish had gleefully played on the fly with his new teammates during the warm-up, which he finished with 40-yard thunder just above the top corner before being the last player out with an arm around the youth team captain. of City Tommy Doyle.
The price tag certainly isn’t weighing too much right now for a man who seems to have no single cure in the world, even if his public approval ratings have taken a hit.
Wembley devoted himself to Grealish’s universal adoration and touches of velvet while playing for Gareth Southgate’s England. Here, the boos from the Leicester end felt a little sharper than the pantomime when the former Aston Villa captain appeared on the big screen before kick-off and again when he did a light run and a few stretches. at the beginning of the second period.
By that time, a Leicester close to full strength – albeit lacking Wesley Fofana after fracturing his leg at the end of a terrible tackle from Villarreal’s Fer Nino in the middle of the week – had enjoyed the advantage in terms of clear chances. Zack Steffen made two saves from close range, the second particularly excellent, to deny Jamie Vardy, who played with his typical wit.
As the hours went by, it was certainly a race worthy of Guardiola and Rodgers’ investment. Teen winger Sam Edozie grew in the match for the Premier League champions, backed by three goals in three pre-season outings. Ilkay Gundogan cut the target inside a crowded penalty area, as did Riyad Mahrez when he scored on goal, naturally with a lot of confusion at the end of Leicester.
Then, in the 64th minute, some activity on the bench. Grealish flipped through a tactical briefcase much less heavy than any encyclopedia, donned his white competition jersey and joined Rodri on the sideline. The Manchester contingent roared and more barracks followed from across the stadium.
With his first involvement, the former English football unity candidate easily dribbled Ayoze Perez and indulged in Rodri. Seconds later he went down to the left flank and won a throw-in in a dangerous position, before a pass from Palmer allowed him to advance into the Leicester area, where he was displaced.
In the 70th minute, Grealish returned the favor with a delightful pass off the pitch, even though Youri Tielemans returned to counter the youngster. He demonstrated the space being opened by two opposing players going towards the signing of the British record every time he picked up the ball. The damage that characters like Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden could do in such conditions upon their return is a chilling prospect for the rest of the league.
Bernardo Silva was greeted with enthusiasm for a potential farewell appearance at City and the midfielder’s introduction allowed Grealish to roam: a spinning dribble on the pitch ended with him falling on the turf and left Tierney indifferent.
The referee had a simple call when he pointed to the spot in the 87th minute. Nathan Ake canceled a good afternoon’s job by scoring Kelechi Iheanacho and the former City forward beat his penalty shot past the impressive Steffen.
The fate of Wembley is marked by 12 yards as you watch. The more things change, huh Jack?
