The little gifts
During World Cup matches, teams are seen exchanging small gifts before matches, often small pennants. Belgium appeared to hand over a mystery bag to Canada. What are these gifts and what happens to them? Who keeps them? Were there any unusual gifts in history?
I. Gagnon
Response from Jean-François Téotonio:
In fact, these gifts are not only exchanged in the World Cup: we also offer them during big club matches, like in the Champions League. The idea is that the captains of the two teams that are about to face each other exchange their pennants to symbolize mutual respect and their commitment to fair play. These objects are then kept in the premises of the clubs, probably displayed in a section adjacent to the trophies, as they would be in a museum. At CF Montreal, the pennants that the club has accumulated over the years, in the CONCACAF Champions League for example or during the Impact’s friendly matches against AC Milan, are placed in a display case in the conference room. from Saputo Stadium.
Late Changes
Since the beginning of the Soccer World Cup, I have noticed that on several occasions, teams make changes of players at the 87e-88e minute of play, i.e. very late at the end of the match. Is there a regulatory reason, I’m trying to figure out why.
Stephane Monarque
Response from Jean-François Téotonio:
It depends on the context. If the victory is acquired, it may only serve to give playing time to players who have not had much. If the team is behind, it may be a last attempt by the coach to go for a goal. And if the score is tied in a playoff game, there’s 30-minute overtime ahead, and potentially even a shootout. It is therefore above all a matter of strategy and personnel management.
A new strategy?
PHOTO PETER CZIBORRA, REUTERS ARCHIVES
England team players make the defensive wall against Senegal on December 4.
Following the World Cup, it was the first time that I saw, during a free kick, a player from the defensive team lying on the ground behind the standing players who make the wall. Is this new as a strategy? And what’s the benefit other than forcing the players on the wall not to step back in fear?
Normand Proulx
Response from Jean-François Téotonio:
It’s quite recent, yes. This strategy was first seen by the general public in 2013, in a viral video from a match in the Brazilian second division. Then, in 2018, Croatian Marcelo Brozovic used it with great success with Inter Milan against FC Barcelona’s Luis Suarez. It has since become a common strategy in high-level soccer.
The idea is to prevent the free-kick taker from sending the ball under the wall when the players in it jump in unison in anticipation of a high shot. For example, in 2018, when Suarez is about to take his shot, Brozovic is still on his feet. Then he throws himself on the ground at the last moment, Suarez’s shot goes under the wall, and hits the Croat’s back. It takes a good dose of courage and composure, because these shots are often hit with power!
The Golden Knights… but how?
PHOTO FRED GREENSLADE, THE CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
The players of the Vegas Golden Knights let out their joy following a goal scored against the Winnipeg Jets on December 13th.
How do you explain that the Vegas Golden Knights, an expansion team that arrived in the league in 2017, have been so competitive since their founding, while other, much older franchises are struggling to reach the playoffs?
Francois de la Boursodiere
Response from Simon-Olivier Lorange:
It would be ungrateful not to credit the Knights management team with their fair share of the team’s success. We first proceeded with a successful expansion draft, and we have since taken advantage of the market’s strong power of attractiveness to attract prestigious free agents, in addition to having demonstrated dynamism on the trading market. Well done for all that. However, it is impossible to talk about this team without going back to the circumstances surrounding the 2017 expansion draft.
Faced with the rules put in place by the League, many were the general managers who panicked and concluded transactions with the Knights in order to protect some of their players. We will limit ourselves to a few examples, since the list is long. The Florida Panthers gave Reilly Smith to “convince” the Knights to pick Jonathan Marchessault, a 30-goal scorer. The Anaheim Ducks gave away Shea Theodore in order to keep less talented defensemen. The Columbus Blue Jackets sent a first-round pick to protect players like Josh Anderson; the Knights then selected William Karlsson, future scorer of 40 goals. In short, the executives in Vegas have sniffed out the bargains presented to them by their counterparts.
Who benefits?
What is the shootout success rate in the National Hockey League?
Pierre Gagnon
Response from Alexander Pratt:
Year in, year out, it’s around 33%. As of December 15, this season, players have scored 77 times in 217 attempts, for a success rate of 35%.