English football should not turn defeat into disaster

Insideworldfootball

It is always tempting in sport to draw huge global lessons from one defeat or victory. That is a temptation that should be avoided for the simple reason that sporting victories or defeats on their own do not signify vast changes. That only emerges if they are part of a consistent pattern over several seasons.

The most potent example of this was provided by Barcelona. Before their match against A.C. Milan many were prepared to write their obituary. Not only had they lost fairly comprehensively to the Italians in Milan but there had been some bad defeats in the Cup to Real Madrid. Much was made of the effect on the team of the illness of their manager and how from his sick bed in New York he was trying to guide the team.