How the TURF beat England 

Laura Bassett had done this before.  She sensed the danger--her executive function made the choice--Once the ball was close she would simply reach and lift the ball out safely--right off the field of play, regroup and defend the corner.

Once the decision went into action, then autonomy took over and came face to with FIFA's decision to play the Women's World Cup on Artificial Turf.

This will be the last world cup played on turf.  Technically, tactically and aesthetically it has been a failure. Balls running too far, or slowing unpredictably,  players with rubber flecks on their face, short and abrupt slides In maintaining the turf the organizers have flooded the field with the notorious black tire grounds.  From TV shots above the field looks more like the black lava beaches, so full is the field of the rubber that in slow motion the particles fly up all around every step of the foot and every bounce of the ball. 

 This displacement is energy dissipating and slows every bounce and every step including the final step of Laura Bassett.

As Bassett reached for the ball she was planning on sliding forward but the rubber took hold==on grass she would slide 2-3 feet, with her knee landing softly like a one knee goal celebration, this would allow a long contact on the ball and a more accurate clearance.

In high school I played tennis on smooth concrete.  The speed of the surface was so fast that the aesthetics and style of the game changed completely.  Sharp slices, a stroke otherwise defensive, were inordinately effective, speeding as they bounce low  staying so low at 4 to six inches that return was almost always defensive soft lob.  Surfaces matter.

The amazing Brazilian teacher and coach Thadeu Goncalves of BFUT always says "change the ball, change the surface," in the learning process the challenges of adapting to different surfaces delivers a more well rounded random set of learning challenges that create the player that can adapt.

But do aesthetics matter?  Does it matter if the game is nice? Inventive? Collective, skillful? 

It is the  Women who will shape the next great tactical movements in soccer.  Is 2011 Barcelona the model for all of soccer? I think one day the Women will top it--because who understands the collective better? Once we allow Women to play like Women and not ask them to play like men (Cough: Anson Dorrance). We might see that Women are better at the cooperative, collective group thinking of team tactics.  You can see France moving in that direction and it's beautiful, Japan in the last World Cup was inspiring.

Jonathan Wilson writes that nothing is owed to the fans, to the audience.  That the very first soccer game involved only two teams whose only concern was winning or losing.  And that nothing is owed the fans.

I disagree.  There has always been a relationship between the people playing and the people watching.  Great free play environments of any sport have bleachers, benches, hockey boards where those sitting out can take in and appreciate the game.  Players of any level, for pick up to the World Cup must always balance the beauty of the game with results.

Aesthetics matter.  Skill Matters. Inspiration matters. These things are not the sole domain of men.

Coaches, leaders, and grassroots opperations need to give girls and Women this chance. FIFA needs to give the Women this chance. This is where turf gets it all wrong.

Pros hate it, it;s difficult to run on.  The ball moves to slow.  Learning is too slow. Decisions and slow, bounces are unpredictable.

Understanding the ball in front of her as well as the speed at which she was traveling Basset swung for the ball with her right foot.  It required that the left foot, the back foot, drag the surface--this keeps her body level and prevents the body from falling backward,  allowing her foot to stay on the ball, imparting backspin, lifting the ball safely over the goal and off the field.

But here the turf intervened.

Instead of her toe skimming over the surface of the grass it was stopped by the rubber.  Instead of gliding, Bassett's foot was gripped against the ground, it was abruptly pulled  back, her knee forced down sharply with increased momentum.  This pulled her other foot, the right foot off the ball imparting topspin rather than the planned backspin.  The topspin caused the ball to drop sharply against the bar and into the goal knocking England out of the world cup.  

On grass Bassett slides, her foot stays on the ground sliding on the dirt surface, her right foot maintains contact with the ball and it is cleared safely over the goal ready to reset for the corner kick still sliding on her knees like a beautiful, joyful
goal celebration.