Once again sticking with the women’s Euro’s 2022,  I wanted to share another lesson with you Di1’s.

One that I believe, can help you with your own goals, small steps add up, and I’ve got two prime examples of that in Ella Toone & Alessia Russo.

The Backstory Of Ella Toone

 Ella Ann Toone, born on the 2nd of September 1999 in Tyldesley Wigan, England is a pro

footballer for Manchester United Women Football Club.

She comes from an avid footballing family, and they really live and breathe and play football, her father

has even been a coach at none pro level before.

She may be from Wigan, but Ella is a Manchester United fan, and her main idol when growing up in football  was Cristiano  Ronaldo, If you’re reading this Ella you’ll love this then about him! (Read More Here)

The other clubs she has been too before are Blackburn & Manchester City, what you might not know is Manchester United were very late to the party when it came to setting up a women’s team, hence why she moved to City in the first place, from Blackburn.

Ella in the footballing world would be classed as a Wonderkid for sure, but she plays as a CAM (Central Attacking Midfielder) best, however she can play across the front three too (Right wing, left wing & striker).

Ella is very creative, think of an artist… She sees the whole picture, and her vision allows her to  give great passes to feed her team mates, time and time again.

She can turn players inside out, her dribbling is very good, solid with her back to goal, has decent amount of pace, not the quickest but not the slowest either,  Is very smart and makes the right runs nearly all the time, she really can finish her chances too, she is not just a provider, she can score on her own too & as we all know, is a master of the chip!

Coming into the Euro’s she had won the best player award for Manchester United & won Top Assist Provide in the same year. 

The Backstory Of Alessia Russo

 Alessia Mia Teresa Russo, born on the 8th of February 1999 in Maidstone Kent, England.

Alessia had spent her time between Chelsea & Charlton as a youth player, she only ended up playing one game for Chelsea in the pro’s but played a little bit more for Brighton, before going to college in the United States.

She was playing for the ACC team North Carolina Tar Heels, she was the top scorer with 9 goals and earned many accolades.

She chose not to play on in 2020, as the uncertainty around playing in the season with the COVID-19 pandemic, which turn out to be correct as the whole world got shut down.

In September of that same year, she made the choice to sign a two-year contract with Manchester United, Alessia is also an avid Manchester United fan & has supported them her whole life.

Alessia in football is an underrated striker, she should be known as a wonderkid as well, but she has to earn her respect more than Ella, she was slower to get praise than Ella is my point.

Alessia is a deadly finisher in front of goal, she can header very well, world class with her back to goal, good passer of the ball, very strong and works very hard for her team.

Coming into this Euro’s she had 11 goals to her name, and won Manchester United’s Player’s Player award.

Ella Toone Euro Review

Ella Toone came off the bench for all of the games, as a sub for England.

Like any artist will tell you, to paint a perfect picture, you need time…

Ella never really had that in the first matches, with 27 & 32 minutes only given to her to start off with.

She did not do her best because of this, also I think she was nervous too, but the game against Austria she did not really make a mark at all, no shots or anything.

The game against Norway, she got 32 minutes, but the game was already done and dusted by then, they were 6,0 up!

However, she had two chances, that she knows she should have put away, but I think her shooting was rusty then, but she played much better in this game than the first.

Then the Northern Ireland game came along, this time she had a whole half & she showed more of what she could do.

The first game where she was not up to much, she made up with effort to defend and run for the team, the second game was making the right runs just the shooting was off…

The little that she had, made the boss give her more minutes, and this time against Northern Ireland she set up a goal for Alessia!

I felt like she was getting bolder and bolder & to me, I knew that, she was going to get even better in this Euro’s.

The next game was in the Quarter-Finals against Spain, Spain women’s team are a very good side & pass and keep hold of the ball very well.

This was not an easy game at all, Spain were winning the game until Ella came on to the pitch. Don’t get me wrong, England should have been leading that game, but missed so many chances…

I was getting annoyed, that she had not come on yet, but this time she got even longer with 56 minutes on the pitch.

She came on and turned the game, she got the ball back from Spain, passed the ball well, and then got her first Euro’s goal!

This resulted in the game going into extra time, and England getting the victory after a rocket of a shot from Georgia Stanway, went flying past Sandra Panos!

The Semi-finals against Sweden, what can I say about this game for her, really ?

She was only given 11 minutes, and I was not best pleased, but they won 4,0, so it’s all good!

I hope by now you can see the pattern, the more time she gets to play, the better she is & the more she can do for the team.

Okay, so all the way to the final now, her mindset did not change, she could have got upset about only getting so few minutes, after getting a goal against Spain, but Ella is better than that.

She was upbeat and positive, like every other England player was, even the ones that got 0 playing time…

Anyway she got 56 minutes once again, and really turned up as in the 62 minute she ran and chipped the goalkeeper!

It was a world class goal, and she really made her name in that final, this or the Spain game was her best game at the Euro’s, not long after though Germany, Lina Magull, was left unmarked and nicked a goal…

To me , Magull is the closest thing they have to a Toone in Germany, only Magull is much more experienced  being born in 1994.

Anyway as a lot of you saw, England won the game in extra time, via Chole Kelly’s winner, so all in all, Ella had a little and made it into her own got more time and did not waste her chances, you should be very proud!

Alessia Russo Euro Review

Alessia just like Ella came off the bench for all of the games, as a sub for England.

What I forgot to tell you, is that they came on at the same time, mostly. It was like Ant & Dec at times, always together & they are United teammates, and they are very good friends, so, I don’t think they would mind me saying that!

The first game against Austria she was given 26 minutes, had some shots, two got blocked and the other one she missed, it was not her best night, but I could see from the start goals would come with Alessia.

The second game against Norway was much better, she got longer in 33 minutes & got her first goal at the Euro’s. She was throwing herself about, keeping the ball and a threat every time she touched the ball.

The third game against Northern Ireland, this was a great moment for Alessia as she tore Northern Ireland apart with two goals!

Her runs alone had the players shook, they could not live with her runs or nothing, this was a top class night for her.

England went on to win that game 5,0 & for me, I was expecting Alessia to start from now on.

The next game was against Spain in the Quarter-finals, she did not start as you know by now, but she did get 62 minutes on the pitch…

However, she did not get any shots, but still worked really hard, and set up a goal for the team. Alessia is a threat even when she does not find the back of the net, she can set up goals if push comes to shove.

Sweden in the Semi-Finals where Alessia got given 33 minutes & did very well.

What a goal she scored as well, she did a backheel into the back of the net, she had the sauce in that heel, and I could not believe it, my fav highlight of Alessia’s for sure!

England won the game 4,0 & that win got them to play in the final against Germany.

The final against Germany, once again Alessia Russo was given very little, but on the road to this final, took her chances that she did have and converted them into goals, on the most part!

She was given 62 minutes, which she more than deserved, if not even more than that…

However, I have to keep it 100 with you, this was not her best night at all. 

I feel like it was because the game plan from both sides had changed when she came on, and they had her like she is Ellen White, what I mean by that is she will do way more running than she would normally do, and for me, even though Alessia does run a lot, she was asked to do too much, and it’s not her, she was slow to everything, and it was not playing to her strengths here.

I know it’s a team game and you Sarina has to think about the team, but this did not suit her, she had a like one shot, she did what she could but like I said this was not her best night, I really would have loved her to have got a goal too, I was low key gutted about that, when thinking about it right now, but I don’t think she will care as they won the Euro’s anyway!

 Alessia, you should be very proud of what you have done, it was a real joy to watch you play.

In both cases I hope we can take-away the fact that, you should make the most of the time that is given, and you never know you may get more time..

Depending on what it is we are talking about, but start with life, which we know we don’t get back, but other things you do in life, can give you more time to enjoy your own life, or your goals.

A lot of you are here to better your health, keep your head up, and make things happen, a little time is better than none at all, and these girls have shown a little can so easily turn into a lot!

THAT’S IT!

Please let me know your thoughts on this?

  Until We Meet Again, Ciao

  We Look Up 大

Karim David 

The Healthy One