Thump.
Nobody on that pitch said anything, and 29 men not saying anything is louder than a crowd.
Thump. He got the ball back off the net and put it under his arm.
"Again?" he said.
"No."
"Gaffer, 5 more."
"Christian." I did not look up from the sheet. "You are not taking them and you have known that since Pennsylvania."
He stood there for about 3 seconds.
"Fine," he said, and went and got the balls in for the next man, and that is the whole reason he is my captain in everything but the armband.
James Rodríguez took his 5 at about the 15 minute mark and did not speak at all.
Same run. Same 3 steps.
Tk. Tk. Tk. Tk. Tk.
Left corner, left corner, right corner, left corner, right corner.
5 from 5, and the 5th one he put an inch inside the post with Wayne Hennessey guessing right.
Jack Grealish, next to me, said, "I told you," which he had, in my own office, in about 20 seconds.
[JAMES RODRÍGUEZ. PENALTY TAKING 18. COMPOSURE 17.]
