It’s amazing how one small mistake can completely change your game because Celtic’s Liam Scales found that out at Wembley.
Scales has lost his place in Celtic’s XI, but he is still a key performer for the Republic of Ireland and started their UEFA Nations League match against England at Wembley on Sunday evening.
For the Irish, there wasn’t much riding on the game, other than bragging rights and trying to stop the English from topping League 2, Group 2 of the UEFA Nations League.
Ireland were beaten 2-0 by England in Dublin in September when Scales was an unused substitute, but given his form for Celtic, he wasn’t going to miss the reverse fixture.
Yes, Scales’ sending-off, at 0-0 in the second half, changed the game because the home side went on to score five goals in next to no time.
But there was a first-half moment from the hard-hitting defender on Harry Kane that left even the English pundits impressed.
Liam Scales’ crunching tackle on Harry Kane during England v Republic of Ireland
The disappointment from Scales, in regards to his second yellow card and then the penalty being awarded, is the fact that he was performing so well up until that point.
Not just him, but the Irish backline was blocking and stopping everything that was entering their penalty area, with Caoimhin Kelleher not having much to do in between the sticks.
That was epitomised by Scales taking Kane out and sending him flying in the air in the first half.
The Bayern Munich striker was entering the Irish half, when he took a bad touch and Scales came in full force, took him out and the player like it was the 1990s’ again.
Former Arsenal defender Lee Dixon was left impressed, with lead commentator Sam Matterace also praising the player, as they told ITV (17/11/24 at 5:40 pm).
“Kane has just overrun it and it has invited the challenge from Liam Scales,” said Matterface. “He has had a really good start to the season with Celtic.”
Dixon then stated: “He wasn’t pulling out of that one, was he?! It just ran away from Harry Kane, he is having a bit of a look-up as to who is available, but Scales had his eyes right on that ball, as soon as it went out of his stride length he was in.”
Matterface added: “He won the double with Celtic last season, started the season really well, and scored a crucial equaliser in October in a game against Finland. Scored in the Champions League this season too. Actually, grew up playing with Nathan Collins’ older brother at the Schoolboy level and is now playing with Collins at the international level.”
Matthew Upson says Kane ‘didn’t know Scales was coming’
Thankfully, when Scales went through with the tackle and won the ball, the on-field referee didn’t book the player or award a free-kick.
Those types of tackles are dying out of the game, but Scales is an old-school defender and he proved there is still room for that.
Mattew Upson was in that mould during his playing days and he described it as a ‘proper tackle’ on BBC Sport.
The former Arsenal and West Ham player added that Kane just didn’t see his opponent coming.
“That was a proper tackle, timed to perfection and Harry Kane didn’t know Liam Scales was coming,” added Upson.
“The follow-through going straight into the player – a brilliant tackle.”
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