World Cup 2006 in Germany

[Guest Felonies!]

I want, and hereby pick Italy and Portugal to win their games. Thus, the Czech Republic Double-Choke Theory will come into play and make them lose. There, you can't say I didn't try to help, guys.

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

On Sven: Yes he fell apart in the last 6 months, but I don't think the press and the FA should have pushed him into a public decision before the tournament, and then subsequently alienated two world class managers in Hiddink and Scolari before plumping for Steve effing McClaren. English managers don't win things, when was the last time one won the FA cup or the premiership or any major tournament?

[Anorak 0]

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QUOTE( @ Jul 1 2006, 06:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Damn, that sucked.

 

Can't say we ever looked like we deserved to win the world cup though.

 

We never looked convincing at any stage but we didn't deserve to lose yesterday. We were getting well on top before the red card and we even came closer than them to nicking it with 10 men. Portugal never looked like breaking us down all game. They outplayed us a couple of years ago and we were lucky to take it to pens but we more than matched them yesterday and can count ourselves unlucky the way things turned out. Wasn't a good game and but at least we went out fighting instead of with a whimper like 2002.

 

We're bad enough at penalties without having to take one twice. Should never happen. He's always been way too prone to error ever be a top class keeper but Ricardo definately knows how to save a penalty.

 

Owen Hargreaves - Great game. Hanson & Wright were still calling him at the interval despite him being our best performer in a dull half. Responded by playing even better for the rest of the game and even stuck a penalty away. Gave 100% and was top man. Ashley Cole & Ferdinand were very good as well.

 

Ronaldo - If he ever drops the silly 'attitude' he'd become twice the player he currently is. He worked it to his advantage yesterday but it's been holding him back for a couple of years now.

 

Anyway, back to proper football next month!

[pochorenella 0]

If Brazil loses, Portugal's winning it all.

 

That may well be true. Seems I was the only one here rooting for Brazil to take it all, but after that atrociously-played game yesterday it seems France is a deserving semi-finalist. Zidane in particular played like his life depended on it. I blame Parreira for that weird lineup, making players like Ronaldinho play were they're not comfortable and for lining up guys like Cafu who're past their prime.

 

And i echo the sentiments of a couple of guys here: I think Italy vs Portugal may be the final, although I'm torn on which country to root for.

[Murmuring Beast 0]

If I'm being totally unbiased I must say it was a rotten game and Portugal were poor (they missed Deco).

 

Of course I'm not unbiased at all - to see Rooney sent off was hilarious and the penalty shoot-out was as cliched a joke as you'll get but it'll never get old.

 

At first it looked like Rooney was sent off for the shove but who knows...the stamp was horrific and he deserved to go for that alone.

 

I didn't hear the commentary over my rowdy Scottish watchees but the post match reaction was probably the worst ever??? Alan 'Traitor' Hansen used 'we' within the first sentence, Alan Shearer condoned the headbutting of Ronaldo and Ian Wright was on the verge on tears, although the camera was never on him long enough.

 

David Beckham is not captain material - what did he do to fire up his team-mates throughout the tournament?? and to cry when he was substituted was a (hilarious) disgrace. I'd give the armband to the superb Rio Ferdinand (I just heard Beckham quit the captaincy anyway).

 

Erikkson is a financial genius (he has screwed the FA out of millions for not doing much) but his motivational tactics were nil and why did he take off Lennon for Carragher?? Oh yes, to take a penalty. Haha. I reckon he'll be remembered as being better than Keegan and Hoddle but much worse than Venables. He'll go down as my favourite England manager for his shrewd financial skills and his relentless, effortless womanising.

 

McClaren is the worst choice imaginable for the job...Far too nice and won't get the respect from the players.

 

Germany to win it.

[Anorak 0]

If I'm being totally unbiased I must say it was a rotten game and Portugal were poor (they missed Deco).

 

They definately missed Deco. We struggled again with the 4-5-1 formation and only looked dangerous at the start of the second half. Main plus was our defending and very good performances from a few individuals.

 

Of course I'm not unbiased at all - to see Rooney sent off was hilarious and the penalty shoot-out was as cliched a joke as you'll get but it'll never get old. At first it looked like Rooney was sent off for the shove but who knows...the stamp was horrific and he deserved to go for that alone.

 

Rooney knew what he was doing and it cost us. To me it just looked like he left his boot in and pressed his weight down on it. Portugese players were hitting the deck with increasing frequency and desperation up until then and what happens? Rooney offers them the cheap way out they were looking for on a plate.

 

Penalties - We've actually got worse. It's one thing losing against five perfect German spot-kicks but continually blowing it in winnable shootouts where the other side miss a couple as well (Argentina, Portugal twice) is quite another. You could always rely on Shearer, Gascoigne, Sherringham, Platt etc to stick one away (why was Southgate taking one alongside that lot?) but there's hardly been anybody in recent years you would throw your hat on scoring one for us. Now we've failed so many times we're shit scared of them and don't have the belief we can win one, just like the Italians to a certain extent and especially the Dutch.

 

I didn't hear the commentary over my rowdy Scottish watchees but the post match reaction was probably the worst ever??? Alan 'Traitor' Hansen used 'we' within the first sentence, Alan Shearer condoned the headbutting of Ronaldo and Ian Wright was on the verge on tears, although the camera was never on him long enough.

 

Getting paid to talk the same old shit for two weeks.....at the World Cup ? Sounds like a Scottish man's dream job. If Scotland manage to qualify for anything again in his lifetime then i'm sure Alan will be there for you and abandon us like a shot.

 

McClaren is the worst choice imaginable for the job...Far too nice and won't get the respect from the players.

 

Absolutely. Crap choice. I can see there being more pessimism in the air regarding England in the next few years (maybe even the tabloids will tone it down just an insy winsy bit) and this doesn't help. Sven was like an old fashioned mid-table Seria A coach who didn't have a flexible enough game plan or tactical nous to outwit better managers such as Scolari.

 

Germany to win it.

 

Anybody but Portugal. Don't be surprised if they lose it like Argentina did if they get knocked out. Remember Euro 2000 gainst France? They haven't changed much.

[deancoles 0]

When will we ever learn to aim for the top corners when taking a penalty? Shearer and Lineker were great at that.

[Guest Princess Leena]

I guess because if you try aiming high, you have more chance of missing entirely. Just like most shots in regular gameplay that go flying over the net.

 

Whereas if you blast it low to some side, you have more than a 50% chance of making it.

[King Cucaracha 0]

See Waddle, Chris.

 

On Sven: Yes he fell apart in the last 6 months, but I don't think the press and the FA should have pushed him into a public decision before the tournament, and then subsequently alienated two world class managers in Hiddink and Scolari before plumping for Steve effing McClaren. English managers don't win things, when was the last time one won the FA cup or the premiership or any major tournament?

 

When was the last time they had the chance?

 

It's a dumb circle. People keep griping about English managers not winning any trophies, they need to go to decent clubs to win trophies and get experience, they don't get offered jobs with decent clubs because they don't have experience. Until someone takes a risk on an English manager, we're going to have this arguement over and over again. It's ridiculous.

 

To be fair, McClaren got to the UEFA Cup final with a mediocre Middlesborough team. I don't think he's the right choice for England manager, but during the competition he at least showed he can spark teams into improved second half performances, unlike Sven.

 

 

So, Beckham stepped down as captain. Again, I think he's got a lot of unfair criticism as well as some fair criticism, but I think it was time. John Terry would make a better captain, if only because of his position in the team.

[deancoles 0]

Middlesbrough being Medicore is Mclaren's fault, he's spent lots of money and been given 5 years, he did play the youngsters when needed though.

 

I'm still not sure on Terry at International level, looked dodgy at the Euros and against Sweden and Ecuador, to be fair though he wasn't the only one.

 

Anyone know why Ashley Cole didn't take a pen? he's pretty good at them and I had him down as one of our better penalty takers.

[King Cucaracha 0]

Middlesbrough being Medicore is Mclaren's fault, he's spent lots of money and been given 5 years, he did play the youngsters when needed though.

 

That's the thing, with England he doesn't have to worry about signing players. He's got a track record of bringing through young players and I'd expect Lennon to get more of a run out with him at the helm. And he's proven he's not afraid to chop and change, players and formations, if things go wrong unlike one dimensional Sven.

 

I'm still not sure on Terry at International level, looked dodgy at the Euros and against Sweden and Ecuador, to be fair though he wasn't the only one.

 

On that score, Terry performed far above Gerrard, which was maybe as much down to the system as anything but Gerrard hasn't done much for England recently. Terry is perfect captain material, for me.

 

Anyone know why Ashley Cole didn't take a pen? he's pretty good at them and I had him down as one of our better penalty takers.

 

I think they went on who was scoring in training. Carragher was apparantly 19 for 20 in training, so they stuck him in. Then again, I would have banked on Lamps and Gerrard to stick their penalties away and look what happened there.

 

 

Want to improve the English game? How about the 5 forigen players per team role?

 

The Portugese First Division is made up of predominantly foreign players. Hasn't hurt them. They're World Cup Semi Finalists and Euro Championship runners-up. Foreign players in domestic leagues simply isn't the problem. The problem was Sven.

[deancoles 0]

Where would you rank Sven against the England managers since 1990?

 

I'd go

 

Venables

Hoddle

Eriksson

Taylor(did have a great start)

Keegan

 

Hoddle was doing really good until the Diary came out, his formation would

suit the current group of players.

[Anorak 0]

I agree about Hoddle, it's ridiculous and annoying when his time in charge is referred to as some kind of awful disaster. It was nothing of the sort but a lot of journo's must resent him because they seem increasingly fond of voicing that opinion in recent years.

[Mystery Eskimo 0]

I don't think Sven has done a terrible job, just a very very average one. Unfortunately, McLaren has been a very very average manager for Middlesborough, so I don't really see anything changing.

 

I hope the coming season is going to see some strong performances from the young English players, we really need them to be pressing the likes of Lampard and Beckham for their places.

Sadly, I can see Lampard hitting a hat trick past Fulham or someone and the media proclaiming that he's back to his best.

Edited July 3, 2006 by Mystery Eskimo

[k thx 0]

English managers don't win things, when was the last time one won the FA cup or the premiership or any major tournament?

FA Cup: Joe Royle 95

League: Howard Wilkinson 92

League Cup: Steve McClaren 04

UEFA/Cup Winners: Bobby Robson 97

European Cup: Joe Fagan 84

 

That's not including Venables/Robson etc domestic league/cup wins abroad

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

Not very impressive really, is it? I guess by default that means McClaren is the right choice, (and even then, it's the least prestigious trophy on that list) but only if you eliminate better managers by virtue of their nationality, which is what I don't understand. Also, it's only England, so it's not bothering me too much. I think you have to be able to laugh at them a little.

[goldengreek 0]

Question for the serious and knowledgeable soccer fans:

 

How the FUCK did Greece beat the Czech Republic, France, and Portugal TWICE in Portugal, to win the European Championship, and they dont qualify for the world cup?

[Guest]

They played an odd defensive shit-boring style that everyone caught onto. Not only that, but their group was probably the toughest.

[goldengreek 0]

They played an odd defensive shit-boring style that everyone caught onto. Not only that, but their group was probably the toughest.

I wish I could make the excuse that their group was the toughest, but it had Turkey, Albania, The Ukraine, and some other lesser teams. Hardly a group of death.

[Guest]

Turkey, Ukraine, Greece and Denmark are a very tough 4. There's not a 4 that was tougher (disputable, the French group was tough too), regardless of who the lesser teams are.

 

Plus, they can't call every player for every match, so eventually they're going to have a tough matchup against one of those teams in a must win.

[goldengreek 0]

Turkey, Ukraine, Greece and Denmark are a very tough 4. There's not a 4 that was tougher (disputable, the French group was tough too), regardless of who the lesser teams are.

 

Plus, they can't call every player for every match, so eventually they're going to have a tough matchup against one of those teams in a must win.

I was just disapointed as fuck that they missed the 32 team field after winning the Euro cup. Defensive style or not, they beat some very strong teams. And beating Portugal twice IN portugal is simply amazing

[Guest NYankees]

Italia and Germany scoreless through 27 minutes so far.

[iggymcfly 0]

If I hadn't just slept for 14 hours, I think this match might put me back to sleep. No one's even getting any good chances. I almost wonder if I should even bother watching the OT. We all know it's going to penalty kicks.

[devo 0]

Well, now Italy at least is getting some good chances. The last two shots were mere millimeters from going in.

[Guest NYankees]

Italia has hit the post and the cross bar in the first 2 minutes of overtime. Crazy!!!!!

[goldengreek 0]

They played an odd defensive shit-boring style that everyone caught onto. Not only that, but their group was probably the toughest.

Italy has the same odd defensive shit-boring style, but the made the cup and were succesfull

[Gert T 0]

If I hadn't just slept for 14 hours, I think this match might put me back to sleep. No one's even getting any good chances. I almost wonder if I should even bother watching the OT. We all know it's going to penalty kicks.

 

 

Yeah, I wonder if any goals will be scored the rest of this tournament.

[Slayer 0]

Dammit, dammit, dammit

 

I so wanted to see it go to PK

[Guest NYankees]

ITALIAAAAAAAAA GOOOOOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Zetterberg is God 0]

Wow. What a turn of events.