The Football.....

[User482]

Honest question. Disregarding the narrow score lines for a second, do you think
a) Italy
or
b) Uruguay
ever looked like they were going to lose either game at any point?

Italy, no. Uruguay, yes.

 

[Beebo]

I can report that an England player has a hat-trick to his name.
Unfortunately it's Stuart Broad at Headingly this afternoon.

 

[swee'pea99]

Honest question. Disregarding the narrow score lines for a second, do you think
a) Italy
or
b) Uruguay
ever looked like they were going to lose either game at any point?

I would have said either was a possibility. One or two decisions and/or bits of luck and either game could have gone t'other way.

 

[LarryDuff]

England were never at the races against Italy, a team that is known for scoring a goal then sitting back and laughing at the opposition. Friendlies and diddy teams aside, most of their wins in the last few years have been by one goal. They were happy to let England have the ball and run around puffing and perspiring to little effect. Even when England scored their (outstanding) goal, the Italians didn't panic, scored, then sat back again. Last night against a pretty workmanlike Uruguay, the English wide players that looked so good against Italy were starved of the ball and smothered when they did get it. The English midfield consisted of two guys - one who wants to ping 50 yard passes every time when simple is more effective and one who wants to run 50 yard sprints when a pass would be far easier.

England's lack of success at international level is quite astonishing really. For a large, developed country with literally thousands of teams playing at all levels, why have you only ever got to one World Cup Final? Without home advantage, favourable draws and dodgy refereeing, England haven't even managed a semi at this level. Same with the Euros where home advantage helped England to the lofty heights of a semi-final. Yet, English club teams perform superbly in European competitions, with periods of absolute domination.

So what is it about the English football psyche that makes them such losers?

English clubs teams dominated in the 80s when they had a lot of very good Scots/Irish/Welsh playing for them.
In the last decade there are all sorts of nationalities providing the talents for EPL teams.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I am not very patriotic person but even I would bellow out the national anthem if I pulled on an England shirt, they all look like they deliberately do not want to be seen singing the anthem as it will somehow damage their street cred.

Were I England manager I would tell the players to stand and listen to the National Anthem in dignified silence, not bellow it out trying to prove how patriotic they are in a fit of in your face badge kissing nonsense.

If you look at the pool of talent available to Roy Hodgson it is incredibly small. Only around 30% of the EPL starting lineups every week are eligible to play for England and most of those are mid table down. Alf Ramsey used to reckon he had to pick a team from about thirty players who were good enough for the demands of international football, Hodgson probably has nearer half that number. With nothing to lose England could still beat Costa Rica next week and if Italy win tonight qualification will be a possibility, the one fly in the ointment being Uruguay will be happy to draw to ensure going through and that result will guarantee the Italians top spot.

Whatever the outcome, this is the most enjoyable World Cup I can remember since 1970, mostly it is a borefest of unadventurous technical football.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

WTF! Has Thierry Henry got some beard-growing factory? I'm fairly sure he was on the TV a couple of night ago and was clean-shaven and tonight he has a full-on beard!

 

[Dayvo]

It's his party trick, Marmy!

Ist half:

2nd half:

 

[MarkF]

Or put another way, the the world's 10th best side lost narrowly to the 9th and 7th best sides.

Makes you wonder how the 34th best side beat the 7th and are currently beating the 9th.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Makes you wonder how the 34th best side beat the 7th and are currently beating the 9th.

It's a funny old game

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

And another thing - Lawro criticising the refs for not being up to standard...does he know about all the bollocks he spouts during a match? He must be the worst commentator/pundit in the world.

 

[Beebo]

Costa Rica are 1-0 up!

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Costa Rica are 1-0 up!

And systematically outplaying Italy.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

The Queen decides not to be down-hearted on hearing Ballotelli's team didn't beat Costa Rica, and decides to try to grab a snog off him anyway: "Come 'ere ya great big hunk..."

 

[Dayvo]

Well played, Costa Rica. A fully-deserved win.

 

[Smokin Joe]

How many years of hurt is it now, I've lost count...