The Official 2010 World Cup Thread

[Guest Dirty Protest]

I saw Heskey attempting some fancy dribbling moves today, fail, get him the fuck out of there.

 

I think Heskey hasnt let himself down over the 2 matches and has been one of Englands better players, which is a bit grim in itself.

 

O well, another day, some more football

[Guest Dirty Protest]

Nice to see the whole of western europe stink at soccer.

[Guest Gary C]

Every tournament failure brings the same questions about the system of football in England. It's not great, nothing like Spain or South America, but it has bred superb defenders generation after generation, some World Class midfielders (Beckham, Gerrard, Platt, Gascoigne) and even a couple of great strikers. The system is fine. Perhaps there should be a cap on foreign players, maybe a minimum age that they can be signed, in order to create more opportunies for Brits.

They talk about pressure getting to the players. But imagine the pressure of the Euro 96 squad. Playing on their doorstep, having no escape from the media. They got to the semis and even played great football against the likes of Holland (probably the best England performance I've ever seen).

This team is just too confused. Too many captain changes, too many personal problems, no definite first team, and no definite tactic.

 

Capello seemed worried by the media for the first time. He admitted flaws and doubts and even suggested that a change of formation may be employed. I think the crowd booing definitely got to him. He must have been embarassed too.

 

Where is Joe Cole? When you needed a spark to ignite the team, why on earth swap Lennon for SWP? The whole country wants Cole on the pitch.

[blackdust]

Capello seemed worried by the media for the first time. He admitted flaws and doubts and even suggested that a change of formation may be employed. I think the crowd booing definitely got to him. He must have been embarassed too.

How would you feel if 30k+ people booing you on your birthday!

[keltoi]

Yeah, keltoi, did you see the game? It's hard to feel good about it, despite the amazing comeback from the U.S., when you see how a fucking 3rd world useless cunt of a referee can once again trot out there, throw some cards around, and make an arbitrary decision that keeps a team from winning.

 

That's not negative nancy, nor is it miserable pissing, whining, bitch. Guilty as charged, sometimes, but this isn't the occasion. I'm still completely irate over it.

 

The only thing that makes it feel less shitty is knowing that the U.S., thanks to England's inability to lace up their boots, actually control their destiny against Algeria. It will be difficult to get all three points though, because the Algerians are pesky and irritating on defense.

 

you had every right to be pissed off about the game, the disallowed goal, etc. i would have been the same.

 

i just felt like i had read an awful lot of moany posts by you whether in this or the film thread, so my timing was off for calling you on it. it's cool though, get things off your chest and vent your spleen... that's what we're here for, amongst other things.

 

[Guest Dirty Protest]

The second half of Kewells career has been all about the karma

[Guest Mirezzi]

The second half of Kewells career has been all about the karma

Hasn't played at all this year and as much as I'm sure he appreciates the loyalty of the manager, he shouldn't have been out there today, right? Disaster for Australia. Sad, too, 'cause this was shaping up to be a really entertaining match.

 

Anybody think it was the right call? I think Rosetti is a decent ref and I don't see how he had a choice. The ball was struck pretty hard and it was likely reflexes, but Kewell did shrug his arm in the direction of the ball. What else can a ref do there? If you award the penalty and don't send him off, it's like saying he didn't even handle the ball.

 

This is really Kewell's history. Has some injury that keeps him out of commission for months and then a big match comes up and he's suddenly fit! lol...

[GORDO]

yeah reflexes, an unlucky situation for the guy. and yeah, no choice for the ref.

[Guest Dirty Protest]

Hes a money worshipping (see Bernie Mandic) and lazy ( see most of his career, especially here). Hes devoid of empathy (Galatasaray) or traits that most humans would like to call on. Tho this may be a completely partizan view =)

[Guest Mirezzi]

Hes a money worshipping (see Bernie Mandic) and lazy ( see most of his career, especially here). Hes devoid of empathy (Galatasaray) or traits that most humans would like to call on. Tho this may be a completely partizan view =)

It's shared by many. I've thought he was something of a douche ever since his days at Leeds, to be honest.

 

Every time I see a non-keeper standing in the goal, I'm like ...it's a roll of the dice and when you haven't played football for six months, WTF are you doing out there to begin with?

[Guest Conor74]

World Class midfielders (Beckham, Gerrard, Platt, Gascoigne) and even a couple of great strikers.

 

David Platt?

 

I remember a goal v Belgium in Italia 90. And Cameroon. He had a good tournament. But not sure about the world class.

 

Gascoigne was a great, think Bryan Robson led the team very well too. And Scholes was a fine player. Just not sure about Platt.

 

Hes a money worshipping (see Bernie Mandic) and lazy ( see most of his career, especially here). Hes devoid of empathy (Galatasaray) or traits that most humans would like to call on. Tho this may be a completely partizan view =)

 

It's a 100% correct view. He might as well have danced on the graves of Loftus and Speight. Even if he put his hands up and said it was the only offer, you'd say footballers follow the money - ensuring his agent got more than Leeds was bad, but as the Ziege transfer showed Liverpool don't have many scruples either, they were made for each other. But when he went to Istanbul, to come out with the shit that he wanted to unite the two clubs, that was sick. I have no problem with players who left Leeds, even Rio at least got a ball of money in which, with hindsight, may have been the difference between Leeds surviving at all and going under. Manyoo even paid the going rate for Smith, maybe over the odds. Some like Martyn and Keane even left on good terms. But Kewell is a complete and utter scumbag. Delighted with today. Must also get an award for most hilarious protest ever. Telling the ref to look at the replay on the screen, which showed a close up of the ball hitting his arm and in slow mo, to avoid any doubt at all!

[Guest Mirezzi]

Must also get an award for most hilarious protest ever. Telling the ref to look at the replay on the screen, which showed a close up of the ball hitting his arm and in slow mo, to avoid any doubt at all!

lol...I thought the same thing. "Do you really want them looking at the replay of you throwing your gimpy arm at the ball?"

 

Australia have played well, this is a bit of a bummer.

 

David Platt, by the way...meh. Great in England, mostly shit everywhere else. I always thought of him as a classic example of an English star failing to do well in Italy.

[Guest Dirty Protest]

Well played Australia, 10 men and still throwing strikers on. England could learn something from that.

[Guest Mirezzi]

Well played Australia, 10 men and still throwing strikers on. England could learn something from that.

So could Germany...that Ghana can't score goals unless the opposing team handles the ball inside the box.

 

[Guest Alex C]

England:

 

Cappelo has been well and truly found out, he's been in the job for God knows how long and stuck with the same formation with no change whatsoever. He's far too stubborn beyond belief to listen to anything anyone tells him

 

I think if we win Wednesday we'll be scraping the fucking thing

[Chris Moss Acid]

come wensday i couldnt give a shit of we draw or win or lose.

 

sooner england are out of the world cup.. quicker i can pay 100% attention of my beloved AFC Bournemouth.

 

and quicker that england can rebuild itself from the ground up for the euros. start looking for passion burners from the championship (its sad to say you'd find more english player there then in the PL) and start to 'eliminate' all the 'old' boys. they're not up to it

[Guest Alex C]

Get Peter Whittingham and Jay Bothroyd called up, hah

[Guest Mirezzi]

Cameroon are having some fun, this is great....

[Guest Mirezzi]

I think Ekotto forgot that Rommedahl is African fast. 1-1, what a game.

[GORDO]

lots of mistakes. still fun.

[chenGOD]

drop rooney for the next game and put the spurs forwards in there, and add joe cole for barry and put gerrard back in midfield - dawson will be put in defence after double yellow carding to charriger (thank god)

 

 

 

James

 

Johnson Dawson Terry A.Cole

 

Lennon Lampard Gerrard J.Cole

 

Crouch Dafoe

 

 

 

thats a winning formula .. if it fails put on rooney and play like this:

 

 

James

 

Johnson Dawson Terry A.Cole

 

Lennon Lampard Barry J.Cole

 

Gerrard

Rooney

 

 

 

I approve of both of those line-ups. Would like to see him play his full Spurs complement as a unit, why not use the coherence they developed throughout the season? Although actually in your first line-up I would put Gerrard slightly ahead of Lampard, so almost a 4-3-1-2 formation. Let gerrard roam around a bit, that's the sort of player he is.

 

I have a feeling Rooney might still be bothered by that injury he suffered towards the end of the season. I'm not trying to make excuses for him, but towards the end of that match against Algeria, he did look a bit "hobblely"

 

 

Every tournament failure brings the same questions about the system of football in England. It's not great, nothing like Spain or South America, but it has bred superb defenders generation after generation, some World Class midfielders (Beckham, Gerrard, Platt, Gascoigne) and even a couple of great strikers. The system is fine. Perhaps there should be a cap on foreign players, maybe a minimum age that they can be signed, in order to create more opportunies for Brits.

 

 

LOL at calling Beckham a great midfielder.

In actual fact the problem is that our boys play too much high-level football throughout the year. Week in, week out, they play in the toughest league, and the boys from the top clubs play a lot of games outside the premiership, in the CL and the Europa league. Plus the FA cup, carling cup (which yes, sure is not always viewed as important, but teams play it tough, and Rooney played in a lot of those matches)...and well you get the picture. They get to the world cup/euro and are exhausted. There are plenty of opportunities for British players. The problem is - they all play for English clubs. They never experience playing different styles of play. Need to export a few of the lads to other leagues. They'd get a chance to rest on some weeks when the team they're playing for plays a minnow in their respective leagues, and experience a different style of play week in week out.

 

Oh and why did they do so well in Euro 96? Home field advantage - plays a big role in any sport, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

[GORDO]

isn't Beckham the only great player england's had in a while?

 

A big fuzz was made with Owen and he did nothing. Same with Rooney. obviously i don't know enough, this is from an international perspective of someone who doesn't follow the premier league.

[Guest Rambo]

isn't Beckham the only great player england's had in a while?

 

 

 

Rooney + Gerrard

 

Beckham is decent but not world level

[chenGOD]

What the fuck did Beckham ever do that made him great?

In the words of a truly great player:

"He (Beckham) cannot kick with his left foot, he cannot head a ball, he cannot tackle and he doesn't score many goals. Apart from that he's all right."

 

Tell it like it is Mr. Best :)

[Guest Dirty Protest]

As galling is it is to say this, hes the best player ive ever seen on a pitch. Ive watched Rivaldo, Gazza, Le Tissier, Raul, Figo, Cantona and others im forgetting, but none of them controlled a match the way Beckham did, scum beat us 3 0, it was almost worth it to see the single best performance ive ever seen.