Commodore Remix

Chris Abbott wrote:Probably just as well we're out: we were never going to actually perform in this World Cup. Just not enough people able to find the net, either in penalties or in real play...

Chris

Aye, I felt it was for the best that we were out, strangely enough. The longer the game went on, the more I felt like it wasn't England's year.

Rooney's sending off was just part of the bigger picture. Mystifying tactics (such as bringing only 4 strikers to the World Cup) helped with England's undoing.

They did play their best football so far against Portugal and did fight back after Rooney's sending off, but Chris is right with the key players not finding the net. A disappointing end to it all. I just hope Steve McClaren has some better ideas than Sven (and more passion), we might have a chance then.

Playing players in the positions they're comfortable in would be good. And picking players who are actually in form at the time...

And taking along a striker he daren't play (Walcott)?? What was that about?? I think Sven's main interest was in the legend of Sven ("look how clever I am"). Hopefully McClaren won't be such an arrogant git.

Chris

good grief!

England played exceptionally well and totally dominated even with 10 men!

obviously some people don't know their football and should stick to the c64!

I never did think much of Sven as England manager, he doesn't have or show enough passion. The players need to go out on to the pitch pumped up but for some reason the games we played in we didn't show enough spark.

It was an ok performance but we haven't found that extra gear throughout the tournament and i never want to see a penalty shootout again.

tas wrote:good grief!

England played exceptionally well and totally dominated even with 10 men!

obviously some people don't know their football and should stick to the c64!

England didn't, and couldn't score. The usual "England gritty defence" (and yes, they were better than Portugal in this case) just isn't good enough for players of that talent at a game of that level.

They didn't play "exceptionally well". They played the same as they almost always do: desperately, bravely, but with very few people in form and no goal-scorers.

Bravery and grit just aren't good enough on their own at this level. The most we could have hoped for against France or Brazil would be to reduce them to our level. That's a game I wouldn't have wanted to see happen.

Every time we get knocked out in the quarter-finals, it's all "oh, England battled bravely", and people comfort themselves that it was just bad luck and that everything is somehow OK. The England team is broken, and needs some dramatic fixing if it's to delight again rather than just scraping through.

Chris

Thats the way football is..

All the faves in the competition are out.... England, Argentina, Brazil, Spain.

Sometimes luck comes into it.. And indeed Penalties are luck!

I've followed live matches since i was 16 and one thing you realise in those years that sometimes you need to dig deep and play a way where you don't have to perform to win but to play a way you get results.

Today, we deserved to win. We got unhinged by a combination of bad luck and a sending off you'd see in any league match in the UK that would go unrecognised.

Thats what this world cup has been about i feel. Who can cheat or fool the ref the best! FIFA in their wisdom have killed this world cup in the way they insist on fouls should be punished and in turn have made a mokery of the game by rewarding diving and unproffesional behaviour.

This world cup is a total lottery!

As for a game of this level.. we outshone portugal who are in realistic terms our equal. At this level no game is easy and chances are limited, you just don't roll over teams at this level its very much an even steven.

tas wrote:Today, we deserved to win. We got unhinged by a combination of bad luck and a sending off you'd see in any league match in the UK that would go unrecognised.

Thats what this world cup has been about i feel. Who can cheat or fool the ref the best! FIFA in their wisdom have killed this world cup in the way they insist on fouls should be punished and in turn have made a mokery of the game by rewarding diving and unproffesional behaviour.

True to a certain degree.
Nevertheless this particular sending off was a totally right decision in my eyes. Respect to the ref for spotting it.

maybe... It's right ofcourse of the letter of law that FIFA has issued.. Wrong in the real terms of football.

EDIT: i didn't realise til now it was for a stamp. I thought it was for the push! i stand corrected!

Btw.: I hope the red card was given for the stamp and not for the little push afterwards. Then it would be ridiculous of course.

Monty wrote:Btw.: I hope the red card was given for the stamp and not for the little push afterwards. Then it would be ridiculous of course.

seems so! i had no idea til i just saw the replay!

Fair decision.

Oh well, at least I should get a bit of air play royalties from "Come On England" being dragged out of its festering sess pit...

Must admit I really wanted Italy to win tonight, and got my wish. They deserved it so much more, particularly in extra time, as they went for it and were after the winner, not wanting to rely on penalties. And as for the goal from Grosso, absolutely brilliant. That had me going mental.

Del Piero rubbing salt into the wounds with a cheeky second with the last kick of the game just took the biscuit, I must admit that gave me a big smile.

As a neutral all i wanted was a good game reff'd in a good way without red cards. I got my wish!

Compliments to both sides who both played to win in open time and gave a great game. And thank the gods for a Ref who had the vision to let play flow!

Best game of the tournament for me that!

tas wrote: Best game of the tournament for me that!

i second that!!

...but '54 - '74 - '90 - 2010...

Well you'll certainly understand if I'm not all overly enthusiastic about Italy winning...