View Full Version : The WORLD CUP thread
so when we went out on pens why didn't we scrap the portugese on the field, just like the sporting argentinians did?
We english don't seem to do scrapping - stiff upper lip and all that
leave it to the fans i guess....
yep
northwind
03-07-06, 05:29 PM
We english don't seem to do scrapping - stiff upper lip and all that
That's right, much more sporting to stamp on people's testicles when they're on teh ground :lol:
We english don't seem to do scrapping - stiff upper lip and all that
That's right, much more sporting to stamp on people's testicles when they're on teh ground :lol:
:oops:
Supervox
03-07-06, 08:04 PM
The only truly inspirational character in the present England squad is by far Steven Gerrard. John Terry does not even come close. Gerrard does not do too badly for Liverpool when carrying the extra responsibility does he?
OH MY GOD !! :shock:
THINGS WILL JUST NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN !! :shock:
IT'S THE END OF LIFE AS WE KNOW IT !! :shock:
Supervox & Peter Henry are in complete agreement !! :shock: :shock:
The Basket
03-07-06, 08:08 PM
No point watching the world cup now that only Johnny Foreigner can win it.
Might start riding me bike now.
No point watching the world cup now that only Johnny Foreigner can win it.
Might start riding me bike now.
Yeah - the Mods might as well lock this thread now as Fillipe M will be talking to himself now :roll:
we can still discuss it - bet most of us watch the final if not the semis
Peter Henry
04-07-06, 11:26 AM
Considering myself a fan of the game itself,I will definitely be watching the rest of the tournament. :wink:
Poor old Super he really is traumatised at the moment! :P
The Basket
04-07-06, 11:37 AM
The best game was certainly France V Brazil...And I may watch the games as I do think Germany have a winning thing about them.
The diving and bare-faced cheating has ruined the fairness for me. Italy are in the finals because some Italian went down like a bag of spanners over an Australian and got a penalty in the last minute.. Hardly stuff of legend.
Rooney's statement over the sending off just amazes. He didn't mean to stamp on the players nuts...He and C.Ronaldo are best of pals...England deserves to be in the round...and so on.
I would rather stick with RL but The Wire are getting stuffed at the mo so I'm keeping quiet on that one.
Peter Henry
04-07-06, 12:20 PM
*off topic*
Oh dear have you seen what is happening in Italy? the prosecutor in the match fixing scandal wants Juventus to be relegated 2 divisions down to Serie C! AC Milan down to Serie B!
You just couldn't make this up! :shock:
*off topic*
Oh dear have you seen what is happening in Italy? the prosecutor in the match fixing scandal wants Juventus to be relegated 2 divisions down to Serie C! AC Milan down to Serie B!
You just couldn't make this up! :shock:
:offtopic: Italian teams have been relegated before for match fixing, I think. Didn't Lazio go down with a few others yonks ago?
Peter Henry
04-07-06, 09:42 PM
Forza Italia!
Superb goals to cap an excellent performance. It would have been an injustice if they had not gone through that match.
Gatusso magnificent!!!! Once again.
Dream final has to be them against France? But don't discount Figo and his boys just yet........
At least the Aussies can still feel proud about how they did against them?
I feel sorry for little Claude Makele, looks like he has two slow donkeys to carry next season at Chelsea now that they have Ballack as well as Lampard! :P
Germany v Italy!
What a game! The best one so far I think, with what I consider to have been the best refereeing!
And I think the best team on the night won, too.
I REALLY enjoyed that match :D
northwind
04-07-06, 11:40 PM
I pretty much hate football... 10 years of being taken to Hearts games put me off for life, I thought. But tonight was just fantastic. My dad's now trying to convince me that all football's that good. Plus, I'd bet my brother a pound that del Piero would scored in the 120th minute 8)
So much for playing bad football to win games eh? Physical game too with very little theatrics and rock solid refereeing. And the German keeper very nearly killing someone.
Peter Henry
05-07-06, 07:45 AM
Just think, one or two players in the Italy squad could conceivably be holding the world cup trophy aloft on Sunday. Then returning home to play in the 3rd division! :shock:
The Basket
05-07-06, 08:30 AM
The Italy - Germany game was everything good about football and the world cup.
Lehmann's challenge was dreadful though and he was very lucky not to hit the Italian harder so it looked a lot worse than it was.
The two Italian goals were both excellent and Italy deseved the win. I think Germany side was shown to be solid but lacking zip. I think the difference between England and Germany is that Klinnsmann got the best out of his players and Sven didnae.
If either France or Italy win the world cup, then it will proof that the winning side never plays well at first but gets better with each game.
belting game last night.
i'd just like to point out each time i tip a team to do well/win a match, they lose.
tonight portugal to overcome the french
gotta love that reverse psychology stuff.
Peter Henry
05-07-06, 09:14 AM
That is a very good young German side that I think will grow from this tournament. They definitely missed Fringst in midfield last night to match the energy of Gatusso. Ballack has been another player that enjoyed a big build up on the lead in to the competition but frankly was p*ss poor through out.
That terrible collision caused by Lehman brought back the sickening memories of that disgraceful,(and unpunished) assault by the German keeper Schumaker in Barcelona '82. The incident finished the career of Battiston who spent 3 months in hospital after it......Schumaker went on to be a national hero due to his performance in the penalty shoot out against France in that game. :?
The Basket
05-07-06, 09:19 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziCPQk_Zn80&search=battiston
Very very nasty
Jerry doesn't like it up em :lol:
One goal in time added to extra time good but two was uncalled for Del Piero covered the lenght off the pitch.
Filipe M.
05-07-06, 10:17 AM
belting game last night.
i'd just like to point out each time i tip a team to do well/win a match, they lose.
tonight portugal to overcome the french
gotta love that reverse psychology stuff.
*ahem*
:?
Peter Henry
05-07-06, 10:29 AM
Filipe...If your boys can crowd out Zizou you have a big chance. There is also the question as to whether he can replicate such a stunning performance so soon after the last one?
I really do think this is a tough call as to who will win, two very good teams. 8)
Viva le France or something like that for tonight hope they stuff Portugal not bitter at all. :twisted:
Will be watching the highlights if theres any Henry hatrick maybe.
Peter Henry
05-07-06, 10:33 AM
Hat trick of music hall type injury cons maybe. :wink:
Filipe M.
05-07-06, 10:34 AM
Filipe...If your boys can crowd out Zizou you have a big chance. There is also the question as to whether he can replicate such a stunning performance so soon after the last one?
I really do think this is a tough call as to who will win, two very good teams. 8)
I know it'll be a difficult game, but after all the abuse we've been getting from them at the press conferences I really want us to win. I mean, the French calling us divers? :roll: Yeah, we must have learned with Thierry Henry... :roll:
What a game! The best one so far I think, with what I consider to have been the best refereeing!
Deffo the best so far - better even than France v Brazil :D
No diving or theatrics from either side, just good, honest, decent, hard and skillful football from both sides played in a great spirit. Sure, there were fouls, but the players just picked themselves up and got on with it. An example to everyone and every young kid playing the game should be shown a recording to show how the game should be played.
The ref made the game what it was, the players respected him for it and we were rewarded with a fine and engaging match from start to finish.
So glad that no-one will miss the final for picking up a 2nd booking. The onus is now on tonight's ref to ensure that France and Portugal are treated the same way otherwise the final could be compromised.
northwind
05-07-06, 01:41 PM
Lehmann's challenge was dreadful though and he was very lucky not to hit the Italian harder so it looked a lot worse than it was.
Don't think there was a thing wrong with it- he 100% went for and took the ball, the collision was incidental. On another day it could have been Lehmann left for dead.
The Basket
05-07-06, 02:13 PM
Yeah the Ref was very good.
Think the Lehmann challenge was a bad one. Just lucky he either missed or pulled out of it!
My money on the Frenchies but got the Germany game wrong so probably the Portugese instead.
Peter Henry
05-07-06, 02:31 PM
Northy if your thinking is correct then surely any forward is free to clatter in to goalkeepers following the slightest contact with the ball? Nah mate it was wrong, he could have avoided an impact which was always going to be in his favour....if he had really wanted to. :wink:
i think it was a 50:50 ball and in Lehman's favour was the fact that the Italians can't have thought it was a bad challenge; they certainly didn't crowd the ref calling for a red card.
And to Lehman's credit he stayed with the player to make sure he was OK - looked like genuine concern to me.
I just wasn't that sort of match.
I predict a Portugal v Italy final.
Filipe M.
05-07-06, 03:32 PM
i think it was a 50:50 ball and in Lehman's favour was the fact that the Italians can't have thought it was a bad challenge; they certainly didn't crowd the ref calling for a red card.
And to Lehman's credit he stayed with the player to make sure he was OK - looked like genuine concern to me.
I just wasn't that sort of match.
I predict a Portugal v Italy final.
And I sure hope you're right! :D
Peter Henry
05-07-06, 03:39 PM
Filipe....Does Figo play tonight then? 8)
Filipe M.
05-07-06, 03:44 PM
Filipe....Does Figo play tonight then? 8)
It looks like he might, in fact this is the probable starting line-up for today:
Ricardo;
Miguel, Fernando Meira, Ricardo Carvalho, Nuno Valente;
Costinha, Maniche, Deco;
Figo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pauleta.
trickywoos
05-07-06, 07:27 PM
allez les bleus!
Ronaldo's got a nice reception eh?!?!?!!?!?
philipMac
05-07-06, 07:53 PM
Portugal are playing very well.
This is an excellant game. How outstanding is Ronaldo?
Unfortunate penalty. Hard to say if the ref was right or not.
I want Portugal to take this.
trickywoos
05-07-06, 08:57 PM
WOOHOO!!! Come on France!!
Peter Henry
05-07-06, 09:10 PM
So the best team on the night won? I am not at all sure about that. A game swung by one error which created the penalty. I will give France the benefit of the doubt based on their destruction of Brazil.
How ironic that the French fans were booing Ronaldo,(Man of the match?) in a weird support of Rooney? :shock:
Thierry Henry will need to offer a whole lot more unless he wants a night he will want to forget on Sunday. Canavarro will eat him alive the way he played tonight. He is up against THE best central defender in the world when the final comes along.His little effort in the first half was a great piece of play but what else did he do?
Should be a cracking final though as both teams are designed to play exciting football. :wink:
trickywoos
05-07-06, 09:18 PM
It was a poor game, it really was, and I hope that the final will be exciting (but as the majority of the matches so far have been quite poor, I'm not holding my breath!).
But Portugal didn't win......which initially made me happy. But now I'm even more disappointed that we didn't beat them.
However, with France being my second home, I'm happy for them, so let's hope they beat the Italians!
Peter Henry
05-07-06, 09:39 PM
I would be pleased to see them beat Italy purely for the sake of Zizou. What a way to retire. other than that it's Il Azurri all the way for me. :wink:
I wanted Italy to beat Germany, and I wanted France to beat Portugal.
Now I'm torn as to who I want to win :?
I love France and the French people, but when the Italians leave their handbags at home they play fabulous football!
But then I'd love Zidane to lift the cup as he's retiring for good, and Ribery just because he's fantastic. But then del Piero will probably never get another chance, and Gattuso is my role model :D
Damn....................can't they both win?
philipMac
06-07-06, 02:28 AM
It was a poor game, it really was, and I hope that the final will be exciting
:shock: I must have been watching a differant match then.
However, with France being my second home, I'm happy for them, so let's hope they beat the Italians!
Ditto.
Go Zinedine Zidane! saw the first half and glad he scored that penalty
The Basket
06-07-06, 09:25 AM
The Portugal Synchronized Diving Team.
Not Good. They were poor in the box and never looked like scoring.
C.Ronaldo is a skillful player but he is now a marked man.
The Penalty was a bit dubious...there was contact but Henry did the dying swan routine.
The guys who have said that all of the last 16 games were poor musn't be watching! Germany-Italy and Brazil-France were as good as any game I've seen.
It was a poor game, it really was, and I hope that the final will be exciting
:shock: I must have been watching a differant match then.
Sounds like you were......I thought it was poor, too.
Much as I like France and the French people (especially the Bretons), I'm going to be cheering for Italy because, after their display against Germany, they deserve to win.
I agree, with PH :shock: Cannavarro, aided by Zambrotta, will munch Henry unless his game improves.
I've come to the conclusion that many of the poor performances have come from Premiership-based players. They've pretty-much all looked tired and devoid of ideas.
Is the domestic season too long? Poor Stephen Gerrard has been playing once or twice a week for more than 12-months solid since the Champions League Qualifying Round.
Filipe M.
06-07-06, 10:02 AM
So thanks for all your best wishes! :P
I won't pass any comments on the referee, after all this is a U rated site.
As for our players... good heavens, being called divers for a week really helped them, they didn't miss a chance... :roll: that or watching Thierry Henry, which to me is still the mother of all divers.
Fact of the matter is they've defended better than we attacked, and we haven't lost because of a lack of will to win.
Germany on saturday it is, then. We have one less day to rest, but our psychological condition is better.
As for the final, I'll be backing up the squadra azurra.
Peter Henry
06-07-06, 10:29 AM
Portugal's biggest failings were the poor performance of Deco last night,(yet another star midfielder to dissapoint in this tournament) and the fact that Pauleta never really looked a threat.
Overall it is difficult to say that one of those two teams was better than the other.
How about this...... Simone Perrotta the Italian midfielder was born in Ashton under Lyne, Greater Manchester! The same birth place as Geoff Hurst!(I never knew Geoff was born in the north?)
What a claim to fame for such a town if Il Azzurri lift the trophy on Sunday! :shock:
Filipe M.
06-07-06, 10:33 AM
Portugal's biggest failings were the poor performance of Deco last night,(yet another star midfielder to dissapoint in this tournament) and the fact that Pauleta never really looked a threat.
I have to completely agree with you on that... :roll:
The Basket
06-07-06, 10:35 AM
The Ref was to blame for Portugal's display? The Ref was then to blame for England's poor displays then :P Just because the Ref wasn't fooled by the dives doesn't make him a bad man.
The boos for Ronaldo was English fans.
English fans with a lack of foresight had bought thousands of tickets for the Semi thinking England will be there. They used the occasion to vent their spleens against C.Ronaldo. Proof that he really will be in dire straits if he comes back to Engalnd next season.
Filipe M.
06-07-06, 10:42 AM
The Ref was to blame for Portugal's display? The Ref was then to blame for England's poor displays then :P Just because the Ref wasn't fooled by the dives doesn't make him a bad man.
The boos for Ronaldo was English fans.
English fans with a lack of foresight had bought thousands of tickets for the Semi thinking England will be there. They used the occasion to vent their spleens against C.Ronaldo. Proof that he really will be in dire straits if he comes back to Engalnd next season.
Read my post again and you'll probably find I was the first one to complain against our divers... :roll: I just wished the guy used the same criteria for both sides, which he didn't. That, all the time wasting that went on without his noticing, yada yada yada... :roll:
I think we can drop it, France again won without scoring any in-game goal, and we lost for that same reason, the difference being a successful dive by the best of the divers, converted by one of the best penalty scorers.
As for English fans booing C. Ronaldo... [-X
The Basket
06-07-06, 10:51 AM
I agree with the C.Ronaldo thingy.
He is being used as a focal point for English anger and frustration. Not really fair but then what is?
If you read my post...I did say that Henry dived too.
I am non-plussed with the idea that footballers can be tired. They are supposed to be fit young men! It is hardly triathlons!
sharriso74
06-07-06, 11:01 AM
Nicked from a rugby website but I agrree with what he's saying about the divers and indisipine.
Top Welsh referee Nigel Whitehouse has cast an officious eye over proceedings in Germany and has urged soccer to take a leaf or two out of rugby's book of laws.
The FIFA World Cup finals have been marred by indiscipline, diving, fighting and poor sportsmanship.
And, if certain sections of the British press are to be believed, highly experienced soccer referees are being bullied into dismissing players against their better judgement.
Red cards have been dished out at an average of 0.45 per game, whilst players are seeing yellow 5.22 times per game.
By way of contrast, there were no red cards at the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia and just 12 yellow cards were shown.
Whitehouse puts the difference down to a single factor - player-discipline.
"I would be petrified if I was a soccer referee and was surrounded by angry players disputing a decision or trying to encourage me to card an opposition player," Whitehouse told the Western Mail.
"Referees in football are put under immense pressure by the way players behave, but the misbehaviour could be stamped out overnight if [governing bodies] acted strongly and clamped down on offenders.
"We've had difficulty recruiting referees in rugby and our problems are mild compared to soccer.
"We get the odd player using a four-letter words but he knows he can get a straight red card for swearing.
"I've been told what is coming through the referees' microphones isn't transmitted on television because of the bad language.
"In football there is so much abuse of referees by the players. Referees are under immense pressure as it is, but the way players surround and intimidate them is ridiculous."
Whitehouse believes that the introduction of the sin-bin and a television official would help soccer referees regain control.
"I would be in favour of some sort of sin-binning being introduced, whether it was for five or 10 minutes," he said.
"We saw the damage being a man down can do when Wayne Rooney was sent off for England against Portugal in their quarter-final last weekend.
"If a player knew he was going to be sin-binned for certain offences he would stop doing them.
"And I'm sure a manager would tell their players to behave if he knew they risked being sin-binned.
"Take the match between Australia and Italy as an example - the Italian [Fabio Grosso] clearly dived to get the penalty that saw his side win the match.
"If they used technology the referee could have gone upstairs for a decision. It would have come back loud and clear, 'Dive, book the Italian.'
"These things only take 15-20 seconds to sort out. I can't understand why soccer doesn't follow rugby's lead and bring in a television referee.
"The technology is there for them. Goal-line incidents would become a thing of the past and diving could be eradicated overnight by taking disciplinary action, retrospectively if need be."
The Basket
06-07-06, 11:05 AM
I agree..refs in RL don't take the abuse that football refs take.
It is called respect.
I have to salute you for defending Portugal, I don't think that Ronaldo got Rooney sent off and I'm not convinced their antics effected the England result. However my uncle is from Portugal and after watching the game with us he apologised and said he was ashamed. Last nights game was a travesty. FIFA need to step up and starting punishing people!
Filipe M.
06-07-06, 11:20 AM
I agree with the C.Ronaldo thingy.
He is being used as a focal point for English anger and frustration. Not really fair but then what is?
If you read my post...I did say that Henry dived too.
I am non-plussed with the idea that footballers can be tired. They are supposed to be fit young men! It is hardly triathlons!
True, agree with you 100%.
I have to salute you for defending Portugal, I don't think that Ronaldo got Rooney sent off and I'm not convinced their antics effected the England result. However my uncle is from Portugal and after watching the game with us he apologised and said he was ashamed. Last nights game was a travesty. FIFA need to step up and starting punishing people!
I will defend what I consider to have been a fight-till-the-end team, and IMHO nobody can take that away from Portugal. The will to win was there. Tactical solutions weren't. :roll:
But it is also true, and I have no problem other then shame to say this, they were following the "when in doubt, dive" rule. :roll:
I couldn't believe my own eyes when they started doing it, it's like spending a whole damn week defending them and then all of a sudden they all start acting like that and you go "wtf?! :?"
Peter Henry
06-07-06, 11:35 AM
Ronaldo to be forced out of the English game? Well his bank balance will not come to a lot of harm from that will it? People will be happy to see one of the brightest stars of world football walk away from the Premier League? More fools them I say.
David Beckham did not do too badly after the shame of his sending off against Argentina did he? :wink:
I agree..refs in RL don't take the abuse that football refs take.
Nor in RU either.
The ref calls an offending player over, plus the captain, and discusses any incident with them. Just the two of them. They address him as "Sir" and there's no back-chat. Ref's decision is final.
I'm convinced that such great discipline is why there's never any trouble at RL and RU matches. Fans mix with each other and enjoy the banter and quite often they have been on the beer beforehand.
Quite a contrast with footy.
sharriso74
06-07-06, 11:49 AM
In RU if you want to back chat the ref he walks you back 1 yards. Your own team kinda stops you carrying on as in thory if you keep doing it it'll be a penalty try to the opposition
Peter Henry
06-07-06, 11:52 AM
It was always noticeable the difference in attitude towards the referee when I was playing rugby, from guys who had previously been playing football. They were always the one's that created problems. They did not seem to realise that it did not make you a harder or better player and often just caused grief for your team mates. :?
carelesschucca
06-07-06, 05:12 PM
How ironic that the French fans were booing Ronaldo,(Man of the match?) in a weird support of Rooney? :shock: :wink:
Or was it all the English fans that had bought tickets for the semi-final knowing that they'd get through???
Peter Henry
06-07-06, 05:22 PM
Like there really was a possibility of England reaching the semi's? Err last time they did that was way back in 1990. A lot of World Cups have come and gone since then!
A sobreing thought for those clowns who rate the premiership as the best league in the world.....how many players in the semi's ply their trade in England? Even worse how many that will play in the final?
Nuff said! :wink:
Filipe M.
06-07-06, 05:25 PM
A sobreing thought for those clowns who rate the premiership as the best league in the world.....how many players in the semi's ply their trade in England?
Erm, let's see... that "stupid diving prat" C. Ronaldo does... Ricardo "Flatnuts" Carvalho does too... :wink:
Peter Henry
06-07-06, 05:27 PM
Felipe...Yes that's 2 players.
Ronaldo....One of the brightest talents in world football.
Carvalho.....One of the top 5 central defenders in football,(although prone to being a little wild at times.)
Filipe M.
06-07-06, 05:31 PM
Felipe...Yes that's 2 players.
Ronaldo....One of the brightest talents in world football.
Carvalho.....One of the top 5 central defenders in football,(although prone to being a little wild at times.)
2 out of 44 (considering just the starting lineups) isn't bad! And I'm sure we can find a few more, but I sure can see your point and agree to it. :?
Peter Henry
06-07-06, 05:32 PM
Felipe...I believe that a report in a certain Portugese newspaper referred to Carvalho's "tomatoes" being trodden on by Rooney! :P :P
carelesschucca
06-07-06, 05:34 PM
in the semi, TERRY HENRY!!!
Peter Henry
06-07-06, 05:52 PM
Ok so we have 3 players that as they are present, make the premiership the best league in the world? Like ,yeah! :?
northwind
06-07-06, 06:23 PM
Northy if your thinking is correct then surely any forward is free to clatter in to goalkeepers following the slightest contact with the ball? Nah mate it was wrong, he could have avoided an impact which was always going to be in his favour....if he had really wanted to. :wink:
He couldn't have avoided the impact without surrendering the ball, you saw the way he went for it... The Italian could have avoided the impact too, if he'd been willing to let Lehmann have the ball, but neither was willing to give ground. Very brave play from both, either one of them could have gone home in an ambulance.
carelesschucca
06-07-06, 07:14 PM
Like there really was a possibility of England reaching the semi's? :wink:
You didn't believe then!!! Shame on you for not falling for the hype!!!
how many players in the semi's ply their trade in England?
Nuff said! :wink:
Portugal
Ronaldo
Carvalho
Ferreira (sub)
Maniche used to
Postiga used to (sub)
France
Gallas
Makelele
Henry
Saha (sub)
Barthez used to
Viera used to
Wiltord used to (sub)
Germany
Lehman
Ballack will
Italy
No one
That's out of the 56 players that played in the semi-finals
Peter Henry
06-07-06, 10:12 PM
Law wrote:
Portugal
Ronaldo
Carvalho
Ferreira (sub) -Compared with Italy's 2 fullbacks how good is he?
Maniche used to ...Err used to?
Postiga used to (sub) ....Exactly....used to?
France
Gallas ...Fair point.
Makelele ...Real Madrid still rue his sale. But hello he is now 33???
Henry ...Very impressive against poor opposition.
Saha (sub) .....Second rate.
Barthez used to ...Once again not any more and like goalies go out and win matches?
Viera used to....Your not getting the point here Law are you?
Wiltord used to (sub)....ditto.
Germany
Lehman ...Hmmm another goalie..and he's really one of the best????? Try thinking Buffon or Casillas.
Ballack will ....Highest player on Chelsea's books...big mistake coming up...world class by his performances in this competition????
Italy
No one
Italy
No one
Not quite true......using the "used to" criteria the you should have mentioned Matterazzi, who played (and I use the term loosely :wink: ) for Everton.
And then there's the Italian that was born in Ashton - can't remember his name but it's a first-choice midfielder :?
So an Englishman could get his hands on the Cup after all :lol:
Like there really was a possibility of England reaching the semi's?
of course there was a chance! there was every chance we could have got to the semi's
and what if the last time we got was 1990. i don't see the relevance?!
Peter Henry
07-07-06, 09:11 AM
Keith...The relevance for me is that we have not performed in the tournament for 16 years. Ignore the heart break scenarios of penalty shoot out etc, when did we ever look like taking the competition by the scruff of the neck?
I regret to admit that I am unlikely to see another star worn proudly on an England shirt in my life time. :?
Wont stop me getting behind them of course but maybe I will do what others might be best advised to follow.....I am going to manage my expectations.
I have said all along Quarters, and a semi place would have been a bonus. I wasn't far wrong was I? :lol:
Jabba the chap you refer to is 100% Italian blood mate! :wink:
we'll in my humble we lost against portugal cos of one man. not mr rooney, but mr eriksson. now he's gone maybe the new man will be tactically more astute and you will see another star on the shirts.
new broom sweeps clean. hope springs eternal.
etc etc
Peter Henry
07-07-06, 09:23 AM
Keith...Ever the optimist,it is a pleasant thought indeed. :P
Italy
No one
Not quite true......using the "used to" criteria the you should have mentioned Matterazzi, who played (and I use the term loosely :wink: ) for Everton.
Sorry, didn't realise he did. I just noted down all the Premiership players I could remember that were on the teamsheets.
PH - admittedly some of the players are not great. but your Q was who played in England. How many world class players are in the Premiership, I reckon it's roughly the same as the Spanish.
Oh and I know Lehmann sucks, I hate his attitude. Kahn is a better German goalkeeper.
Filipe M.
07-07-06, 10:25 AM
Italy
No one
Not quite true......using the "used to" criteria the you should have mentioned Matterazzi, who played (and I use the term loosely :wink: ) for Everton.
Sorry, didn't realise he did. I just noted down all the Premiership players I could remember that were on the teamsheets.
PH - admittedly some of the players are not great. but your Q was who played in England. How many world class players are in the Premiership, I reckon it's roughly the same as the Spanish.
If you take out that advertising agency best known as Real Madrid... :wink:
If you take out that advertising agency best known as Real Madrid... :wink:
and Barcelona :wink: :lol:
Filipe M.
07-07-06, 10:33 AM
If you take out that advertising agency best known as Real Madrid... :wink:
and Barcelona :wink: :lol:
OI, don't go talking like that about Barça!!!! :evil:
:lol:
Peter Henry
07-07-06, 10:36 AM
Law ...Couldn't be bothered compiling a list tbh, i think you will find it slightly edged by Spain. What you will need to note are the quality of player that transfers to Spain before the start of the coming season.
Real Madrid have an impressive shopping list that Includes:
Kaka
Fabregas
Christiano Ronaldo. :shock:
Ok here's a few:
Saviola
Riquelme
Marquez
Ronaldinho
Ronaldo
Casillas
Maxi Lopez
Et'oo
Lionel Messi
Joaquin
Maxi Rodriguez
Zidane(retired)
Beckham
Deco
Xavi
Puyol
Van Bronckhurst
:wink:
OI, don't go talking like that about Barça!!!! :evil:
:lol:
:? Ok, I won't mention that Barcelona has the best player in the world.
I'm not arguing, I know the Spanish league has better players (mostly in 2 teams), but the Premiership is not far off.
Filipe M.
07-07-06, 10:44 AM
OI, don't go talking like that about Barça!!!! :evil:
:lol:
:? Ok, I won't mention that Barcelona has the best player in the world.
Who, Deco? :lol: :lol: :lol:
Peter Henry
07-07-06, 10:47 AM
Deco is a bit of an imposter though as he is strictly speaking Brazilian. :wink:
Filipe M.
07-07-06, 10:53 AM
Deco is a bit of an imposter though as he is strictly speaking Brazilian. :wink:
I didn't know you were such a disbeliever, PH! Can't you see that his real name, Anderson, is a purely Portuguese name?! :roll:
:wink:
I was always told that Brazillians (no, not that sort, PH :wink: ) were just Portuguese with boats :wink:
Filipe M.
07-07-06, 02:30 PM
I was always told that Brazillians (no, not that sort, PH :wink: ) were just Portuguese with boats :wink:
And no sense of direction whatsoever! :roll: :wink:
Jelster
07-07-06, 08:28 PM
Saviola will be in London come August, Arsenal or Chelsea.....
.
Peter Henry
07-07-06, 09:37 PM
And Fabregas will be at Madrid! :P
Jelster
07-07-06, 10:07 PM
And Fabregas will be at Madrid! :P
I don't think so Peter...... He's Wengers new "great white hope"...
.
The Basket
08-07-06, 09:11 PM
Nice Germany V Portugal game.
Result wasn't important but I think Portugal left on a good note.
Peter Henry
08-07-06, 09:57 PM
Politically motivated result if ever I saw one! :?
:shock: :shock: :shock: WTF, why would you do that Zidane?
Supervox
09-07-06, 08:56 PM
:shock: :shock: :shock: WTF, why would you do that Zidane?
My thoughts exactly !! :shock:
Oh well, it just shows what an average (at best) team can achieve by playing 'negative' football.
I thought they played well in the 1st half - but after the break they were just plain CR*P - & the diving started as well !! They seemed to be aiming for extra time from about 60 mins & for Penalties immediately after extra time started. They didn't even put in a concerted effort when they had the extra man. :shock:
Funny when you think about it - a number of World Champions could well be playing 2nd or even 3rd Division football in Italy next year (assuming of course that they don't put in transfer requests !!
I think France deserved to win that,Italy were not playing anywhere near as well!
Zidane=Stupid,especially asit was his last game! What a way to be remembered!
Riberet(Or however his name is spelt)=Very good play,he tried hard!
Conrad Poons
09-07-06, 09:32 PM
Best team on the night lost (good), best team over the tournament won.
Shame Zidane lost it like that. Should be remembered for more than THAT moment of madness.
Peter Henry
09-07-06, 09:53 PM
I have to agree I do not understand what Lippi said to his team at half time for them to come out and then be second best for the remaining 75 minutes? Completely odd as they had France leaning back over the ropes.
Zidane has had a reputation for losing it and I in no way defend him, but I just wonder what was being said by Materazzi when they were together in the penalty area and when they were moving away? Don't forget Zidane speaks perfect Italian and I have to suggest that the defender was not asking after the health of Zizou's wife and children.
A pivotal moment? I don't think it was but his timing was dreadfull.
I can only hope all English players were watching those penalties? All gave the keeper absolutely no chance and Trezeguet was so unlucky,half a kilo less power or a couple of millimetres lower and that would have bounced in. What a way to lose! :shock:
Pretty dissapointing tournament overall with so many teams and big names under peforming.
Best player of the tournament? Canavarro followed very closely by Gattuso. Zizou was also worth noting in any top 3.
Guess who the biggest offender was in this World Cup? Sir Thierry(Best striker in the world) Henry! The majority for being caught offside. You see he is so good he can't even time his runs properly! :P :P
Jelster
09-07-06, 10:42 PM
Guess who the biggest offender was in this World Cup? Sir Thierry(Best striker in the world) Henry! The majority for being caught offside. You see he is so good he can't even time his runs properly! :P :P
Maybe the standard of the linesmen may have something to do with that....
My biggest memory of the tournament ? Who poor "world class" referees are. 90% of the games I watched had terrible officials, but until you pay them proper money, that's what will happen.
France were the best team in the tournament, shame about Zidane, but it's all over now.
.
Peter Henry
09-07-06, 10:57 PM
Steve...Come on please get real! :shock: All you Gooners might think the sun shines out of Henry's **** but you are so blinkered. Would you consider his contribution at this tournament to be one indicative of "the best striker in the world"? If your answer is yes then you know far less about football than I previously gave you credit for.
France were not the best team in the tournament at all. They started in dire fashion. I would not though say Italy are any better than them but would say that their team is young enough to win it next time around also. France need major surgery before the next big tournament.
In fact Henry has not been alone,almost every big name striker has failed to set the world on fire in this World Cup.
Bad linesmen? What a totally lame excuse! I have watched EVERY France game in the tournament and I have not seen a single incorrect off side decision against him. It could be also that some of the defensive back lines he has had to contend with are a little smarter than he is used to?
Makes you wonder why he did not decide to take up the challenge of playing in another league now doesn't it? Big fish small pond maybe? :wink:
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