Early morning rant

[bri]

So where do we stand at the moment then. You could say were watching too much footie, listening to too many people, reports, crictics whatever but having watched the opening 4 days of the tournament I have to say England were the worst team out of the so called called winner Ive watched. and we've yet to see Brazil, Spain and France.

 

We had the so called heart on sleeve manager with keegan and it didnt work so now we have the mild tactical mannered swede. When Sven says it's not his style to be all up and out the dugout, getting the team going I don't for one think understands our psyche. You look at Rafa, Maureen, Wenger all foreign tacticians working in a foreign country but they understand the need to give it some verbally when needed, why because sometimes players need it and because they can see it going tits up and it actually matters to them.

 

Not choosing Defoe is almost a crime. After Euro 2000 Owen made a press statement saying he’d had a bad tournament as he’d only just come back from injury and they say it can take as long as you were out to hit form once your back. Six years on he reverses his statement saying being injured for that long isn’t a worry as it’ll be like coming out of pre season training. Why, well because would you not want to be selected for a world cup squad. In no way was he ever going to say I’m no where near fit for this but I’ll give it a go. So sven curries the problem further by gambling on Rooney ok fair gamble, going with Crouch, not a predator and playing russian roulette with Walcott who hasn’t kicked a ball in anger for Arsenal never mind England.

 

Paul Walsh made a great point about fitness in his TLW article saying you can only play on adrenalin for so long. Saturday’s heat literally sucked the life out of Owen and it was clear he’s far from full fitness something you can’t get in a situation where the games get harder and more intense in such a short period of time.

 

There can be nothing more deflating than playing midfield and watching the ball travel over your head from the back to the front and having to play for the 2nd ball. It worked ok in the first half when crouch had owen off him. As the game went on the heat took its toll they continued to play the same ball even with owen off. Bringing on Hargreaves actually improved the situation slightly allowing Lampard and Gerrard a bit more freedom. Usually though Svens substitutions are negative, always to protect what they have, never to go forward and take the game on. Seen it all before and against decent opposition they get found.

 

The Argies, Dutch and Italians have shown us in the last few days how to play the ball through midfield fluently and with pace. All be it the Dutch were done in at the end it was great to see Adrian Childs and Dowie deconstruct the dutch total football approach, how to play through teams, inter changeable positions, instead of playing in straight lines. Even the Aussies have shown us that its never over till its over I’ll be amazed if England can show us the same.

 

So England out for me in the last 16.

[Stu Monty]

Equador or Poland won't beat them. Holland might in the quarters though.

[JER]

Thought the Czech's were the best I've seen - would love to see them do well.

[wiiksie]

Not choosing Defoe is almost a crime.

Defoe has been average at best this season. Unproven at the top level, it makes sense to me why sven went with a half fit owen, crouch and the kid. Its a crime in the context of one match that was won less than convincingly with the strikers not getting into the game, but in the context of a world cup winning attempt, defoe isnt good enough.

 

The Argies, Dutch and Italians have shown us in the last few days how to play the ball through midfield fluently and with pace. All be it the Dutch were done in at the end it was great to see Adrian Childs and Dowie deconstruct the dutch total football approach, how to play through teams, inter changeable positions, instead of playing in straight lines. Even the Aussies have shown us that its never over till its over I’ll be amazed if England can show us the same.

I must have been watching different games to you me old son. The dutch didnt turn up in the second half, they were knackered and serbia/mont upped their game hugely which the dutch couldnt cope with. The argies had the best half of football ive seen so far, but again were defending for the majority of the second half. Ghana showed far more attacking flair than italy (who had the best player so far in Pirlo), but their naivety at the back cost them the result.

 

So Im yet to see one of the top 5 teams put on a cup winning performance. but then that never happens in the group stage, so this discussion is slightly redundant for another week or so.

[kop]

England's performance was typical for a team reaching far in the competition though. How many times hasn't a semi- or even a finalist started off scraping through the first matches. Germany, Italy and Argentina traditionally are the most typical in that sence. When England gets 3 points in the opening match it's actually worrying for those who hope they go out as early as possible (I'm not one of them). To get to the final you have to play 6 matches. The two teams who manages this will not have playet 6 great matches, not even 5 I think. The only team that has convinced me when it comes to the style of play so far is the czechs. Italy (not actually a safe 2-0, they should've had a pen against on 1-0), Germany (very sloppy defence, but maybe the team that impressed me the most considering the opening match and the home team preassure), Holland (they were ok, didn't see the whole match I must admit) and Argentina (not impressive at all, except they got the 3 points, just like England) has done the job, not more not less. That's what it's all about at this stage if you want to go far. England has done a better job than ever when it comes to an opening match.

[dave u]

Holland might in the quarters though.

 

 

I think you meant to type Ivory Coast there Stu. I can see why you'd get confused, with the orange kits and that, but Holland wont get out of that group.

[Roast Beef]

I think you meant to type Ivory Coast there Stu. I can see why you'd get confused, with the orange kits and that, but Holland wont get out of that group.

 

Interesting. What odds would you get on that?

[Dirk]

Equador or Poland won't beat them. Holland might in the quarters though.

 

 

Holland look very disjointed at times. Their attacking flair papers over a lot of defensive cracks. Had Serbia had better strikers I think they would have won, or at least drawn.

[Stu Monty]

I think you meant to type Ivory Coast there Stu. I can see why you'd get confused, with the orange kits and that, but Holland wont get out of that group.

 

Wah wah wah.

 

 

;)

[Stu Monty]

Holland look very disjointed at times. Their attacking flair papers over a lot of defensive cracks. Had Serbia had better strikers I think they would have won, or at least drawn.

 

I haven't seen the Ivory Coast yet, want to see more of Kuyt and own a shinny new Dutch shirt. They're going through based on that.

 

That's unless one of them fails to tell Dave they're going through and he says they can't have the points like the big facist dictator he is. He drowns little kittens too you know.

[bri]

Weeskie: If you think it makes sense to go with one injured striker, one unfit striker, one who's never played and one who isnt a natrural goalscorer then your a better jusge of football than me:

 

Defoe may not of had the best season but having been in the squad for the last 3 yrs and actually hitting a bit of form it's a massive insult to be bombed out to a lad not good enough even to be in the arsenal squad, never mind first 11.

 

Lennon, Jenas, Hargreaves or Downing could of made way for a 5th striker.

 

Marin Jol was top draw on radio 5 responding to whether Holland could win the World Cup. His response was I don't think so but we can be positive and entertaining in our approach, if we qualify from the group then we'll see. Non of the blind optomism / bullshit surrounding England.

[Stu Monty]

Weeskie: If you think it makes sense to go with one injured striker, one unfit striker, one who's never played and one who isnt a natrural goalscorer then your a better jusge of football than me:

 

Defoe may not of had the best season but having been in the squad for the last 3 yrs and actually hitting a bit of form it's a massive insult to be bombed out to a lad not good enough even to be in the arsenal squad, never mind first 11.

 

Lennon, Jenas, Hargreaves or Downing could of made way for a 5th striker.

 

Marin Jol was top draw on radio 5 responding to whether Holland could win the World Cup. His response was I don't think so but we can be positive and entertaining in our approach, if we qualify from the group then we'll see. Non of the blind optomism / bullshit surrounding England.

 

 

I'm confused. In that Addidas advert Defoe has gloves on and is in nets, surely he's a goalkeeper?

[wiiksie]

Weeskie: If you think it makes sense to go with one injured striker, one unfit striker, one who's never played and one who isnt a natrural goalscorer then your a better jusge of football than me:

 

Defoe may not of had the best season but having been in the squad for the last 3 yrs and actually hitting a bit of form it's a massive insult to be bombed out to a lad not good enough even to be in the arsenal squad, never mind first 11.

 

Lennon, Jenas, Hargreaves or Downing could of made way for a 5th striker.

 

Marin Jol was top draw on radio 5 responding to whether Holland could win the World Cup. His response was I don't think so but we can be positive and entertaining in our approach, if we qualify from the group then we'll see. Non of the blind optomism / bullshit surrounding England.

yeah, I hear what your saying, but internationally defoe has done fuck all for a long time. Sven has gambled that owen will do the business, simple as that.

 

However, although owen looked off the pace on saturday, I still wonder how well he'll play with rooney/crouch giving him the ball when not delivered to them from mt everest type altitudes. He could still get a goal or two.

[bri]

Yep weeskie I agree I hope they can do it. If it was me I'd of taken robbie but then again i'm not 5m a year.

 

stu are you on the happy pills this morning

[The Party Boy]

I haven't seen the Ivory Coast yet, want to see more of Kuyt and own a shinny new Dutch shirt.

 

Yeah it matches ya pubes

[Stu Monty]

Yep weeskie I agree I hope they can do it. If it was me I'd of taken robbie but then again i'm not 5m a year.

 

stu are you on the happy pills this morning

 

You could say I am in one of those moods.

 

Party Boy, I've told you before, just PM me your address and I'll get some of these pubes sent over to you in the post for scientific verifiaction of non-fantaness if you so require.

[Anubis]

yeah, I hear what your saying, but internationally defoe has done fuck all for a long time.

 

He did score a vital goal against Poland away in the qualifiers.

[Brownie]

I thought Italy were good last night. Yes Ghana had a fair bit of ball, but how many chances did Italy spurn? They created loads and were always a threat.

 

I can't see them winning it by any means, but they look better than I thought they would.

[wiiksie]

He did score a vital goal against Poland away in the qualifiers.

yeah, but that was nearly two years ago. he was a spurs regular back then, but not anymore.

[BorizJeltzin]

I think you meant to type Ivory Coast there Stu. I can see why you'd get confused, with the orange kits and that, but Holland wont get out of that group.

 

I have my money on Spain - Holland in the final, with Spain as World Champions

[The Party Boy]

I have my money on Spain - Holland in the final, with Spain as World Champions

 

You've lost your money then

[BENIRL]

I am in hicksville in the states and get to see very little football. Shite shite shite shite(still morning here)