2010 FIFA World Cup

[Mr Changsha]

The last genuinely decent England team was the 1995-2002 model. It made the Euro 96 semis, managed France 98's 2nd round, (losing quite unfortunately to a good Argentinian side) and the fag end of it made the Japan/Korea quarter finals. It played well again there and, unlike the 2006 side, actually looked like it deserved to be there, as it outplayed the Brazilians in the first half before, rather predictably, wilting in the maddening heat of a Far Eastern summer.

It included Alan Shearer (a world record costing striker), Teddy Sheringham (a genuinely effective replacement for Eric Cantona at Manchester United), Steve Mcmanaman (who graced Real Madrid for a few seasons), Michael Owen (he of the France 98 fame), Peter Beardsley (England's most creative playmaker?), Paul Gasgoine (the best English player since Bobby Charlton), David Beckham (brilliant from about 97 to 2001), Paul Scholes (touch like a Brazilian) and Paul Ince (who bossed Manchester United before doing the same for Inter Milan.)

That's just the forwards and midfielders...there was also a world class goalkeeper (or three) and a solid, Arsenal inspired, defence.

Now take a look at the 2010 squad. The only players that would get near the 1996-98 team are Rooney (though not in this form), Gerrard and Ashley Cole. And even then Rooney over Shearer? Really? Maybe they could play together, but hands up if you think Wayne Rooney has been more effective than Michael Owen at major international tournaments? I'd play Shearer and Owen without question.

Anyone that thought they would do better than blag it through an easy group and then beat Ghana, if they played out of their skins, was living in a dream world.

An Englishman just has to realise that as a country we are not always capapable of producing genuinely decent teams. When we do they are brilliant (hence England is still ranked a top football power) but we simply don't have the consistancy of Germany or Italy. I'm not sure this can be changed.

I expect the 2014 team to be much better. At least on the mend, anyway.

I find it hard to disagree with any of that.......welcome back Mr C

And at least there is one Englishman having a good World Cup

...if you count barely working, smoking a lovely combination of hash and weed, chasing a bit of young totty and, yes, watching pretty much the whole World Cup then it could be said that Mr C is having a pretty damn fine World Cup.

With regards to Ronaldo, there is no other player at this World Cup I would more enjoy seeing struck by a stray meteorite...preferably while he is preening himself before ridiculously atttempting a 50 yard direct free kick, but I would welcome it at pretty much any part of the game.

I can't bear Ronaldo.

[angola]

Do Americans (in general) now understand how much more exciting a low scoring game is than a basketball game type score.

I don't mean Americans already talking in this thread, maybe guys you work with / go to school with.

Both games today were edge of the seat games until the final whistle. We had to avoid Slovenia equalising and USA needed a goal to go through.

I get your point and it is well taken. However, being an American I do love high scoring games. Scoring points in any type of game to me is more exciting. Yeah, there's a lot to admire with all the work that goes into scoring a goal, but watching 95% of the kicks get booted into the crowd at the stadium is not exciting. I hear the announcers nearly jizz in their pants because someone came close to scoring while somebody up in row 20 has a souvenir ball. It's like watching LeBron James shoot the ball 35 times and hit the rim and people getting excited about it, and then he makes one basket and everyone goes hog wild while he does some type of dance at half court.

I know you're going to say that's crap, but that's what we like over here. There is some truth to what you say because hockey & American football also have many moments when someone almost scores. There's a lot of hitting and shoving though in those sports, a lot more than in soccer.

I'm sure this has been covered in the 23 pages I haven't read following this post, but this shit drives me nuts.

Do you like baseball?

A pitcher's dual is infinitely more exciting than a 12-11 slugfest.

Soccer and baseball are very equal in terms of low-scoring, high-pressure affairs.

At any rate, it's cool, hate on soccer, just don't come on soccer threads and shit on them.

[angola]

Pedronicus, what happens to our bet now?

Both of our teams went out in the second round, but if I had my way - despite the Americans playing like absolute shit (I'm looking at you Altidore, coach Bradley ((who the f*ck starts Ricardo Clark? and Findley? enjoy looking for a new job), Clark, Findley and, might I say it?, Tim Howard) - the US sure didn't lose 4-1.

Anyway, I assume I'll just take the draw.

[Iliad]

In case you missed it, Germany are a much better team than Ghana

[angola]

In case you missed it, Germany are a much better team than Ghana

Really? Shocking.

What happened to all the English bravado about Two World Wars, and One World Cup?

[angola]

In case you missed it, Germany are a much better team than Ghana

As an addendum, get back to me when mighty England, ranked so high in the world, bothers to score against Algeria.

Yeah, I'll still be waiting.

[Pedronicus]

Pedronicus, what happens to our bet now?

Both of our teams went out in the second round, but if I had my way - despite the Americans playing like absolute shit (I'm looking at you Altidore, coach Bradley ((who the f*ck starts Ricardo Clark? and Findley? enjoy looking for a new job), Clark, Findley and, might I say it?, Tim Howard) - the US sure didn't lose 4-1.

Anyway, I assume I'll just take the draw.

yeah - it a draw

[angola]

Pedronicus, what happens to our bet now?

Both of our teams went out in the second round, but if I had my way - despite the Americans playing like absolute shit (I'm looking at you Altidore, coach Bradley ((who the f*ck starts Ricardo Clark? and Findley? enjoy looking for a new job), Clark, Findley and, might I say it?, Tim Howard) - the US sure didn't lose 4-1.

Anyway, I assume I'll just take the draw.

yeah - it a draw

Excellent!

I can't afford to lose any more points.

[obliterationX]

With regards to Ronaldo, there is no other player at this World Cup I would more enjoy seeing struck by a stray meteorite...preferably while he is preening himself before ridiculously atttempting a 50 yard direct free kick, but I would welcome it at pretty much any part of the game.

I can't bear Ronaldo.

I have a wonderful assortment that might just be to your taste.











In reference to your original post, the sooner the English don't think concerning football using the tabloids, we will, indeed, have a much more accurate picture of how unreliable and inconsistent the current team is. Not to mention that this inconsistency could be attributed to how much pressure the papers put on them. Clearly, a £150K pay cheque can't solve everything...

[Mr Changsha]

Wonderful shots there of Ronaldo as I like to see him best...weeping like a spoilt little girl. Well done ObliterationX.

I was considering the English back four against Germany just now:

Johnson Terry Upson Cole


Neither Johnson (for all his 17 fucking million price tag) nor Upson are remotely international/champions league class. Terry is, with a great partner, and of course Ashley Cole is a superb left back.

Add in the fact that James has never been quite good enough and you have only two of the five spots filled by player of a good enough quality.

In the midfield:

Milner Lampard Barry Gerrard

Barry was completely out of his depth at this level, Milner is certainly not international class yet (though I have hope for him) Lampard cannot carry a midfield and Gerrard should be nowhere near it...either behind the striker or on the bench at this level.

Up front:

Rooney Defoe

Defoe has never been good enough to play in a World Cup. Rooney is a genuine great (best since Gascgoine IMO) but was probably unfit and certainly played out of position.

I count Terry, Cole, Gerrard, Lampard and Rooney as being international class and in the Germany game four of those were played out of position...only Cole in his natural slot.

Is it any wonder even an immature, fragile Germany were able to beat us? If that German side had come up against the English 98 or 2002 squads it would have been absolutely hammered...don't forget that even this England team should have equalised and had Germany scrambling until the breakaway goal.

I've been watching footie since 1990 and the only England team I can remember as bad as the 2010 version was the 1992-1994 side under Graham Taylor..and at least he had the excuse of having Shearer and Gascgoine injured throughout most of that period.

When you consider that this team only managed one decent performance in 2006 (against Portugal), failed to qualify for Euro 2008 at all and then stank their way through this tournament, I therefore declare that England is in its worst football drought since the 1970's.

[MrBenn]

But on the plus side, the England Under-17 team won the Under-17 European Championship against none other than Spain... So the future may be a little brighter?

[nagerous]

Hart is a superb goalkeeper and he can only improve as he ages.

[Pedronicus]

Wonderful shots there of Ronaldo as I like to see him best...weeping like a spoilt little girl. Well done ObliterationX.

I was considering the English back four against Germany just now:

Johnson Terry Upson Cole


Neither Johnson (for all his 17 fucking million price tag) nor Upson are remotely international/champions league class. Terry is, with a great partner, and of course Ashley Cole is a superb left back.

Add in the fact that James has never been quite good enough and you have only two of the five spots filled by player of a good enough quality.

In the midfield:

Milner Lampard Barry Gerrard

Barry was completely out of his depth at this level, Milner is certainly not international class yet (though I have hope for him) Lampard cannot carry a midfield and Gerrard should be nowhere near it...either behind the striker or on the bench at this level.

Up front:

Rooney Defoe

Defoe has never been good enough to play in a World Cup. Rooney is a genuine great (best since Gascgoine IMO) but was probably unfit and certainly played out of position.

I count Terry, Cole, Gerrard, Lampard and Rooney as being international class and in the Germany game four of those were played out of position...only Cole in his natural slot.

Is it any wonder even an immature, fragile Germany were able to beat us? If that German side had come up against the English 98 or 2002 squads it would have been absolutely hammered...don't forget that even this England team should have equalised and had Germany scrambling until the breakaway goal.

I've been watching footie since 1990 and the only England team I can remember as bad as the 2010 version was the 1992-1994 side under Graham Taylor..and at least he had the excuse of having Shearer and Gascgoine injured throughout most of that period.

When you consider that this team only managed one decent performance in 2006 (against Portugal), failed to qualify for Euro 2008 at all and then stank their way through this tournament, I therefore declare that England is in its worst football drought since the 1970's.

You missed out the Goalkeepers we played.

Robert Green. The first man to visit Africa without catching something.
David James. The goalkeeper of the worst team in the Premiership that were relegated this year.

Fabio declared prior to the tournament that he would be picking players that were in good form. When you are between the sticks and your team is relegated - that ain't good form pal.

[pimpdave]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B2LPxggvqY

[Gypsys Kiss]

Fabio declared prior to the tournament that he would be picking players that were in good form. When you are between the sticks and your team is relegated - that ain't good form pal.

That ain't necessarily so......the best keeper in the world couldn't have kept Portsmouth up, no matter how good his form.



Oh, and Mr C, I was referring to the English linesman, Darren Cann is it?, but I'm glad you're having a good 'un too

[Doc_Brown]

Here's my picks:
26 June games:
US over Ghana
Uruguay over South Korea

27 June games:
Germany over England
Mexico over Argentina (this one is probably wrong, but I'm rooting for Mexico here!)

28 June games:
Netherlands over Slovakia
Brazil over Chile

29 June games:
Japan over Paraguay
Spain over Portugal

Hmmm. Only got 5 out of 8 right (though, to be fair, I said Mexico was probably going to lose, and the other two incorrect calls were both games that went to overtime). Well, that won't stop me from making predictions for the Quarterfinals!

Uruguay beats Ghana (but I think this one is going to be close)
Germany beats Argentina (this is the one I'm most likely wrong in)
Brazil beats Netherlands
Spain beats Paraguay

[jaimito101]

Ronaldo Di Llama

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsyX9Ba1nJ0

[grifftron]

Man! I slept threw the game, wish they were not so early for me....

Can't blame CR for doing that tho, after all he did LOSE... i mean i hate losing too, and if i had a big old video camera right in my face after I lose, i sure wouldn't be all smiles.

-griff

[the.killing.44]

Yeah, I noticed that live lol. Shame he wasn't bawling.

[Joodoo]

Here's my picks:
26 June games:
US over Ghana
Uruguay over South Korea

27 June games:
Germany over England
Mexico over Argentina (this one is probably wrong, but I'm rooting for Mexico here!)

28 June games:
Netherlands over Slovakia
Brazil over Chile

29 June games:
Japan over Paraguay
Spain over Portugal

Hmmm. Only got 5 out of 8 right (though, to be fair, I said Mexico was probably going to lose, and the other two incorrect calls were both games that went to overtime). Well, that won't stop me from making predictions for the Quarterfinals!

Uruguay beats Ghana (but I think this one is going to be close)
Germany beats Argentina (this is the one I'm most likely wrong in)
Brazil beats Netherlands
Spain beats Paraguay

I stick with my original idea that 4 South American teams will advance to the semi-finals.

[Titanic]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B2LPxggvqY

"Gandalf man, you ruined my vuvuzela!"- LOL

[Doc_Brown]

Uruguay beats Ghana (but I think this one is going to be close)
Germany beats Argentina (this is the one I'm most likely wrong in)
Brazil beats Netherlands
Spain beats Paraguay

I stick with my original idea that 4 South American teams will advance to the semi-finals.

I think there is a good chance on 3 SA teams in the semis. I think Spain is going to cruise past Paraguay. I also suspect that Germany will pull the upset over Argentina. That should be a good game either way. Also, I think Ghana is going to surprise some people. I don't think they'll manage to beat Uruguay, but I think they'll make a good game of it.

[nietzsche]

England, Mexico and Portugal were clearly damaged by the referees in the Round of 16.

Would this mark the beginning of the use of technology in Football (Soccer) ?

I know most Americans would like so, but Europeans are I guess more traditional when it comes to Football.

I don't know where I stand right now.. if you had asked me 5 days ago I would've said no.

[UCAbears]

GHANA!!!!

[Pedronicus]

England, Mexico and Portugal were clearly damaged by the referees in the Round of 16.

Would this mark the beginning of the use of technology in Football (Soccer) ?

I know most Americans would like so, but Europeans are I guess more traditional when it comes to Football.

I don't know where I stand right now.. if you had asked me 5 days ago I would've said no.

The argument made by Sepp Blater is that grass roots football can't access the levels of technology that people are wanting to eliminate refereeing mistakes. That's fair enough, but I think that the people it hurts the most, are the supporters that have saved thousands to attend a world cup, only to have their hard earned spunked up the wall because some idiot referee missed a crucial part of the game.