The World Cup Thread

[UKRuss]

Perspective chaps, perspective. We win against Slov and we're through. No big deal. Relax.

[fingerprince]

It was embarassing
The only hopeful thought is they plainly arent peaking too soon
If they beat Slovenia (how i dont know) they will probably go all the way lol

[nuperspective]

As much as the players were shit, some(or a lot) of the blame has to go to the manager. I think his hard way of managing has back fired and they are all scared to make a mistake. So they make plenty.

im not having that. the subs yes. but being to hard on what was a bunch of holiday campers sorry no. if they dont like it they can fuck off. its taken him most of his tenure to undo the joke that was the england training camp under sven and steve.

if they dont like then boo fuckin hoo. im sure psycho and butcher would have no problem with his style. if the current crop still have to sit down to piss then we dont need them.

the sub yes strange. joe cole anybody?

he should start with a blank slate for the next one. put people in position. start cole. bench lampard. give dawson a run out. put the width back. hes got nothing to lose.

[UKRuss]

hes got nothing to lose.

Or, conversely, they have everything to lose.

[nuperspective]

or maybe a better term...

it couldnt be any worse.

[nuperspective]

as you can tell im bitterly, bitterly, disappointed.

i cant put my finger on what the fuck is happening.

[UKRuss]

It was a poor performance yes but we have to keep it all in perspective in terms of recent world cups too. England have never performed in any way that can be described as acceptable for the players they have:

France '98

England finished second in group, lost in the last 16 and out of the comp

S Korea and Japan '02

England finished second in group, lost in QF and out of the comp. Note the USA also finished second in their group as did Turkey who went on to take 3rd place.

Germany '06

OPK, England topped the group but struggled against minnows Trinidad and Tobago goalless for 83 mins and eaked out a draw against Sweden. Also lucky to beat Paraguay 1-0. Not convincing by any means. Which showed because...

Losing to Portugal on penalties after a dismal 0-0 draw and having Rooney sent off by 'The Winker'

This was all followed b y failure to qualify for the 2008 Euro Championships.

Hardly class footballing pedigree.

So, even if we qualify from the group which is debatable, we will almost certainly go out in the next round anyway.

Perspective, perspective. England have nil world cup winning form, it just isn't going to happen.

[nuperspective]

It was a poor performance yes but we have to keep it all in perspective in terms of recent world cups too. England have never performed in any way that can be described as acceptable for the players they have:

France '98

England finished second in group, lost in the last 16 and out of the comp

S Korea and Japan '02

England finished second in group, lost in QF and out of the comp. Note the USA also finished second in their group as did Turkey who went on to take 3rd place.

Germany '06

OPK, England topped the group but struggled against minnows Trinidad and Tobago goalless for 83 mins and eaked out a draw against Sweden. Also lucky to beat Paraguay 1-0. Not convincing by any means. Which showed because...

Losing to Portugal on penalties after a dismal 0-0 draw and having Rooney sent off by 'The Winker'

This was all followed b y failure to qualify for the 2008 Euro Championships.

Hardly class footballing pedigree.

So, even if we qualify from the group which is debatable, we will almost certainly go out in the next round anyway.

Perspective, perspective. England have nil world cup winning form, it just isn't going to happen.

completely agree. if it was 4 years ago i would have said usual start for england. i just had a feeling he had done the business and got them [first] acting like professionals and starting to play like professionals.

it make the disappointment that harder to take. with the progress he has made with the unit and the gift of a group draw they got i would never have hoped for a start like this.

[nuperspective]

just been reading some of the articles online relating to "the pressure" and "a nations expectations" have been too much [you wanna see the shit down here relating to the australian team] maybe if the paper talk has got to them. stop talking to the papers.

[UKRuss]

Its' the ball! It's too round, didn't you hear?

[nuperspective]

HAHA i can imagine half the aussie team walking out on the pitch against germany going "WTF is that???? - it round!!!!"

[8O]

The expectation on the English team is ridiculously high, blown out of all proportion by the meeja, but also by a significant proportion of the fans; dunno if we just get the worst kind visiting Berlin, but it only takes getting out of the group stages to start hearing endless drunken bellowing of "One World Cup, and Two World Wars" here...

If the expectations were toned down I think the players and the fans would have a better tournament.

Don't forget, as frustrating as that last game was, at least England qualified! Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland; we didn't even get that far!

[nuperspective]

my thoughts exactly. there are a lot of good teams in. there are no push overs. they are there for a reason. the disappointment comes when you see how hard these "minos" have fought to stay in against bigger teams.

our attitude is we are going to walk it and when it doesnt go our way, we dont even show 10% of the effort, pride and determination of these smaller teams. we deserve to get booed.

[UKRuss]

Fortunately the last game is during work hours so I wont be able to watch it...

[nuperspective]

Fortunately the last game is during work hours so I wont be able to watch it...

midnight here. i WILL be having a drink.