England - The best in the world already!

Post by **lomuamart** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:21 pm

It won't let me post a link to a Brit newspaper. But i was wondering lat night how the media back home would react. So, sorry folks, I'm going to have to do it this way
http://football.guardian.co.uk/world cup2006/comment/story/,,1795061,00.html
Can anyone out there explain why I can't copy/paste this URL?

Post by **Wanderlust** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:22 pm

I think a couple of the posts on here reveal some things about England fans in general - firstly that we are natural pessimists, secondly that we don't just want to win, we want to win in style, and thirdly that most of us know that Eriksson may be a 'good' coach but he is not a great one, as witnessed in the previous WC and Euro Championships. He seems to think that we are an Italian side in Serie A that can defend a 1 goal lead. Yes we did it yesterday, but it is not a tactic that either the fans or the team seem comfortable with. Yesterday's game exposed several of the flaws I have already mentioned, notably Ashley Cole not looking with it at all, Gerrard and Lampard not gelling again, Crouch displaying his lack of scoring ability, and Beckham (one free kick aside) contributing very little. Stuart Downing came on, ran very fast down the wing with the ball then promptly lost it virtually every time, Owen Hargreaves came on and did nothing apart from giving the ball to Paraguay in a dangerous position. Credit where it's due - Joe Cole, Ferdinand and Terry had decent games, and it was the first game of many in a short period, but it was an unconvincing performance. Apparently several players had blistered feet but I find that a poor excuse - England dropped too deep in the second half (where have we seen that before?) and invited Paraguay on to us - fortunately it was 'only' Paraguay, but if we do the same against Trinidad and Tobago we could pay the price after having seen their performance against Sweden. I want England to do as well as possible, but every time I watch them it's like having my teeth pulled while watching paint dry! We were lucky in both our win and Sweden's failure to do so, and if by some miracle we do win the Cup using the same tactics I will of course be happy that we have broken our hoodoo, but would rather see us play better football in winning. I don't think 'win at all cost' should be a motto in any sport. That applies to Argentina as well after seeing their diving and cheating - I hope there is some sort of World Cup Karma...

Post by **Big Boy** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:26 pm

http://football.guardian.co.uk/worldcup ... 58,00.html

lomuamart,

I've posted it for you. Apologies if I got the wrong story.

Post by **lomuamart** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:34 pm

Thanks BB,
But, no it's not the same as I read an hour or so ago and gave above.
Everything you said about the media back home is encapsulated in that first story.
I'll now read yours.
I was wondering how the Brit media would react and actually addressed the article to you.
I didn't think you'd be happy. Nor was I, BTW.
But there was a grain of truth in it

Post by **Big Boy** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:41 pm

Wanderlust wrote:

fortunately it was 'only' Paraguay

I have already said it once:

all of the teams in this tournament have had to qualify over a number of matches, with many not so good teams falling by the wayside

How many times have you seen Paraguay play? How much do you know about the current team? I suggest that you, as I, only know that they have been under-achievers in the past. The fact is they have qualified - no mean feat in itself. There are many Scottish, Welsh and Irish fans who wish their teams were as bad a Paraguay. This is the current Paraguay team, and they aint in this competition because they are not very good - they have worked hard to get here, as has every other team in the competition.

If we go with the 'it was only Paraguay' attitude, why bother having a World Cup competion at all - just hand over the cup to Brazil.

Remember:

* We are 2 points clear at the head of our group.
* We have not lost a point yet.
* We have not conceded a goal.
* We have a 100% record in this competition - something that 5 out of 8 other teams wish they could say.

Post by **Wanderlust** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:43 pm

lomu,
I think I've found the one you were referring to http://football.guardian.co.uk/worldcup ... 61,00.html
but this one is also quite good http://football.guardian.co.uk/Columnis ... 63,00.html.

Post by **lomuamart** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:52 pm

That was the one, Wanderlust.
I suppose they keep undating on the website, so when I tried to link it, it wouldn't work.
Hence 061 at the end, rather than the other numbers.

Post by **Wanderlust** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 2:13 pm

Big Boy,
I put the 'only' in quotes for a reason - so that it wouldn't be misconstrued as me saying that Paraguay were no good, but rather as a comparison to some of the other, better teams we might have faced, who would have made us pay for playing as we did. And I would like to ask you one simple question - did you think England played well? i didn't as you can tell, and i was just pointing out in my post, why I thought that, and believe me I had not read any articles nor spoken to anyone else about the match nor had the benefit of any English commentary to bias my opinion - I watched the match on my own at home on Thai TV and have called it as I saw it. I am happy that we won but don't feel as confident or upbeat as you because I think we were very lucky. OK?

Post by **Bamboo Grove** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 2:28 pm

This is getting interesting: English fans vs English fans. A bit from the lighter side from BBC

WORLD CUP FUNNIES

England fans spent an astonishing £200m stocking up on provisions on Saturday morning ahead of the World Cup opener against Paraguay, report the Sunday Mirror.

Apparently, the supporters bought 10 million cases of beer and six million pizzas, while Tesco say that they sold three million barbecue sets as temperatures soared.

and

More on Victoria Beckham's nightmare journey to Germany to see hubby David captain England in the first game against Paraguay.

She was delayed at Madrid airport after her plane was grounded but the Daily Star Sunday report that she paid £30,000 for a private aircraft to get her to Frankfurt in time.

Post by **Guess** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 3:09 pm

Bamboo Grove wrote:More on Victoria Beckham's nightmare journey to Germany to see hubby David captain England in the first game against Paraguay.

She was delayed at Madrid airport after her plane was grounded but the Daily Star Sunday report that she paid £30,000 for a private aircraft to get her to Frankfurt in time.

The poor woman had probably never been told that the two cities are on the same continent and can easily be transversed in a Mercedes S600 with a very nice overnight stop in Dijon. I wonder where she comes from? which reminds me that although I agree with Wanderlusts to a large degree I have noticed that there is always an eastern bias with the notable exception of the afore mentioned lady's hubby.

Post by **Burger** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 5:08 pm

Come on chaps, don't rush to judge (either way) after just ONE game.
Football fans know better than that, leave that stuff to the press.

We were poor, but it may not mean anything. If we were brilliant and won 3-0, it may also have meant nothing.

Make a judgement after the 3 qualifying games.

Burger

Post by **Wanderlust** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 5:35 pm

Burger,
To be honest my judgement of SGE and his tactics, selections and formations is not just based on this one game, as I thought I stated in my posts on here. He has consistently tried to make the England team and players play in a way that is alien to them, whereas we should always play to the strengths of our game, which is to play attacking football, and not score one goal and sit back, and this is particularly so with the current crop of players available. I have no problem with patient build up play and possession football, but having the defence sit on the edge of our own penalty area, hoofing balls up to a beanpole who has no one to lay the ball off to is not my idea of good, or effective football (2nd half against Paraguay). It also leaves us open to conceding. I accept that sometimes your opponent forces you onto the back foot, but SGE positively welcomes it with his substitutions. By many accounts we have some of the best passers in our midfield in the world in Gerrard, Lampard and Beckham, and yet we don't seem to use them that way; consequently we see many performances like the one we have just witnessed. I think the most frustrating thing for me (and others) is that it is obvious that our players are capable of much more, as is seen on the odd occasion like the 5 - 1 over Germany. Maybe we need to go a goal behind to get the best out of them?
And once again, yes I am glad we won but i wish SGE would learn from past mistakes!

Post by **Burger** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 5:47 pm

Wanderlust,

I was talking about people making a judgement on this one game. Obviously not aimed at your opinion of SGE over a number of years.

Burger

Post by **Jaime** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 6:00 pm

Big Boy wrote:There are many Scottish, Welsh and Irish fans who wish their teams were as bad a Paraguay.

What have Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland got to do with it? The frustrating thing is that not only Wales, Scotland and N. Ireland but in fact most of the non-qualifying European teams are better than the likes of Paraguay and indeed many of the teams in the world cup that qualify through the Asia, Oceania, and Concacaf qualifying regions! The difference is that those three teams have to qualify through European groups - undoubtedly the toughest route. Qualification for the World Cup is a measure of the best teams from each region of the world - not a measure of the best 32 teams in the world! Do you really think Trinidad & Tobago, Togo, etc are amongst the world's best 32 teams? One of the most inexperienced Wales sides for years beat T&T 2-1 a couple of weeks ago. That is the both the frustration and the beauty of the World Cup but IMO the Euro championship is arguably a much tougher one because there are rarely any whipping boys.

As for Paraguay, their defenders did not even know how to head the ball - it was laughable. Even the Welsh boys can manage that!

Post by **Burger** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 6:23 pm

jaime wrote:

The frustrating thing is that not only Wales, Scotland and N. Ireland but in fact most of the non-qualifying European teams are better than the likes of Paraguay

I wouldn't say that Jaime, Paraguay are a decent enough side.
Fact is they took their chances in the qualifying group, finishing above the likes of Uruguay and Columbia. They beat and drew with the Argies and drew with Brazil !!
Whereas Wales did not take their chances after failing to beat the likes of Azerbaijan and N. Ireland.
Scotland likewise not beating Belarus and Moldova etc.

Burger

Hua Hin Forum

England - The best in the world already!

What will England achieve in Germany 06?