All 3 entries tagged World Cup

All over for another 4 years

And so it came to pass that the inevitably inevitable elimination happened. Here are a few thoughts.

Elimination
Unsurprising really. England contributed nothing on an aesthetic or technical level for the first 4 games and were reduced to grimly hanging for an hour in the 5th after a pretty grim first hour.

The Sven-Goran Eriksson Experiment
Undoubtedly a failure. To take the best group of English players since 1970 and turn them into something much less than the sum of their parts is quite something. 4 different formations in the first 4 games, dictated by trying to accommodate his best players somehow. For someone on 4 miillion a year it should be easy to see it doesn't work like that. Have the system first and then fit the best player for each position, and leave them in no doubt what each of their roles are.

4 strikers
Two crocked, one completely untried, and only one in form. From the front rooms of chez Defoe, Bent, Ashton, Beattie and the rest: "I told you so". Rooney having to play up–front on his own undoubtedly brought the red mist…

The Gerrard/Lampard question
Neither had a particularly auspicious time on the whole. But it served to show that you just can't play the two together, as to do that needs a holding midfielder and that means playing a lone striker. And as Gerrard is by far the better player means only one thing…

Beckham
Has rather nobly fallen on his sword in terms of being captain. It will be interesting to see whether McClaren persists with him. Lennon did more in about 100 minutes play in 3 sub appearances than 'Golden Balls' did in 5 matches. Being one of the best free kick takers in the world is no basis to hold down the right wing slot when you contribute nothing else.

Penalties
See the difference between the English and Portugese penalties. All the Portugese ones were driven, with power. England go for the placed ones (with the exception of Hargreaves who went for power and scored) and the keeper saves them. Did they really practice?

Portugal
One of the most charmless sides I've ever seen. Cynical, diving, theatrical. Bending rules galore. Rather like the Porto side that won the UEFA cup and Champions league in successive years. Strangling the romance of the beautiful game. I hope the French take them to bits in the semi–final. Which leads me to…

Cristiano Ronaldo
I hereby offer a call to arms to full–backs across this green and pleasant land to kick this preening, diving, Mary Ann up and down the country. "Wayne is my friend. I did not try to get him sent off". Really?
I think he might get a warm reception from other clubs this coming season.

Big Phil
I think fans of the England team had a lucky escape that this person is not in charge come September. Win–at–all–costs–and–never–mind–how might do for him, but it won't do for me. Something akin to an international verson of Gary Megson, his side has been awful to watch in the last two games, and that the opponents have seen 3 red cards in 2 games is no coincidence.

Cheats do prosper
The number of red cards has been put down to bad refereeing. This may be partly true. But the number of players who have dived to their sides advantage this tournament (like the Italian in the last minute of the game against Australia) is appalling. And i've seen several occasions where a side's players have openly challenged the referee to book a player, resulting in players being sent off, i.e. yesterday, the Germany–Sweden game, the Italy–USA game. I thought players were supposed to be booked for this?

And now for something more positive
The France–Brazil game last night. Hurrah for Zinedine Zidane going out and showing the world how football should be played. On a different plane to the other 21 players out there, a rare beacon of what this tournament should have been about, but frankly, hasn't been. I hope the French go on and win.

And only 4 more weeks till the altogether more honest League 1 football comes back to these pages. Another set of previews coming soon!

: 02 Jul 2006 14:48 |  Tags: World Cup |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Three cheers for…

Writing about web page http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/4852634.stm

…players from the bottom two English divisions. Players from Wrexham, Port Vale and Gillingham holding out against luxuriant superstars from Juventus, Barcelona and Arsenal. Isn't football great?

: 10 Jun 2006 18:57 |  Tags: World Cup |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

The Crazy World of Sven

England 1–0 Paraguay

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. A very curious afternoon. A reasonable first half and a deserved 1–0 lead. But that's not the concerning thing, of which there were several, most of which relate to the second half.

• A complete abandonment of the high–tempo, up–the–pitch pressing game that served them well in the first half. If this was because it was too hot, why are the players not fit enough?

• Total inability to retain possession– will someone tell them that 4 or 5 sideways/backwards passes followed by Terry or Ferdinand carefully distributing hoooooooofing it down the pitch to no-one in particular will only yield the inevitably inevitable result of being penned in your own third of the field?

• Removing Owen…Why? Who was Crouch supposed to pass the ball/knock it down to?

• The completely missing Gerrard and Lampard in the second half. Were they there?


• Having two strikers on the bench he was never going to play. In the surfeit of defensive midfielders, could one or two have been left behind for Bent and Defoe? Why take Walcott if he's not going to put him on?

• Michael Carrick is renowned for his passing and maintaining possession. Did he get a run out when Joe Cole went off? No.

The major bugbear doesn't relate to any player on the pitch. I'm afraid the object of my ire (and you know I must have one serious moan per day) is the joker of a 'referee' this afternoon. When will FIFA get it into their heads that the best thing to do for all concerned is to have referees from confederations where there are high–level, high–profile games?
Sending inept buffoons from tin-pot leagues from the arse-end of nowhere ruins football matches. Can we have lots of European and South American (where Champions League and Copa Libertadores games feature many international players) referees please? Spreading the 'football message' is all well and good if they are competent. If they are not, don't inflict them on us!

: 10 Jun 2006 16:16 |  Tags: World Cup |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem