Quote: Nil Putters @ June 10 2012, 10:42 AM BSTHe's slow, he's been injured a lot and hasn't played so much. Nuff said.
He has had a great season. His brain makes up for his pace, he is perfect alongside a more proactive centreback. He has avoided injury really well all season too.
That is why every time Hodgson says the words "footballing reasons" my blood boils.
Oh poor Ireland. My brother lives in Paddyland and when I spoke to him earlier today, he was trying to impart just how much expectation is on the team from the Irish people.
As much as I want to wish them the best, they're up against Italy and Spain in the next couple of matches and it really doesn't look good at the moment. Still, weirder things have happened, so you never know.*
*you do know, but you don't want to admit, no one is going into William Hill tomorrow to bet on Ireland winning the group.
Shame though
The way they played even England would have fancied their chances against them in the next round.
No offence Ireland.
On the plus side, every game so far has had a current or ex-Arsenal player in at least one of the line ups. One of the added bonuses of supporting a team full of bloody foreigns.
And the only English players they get all seem to come from Southampton FC. Do you think Wenger's got some sort of discount loyalty card with them?
Ireland out now, I didn't give them a chance against Croatia, a class side just short of a world class forward or two to be up with Spain, Germany etc. Croatia Italy could be an interesting match, I don't think there's much between them.
England's chances later? I'll take a draw, and reckon it could well be, but with inform Young and Wellbeck up front we may well sneak a one niller.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ June 11 2012, 8:52 AM BSTI'll take a draw, and reckon it could well be, but with inform Young and Wellbeck up front we may well sneak a one niller.
And so it begins. The blindly optimistic hope that we are going to win. I'm not critcising, I do exactly the same thing every tournament and usually end up kicking things around the room as England once again fail to live up to expectations.
After South Africa, I vowed never to get excited by England's chances in a major competition, but here I am again expecting us to beat France.
It doesn't help that our team is bereft of personalities and win, lose or draw, every single player will say exactly the same thing: 'I thought the lads done well, we created plenty of chances, blah, blah, corporate, on message, souless epathets, zzzzzzzz'.
France 3 - 1 England
Can't you afford a newspaper?
Miiiiillnneeeer!
*Shakes fist
My guess is 2-2 draw.
Referee!
That was really depressing. I never thought I'd see an England side playing for a draw.
Can someone please explain the point of Scott Parker? From what I saw, his main job seems to be to destroy all England counter attacks before passing the ball back to Joe Hart. No wonder James Bond tried to kill him in Die Another Day.
On the plus side, France are the strongest opponents in our group, so maybe a draw isn't such a bad thing.
Oh and the referee was a wanker.
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ June 10 2012, 11:45 PM BSTOn the plus side, every game so far has had a current or ex-Arsenal player in at least one of the line ups. One of the added bonuses of supporting a team full of bloody foreigns.
Yeah Thanks for that Jinxoid
Quote: Steve Sunshine @ June 11 2012, 7:19 PM BSTYeah Thanks for that Jinxoid
Get this, ever since I bought my new summer jacket, it has pissed down with rain every single day. I am a mega jinxoid.
Thought Gerrard was immense tonight.
They did ok, better than us lot last night.