World cup blues

[jonesey2k]

Come on Mark.. Englands poor performances really aren't because of those horns.. are they??
DaveB

Nope, they are making another fine mess by themselves..... but they still do my head in!

[Harry Basset]

I am a Middlesbrough supporter (There I've admitted it, perhaps I can go on to be cured) We are used to seeing such dismal performances match after match. I think the problem with our Premiership "Stars" underperforming is that they are on their own without the pick of the worlds players supporting their play. A typical Premiership side has stars from England and the rest of the world to buy success. This hampers the development of the national team.

[DaveB]

It's not that long ago that Steve Bull played for England when he played in the second division for Wolves.

Ah.. there's a name from the past. I can put my hand up and admit to being an ardent Wolves supporter many moons ago. Used to go every week until I joined the mob then it stopped

I guess we should spare a thought for the poor fans who saved for months for the trip down to SA. Fancy travelling all that way at such great cost to watch that shower

ATB

DaveB

[cstorey]

The most entertaining things about the bits I watched were the shots of Fabio Capello . I thought we might end up with only 8 men on the field because he'd murdered at least 3 of them! There was one thing which seriously struck me, however, and that was how fast the Algerians ran. Possibly significant that much of Algeria is at surprisingly high altitude, and thus they are a. used to Johannesburg oxygen levels and b. at Capetown or other lower elevations they can use the greater oxygen levels?

[emfrat]

AFAIK - which isn't really all that far - any national FA can send whatever team it likes, as long as the players meet the nationality rules. Again, AFAIK, one English-born grandparent is sufficient to qualify as a player for England.
A while back (probly the last WC or the one before) I felt obliged to explain on a Beebsite discussion that the reason England - whose Premier/First Division provides the best football in the world - continually fails in the World Cup, is that all the best players in that division are Scottish. What an uproar!! It was even suggested that as a native Scot I was perhaps a tad less than impartial and most likely a Celtic fan to boot.
Utter nonsense of course. Celtic fans are very fair. Just a couple of years back, when Rangers were having a very lean trot, they suggested that instead of forming the traditional pre-start huddle, the Celtic players should form a triangle, just to let the Rangers see what three points looked like

MikeW

[Tweek]

Shoehorning individuals into a formation that doesn't suit them isn't going to produce a wonderful team performance. In fact, as we saw, it produces a performance that Grimsby Town fans would have been disgusted with!

[DaveB]

Has FC not been shoehorning them into 4-4-2 since he arrived?? They had a decent winning streak with it until they hit the mighty Japan didn't they? I dunno.. I rarely have the footie on as I find it too depressing

ATB

DaveB

[Garry Russell]

Dpressing indeed Dave

I get the World Cup Blues every time it's mentioned

[Filonian]

Oxo are introducing a new white oxo cube with a red cross on it to support the England football team.

I am reliably informed that it is to be called the "Laughing Stock."


Graham

[Garry Russell]

That would be an apt name