England 0 Portugal 0

[Rovermatt]

can't really odds what rover the hill has had to say.

rovermatt as usual sticking the boot in in his one-eyed way.

In all honesty, I haven't a clue what that means.

Unless it's a semi-clever reference to Rooney's actions.

[Rover4ever]

Something to think over for all England fans who are quick to criticise Ronaldo:

What exactly was Ronaldo supposed to do? Rooney stamped on a team-mate of his. Was he supposed to stand and admire it? Chuckle at the bulldog spirit of his Manchester United colleague? If Ronaldo had stamped on Gary Neville in similar circumstances and Rooney had piled in, we'd have salivated over the all-for-one-one-for-all spirit of England What exactly was Ronaldo supposed to do? Rooney stamped on a team-mate of his. Was he supposed to stand and admire it? Chuckle at the bulldog spirit of his Manchester United colleague? If Ronaldo had stamped on Gary Neville in similar circumstances and Rooney had piled in, we'd have salivated over the all-for-one-one-for-all spirit of England

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/worldcup06/200...me_ronaldo.html

[ABBEY]

that would be the diving scumbag that dived all over ewood....

stamp ?bull no way was was that a stamp

Edited July 1, 2006 by ABBEY

[broadsword]

In all honesty, I haven't a clue what that means.

Unless it's a semi-clever reference to Rooney's actions.

You have a big problem with England, especially when there's a build-up to a competition, you're like a parent telling a kid Santa doesn't exist, rushing around to tell England supporters that really we're crap.

"Semi-clever"? Oh please Matt, you're beginning to sound like a typical lawyer, completely up his own passage.

[Drakefyre]

My take on the game:

It looked even and boring 11 v 11. Lennon was a spark - he played very well. Then the sending off - more on that later. After that the game opened up and still looked even. Portugal never really threatened and Lennon, Crouch, and Hargreaves all played very well. Ricardo came up huge on the penalties, but I could tell Lampard and Gerrard were going to the right - they both telegraphed their shots.

The sending off:

Absolutely a red card. While the two of them were tussling standing up, Rooney was grabbing his groin trying to get at the ball. When Carvalho went down, Rooney stepped on his balls. He knew what he was doing. Whether or not the ref saw it is irrelevant - it was a deserved red. Ronaldo did nothing wrong (then), although he went down easily all throughout the game.

[Ozz]

Even with Rooney on I do not think we would have won.

Football is really getting on my tits now, just seen fat Ronaldo cheat and try and get a free kick off France, Bellamy bogging off rubbish reffing at Englands match and Lucas Neil and so on

Tes I have been drinkikng

[Shevchenko]

Something to think over for all England fans who are quick to criticise Ronaldo:

What exactly was Ronaldo supposed to do? Rooney stamped on a team-mate of his. Was he supposed to stand and admire it? Chuckle at the bulldog spirit of his Manchester United colleague? If Ronaldo had stamped on Gary Neville in similar circumstances and Rooney had piled in, we'd have salivated over the all-for-one-one-for-all spirit of England What exactly was Ronaldo supposed to do? Rooney stamped on a team-mate of his. Was he supposed to stand and admire it? Chuckle at the bulldog spirit of his Manchester United colleague? If Ronaldo had stamped on Gary Neville in similar circumstances and Rooney had piled in, we'd have salivated over the all-for-one-one-for-all spirit of England

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/worldcup06/200...me_ronaldo.html

See, the problem with that is that it is extremely unsporting/dishonourable to appeal to the referee or put pressure on the referee to have a fellow competitor sent off. And this is by far the only example of this in this tournament so far. Particularly the Germans have been doing it, in some occations actually patting the referee on the back after a booking. It's extremely distasteful and something really needs to be done about it.

[Fife Rover]

I thought overall England did pretty well today. Up to the sending off of Rooney we had threatened to score as much as Portugal had; which is next to nothing. Beckham to me was very disappointing, he hardly made a decent pass or cross all the match up to were he got injured. But generally speaking we were certainly well in the game and as good as them. Then after the sending off, and down to 10, we started to play. We were far better at getting at them and in behind their back four with Lennon and Hargreaves both creating panic on several occasions. Crouch was doing a good job of holding the ball up and getting round their defenders on a number of occasions. The only problem was that there was nobody making any effective runs for him to release to.

The defence did well all afternoon. We held them off right through extra time and when we got to penalties I felt sure we would not blow it this time. Surely they will have been practicing taking penalties for weeks, in the light of past experiences and this time it will be OK.

How wrong can you get!? Only Hargreaves got it right, and for me he was England's MOM, with honorable mentions for both Lennon and Crouch.

Edited July 1, 2006 by Fife Rover

[speeeeeeedie]

Absolutey sick. Was not feeling too good after the England game then I watched France maul Brazil and felt worse.

Just skimmed through a couple of posts and there are some I agree with and some I don't. Ultimately the blame for our exit in this tournament has to be at Sven Eriksson's door. His tactical stupidity, squad selection, ba!!less substitutions, and lack of motivational skills have cost us big time. The only time in this tournament we started playing was when Beckham was off and we were forced, because of 10 men, to link up with the lone striker. Sven seems like a very charismatic bloke, he got the players to believe his system, unfortunately it was the wrong one. Why play sit back and wait when it goes against the way these players are? Our defence is one of the best in the world, we don't need to protect it with 6 players. France proved that by outplaying Brazil with attacking football based on a decent back line. That is what is so frustrating; knowing what we could have done. 1 striker? Please.

Lampard and Gerrard cannot play with each other; I think two wasted tournaments have proved this. These two are miles better for their club sides, but put on an England shirt and it makes them invisible. Lampard was woeful every game. I said drop him earlier but it didn't matter, he was anonymous for long stretches. You cannot play two similar players in different positions, they end up getting in each other's way.Scholes quit because of this. If we had 2 world class goalies would we play them both? No. So why play two similar midfielders? Greaves was dropped in 66 and we won. England is a team not a collection of good individuals, like Brazil. Do England's players/agents/ club managers weild too much power? How many times have we heard that we have numerous world class players? How many of them proved it? My only hope is that in the future, McLaren is able to pick the best team regardless of who they are or where they play or even how much money they make for the FA. We always hear stories of football going down the tubes, can it be saved?

My guess is that the press will leave the players alone and stick the boot into Eriksson as he's off into the sunset. He can leave with a great record as an England manager, us fans are left with yet another bitter end to a pumped up tournament.

Penalties are not our cup of tea, and never will be. Lampard looked like a deer in headlights walking up. That set a precedent for the rest of the lads, with probable sighs of "here we go again". We managed to get lucky, but got crocked again. Compare our pens to the German ones yesterday; night and day.

The bright spot about today was watching Zinedene Zidane showing the everyone what world class really is. He ran all over Brazil and put more light between himself and thes rest of this generation in my eyes. Unlike our hopeless heroes.

[Tris]

Whatever.

Rooney stamped on the guy's balls.

I would imagine Ronaldo was winking at the bench due to Rooney's penchant for losing his cool (as I suggested).

You are such a grade one idiot it's hardly worth comment. But after 3 weeks of ignoring it I've had enough.

All through this tournament you have slagged off England, England players, England fans, the BBC coverage, Uncle Tom, the England staff, the football wives and now Wayne Rooney. You have taken your veiw without regard to fact and evidence, with the sole aim (as usual) of provoking a row.

I have never seen such a blinkered review of reality on these pages until reading your pathetic diatribe during this tournament. What's wrong with you? You have chosen to support a team in the ENGLISH Premier League, and you have chosen to SHUN the football on offer where you live and "work".

Having made that step you and yours can bloody well make the logical next step too - you love our league, you have embraced a team in our country, so you can shut the pooh up about the England team until your own lot get beyond Belfast.

32 teams started these finals, but all your vitriol is for the country you have chosen to get involved with. Why don't you support a team in Portugal, or France, or Italy, and go and spout @#/? on their messageboards??

God help your poor future clients. If ever I was in court and my brief was an idiot like you I'd plead to the judge and then try suicide. You've said on another thread you still live with mummy and daddy - go quickly and ask for some advice about attitide and behaviour, because if you enter the real world as you are now someone is going to land you in the gutter. Would be class if it was Rooney.

[RevidgeBlue]

Let's get things into perspective.

Yes Rooney's sending off was VERY harsh.

But then again we never looked in the least bit like scoring with 11 on the pitch.

And maybe on another day Carragher's first penalty might have been allowed.

BUT We've scraped through two games courtesy of free kicks without otherwise ever threatning the goal.

We've been desperately unimpressive as well in the others.

We've completely wasted Rooney playing him back to goal 4=5=1 without any support.

Your luck can't last for ever.

Our World Cup was knackered from the moment the squad was picked. Instead of two redundant selections in Jenas and Walcott, Defoe and Bent should have gone.

I'm REALLY annoyed. I would like to see us lift the World Cup before I die. However, Best pool of talent available since 1970 and Mr. Burns blows it completely.

Or even worse, was McClaren calling the shots all along?

Edited July 1, 2006 by RevidgeBlue

[Rovermatt]

You have a big problem with England, especially when there's a build-up to a competition, you're like a parent telling a kid Santa doesn't exist, rushing around to tell England supporters that really we're crap.

I don't buy into the unfounded hysteria. So what?

I certainly don't have a 'big problem with England'. I'm not going to rub your noses in the defeat. If you can decipher any putting in of the boot from my messages post-match, then I would be very impressed.

"Semi-clever"? Oh please Matt, you're beginning to sound like a typical lawyer, completely up his own passage.

And as for Tris's drivel, let's break it down:

You are such a grade one idiot it's hardly worth comment. But after 3 weeks of ignoring it I've had enough.

All through this tournament you have slagged off England, England players, England fans, the BBC coverage, Uncle Tom, the England staff, the football wives and now Wayne Rooney. You have taken your veiw without regard to fact and evidence, with the sole aim (as usual) of provoking a row.

What complete and utter nonsense. I was not alone in my criticism of the BBC and could you really give a stuff about the WAGS-so what? Are they part of the national furniture or something? I have never once 'slagged off' Wayne Rooney. He is a fantastic footballer, the equal of any 'superstar' on show at the World Cup. However he stamped on the guy's bits. Saying so does not constitute an insult (however much you're drowning your sorrows). It's a shame for the English that he wasn't at the top of his game.

Nor do I have any intention of provoking a row. If you've chosen to interpret it thus, that's your problem.

I have never seen such a blinkered review of reality on these pages until reading your pathetic diatribe during this tournament. What's wrong with you? You have chosen to support a team in the ENGLISH Premier League, and you have chosen to SHUN the football on offer where you live and "work".

Having made that step you and yours can bloody well make the logical next step too - you love our league, you have embraced a team in our country

I support Blackburn Rovers-that's very perceptive of you. However doing so in no way ties me to the English football team. It's as simple as that. The vast numbers of Irish people who follow English clubs do not support England. This is hardly seditious, off the wall behaviour.

so you can shut the pooh up about the England team until your own lot get beyond Belfast.

I'm Irish. My national team does not play in Belfast.

32 teams started these finals, but all your vitriol is for the country you have chosen to get involved with. Why don't you support a team in Portugal, or France, or Italy, and go and spout @#/? on their messageboards??

God help your poor future clients. If ever I was in court and my brief was an idiot like you I'd plead to the judge and then try suicide. You've said on another thread you still live with mummy and daddy - go quickly and ask for some advice about attitide and behaviour, because if you enter the real world as you are now someone is going to land you in the gutter. Would be class if it was Rooney.

An 'idiot like me'-you don't even know me. This is only a internet message board FFS!

Inevitably, your rant has gotten personal. My reasons for still living at home are my own. My job has absolutely nothing to do with the subject of England's World Cup campaign. Catch yourself on.

Dragging this into an argument (something my post-match message was in no way designed to do) is pointless and unnecessary. I have absolutely no intention of gloating.

Edited July 2, 2006 by Rovermatt

[Darth Paul]

Rooneys red card was laughable. To anyone who has posted on this forum stating it was justified then I can only state that you have clearly never played football at any level. I'm not even convinced that the card was for the "stamp", the ref seemed to react to the "push" on gay boy...either way it was a joke...

I really wouldnt bet on the little ponce being at Old Trafford come August, which is a shame, because Im sure some nut case in the stands would have had a go at him at some point, and for once I would argue that it is totally vindicated...

[cletus]

Gutted

...but at the end of the day, England were very poor throughout the tournament & to put it bluntly 'we were not good enough'.

So called world class players such as Lampard & Gerrard didn`t shine & looked ordinary.

[jim mk2]

I'm REALLY annoyed. I would like to see us lift the World Cup before I die.

And I'd merely like England to reach a final before I die, and I ain't got long left.

This should have been the year England reached the final but they didn't and as always the buck stops with the manager.

Since the 1966 World Cup Germany have gone farther than England in every single tournament.

Lesson: we need a German manager, but not Bertie Vogts.

[broadsword]

Sorry Rovermatt but you are up your own bum.

When it's tournament time, you're like a catholic priest rushing through an orgy trying to stop fornication.

"No! No! You have no chance of success!"

If you don't agree I'm not surprised and not bothered, but you strike me as another self-satisfied lawyer.

[Scotty]

Why can't we just get beaten properly? If we're as bad as some of you make out then why don't we get deservedly beaten 1 or 2-0 and then we can at least hold our hands up and say that we weren't good enough? Why sodding penalties again?

I thought we did ok until the sending off. It was a tight game, just like the Germany v Argentina one the day before, and chances were at a premium, but we didn't look in trouble and were perhaps marginally the better team. Then came the sending off.

I'm obviously biased but I honestly don't believe Rooney meant to "stamp" on the guys balls. There was no real force exerted (the Portugese lad wouldn't have got up if there had been) and Rooney wasn't looking at the player - just the ball. I thought Rooney was falling forward, put out a leg to try and balance himself, and caught the player accidentally. And it seemed the ref agreed. To me it seemed he had just awarded a foul to Portugal and no more until Ronaldo and his team mates came wading in. It was only when Rooney pushed Ronaldo away that the ref reacted. Since when has a little push in the chest been a red card offence?

I thought we were magnificent with 10 men. We defended superbly, restricted Portugal to mainly long range efforts, and looked threatening on the break with the pace of Lennon. We had arguably the better chances to win the game despite playing with 10 for an hour.

So why can't we take penalties? Is it just bad luck? There's no doubt that players like Gerrard, Lampard and Carragher are just as good as their Portugese equivalents. And I'm sure that they've got just as much bottle as the Portugese as well - remember these players have all starred in big, big games for their clubs before. We've also apparently practised them over and over again in training. So why can't we take them?

I've got two theories: pressure and fitness.

The pressure on England players just seems to be higher going into major tournaments than anyone else. Our media build the team and players up to enormous heights and then can't wait to crucify someone when they mess up. It must be on the player's minds as they step up to take a penalty.

Secondly, we don't seem to be as fit as other teams. We have regularly looked knackered in the second half of matches in the past and this time we had the heat plus playing with 10 for an hour to contend with. Contrast us to the Germans yesterday who all stepped up for their pens looking as fresh as daisies and supremely focussed. We looked shattered and scared. Maybe we play too much football in this country, or maybe the style and tempo of Premiership play is too fast, but for whatever reasons we don't seem as fit as other teams.

Overall though, in hindsight, the squad wasn't strong enough - and we didn't have any luck. We were dealt two huge blows with the injuries to Owen and Rooney in the lead up to the tournament, a further blow when Owen's knee went at the start of the Sweden game, and we missed Neville when he was out too. We always seemed to be on the backfoot and dependant on players who were clearly not fully fit. i don't think Sven did too much wrong tactically, but he just didn't have the backup in key positions that he needed once the injuries started.

Finally I really hope Portugal don't go any further in the tournament. They cheated their way through the Holland game and they were up to their tricks again today. Unfortunately the ref bought most of it. They aren't a good side, they didn't deserve to beat us even after we'd gone down to 10, and they're cheats.

Still, we didn't deserve to win either today. Now it's up to McLaren to take us forward, something that worries me deeply.

[Rovermatt]

Sorry Bryan but I'm anything but a self-satisfied lawyer.

I know I shouldn't laugh, but that priest analogy is hilarious.

Anyway, in all seriousness, I have no intention of causing a row. There is nothing worse than a bad winner (even though, technically, I've won nothing). If you managed to deduce that from anything I've written since the England game, then I apologise.

Edited July 1, 2006 by Rovermatt

[RevidgeBlue]

i don't think Sven did too much wrong tactically, but he just didn't have the backup in key positions that he needed once the injuries started.

Err............. because he only took 4 strikers, 2 of which were crocked, one of whom fairly predictably broke down, and one of the others he refused to play.

I really don't agree with your rose tinted view of how we played either. We were awful throughout the tournament.

[broadsword]

Fair enough Matt, I don't mind the laughter.

Sven is a tactical ar$e. I'm sorry, but he'd lose at Connect 4 to the bottom of the remedial class, it's that bad.

[colin]

I'm REALLY annoyed. I would like to see us lift the World Cup before I die. However, Best pool of talent available since 1970 and Mr. Burns blows it completely.

I've seen England lift the World Cup. I was watching in 1966. Wooppeee for me!

You youngsters are never ever going to see it happen. Basically because the English football team is now comprised of over-paid, chavs who think they have a god-given right to earn lots of lovverly money. And they are basically crap at international level.

Notice at the end of the game, none of them bothered to go over to the fans who had spend thousands to watch them? Instead they sat there like little girlies having a good cry. Soft gits. Probably thinking about their win bonuses. Selfish buggers

England will never ever win a World Cup or a European Cup or anything in the rest of my my lifetime because they are simply not good enough. Sven couldn't do it, neither will MacLaren. Nor could Hoddle, Keegan, Taylor, Venables, Wilkinson, Robson.....

Time take down the flags, stop beleiving all the hype.

I know, I know, but England are pretty rubbish really. Just like Rovers some of the time

Edited July 2, 2006 by colin

[Tris]

Err............. because he only took 4 strikers, 2 of which were crocked, one of whom fairly predictably broke down, and one of the others he refused to play.

I really don't agree with your rose tinted view of how we played either. We were awful throughout the tournament.

It's not down to that though is it?

If you want tinted - rose or otherwise - then you can have it.

Three of the four teams in the semi finals have cheated to get there. No quibbles - it's all there on DVD, VHS and HD super cheat vision.

England have tried to win clean - for the last 20 years. Well **** it. Steve McClaren's first instruction should be "do unto them as they would do unto us" - and then wink at the bench.

As for this competition, please win it Germany. For fair play, for great venues, great beer, great friendship and great sausages - please Germany go on and win this World Cup.

[Grabbi Graeme]

I've seen England lift the World Cup. I was watching in 1966. Wooppeee for me!

You youngsters are never ever going to see it happen. Basically because the English football team is now comprised of over-paid, chavs who think they have a god-given right to earn lots of lovverly money. And they are basically crap at international level.

Notice at the end of the game, none of them bothered to go over to the fans who had spend thousands to watch them? Instead they sat there like little girlies having a good cry. Soft gits. Probably thinking about their win bonuses. Selfish buggers

England will never ever win a World Cup or a European Cup or anything in the rest of my my lifetime because they are simply not good enough. Sven couldn't do it, neither will MacLaren. Nor could Hoddle, Keegan, Taylor, Venables, Wilkinson, Robson.....

Time take down the flags, stop beleiving all the hype.

I know, I know, but England are pretty rubbish really. Just like Rovers some of the time

England could have have won and gone to the semis, for me Rooney's red card was a harsh , even after the sending off we created chances, the players at the end were distraught because they were out of the World Cup and unless you have been in the position of being knocked out of a major tournament then you wont know how players feel, with MClaren I think England will play a more attack minded game and this will help us play a better game rather than sit back

[USABlue]

As I had said before the tournament we would likely go out behind a dodgy decision. It always seems to happen. I think the sending off was harsh indeed but Rooney should know better, same ref that sent Beckham packing for a flick of his foot. He was just waiting for something.

I thought originally he was sending him off for the push as I did not see the "stamping" on. If Figo gets away with a headbut which is later also OK'd by FIFA then Rooney should have stayed on.

Anyway our fault our two Mega stars could not stick away the penalties. You could see the look of fear in Lampards face he was ###### himself.

Same old outcome, I'd much rather go out of these competitions with a good old fashioned arse whooping than on the back of dubious refereeing and penalties. Gutted. Not sure I can remember going out with a fair beating in any major competition since the Hand of God goal.

Oh yeah Brazil last time out. Adios Sven don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out. Sad thing is we get McClaren.

I hope the damn Blatter is ran out of FIFA too.

Oh, also, I was proud of the lads for the way we played with ten men, wasn't Hargreaves great again.

Edited July 2, 2006 by USABlue

[Paul]

Err............. because he only took 4 strikers, 2 of which were crocked, one of whom fairly predictably broke down, and one of the others he refused to play.

I really don't agree with your rose tinted view of how we played either. We were awful throughout the tournament.

This is what I find so hard to understand, England have been pretty poor all tournament, yet so few seem prepared to say so. Yesterday's performance looked good between the 20th and 30th minutes, then we went back in our shell. Once Rooney went off the team played very well. To play a quarter-final, in heat, for an hour and restrict the Portugese to nothing was superb, though I would seriously question the opposition's ambition.

England however have shown no real ambition throughout the tournament, they haven't performed. I've posted before if Rovers did this and reached a final we'd be happy but i wonder how we would reflect on such stuttering performances after the event. I feel SGE is very much to blame, I can recall posting on here five years back that his appointment would end in tears, it has. All we knew was he'd shafted Blackburn Rovers once and for me that was enough; he's shafted England for five years now. If he works again it will be too soon.

As for this competition, please win it Germany. For fair play, for great venues, great beer, great friendship and great sausages - please Germany go on and win this World Cup.

I've been thinking for a while Germany would win this competition and I hope they do. The whole team, players, coaches and staff give off all the right signals. It isn't manufactured, this is a team in every sense of the word and it must be down to Klinsman. Much as I'd love to watch the great Zidane leave with a winner's medal I feel Germany truely deserve to win and will be cheering them all the way. Klinsman is a real football manager, or so it appears.

England, ultimately, are just a collection of highly paid individuals who, with one or two exceptions, don't really look like a team of footballers. When they tell us how gutted they are it won't sound very convincing, you made the bed guys and now you have to lay in it.