Stolen by the Ref

[RoyRover]

Put it this way - if it had happened at the other end and the ref had given it, we'd all be on here now saying that the ref had cheated us out of it by giving them a goal which shouldn't have stood.

Another point worth considering is that the incident that led to the free-kick from which the dis-allowed goal was scored was a joke. Ashley Cole came across to block a clearance and his momentum took him over - there wasn't even a hint of conatct from the portugese defender - so again, had the goal been allowed to stand, the portugese would probably have had every justification in feeling cheated.

You can't blame this defeat on the ref. It was down to us not being good enough. Other than Wayne Rooney we had no-one to lift us above the ordinary. Without him we were reduced to being the Bolton Wanderers of International football - sitting deep, hitting long balls and hoping for free-kicks and corners because that's our biggest (only?) real threat.

Good points.

[Nayef]

It won't go to pens, you heard it here first!

Loading my shotgun at the moment.

[Manchester Blue]

Don't get me wrong, we should hold onto a lead. At around the 50th minute maybe at a push? But 3 minutes in, we score and then never looked likely to score again (Only on set pieces). Our build up play was terrible, giving the ball away to often and just overall not looknig like to score.

In the first half Owen had at least two more really good chances one which fell onto the roof of the net and the other which the keeper pushed wide.

I didn't think that Portugal looked that nervous when they were 2-1 up. Correct me if i'm wrong but they stuck to their guns and attacked. Admitedly they got beat on a set play, but we weren't going to score in open play which is where we should have scored if they were actually 'exposed' by being attacking minded.

Portugal were only ahead for 3 minutes though so it's hardly a fair comparison.

And finally, I will stick to my guns,  as many people who know me know i haven't exactly got a proper footballing brain when it comes to giving opinions. But i fell very strongly about this one and believe i'm right.

The comment 'stick to your guns' wasn't a dig mate. You've made some good points and I appreciate that. Far better than some of the nonsense that has been posted. Anyway i've got Denmark in the work sweep so I'm cheering them on now.

[Roaming Rover]

The Ref was very poor all night, not just for the disallowed goal.

Yes we were poor, but when Arsenal or Man U play badly and get a result, people say thats the sign of a good team, getting results when playing badly. Last night we played badly and IMO Portugal played well, yet we still got a draw and should have won if the goal had stood.

We played badly last night and didn't lose (OK we still went out), but surely that gives us some hope for the future.

[Tom Pringle]

The comment 'stick to your guns' wasn't a dig mate. You've made some good points and I appreciate that. Far better than some of the nonsense that has been posted. Anyway i've got Denmark in the work sweep so I'm cheering them on now.

I know bud, i didn't take any of it personally.

I've got Portugal in the sweep, but they won't win it.

Milan Baros will be top scorer and lead the Czech to a 2-0 win over Sweden in the final.

[SouthAussieRover]

Expletive,expletive,expletive...

Well I'm going for a France vs Holland final now.

[SuperStella]

Its been suggested that Tim Henman and David Beckham should train together.

Beckham can teach Henman how to hit the ball over the net and Henman can show Beckham how to actually hit the net!

[greggyk]

Tims on court now playing someone from the refs home country!!!

COMON TIM!!!!

[Blueboy Downunder]

once again we go out of a major competition in controversial circumstances....and i can't believe it has happened to us again. i don't care what anybody says about penalty shoot outs...the fact is that last night, it should never ever have even got to extra time...never mind the shoot out.

[FourLaneBlue]

Think some of the anti-Portugal posts are unfair, it wasn't their fault the referee disallowed the goal. Well, not unless a brown paper bag is on its way to the land of cuckoo clocks and Toblerone...Just kidding! So...

Well done to the Portugal fans on here. Their had to be a winner and it was you so good luck for the rest of the tournament. Most of us English are gracious in defeat, certainly once the shock of the thing wears off anyway! For the last six months I've been saying Czech Republic will win it so I'll stick to that but who knows? Certainly not me after last night!

[T4E]

Cant be arsed reading the thread, so I dont know if this has been said, but the referee was always going to give it as a foul. Those decisions get given every week in the Premiership, its not right, but we all knew how it worked. Strictly speaking its not a foul, but you cant jump with the goalkeeper, we all know that will always be penalised. Cant really say I blame the referee too much.

[broadsword]

Cant really say I blame the referee too much.

I DO! He's a bent GIT!

[FourLaneBlue]

Damn penalties....Should have known though, it's not like we haven't been here before...It'd be nice if just once if we had to go out that we got beat 3-0 or something. I'm sure it'd be easier to take than these exits....

1986 World Cup (first international competition I can remember) - Maradona's 'Hand of God'.

1988 Euros - Ouch. So bad we were just painful to watch.....

1990 World Cup - Out on penalties in the semis to the Germans. Bugger.

1992 Euros - Taking off Gary Lineker for Alan Smith- what?!?! Carlton Palmer as our best player??? Aaarggghhhh....

1994 World Cup - Didn't make it but robbed by ref against Holland (worst decision ever against England- made the one last night seem not quite so bad after all)

1996 Euros - Out on penalties in the semis to the Germans. Bugger. Again.

1998 World Cup - Out on penalties to the Argies. El Bugger.

2000 Euros - Through to the quarter finals all nice and safe, just one minute to go...oh wait...is that Phil Neville about to give away a penalty? It sure is...

2002 World Cup - Alright, being knocked out by Brazil isn't so bad.

2004 - here we go again...

There is a poem called 'This Be the Verse' by Philip Larkin in which contains the lines

"They f___ you up your mum and dad

They don't mean to but they do."

That's what it's like supporting England.

"They f___ you up do Eng-er-land

They don't mean to but they do."

Edited June 25, 2004 by FourLaneBlue

[EwoodDawn]

Apparently the 'ref' had an interactive website until today. It invited feedback from fans and so he was bombarded with rather disgruntled England fans wanting to give him some shoe.

[T4E]

There is a poem called 'This Be the Verse' by Philip Larkin in which contains the lines

"They f___ you up your mum and dad

They don't mean to but they do."

That's what it's like supporting England.

"They f___ you up do Eng-er-land

They don't mean to but they do."

Everyone is the pub was utterly broken last night, muttering the same sort of thing. All I could think was "try being a Blackburn Rovers fan".

[FourLaneBlue]

T4E - Can't really compare England with Rovers as with Rovers we've actually had the highs (promotions, Worthington Cup, league title) to go with the lows.

England- just build you up then let you down. Think there's a song that goes like that...

Besides...you're bloody Scottish!

Edited June 25, 2004 by FourLaneBlue

[SouthAussieRover]

Tims on court now playing someone from the refs home country!!!

COMON TIM!!!!

Pity there's half full stadium who've turned up to watch him so far.

[T4E]

T4E - Can't really compare England with Rovers as with Rovers we've actually had the highs (promotions, Worthington Cup, league title) to go with the lows.

England- just build you up then let you down. Think there's a song that goes like that...

Besides...you're bloody Scottish!

Its true, but I really felt for England last night. I was sucked in by the hype as well.

I'd feel the same with Scotland, nothing compares to the great feeling you get when Rovers win, or the pain you feel when we lose. International football is becoming less and less important.

Could we turn this into a club vs country poll? Would just be interesting to see who votes what....

[Blueboy Downunder]

if i aint mistaken, the linesman was closer and had a better view of the dis-allowed goal. so when the linesman goes running back to the half way line..it is fine with him, so how can the ref not give it when he was 30+ yards away from the incident. he did not give it because he did not have the testicles to give the goal in the last minute against the home nation that would have sent them out.

gutless prick!

[Hanks]

when i woke up this morning my head was still in conspiracy mode but having had time to reflect we didn't do enough to win,for most of the second half the general feeling in the pub was it was only a matter of time before we conceded a goal.while the ref did appear to lean towards portugal it was no more than one would get from a ref if we where at home.

on the disallowed goal there was an english referee on the radio this morning and he was putting forward the point that having seen the tape the referee had blown for a foul by campbell before the ball went in.as pointed out in an earlier post the free kick was dodgy to start with and campbell used his own player to gain height which is a foul anyway.

fair play to portugal they were the better side on the night.allegencies are now swopped to sweden as i have larrson at 40-1 for top scorer

[American]

1996 Euros - Out on penalties in the semis to the Germans. Bugger. Again.

Is this after getting out of the quarters with a couple dodgy calls? Host country calls always happen, just this time wasn't your turn.

[Kennys Magic Hat]

Again there's a lot of unecessary criticism of the side as they played a major part in what was a thrilling game that neither team deserved to lose in the end.

Fair enough England didnt play as well as they can do after Owen's goal but I thought Portugal played well above themselves and definitely looked the fitter team, understandable since they had an extra days rest. The formation denied England any space to pass the ball around and so often it went forward far too quickly for Vassel and Owen who aren't reknowned for their hold-up abilities. I think if Rooney had been on the pitch, a player who can dribble and who is strong and can hold on to the ball, it may have been different.

Despite all Portugals pressure, up until Terry's mistake which let in Postiga, they were poor once they got to the 18 yard line, and didn't have any direct opportunities that went very close in the 90 minutes. England however had two close efforts from Owen and a great header from Sol Campbell. For all Portugal's pressure, the way they played and thier extra fitness - England still scored 2 good goals to their 1, and they were desperately unlucky that the referee didnt give it.

The referee had a poor game, not only with the disallowed goal but was conned time and time again by Deco and Ronaldo who went down remarkably easily to the softest of challenges. When England players stood their ground in challenges against them, the ref automatically gave Portugal a free kick. All in all it was a poor display from a seemingly arrogant man with a s***e beard and crap highlights in his hair.

With Postigas goal, England could have given up. But no, they kept on going and we should have been allowed to go 2-1 up in the last minute. Again a crucial blow but we still kept on fighting. Both teams attacked in equal measures in extra time, it was exciting stuff and England cannot be accused of being defensive here. Again, a crucial blow against them with Costa's thunderbolt strike after a fantastic run but England kept on fighting and got the goal with a cool finish from Frank Lampard. Simao went close for Portugal but Vassel had a superb run but was hacked down cynically by the defender and unfortunately nothing came of the resulting free kick.

And then the penalties which are all about luck. Both teams missed one each in regulation but Beckham has a better excuse for missing than Rui Costa with the ball actually moving before he hit it. Both teams scored great penalties even though Portugals were slightly better placed. Ricardo's made a great save from Vassel and scored a wonderful penalty himself. Portugal went through. Unlucky.

Beckham wasn't at his very best but he was no worse last night than Scholes or Gerrard. He's played a key part in some great goals for England agaisnt France, Switzerland and last night and has been great defensively. He's been unlucky with both penalties and even though he put a brilliant ball over for Lampard's equaliser, he and England have been unlucky in the penalty shootout.

All in all England have been desperately unlucky in this tournament. To be playing Portugal the hosts in the first place is unlucky as we were better than France in the group, who should have lost two matches and be out of the tournament. We've been unlucky with Campbell's goal, unlucky with Beckham's two penalties and unlucky that they've come out on top in the shootout, as it could have gone either way.

Hopefully England will come back stronger and wiser for the World Cup in Germany with the likes of Owen, Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard,Terry and Cole gaining more experience of international football and Beckham, Cambell, Neville and Scholes having one last go at winning a major competition.

Every dog has its day and I firmly believe England's time will come soon.

[T4E]

For those of you interested in airing your grievances to Herr Meier in person -

Urs Meier Haushaltgeräte AG

Landstrasse 104

5436 Würenlos

Tel: 056 436 80 50

Fax: 056 436 80 55

[Eddie]

Come on boys calm down. He was poor and biased, but it is just football, leave the man alone.

[Nayef]

For those of you interested in airing your grievances to Herr Meier in person -

Urs Meier Haushaltgeräte AG

Landstrasse 104

5436 Würenlos

Tel: 056 436 80 50

Fax: 056 436 80 55

Will find out the grid reference (GIS) for that address and forward onto the Royal Navy. They can deal with it in a manner they find suitable.