Stolen by the Ref

[Rovermatt]

But if we do win , then the cup's as good as ours 

A bit premature?

Edited June 23, 2004 by Rovermatt

[youandwhosearmy]

come on england, i smell a victory

3-1

[USABlue]

come on england, i smell a victory

3-1

Are you sure you are not just standing amidst some old people.

Too scared to predict this one. I can't understand the statement that we have "too much quality" for them. Individually Portugal have some fantastic quality and talent with skills to spare. If they can happen to turn it a team performance it could be scary.

Could the hype get to young Rooney? could it be his let down, if so let's hope Owen starts to perform. Good luck to us anyway.

Edited June 23, 2004 by USABlue

[Eddie]

I think if I were a neutral I'd pick England and feel quite confident. Being an England supporter on the other hand, they've always slipped up just when things have started to look good (at least during my lifetime). This is the strongest England team for a while though, so hopefully they'll live up to expectations and move on to the semis. So I'll go for England.

[AllRoverAsia]

My heart says England so I'm sticking with that. Owen to score, Beckham to turn up - and we don't concede from a cross! Plus we have Rooney.

[PABBY]

Being a Rovers fan and also being used to England failing when they shouldn't, I reckon it'll be either 2-1 to Portugal or they'll do us on penalties.

Oh, and I predicted 2-1 to Croatia the other night too.

[1864roverite]

Couto on the bench ?

he may be the only defender that can do a one on one marking job on Rooney, the other defenders IMo do not have the experience to cope with a dedicated 1 on 1/man to man marking.

Portugal will play one up front and that is likely to be nunes, Pauletta is out suspended so for them to make surefire progress it means figo having to do a lot of work up the middle and down the flanks as well as helping out the defence.

i honestly think that figo will be the weakest link and it will be payback for 2000

[Oklahoma]

Don't think that Couto's replacement is unexperienced... Ricardo carvalho is european champion. Must have some class.

And Nuno Gomes is as good as Pauleta.

[Macky]

England to win 2-1. Roooonaldo to score both. (Wayne that is!)

Can see it being a close game, hopefully we will win before ET and not face them dreaded penalties!

[Rachrover]

I think (or really hope) England will win, 2-1 with Rooney and Lampard scoring!!

I can't believe how nervous I am getting already, I'm going to be an absolute wreck by the time I leave work at 3.00, straight to the pub i think for a nice vodka to calm my nerves!!! Come on England!!!

[Sydney Rovers]

Couto on the bench ?

he may be the only defender that can do a one on one marking job on Rooney, the other defenders IMo do not have the experience to cope with a dedicated 1 on 1/man to man marking.

Couto did his dash with his disgraceful defence in the Greece game (turning you back when someone takes a shot at goal ). The current defence hasn't conceded a goal in two games, and this included a game with strikers as quick as Owen and Rooney, so Rooney pace wont be too much of a shock.

The key to an England win is closing down Portugal’s midfield because all of Portugal’s creativity is there. England have to especially watch Deco – the man has all the diving skill of Klingsmann, so he’ll be looking to get fouled just outside the 18-yard box.

So it's an easy choice for me, (hey my Parents are Portuguese and as an Australian, I can’t support an English team), Portugal to win although it will be very close and I'm hoping for my blood pressure sake, that the game doesn’t finish in a penalty shoot out.

[Morph]

Before the tournament started I had Portugal to beat us in the quarters, but I am quite happy to be proved wrong. As Sydney Rovers says, this game will be won or lost in midfield; If we can cope with the extra man and keep Figo quiet then we have every chance, if not Portugal could do us over good and proper. The sides are too close in terms of overall ability to predict the score with any confidence, but Portugal are by no means unbeatable (then again, the same could be said for us).

[waggy]

just about toget junior up for breakfast,was painting the town red last night,i reckon 1-1 and it goes to penalties,who win then is anyones guess

[MarkB]

No doubt about it.... good win for England .... 2-0

[MarkB]

Forgot to mention that it is inevitable that we will win tonight as I predicted from the outset that we would win the whole competition.

We will meet the frogs in the final and show them what they should have had last time.

[Gareth]

  just about toget junior up for breakfast,was painting the town red last night,i reckon 1-1 and it goes to penalties,who win then is anyones guess

That's a point...

If it goes to pens who's gonna score em for us?

Beckham

Owen

Rooney?

Gerrard?

Lampard?

[broadsword]

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

[Nayef]

But will it go to pots?

Hopefully England 1 Portugal 0

[Velvet]

Portugal will win

[FourLaneBlue]

If Portugal weren't at home I'd go for us withour hesitation. They are though, which makes it much more difficult...

If however we do go out I do hope I'll at least be able to look forward to another drunken post from AESF....

...he let us down after the Croatia game!

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Dont get your hopes up too high, how many times have we been let down in the past.......

[Finch]

England to go out on pens

(although I never predict results correctly so this means we should win easily )

[RevidgeBlue]

Don't want to put the mockers on anything by saying we're going to win it but we've been more impressive than at any tournament I can recall since 1970.

Were it not for a mad three minutes in injury time v France we'd have had 9 points.

Too tight to call with any great confidence tonight, but no reason why we can't sneak it and go on to win the tournament.

Need more from former goldenboys Beckham and Owen though.

[Tom Pringle]

Don't want to put the mockers on anything by saying we're going to win it but we've been more impressive than at any tournament I can recall since 1970.

I didn't think we were that bad in Euro 96

Mind you, we got to the semis of the world cup in 90...but i don't really remember it properly.

[blue/white]

As a neutral observer I can honestly say that this match has really grabbed my fancy, I"ve huge butterflies in my stomach. I'm concerned that the crowd will tip the balance in the host's favor.

Having said that, I hope our, check that, the English midfield choke off the Portuguese midfield and watch their diving close to the 18. It would also be nice to get a sublime moment or two from the 'assassin faced baby'.

Does anyone else see the match playing out like Argentina '02 or France '04? That is, a quick strike or two and then sit back in 2 sets of 4, tightly defending?

See a few posts calling for a wide opened affair, I just don't see it playing out that way... too much to lose, especially for the Hosts- they may attack, but I see England using the 'rope-a-dope' method. Expect the Portuguese to come out in a frenzy, so absorbing the early fury and frustrating them with a tight, organized defense is premordial... then watch the initial fury become nerves ( see USA 02, Greece '04 for starters)

Anyway, it'll be a great match to catch at the pub, I'll buy everyone on the MB a stout to start off with.

Cheers to all & enjoy a most lively match !!!

Edited June 24, 2004 by blue/white