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Football / The most boring team of World Cup 2006!

« on: June 28, 2006, 04:44:16 PM »

Article taken from the Daily Mirror


28 June 2006
WORLD PRESS' VERDICT ON ENGLAND
3 DAYS TO ENGLAND v PORTUGAL: AND THOSE PENALTY SHOOT-OUT FEARS ARE EASED
THE WORLD put the boot into England yesterday, describing Sven Goran Eriksson's men as "boring, weary, lethargic, full of hot air, long balls, a lonely striker and a star midfield player who gave us a goal and a pile of vomit".

The home of football should be thankful, a Brazilian paper declared, that the WAGs, "anorexics addicted to shopping with hollow, lobotomised heads", were there to "detract from their team's poor football skills". The competition for the biggest insult was a close-run thing so, in order of where their teams finished in 2002, here is how the world's media roared in the face of the Three Lions:

BRAZIL: FROM BAD TO WORSE


THE Folha de S?o Paulo claims Portugal are favourites for a quarter-final against "the weary, lethargic English".


GERMANY: NO LAUGHING MATTER


STEFAN EFFENBERG, ex-Germany player and now a TV pundit, was widely quoted after he said: "I wouldn't call this football ??" it's a botch job."


Bild declared: "The only hot thing in the game was the air."


England "stumbled into the quarter-finals", the Frankfurter Allgemeine said, with Beckham's free-kick "the only bright spark".


SPAIN: SHAME ON THE HOME OF FOOTBALL


EL NACIONAL blasted: "The white flag with the cross of Saint George suffered in the face of lesser rivals . . . unlike the subjects of Queen Elizabeth ... Ecuador went out with their heads held high."


It was "an embarrassing performance from the country that invented football".


Beckham's tummy upset led El Pams to describe England's display as "a goal and a pile of vomit".


ITALY: NO ENCHANTED EVENING


LA GAZETTA DELLO SPORT summed up a "boring, slow-moving and unimpressive match" with "England wins without enchanting ... for now it's enough."


FRANCE: LACKING PANACHE


L'EQUIPE praised Ashley Cole's performance, allocating him top score in points out of 10, with 6.5. There was a 6 for Beckham while Rooney was "a boy who sees, thinks, understands and imagines football as he lives and breathes . . . he improved every ball he received. The only thing missing was a goal". It lambasted Lampard (3.5), Hargreaves (3.5), Terry (4) Carrick (4), Cole (4) and Ferdinand (4.5).


PORTUGAL: EPIC VICTORY!


"WHAT brave hearts!" the Record headlines screamed.


But not for England. A Bola called its team as "heroes of the resistance".


But the last word goes to the Diario de Noticias, which predicted: "Here come the penalties against England again."


Ok, if you disagree with the article, who do you guys think has been the most boring team of this world cup so far? Or what are your opinions on the article? Harsh or fair?

2

Football / A case of Naivity or Nerves?

« on: June 03, 2006, 04:22:27 PM »

I find it very strange that our players are almost "shellshocked" into putting up a stiffer resistance when we faced Slovenia and Czech Rep. Infact, going back to 2004 when we were mauled 4-0 by Scotland, it was apparant that while we have some degree of skill and technical ability, the guys were mauled by a very mediorce and technically deficient side, only using a power game. Much like Germany 8-0 mauling of the Saudis in 2002.

Most if not all of our players play professional football full time. Most of our squad play in the lower English and Scottish Leagues. Those leagues are 100 mph of airball football and very rough house play. With little or no quality! So why is it, when as a full time pro, you watch and experience the speed and differing class levels of European football, but yet cant seem to raise your game from minute 1, and match these European teams with speed and aggression??

We cannot match them for technical ability as most teams in Europe are superior to us at this. But I dont care what anyone says, we have players who can come close to matching England and Brazil physically and with speed! Why dont we use it when it matters?

When Beenhakker said that the team arent used to the speed and physical play of European football, I agreed to an extent. He is 100 % correct in choosing the games he did. (Though I would have put the fixtures in reverse with the harder team, Czech Rep 1st, and the weaker Wales team today so we can record a morale boosting victory ).

But surely, as professional footballers, they should be more clued up to what to expect at this level, and get "battle ready!" Am I asking or assuming too much??

Nerves? Yes, our very first world cup, historic, no one wants to get injured and miss out (Good luck Silvio!!) But Yorke (Man U, Champions league experience) Hisliop (Newcastle- Champions league experience) Andrews (Rangers-Champions league experience) STERN "NO. 14" John-Premiership experience. What excuse is there for nerves, (if there are any) when you know what it is like to be at the end of 30-60,000 prying eyes week in, week out!?

I just think that, yes we arent a great side, yes we are not world class, but damn, we are a team. We have experience, youth, pace and power. Why cant we turn it on like some 3rd division teams do when they face premiereship teams in the FA Cup??

Like Chelsea Vs Colchester United where Chelsea struggled to score until the 60 or 70 minute, before they eventually ran out 3-1 winners. That is a great example of Trinidad Vs all 3 teams we will face. Like Colchester United, we dont have the "big stars" or ability. But Colchester matched Chelsea physically, worked on the basics (set pieces), defended with organisation, shocked them with an early goal, and frustrated them.

WE ARE BETTER THAN COLCHESTER UNITED (I would think  ). And the Chelsea team that day is as strong as England will be on June 15th.

So what I want to see from Trinidad is Fight, do or die, use our strenghts to the best of our ability. Not get cold feet, and blame Naiviety. One World Cup, and could be one chance for many. Make use of it! 

Am I asking or assuming too much???