Football Focus

[matthew123]

I watched that Arsenal Spurs game in the Foresters Arms (now the Bishop) and there was one Spurs fan still celebrating hard after the final whistle (after Spurs late equalizer) and eventually he looked back up at the big screen and gasped in astonishment, 'have arsenal won the league' then marched out in a huff...

[Jah Lush]

No need dear boy. It's fully attached in the memory bank as I was there unlike your good self.

[SimonM]

So then....Brazil look good for the World Cup...

We don't...

That's it

[Keef]

Not really sure what the point was yesterday.

[mockney piers]

Spain will win.

England are irrelevant. That said I hope they go out atthe quarters in style instead of meekly like they always did under Sven.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see them win it, but then I'd live to see West Ham win the premiership.

[matthew123]

If England win the World Cup it'll be because likes of Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Holland, Italy, France have seriously underperformed. England simply aren't good enough. Over the last 18 months they've been defeated every time they've played a top nation - only match I can think where they have delivered (result wise) is drawing 2-2 with Holland.

Watching some of the Russia game yesterday and the passing and technique throughout the team was so far ahead of England. The only way England's style can defeat the top teams is if they can play a very high tempo - and then it goes back to are they capable of putting together a string of such performances in the knockout stages.

[Keef]

Disagree with Argentina, Italy, and France, think England would have a good chance against any of those.

[matthew123]

Van Persie out for 6 weeks.. injured on Dutch duty

[SimonM]

Wenger must be furious......and no doubt that will torpedo the Eduardo/Liverpool rumour...

[Atila Reincarnate]

matthew123 Wrote:

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> Van Persie out for 6 weeks.. injured on Dutch duty

And all because of a pointless friendly, and people wonder why I hate these f**king things. FFS!!!!!

[Atila Reincarnate]

Jah Lush Wrote:

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> No need dear boy. It's fully attached in the

> memory bank as I was there unlike your good self.

True I wasn't there, but then again if I were a Spuds fan I'm not sure I would have wanted to be there when the mighty Arsenal win the title (AGAIN) in your backyard. 61 never again, or alternatively 48 years and counting. And people have the audacity to give us stick!!

[red devil]

Keef Wrote:

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> Not really sure what the point was yesterday.

Let's put a positive spin on it, at least (we hope) the journos now won't whip up a campaign bordering on mass hysteria about how England are going to win the WC. Had we beaten Brazil we would never had heard the last of it.

I still think England with our strongest 11 are capable of doing well, with a lucky draw and no major injuries maybe as far as the semis. Like any cup competition the best team on paper doesn't necessarily always win it...

[????]

yup, teams with poorer squads than England's have won previous World Cups on several occasions - you need some luck and some guile. Seriously, how many of Italy's 2006 team on paper would have been in England's line up? 2 or 3?

[matthew123]

2 or 3....

This was the Italy team that won the World Cup - yes they played poorly but I reckon there'd have been more Italians than England players. What England players do you think would have made it onto the pitch?

Buffon, Zambrotta, Cannavaro, Materazzi, Grosso, Camoranesi (Del Piero 86), Pirlo, Gattuso, Perrotta (Iaquinta 61), Totti (De Rossi 61), Toni.

Subs Not Used: Amelia, Barone, Barzagli, Gilardino, Inzaghi, Nesta, Oddo, Peruzzi, Zaccardo.

[Keef]

France wre not the best team in 98.

[????]

If they'd all been fit Matt I'd have had the following for sure at that time, not retropsectively

Ferdinand, Campbell, A. Cole, Owen, Rooney, Hargreaves, J Cole - maybe Totti for Owen

[matthew123]

Couldn't see Campbell getting in ahead of Cannavaro, or Hargreaves ahead of Guttuso - and don't forget Cup Final hero Steven Gerrard!

The most important reason for England's failure imo is their style of football in not being able to play from the back. The England back 4 (who ever plays) often look like a pack of lame donkeys down at the beach and until they have technicians bringing the ball out I think they will always come unstuck. England on their day when they're firing on all cylinders can beat anyone BUT, and it's a big but, they can not sustain the tempo required with quick fire matches in a short space of time needed to actually win World Cup.

[????]

Gerrard - apologies...the hurt was too much!!

I think Cole and Ferdinand (of 2006) can bring it out. I get your point and it's a valid one but going back overtime we've not been far off a few times and with a bit of luck who knows.

1982 - out without losing, Absolutetly slaughtered France looked formidable until the very stupid and complex 2nd groups stage where a more scared looking team plus defensive Germany and Spain meant we dropped out unbeaten after two draws

1986 - that was a World Cup up for the grabs. Beaten, just, by the brilliance and cheating of Maradonna

1990 - Those pesky penalties after being far better than germany, we would have beaten Argentina

1998 - I think we had a great team at this tournament. Again penalties in a game we looked the better team. France were formidable but we deserved to progress further.

2002 - Typical Sven, cautious and out.

2006 - see above, plus poor squad selection

[Atila Reincarnate]

Keef Wrote:

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> France wre not the best team in 98.

Really? Who was then?

[matthew123]

1982 - England went into this World Cup singing, 'This time more than any other time blah blah blah' but they can be thankful they kept their dignity having not had to play Brazil.

1986 - I think this was a poor England team who only progressed because of Linekar.

1990 - England played one great game and they lost it. Let us not forget they stuggled against Egypt, Ireland, Belgium and Cameroon and were a little fortunate to reach the semi finals.

I think a lot of it also comes down to the location of the World Cup - make no bones about it England suffer more than others when it's hot and humid. With it being winter in South Africa maybe it'll help England.

[Keef]

Atila, I personally think that Brazil and Holland were better than France in '98. Look how France progressed through the tournament, it hardly set the world on fire, then they played a final where Brazil were not themselves, and Zidane had a good game.

Don't worry mate, I'm not having a dig at Henry, or any other Arsenal player. In fact, the best bit of skill in that tournament was from your very own Dennis.

[matthew123]

I have to agree with Atila on this one - France got stronger as the tournament progressed and were worthy winners.

Wondering what happened at the end of the Ireland v France qualifier on Saturday, all has been revealed. According to the Daily Mail, Diarra said to Ireland's Keith Andrews at the final whistle, '**** off, Irish p****. You are out.' So having taken the moral high ground and use it as a legitimate tool to motivate themselves in Paris, Keith Andrews has now responded in the cold light of day by saying, 'It was a disrespectful comment which typifies them' ... which effectively also now does a team talk for the French! Unbelievable!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1228111/Republic-Ireland-0-France-1-Irish-rage-Lassana-Diarra-slur-head-make-break-Paris-World-Cup-play-match.html

[kpc]

The description of Richard Dunne "...his eyes bulging, his biceps and enormous hands ready to maim".

[red devil]

A career in WWF beckons...

[Atila Reincarnate]

kpc Wrote:

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> The description of Richard Dunne "...his eyes

> bulging, his biceps and enormous hands ready to

> maim".

Is this the same Richard Dunne that, according to Mick Mac, was gonna have Henry in his pocket? You've got to smile haven't you?