The ONLY World Cup thread (merged)

[nut flush gooner]

beating croatia would still have been easy route to the final. saying people raise there games as its WC - well, england would raise there game too, so thats irrelevant. Sweden and colombia are bang average, we should be beating them and would have been slaughtered in the media had we not.

some good posters still caught up on the bandwagon.

realistically England should beat croatia. had it been qualifying we would have expected to.
Had it been the first knockout round that we lost to them,the england team would have been slaughtered.

Just because fate gave us all the cards by easy draw to the semis, most are ignoring that we lost to a team we would typically expect to beat.

firstly, beating anyone at a world cup is difficult, for any team. look at how hard france huffed and puffed vs australia. I don't believe calling sweden or colombia bang aver age is fair - both got huge plauidits for the way they played at this tournament - if they're bang average sides then how many good ones are there?

it was Colombia's choice to go so defensive against us, and try telling France, Holland, Italy, Germany, Mexico and Switzerland that Sweden were 'crap'. sweden beat all of these teams (apart from germany - who were completely dominated) and finished 2nd in a very tough world cup qualifying group - how can they possibly be considered average? what team does that possibly leave who isn't average?

and i feel that your assesment of croatia is hugely out of step and almost disrespectful. they have world class talent all over the pitch, that midfield 3 is probably the best at the tournament and they will be very tough for france to break down.

phew, i'm tired of this world cup shite now. start the season already

im not saying croatia are poor, just that i would bet mist england fans would expect that they are a team we should beat. indeed all the its coming home stuff suggests everyone did expect we should beat them...

Only by people who know nothing about football. There is a reason that Raketic and Modric play for Barca/RM.

People were creaming themselves over Henderson, well I am sorry he is bang average. I would love to see a stat of how many forward telling passes he made. Not having the Ox fit or Lallana was telling for England in the end, in the absence of those two the team was crying out of Wilshere to be that player that carries the ball from defence to attack. He is the best fit player we have in that position at the moment.

Souness got slated for having a pop at England, a bit of sour grapes was the standard reply from England fans. He's always talked sense about Arsenals woes down the years, it's hard to disagree with what he said about England too.

My summary on England was they overachieved making the semis, but had they been a bit more savvy with squad selection, we could have easily got into the final.

[Allgunsblazin]

What was FIFA's outcome on reported racist chanting from English fans?
Funny this had reared its head when thousands of fucking rich Glory Hunters flooded over to Russia once it had been proclaimed safe to go to Russia!...
When will these caaaants ever learn?...

[Clash]

England are just not good enough and i've felt for years that for the supposed best league in the world our homegrown players lack something big, i put that squarely on the FA especially at grass roots level there is something rotten in the coaching from the ground up, there never seems to be quite the desire that is shown by players from other nations and it seriously needs to be looked at

This is a key point Muzz.

I've had foreign people say to me many times in the past that the English are deluded when it comes to football but I am not deluded in a way that makes me think English players are great when they're not. I know most of our team is bang average and has been for years.

The fact remains that we SHOULD have better players. It is not arrogant or delusional to expect a country with 92 professional clubs, strong well-supported non-leagues and hundreds of Sunday leagues ... plus 140 odd years of history to be able to regularly produce a team of top quality players.

I do not want any sacrificing of the club game for the sake of the national team because I am still club before country .... but there should be no need for that. A country with our footballing pedigree should naturally produce quality. Like it used to do. Its almost as though they systems that have been put in place are stifling talent. We should be ashamed of the lack of quality.

Something is wrong as you say. And I agree that the FA has to take most of the blame. Maybe even the British school system too because it is no not just England, its all the British sides and Ireland that can no longer produce the type of quality all have had in the past.

How was it that Scotland used to produce a high number of world class players and now most of us can probably not name even half their team? Look at the English and Irish teams in the 80s and the calibre of player compared to now. We're all part of the same system and we've all got worse.

[augie]

England are just not good enough and i've felt for years that for the supposed best league in the world our homegrown players lack something big, i put that squarely on the FA especially at grass roots level there is something rotten in the coaching from the ground up, there never seems to be quite the desire that is shown by players from other nations and it seriously needs to be looked at

This is a key point Muzz.

I've had foreign people say to me many times in the past that the English are deluded when it comes to football but I am not deluded in a way that makes me think English players are great when they're not. I know most of our team is bang average and has been for years.

The fact remains that we SHOULD have better players. It is not arrogant or delusional to expect a country with 92 professional clubs, strong well-supported non-leagues and hundreds of Sunday leagues ... plus 140 odd years of history to be able to regularly produce a team of top quality players.

I do not want any sacrificing of the club game for the sake of the national team because I am still club before country .... but there should be no need for that. A country with our footballing pedigree should naturally produce quality. Like it used to do. Its almost as though they systems that have been put in place are stifling talent. We should be ashamed of the lack of quality.

Something is wrong as you say. And I agree that the FA has to take most of the blame. Maybe even the British school system too because it is no not just England, its all the British sides and Ireland that can no longer produce the type of quality all have had in the past.

How was it that Scotland used to produce a high number of world class players and now most of us can probably not name even half their team? Look at the English and Irish teams in the 80s and the calibre of player compared to now. We're all part of the same system and we've all got worse.

I have been involved in our local club for many years but I have always refused to get involved in the schoolboy side of the club cos I felt that the league is set-up to favour the bigger clubs (the more teams you have, the more votes you have at agm's ). Anyway a few years ago I went to their presentation gig and got talking to a good buddy of mine who was development officer for the league at the time - I asked him why our league doesnt follow the continental coaching system of smaller sided games and smaller pitches, and he told me that he had tried on several occasions to bring it in but that the big clubs had argued against it cos they had a high number of kids that they needed to provide football for. There was no such thing as entering multiple teams by these clubs cos all they could see was the long standing system which benefits quantity over quality I have no first hand experience of it myself personally, but I'm told it is pretty much the same system used across england and the rest of the british countries.
I should also say that the vast, vast majority of schools in Ireland don't have football teams - we (I) applied to our local secondary school a few years back and said that our club would train them, kit them out and go with them to matches, but the school refused to do it on the basis that "the boys have gaelic football and hurling and that should be enough"

Smaller sided games means players get more touches of the ball and which will in turn improve technique - it isnt rocket science but until the powers that be recognise that quality must be the priority, then nothing is gonna change.

Interestingly, over here the every schoolboy league in the country must be converted to a calendar year (league starts in march and runs until November) schedule by 2020 - believe me there are many, many reasons why this will be detrimental to the schoolboy game over here, but one thing I can understand is that playing on better pitches should improve player technique

[DB10GOONER]

Anyway back to your general ethos, are you saying that we (the Irish on here) have been taking the piss since last night ? I would have thought that we were respectful more than anything else

Probably been more respectful than I would imagine to be fair. I know a fair few Scottish and Irish who are frankly more concerned how England do than there own country.

For example during the six nations an Irish guy I know took great pleasure in England losing but strangely said nothing about Ireland winning.

By "six nations" are you referring to the tedious nonsense of a "sport" that is homoerotic wrestling for fat closet jobs, or "rugby" as it is also known? Well in fairness you are dealing with a whole other level of arsehole right there mate!

For someone who purports to hate the game with the odd shaped balls so much, you don't half mention it a lot

Maybe some unresolved fantasies going on

Nothing quite that sexy I'm afraid so put your kacks back on and wash the hand lotion off mate.

I responded to another poster posting about the "sport" of fat repressed homos arsefingering each other. I always do. I hate that game with a passion as I'm from a part of Dublin that has a big rugby club populated by complete tossers. As a teenager my footballing mates and I got in a few scrapes with those loud mouthed fuckwits. For all their weight not one of them could throw or take a proper punch. Fat cowardly cùnts every one of them. Also had an incident where two of them threw my youngest brother into a shower full of naked rugger buggers when he was a kid. My youngest brother was born with learning difficulties and those fucking mongs thought it was hilarious to push this scared special needs kid around a shower full of naked fuckers. My other bro and I dished out quite the hiding to the two cùnts involved. In front of their entire rugby team and not one cùnt said boo.

Hope that clarifies the situation for you Muzz.

[SydneyGooner]

This has been a pretty poor world cup in terms of great teams. In 2014 you could see Germany winning it a mile away, likewise Spain in 2010, & Brazil in 2002. Italy was a shock winner in 2006, & if Croatia win it it will be an even bigger shock. I think France are the best team at this tournament, but not as good as the Germany 2014, Spain 2010, or Brazil 2002 team. I dont think whoever wins this World Cup will be remembered as a great team.

Its also so true that this England team really is nothing special. Souness is even getting on the Keane train and trying to downplay the significance of England's performance. England were shielded from facing a real quality aside from Belgium which they lost. This third place play off should be taken seriously, because if England lose the final record would be 3 wins, 1 draw, 3 losses (counting the Columbia game as draw), & two of those wins were against Panama and Tunisia.

This World Cup is a false signal regarding England's capacity to be a great team.

Disagree with that, France are the standout team in this tournament, they are brimming class right through their team/squad. Belgium also have a great side, they were very unfortunate to run into France for the semis.

In fact I would have this France team ahead of Germany 2014 anyday.

In agreement with all of this. I've said it before but this French team does seem somewhat German in the way they're going about their business. More explosive in attack (apart from Giroud of course ) than that Germany team which gives them the edge for me.

I would also absolutely have them over that boring as fuck possession for possession's sake anti-football WC winning Spanish team of 2010. I know during that four year period between '08-'12 they had their golden generation but they sure did bore you to death with their version of Catenaccio. The Spanish teams that won the Euros in between that World Cup were undeniably a class apart though so fair fucks to them I suppose.

Brazil's 2002 winning squad were the last truly great team to win it. Last team to win it without needing extra time or penalties.

[SydneyGooner]

England are just not good enough and i've felt for years that for the supposed best league in the world our homegrown players lack something big, i put that squarely on the FA especially at grass roots level there is something rotten in the coaching from the ground up, there never seems to be quite the desire that is shown by players from other nations and it seriously needs to be looked at

This is a key point Muzz.

I've had foreign people say to me many times in the past that the English are deluded when it comes to football but I am not deluded in a way that makes me think English players are great when they're not. I know most of our team is bang average and has been for years.

The fact remains that we SHOULD have better players. It is not arrogant or delusional to expect a country with 92 professional clubs, strong well-supported non-leagues and hundreds of Sunday leagues ... plus 140 odd years of history to be able to regularly produce a team of top quality players.

I do not want any sacrificing of the club game for the sake of the national team because I am still club before country .... but there should be no need for that. A country with our footballing pedigree should naturally produce quality. Like it used to do. Its almost as though they systems that have been put in place are stifling talent. We should be ashamed of the lack of quality.

Something is wrong as you say. And I agree that the FA has to take most of the blame. Maybe even the British school system too because it is no not just England, its all the British sides and Ireland that can no longer produce the type of quality all have had in the past.

How was it that Scotland used to produce a high number of world class players and now most of us can probably not name even half their team? Look at the English and Irish teams in the 80s and the calibre of player compared to now. We're all part of the same system and we've all got worse.

Great post.

I've always felt that with all the things going for you lot England's football team really should be up there with the likes of Germany.

[GoonerMuzz]

As i said we have probably the wealthiest league in the world and a majority of the wealthiest clubs. Supposedly we have some of the best academies too but we cannot produce young homegrown footballers with the technical abilities and desire of say Argentina or Brazil, or the team work shown in teams like Germany (usually), France or Spain

I do put it down to the coaching methods from under 7s level all the way up, we have a particular arrogance in Britain when it comes to sports we started way back when. I feel, and again i may be wrong, that the FA/SFA/WFA and even the Irish FA seem to feel 'we started it all' so there is nothing to learn from anyone else yet other countries attitudes seems to be lets go see what we can learn from elsewhere to improve our own methods.

I think it's telling that there are very few British players playing in the top leagues in other countries but a lot of the better players from other nations rotate through the EPL regularly.

[Bradywasking]

Anyway back to your general ethos, are you saying that we (the Irish on here) have been taking the piss since last night ? I would have thought that we were respectful more than anything else

Probably been more respectful than I would imagine to be fair. I know a fair few Scottish and Irish who are frankly more concerned how England do than there own country.

For example during the six nations an Irish guy I know took great pleasure in England losing but strangely said nothing about Ireland winning.

By "six nations" are you referring to the tedious nonsense of a "sport" that is homoerotic wrestling for fat closet jobs, or "rugby" as it is also known? Well in fairness you are dealing with a whole other level of arsehole right there mate!

For someone who purports to hate the game with the odd shaped balls so much, you don't half mention it a lot

Maybe some unresolved fantasies going on

Nothing quite that sexy I'm afraid so put your kacks back on and wash the hand lotion off mate.

I responded to another poster posting about the "sport" of fat repressed homos arsefingering each other. I always do. I hate that game with a passion as I'm from a part of Dublin that has a big rugby club populated by complete tossers. As a teenager my footballing mates and I got in a few scrapes with those loud mouthed fuckwits. For all their weight not one of them could throw or take a proper punch. Fat cowardly cùnts every one of them. Also had an incident where two of them threw my youngest brother into a shower full of naked rugger buggers when he was a kid. My youngest brother was born with learning difficulties and those fucking mongs thought it was hilarious to push this scared special needs kid around a shower full of naked fuckers. My other bro and I dished out quite the hiding to the two cùnts involved. In front of their entire rugby team and not one cùnt said boo.

Hope that clarifies the situation for you Muzz.

Hate that non sport with a fucking passion..The whole "you have to like rugger because Oireland are doing well "pisses me off . People mouthing about how hard and brave the rugby boys are. Comparing them to the sissy soccer lads, as if there could be a comparrison between sport and rugby.
The whole superiority of The rugby class and their fee paying schools is bad enough but to have working class people us the word "we " about rugby is crass..I know from having to deal with them for a number of years in work that they wouldn't piss on working class people if they were on fire.

[Bradywasking]

We are going way off subject here...I'm going for a 2-0 win for France on Sunday..

[goonersid]

Anyway back to your general ethos, are you saying that we (the Irish on here) have been taking the piss since last night ? I would have thought that we were respectful more than anything else

Probably been more respectful than I would imagine to be fair. I know a fair few Scottish and Irish who are frankly more concerned how England do than there own country.

For example during the six nations an Irish guy I know took great pleasure in England losing but strangely said nothing about Ireland winning.

By "six nations" are you referring to the tedious nonsense of a "sport" that is homoerotic wrestling for fat closet jobs, or "rugby" as it is also known? Well in fairness you are dealing with a whole other level of arsehole right there mate!

For someone who purports to hate the game with the odd shaped balls so much, you don't half mention it a lot

Maybe some unresolved fantasies going on

Nothing quite that sexy I'm afraid so put your kacks back on and wash the hand lotion off mate.

I responded to another poster posting about the "sport" of fat repressed homos arsefingering each other. I always do. I hate that game with a passion as I'm from a part of Dublin that has a big rugby club populated by complete tossers. As a teenager my footballing mates and I got in a few scrapes with those loud mouthed fuckwits. For all their weight not one of them could throw or take a proper punch. Fat cowardly cùnts every one of them. Also had an incident where two of them threw my youngest brother into a shower full of naked rugger buggers when he was a kid. My youngest brother was born with learning difficulties and those fucking mongs thought it was hilarious to push this scared special needs kid around a shower full of naked fuckers. My other bro and I dished out quite the hiding to the two cùnts involved. In front of their entire rugby team and not one cùnt said boo.

Hope that clarifies the situation for you Muzz.

Two teenage boys beating up two girls from the year 7 local convent school girls rugby team is hardly something to boast about lad

[wibble]

Anyway back to your general ethos, are you saying that we (the Irish on here) have been taking the piss since last night ? I would have thought that we were respectful more than anything else

Probably been more respectful than I would imagine to be fair. I know a fair few Scottish and Irish who are frankly more concerned how England do than there own country.

For example during the six nations an Irish guy I know took great pleasure in England losing but strangely said nothing about Ireland winning.

By "six nations" are you referring to the tedious nonsense of a "sport" that is homoerotic wrestling for fat closet jobs, or "rugby" as it is also known? Well in fairness you are dealing with a whole other level of arsehole right there mate!

For someone who purports to hate the game with the odd shaped balls so much, you don't half mention it a lot

Maybe some unresolved fantasies going on

Nothing quite that sexy I'm afraid so put your kacks back on and wash the hand lotion off mate.

I responded to another poster posting about the "sport" of fat repressed homos arsefingering each other. I always do. I hate that game with a passion as I'm from a part of Dublin that has a big rugby club populated by complete tossers. As a teenager my footballing mates and I got in a few scrapes with those loud mouthed fuckwits. For all their weight not one of them could throw or take a proper punch. Fat cowardly cùnts every one of them. Also had an incident where two of them threw my youngest brother into a shower full of naked rugger buggers when he was a kid. My youngest brother was born with learning difficulties and those fucking mongs thought it was hilarious to push this scared special needs kid around a shower full of naked fuckers. My other bro and I dished out quite the hiding to the two cùnts involved. In front of their entire rugby team and not one cùnt said boo.

Hope that clarifies the situation for you Muzz.

A naked shower scene? Sounds like muzz was right!

Just kidding, clearly a shitty thing to do, stupid rugger buggers

[northbank123]

The only thing Southgate has on previous English managers is he has his stroke of luck whereas they didn’t.

If the Colombian scores that penalty at 3-2 in the shootout it’s curtains. The narrative is that Southgate got given a golden ticket with a gift of a group draw and route through to the final and he fucked it. Scraped past a shit Tunisia, beat the worst team in modern World Cup history, lost to Belgium B and went to pieces against an insipid Colombia side only interested in cheating. No clean sheets and could only score from set pieces or Kane tap ins.

Instead he gets that stroke of luck in a penalty shootout and all of a sudden despite only actually winning one more game against a poor Sweden side before being outclassed by a decent Croatia side he is now a national hero who has restored pride.

Erikssen had a miles better squad to choose from but had some absolutely dire luck in three consecutive major tournament quarters, and is largely held out to be a failure.

[nut flush gooner]

The only thing Southgate has on previous English managers is he has his stroke of luck whereas they didn’t.

If the Colombian scores that penalty at 3-2 in the shootout it’s curtains. The narrative is that Southgate got given a golden ticket with a gift of a group draw and route through to the final and he fucked it. Scraped past a shit Tunisia, beat the worst team in modern World Cup history, lost to Belgium B and went to pieces against an insipid Colombia side only interested in cheating. No clean sheets and could only score from set pieces or Kane tap ins.

Instead he gets that stroke of luck in a penalty shootout and all of a sudden despite only actually winning one more game against a poor Sweden side before being outclassed by a decent Croatia side he is now a national hero who has restored pride.

Erikssen had a miles better squad to choose from but had some absolutely dire luck in three consecutive major tournament quarters, and is largely held out to be a failure.

He also had a squad(s) that didn’t get in well with each other. Loads of cliques existed as the likes of Rio Ferdinand admitted. It’s difficult to win things when you despise other players.

Southgate has to take credit for his man management. The last time I can remember a harmonious England squad was Venables Euro 96 team.

[northbank123]

I think Southgate carries himself well and it’s not that I’m saying that he deserves no credit as he still got here with ease and won a few games at a major tournament which is more than some predecessors can say.

Just that England aren’t suddenly some radically different side. Just things went their way for a change. Not sure I’d back this side to get out of the group that Hodgson had in 2014.