World Cup 2006

[lilbandit]

All kinds of fun and games in tomorrows media, Rooney didn't look happy coming off! Wonder if Sven told him that he'd play for 85-90 mins? Owen stretchered off too. Sweden are a team that have always been well managed and organised, but many of the players play/played for very average Premiership clubs eg. Villa and Everton. The rest are scattered among the Swedish domestic league and around Europe (Larrson plays for Barca but he's 35!!) I suppose my point is that I can't understand how the cream of the Premiership is struggling against very average teams (Trinidad/Paraguay) and a Swedish team that does not have (on paper at least) anything like the pedigree England have available. England also lost 1-0 to Northern Ireland during their qualification yet many English fans (not all!) automatically consider themselves among the favourites every four years. bbloke, I realise that English clubs have had success in Europe but watching England so far it just looks like they are waiting for a set piece to score. Cole's goal was spectacular but they didn't look like scoring from general play. Sweden were the same, most of their real chances came from corners and free kicks. I just feel that a side that can pass a ball and be clever in midfield will always beat a team that relies on set pieces. Imagine Argentina running at England instead of Sweden!

[bbloke]

I like the new avatar, fryke.

Originally Posted by fryke

I'd say _any_ team reaching the next round has their chance. I don't really see any _bad_ teams, and even Brazil, England, Argentina and Germany have their bad days. What good are all those tables if a team wins which wasn't expected to win. The tables change.

Yup, I'd agree with all that.

England are not playing their best by any stretch of the imagination. It doesn't help that England are also looking rather under strength, with the number of their players who are currently injured or are coming back from injury.

I just want to add that watching Sweden vs. England, I _am_ now "wowed". That goal was very nice indeed. And certainly a little hard to swallow for Sweden's goalie.

Hehehehe

Also, Gerrard's goal against Trinidad and Tobago was very good too. You might want to see that if you can somehow; another long range strike, and with the "wrong" foot.

As for the match........... arrrrrrrrrgggggghhhh, so close! It was good England didn't lose, but it was annoying to go ahead twice, only for Sweden to come back... and the final goal was on the 90th minute! So, what is it? 38 years that England haven't beaten Sweden or something?

The first half was beginning to look more like England playing more to their potential. I was very pleased with it, and it look like England were playing like they should. A disaster with Michael Owen being injured, possibly seriously, within the first minute. Joe Cole's goal was very impressive, though!

In the second half, England looked pretty shambolic. The defence was just nowhere near their usual standard, and then Ferdinand looked potentially injured. Sweden then came back when they got a goal, when there was a bit of a scramble in the penalty area. *sigh* Gerrard scored from a header in the 85th minute and it looked at last like the jinx might have been broken. Then Sweden scored a rather bizarre, scrambled goal in the penalty area in the 90th minute. Argh, not again!

[bbloke]

Originally Posted by lilbandit

I suppose my point is that I can't understand how the cream of the Premiership is struggling against very average teams (Trinidad/Paraguay) and a Swedish team that does not have (on paper at least) anything like the pedigree England have available. England also lost 1-0 to Northern Ireland during their qualification yet many English fans (not all!) automatically consider themselves among the favourites every four years.

Yup, I know what you mean. Essentially, I feel like we have a good team on paper, but the team is just not "working" yet! Why, I don't know. It's very frustrating to watch...

bbloke, I realise that English clubs have had success in Europe but watching England so far it just looks like they are waiting for a set piece to score. Cole's goal was spectacular but they didn't look like scoring from general play.

Mmmm, I'm not sure if I'd go as far as that, although I kind of know what you mean. True, England do like Beckham's free kicks and so on, but they did have a number of shots when they were applying pressure in open play, and neither of England's goals came from set pieces this time. I'd say England played well in the first half, but really did not play well in the second half.

Sweden were the same, most of their real chances came from corners and free kicks.

Yes. Both their goals came from set pieces if my memory is correct and, erm, were not the best goals in the world in my view. Both times the England defence slipped up during a scramble in the penalty area. But, hey, at this level, the defence can't go making mistakes like that...

I just feel that a side that can pass a ball and be clever in midfield will always beat a team that relies on set pieces. Imagine Argentina running at England instead of Sweden!

I don't disagree about how England should not rely on set pieces. England should be doing better than they are. They have won the group, but they are not playing like many feel they should. It's not really come together yet. Hopefully it is a matter of time, but it is also rather worrying that England's forwards are not the strongest asset at the moment: Rooney is coming back from serious injury, Owen has been out for most of the season with a serious injury and has now possibly picked up another one, and Crouch is OK, but he's not the best player in the world. Especially when playing like this, England needs all the "bite" it can get!

[lilbandit]

Germany looked better today, getting a little momentum going, they'll be hard to beat too.

[enathan1085]

The problem with Germany's showing today was that 5 starting Ecuador players were benched to save them for the next round (they were all carrying yellow cards). In my mind that makes their 3-0 win much less impressive.

[enathan1085]

Originally Posted by bbloke

So, what is it? 38 years that England haven't beaten Sweden or something?

Yup, last time was 1968... My how time flies....

[lilbandit]

Bad news about Michael Owen, out for 6 months. He has to be the most injury prone player I have ever seen. He's only 25 but spends most of every season on the bench.

[bbloke]

Originally Posted by lilbandit

Bad news about Michael Owen, out for 6 months. He has to be the most injury prone player I have ever seen. He's only 25 but spends most of every season on the bench.

I know, it's not good news.

This coupled with Owen already having just come back from injury anyway, Rooney rapidly coming back aftr a broken foot, Ferdinand going off with groin problems yesterday, Neville still having an injured calf, Campbell having not played much of the season, Walcott picking something up in training not long ago, Gerrard possibly having some niggly back problems (?), Ashley Cole coming back from injury not so long ago, and so on. It seems the team has quite a few injury issues. I know teams always have these, but there seem to be a few major players who are having problems at the same time. *sigh*