The Football Thread

[redshirt]

the english premier league may be the world's leading football league but this defeat should bolster the croatia's manager's assessment- that croatia has good players too or that any footballing nation have the chance to win not once but twice against the so-called powerhouses on important tournaments.

 

 

OT....

its also high time that the philippines should give serious thought on its soccer program. i wonder what happen to the coke go for goal? the last time i saw a game was in sta barbara in iloilo...and that was 2-3 year ago.. hmmmm... might be nice to rejoin the national team website...

Does our national team have a website?

 

 

xycho_g

 

I did not intend to place the $20 bet. napindot ko lang. I was waiting kasi for the oportunity. Hindi ko alam na pag in play pala ay wala ng confirmation automatic kaagad! huhuhu. Kakadeposit ko lng ng $31 sa account ko kahapon ngayon $17 nalang natira. Babawi nalang ako sa EPL. My financial savior.

[xycho_g]

ouch! di bale, matino naman manu this season e. haha.

[howard_the_duck]

very bad defense by england!

 

the absence of rooney was key

[damaso]

england player ratings by english football pundit pete bell (if you're not familiar with player ratings, its a scale of 1 to 10 - 6 being average. most english newspapers publish their own ratings):

 

How the England players fared against Croatia...

 

Scott Carson

Redeemed himself partially with a save that hit him smack in the face but will forever be remembered for the ghastly mistake that handed Croatia an early lead. Alas, Carson hadn't even handled the ball when the Croats scored their second.

 

Will probably never play for his country again. England's problems don't end with their goalkeepers but they certainly start there.

Rating (out of ten): Four.

 

 

Micah Richards

Caught upfield for the Croats second goal having granted Krancjar an unhindered shot on goal six minutes earlier. Rash and raw, he ran around like a headless chicken at times and failed to make a meaningful contribution as a result.

Rating: Five.

 

 

Sol Campbell

It may be harsh to single out Campbell but he is the personification of everything that is wrong with English football. Sol is a superb defender and a committed professional but his regular inability to pass a ball accurately over ten yards is as appalling as it is damning.

Rating: Five.

 

 

Joleon Lescott

Reasonably solid. The Everton defender was far from being England's worst player although the likelihood remains that he is short of international class. Then again, that's the least of England's worries now.

Rating: Four.

 

 

Wayne Bridge

Errors too many to record on a single sheet of A4. An ordinary player who would not stand out in the Championship.

 

His international retirement would be a welcome fillip from an otherwise dispiriting evening.

Rating: Two.

 

 

Gareth Barry

Failed to exert himself, wasted every set-piece he was allowed to take and was replaced at half-time.

Rating: Four

 

 

Frank Lampard

The decision to hand Lampard the man-of-the-match award was the only good laugh all evening. Until his penalty conversion it was possible to believe that Lampard was either not on the pitch or unaware that a match was being played.

 

It is simply unfathomable that such a brilliant player at club level shrinks so radically when on international duty. Combines time and time again with Didier Drogba for Chelski yet seemed unwilling to support Peter Crouch and too many decent flick-ons thus went to waste. Indefensible.

Rating: Three

 

 

Steven Gerrard

The best that can be said of Gerrard is that, unlike Lampard, he attempted to exert himself.

 

Succumbed to the Hollywood role in the second-half, attempting to hit 50-yard eye-of-the-needle passes on an evening when simplicity was essential. Until England realise that possession is nine-tenths of international level they will forever remain second-rate. The contrast with the display of Luka Modric was telling.

Rating: Three

 

 

Shaun-Wright Phillips

A ghastly attempt to play Ivica Olic offside backfired spectacularly and then, moments later, spurned a great opportunity to score by taking an unnecessary additional touch. No wonder even his father admitted he shouldn't have played.

 

Failed to make an impact thereafter and was replaced at half-time. Another player who is bereft of international quality.

Rating: Four

 

 

Joe Cole

A typical Cole performance: the odd glimpse of class negated by poor decision-making and a tendency to hit the ground faster than a bomb dropped from Mars.

Rating: Four.

 

 

Peter Crouch

The only England player to emerge in credit. Excellent at holding the ball up, while his intelligent flicks-on were wasted on his team-mates. Cracking goal defied barbs that he only scores against minnows, but that will be forgotten tomorrow.

Rating: Eight.

 

Substitutes:

 

David Beckham

Cross to Crouch was one of the few moments of class produced by the entire England team. Sadly for Beckham, England's elimination is bound to mean that he will never reach the 100-cap milestone.

 

Jermain Defoe

Brought on to remind everyone that McClaren had few other options.

 

Darren Bent

Introduced when it was already too late.

 

[sting07]

ang BOBOO BOBOO BOBO... talaga ni mclaren, bakit ka nga naman gagamit ng inexperience na goal keeper eh si robinson nga eh back pass lang hindi pa matamaan ayun pumasok tuloy sa goal ng kalaban. sa mga crucial na laban gaya nyan dapat hindi muna mag expirement ng mga players.. at bakit binangko si david beckham?? talking about experience at sa quality ng mga cross maasahan mo si david beckham.. huli na ng pinasok. bobo talaga diskarte ni mclaren. at yung mga star player nasa substitute such as hargreaves , brown. letcheng mclaren toh! kaya pala 5 beses ako naglaro ng FIFA07 sa psp ko, hindi ko na talo ang croatia laging 3-2 ang score ( professional at worldclass level pa yun ) Parang premenition yata toh, ayun nagkatotoo nga... para kang sinaksak sa dibdib, really a heartbreaker loss talaga toh. kung totoong england fan ka talagang masakit tangapin, same thing ng natalo sila sa penalty shootout sa portugal last worldcup ganun yung naramdaman ko.

isa pa napansin ko malas yata england sa wembley, sana sa old trafford nalang ginawa ung game para dagdag pressure yung suporta ng mga taga STRETFORD END sa visiting team. still hanga parin ako kay david beckham dahil last game na nya yun sa international. i hope na manalo nlang ang MANCHESTER UNITED sa Champions league..

 

nakakalungkot wala yung sinusuportahan mo na team sa euro2008, ganun talaga.

forecast ko lang, GERMANY mananalo sa euro 2008

Edited November 22, 2007 by sting07

[buntot]

I dont know how maclaren picks out his team but he sure doesn't make good use of his players.

 

keeper- if there is a position that england really is poor at- this would be it. none of england's keepers are world-class. and for maclaren to give carson another try against a crucial match is like asking a rookie to pitch in the last make-or-break game in the world series.

 

central defenders- with injuries to rio and terry, this team doesn't lack quality, there is still jamie carragher, ledley king and jonathan woodgate... i dont know whether these guys are injured or not, but why weren't they given a chance?

 

right back- g neville seems to be the first choice until he got injured, what about wes brown? hes been doing nicely in his behalf at man u? micah richards is the future though...

 

left back- now aside from ashley cole and wayne bridge, i dont know of any other outstanding player who can play in this role....

 

midfield- owen lacks match fitness... so its gareth barry.. i hate beckham but he should have been given his chance especially when its peter crouch is up front for his crosses... as for lampard and gerard, i dont know who can replace them...

 

forward- peter crouch deserves his start...

 

i havent seen the match but based on the match reports- i think its their defense that sunk them because of the early goals...

 

on the other hand,... so who will it be? mourinho?

[howard_the_duck]

is the fa willing to have an english manager who's not english?

[bubuy]

redshirt sabi ko sayo tumigil ka na sa pagtaya eh..

 

 

 

mclaren has been sacked by the FA, buti nga kay mclaren.. dapat matagal na natanggal yan eh.. :thumbsupsmiley:

[xycho_g]

haha. it didnt take 6days for fa to sack mcalren. i think 6 secs after the final wistle nagdecide na fa e. haha

[redshirt]

ang BOBOO BOBOO BOBO... talaga ni mclaren, bakit ka nga naman gagamit ng inexperience na goal keeper eh si robinson nga eh back pass lang hindi pa matamaan ayun pumasok tuloy sa goal ng kalaban. sa mga crucial na laban gaya nyan dapat hindi muna mag expirement ng mga players.. at bakit binangko si david beckham?? talking about experience at sa quality ng mga cross maasahan mo si david beckham.. huli na ng pinasok. bobo talaga diskarte ni mclaren. at yung mga star player nasa substitute such as hargreaves , brown. letcheng mclaren toh! kaya pala 5 beses ako naglaro ng FIFA07 sa psp ko, hindi ko na talo ang croatia laging 3-2 ang score ( professional at worldclass level pa yun ) Parang premenition yata toh, ayun nagkatotoo nga... para kang sinaksak sa dibdib, really a heartbreaker loss talaga toh. kung totoong england fan ka talagang masakit tangapin, same thing ng natalo sila sa penalty shootout sa portugal last worldcup ganun yung naramdaman ko.

isa pa napansin ko malas yata england sa wembley, sana sa old trafford nalang ginawa ung game para dagdag pressure yung suporta ng mga taga STRETFORD END sa visiting team. still hanga parin ako kay david beckham dahil last game na nya yun sa international. i hope na manalo nlang ang MANCHESTER UNITED sa Champions league..

 

nakakalungkot wala yung sinusuportahan mo na team sa euro2008, ganun talaga.

forecast ko lang, GERMANY mananalo sa euro 2008

 

Bro I DEFINATELY share your sentiments and then some.

 

Malaki ang naging factor ng pitch sa game pero both teams used the same one so we can't use it as a scapegoat like the "artificial" one in Russia. And when can 4-3-3 be effective ( Question directed to FCB fans. Which has given your team more results? Messi+Ronaldhinio or Messi+Henry+Ronaldhinio? ) ? The stupidest thing among the pile of macca's stupidity was changing your tactics when you came up from 2 goals down. Imagine MANU trailing LIV by 2 goald with 30 minutes left. We equalize, we equalize again making the score 2-2... then Fergie decides to pull off Hargraves and put on let's say the Chinese striker who only plays on the training ground... Do you still think LIV scoring a winner would be a remote possibility?

 

I am the type who sheds a tear once in a blue moon. Ok last time I cried before today was when is was hit by a futsal on the crotch. The even before that was when we Lost on penalties sa world cup. Reason why I cried today:

 

1.) I should have won 200+ dollars if I did not click the "place bet" out of shock. I ended up loosing $20 because of being trigger happy.

 

2.) I lost $21. ( should have only lost $1 because of a calculated risk)

 

3.) Becks was benched allong with James and Hardgraves who might have turned arround the match instead of SWP,Barry and SLAP Carson

 

4.) Pain. Emotional and Physical.

 

*I think I even had a mild stroke when I saw my betting balance to be $0.00

 

*Emotional because they wasted a GOLDEN oportunity

 

 

 

 

Fun fact:

 

Becks is 500 x stake to be next England Boss

Edited November 22, 2007 by redshirt

[howard_the_duck]

the defense was bad already, then the goalie was worse

 

at least i gained money since i bet earlier this year that england won't qualify, and it's like 2 months salary yeeeeeees! maniningil na ako

[G T]

as expected, mclaren got the boot today.he shouldnt get the job in the first place.england could have made it if not for mclaren.

[chipmaker]

I feel so depressed. Im ou $21 and my team did not make it. Imagine what kind of summer Im going to have.

 

Why Engalnd Why?

Pre!

 

You can always come over here then let's watch the games on big screens sa public venues!!

 

the english premier league may be the world's leading football league but this defeat should bolster the croatia's manager's assessment- that croatia has good players too or that any footballing nation have the chance to win not once but twice against the so-called powerhouses on important tournaments.

 

 

OT....

its also high time that the philippines should give serious thought on its soccer program. i wonder what happen to the coke go for goal? the last time i saw a game was in sta barbara in iloilo...and that was 2-3 year ago.. hmmmm... might be nice to rejoin the national team website...

 

those barotak boys deserve better funding and more stints!!

[mojo2NV]

Its going to be a dull summer here in England...with England's failure to qualify for Euro 08, they estimate a loss of £2 billion in revenue...most of it from sale of lagers in pubs...may plans na buhayin ung home nation tournaments since walang nag qualify among them

 

There will be a big shake up in the national team and so far Martin O'Niel and the "special one" are current favorites to become the next manager. Marcelo Lippi has already made known his intention/interest in the job

 

Expect some of the U21 players to be promoted to the first team, specially Agbonlahor and Ashley Young..sama na rin si "Walnut"

[damaso]

And when can 4-3-3 be effective ( Question directed to FCB fans. Which has given your team more results? Messi+Ronaldhinio or Messi+Henry+Ronaldhinio? ) ?

 

 

actually, when barca won the champions league a couple of years ago, they did employ a 4-3-3. ronaldinho and messi/giuly in the wings, with eto'o going thru the middle. henry is not used to the system - he always drifted left when he was with arsenal.

 

also, england used a 4-5-1 (not a 4-3-3) with crouch as the lone striker. mclaren, for some reason, used swp instead of beckham. swp is not used to playing so deep, and thus led to the 2nd goal of croatia (swp tried to catch ivica olic offside).

Edited November 22, 2007 by damaso