England vs France Last Night

[YB941 5thD EFM ~soul~]

First up, this was a group game, not a knock-out. We are still in the competition, for fks sake.

 

Secondly, I have said all along that the two key games in our group were, and still are, Switzerland and Croatia. They have always been the two most important games to win. Not the French game.

 

Doubtless the smartarses and the media will say, "well, we've got to beat Croatia and Switzerland blah blah blah, don't take it for granted." Fine. But had we been drawn to play Switzerland in the Quarter-Final, we'd already be making plans for where we'd watch the Semis. Believe me, we'll win both games.

 

And should we get to the final, odds are we'll play France again. We'd never have beaten them in three weeks time if we'd won last night.

 

And just a quick word to the two Arsenal fans who texted me to gloat last night. Pires was taken off because he was so ineffective, Henry did fk all, and was Vieira even playing??

 

 

[Claire!]

I know what you mean Zeal!!!!!!

 

Sadly, i was sitting on my own watching the footy, and i really did think this game was very slow (whether it was because i was on my own and missing the atmosphere of a pub - i dunno), and i really did think that France was a bit sus.

 

Anyway, we scored "YEY!!!!" and France couldn't beat us for 90 minutes!!!!!

 

Then that Free kick was won (and i know he's French, and bald - but i have always had a massive thing about Zidane!!!!!) One of the best players in the world, and he crushes our game with an amazing free kick and then that penalty!!!!!

 

David James should NOT be in goal. For a start that is where he is supposed to stay, and not come so far out his box!!! he always does that and it is not good. Granted he did make some good saves, but he made some very bad mistakes and i have never trusted him since he was at Liverpool.

[YB941 5thD EFM ~soul~]

Anyway... back to my points...

 

 

[Claire!]

LOL!!! Yes, i agree with your points Zeal!!!!!!

 

We can beat the other teams and we will!!!!!

 

We have never won our opening game in the Euro championships and have always made it thorugh to the semis. This year we will get through to the finals and beat France big time!!!!!!!!!!

[Northern Monkey]

Zeal you reflect my thoughts exactly, uncanny.

[AFF]

Yes, back to your points, CZ, although I don't know anything about football.

 

There was a high level of skill shown in the first half, it was a high quality football match for the first 45 minutes. Ingerland struggled to stay with a very skilful French team and the back 4 did very well. I thought that t'lads were playing 10/15 yards too deep. Against the run of play, we took the lead.

 

[in the] Second half, France murdered us for the first 30 minutes and then, again against the run of play, we won a penalty when Rooney was brought down in the area. The referee clearly hadn't read the rule concerning 'the last man'. Beckham hit a poor spot kick, giving Bartez a 1 in 3 chance of saving the thing [dive right, dive left or stand still], which he duly did by choosing the first option.

 

The 11 million pound donkey was brought on, the only conceivable reason being that Ericcson isn't aware of the fact that substitutions during the game aren't actually compulsory.

 

The donkey decided to assist the defence by hacking a frenchman down 28 yards from goal and James, forgetting what he was taught as a 10 year old, decided that having a player on the line inside each post was an unnecessary luxury. Nobody told him that Zanzinadineo has a modest talent striking a dead ball but he knows now.

 

A minute later, Gerard, happy to settle for a draw, decided to play safe by hitting a 35 yard back pass through a crowd of white shirts with just one blue one in vision. He struck it pretty well actually. No teammate could get near the thing.

 

If it was in the referee's mind that perhaps he should have shown Sylvestre a red 15 minutes earlier, he made up for that gaff by producing another yellow, this time for James.

 

Zebbedaneo reminded James that he knows how to hit a dead ball.

 

2:1. Thanks very much lads. See you in the final.

 

 

 

 

[EFM's Librarian]

Quote:

Claire! said:

We have never won our opening game in the Euro championships and have always made it thorugh to the semis.

Always? Are you sure?

[herts blue]

Having slagged off the defence last week, I take my hat off to Cole and Neville, both of whom did well, and King who was outstanding. I though Gerrard's pass capped off a poor game for him and I really am not sure how Owen can expect to start the next one after that. Rooney was superb and, although I too have my doubts about James, and yes, we probably should have had a defender or 2 on the post, I thought he did okay overall, and no keeper would have got to that free kick.

 

Why is the prevailing view that Beckham's was a good penalty? I thought the point was put it high or low, not where mid height, which is the easiest kick to save? At that height Bartez had a 50-50 chance of saving it really (ie, which side's it going to).

[mala_D]

I thought the starting XI, on the whole, played very well.

 

My problem was the "tinkering" of the boss. It was 1970 all over again, when Ramsey took Charlton off against the Germans. Same with Rooney's substitution last night. We were under more pressure from the French after that. Let's hope he learns by the mistake!

 

I can't really see the "logic" behind thinking that we would never beat France twice in three weeks. If we are to be the best in Europe then we should be beating them, and everyone else, pretty much every time.

 

Let's put it behind us....roll on Thursday!

[YB941 5thD EFM ~soul~]

Indeed, we have made the semi-finals only once, Claire. In 1996.

 

On the contrary, Claire. We have only once progressed from the group stage.

 

1968 doesn't count as there were only four teams in the damn competition.

 

 

[YB941 5thD EFM ~soul~]

Quote:

maladroit said:
I can't really see the "logic" behind thinking that we would never beat France twice in three weeks. If we are to be the best in Europe then we should be beating them, and everyone else, pretty much every time.

France are supposedly the best team in Europe. If we'd beat them maybe 3 or 4 times out of every 10, then chance dictates we would be highly unlikely to beat them 2 out of 2.

[Claire!]

Thats what the comentators said last night - maybe i heard them wrong?

[YB941 5thD EFM ~soul~]

You heard them wrong.

 

 

[Claire!]

Must have done!!!!!

[mala_D]

France are the best in Europe "at present".

 

If we are to wrestle that title off of them then we have to beat them 6 or 7 times out of 10.

 

Fair enough, if we beat them because of the "rub of the green", or the "throw of a dice" or a "flip of a coin"...and all those other odds offered by "lady luck".

 

I just want England to have more control over their destiny....as other nations who have held the title "Best in Europe/World" seem to have.

 

Who knows.....? We might have lost last night, but might beat them the next 6 or 7 times we play them! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Rob_the_Saint]

I thought we played pretty well for an hour. France had about three attempts on goal that went wide. We had none apart from the goal.

 

I would stick with Owen up front; he can't play that poorly again, surely? If he does, bring on Vassell.

 

Keep the faith people. <img src="/images/graemlins/angel.gif" alt="" />

[Big J R]

Don't praise France up, for fecks sake ! I wasn't impressed with them until the end.

 

Basically England thought at 85 minutes it was all done and dusted !

 

I believe there is some expression about being over, singing and a fat lady !

 

Am I right Claire ??

[Claire!]

What you saying?

[AFF]

a). JR wasn't overly impressed with the French.

. Ingerland thought that the game was won 5 minutes before the end.

c). There is an expresion "It's not over until the fat lady sings". I'm not sure of the derivation of that expression. It might be something to do with a radio programme which didn't finish until a fat lady sings/sung, but no matter. It is an expression, and the meaning in the sense of the circumstances of BigJR's post is along the same lines as "Don't count your chickens until they are hatched", i.e. keep playing until the final whistle.

[Big J R]

Thought you were an expert on singing and knowing when it's all over !

 

Soory ! Must have been mistaken.