Manchester United 0, Reading 0: Held At Home on Opener

Fair play to Reading: game plan was to come away with a point, and that’s exactly what they did. United ridiculous number of shots on goal, great defending… Rooney going off injured. All combined for a cracking result for them. Can’t argue with their tactics, as Coppell himself said after the game:

I‘d have loved to have gone 4-4-2 and seen what happened but we’d have got hammered.

Can’t really argue with that. Of course we should have won that game handily, but one game into the season is a little early to be sounding the death knell. I’m convinced we’re going to score an absolute shitload this year and I honestly feel this is our best chance to land the Champion’s League in years. Nani, Anderson, Rooney, Scholes, Giggs, Saha, Ronaldo = a bucketload of goals. Just the right combination of youth and experience.

Manchester United: 2008 Champion’s League Winners.

Now that the dust has settled…

Some observations on the competition so far:

• Something needs to be done about the standard of officiating. Way too many cards, way too many bad decisions. Personally I think the modern game at this level, on this stage, is too much for one man to officiate without any sort of technical help. Replays for key moments, an eye in the sky (guy in the stands watching a video monitor)… something needs to be done, ‘cos it’s been a joke this tournament.
• England failed to pull together as a team. Being honest, they never looked like they deserved to be there. One good half (against Sweden), in a sea of mediocrity. Not unlike Brazil (but without the flair), they never really clicked.
• An African team still hasn’t won the tournament (sorry Pele), but they’re definitely improving. Ghana were excellent.
• That said, Australia are my team of the tournament. They should be very proud, and if England had shown a fraction of the drive and commitment the Aussies did we’d be getting ready to play France now. Fair play lads.
• Blatter is still an absolute buffoon, the Italians and Portuguese still love to roll around on the floor like they’ve been shot, and DB07 still aint all that.
• The Spanish & Dutch are still able to self-destruct like nobody’s business. It’s absolutely incredible, and I really can’t explain it. Any Spaniards or Dutch folks care to enlighten me?
• The World Cup is still the best thing going. England v Trinidad, Portugal v Angola… and yes, England’s capitulation. Only the WC can deliver drama like this. Brilliant.

France through then. Oh, the irony

Everyone (myself included) optimistically said that England playing shit the first few games was a good omen (team playing bad but still winning and all that), and that France were on their way home after their terrible showing in the first group games.

Oops.

I still don’t rate this France team though, honestly. Zidane is obviously pure class, but the rest leave me cold. Henry scored in a big game today (well done you), but in fairness David May would have put that one away. Plus he was offside.

Brazil just believed their own hype and waltzed into the game thinking they were going to walk all over them. A bigger letdown than England (for the neutral) given the expectations of them. Definite similarities with us though… where was Ronaldinho? Kaka? Robinho? Lots of big stars failing to perform.

The only real positive for me was Ronaldo, who defied his critics (me included) to become the highest scorer in World Cup history. The goal that broke the record was pure class, too… cheeky little shimmy to send the keeper the wrong way. I’ve always liked his approach: usually has a smile on his face, definitely has the right attitude. Only opposition player I’ve ever seen get a standing ovation at Old Trafford. Fair play.

Both Brazil & England clearly deserved to go out, for different reasons. A real shame, as I was very much looking forward to playing the samba boys in the semi.

Such is life.

Another Poor England Performance

Rooney lost us that game, but you have to say we got what we deserved, really. We’ve been shit all tournament. Needed to step it up today and just failed to do so. Beckham shouldn’t even be in the team anymore nevermind be captain, and even my relentless positivity on here couldn’t force the right result.

The sad thing is that when Rooney lost his temper, we were starting to take control of the game (after a truly dire first half). Lennon was excellent, and needs to start from now on. We really could have won that: Lennon was starting to have his way down the right, and with half an hour of feeding it through to Rooney, you have to like our chances. Rooney’s a great, great player, but he has to sort his temper out.

Such a shame Lennon didn’t get more playing time… his half hour today is one of the few positives England can take from the whole tournament. Cheerio DB.

Blessing in disguise, really: Brazil would have absolutely ripped us to pieces. At least this way we can have somewhat of a sense of injustice, rather than the complete humiliation a decent team would have dished out.

https://kaimac.wordpress.com/2006/07/03/how-do-germany-beat-italy/

Portugal Here We Come

Big game kicks off in a little over six hours. I really should go to bed.

Luis Figo is too old to be any good tomorrow, right? It’ll be his fifth game in a couple of weeks. No way he can perform again.  Who’s with me?

I took a look at the tealeaves and they said Rooney’s going to score & England are going to win 3-1.

Word.

We’re through then…

Quarter finals here we come. Just four shots on target, a fine goal from Becks (making him the first England player to score in three World Cups), and some pretty serious questions asked of us by one of the weakest team to get out of the groups. We're really going to have to improve, and quickly.

We watched the Argentina game here in San Diego in an massive Mexican restaurant: 800 mexicans in a barn, and us. Absolutely unforgettable experience, and a real shame for mexico. Argentina definitely looked vulnerable…

Perfect result for England in the Portugal game today: sixteen cards, two reds on each side… lucky win for Portugal… I can see the revenge factor coming in to play pretty seriously next weekend. No Deco, which although bad for the tournament is great news for us. Astonishing that Ruud didn't start…. he'd not have missed that one on one with the keeper Kuyt fired straight into him. There has to be more to that story… it just doesn't make sense for van Basten to leave him out.

England are going to win the World Cup.

Word.

Goal of the Tournament again?

Some strike that, though he's still a twat. Shame about the second half though, eh?

Need to buck ideas up a little bit, eh? Play like we did in the second half today against a decent team and we'll get absolutely fucking destroyed.

Still, best start to a tournament in a hundred years I hear from the glass half full lot. Might be true when you only look at the table, but watch the games and you'll realize that England have been absolutely diabolical. Sweden are fucking shite. Every game has been an embarrassment so far.

Bunch of spoilt pricks wearing England shirts ought to be ashamed of themselves.

Rooney to start against Sweden.

According to Auntie Beeb, but who'll play alongside him? Whining dipper's not looked too hot, so you'd have to think that without the yellow card Crouch would get the nod (another dipper, but nurture rather than nature, so not as bad). He's got the card hanging over him though, so prob gonna be whining owen. Either way for England to have a chance of winning the tournament, Rooney has to shine. Simple as that. He really is very special indeed, I'm excited to see him on this stage, I just hope had can keep his temper under control….