h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

And the straw man award goes to Zagreb. Why even bother reading my post before you take it out of context?

Anyway, my foul mood yesterday (after 75 mins "That's it, we're out" - maybe somewhat melodramatic) was improved by watching Brazil v Turkey this morning. Elegance and farce in equal measures.

but...we are out...

at least ronaldo is back on his feet again eh?

Didn't England draw a couple of first round matches in Italia 90? The World Cup is far from over as far as England is concerned, so enough of the amateur dramatics

Ste

We're not out. I think we'll do well to qualify for the next stage, and have thought so all along, but we're in as good a position as Sweden and better than Nigeria. I have to say, Sweden weren't very impressive. Nor were England, but I think they can play better.

The boys did us proud in the cricket, though - that hardly got a mention.

In the first 30 minuted I think England played as well as I have seen any team play so far in this World Cup. I wonder what happened in the second half? Sweden were pretty bad, which makes the second half even more perplexing. They just stopped working as a team, it was bizarre and intensely frustrating.

Theories anyone?

Ste

Remember Portugal - when we scored 'too early'? I don't know why they suddenly stopped playing, they just seemed to allow Sweden back into the game. And why did they persist with the long ball?

I hope Sven isn't going to persist with Heskey out on the left.

Heskey was massively innefective. He hasn't got the ball skill (unlike the amazing Vassal) for that position. Notice how he was shoved up front when Sven decided to carry on lobbing random balls up the field. .

Is it a good idea to have two teeny little strikers to try and get on the end of Beckham's crosses?

Danny Mills was an embarrasment a lot of the time too. Who can play in place of Mills and Heskey?

*sigh*

Ste

Failing to find England giving Sri Lanka a hiding (cheers Channel 4 ), I watched the last twenty minutes of the England game with Sweden.
It was scarily reminiscint of watching a Wimbledon game in the 80's, viz;
'Square pass, square pass, square pass, back to the keeper, hoof it up the pitch.'
If this is the beautiful game, I'll pass ta, never mind any of my other comments.
(Oh, btw Ste, if that's true about Rugby and Gridiron, how come I've never seen coverage of the Harlequins G Troop or the Kansas City Devils?)

In the last twenty minutes England were awful, I agree with you there Blues. How many times did they go backwards? .

Football hooligans became organised sometime in the 70s. I was a student in Cardiff, where as you'd expect, rugby is massive. Most fans are pleasant and great to have a good conversation with. But there are a lot of stupid drunk rugby fans too that get violent. Just like football really.

My experience of US Football fans is more limited. But from what I can see so far is that they are passionate, loudmouthed, drinkers. Sound familiar?

Ste

cheers grey desk. i see your point and on that your probably right.

Being loudmouthed and drunk doesn't mean wanting a fight.
My experience of Gridiron fans (in the UK), was universally brilliant, even at a sold out Wembley for the '91 <?> World Bowl where there were about 300 Barcelona fans in attendance. There was beer drunk by the gallon, but the atmosphere was brilliant and the Barcelona fans had a great day without ever having to worry once about being bottled, mugged ot anything else.

Lady in a Tree said:

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I think you've misunderstood what I said, and your analogy with vegetarianism is misleading. What I meant was that I feel sorry for people who are unable to see the beauty in football, or dislike football the sport (as opposed to the fans, the hype, whatever... surrounding it). You know about football, you object to the hype, and I respect your choices.

Blue Shark - Your attitude towards football seems to be coloured by things that in reality have nothing to do with football. You said:

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To me that sounds like the problem is where you live, not with football as such. I have never ever had any problem watching football in pubs. But then most of my experience is with watching in Scottish pubs, where the biggest danger is getting hugged to death. I have however watched English games in London in pubs full of English people, whilst drunk and cheering on Englands opponents and never had a problem, I usually manage to have a chat with the English fans after the game as well, and all of them have been reasonable people.

On the press & TV:
The broadsheets are usually ok, the tabloids I can put up with; everyone knows that they have a vulgar tone. But what I cannot stand is the BBC and ITV - they have such a smug conceited arrogance about them, and they put it over in a tone of such reasonableness, which makes it even more offensive. With the tabloids at least its cartoon jingoism, but with the TV its like "gosh, well we're English, so we must be the best, who are we going to beat when we win this tournament like we did in 1966, when our jolly decent sense of fair play triumphed over all those nasty johnny foreigner types, like those cheating argies, and those horrible efficient Germans, who we also beat in the war don't you know..." - you'll find that that, and that alone is the reason why me and every right thinking Scot will be cheering on Sweden, Argentina, and Nigeria.

BTW England are a long way from being eliminated. I think its quite probable that Sweden and Nigeria will draw, which means that even if they lose against Argentina a good result against Nigeria in the last game will see them through (can't see Sweden taking anything from Argentina)

well raise oru game against the argies and then roll over against nigeria.

Our department is currently packed (as only the Chinese can pack) by avid fans watching the first ever China world cup appearance on the big screen. Not a drink between them (it's a dry campus) but a really dangerous feel to it

And how are they reacting now to their 2-0 defeat?

Much quieter. (I think even I could have stopped the second goal) They've gone back to being traditional and inscrutable

The Asian sides have been hugely disappointing so far. But here come Japan...

.....who were robbed!

South Korea certainly looked impressive. Poland were abject though, and their first real test will come against Portugal (who must be laughing, having discovered only one team in this group can oppose them).

I am delighted for South Korea. They're a football mad country, and at long last they've got a bit of success in a World Cup

Yes of course they'll find it tough against Portugal, who doesn't (). But I expect them to beat the USA and make it through to the next round.