The 2014 FIFA World Cup
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Frustrating for sure, but shitting the bed? I think they played fine and were very unlucky.
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I wouldn't say they shit the bed. Italy was just the better team. I wish pirlo's free kick in extra time would have gone in. The technique on that was beautiful.
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I disagree, I think England should have won or at least tied. They started shanking passes, shots, and set pieces as soon as Italy scored that goal, and they weren't attacking like they should have and putting people in position to score. Rooney should have scored when he went wide on that shot, his corner shouldn't have gone 50' out of bounds behind the goal, Gerrard's set piece shot shouldn't have gone 10' over goal, and there were numerous terrible passes. During the same period of time I saw one truly errant pass from Italy.
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You have just accurately described why Italy were the better team. They took their chances. Should have doesn't win matches. England had a lot of promising play, but trust me, as an arsenal supporter I know that doesn't always translate to success.
How about Costa Rica over Uruguay! What a second half, and a great performance up to the end from Joel Campbell with a well taken goal and assist.
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Well Japan started off well , defence crumbled in the second half and Ivory popped in
two very nice goals . Endo (#7 ) for Japan comes from here in Kagoshima .Seems every world cup , bar a few that England play well as a team .
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That young Sterling from England…he was really refreshing to watch!
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Some of the England set pieces were awful, Rooney didn't show up at all and Cahill completely lost Balloteli for the second Italy goal (Joe Hart was also caught flat footed). Having said al that I didn't think that England deserved to lose, the young players did really well and I hope that a place can be found for the Ox if he is fit for the next game, possibly at the expense of Rooney.
I honestly think that if England want to progress that they are going to have to figure out how to do it without relying on Rooney because he simply is not working out at the moment.
Japan were brave, clever and technical but were beaten by power and pace. I love watching Japan play as the technical interplay is some of the best you will see anywhere.
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I honestly think that if England want to progress that they are going to have to figure out how to do it without relying on Rooney because he simply is not working out at the moment.
When did he ever for England?
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Euro 2004…...long time dead.
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Ex-feckin-actly - we've been dragging him around putting him in a England shirt for a decade - and whilst his facial features have all the finesse of of an explosion in a modelling clay factory, he has never looked overly pleased to be wearing the feckin thing….
Dump the ugly bastard, do England and him a favour - it'll give him more time to find a granny prozzie in oner of the local whore houses....
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Great points Mega , on England . I enjoy watching Japan as they get better with
every world cup . -
Unfortunately for Roy Hodgson if he wants to keep his job (although just like every England manager he is doomed to lose it sooner rather than later) then he has to play Rooney. England will crash and burn in the World Cup and we knew that all along, even though we subconsciously pretend not to, but if he makes the brave decision and drops Rooney and we get spanked he will be slaughtered by our shitty media.
Personally I would love nothing more than for him to think "fuck it, I'm dropping Rooney and playing Lalanna/ Ox/ Barkley instead"…..but he won't. Square pegs in round holes for England as always.
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Bang on again Mega . Off to bed now mate cheers .
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Rooney didn't show up at all
Completely agree with everything you said, but don't forget Rooney's brilliant assist. Still, I'd bench him after his failure to convert two opportunities, one trivial, after his horrendous history.
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England has the players but no managerial sparkle, first the FA needs a bullet. I mean they couldn't have picked an older chav if they tried, if the FA had a clue they would have ask Jose Mourinho or someone with a sense of determination to win to manage, even Sir Alex wouldn't take that kind shit. To much "ah well, you done England proud, c'mon let's go have a drink," cop out b/s and not enough "Get the fuck out there and win or I take this bat to your Ferrari fat boy!!"
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Cheers Jock.
Mac, the assist was a great ball but there should be any number of players in the squad capable of delivering that kind of cross. Rooney is meant to be on the pitch to do the extraordinary, like a Zidane or a Messi, as Giles said this has not been the case for a long long time but still we persevere.
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Can't agree with that Simon, I think the managers position has been an easy cop out for a long time. At the last World Cup we had Capello in charge who's CV of clubs and trophies is as good as anyone's and he did nothing either.
Remember Italia 90? We (as a nation) look back on that tournament now with rose tinted glasses, but do you remember how bad we were and how the press slaughtered Sir Bobby?
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It's worse than not showing up too, Rooney has actually hurt the team in other ways, like the red card in 2006. That game had 30' left I think at the time and they played to a draw a man down. One has to think with a level-headed and capable player in his stead they'd have had a good chance to advance past Portugal.
USA did the opposite of England though in not even giving our most successful player a spot on the roster.
