How good is this German team? I blogged before the tournament started that neither Brazil nor Argentina would make it through to the semifinals and I have been proved right. However, I also said Uruguay were only there to make up the numbers and that the Germans were not strong enough to go all the way. Oops.
After the hammering against Germany, the inquests started but very few people suggested that we had been beaten by a very, very good German team. It was all down to Terry, Upson, Gerrard, Barry and Rooney playing terribly and to Capello getting his tactics wrong. Now I still think that there is a lot of truth in that, but it is also beginning to look as if we were tonked by a very good German team playing at the very top of their game. Why didn't our superstars come to the party? Perhaps for the same reason that Messi and Tevez didn't come to the party either. The Germans didn't let them!
Had the Germans scratched their way to victory yesterday, then our players would still merit vilification perhaps, but the truth is, we did better against them than Messi and co. Had that Lampard "goal" stood, who knows what might have happened in the second half? We didn't deserve to go in at Half Time on levels terms based on chances, but we scored two goals that even Sceptic Bladder accepts should have been given and actually enjoyed more than 50% of the possession. That first German goal was an absolute joke and if World football based its tactics on that opener, then we would all be playing like the Wimbledon team of the 1980s! So, in that sense, we weren't beaten by a technically superior team either. The Germans looked fitter and had a better team shape, but that has to be down to Capello!
Once again, we are left with a sense of if only. I said this World Cup was ours to win. I said Italy, France, Brazil, Portugal and Argentina were not all that before a ball was kicked in anger. Holland are good but are not that special. Spain are very good but haven't played that well. The Germans are the jokers in the pack and meeting them in the first knock out round was an absolute disaster. Had we topped our group, we could well be in the semifinal now, and then who knows what might happen? When Green fumbled that Dempsey shot into the net, not only did he let his own international career slip through his fingers, he dropped the bloody World Cup into the bargain!
15 comments:
Nothing to do with the rest of the team and the strikers not scoring then? You know you're in trouble when Upson is joint top scorer
The simple fact is that, had Green not made that mistake, we would have topped the group. It was a catastrophic error
HF, what about the save Green made in the 2nd half against the Yanks?
I would say that gained us the point in the first game that would have made a difference in getting past the first stage.
Blaming Green for Englands exit is as ludicrous as the notion that Tevez kept us up
You're succumbing to all that propaganda again: the propaganda that says if only it hadn't been for this, that or the other, England would have made it.
England are out because England are an average team. I suspect that England fans and the players alike would enjoy the world cup more if they all accepted this. The story the English need to tell themselves casts them as plucky underdogs, rather than deposed masters of the universe.
Before England's game against Algeria it is reported that their opponents watched the classic film of national liberation The Battle of Algiers. England should watch Above Us the Waves. The story of how plucky English submariners (and an Irish man) sink an 'invincible' German U-boat.
Anti West Ham yet again..... thank god you're for us and not against us - with friends like you who needs enemies?
HF, I am not sure whether you make these comments just to set stage for an lively discussion or whether you are hallucinating once again. I thought you have admitted that England was crap. Just because Argentina was not as good as most of us thought or Brazil were unlucky and panicked against a very average Holland, it doesn't change anything about England. This England was and still is crap. Unless people accept this then nothing will change for the next 44 years.
The fact your able to even post your pathetic thoughts for public viewing is scary.This post has to be the most brain dead and stupidest of all and any right thinking human i cant think of.
The aussies played for 60mins with ten and only had 4 stuffed their net!go figure.You only saved the humiliation by not being bottomed screwed by the aussies by a complete brain meltdown by the aussie coach and at least he held his hand up to apologize.
The thing is that our german squad knows each other and their unique abilities pretty well. Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Klose and Müller belong to our most important players. Those four are part of the FC Bayern Munich squad that makes it much easier to play together in the national team. In Addition to that other players like probably Friedrich, Podolski and Mertesacker are in the squad for many years. So the team is able to play exciting and excellent football to watch altough there are not the biggest names in our german side.
I swear that's Johnny Spector in goal for the Germans!!! Carbon copy.
Yes Green's error ended up costing, but the fact is that the error occurred at almost the earliest opportunity. This then, not only gives opportunities to make amends during that game, but also every game that followed. The fact we did not, is where the real blame should be.
I still think Green is a poor keeper though. Spector for keeper!
Lets forget about the world cup and look towards the season. We've put together a prediction table at http://www.whfuc.com/ to show 'statistically' how we should go this year............ turns out we're coming 9th so I wonder how we will go.
is the premier league really as good as people try to make out?
Top 3 representation at world cup 2010
Prem League 108
Serie A 75
La Liga 57
Then at the quarter finals Bundesliga 37
La liga 34
Eredivisie 13
An article full of 'ifs' and 'buts'.
It's this kind of speculation/fortune telling that Sheffield United used to pursue us for compensation over Tevezgate. I didn't agree with that approach then and I don't buy it now either.
Green was awful, his mistake was awful but so were the rest of the team for most of the other three games.
The German keeper looks quite dodgy as well but he's getting away with it as he has a far better performing team in front of him.
Green cannot be blamed solely for costing us the WC. Sure, what if Green had not fumbled it. But on that logic, 'what if' Rooney and Defoe had not both missed complete sitters, 'what if' our back 4 stayed in their positions instead of drifting upfield, 'what if' Terry had kept his mouth shut and tried to keep his diseased organs in check, 'what if' Gerrard didnt keep leaving the left horribly exposed?
Green made a total howler but it was only one of many made by the whole squad in my opinion. I think its time for us to stop analysing our WC exit. Most of the wooden spoon generation would have retired in 4 years time so lets just put this one behind us and look forward.
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