You know when Graham Taylor said “can we not just knock it!?” and we all laughed – I know exactly what he means.
This was yet another boring football match featuring two teams strolling around midfield, acting as if this was a standoff of such supreme, stiflingly exquisite quality that neither team could create chances. That would involve risk – better to keep things tight and hope someone suddenly drops dead – and then you can exploit the space. So we get no goals and very little in the way of excitement.
Germany found out Brazil in 2014 by not buying into that. They knocked the ball around, they ran off the ball into surprising places, they kept pressure up – and basically acted like the Harlem Globetrotters. That’s the kind of thing I want to see.
‘That’ is what it takes to win a European Championship/World Cup in the 21st Century.
You don’t have to be Brazil 1970.
It doesn’t take an awful lot.
It’s the sporting equivalent of having a no. 1 single in the 21st Century.
You don’t have to be The Beatles.
It doesn’t take an awful lot.
Now, you could tear apart the whole system…..root and branch (once again)…..keeping Rooney, of course, (once again)…..or you could just play ‘fit’ players – in their ‘usual’ positions – and drop the ones who can’t cut it as this, frankly, ho-hum level.
I’ve thought of one – fat, looks like a potato.
‘Turning up,’ of course, is always an option…..see 2006, 2010, 2012 etc. etc.
Looking forward to the next England game when the potato-like-liverpudlian-much-loved-by-mancs (no, this isn’t a joke), pitches up for his 116th cap (no, that wasn’t a joke), handed to him by David Beckham, England’s last ‘world class’ player…..(that ‘IS’ a joke).
Maybe the British countries could do what Iceland have done. Invest in good quality infrastructure enabling training in all weathers and then ensuring that everyone with coaching responsibilities at all ages and levels have high level coaching qualifications.
My prediction: A 52:48 vote for BREXIT! Yes I know, crazy eh? Another one: the next PM will be a LADY!!! What are the odds on that? Final prediction (hope yuou don’t find this in bad taste): GERRY RAFFERTY IS NOT LONG FOR THIS WORLD!!!!
Uncanny! And if you want my opinion, Angela Leadsom is looking vulnerable and might not even make it to the vote off. Theresa May to be PM unopposed – you heard it here first.
mikethep says
Known to his mates as Hugo “Slow” Lloris.
Johnny Concheroo says
Those Bush Baby jokes are a little esoteric for this level of discussion, Mike.
H.P. Saucecraft says
I was hoping you’d explain it to Junes, JC.
Junior Wells says
Huh, someone say sumpthin?
Johnny Concheroo says
I watched Johnny Morris on Animal Magic, so I’m up to speed here.
The Muswell Hillbilly says
England for the win.
Johnny Concheroo says
“Soccer” is relegated to a poor third on the TV sports news here, a long way after the legalised violence that is AFL and some variation of rugby.
Black Celebration says
You know when Graham Taylor said “can we not just knock it!?” and we all laughed – I know exactly what he means.
This was yet another boring football match featuring two teams strolling around midfield, acting as if this was a standoff of such supreme, stiflingly exquisite quality that neither team could create chances. That would involve risk – better to keep things tight and hope someone suddenly drops dead – and then you can exploit the space. So we get no goals and very little in the way of excitement.
Germany found out Brazil in 2014 by not buying into that. They knocked the ball around, they ran off the ball into surprising places, they kept pressure up – and basically acted like the Harlem Globetrotters. That’s the kind of thing I want to see.
Sewer Robot says
The exploits of Wales and Iceland in this tournament had opinionspewers of every hue drawing comparisons with the great Greek smash-and-grab of 2004. But the hard working pale faced Northern European is incapable of the cynical slyness required for true trophy pilferage.
Instead it was the very victims of that hometown humiliation, the workshy swarthy South European Portuguese, having digested the lesson of their Lisbon symposium, who imparted the same brutal treatment to their 2016 hosts.
The French left the field empty-handed, having won five of their seven games and undefeated in the 90 minute format.
The Portuguese took the trophy after winning one of their seven games in the 90 minutes.
The lesson for the rest of us is that this Euro format is unwieldy and undemocratic, favouring the shiftless at the expense of the industrious and we’re better off out of it!
©Woodrow Wyatt’s bastard child 10/7.
deramdaze says
Re: England.
‘That’ is what it takes to win a European Championship/World Cup in the 21st Century.
You don’t have to be Brazil 1970.
It doesn’t take an awful lot.
It’s the sporting equivalent of having a no. 1 single in the 21st Century.
You don’t have to be The Beatles.
It doesn’t take an awful lot.
Now, you could tear apart the whole system…..root and branch (once again)…..keeping Rooney, of course, (once again)…..or you could just play ‘fit’ players – in their ‘usual’ positions – and drop the ones who can’t cut it as this, frankly, ho-hum level.
I’ve thought of one – fat, looks like a potato.
‘Turning up,’ of course, is always an option…..see 2006, 2010, 2012 etc. etc.
Looking forward to the next England game when the potato-like-liverpudlian-much-loved-by-mancs (no, this isn’t a joke), pitches up for his 116th cap (no, that wasn’t a joke), handed to him by David Beckham, England’s last ‘world class’ player…..(that ‘IS’ a joke).
Hawkfall says
Maybe the British countries could do what Iceland have done. Invest in good quality infrastructure enabling training in all weathers and then ensuring that everyone with coaching responsibilities at all ages and levels have high level coaching qualifications.
Those crazy vikings!
BigJimBob says
My prediction: A 52:48 vote for BREXIT! Yes I know, crazy eh? Another one: the next PM will be a LADY!!! What are the odds on that? Final prediction (hope yuou don’t find this in bad taste): GERRY RAFFERTY IS NOT LONG FOR THIS WORLD!!!!
Gatz says
Uncanny! And if you want my opinion, Angela Leadsom is looking vulnerable and might not even make it to the vote off. Theresa May to be PM unopposed – you heard it here first.