World Cup 2010

[Cardboard Box City]

He's struck again!

[Straight_Outta_Trumpton]

I remembered today that I actually have what I think is a vuvuzuela from new years in Boston two years ago. Gonna annoy some friends tonight

[Ringo_Spar]

what a bunch of c**ts

[philipsteak]

I got up at 6 bloody 30 for that!

Still, could've been worse. At least I got to see the England goal.

[Alcatraz]

Well, at least it's getting the Yanks talking about soccccaaaaarrrr

[Billy09]

Could have been worse from an England perspective. Was flicking between ITV and Radio5 at times, and the contrast in opinion was huge, ITV viewing it as a bit unlucky, and 5 live as dreadful. I'd go for the former.

Cycled to Swansea this morning with my 3 year old daughter in a chariot behind. I wore an England away shirt. I was spat at, told I'd be beaten up if I went any furthur, and aggressively taunted by a gang of 8 pissed up grown men (3 seperate incidents). World cup spirit alive and well in Wales.

[Langdale Wolf]

We'll play a lot worse than that and win.

Not too disheartened - if it wasn't for an absolute abhorration by Green, who knows what would have happened?

Pleased with the 2nd half - it's our first game, we played well enough to have won, but the press will crucify England tomorrow. Not I.

Even though Wrong-Phillips was absolutely abysmal, Heskey (1-on-1 aside) was excellent. Gerrard - especially 1st half - was everywhere, I think the captain's role really helped him.

We can play better, but I just think we had one of those days.

Very, very, very frustrated but that's football. We'll be fine.

[beLIEveR]

Pretty much agree with Langdale.

I don't want to say we were unlucky not to win, because Green made a great save, the USA missed a sitter, and we can't moan about wasted chances as we fielded Emile Heskey voluntarily. But with a fit David James in goal we probably would have won that game.

That said, Capello should and probably will stick with Green against Scotland Algeria. He's definitely second choice now, but he's got to start one of the group games to show that Capello still has faith in him if needed, unless we're seriously considering giving Hart his first competitive cap against the likes of Germany or France. It makes sense to let Green play against Scotland Algeria, and then test James' fitness against Slovenia before deciding on a number one for the knockout stages.

[pink_triangle]

I watched the game on mute, cant stand any of the commentry options. As for the game, as I said earlier both england and usa were going through this group whatever the score was. Performances at this stage are pretty irrelevant, from previous world cups its clear that there is little relationship between perfromances in groups and performances in the knockout stages. As for England they didnt look like world champions today but i personally have never thought they looked like world champions. In an interntational game they would have no chance but this is a a cup so luck plays a big part. England probably cant win if brazil, argentina and spain play to their potential, time will tell. I dont think however england are more or less likely to do well in the world cup based on this perfomance.

[brighteyes]

Cycled to Swansea this morning with my 3 year old daughter in a chariot behind. I wore an England away shirt. I was spat at, told I'd be beaten up if I went any furthur, and aggressively taunted by a gang of 8 pissed up grown men (3 seperate incidents). World cup spirit alive and well in Wales.

[harper11]

England look promising despite a mixed performance

certainly better than the last world cup

johnson looked handy

if there is a result in the algeria slovenia match tonight that gives them a big leg up in going through over USA

Edited June 13, 2010 by harper11

[PeterD]

I think even at Villa Park we dont want Heskey on the pitch let alone at national level but I really think he did well, I would even say he was my man of the match. A nice assist and pretty much strong until he started going down a little too much towards the end. Its early though, but I would like to see more of him.

[Binky]

Could have been worse from an England perspective. Was flicking between ITV and Radio5 at times, and the contrast in opinion was huge, ITV viewing it as a bit unlucky, and 5 live as dreadful. I'd go for the former.

Cycled to Swansea this morning with my 3 year old daughter in a chariot behind. I wore an England away shirt. I was spat at, told I'd be beaten up if I went any furthur, and aggressively taunted by a gang of 8 pissed up grown men (3 seperate incidents). World cup spirit alive and well in Wales.

Edited June 13, 2010 by Binky

[pink_triangle]

England look promising despite a mixed performance

certainly better than the last world cup

johnson looked handy

if there is a result in the algeria slovenia match tonight that gives them a big leg up in going through over USA

[Cardboard Box City]

They said at the start of the game how narrow the pitch was, this was starting to show after a while.

We didn't get Lennon on the ball enough in wide positions where he had a chance to run at the left back and when we did so more in the second half he looked dangerous.

God knows why SWP came on instead of Cole, or if he should have even changed it at all. Still think we should have a left-sided winger on the bench because SWP didn't look like Philipp Lahm on the left.

[Jaybles]

My two cents....

Despite a much better performance in the second half i thought our ball retention was terrible. We were also second to nearly every challenge.

Heskey set up the goal well but other than that i would rather not have him play. Typical the first time in years he actually strikes a ball straight he fires it dead at the keeper.

I just think in games where we are being overrun in midfield like that, Rooney always drops back to try and get the ball. In those situations you need someone up front who can score with that one chance you get. Defoes pace would have been a handy weapon.

Milner was bad but SWP was even worse. Give me Joe Cole and Barry anyday over those two.

In face i was surprised Joe Cole didnt play at all, he was our best player in the friendlies

Are we going to risk Ledley King every game when he is an injury liability. If we have to take him off during the game then we lose an attacking substitution option.

[Langdale Wolf]

Hopefully Barry will start on Friday - which will allow Lampard to do what he enjoys most.

I'd stick Cole on the left, and push Gerrard behind Rooney, not that I think Heskey deserves to be dropped, but I don't think he should play ahead of Barry, Lampard and Gerrard who are far more important to us.

[ste4_20]

Are we going to risk Ledley King every game when he is an injury liability. If we have to take him off during the game then we lose an attacking substitution option.

[Straight_Outta_Trumpton]

It means you've got to play Carragher though. The way Altidore, a man who struggles to play for Hull, got past him was embarrassing. For the first time in quite a few tournaments, probably since before my time, it's defensively where England are shocking.

Starting badly isn't necessarily a bad thing, it just needs to kick on from here.

[Jaybles]

It means you've got to play Carragher though. The way Altidore, a man who struggles to play for Hull, got past him was embarrassing. For the first time in quite a few tournaments, probably since before my time, it's defensively where England are shocking.

Starting badly isn't necessarily a bad thing, it just needs to kick on from here.

[Cardboard Box City]

Its been riveting stuff in the opening 15 in the Slovenia - Algeria game.

Does anyone actually like those horns? They seem to create a shit footballing atmosphere - last night, some 20,000 England fans inside the stadium and you wouldn't have known, compare that to the Germany games where there were similar numbers at Frankfurt, Nuremburg, Stuttgart or Gelsenkirchen and they were rocking. Other games with the big footballing nations seem to have suffered similarly so for.

Edited June 13, 2010 by Cardboard Box City

[Jaybles]

Its been riveting stuff in the opening 15 in the Slovenia - Algeria game.

Does anyone actually like those horns? They seem to create a shit footballing atmosphere - last night, some 20,000 England fans inside the stadium and you wouldn't have known, compare that to the Germany games where there were similar numbers at Frankfurt, Nuremburg, Stuttgart or Gelsenkirchen and they were rocking. Other games with the big footballing nations seem to have suffered similarly so for.

[Cardboard Box City]

I thought the England game last night was the first game of the tournament where you could hear the fans and the familiar sound of the England band. That shows how good support is we bring to tournaments

It was a good atmousphere.

I like the Vuvu's though.

[ste4_20]

Could play Upson/Dawson instead?

[Cardboard Box City]

You know a game has been terrible when a simple tip over the bar is being talked about like a wonder save