Thats us out then...

[Nozza]

And Big Phil to put one up the English media.

[Batman]

Full strength then yes I would concur. Though without Deco and perhaps Ronaldo I would ot be so sure, only 95%

[plodder]

Full strength then yes I would concur. Though without Deco and perhaps Ronaldo I would ot be so sure, only 95%

and Costinho and Figo after trial by TV.......

Well we were fooked anyway...............................NOT!

England 2-0 Portugal.

You heard it here first.....Lumpy and Crouch.

[Batman]

Once the ref has taken action (ie-by booking him) then any TV ref's are powerless to act.


Sorry dude.

[Soldier_Of_The_White_Army]

Once the ref has taken action (ie-by booking him) then any TV ref's are powerless to act.


Sorry dude.

Still, I'm sure whoever the ref is next week will have seen this game.

[Frankie Wanderer]

And Big Phil to put one up the English media.

Your toothache giving you a headache as well

Portugal will be barely get 16 players together after the weeks FIFA events unfold.

[H. Pedersen]

England haven't been able to turn in convincing performances against Paraguay, Trinidad, Sweden, or Ecuador. At no point have they shown that they can turn it on and really hammer the opposition. Look at the Ecuador and Paraguay matches. England gets the first goal, and the opposition roll over and die. Portgual are never going to do that. For one, they are far more capable than anyone England has faced lately of striking first. And secondly, if England do manage to get the first goal, the Portugese are going to throw wave after wave after wave of attacks. England couldn't even hold onto the lead against a Zlatan-less Sweden. Deco or no Deco, Portugal just plays with so much more passion. That will be the difference.

It's like I've said before, FIFA can shield their favorites with the draw but weakness will eventually be found out.

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Nah, we'll bore an under-strength Portugal into submission just like we do with everyone else.

[TANGODANCER]

England haven't been able to turn in convincing performances against Paraguay, Trinidad, Sweden, or Ecuador. At no point have they shown that they can turn it on and really hammer the opposition. Look at the Ecuador and Paraguay matches. England gets the first goal, and the opposition roll over and die. Portgual are never going to do that. For one, they are far more capable than anyone England has faced lately of striking first. And secondly, if England do manage to get the first goal, the Portugese are going to throw wave after wave after wave of attacks. England couldn't even hold onto the lead against a Zlatan-less Sweden. Deco or no Deco, Portugal just plays with so much more passion. That will be the difference.

It's like I've said before, FIFA can shield their favorites with the draw but weakness will eventually be found out.

Er, might it be worth a mention that we won three and drew one. It is the World Cup, not Sunday League. Oh, and I'm still an Englishman who wants us to win.

[FaninOz]

Nah, we'll bore an under-strength Portugal into submission just like we do with everyone else.

I concur with that, Portugal will be lulled into a coma by our fantastic midfield. But Lampard has to score sometime and I guess next Saturday will be a good time to do it. 2-1 with Frank and Rooney on the score card.

[fanz]

We deserve an award at least for least entertaining side of this years world cup. Our games have been a mixture of longballs, timewasting and trying to hang on to a lead. I can see why some on here think tactics like that are acceptable.

Portugal will win next Saturday as poor teams eventually get found out and that is what we are, a poor team. Germany, Argentina, Portugal, Brazil and Italy are all miles ahead of us, they get the results and play entertaining football.

The only hope we have is if we land one of these hopeless referees who sends a couple of players off for nothing, we could possibly beat Portugal if it was 11 vs 9 although even this would be a struggle for Sven.

Just look at the difference between Sven and Scolari during a match, he's 100% energy and probably on half the money our idiot is on. Whoever made the decision at the FA that the new manager had to be named before the world cup deserves shooting, if we had just been patient we could have had him but instead we have got the 2nd biggest fukwit on the planet.

[Zulus Thousand of em]

We deserve an award at least for least entertaining side of this years world cup. Our games have been a mixture of longballs, timewasting and trying to hang on to a lead. I can see why some on here think tactics like that are acceptable.

Portugal will win next Saturday as poor teams eventually get found out and that is what we are, a poor team. Germany, Argentina, Portugal, Brazil and Italy are all miles ahead of us, they get the results and play entertaining football.

The only hope we have is if we land one of these hopeless referees who sends a couple of players off for nothing, we could possibly beat Portugal if it was 11 vs 9 although even this would be a struggle for Sven.

Just look at the difference between Sven and Scolari during a match, he's 100% energy and probably on half the money our idiot is on. Whoever made the decision at the FA that the new manager had to be named before the world cup deserves shooting, if we had just been patient we could have had him but instead we have got the 2nd biggest fukwit on the planet.

Not just Sam and Gartside then, fanz? Splendid.

[ratbert]

Here we go again about entertaining football. Did no-one tell that to Greece two years ago?

I admit Scolari's Indian sign will probably work again next week, but like I always say, those who want entertainment, go to the bloody circus. It's about results, not a firework display.

[fanz]

Here we go again about entertaining football. Did no-one tell that to Greece two years ago?

I admit Scolari's Indian sign will probably work again next week, but like I always say, those who want entertainment, go to the bloody circus. It's about results, not a firework display.

Why does being entertaining and getting results always have to be mutually exclusive? Italy entertain and get results, Portugal entertain and get results, Germany entertain and get results, Brazil (on the whole)entertain and get results so why do we have to settle for the garbage we get with England?

The world cup is meant to be one of the biggest entertainment spectacles in the football calender, it's not a results spectacle. People like you are what is wrong with football today, you are willing to accept whatever tripe is put in front of you and defend ghastly performances to the hilt as long as we get the result. Ask yourself, Why do you like football?

[FaninOz]

Here we go again about entertaining football. Did no-one tell that to Greece two years ago?

I admit Scolari's Indian sign will probably work again next week, but like I always say, those who want entertainment, go to the bloody circus. It's about results, not a firework display.

Why does being entertaining and getting results always have to be mutually exclusive? Italy entertain and get results, Portugal entertain and get results, Germany entertain and get results, Brazil (on the whole)entertain and get results so why do we have to settle for the garbage we get with England?

The world cup is meant to be one of the biggest entertainment spectacles in the football calender, it's not a results spectacle. People like you are what is wrong with football today, you are willing to accept whatever tripe is put in front of you and defend ghastly performances to the hilt as long as we get the result. Ask yourself, Why do you like football?

For once I fully agree with Fanz, I want England and Bolton to play attacking, entertaining and winning football. These are not mutually exclusive expectations, it is more an attitude of mind in the players and coaches that is required. Even so called poorer players can play that way, just look at Australia for example - a group of cripples, has beens and never beens but at least they play in a more entertaining way than England and have a good chance of beating Italy tonight.

England play in a way that says to me that they don't really care, with little commitment to entertain.

[50sQuiff]

Fanz is definitely right here.

This is the fundamental theory that underlies everything I wrote about Bolton last season: playing crap football with good players is criminally ineffective and bloody awful to watch.

Good football almost always is winning football, because it's the best way to get the most out of good players. Greece, and other exceptions like them, were a mediocre team who played superbly effective football to get the best out of their squad. It's insane to advocate we play in the same fashion with the players that England have. And as I argued at length last season, the players that Bolton had.

[ratbert]

The world cup is meant to be one of the biggest entertainment spectacles in the football calender, it's not a results spectacle. People like you are what is wrong with football today, you are willing to accept whatever tripe is put in front of you and defend ghastly performances to the hilt as long as we get the result. Ask yourself, Why do you like football?

I don't have to ask myself why I like it, and certainly don't have to justify my reasons to the likes of you. I have a strong personal interest in how Bolton or England do, and if we get a win or three points that's the bottom line. I'll be constructive in my views, not go glass half empty / half full like many. Even if a game is poor by some peoples' standards, there's always something happens that makes the game worthwhile.

You said elsewhere you'd rather lose playing like Mexico on Saturday night than win like England. So it's OK to lose playing well? Sorry, that's still a defeat however you dress it up and so your argument doesn't wash. Indeed to paraphrase yourself, people like you are the reason why we never win anything in world sport.

[TANGODANCER]

Footbal's only perogative is a simple one: Get the ball in the opponent's net more times than they get it in yours. How you do it is less imortant than" Can you do it?". We do, and our so-called fans would rather see us lose and look attractive doing it? Sheeesh. What sort of supporters are you?

[Dr.Karl]

It would be a travesty to football if England win the world cup playing the way they are. The least entertaining, effective side in the tournament so far. Fanz is quite right, all the big nations have been putting on a show because they realise if you've got good players that can pass a ball, you can win. For fecks sake, Italy ditched their defensive style years ago and played some good stuff in the first round. Australia may upset them, not by boring the other team into submission but by playing attacking football. I've said it through the tournament, England unfortunately are the international version of Bolton.

[Montreal Wanderer]

England has not played to its potential - true. Yet however crappy the lads have been, the teams they play have been crappier. We are in the quarter finals so mission accomplished so far. The time for us to moan and second guess is when we are doing whatever Poland, the US, Sweden et al are currently doing. I'd rather be an England fan than a Dutch one right now. I can't understand the perpetual state of pessimism that pervades the thoughts of some members of this board. Enjoy the moment, chaps, it won't come around again for another four years.