14-06-2004 02:30									#91
	Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

The World Cup is like the European Championships with positive discrimination...

	14-06-2004 02:30									#92
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

Alva, you're my hero

	14-06-2004 02:34									#93
	Increase Your PM Length

what's positive discrimination, PA?

	14-06-2004 02:36									#94
	Full PM-box? Change here!

Admittedly, Brazil get in on merit..

	14-06-2004 03:08									#95
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

While France didn't play very good neither did England and I'm glad that the catenaccio-tactics used by England after their goal wasn't rewared.

Wasn't this obvious after what happened with Italy during the last World Cup? It might work in a domestic league or against lesser teams, but you can't use it in a major international competition.

	14-06-2004 03:10									#96
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

Not true. Cite: Bayern Munich championship from a couple of years ago.

quote: Admittedly, Brazil get in on merit..

You're so kind!

	14-06-2004 03:23									#97
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

France

	14-06-2004 03:35									#98
	Full PM-box? Change here!

France

Didn't really outclass the English, but what the hell, they were my pick.

	14-06-2004 03:48									#99
	Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

Some UEFA-statistics for anyone who's interested:
France/England

Shots wide 10/3
Shots on goal 6/4
Fould committed 16/17
Corners 5/2
Offside 3/1
Ball possession 54/46
Yellow cards 2/3

	14-06-2004 04:14									#100
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

Personally, I blame the Nevilles!

	14-06-2004 04:17									#101
	Remove this text

quote: Originally posted by Spiffor I don't care at all for football. Except when it's France trashing England of course.

Well done, guys...damn, Zidane will always surprise me

	14-06-2004 17:17									#102
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

Its swings and roundabouts, England will thrash France soon. It was the Netherlands 4-1 in '96, the Germans 5-1 in '01. Both were seen to be laying to rest ghosts from the decade prior to them, and so it will be with France if they lose to them again in the final of this competition. .

	14-06-2004 18:46									#103
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

Gary Neville was one of our best players out there. If only he had a winger to help him down the right.

I think we really miss the likes of Shearer, Sheringham, Ferdinand, Owen from years gone by. Our strike force is a bit poor really. I'd have preferred Alan Smith and Vassell to the starters yesterday.

Scholes is wasted. I still don't rate Lampard despite him scoring. And we're horribly unbalanced.

James

G Neville - King - Campbell - Bridge
Beckham - Scholes - Gerrard - A Cole
Vassell - Rooney

^ is probably the best line-up for the next few games. I hope Erikkson experiments with Cole at left wing once we are in a comfortable position against either the Swiss or Croats. It'll balance the side much better.

	14-06-2004 18:50									#104
	Support Apolyton

Beckham was absolutely rubbish. Drop him and keep Lampard and I'd pretty much agree with that.

	14-06-2004 18:54									#105
	Increase the size of your Attachments

Lampard isn't a right winger! beckham must be told to stay on the ****ing right wing. How many times could we have had a good chance to put in a cross following a surge from Neville, only for Beckham to be running infield

	14-06-2004 19:02									#106
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

He's been doing that for ages. If you could make him play right wing then play him.

	14-06-2004 19:08									#107
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

Yeah.

One of English teams strongpoints is usually our attacking of the cross. So, what do we do...play two dimunitive strikers and two wide midfielders who prefer to play in the centre.

Beckham should get one more chance.

I think Scholes might be injured actually.

	14-06-2004 19:20									#108
	Suffering from ads?

An emotional roller coaster of a game.

I still feel totally flat.

Eriksson will do well to get the England players into a good frame of mind for the next match.

The football was worth watching. France were markedly the better team. But it would not have been a travesty had it finished one nil.

The only (slim) consolation which occurs to me is that at least it was not the final. I can now just faintly appreciate what a Bayern Munich fan must have felt in 1999.

	14-06-2004 19:26									#109
	Support Apolyton

At least the England team weren't dancing around and signing autographs before the end of the game.

	14-06-2004 19:50									#110
	Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

"The only (slim) consolation which occurs to me is that at least it was not the final. I can now just faintly appreciate what a Bayern Munich fan must have felt in 1999."

In truth that was about winning the biggest club cup competition. This was just about who finishes first and second. Not really a major loss, though we'll probably now find our path to final being Holland - Italy - Portugal or something rather than Latvia - Germany - Denmark

	14-06-2004 19:57									#111
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

Gimme Portugal, they looked SHOCKING on Saturday

	14-06-2004 21:00									#112
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

quote: In truth that was about winning the biggest club cup competition. This was just about who finishes first and second. Not really a major loss, though we'll probably now find our path to final being Holland - Italy - Portugal or something rather than Latvia - Germany - Denmark

To be honest, I'm surprised to see how you (punters mainly) are able to give England such a favourite role.
You've never performed in the EC - except for one semi-final) - so far you've won 0 of your opening matches.....yes, 0.
Most of your players are overrated... how many have been able to shine in other competitions?
Not trolling here, but face it, England just doesn't have that great a team.
Great football to watch - especially the league ( the only one worth watching IMO) - but not that good or efficient, yet each time you expect to win the whole damn thing.

	14-06-2004 21:47									#113
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

1986 World Cup- beaten by Argentina (who went on to win it)

1990 World Cup- beaten by Germany (who went on to win it)

1996 European Championship- beaten by Germany (who went on to win it)

2002 World Cup- beaten by Brazil (who went on to win it)

Under current management, their only losses in competition have been against Brazil and France. That's hardly a shabby record.

	14-06-2004 21:58									#114
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

alva, you have to accept something else - in 2 years France will have an new defence, and will have lost Zidane. Our oldest (out field) player will be Campbell @ 31. At least our team can stay together for a little while longer.

	14-06-2004 21:59									#115
	Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

quote: Originally posted by Lazarus and the Gimp 1986 World Cup- beaten by Argentina (who went on to win it) 1990 World Cup- beaten by Germany (who went on to win it) 1996 European Championship- beaten by Germany (who went on to win it) 2002 World Cup- beaten by Brazil (who went on to win it) Under current management, their only losses in competition have been against Brazil and France. That's hardly a shabby record.

Like I said EC.

We should have beaten you in '90 anyway, damned Platt
We should have beaten Brazil last time ( disallowed valid goal) and would then have beaten you easily.

	14-06-2004 22:27									#116
	Suffering from ads?

The current England side is not at all bad. Talk of winning is far from daft.

But losing a game makes qualifying for the later stages hard work.

The current French side is excellent. It works well as a unit and has match winning individuals. Last night they also showed character. Almost anyone would have resorted to hopeful long balls at some stage but these guys did not. They kept playing their passing game and probed away. And were spectacularly rewarded.

It is to be seen whether anyone else can stretch them.

If England get a second chance then I really don't know how the emotional balance will lie. In my dreams Beckham decides the only way we can win is for him to run himself ragged as he did a couple of times during qualification. If he did that and if we got the ball to Owen on the break a few times then things might look rather different than they did while we were under the cosh in that second half.

	14-06-2004 22:43									#117
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

VIVA ITALIA!

	14-06-2004 22:51									#118
	Increase the size of your Attachments

quote: alva, you have to accept something else - in 2 years France will have an new defence, and will have lost Zidane. Our oldest (out field) player will be Campbell @ 31. At least our team can stay together for a little while longer.

Sure.

quote: The current England side is not at all bad.

I never said it England has a bad team.
Still, that's far away from being certain you're going to win it, as many commentators ( Alan Hanson & co. always seem to indicate after England played one good game).

	14-06-2004 23:20									#119
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

I don't think anyones certain of winning it, but I'd put us as somewhere around 3rd or 4th favourites for it. France have a better chance, and Italy and Portugal also, possibly, but I'd take England over any other team in the tournament.

	14-06-2004 23:35									#120
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

Would Scholes not be older?

Yes I know he looks 15 but...