22-03-2005 14:47									#151
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quote: Originally posted by notyoueither What do I know, I'm just a dumb colonial.

I was only joking.

	22-03-2005 14:47									#152
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quote: Originally posted by MikeH But there are plenty of other good squads out there in the world.

I'm an England fan and I think that you put the dampers to all hopes nicely with this bit.

	22-03-2005 14:48									#153
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quote: Originally posted by MikeH I was only joking.

So was I.

	22-03-2005 14:50									#154
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quote: Originally posted by notyoueither I'm an England fan and I think that you put the dampers to all hopes nicely with this bit.

Well it's true, and a knockout competition is totally unpredictable, you can have the best squad or play the best football in the competition and not win - see Portugal in Euro 2004.

Or you can be totally crap and get to a final - see Germany in the world cup.

	22-03-2005 14:51									#155
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Or, you can be Brazil and win.

	22-03-2005 14:54									#156
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Or France the time before.

Actually I think the World Cup tends to have fewer shock winners than the European Championship. There are more crap teams in the World Cup so in theory the best teams get a much easier ride to the quarter finals.

	22-03-2005 15:00									#157
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I'd have to agree that Europe would be tougher than the WC. You lose Brazil and Argentina, but then you also lose 8 or so also rans (OK, maybe 7 given that Africa can put up one good side per tourny).

But my comment was more aimed at stop making excuses and win one. England have all the talent in the world right now. Thay have to win one or... or I'll hold my breath and wait for the next one. Just like the last several tries.

	22-03-2005 15:03									#158
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Next year is our best chance, no team's ever won outside their home continent except Brazil.

	22-03-2005 15:05									#159
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Other great teams like Holland haven't even won it once.

	22-03-2005 15:09									#160
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I wouldn't want to be known as the greats who never, or seldom, won it.

England needs to put a stamp on it. The current crop of players could be it. Let's hope so.

	22-03-2005 15:11									#161
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I'd love it but I have had enough crushing disappointment to get my hopes up too much.

	22-03-2005 15:14									#162
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Given our relative ages, consider times I didn't give a fig, and I'd have to give you an edge on crushed hopes, but I learn quick!

	22-03-2005 15:42									#163
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I don't know if the depths of your crushing disappointment would be quite as deep either.

Where's the crying smiley?

	22-03-2005 15:46									#164
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I'm saving it in the unlikely event that it is needed after Germany.

See, you old world lot need to learn some new world hope.

	22-03-2005 15:49									#165
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Speaking of new world hope, is Hargreaves going to ever get a sniff? He's from Calgary, so I would understand if you assigned him to the retards class, but I have it on good authority that he should be a starter for England.

	22-03-2005 15:54									#166
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The streets of England are deserted. There's no traffic, you can see no-one moving. It's a still summers night, the air thick with grass pollen. As you wander round the deserted streets you see a brightly lit pub on the corner. From the pub a rumbling of human voices gets louder and louder... then for a few seconds silence before it's suddenly broken by the sounds of hundreds of men crying out in pain. Things go quiet. For a few minutes nothing, then in twos and threes broken men emerge from the pub door. Clad in white and red, flags and novelty hats hung so low from hands they practically drag on the grey tarmac. No-one speaks. No-one looks up. The sky seems to suddenly get dark and the warm summer night air chills.

Someone mutters under their breath "David f*cking Batty."

	22-03-2005 15:56									#167
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quote: Originally posted by notyoueither Speaking of new world hope, is Hargreaves going to ever get a sniff? He's from Calgary, so I would understand if you assigned him to the retards class, but I have it on good authority that he should be a starter for England.

He's very good but Lampard and Gerrard are keeping him out of the team. Then there's Butt who was one of the players of the 2002 world cup (that's what Pele said) as a backup to them as well. He's unlucky that he's playing in that position and up against those players but he's part of the squad and gets regular sub appearances.

	22-03-2005 16:05									#168
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quote: Originally posted by MikeH The streets of England are deserted. There's no traffic, you can see no-one moving. It's a still summers night, the air thick with grass pollen. As you wander round the deserted streets you see a brightly lit pub on the corner. From the pub a rumbling of human voices gets louder and louder... then for a few seconds silence before it's suddenly broken by the sounds of hundreds of men crying out in pain. Things go quiet. For a few minutes nothing, then in twos and threes broken men emerge from the pub door. Clad in white and red, flags and novelty hats hung so low from hands they practically drag on the grey tarmac. No-one speaks. No-one looks up. The sky seems to suddenly get dark and the warm summer night air chills. Someone mutters under their breath "David f*cking Batty."

That's the problem with you old world lot. Living too much in the past.

Live in the future! Win!

	22-03-2005 16:08									#169
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I was just trying to describe what it's like. The whole country goes into mourning. The team need to believe they are going to win. I'm not getting my hopes up... ok, I am but I'm trying to be realistic.

	22-03-2005 16:12									#170
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Ah. A Red Sox fan at heart. Well, take heart!

	22-03-2005 18:57									#171
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more on atouba today in the paper, he's claiming that joey barton 'racially abused' him and in responce he elbowed him in the face.

i wonder what the FA will have to say about this, hopefully something along the lines of 'pull the other one, it's got bells on'.

	22-03-2005 19:04									#172
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No racism in football implies the guy with the sectarian song in his sig.

	22-03-2005 19:07									#173
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It seems to be the standard response these days 'I was racially abused' and contrary to the law of the land the accused is not innocent until proven guilty.

Eto claimed a Chelsea steward called him a 'Monkey of sh!t', I mean WTF? Who would use a sentence like that? Not even Chelsea fans are that dumb.

	22-03-2005 19:08									#174
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quote: it's possible that Sir John Terry might not even make the team because Campbell and Ferdinand are even better and two world class forwards in Owen and Rooney, plus we actually have really good cover in pretty much every position.

Cambell is good?????


If you want to win you will have to change your program, English players are wrecked before they even begin the competition, the same reason why you always struggle in march (no winterstop)

The second thing is you need to learn to play less naieve, it's all great to watch but hopeless to win with such a game especially in a knock-out competition. There is a reason why both the Germans and the Italians always do well(and why the Dutch haven't ever won anything either).

	22-03-2005 19:11									#175
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quote: Originally posted by reds4ever It seems to be the standard response these days 'I was racially abused' and contrary to the law of the land the accused is not innocent until proven guilty.

Yes. Atouba is innocent until proven guilty and he's allowed to make points in his defence. Similarly if there is a complaint of racial abuse against Barton we should treat him as innoccent until proven guilty.

	22-03-2005 19:16									#176
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quote: Originally posted by alva Cambell is good?????

Campbell is excellent. I'm not the only one to think so, he's been in UEFA's team of the tournament for the last two world cups, and look at the difference in Arsenal's defensive record without him. Plus, he's just excellent. Strong, fast, great tackler, great in the air, reads the game brilliantly. Our best defender for the last many seasons.

quote: Originally posted by alva If you want to win you will have to change your program, English players are wrecked before they even begin the competition, the same reason why you always struggle in march (no winterstop)

Agree. Next season we are changing the season structure, also there is talk about even playing the FA Cup final midweek so Erikkson can have the players for longer with a bigger break before the tournament.

quote: Originally posted by alva The second thing is you need to learn to play less naieve, it's all great to watch but hopeless to win with such a game especially in a knock-out competition. There is a reason why both the Germans and the Italians always do well(and why the Dutch haven't ever won anything either).

Also agree to an extent, Mourinho is certainly teaching that to the Chelsea players. You have to play to your strengths though, I mean look at Brazil, they don't play in that naive way and they've won it more than anyone. BTW we have wone one thing.

	22-03-2005 20:03									#177
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quote: Originally posted by MikeH Yes. Atouba is innocent until proven guilty and he's allowed to make points in his defence. Similarly if there is a complaint of racial abuse against Barton we should treat him as innoccent until proven guilty.

well seeing as how there's a video of him elbowing joey barton full in the face, i'd say he's pretty much been proven guilty.

in view of that it's pretty easy to play the race card and say 'yeah well i might have elbowed him off the ball but he called me a bad name'

	22-03-2005 20:03									#178
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I purposely didn't bring up Chelsea (already did that last time ), but yeah, that's the ticket.

quote: I mean look at Brazil, they don't play in that naive way and they've won it more than anyone.

Don't you mean "Do" here instead of don't? Though they changed style a couple of times last few tournaments.

And while you may have officially won one, I still think think it was bogus though.

	22-03-2005 20:06									#179
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Yes, I meant do.

Have you watched the whole match of the '66 final? We totally dominated that game.

	22-03-2005 20:18									#180
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Well Brazil do generally do have better players than you have and they often have an esier run getting there and have often have an easier first round.

They too though usually have at least one game where they could have gone out.

quote: Have you watched the whole match of the '66 final? We totally dominated that game.

Pfff, don't need to, if the ref starts awarding goals where non should be given....what's the point.