Can we PLEASE stop blaming the bloody WEATHER ?

[Easy 10]

Yet another 45 minute performance from England then in a major finals. Apparently it seems England players more than any others (ie the opposition) are adversely affected by the heat. Heard it all in 2002 and 2004 as well didn't we ? Once that sun breaks through the clouds, they're all on the point of flaking out. Thats why a fairly crap team that we'd run ragged in the 1st half were suddenly all over us and dictating the play for the whole of the 2nd. Oh but they're more USED to the heat, being from South America and all that. Sorry chaps, but that old excuse is starting to wear a little thin for me now. We're only in GERMANY for christs sake, not the african jungle, or the sub-tropics of Indonesia. Beckham was moaning about the heat and he plays in SPAIN for crying out loud ! The World Cup is played in the SUMMER - get used to it. Jees, its the same for everyone. I didn't see the Germans easing off against Costa Rica. Everyone else just seems to get on with it, yet our lads, although being "in the best condition ever for a World Cup" (so we're told) still seem under the impression that they are at a disadvantage to everyone else when it comes to coping with a hot day.

Looked like the same old same old today. An encouraging 1st half, get an early goal, then for the 2nd half its just defend defend defend. Fall back deeper and deeper, surrender the initiative, hang on to what we've got, and hope to CHRIST we don't let one in. Then come off and blame the weather for playing shite. Can ANYONE remember a decent 2nd half performance in a tournament ? What does Sven do at half time ? Its like he slips valium in their tea or something.

As for subbing Owen on 55 minutes, the one guy who desperately NEEDS these group games to get himself match fit for this tournament - well, I just have not the words.

YES it was the first game, which is usually rubbish anyway. YES it was 3 points, which is the most important thing. But this is all looking so depressingly familiar - anyone can see that once again, survive the first 45 minutes against Svens England, and we are absolutely there for the TAKING in the 2nd 45. Unless something is done to sort that out, then it really is going to be the same old story I'm afraid.

Hot. Do me a favour.

 

[bigc]

we were awful after owen went off.

easy, were you watching on bbc? i found it impossible to tell what players were f***ing up cos the camera was zoomed out too far.

 

[Easy 10]

we were awful after owen went off.

easy, were you watching on bbc? i found it impossible to tell what players were f***ing up cos the camera was zoomed out too far.

Sure was (was anyone else showing it then ?). We lost the initiative when we came out for the 2nd half, and once he subbed Owen, we lost all shape and direction. The passing fell apart, we sat back too deep, Crouch was isolated, Gerrard totally ineffective, Lampard disappeared (apart from a pot-shot late on), and in the end it was just embarrassing how disjointed and bereft of ideas we were. Passing from the back was woeful, midfield had no targets to aim for and so lost the ball time and time again, lack of movement. It was a horror show.

The silver lining was that depite how shit we were in that 2nd 45, Paraguay hardly managed a clear chance at all. But better teams await, and looking at how we finished that game, I'm worried.

Oh yeah, but it WAS hot.

 

[cardboard]

i had to double zoom on the pitch

Rubbish doublec rubbish

 

[Richard Whiteley]

Deoressingly familiar England. Not just Sven's England but every other England side I can remember watching. It's built into our psyche.

 

[dougdeep]

Terrible camera work, it seemed like they were swopping to one that was switched off at times, what was the blank screen all about, we almost missed a goal.

 

[El Presidente]

I was more worried about that giant spider that had made a web over the stadium swooping down to eat one of our players.

You would have thought that FIFA could have had the environmental health officers around to sort the problem out before the game.

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

In all fairness, it really was incredibly hot in the stadium, as well as very humid; it was knackering just watching. However, I totally agree that you can't make excuses - there was always a risk it was going to be hot, you've just got to deal with it.

 

[Chicken Run]

f***ing hell chill out oh to be Swedish this morning ehh

 

[Happy Seagull]

Don't think the ref and his ludicrous decisions helped either. When Robinson kicked the ball out and it hit that stupid f***ing screen, how the hell can you give a drop ball? Surely the ball should have come back

 

[Wardy]

BBC have no control over cameras the can only show what the Germany TV company film.

 

[hitony]

The Cameramen were interviewed after the game, and said " IT WAS THE WEATHERS FAULT, IT WAS SO HOT OUT THERE, WE DIDNT KNOW WHAT OR WHERE TO FOCUS ON"

 

[Easy 10]

England goalkeeper Paul Robinson hopes the later kick-off times will help the team adapt better to the conditions.

He said: "It was very, very hot out there and we know we didn't play as well as we can do in the second half.

Terry Butcher also sympathised with the England players, who suffered in the searing temperatures inside the stadium.

He said: "The heat was enormous and I don't think people realise what an effect that can have on you.

"I remember playing in similar conditions in Bilbao in the 1982 World Cup and it takes it out of you.

"It was red hot out in Bilbao and it was red hot in Frankfurt. Make no mistake it takes its toll.

"I think even the Paraguayans were struggling, so the tempo of the game wasn't high, which maybe didn't suit England.

"It reminded me of other games like the World Cup quarter-final defeat against Brazil in Shizuoka in Japan, when the heat was stifling.

 

[Trigger]

f***ing hell it's hot today.

I blame SVEN.

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

f***ing hell chill out oh to be Swedish this morning ehh

I'd love to be Swedish any mrning Bogey,they really know what to do with the old chappie

 

[CHAPPERS]

To be fair it was the hottest part of the day.The Germans played at 5 on a cooler day Easy and they couldn't ease off because they were unable to put Costa Rica to bed. We kept a clean sheet against a decent side with good world cup experience and are two points clear going into a very winnable game. Job done, relax.

 

[BensGrandad]

If we beat T & T and the other match is a draw we win the group. The rest can then fight it out between themselves hot or otherwise.

 

[Tooting Gull]

What do you want them to say? It was a very hot day, and the hottest part of the day, much hotter than the conditions in which these players have made their reputations. And the fact is that FIFA officials were unbelievably, and dangerously, trying to prevent players taking on water.

I'm more pleased about the result than I am unhappy about the second-half showing, which was poor.

The thing with your anti-England and in particular ant-Sven rants, Easy, is that we've heard it all before and they aren't objective. If we play well, Sven is lucky and it's the players. If we play badly, it's all Sven's fault. You can't have it both ways.

You're fully entitled to your view, but it's difficult to take it seriously any more.

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

The thing with your anti-England and in particular ant-Sven rants, Easy, is that we've heard it all before and they aren't objective. If we play well, Sven is lucky and it's the players. If we play badly, it's all Sven's fault. You can't have it both ways.

It's not like he's wrong though, is it? I don't think anyone's over-reacting, it's just that we've seen this all before - every time we turn up in a tournament, we turn in a shadow of the side we can be - long balls, defending with every man on the edge of the area; inevitably this is enough to get out of the group, then we get tonked by the better sides. It's all the excuses that become so tiring.

 

[Chopper West]

Problem with England is that there are lots of talented musicians, but no conductor on the pitch.