I will probably be banned for this but... Footie Thread

[Alexamateo]

Bloody Robben! I hate football!

How'd you let that 60 year old man beat you! :

[odykas]

Greece - Belgium : 1 - 1 nore:

Germany - France : 1 - 2

[pino]

Goodbye Villas-Boas you deserve it...next one please :

[cali]

To be honest, Germany played with very experimental squad as many fist11 players were rested. Holland beating England was not a surprise either given their previous history and the situation in PL where most of the top players are non-english.

Abramovich was too patient with AVB, but he must understand that he needs to also clean up his squad (bad blood in the dressing room).

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Holland beating England was not a surprise either given their previous history and the situation in PL where most of the top players are non-english.

So how is it that nearly all of Englands starting XI against the Netherlands is a starter for one of the top clubs in the PL? A majority of the England team the other night came from the top 3 sides in the PL: Man City, Man Utd and Tottenham. In the biggest game this weekend between Tottenham and Man Utd all the goalscorers were English (Rooney, Young and Defoe). Manchester United have 8/9 English players in their starting XI most weeks.

The cause of Englands rubbishness at international level has nothing to do with the numbers of foreign players in the PL. It is because we don't teach our players properly from a young age and because international football is completely different from the Premier League.

For the past 50 years England have focused on direct play, even from the ages of under 11s. Players are never taught to keep possession, they are told to hit the ball long and hope the fast kid upfront can out pace the defender and score. The result is that England end up with pacey players who are technically inept. This doesn't matter in the Premier League because the combination of pacey English players (Lennon, Walcott, Young, Sturridge etc) works well with the technical non-English players who can keep possession (Modric, Sergio Aguero, Mata etc). But at international level England are very compromised.

[cali]

So how is it that nearly all of Englands starting XI against the Netherlands is a starter for one of the top clubs in the PL? A majority of the England team the other night came from the top 3 sides in the PL: Man City, Man Utd and Tottenham. In the biggest game this weekend between Tottenham and Man Utd all the goalscorers were English (Rooney, Young and Defoe). Manchester United have 8/9 English players in their starting XI most weeks.

The cause of Englands rubbishness at international level has nothing to do with the numbers of foreign players in the PL. It is because we don't teach our players properly from a young age and because international football is completely different from the Premier League.

For the past 50 years England have focused on direct play, even from the ages of under 11s. Players are never taught to keep possession, they are told to hit the ball long and hope the fast kid upfront can out pace the defender and score. The result is that England end up with pacey players who are technically inept. This doesn't matter in the Premier League because the combination of pacey English players (Lennon, Walcott, Young, Sturridge etc) works well with the technical non-English players who can keep possession (Modric, Sergio Aguero, Mata etc). But at international level England are very compromised.

So you agree with me then?
That's why you have too many non-english top players (creative players). And I'm a huge England fan, but recently it has become more evident that the politics in FA, press and a nations wish is too much for the players to handle. You take football too seriously and not much fun is left in the game.

[Alexamateo]

If you read the book Soccernomics,the authors point out that based on population, income,and experience, England actually performs better than expected most of the time. It's just that in Soccer-mad England, its fans expect it to win everything, every time. I say this, your country won the World Cup in 1966 and is regarded as one of the best all-time,you should enjoy it.

It's like college football over here. My dad is always bemoaning his alma mater the University of Tennessee, how they always let him down, but I tell him he should be happy. They have won the National Championship twice in his lifetime, 1951 and 1998. I always tell him that I wish my school (Mississippi State) had even a third of the success Tennessee has had

[Brown, Jon Brow]

If you read the book Soccernomics,the authors point out that based on population, income,and experience, England actually performs better than expected most of the time. It's just that in Soccer-mad England, its fans expect it to win everything, every time. I say this, your country won the World Cup in 1966 and is regarded as one of the best all-time,you should enjoy it.

Spain, Argentina, Netherlands, Portugal, Uruguay - All countries with smaller populations than England, but they consistently produce better players than England does.

I don't think England expects their country to win everytime, we just demand that they give 100%. The last few tournaments England have been to it looked like the players just didn't want to be there.

[steveaki13]

What a player Lionel Messi is...

I know Leverkusen were poor, but to score 5 goals in a champions league knock out game against a top level German side.

He is reaching new levels.

Thats 53 Goals for club and country in 49 games.
48 Barcelona Goals just 6 needed to top last years total

Awesome

[race aficionado]

What a player Lionel Messi is...
.....
Awesome

Yep, Messi rocks.

Who knows the answers to this.

3 goals in one game is called a hat trick. why?
4 goals in one game is called a pocker. why?
5 goals in one game is called a ?. why?

I know I could probably google it . . . . but, where is the fun then?
mokin: