> So unbeaten in 4 games , winning 2 but we were the second worst team there

> What a load of nonsense

Agreed.  But they may have played almost the worst football to watch.  Roy
gave England a game plan (based on their limited abilities) that revolved
around defending and trying to sneak a winner.  It paid off throughout the
group stages, and to be honest almost paid off last night as well.  Not that
that would have been a fair result in any way, but that's football.  Where
it went spectacularly wrong for England last night was their inability to
attack with any fluidity at all, which left them clutching at a meagre
selection of free kicks and corners as the only avenue to scoring.  Even if
they had sneaked a win last night though (e.g. if Rooney's bicycle kick had
connected), then it is surely inconceivable that Germany would have been
unable to break them down as well.

What was really disappointing about last night was the apparent inability of
so many of the English players to do the most basic things.  At all.  The
forwards were woeful, and the midfielders were played out of the game to the
extent that I'd forgotten some of them were playing.  Carrol and Rooney
repeatedly gave the ball away with no sign of control beyond the first touch
(if that).  Young controlled the ball, but then ran aimlessly into tackles
as if he had no clue what else to do.  It's always been a source of
puzzlement to me how a malaise such as this can overtake an entire team, and
England seem to be susceptible to it more than most.

Why anyone thought it was a good idea for Young to take a penalty after the
sort of game he'd had, I will never know.  But then I can't imagine why he
was still on the pitch beyond half time anyway.

Nigel
(the Dublin one)

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PETE CASS (1962 - 2011) Rest In Peace Mate

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