SD on 12/11/2005 at 19:02
I only caught the last 25 minutes, but it looks like I got the best bits.
Of course, I'm going to be horribly predictable and say that that match really highlighted the benefit of having Peter Crouch in the squad. If you're chasing the game with 10-15 minutes left, you can bring him on and his sheer presence will unsettle the opposition defence, as only a 6ft 8in striker can. I don't think it's any coincidence that we scored twice after he came on, even if he only touched the ball four times himself.
SubJeff on 12/11/2005 at 19:19
I think Cole was where is was all at. Mad ball skillz causing confusion. (And slow speed at other times making them think it was bullet time or something).
Also, tall man has surname meaning to make oneself shorter olol. Good show by Crouch thought, I agree.
N'Al on 12/11/2005 at 19:47
Just got to see the highlights of the game. Obviously, highlights make a game seem even more exciting than it already is, but even so I can tell it was a fucking cracking game! Great how England came back after being 2:1 down. :D
Anyway, back to watching Germany - France (and the riots in St. Denis afterwards ;) )...
Paz on 12/11/2005 at 20:29
I rather think Argentina's undoing was partly of their own making. From about the 70th minute, they started trying to slow the pace, break up the game, etc. Whilst this can usually be a decent tactic (especially against English sides with their piffling ideas of 'fairness'), they actually looked a whole lot better going forward ... so probably should have stuck to that.
Taking off Riquelme signalled the end of their attacking ambition, I thought. Even before that though, there was more time spent stroking the ball around than going for killer passes - a pretty stark contrast to the first half.
Anyway, brilliant to see a friendly being more entertaining than all the qualifying games put together!
These two had better not meet in the World Cup and grind out a turgid 0-0 now ;)
Naartjie on 12/11/2005 at 21:24
Quote:
they started trying to slow the pace, break up the game
Straight from the mouths of Motson & Le Saux, you hack :p
Medlar on 12/11/2005 at 22:17
It seems our team need a good qualiy side to play against to bring out the best they have! I hope we get really tough draws in the world cup.
Paz on 12/11/2005 at 22:21
Quote Posted by Naartjie
Straight from the mouths of Motson & Le Saux, you hack :p
Game of two halves, Brian!
Paz on 16/11/2005 at 20:21
Joined by:
Trinidad & Tobago (hurrah!)
Switzerland (just about escaping from Turkey with their lives by the sounds of it .. 4-2 on the night, victory on away goals)
Probably joined by:
Czech Republic (two up on aggregate against Norway, into the final 45 mins)
Spain (would have to try pretty hard to throw away 5-1 against Slovakia)
(ps - some kind of England vs Australia is surely GUARENTEED in the World Cup)
*Updates!* And indeed the Czechs and Spanish do join the rest for a jolly knees-up in Germany.
I was half joking with my comments about the Swiss-Turkey game, but there are reports that Turkish players and officials 'attacked' the Swiss as they left the field (amid a traditional mini-missile-fest from the crowd, obv). I must stress that this is only DIRTY RUMOUR status at the moment, however. Could just be the usual crowd shenanigans (which are pretty bad, but expected) being badly reported.
In any case, it's perhaps for the best that Turkey and England can't meet in the finals now.
*Violence updates!* It now seems as if Switzerland's very own Benjamin Huggel kicked a Turkish official, possibly starting the whole nasty business. So I guess he'll be sitting out the World Cup with a suspension of some sort, then.
It's all fun and games, eh?
Shug on 17/11/2005 at 01:18
I actually turned on the TV just in time for Viduka to take his turn in the penalty shootout. He choked and pushed it wide, but Uruguay's first attempt was saved by our keeper.
He then saved the next from Uruguay which was ENORMOUS. Aloisi put in the last one and the stadium erupted :o
