Goodbye England!!!!!

They didn't play crap. Both teams were technically very good and played to the max what they can. Becks wasn't eye-catching but he did a really good job. I have the upmost respect for him having the guts to show responsibility as the captain and go for the first shoot. It is normal that he's Englands fool now, but the question is how he will handle this.

Oh, and there was nothing wrong with the goal, yeah. The ref stopped the interference of the keeper cause that WAS wrong! Read the rules!

Firstly that goal should have stood. It was fine, if that was a foul then they should just tell players that they can't jump for the ball within 5m of the goalkeeper. It was ridiculous.

I don't think video footage would have helped that much actually, I doubt the ref even if he could have would have asked for it. I imagine that being more used for handball apeals, offsides e.t.c.


HOWEVER. We were not robbed. There are bad decisions in football, sometimes they go your way sometimes they don't. Most English fans probably feel the go against us a hell of a lot (we probably have a point when you think of world cup 98, same situation), but then that's life, I'm sure in a few years a big decision in a final will go our way and deprive a team just like it did for us last night. The fact is, we just didn't play well enough. Our midfield looked shocking. Gerrard has been a star last season, but coudln't pass the ball. Lampard drifted in and out. Beckham I think looks worse than he's ever looked. He did a job, but compare that peformance to those he's given in the past for England, it's not the same player. His passing was average, and he had no impact on the game. Scholes taken off was an outrage! He drifted in and was the only English player with a cutting edge, touches and flicks. He couldn't do that on the left, so why the hell was he pushed out there when players like Gerrard were having a shocker! Hargreeves is too lightweight, and after Rooney went off we lost our attack. Deffended well certainly, except for a lack of concentration for their goal! (they attacked really well, but in that attack I think you'd have had your money on one of our defenders getting a head on it, as they should have).

My point is that we should have beaten them, I think if we'd have played at our best we would have done. So we can't blame the ref, as even if we'd have gotten through on the peformance we shown last night we'd have never won! If we're looking for blame I think we've got to look at our own team, and manager. I think there are a few players who are in that team who are there on reputation only. And we have a manager who loves to take players off, whether the team is playing well or not.

Oh yeah, and drop Beck's, Neville for Captain!!!!! He leads vocally, but is also I'd say probably been our best player. Rooney has been great, but I don't think (partly because he came off) has given a 100% game like Neville has for us. Also Cole was great last night, after getting over his Arsenal mentality of wanting to kick Ronaldo rather than tackle him he started to play well against him

Also, despite being deverstated, I think Portugal did deserve it yesterday. They didn't look convincing going forwards, but at least they kept plugging away. If we'd have had some of their attitude maybe we'd be through now!

Anybody know why he took Figo off?? I know they got the goal after but that was coincidence, I thought he was having a great game. Did you see him give the ball away once last night?

Personally, I think Sol Campbell has been a rock in England's defence and if I had to choose between him and Neville for captain, he'd take it just cos he's got so much more experience and also I think he has the attitude to get the other players' arses in gear, which Beckham doesn't and never will have, especially now. He looks a beaten man and a mere shadow of his former self - he's just average now, unfortunately!

Bad decisions do happen in football, yes - but at that stage of the game, to be denied a clear and legitimate goal, any team would consider themselves robbed!

anybody want the ref's email address?

as i said to kev last night, we didn't deserve to win, however, there are many teams who play badly and still scrape through on goals such as sol's last night. i've said it throughout the tournament, keepers get far too much protection. the thing that puzzles me more than anything is the fact that, if anything, they have the advantage or a pair of hands over the striker!

Exactly! Although it seems strange and somewhat ironic or paradoxical, if a team can still win even though they played badly, it's a sign of a good side! England may have been far from the attacking mentality of Portugal last night but we defended magnificently and should have won after catching them out at the end with Sol's header!

F8ckingT1t@hotmail.com!

or even

Portugal'sSaviour@aol.com :P

yep- definately... but honestly: there's only 1 single team left on this planet THIS german team can beat: Austria! and as long as we have a national squad you'll be only be runner up concering the worst teams... so face it: nobody fears germany...