Agree that Milner should be kept for defensive midfield back up if, god forbid, Scotty breaks down but don't see the point of him other than as said providing defensive cover for Johnson. Overall the right has been poor until Walcott/ Chamberlain come on to make a difference. Most of what has been created has been through the centre or down the left with Young and Cole or on the right when Gerrard has strayed right. Don't know whether Jones is the right option to start with but he is probably the best we have got out there so give him a game and let the Chambercott lose. I was critical of Lescott last night until he made me eat my words with a fine clearance to cover Hart. It is probably his team relationship with Hart that gets him the place.. Like the Lee Westwood tweet last night! http://twitter.com/WestwoodLee/statuses/215189210762715136
Incredible wasn't it. You notice the difference between being fit on the training ground and match fit- as he's done the same amount of training as the whole team, but could only last 60 in the game before he looked dead on his feet.
There’s been plenty to ponder from England’s performances. So far Roy has them set out like a Table Football side; solid banks of four that move side-to-side but never forward. Won’t somebody free Scottie Parker? And doesn’t Scottie Parker resemble Kenneth Williams whilst we’re at it? (‘at it’ as in continuing the Scott Parker thoughts. Not at it at it. Ooh Matron.) Steven Gerrard meanwhile has been playing almost like the man who pretends to run by simply puffing his cheeks and swinging his arms as he crosses the road and a car is slowly coming from a safe distance. Finally is there a more unpleasant site than Andy Carroll’s Unravelled Hair? You can read more of my thoughts here > http://sendawaythetigers.co/2012/06/21/its-a-goal/ Although to be honest they're not great.
I've booked my ticket to Kiev. Leaving Gatwick on Saturday afternoon and returning on Monday. Not sure what a 7 hour flight with Turkish Airlines is going to be like...
Go Ponders! An Addick at the Euros! The trip with Turkish Airlines? I'm sure it'll be a Delight...sorry about that. Full travelogue when you get back, please.
Deserved win for Portugal, and realistically there was only one player who was going to get the better of Petr Cech tonight. Even though, with all his play acting and posturing, it sticks in my gullet sometimes to say so, Ronaldo is one of the best players I've ever seen. Quite simply in a class of his own tonight.
Oh, and Howard Webb was superb tonight - maximum authority, minimum profile. I just praised a referee. Time to go to bed...
Very good, Tewks. It made me chuckle. I've been to Kiev before, but I travelled over the border from Belarus. I'd been following the movements of Tugay Bey and the great Tatar leaders when I was offered a lift into the Ukraine by a chicken farmer. I sat in the front of his beaten up van for the best part of eight hours as we rumbled over very hostile terrain. When he eventually dropped me over the border at a provincial train station he refused to take a penny from me for fuel. But he did take a tape cassette of Saint Etienne's Tiger Bay. He loved Sarah Cracknell's voice.
Well, there was only going to be one winner tonight, but when they slipped into top gear that was pretty scary - the fact that Reus can't get an automatic first team slot shows a strength in depth I don't think anyone is going to match. And Merkel just cracks me up...
Then maybe you should stop being so tight and offer more than a penny for such a service I missed the Germany game, was always bound to be a stomping, don't like games like that. (Unless it's charlton delivering the stomping or the once in every blue moon england quality display)
Ponders, you have cleared this little trip, haven't you? http://uk.news.yahoo.com/euro-2012-...-play-instead-of-celebrating-anniversary.html
The way that my missus has so studiously packed my bag and prepared my documents suggests that she is more than happy for me to bugger off for the weekend. Should I be worried?
Just caught the last ten minutes of the England press conference - Hodgson taking and answering questions in Italian was simply jaw-dropping. He and Gerrard working beautifully in tandem as well, the whole setup and atmosphere is so relaxed and so balanced - on paper, our chance of beating Italy isn't good but I've said before on here that I think we're going to do it and that little interlude just reinforced my belief.
I was going to put a fiver on France to beat Spain but it's too late I'm cooking a curry so I hope Spain win cos it'll mean I've saved a fiver.
