why are they now played on Friday evenings and Tuesday rather than Saturday and Wednesdays. i know this has been going on for a while now but no one has told me the answer to this
I wish I knew last campaign ended with a great night against Bahrain on a Saturday now we have to play on a Thursday and Wednesday people were able to travel from all over the country to watch the game and not have to worry aboutgetting back for work the next morning its not like the world cup starts next week
And sweden, prefer croat to go through just for nicko, love to see france out especially for that diver ribery.
It as a common English remark mate. Would like to know how many games you and Jeff have seen Ribery play. Reminds me of all the Ibrahimovic negativity from the same camp, can't recall much of it after he hammered inn four goals against England though
It is true that Ibrahimovic never seemed to do anything in any of the big games I watched him in.........till he hammered in those goals against England. I still believe that he goes quiet in a lot of big games though. Ribery is a great player, of that there is no doubt. However, he constantly exaggerates the effects of tackles and constantly tries to put his marker under pressure by getting him booked. Like Barca, where the whole team do this, he doesn't need to do it as he's good enough anyway. I really don't accept that it's an English remark or that Nationality needs to come into it at all. As I said before, Zidane is possibly the greatest footballer I've ever seen and I don't remember him diving about like a girl!
That is what I said too in the previous thread, not denying it. But he is the most fouled player in Europe which has nothing to do with diving. Exageration are two completely different things imo. Didn't mean to sterotype mate, I based it on the BBC live feed after seeing the same rubbish spouted off year after year. Re Ibrahimovic, he won eight straight championships in four different countries. That take some doing and I can't imagine it being down to not performing in the big matches. He has had one "unsuccesfull" season, with Barcelona, scoring 22 and making 13 assists in 46 matches. The most impressive thing about him is that he is playing his best football in his career now at the age of 32 and he still seem to be improving!
Last time England played Germany (1-4 in South Africa 2010) Shaun Wright-Phillips came on as a late sub! And the likes of Upson and Heskey played. Hard to disagree with Steven Gerrard that England are a better side now England v Germany, 27 June 2010 James; Johnson (Wright-Phillips 87), Terry, Upson, Cole; Gerrard, Lampard, Barry, Milner (J. Cole 63); Rooney, Defoe (Heskey 71)
I would like to see France go through tonight and mind you but Ribery is certainly no diver. If you closely follow Bayern week in week out you will see what a great footballer he is - without diving. Whatever negative can be said about him off the pitch - on the pitch he is does never cheat.
Agree with Col re Zidane he for me is by far the greatest IMO seen both Ronaldo and Messi play live a few times ... Messi without is a clever player and honest ... Ronaldo is or was not . France can beat Ukraine but the 2-0 deficit will shape tonight's game and if France get two we are in for a cracker Of course I hope France gets there as I believe in their team at the moment to do well if they make it Remy could be fantastic in a World Cup and that means good things for our club I wish for Croatia to make it also It's not about players tonight it's about teams and France can play as a team and match anyone in the world if they do
The England U21 are having fun 8-0 with Ings netting two. Mind you it is against San Marino, they would beat the senior side with a similar score imo. There are some very intersting players coming through at the moment for England. Ince, Lingaard, Hughes, Butland, Sterling, Ward-Prowse and last but not least Berahino. Everyone bright talents, but only Ward-Prowse playing regularly in the top flight. That is the big worry, the Prem teams doesn't blood their talents early enough. They won't become world beaters playing in the Championship. The entire Germany U21 team play regularly at the top level, and bar three players everyone in their squad play in Die Bundesliga. Take the 20 year old Jesse Lingaard, 0 (zero/nil) games for Manchester United and only 11 senior games on loan in the Championship. 11 senior games ffs! You have a Julian Draxler playing for Germany, also 20 years old (9 months younger than Lingaard). He has already managed to play 127 games for Schalke with 31 of those in European competitons, mainly CL. Plus 9 full internationals for Germany, making his 10th tonight. There lies the problem England face, and unfortunately I can't see it changing anytime soon.
Probably to give the pundits something to talk about on Football Focus on Saturday lunchtime. More interesting for them to show clips and talk about what actually happened rather than 30 minutes of guff about what some expert twat thinks might happen. OR it could be that they don't want to clash with X-Factor!
