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This Man Thinks There Was Nothing Wrong With That 'Tackle'
Weird, on the replays I thought I saw Rooney's left foot slip as his right foot made clean contact with the ball and unfortunately also made contact with the defender afterwards. Not really a 'lunge' was it?
And Ashley Cole was cr*p.
Matt 'doing the rope' Phillips
Rooney's Fault Or The System's
Wayne Rooney's temperament has been talked about quite a bit lately, so it seemed inevitable he would be involved in some sort of crunching tackle, and sure enough he obliged. As it happened I made that sort of scrunched up, pouting face and made that 'oooooh, that's gotta hurt' noise, and I was sure a yellow card was coming.
However, the ref was happy that seeing as Rooney had made contact with the ball first (which he did), it wasn't a foul. For me, this only makes the difference between a straight red and a yellow, because Wayne knew exactly what he was doing - he thought, 'I'm going to get the ball AND the player', and the result was a flying, two-footed challenge, with a thrust of the legs after he had already made contact with the ball.
It's an idea which seems to be instilled particularly in the English game - if you make contact with the ball first, all other sins are absolved. A defender might slide in, with one foot firmly on the ball and the other firmly on an attacker's pelvis and if the referee has the audacity to blow for a foul, the defender will undoubtedly moan and point - 'look which direction the ball went!'
Many people have suggested that if Rooney lost the aggressive part of his game he would be a lesser player and for the large part I agree, however it's more a case of how that aggression is managed. To see Rooney charging around is a great thing to watch (as long as he's on your team), but when the red mist descends you can just see it coming. The thing is though, Rooney won't change as long as dangerous challenges like that go unpunished, whereas beautiful, perfectly timed tackles, like the one he performed during his late cameo against Inter, results in yellow cards. When such expertly executed tackles are being called up on, he must think to himself 'what do I have to do?' so it becomes a case of playing the odds as much as it is of playing the ball.
Nick Hamblin, Bristol
To The Knacker's Yard With Them
What is it with tv channels having senile old beggers commentating on football, internationals or otherwise? You half expect to hear war stories and tales if the industrial revolution every so often. Young blood please!!
Graeme ' in the dog house for turning down sex to watch the footy ', AVFC
And Shine Your Shoes As Well Young Man
Does Joe Cole has a spinal disorder? If not, why in the hell does he sit/slump like that...?!
Yes I do sound like my mum... Whatever.
Luke (Save Our Saints) Nuckley, Southampton
Glad It's All Over
Thank f**k for that. Well now the knuckle-headed wideboys from Yarmouth, Cleethorpes and only-God-cares-where have their day out on the town (London as it happens) can we finally get back to concentrating on proper football? Yes I am English, and no I don't give a toss about a team captained and vice-captained by two of the most uncouth troglodytes ever to don the England shirt - cheered on by an hysterically bellicose and rabidly nationalistic tabloid press which abandoned inconveniences like truth and principles years ago. Let's raise a glass to those educated, cultured, articulate foreigners gracing our leagues for injecting a touch of much-needed class and sophistication.
Danny Johnson, London
Getting Ahead Of Yourself Much?
Ok, so not the best performance, but England have won 5 out of 5 games, and it would take a Newcastle circa 96 collapse now for England not to qualify.
Looking at some of the other qualifying groups around the world, I'm getting quietly excited about some of the countries that could be at South Africa 2010. From Europe we could very seriously now have Northern Ireland. From Asia, Australia, Japan, South Korea and North Korea. Africa is still wide open, but from South America we have the unknown quantity of Paraguay, and a Maradonna led Argentina. And there is always a random team from CONACAF such as Costa Rica or Trinidad and Tobago to enjoy.
I'm hoping that Italy will be drawn with North Korea for a repeat of 66, and England will be drawn with Australia, Northern Ireland and Argentina for three grudge matches. And best of all, it looks like the god awful Iran and Saudi Arabia won't be there to stink out the tournament like they usually do.
Can't wait for summer 2010!
Dominic Stevens
A Few Complaints About England
Another World Cup qualifier, another three points for the Fab Cap revolution. 15 from 5, and surely no complaints, right?
Wrong. David James is still a horror show in goal, and Ashley Cole is still a shadow of the player he was before Abramovic's roubles came calling. Although it was nice to see Foster given a run out aginst Slovakia, Capello's policies dictate that until Van Der Sar hangs up his gloves and grants him regular first team football, Foster cannot be England's number one. Bridges move away from Chelsea will hopefully give Capello cause to look at alternatives to the "automatic" choice of Cashley at left back. Baines and Lescott are also decent choices, and not so long ago Nicky Shorey was quite highly rated.
Personnel aside; having conceded the equaliser after pissing about for most of the second half, putting a winger on for a striker wasn't exactly the change I expected. Wright-Phillips on the left is less effective than Gerrard on the left, Rooney as a striker is less effective than Rooney playing deep, and Gerrard moving to Rooney's position is not much different. Surely moving Beckham into the centre alongside Lampard, taking Barry off and playingWringht-Phillips on his preferred right wing would hae made more sense? Although the winner came and vindicated Fabio's decision, it must be noted that Wright-Phillips had nothing to do with the goal, and was pretty ineffective for the time hewas on the pitch.
Finally, the selection of Terry as man of the match is a joke. He was lucky to escape giving away as penalty for a cynical elbow in the face of Voronin (yes, he knew what he was doing, as much as ITV may choose to ignore the entire incident), gave away the needless free kick from which Ukraine equalised, and then redeems himself in the eyes of the fawning press by shanking home the winner from six yards. Rooney was a far more deserving recipient, but of course captain "Iron Man" JT gets the plaudits as usual.
Seb (I suppose we did win, though...) Goffe, Stroud
Rooney: Dire
There's no doubt Rooney should be our most effective player, and there's no doubt that English fans and media love nothing more than a player who runs around appearing in every area of the pitch, whether or not it helps or unbalances the team (see David Beckham for England c2002 and Steven Gerrard for Liverpool pre-Benitez). But after a great first half from Rooney last night, I can't believe that anyone thinks his performance in the second half was anything short of dire. He consistently took the wrong option, and at one point seemed to believe he was playing schools football again where he could hog the ball because he is better then everyone else. Even when he was asked to play up front after Crouch was taken off, he still kept dropping back, leaving a gaping hole at the front of England's team. And then there is his, ahem, fair and controlled tackle.
Rooney was fantastic in his early years for England because he was the creative and attacking force. It was only when managers and him started to believe in the ridiculous hype (any player who says "the big man is back in town" when they come back from injury to join a squad should be shot on the spot) that he started to fall away in performance. My concern is that history is repeating itself. After some great games, last night seemed to see Rooney reverting to his worst points in the second half - the selfishness, the overcomplicated flicks, and the resulting frustration and heart-stopping tackles.
Capello needs to get hold of him and tell him that if he appears nearer than 30 yards to his own goal at any point then he will be substituted on the spot. And he needs to stop him making these ridiculous tackles and getting wound up when things aren't going well, and remind him of his last major championship, when he basically got us knocked out by losing his head and getting sent off.
Nick Smith
A Few Thoughts
Went to my first ever England game last night! Had a brilliant evening, even though we didn't play particularly well. Very good win though! I just have a few points to make really:
1) The number of people leaving the stadium early was a disgrace. A couple sitting next to me left before Terry's winner! Serves them right - scumbags
2) You gave Ashley Cole a 7/10?!?! He was diabolical. I feel very sorry for him though. He is obviously a quality player, but he must dread playing at Wembley since the booing he received a while back. Even at the start of the game last night, you could hear a few boos amongst the crowd. His passing was woeful, and embarrassingly bad by the end. He obviously needs a spell out of the limelight, but it would probably only damage his confidence even more if he were dropped
3) Ukraine proved to me that international football really isn't the pinnacle of the game anymore. Fair play to them, they forced us into a late winner, but they are a horribly average side. Yet they're ranked 14th in the world? I suppose that is the beauty of international football, when the smaller nations can upset the big nations (as with Bolivia and Argentina last night) - but to me, this puts international football on a par with something like the FA cup, as opposed to the Champions League that it strives to be
4) Rooney was brilliant. First time I've ever seen him live, and he is even better when you see him in the flesh than on the TV. Something that I had always taken for granted
5) Should the World Cup have the number of teams reduced from 32?
Tom Fitzgerald, London
Protesting
In the spirit of the G20 protests, please someone get up a campaign to stop David Pleat saying "we" when he means England. I don't recall this tool ever playing for, coaching or managing England. So where does "we" come in? Even Teddy Sheringham uses "they", and he was pretty good in a 3 lions shirt.
Far be it from me to criticise an ex manager of Luton, the bad Sheffield team, Leicester and Hottingham Totspur (woohoo some pedigree) but I've won more silver than this fool, albeit at a lower level, and I don't say ''we" about those teams today. "They" win things, not us. We're too old and knackered.
It's similar on the F365 message board and mailbox; when fans use first person plural to describe the antics, emotions, reactions etc. of fellow fans, then fine and well. But to say "we outplayed such and such an opponent" is the height of crass stupidity. It's "we saw a great victory", just as it's "they won it, babe!".
Admittedly it is largely a habit of shallow Sky 4 fans, but it does get on our tits.
Jon (please lower Pleats interest rate to zero) Marten, EFC
'Picking Numbers Out Of His Arse'
I try not to get too wound up by anything Nick Miller writes, as he's clearly employed to be F365's baiter-in chief (amongst an, otherwise, fantastic set of journalists), but I've had a few beers and his England player ratings were just plain lazy.
My first gripe would be with Ashley Cole being only one of three players to score above six??? I spent large part of that game wondering whether he was really becoming the weak link in the side and wishing Wayne Bridge a speedy recovery so we could field a left back capable of finding a team mate with a pass. To compare him favourably with Glenn Johnson, who is rapidly proving his worth as England's first choice right back on merit and not just for the lack of alternatives, was ridiculous. Ashley Cole was probably the player most guilty of needless high balls forward, along with the player Nick correctly identified, in Gareth Barry, who I thought was distinctly below average. Yet in spite of that, Nick rates him as having had an equally good performance as Frank Lampard - a player of whom I have been extremely critical in the past, yet who has shown a maturity and discipline in his play over the last 180 minutes in an England shirt that is highly commendable.
I think it would be pretty hard for anyone to dispute that Steven Gerrard was one of England's best players in the first half. For the second 45, the whole England team went to sleep. Why, then, is Gerrard given the same rating as "jittery" Johnson, "Very quiet" Lampard, "Guilty" Gareth Barry and Rio "must share some blame for the Ukraine goal" Ferdinand??
Surely, you're just picking numbers out of your arse??
Chris (don't call me Shirley) Bridgeman, Hampton
...Mr Miller,
Ashley Cole...Seven? Really? And there I was thinking he played like a one-legged gangrenous pony with a god complex.
Must just be me.
Adam (Crouch - You pull yourself along the rope, it's simple really, ten for effort though)
Earning A Point
I'm a bit dismayed by seeing reports on teletext, Sky Sports News and even on this fabulous site saying that Ireland 'saved' a point in Italy....
For all of us who watched it, we did not save anything-we EARNED a point.
This is the World Champions in Bari (where they have won all their competitive games) and we pushed and bossed them around the pitch....
You know something special is going on when Keith Andrews and Glennaro Whelan are mentioned a lot more than Pirlo...
But I dont believe that the performance tonight should be degraded into a saved point headline, granted it was a last minute goal but by god we deserved it and possibly all 3 points..
But that's all...just wanted to make that point..
Seosamh Hurley, Limerick
A Solemn Question
Can I say I am shocked at the hatred and loathing shown to Newcastle. Why does everybody seem to want us to be relegated or laugh at us for taking a gamble on Shearer? What is it that we have done to evoke so much ire?
I need to know.
Paul (Burnside on Tyneside man)
Newcastle: Not A Big Club
To Andy and Al who think that the predominance of the Shearer story is evidence that proves that Newcastle are a big club, don't take up being a lawyer. Don't you think that the media attention is in direct proportion to how cretinous the appointment is? If Leather Bottle Hill Warblers FC apppointed the corpse of Adolf Hitler as their manager they too would dominate the news, but it wouldn't make them a 'big' club either.
Matt D
...To Al "So much for NUFC not being a big club! The Premier League (and the media) needs Newcastle United":
No, Al, No it doesn't. Not at all. You won't be missed and life will go on. You're not a big club, you just think you are. It's big news cos he was a famous player, is still a famous pundit, and has repeatedly said he's not interested. That's why it's in the main headlines.
This is a ridiculous knee-jerk appointment designed to appease the Geordie 'faithful' (A laughable term) I will enjoy your relegation immensely.
Your 'best fans in the world' will desert the club in droves in the lower division, proving without doubt that being fat and jobless doesn't actually make you automatically the best or most loyal. As much as it pains me to say it, Man City and Leeds fans are the most loyal. You, are not.
Greg, Reading
...Children point and laugh and mock the fattest kid at school. People gawp and are astonished by acts of stupidity. The audience grimaces and laughs at Jackass antics.
The media and public taking an interest in the weird and wonderful goings on at the circus of freaks which is NUFC does not make the club big, it just means it is a freak show which fascinates and amazes in equal measures.
When you gobby s**tes get relegated will you shut up about being a big club?
Mark (Please Lord let Hull go down too) Fawkner
...1. The media was dominated by the fall of Northern Rock too. It wasn't a big bank (like Newcastle aren't a big club), but it was mismanaged horribly (like Newcastle), to the point where it fell to pieces and failed (we'll see...probably not). The reason the media write about it is so the rest of civilization can stand, mouthes agap, bemused by the lunacy of the whole thing.
Newcastle are like Jim's dad from American Pie - it's cringeworthy and wrong but if it's not happening to you it's hysterical (Northern Rock wasn't funny admittedly)
2. Matt D London - No Real Madrid have never let anyone with no experience coach the team. However the current director of football has no qualifications except being an unlikeable twunt and scoring the winner in the Champions League final against Juve in 98. And so far as I know Shearer never refused to play for Newcastle (Mijatovic did - he was protesting against NATO air strikes). Newcastle may be mad but Real are still the kings (Valencia coming up on the rails though)
Mark (he may have had a point about the air strikes but what were Madrid going to do?) Costello
Bless
Reason to hate Arsenal No. 307
Only an Arsenal fan would turn the plight of Southampton FC into a lecture on how well run his own club is and remind us they are still competing for a Champions League place.
Condescending to**er!
Stuart Brightwell
Laying Down The Law
Last summer, QPR fans were all excited having a new owner etc and a new lease of life was brought to the club. Last August their new home kit was released but my husband and son had to wait til the end of September for theirs due to a production problem. Yesterday my hubby shows me the NEW QPR home shirt - again. To release another home shirt only 7 months since being able to purchase the last one smacks of utter greed.
So, with the new England kit being released also, I've told him - 'It's club or country'!
Would also like to say that was a great result for Scotland, more so as those two NEDS were dropped!
Have a nice day
Lynne, Kent Celt
