12/21/24
June 07, 2002
England beat Argentina....: and I can't take it anymore ! COME ON ENGLAND !!!!
Not lame, never lame...... Getin there!!!!!
posted by Brettski at 08:37 AM on June 07, 2002
I have no fingernails left and a nasty headache from that last 20 minutes.. Damn them - why can't we just roll over teams nice and easy? Always have to do it the hard way, eh? :) We outplayed them completely in the first 70 minutes, and deserved to be ahead by more than that one goal. Its now veery interesting - if England don't lose, Argentina will have to win or they go out. Who woulda thought? As an aside, as Argentina are ranked #2 and England #12 in the world rankings, and Portugal are #4 and USA #13, isn't this a bigger surprise than that 3-2? Nah, cos we're great and rankings mean nothing.. Time to stop buzzing..
posted by Mossy at 08:49 AM on June 07, 2002
Bzzzz...bzzzzt....bzzzz! The best thing was that we won by playing football & working together, not kicking & diving our way to victory. Nicky Butt & Rio Ferdinand as star players out of 14 class acts. BTW, France, Germany & Argentina could all go out next week ;-)
posted by i_cola at 09:09 AM on June 07, 2002
Feeling a bit smug, as I think I called the system: not 3-5-2, but definitely the narrow midfield built around Butt and Scholes, and leaving the real width to the full-backs. A pity for Hargreaves that he got clattered, but Sinclair's earned his place vs. Nigeria anyway on his performance. Rio was rock-solid, Butt played out of his skin, and in a way, this is more satisfying than the 5-1 in Munich because of the quality of the opposition. (Still, it's to be noted that Argentina took off £50m's worth of players...)
posted by etagloh at 09:20 AM on June 07, 2002
Mossy - The other thing is that it was always a worry that if England finished second in their group they'd end up playing France (as group winners). More likely now is that England win their group and still get to play France... btw Group F winners have a relatively clear path to the Semis...... Now we'll lose to Nigeria - isn't this a lot like Greece in the qualifiers? All the hard work done by beating the main group rival, just one last 'minnow' to take care of.....
posted by Brettski at 09:53 AM on June 07, 2002
argh, i TiVo'd it. Fark spoiled me. oh well, i'll still have to watch it. Congrats England.
posted by jbelshaw at 10:09 AM on June 07, 2002
Up England! Great game, and yes we could easily have had more goals. Owen's work rate was much improved from the first game, and Mills chipped in a gutty performance. I'm still not convinced about Heskey, though. Honestly, I don't think Argentina really deserve to go through to the next stage, the way they've played. I say Sweden will beat them on a last minute winner.
posted by kafkaesque at 10:30 AM on June 07, 2002
Only analysis I have to give is Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssss.
posted by squealy at 11:30 AM on June 07, 2002
Good job England! Finally, some revenge for the "hand of god." Better still if Argentina don't get through. Now, how come nobody even mentioned Ashley Cole for playing his heart out, getting every tackle and taking all those fouls. He was superb, as well as Campbell and Ferdinand. Mills kept Argentina honest with his overlapping runs. Sinclair was more than an able replacement for Hargreaves. Rock solid. Seaman was an inspiration with his cool collected play. Scholes was in everything, stopping plays up and down the field and distributing quickly. Becks played some sublime long balls forward into the path of the forwards. And, Collina, the ref, should get some bloody award for his firm and fair handling of the match. Every ref should get training with him before they get certified. Still, Ashley Cole gets my Player of the Match award for being on top of his game for all 90 minutes, and taking all that abuse. I think we may see Sheringham up front with Owen. Teddy almost scored with that scorching volley just seconds after coming on for Heskey. It'll also be interesting to see Fowler partner Owen, but I think they need a tougher foil (like Sheringham) for Owen. Now, on to Nigeria.
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:55 PM on June 07, 2002
May I add, OI!.. BATISTUTA!.... UP YER BOLLOCKS!
posted by Fat Buddha at 12:59 PM on June 07, 2002
And Maradona! Put this in your pipe and smoke it!
posted by worldcup2002 at 01:06 PM on June 07, 2002
Apologies for coming across all Anglocentric and gloating, but we owe Argentina, we owe them big. Plus, unless you are a Birmingham City fan, days like this don't come around often. I actually feel sorry for the Argentines, with their economy in free fall, they now have to contend with this, but they will probably still qualify. Their team apparently support all manner of worthwhile causes. But............stuff em. They are the gloatingest of all gloaters; very undignified in victory and they didn't appear much better in defeat. The ever helpful Guardian has provided a list of Argentine websites so those so inclined can enjoy their pain even more.
posted by Fat Buddha at 01:22 PM on June 07, 2002
The teams didn't seem to exchange jerseys after the game? That seems to be against the norm. Was this a conscious decision by BOTH teams, or did one team come out and say "Screw'em! We're keeping our shirts!" ?
posted by grum@work at 03:15 PM on June 07, 2002
From the pictures I saw, it was evident that the Argentines were in a major sulk and gave the English players the brush off. Beckham definitely behaved with dignity and tried to shake a few hands. Beckham in my hapless opinion behaved with dignity 4 years ago as well; took all the ordure thrown at him like a stand up guy. He was very unlucky that day in St Etienne. The real villain of the piece was Shearer. It may have escaped the notice of some but the Argentines behaved awfully after winning 4 years ago and really got in the faces of the English team afterwards. According to 5 live today as the Argentine team bus arrived they had a big flag flying and were singing and chanting and generally giving it plenty. They were clearly massively overconfident, and paid for their arrogance. Bielsa was arrogant yesterday. He is supposed to be the cool intellectual. He didn't look very cool today patrolling the touchline like a vexed cat. Like overgrown children the coiffured ones just couldn't comprehend that they had been outhought, outplayed outclassed, and outbattled. Their dirty tricks didn't work and they were nonplussed. Being charitable, they just didn't know how to react.
posted by Fat Buddha at 03:29 PM on June 07, 2002
Having just read the weblog of Bill Davies, who pointed the way to the article, I withdraw , partially, some of what I said. Crespo seems like a good guy.
posted by Fat Buddha at 03:49 PM on June 07, 2002
Good on Beckham, for redemption is a loverly thing indeed.
posted by avogadro at 05:34 PM on June 07, 2002
Crossposted from my weblog, but what the heck. Luis Borges! General Galtieri! Maradona! Carlos Menem! Alberto Ginastera! Che Guevara! Eduardo Duhalde!!! Eva Peron - can you hear me, Eva Peron?!? Your boys took one hell of a beating! Your boys took one hell of a beating!
posted by nedrichards at 05:46 PM on June 07, 2002
I always liked Crespo, for staying with Parma for as long as he did. And Canniggia, for going to Dundee of all places. And I do really hope that Argentina progress (if only to a game against France), because while England needed today's win, the entire country of Argentina needs something that, for one, the IMF can't fuck over.
posted by etagloh at 06:18 PM on June 07, 2002
What etagloh said.
posted by Fat Buddha at 06:50 PM on June 07, 2002
this is a lame post I know, but I don't care!!!!!!!!!!