Match Reports Talk Football Team Directory Premiership Championship Articles Shop4Real  
 

The football season has started
HOORAY!!!!!!


 Football4real.co.uk
Username
Password
 
  New User  |  Forgot Password?

 Football4real.co.uk
Match Reports
Articles
Talk Football
Team Directory
World Cup News
Premiership News
Championship News
League One News
League Two News
FA Cup News
League Cup News
Scottish News
Welsh News
European News
International News
Shop4Real
League Tables
About Us
Contact Us
Privacy Policy

 
VIEW ARTICLE
Sunday 2 Jul 2006
Out on pens again
The World Cup - Don't you just hate it!


That’s it then. Another World Cup campaign over and, another massive disappointment.

No doubt the jealous Jocks would have been partying north of the border but, for England fans up and down the country it was sadly the same old story.



Did we really stand a chance at all though, given that good ole FIFA had chosen an Argentinian referee to officiate the game?



Has FIFA got it’s head so far in the sand it doesn’t know the history between the two nations? Or was he deployed simply because FIFA know only too well?



I suspect the latter. Some of the decisions during the match with Portugal were woeful to put it mildly.



We were all excited about the fact that Wayne Rooney had got 90 minutes under his belt against Ecuador and now was his chance to burst onto the WC 2006 scene.



He was dismissed by the Argentinian but why? Alright it may have been a yellow card but not red.



England competed well with ten men and, it was almost an inevitability that the game would end with the nerve-racking penalty shoot out.



And what happened there, with Jamie Carragher’s spot kick?



Nicely nestled in the Portuguese net, the Argentinian official ordered Carragher to take it again. Why?



Of course, with nerves taking over, Carragher failed to find the net a second time.



We can’t of course put the blame entirely on the official, with Frank Lampard and Steve Gerrard of all people both having their spot kicks saved.



So instead of glory in Berlin on July 9, we are left with that usual numb feeling once again.



If only we could turn the clock back. If only we could get penalties right for a change. If only FIFA had given us anyone else but an Argentinian referee. If only.



Ah well, another four years to wait. Steve McLaren’s chance now to succeed. Bye bye Sven. You did a reasonable job but ultimately failed like your predecessors.



Not a bad record though. In three major tournaments he lost just one qualifying match against Northern Ireland and, in the three finals, got us to the quarter final each time.



Going out to Brazil by that freak Ronaldinho goal. And crashing out to Portugal twice, both on penalties.



During the latest campaign England conceded just two goals against the Swedes, recorded four clean sheets in their five matches and never lost a match technically.



So well done Sven. Good effort but sadly not good enough.



May as well watch a bit of Wimbledon now before the domestic pre-season friendlies commence.



The World Cup – don’t you just hate it!

Source of info is: Watched on TV
  Show Articles for the same competition
  Show Articles by this Author
 Email to a friend
Rated 5
Posted by
Leeds4ever,Sunday 2 Jul 2006
Number of views: 124

Visit: www.pitchside.net

  Members Post Your Comments
Non-Members Rate this Article  

Posted By : gavver Ratings :Rated 5
Comments : Absolutely gutted! The refereeing in this tournament has been terrible, and like the Aussies, it was our turn to be on the end of some awful decisions. The country must not turn on Rooney, instead it should save its venom for the next time Ronaldo plays in the Premiership, if indeed he does. And Beckham has quit as Captain, but he will still have a part to play in McLaren's new team surely. As for management, Sven's record is, as you say, not bad but you still have to wonder if these wacky line-ups have not brought out the best in the team - Rooney up front on his own, come on? The worrying thing is that McLaren was the one taking the notes and pulling the strings from the sideline. Roll on Euro 2008!

  Home About Us Privacy Match Reports Talk Football Team Directory Premiership Championship Articles Shop4Real  
                                 Copyright [c] 2005, Football4real.co.uk, All Rights Reserved Website by Spyro Interactive