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So after all the (inevitably premature) euphoria and optimism that followed England winning their group, normal service was immediately resumed and yet again Rooney proves he's far more adept at scoring with geriatric hookers than for England when it really matters.

And Ashley Cole's penalty redefined the meaning of the word "lame". I bet the last time he was that nervous was when Cheryl found his phone.

But the better team won and this time In-Ger-Land can have no complaints. We can now sit back and enjoy the 4 best teams in the tournament contest the semis. And I don't really care who wins. As long as it's not Germany.

- Eric

We over achieved to get as far as we did, so well done for that boys, end of !

I'm not complaining Dave and you're right, they were definitely punching above their weight and winning their group was a (minor) achievement.

But once all the nonsense started in the media after the Ukraine win, you just knew that it was all going to go tits-up in the knockout stages (I'd predicted 1-1 against Italy followed by the usual penalties debacle, so I wasn't too far wrong).

And as in every tournament finals that he's played in since 2004, Rooney looked slow and jaded most of the time, and the one goal he did score against Ukraine, my gran could have probably put away. And she's been dead 20 years.

As I said in Jim's Pele thread, it's one thing running rings round the defences of make-up-the-numbers Premiership sides, but another thing altogether delivering the goods in quarter finals of major tournaments.

- Eric

If Italy had lost last night it would have been a travesty of justice! It seems we only "Win" any of these games, by blunder, accident or sheer luck, never by consistent skill from start to finish. You should have seen The Sun yesterday with a grim faced Gerrard, "Rallying the troops". I asked Lara, (Who knows about sport) isn't Italy, "Quite good, or am I mistaken?" this was because The Sun was already suggesting that thanks to our Rooney and his troops, we would roll over Italy much like our weary troops did at the end of WW2!!lol

We played negative football throughout, played for penalties, (which we've been practising) and then lost.

Coles penalty was a poor effort, but at least he got it on target, there's no excuse for Young hitting the bar, you've got to at least make the keeper save it.

Rooney didn't turn up to a tournament as usual.

Hodgson Out

Don't be sad about England losing on penalties... evolution has a way of rectifying these things.

The more we lose penalty shoot-outs, the bigger our hands will become with which to cover our eyes. And the bigger our hands become, so much the better for England goalkeepers of the future. See... it's not all bad!!!

Cole hit a great pen in the champions league final but last nights was lame.Should have never put rooney straight back in and maybe given the ox a go . Millions are being spent on a coaching centre but will anything change.if we qualify for the world cup who is going to have emerged in the next 2 yrs to make any difference.

Kyle Richmond wrote:

> Cole hit a great pen in the champions league final but last
> nights was lame.Should have never put rooney straight back in
> and maybe given the ox a go . Millions are being spent on a
> coaching centre but will anything change.if we qualify for
> the world cup who is going to have emerged in the next 2 yrs
> to make any difference.
>


England won't get anywhere near the World Cup in 2014. I mean they might qualify, but the best they can realistically hope for is the last 8 - and even then, that's only provided they get a side like Ecuador or Nigeria in the last 16. If they come up against one of the big guns, they're screwed.

Personally I don't think England will win a major tournament as long as the set-up of the game in England remains the same. After a piss-poor showing in Euro 2000, the Germans went right back to the drawing board and reorganised their entire set-up and strategy because they actually had some pride in the game.

The FA and the Premier League on the other hand can only see Pound and Dollar signs, and as long as the game in England remains first and foremost about megabucks sponsorships, TV deals, image rights and foreign mercenaries (money in other words), with the actual playing of football just a means to that end, they can build as many "centres of excellence" as they like but the national team's fortunes will not improve.

- Eric

Rooney reminds me of a drunken dad watching his 10 year old son's team losing at a school game, who staggers on to the pitch, red faced and panting and declares, "Git art of the way, son, I'll show ya how it's done!" With that he clumsily ploughs into various spectacular drunken attempts at scoring a goal, his strength fortified by Special Brew and Ginsters Meat pies! Naturally all his attempts end in failure, whilst his son looks on in tortured embarrassment! !wink!

England were a serious embarrassment last night. The gulf between the teams was enormous. Like watching a premiership team play Fleetwood town.

They can't pass to teammates. They are slow lethargic and devoid of any talent.

We have no world class players other than maybe Hart???? Rooney fails yet again! The Liverpool players apart from Gerard are all crap. The Man city and Man u players are just not good enough.

How we miss Beckham and Scholes who at least can pass the ball.

Thank god we haven't got to watch us being humiliated against the Germans.