Originally Posted by gazzae

Originally Posted by ntluser

I can never understand why it is in major competitions some teams play with a laid back style not really attempting to score because scoring is the one way to win the match and avoid being knackered by extra time or being put out of the competition by penalties.

If it gets down to penalties the teams were obviously not trying hard enough to win.Next time England play I hope Steve McClaren doesn't follow Sven's example and we actually have a team that is so committed that we can stick just 10 men on the field and still win.

Originally Posted by TheBlueRaja

You must be forgetting about Sweden, who did exactly that against England.

Originally Posted by ntluser

True, but then it wasn't a winning strategy because they didn't reach the final either.

In 90 minutes a well-organised side can put away quite a few goals. When you leave it to penalties it becomes sudden death with all the extra stress that comes with it and it's at a time when you are already tired from the game and the extra time.

Originally Posted by punky

Apparently, according to an Itallian lipreader, the Itallian said to Zidane "I wish an ugly death to your family.." His mother had just recently fallen seriously ill...

Originally Posted by punky

Apparently, according to an Itallian lipreader, the Itallian said to Zidane "I wish an ugly death to your family.." His mother had just recently fallen seriously ill...

Originally Posted by gazzae

So many conflicting reports, apparently Zidane said something to Materazzi which provoked him into saying something like that.

Originally Posted by Martin O' Neil

As for Zidane, it's very obvious that Materazzi has said something to upset him.

But that's too bad - it only happens every 15 seconds in a game. To do that, I can't comprehend it.

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

Surely if the other team is as well oraganised it will end up as a draw anyway? Certainly I have seen teams ease up in extra time but I always felt it more to do with fear rather than actually wanting penalties, the only team I have ever seen play for penalties is the Italia 90 Argentinian team.

Originally Posted by ntluser

A draw would seem to be the most probable outcome but where two sides are well balanced, goals are scored from creative football and better tactics.

What irritated me about England's style of play was the reliance on passing the ball to and fro across the half-back line and back to the goalkeeper.

Except for players like Cole, Lennon, Gerrard & Hargreaves the England philosophy seemed to be more about keeping goals out than putting them in.

Hoping that Beckham will score from a free kick or that your side would get a penalty is not what I'd call a professional plan of action.

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

England are a different kettle of fish, it looked to me like we did not have a plan, just a blind faith that it would be all right on the night, look at the Germans for instance they have gone into the last two World Cups with pretty poor teams and yet they have finished 2nd and 3rd, mainly due to planning and preperation.