*smirk*
Scotland 1 - 0 France
I just have one thing to say about this result, and I mean this with the utmost sense of respect and sporting goodwill: BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, eat that you arrogant tossers!!!
Ahem.
So I was lucky enough to catch the highlights and the end of the match at a pub full of expat Englishmen, and believe it or not we were all cheering the Scots at the tops of our lungs. That was certainly a pleasant surprise, considering the English media's disgusting attitude toward Scotland. Anyway, well done to Gary and the boys for making Titi and co. eat all their obnoxious and patronizing words, and may they keep the confidence going for a good result on Wednesday!
England 0 - 0 Macedonia
You know it's bad when the satellite feed poops out midway through the match and people actually cheer. *facepalm* To be honest I'm not upset about this result because I've been expecting one like it, especially knowing the probable lineup. Of course, I didn't think the performance would be quite that pathetic.
People have argued that England were unlucky, that if Gary Neville hadn't lacked composure or if Crouch could head anywhere near the target then the country would be celebrating another victory right now. Maybe, but I'm actually glad they didn't get the goal because people might actually learn something from the match. For instance...
~ Stewart Downing is not now and possibly may never be ready for top international competition. His decision-making is poor, he seems hesitant to take players on or else tries to take on too many and loses possession, and his crossing nearly always makes me cringe in embarrassment. It's gotten to the point where I want to cry when I see his name in the lineup.
~Michael Carrick does not have the bite to control a game from the midfield, or at least the manager doesn't know how to get that kind of performance out of him. Fine; don't muck about trying to make it work, just play Scotty Parker and let him demonstrate how it should be done. The excuse that he lacks international experience is bollocks--so did Carrick a few matches ago, and he doesn't appear to have benefited from any of them anyway.
~ It's possible to keep a clean sheet without Rio Ferdinand. In fact, it's possible to not even notice his absence. Long may that absence continue.
~ Steven Gerrard has fantastic individual ability, but apparently can't be arsed to play as part of a team. For once I'm not the only one who noticed (and fumed over) his total lack of discipline in terms of defending, providing much-needed width, and, you know, not drifting inside to run into Rooney or Crouch's space every five seconds! Wtf? People are always going on about how Lampard and Gerrard can't play together and just get in each other's way, but judging from Saturday's performance it's not Frank who has a problem staying in the position the manager asked him to occupy.
You know, I seem to recall a certain former captain getting a load of stick in the press for his perceived tendency to drift inside from the right in order to 'quarterback' during important matches. Strangely, Stevie Me seems to have escaped similar criticism in all the reports I've seen. Hm.
~ Amazingly enough, Wayne Rooney cannot win every match just by being on the pitch. Especially when he's out of form, trying too hard, and frustrated. Here's an idea: stop treating him like the hope of a nation and let him get his fitness back before picking him for the squad.
I could go on, but frankly it's too depressing. Anyway this isn't exactly rocket science, is it? Surely the Ginger Whinger can see what is obvious to someone halfway around the world, right? Oh, wait, my bad. We're talking about the man who will pick Stewart Downing ahead of Wayne Bridge, my mum before Scott Parker, and who waited half an hour too long (at least) to replace a ticking timebomb with the most threatening attacking player on the night. Yeah, England are frakked.
Unfortunately for me I still care, and I will still be following Wednesday's match with crossed fingers and nervous knots in my stomach. It's just sad that a country with so much potential will probably never realize it because of mismanagement and the fear of change.
For the record, this has been my England 'dream team' for some time, even before this summer's fiasco:
Robinson
G. Johnson--Terry--King--Bridge
Wright-Phillips--Lampard--Parker--J. Cole
A. Johnson--Ashton
Substitutes: Foster, Dawson, Hargreaves, Lennon, Defoe, Crouch
Okay, some of them are young and inexperienced (or injured, but we're ignoring that because hello, this is fantasy), and I wouldn't mind keeping the likes of Gary Neville or Jamie Carragher, but looking toward the Euros and the next World Cup I think the kids ought to be given a chance. As for Rooney, unless he has a major personality transplant I consider him more of a liability than anything else, and I don't like the way the team often tries to play everything around/through him. If England are to win anything ever again, I'd like it to be because they are a good team (full of nice guys, not greedy, selfish, arrogant wankers) and not because some spoiled wunderkind has a moment of brilliance.
Oh, well, at least if the actual team continues to wallow in mediocrity I'll have the small satisfaction of being able to say 'I told you so' after the next quarter-final defeat. *sigh*
While we're on the subject of England, I should mention an important milestone. Frank Lampard is set to receive his 50th cap on Wednesday, and anyone entertaining the idea that he doesn't deserve it ought to take a look at this. You might also be interested in some statistics that caught my attention today. According to the FA, Lamps has 12 goals from 41 starts, 3 bookings, and no dismissals. Wayne Rooney has 11 goals from 30 starts, 4 bookings, and 1 dismissal. Of course, it's not fair to compare a midfielder to a striker when it comes to goals, so let me add that Steven Gerrard has 10 goals from 48 starts, plus 7 bookings.
Just saying.