HMS Beckham Bullet Sinks the Argies !

WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Bridge for Owen????

The match was great!

It wasn't completely horrible or anything, but it lacked a consistent spark for me. Mind you, I got up horribly early to watch the whole thing, so maybe I'm just viewing things through a sleep-deprived fog.

Well obviously the result is great, although it could set up a second round match against the Frenchies + Zidane and that will be the end of England.

I dunno, I'm not so sure about that now...

Owen Hargreaves limping off = blessing in disguise?

We beat Argentina. HA!

Only consolation for me is that it looks like Italy'll have the Yanks in the next round. God's own country vs The Great Satan...

Which is which? ...

*smirk*

Reading the various comments around the web, I can only conclude I must have fallen asleep again at certain points or something (or else was noting an e-mail at the wrong time). Yay time zones!

I think most fans will call any game "exciting" when the result is in their team's favor (especially if the game involves a traditional rivalry like Argentina-England).

So if you did fall asleep, Ned, it was probably due to the game itself as well as the hour.

Like you, I didn't think the match was nearly as exciting as most ILE-ers say it was. And it's interesting that you and I feel the same way because we were cheering for opposite teams.

Since ILE is loaded with Brits, naturally, they'll be more excited about the result -- they have a bigger emotional stake in it. Also, they're probably watching it together with beer and friends down at the local pub, which contributes greatly to the perceived excitement of a game.

ILE Brits might want to keep in mind that out here in earlier timezones (the Pacific, for instance) we're watching each game alone in our beds in a slightly-paranoid ("musn't wake my spouse/my roommates/the kids/the neighbors!") atmosphere of early, early morning. If we're lucky, we've got a bowl of Wheaties and a cup of coffee to sustain us, and if we're smart, we've set everything out ahead of time so that we can jump into the shower, the clothes, the commute, and the workday grind the very second the ref blows his final whistle.

With such an un-ideal viewing environment, it's difficult for Pacific time-zoners to imagine that any game could be considered "exciting", unless it's _EXCITING_.

I think you'll find that they only have that position in American 'football', Alan - the game with all the padding, you know.

I thought it was terrific. I'm sure it wasn't as delightful a display of beautiful football as Brazil-Turkey, say, but England were superb, better than I thought they could be against such first class opponents, and thoroughly deserved the win, though sitting back so much as the game went on worried me. And withdrawing Owen, who was such a threat on the break as Argentina pushed up, seemed odd (unless he had brought on another quick man, like Vassell).

I was particularly impressed with Sinclair, and I hope he'll start the next game, with Beckham, Scholes and Butt completing the midfield. Butt was really excellent, and we don't need to be as negative against Nigeria, so I don't want to see Butt and Hargreaves together. Still not sure about Heskey up front - if Sheringham can play a full game (maybe even 60-70 minutes) at anything like the standard he demonstrated as soon as he came on today, he's the man.

It was a good, physical game of football. Very tight. It was great for me because I can't believe it! We can go far in this competition now. Hopefully the injuries will stop.

Martin- agree on all of the points you've made bar Heskey. I think him and Owen go very well together. He's got strength and does cause problems but teddy is a super sub. We've got options there and that is good.

honest answer Robin? Before Zidane's injury: yes. After that and Lemerre's weird insistence on playing with fuckwits like Petit, Leboeuf and Wiltord: no.

Ah, jokes, yes. If only these things were easier to spot...

You see, I was making a joke about American football positions too. I think we should have to add ;-) or LOL or something like this every time we make a joke. It should be a rule.

Argentina are vulnerable in attack, midfield, defence and keeper's not the greatest. Seems a crazy thing to say about the so called favorites. They would be a completely different team w/ Juan Roman Riqulme, who is the best Argy player period, but wasn't even picked! What a shame that fans don't get to watch 1 of the worlds best and most attractive players.

Raul (probably the best player last season) said Riqulme was the best he's ever played against! Also leaving Savi at home when you have no strikers or speed is beyond a joke. Riqulme's brother was kidnapped for ransom a couple months ago And his family are always getting death threats. The football team is the 1 good thing Argentina has going for it, the public is desperite to win, their best stay home and England gets to celebrate. Very sad for the Argentinians.

Then you clearly did not *watch* the entire second half. The 17-pass move that led to Sheringham's volley? Owen's two surges into the box? Beckham toe-poke into the side-netting? Scholes' 25-yard volley after Heskey's shot was charged down?

England soaked up a great deal of pressure in the last 20 minutes, but Argentina created little. Ultimately, it's only a single goal win in a group match and I don't believe England will get beyond the quarters, but it was an admirable performance.

And as far as this "uninspiring" bollox is concerned, give it a rest. I really can't stand this, if you're not entertained don't watch it. They're trying to win matches not entertain people. You'd swear the Brazilians were kicking 2 yard tap ins over because they're souless or something.

Saying England play uninspiring foothall seems connected in my head to saying something about how kids these days have no manners, or how noone can write a bloody song anymore or something.

What was that Alan Ball quote about clowns?

What that? Sound's kinda gross!

I think it's nice that Ronan is standing up for Herman's Hermits, hardly a fashionable band with most youngsters. People say that the young today don't know they are born, yet this shows that proper tunes are still 'with it', as I believe the kids say.

Brazil look complacent to me.

I see you're into something good here.

Now what I was wondering: why doesn't England play in red all the time? I almost knew they were going to win when I realized they were playing in the red shirt. Save Mexico 70 and that game Poland made you look like fools in 73(?) your best games have been in red, right? But then you probably have had this discussion for ages. ;)

Apparently, not even a broken foot can drown passion for the game.

But Argentina just ran out of steam. For a few minutes there, I actually thought they'd have a chance in hell;>

A transfer window comes again and david beckham's name fills more column inches, sometimes in the sports section, more often in the media sections.

talk of LA, talk of inter, talk of tottenham, marseille even

1) its widely acknowledged that beckham worked hard in madrid and is something of a grafter in terms of chasing a cause. but he seems unlikely to consider moves to bolton, boro, even newcastle, with only spurs deemed a uk move acceptable to club and player

while its obviously something of a drop after playing whole career at such a high level, why does it seem unique that beckham, someone who isnt afraid to work, won't go to such clubs

2) its also widely acknowledged he wont be going to a top 4 club. yet beckham is only one year older than shevchenko and ballack, a pair that chelsea have reorganized their entire setup to accomodate

3) wonder if he wishes he'd moved to barcelona after all now

I know many other players have been happy to accept that, but there's never really been an English footballer like Beckham which makes him something of a special case.

And of course the idea of the Beckhams moving to Bolton or Middlesbrough is ridiculous.

it is fascinating that ballack, of a very similar age, is deemed worthy of a huge contract at chelsea, and the restructuring of the team to accomodate, yet the idea is almost laughable when it comes to beckham.

And they said that about Juninho and Ravanelli 10 years ago.

Good to see Americans learned fuck all from the collapse of their national league in the 70s.

-- Billy Dods (butterbubble...), January 11th, 2007 3:10 PM. (Billy Dods) (link)

that was pretty ridiculous, to be fair

Thread title for the ages, this

Until last night, that is.

BECKHAM GETS BULLET
"Poland lacks skilled plumbers" former star is told