Quarterfinal Three: Official England vs Portugal PRE Match Thread - Part II - [R]

[Knave]

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England vs Portugal
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July 1 - Gelsenkirchen (http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/w/bracket.html)
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This thread is neutral and strictly moderated.

Please take strongly partisan discussion to the
team boards (http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6919151&postcount=3) or to the World Rivalry board (http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=160).
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AIM Chat Information

BigSoccerGroupWC06 - neutral
BigSoccerEngland - pro England
BigSoccerPortugal - pro Portugal

Directions to join the chats. (http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6919157&postcount=6)
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No Flames - No Trolls
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[Goal_Crazy]

Im really looking forward to this match, should be a really even game and can go either way, 50-50 chance of either team winning it. On paper England has the upper hand but;

For England to win they need to play alot more as a team. So far all of their goals have been from brilliant individual displays, Becks free kicks, Gerrards and J. Cole goal. Portugal has a much better defence then any team England has faced thus far, and if they continue to struggle offensivly and don't play as a team England is toast. Their defence has been very solid thus far.

Portugal need to continue the great teamwork that they have displayed thus far in the tourney and minimize giving free kicks in decent poitions for England. Portugal has always been poor at defending set peices and this wil be one of the keys to the game. Portugal also need a big game from Ronaldo, but I think this will be a very hard game for him due to the English players familiarity with his playing, but if hes on, hes virtually unstoppable. Also need a big game from Figo filling in for Deco and disributing the ball.

All this being said I hope Portugal can edge out a vicory, I see a very slim victory for the eventually winner. Good luck to the English, and I hope you loose. :D Forca Portugal!

As for the the tool from the other thread who wrote a novel about Portugal's diving, grow up please.

[Pigs]

Why England will lose.......

Portugal haven't got two important players for this game....

Is that a good thing? No, crap like that always goes against England. This is good news for Portugal :D SERIOUSLY!

Quarterfinals

No other team has been knocked out at the Quarterfinal stage more times than England. This is how far England progress. England start to choke as soon as they score. It's like they don't know what to do when this happens.

Scolari
He's already knocked England out of TWO Quarterfinals (two when Sven was the coach). Oh, and England were ahead in both, like always.

Sven
England play like him....boring, no passion, calm, low tempo, in no hurry at all, slow, and old...Gerrard ages 10 years and so does the rest of the team. Around 70 minutes they look tired even though they haven't done anything to look tired.

England need a someone to give them a good teamtalk....in this case they have a boring swede. England play too negative, we play like Sweden, we play like we don't have Gerrard and Lampard and Beckham, and J.COle in the midfield. Or Terry and Ferdinand, or A. Cole at the back. We play like we don't want to lose under Sven. We play with a slow tempo, England are not a slow tempo team. And we aren't Sweden.

Beckham
England play with 10 men. Until there is a freekick or corner, and thats when Beckham does a magic trick, he actually touches the ball.

Beckham
When Beckham gets the ball, he boots it upfield to Crouch. Whether Crouch playing or not.

Owen
The only clinical striker Sven picked. ANd he's injured.

Lampard
Doesn't have a blue shirt on, doesn't have Makelle behind him. Normally his best passes in the Premiership are to the rightwing for Robben/Duff to run onto. Unfortunately he has to pass back to the rightback position were he'll find Beckham holding hands with Neville, Beckham who runs away from defenders or midfielders to find space.

Rooney
Unless Crouch is played infront of him, he's wasted as a player.


England should win still, Portugal should be beaten. But I don't think its gonna end up that way. England will score first......and lose 2-1. And if not, then maybe lose on penalties. AGAIN


The only way I can see England winning is if they play this

GK - ROBINSON

RB - NEVILLE
CB - FERDINAND
CB - TERRY
LB - A.COLE

RM - LENNON
DM - CARRICK/Hargreaves
AM - GERRARD
LM - J.COLE

SS - ROONEY
FW - CROUCH


Looks weaker, but this team will actually play as a team.

[sidis]

I think joe cole is the best player from england, he plays like a south american player.
If portugal can stop J cole and don't do Fouls near the Area they can win England easilly.

[Colm]

Why England will lose.......

Portugal haven't got two important players for this game....

Is that a good thing? No, crap like that always goes against England. This is good news for Portugal :D SERIOUSLY!

Quarterfinals

No other team has been knocked out at the Quarterfinal stage more times than England. This is how far England progress. England start to choke as soon as they score. It's like they don't know what to do when this happens.

Scolari
He's already knocked England out of TWO Quarterfinals (two when Sven was the coach). Oh, and England were ahead in both, like always.

Sven
England play like him....boring, no passion, calm, low tempo, in no hurry at all, slow, and old...Gerrard ages 10 years and so does the rest of the team. Around 70 minutes they look tired even though they haven't done anything to look tired.

England need a someone to give them a good teamtalk....in this case they have a boring swede. England play too negative, we play like Sweden, we play like we don't have Gerrard and Lampard and Beckham, and J.COle in the midfield. Or Terry and Ferdinand, or A. Cole at the back. We play like we don't want to lose under Sven. We play with a slow tempo, England are not a slow tempo team. And we aren't Sweden.

Beckham
England play with 10 men. Until there is a freekick or corner, and thats when Beckham does a magic trick, he actually touches the ball.

Beckham
When Beckham gets the ball, he boots it upfield to Crouch. Whether Crouch playing or not.

Owen
The only clinical striker Sven picked. ANd he's injured.

Lampard
Doesn't have a blue shirt on, doesn't have Makelle behind him. Normally his best passes in the Premiership are to the rightwing for Robben/Duff to run onto. Unfortunately he has to pass back to the rightback position were he'll find Beckham holding hands with Neville, Beckham who runs away from defenders or midfielders to find space.

Rooney
Unless Crouch is played infront of him, he's wasted as a player.


England should win still, Portugal should be beaten. But I don't think its gonna end up that way. England will score first......and lose 2-1. And if not, then maybe lose on penalties. AGAIN


The only way I can see England winning is if they play this

GK - ROBINSON

RB - NEVILLE
CB - FERDINAND
CB - TERRY
LB - A.COLE

RM - LENNON
DM - CARRICK/Hargreaves
AM - GERRARD
LM - J.COLE

SS - ROONEY
FW - CROUCH


Looks weaker, but this team will actually play as a team.Agreed mate, I'm pessimistic for this one. Can't see Sven leading us to the semi-final i really can't :(

[CRonaldo_07]

Agreed mate, I'm pessimistic for this one. Can't see Sven leading us to the semi-final i really can't :(


Dude, were not gonna have Deco and costinha and ornaldo is a major doubt.

were the ones that are fcuked:o

[Colm]

Dude, were not gonna have Deco and costinha and ornaldo is a major doubt.

were the ones that are fcuked:oScolari >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sven

That's all I got to say.

[Nihilism]

This game will suck big time. I predict a 1:0 for any side, cause both teams can't play good football and lack quality players. Regardless who wins, next match the team is out. There's no chance in hell that england/portugal could stand against brazil, germany or italy.

[LarsSon]

Deco is more important to Portugal than people would like to think. he's such a creator and hard-worker. Always liked him- now I really do think England win this one. Without Deco Portugal is in trouble.

[leg_breaker]

No other team has been knocked out at the Quarterfinal stage more times than England. This is how far England progress. England start to choke as soon as they score. It's like they don't know what to do when this happens.

This is Portugal's first time in the knockout rounds in forty years. They're the team who will be getting nosebleeds.

[bdon]

The way england will win this game, is how the team is built, with great individual efforts (Set pieces or strikes!!!!) lol. For portugal they have to work the wings and purge through the middle and they will win, and thats the only way. :)

[Chris2006]

This is the first big team for england in this world cup and it should be the last.
Bye England.

[Fan123]

This is Portugal's first time in the knockout rounds in forty years. They're the team who will be getting nosebleeds.

I don't know what not being there for 40 years had to do with anything. Seriously, what does that have to do with a team being good or not? If you're good, you get through, history means crap when you're 11 vs. 11 on the football pitch.

I also expect an entertaining match, something Portugal (or to be exact FIGO - drama queen) promises to provide.:D

[royalstilton]

The only way I can see England winning is if they play this

GK - ROBINSON

RB - NEVILLE
CB - FERDINAND
CB - TERRY
LB - A.COLE

RM - LENNON
DM - CARRICK/Hargreaves
AM - GERRARD
LM - J.COLE

SS - ROONEY
FW - CROUCH


Looks weaker, but this team will actually play as a team.
-=-
i like the approach, but i think that putting Carrick on first will be a mistake. while it will create a stronger attacking presence in midfield than if Hargreaves is in, it will force Gerrard to handle some of the holding midfield role and not allow him to push into space created by Lennon's forays up the right side.

Andy Gray's view on Sky Sports, and i generally concur, is that Rooney must play this game as a target player, with a 5 man midfield, including Lampard. i think your scheme is viable, but i still think it makes more sense to start with Hargreaves. frankly, i don't see Carrick providing the links that Lampard benefits from with Chelsea, as has been pointed out. Gerrard is the best player on the pitch ( unless you think it's Rooney, which i don't ), so the best game plan is to work to give him the best opportunities to get to the ball in the open.

if you look at Gerrard's best goals, the greater majority of them have him running on to a ball or coming forward into space. he's not going to score many goals by sleight of hand, is he?

[FigoTX]

Here's a question to the English fans...

I notice that a lot of England supporters want Beckham on the bench. I agree that, skillwise, he falls short of Cole, Lampard, Gerrard, and a few others. But...he seems to be the only one consistently coming through for you guys this WC. He may be more one-dimensional than your other mids, but he's getting the assists and goals. Sure, blowing chunks on the field might be embarrasing, but hey, he scored the winning goal.

The question is, why do you all want to bench him? I mean, for me, go ahead and bench him then we don't have to freak out every freekick. :D

[Pigs]

Here's a question to the English fans...

I notice that a lot of England supporters want Beckham on the bench. I agree that, skillwise, he falls short of Cole, Lampard, Gerrard, and a few others. But...he seems to be the only one consistently coming through for you guys this WC. He may be more one-dimensional than your other mids, but he's getting the assists and goals. Sure, blowing chunks on the field might be embarrasing, but hey, he scored the winning goal.

The question is, why do you all want to bench him? I mean, for me, go ahead and bench him then we don't have to freak out every freekick. :D

Well that's the crazy thing about Beckham, he's absolutely nowhere for 89 minutes but for one minute he happened to pop his head out of his a$$ and score a goal. Or do an assist, or force someone to score an own goal.

But England would be so much better as a team and so much more creative if he wasn't there. We need Lennon on the field.

Our midfield is completely unbalanced. And we have no one who runs to the byline, and our two players who do that are on the bench in Lennon, and Downing.

J.Cole is great, but he cuts in. (OK, that's good but we need someone on the right who gets down the wing)......
Beckham doesn't run, he either passes back or passes 50 yards upfield.
Lampard - Gerrard (they don't know who's coming or going, literally)

And the two best things about Lampard and Gerrard is their ability to pass onto the wing. No one are better than those two in making thru passes to the wing. But how much use is that to England when we haven't got two wingers who run to the byline?

[jec1]

Attention England Players: Please Don't Try An Intentionally Hurt Ronaldo....let Him Roam The Field And Show His True Talents.

Afterall, It Is Fair Play.

[FigoTX]

Well that's the crazy thing about Beckham, he's absolutely nowhere for 89 minutes but for one minute he happened to pop his head out of his a$$ and score a goal. Or do an assist, or force someone to score an own goal.

But England would be so much better as a team and so much more creative if he wasn't there. We need Lennon on the field.

Our midfield is completely unbalanced. And we have no one who runs to the byline, and our two players who do that are on the bench in Lennon, and Downing.

J.Cole is great, but he cuts in. (OK, that's good but we need someone on the right who gets down the wing)......
Beckham doesn't run, he either passes back or passes 50 yards upfield.
Lampard - Gerrard (they don't know who's coming or going, literally)

And the two best things about Lampard and Gerrard is their ability to pass onto the wing. No one are better than those two in making thru passes to the wing. But how much use is that to England when we haven't got two wingers who run to the byline?

I guess it's a Catch-22. But at this point, do you leave him on the bench? That'll never happen as he's the captain...or would it?

[roverman]

if you english supporters are so negative, why dont you get lost and support brazil, you lot make me sick with your negative attitude, beckham is a class player, any side in the world would love to have him, we have some world class players that other teams would drool over, we aint playing well right now, i admit but most teams in this world cup are no different, portugal are missing some top players and this is our best chance for years of getting to a semi-final. I for one, am optimistic about this game and i beleive in the players because they are are winners, so stop the negative vibes and get behind them for f*cks sake!!!

[benficafan3]

if you english supporters are so negative, why dont you get lost and support brazil, you lot make me sick with your negative attitude, beckham is a class player, any side in the world would love to have him, we have some world class players that other teams would drool over, we aint playing well right now, i admit but most teams in this world cup are no different, portugal are missing some top players and this is our best chance for years of getting to a semi-final. I for one, am optimistic about this game and i beleive in the players because they are are winners, so stop the negative vibes and get behind them for f*cks sake!!!

Or maybe they are just trying to be realists.....