Well according to your list Spain of course after loosing against the Swiss!
Germany is off the hook cause Adler and Ballack are sick.
French always sucked so nothing new there.
Portugal we’ll know after tonight.
Italy to early to call also, they missed a lot of chances in last game.
England, I never comment on them…
The French have not disappointed me at all, in fact I’ve been continually delighted by each new calamity. It used to be that the Hollanders were the archetype of destructive infighting, but we have a new champion!
The poll isn’t working. Must be the vuvuzelas, or the ball…
In contrast to England and France, Spain and Germany actually played quite well, despite losing. Italy not being able to beat NZL, that’s bad, really bad. I fully expect the Portuguese to play to a goalless draw against North Korea.
[quote=“hannes”]This World Cup has been full of surprises. Which team has been the most disappointing?
England has made a strong case so far, but no one tops the French in my view. What a bunch of losers.[/quote]
France…no question.
England just has such a large presence in the English speaking media globally, it is natural that they will get over-hyped. Not to mention the popularity of the FA. It happens every World Cup. Watching them play, they just look painfully slow, unathletic and uninspiring. Of course, I drank the media Kool Aid and have them going deep in my pool (“Eng-guh-land is gonna be a tough out this year, best team since '66, Rooney is unstoppable up front and Gerrard and Lampard are magic in the middle”) :roflmao: fucking joke! I bet they all wish they had their foreign EPL teammates to play with right now instead of the tired blokes in white.
Nice oven mitts on the keeper in the Seppo match BTW, overreacting however, and going with the quick hook and putting Craig David in goal will only have them ‘walking away’ after the prelims.
I would have to add Algeria and Slovenia combined, with Switzerland, New Zealand and N.Korea added. I mean come on guys, you are supposed to be whipping boy teams given a place at the WC by your footballing superiors as a means of entertainment and to get the golden boot competition raring. You are not supposed to try and win, just turn up, let in the goals and let the real football nations have their fun.
I blame the USA for getting ahead of themselves and thinking they are allowed to play football (soccer), it was an understood WWII treaty that the US fought the commies, Russia in the olympics, Cuba in baseball world series and Europe retained the right to try and retain colonial importance over S.America in football.
I like the US team retain its status as second-tier football nation for eternity. There are so many sports where the USA is dominating. No need for American glory in this game.
France has sucked incredibly. The teamwork is poor, the formation has been the same since farming was invented, the selected players are not necessarily the best, and the coach is on crack. It’s boring to watch, it doesn’t look like they’re really trying. They’re out now, unless Mexico or Uruguay loses the next match and France scores 200 goals against South Africa.
Italy has been surprisingly almost as disappointing, although they look like they’re trying, at least.
No the french were an embarassment to the wc, and raymond domenech refusing to shake hands with carlos alberto at the end of the game sums it for me. good riddance!
oh, and btw, for people who are just glad the french team lost just because it’s the french team, go **** yourselves [/quote]
Temper, temper.
Any team that plays beautiful football will gain good will.
At Agincourt, Trafalgar, Waterloo etc (and the times we’ve been beaten, which English people probably know less about), the French have proved worthy adversaries and hence, we’re best enemies. It’s all good fun. We know we’re best, but you came a close second in the European evil empire stakes. There is mutual respect to go along with the mutual antipathy.
The Anglo/French footballing rivalry doesn’t exist in the same way. As far as football’s concerned, within Europe, it’s Germany all the way - and although it’s strictly on the pitch, it’s far more serious. More like a Scottish/English, Canadian/US, Australia/New Zealand chip on the shoulder relationship, I hate to say it.
All the same, two world wars and one world cup. Not to mention an unbeaten record in the World Cup Final.