The Football Topic (Page 36 of 52)

He certainly had a good game, as was bound to happen after two poor games. We really all saw it coming too. Of course, he's one of the top players, and on his day he's a super star. I have just never liked him (to put it mildly,) and I never will.

Holland failed in all departments. None of the 'star' players (with the occasional exception of Sneijder) approached anything like their true form. The squad has not been renewed since two years ago, with the exception of that poor, if certainly talented, young 18 year old left back who was dropped into the deep end long before he was ready, because the coach saw him as the only alternative to the injured Pieters. The coach deliberately overlooked an infinitely better qualified player, Emanuelson, who played left back (his old position before moving to midfield) for AC Milan on several occasions this year.

The coach didn't renew, he didn't have other suitable players in the squad, and he had no Plan B when none of the 'stars' were able to decide either of the first two games through individual actions - rather than through attractive, dominant, attacking play, which is the trademark of Dutch football (and West Ham ).

These were my ratings on my Dutch forum, the only disagreement I got was about Matthijsen being rated too high.

Steek - 6
v.d.Wiel - 2
Vlaar - 3
Matthijsen - 5
Willems - 1.5
Nigel de Jong - 5
v.d.Vaart  (first half - 7, second half - 2)
Sneijder - 5
Robben - 3
v. Persie - 3
KJH - 3
Afellay - 3

Bert - epic fail

Just shifting on to Spurs for a moment. Has it all backfired for Levy?

Villas-Boas with a Director of Football doesn't look the best solution to me. Rumours of Modric switching to United. If not Villas-Boas, is Martinez what they were really looking to exchange Redknapp for?

Pep G isn't interested and nor is Klinsmann. Even Moyes, who hasn't been approached anyway seems to be distancing himself from the possibility. Be a shame to see all that good work undone. I know the 11 point turnover was his (Harry's) undoing (in Levy's and Lewis' eyes), but lets not forget what Arsenal did at the same time. Spurs lost the ground, but Arsenal still had to make it up.

Since Bill Nicholson's day Spurs have often been a club that has 'used' people, not often to their best advantage. Can't help feeling Spurs have been at it again with 'arry. Used him right up until they could ditch him at the first opportunity.

Maybe there is a bigger picture in play, but their short term outlook won't help them realise it.

"my fear is that Levy made the decision at a time when he was suffering under stress from the death of his mother."

Wierd as it may seem I can entirely agree that particular suggestion. I lost my own mother on the 14th of last month. During the days or week that followed I made the decision to give up my own business and move home! Both decisions seemed logical at the time but I can't say I haven't agonized over them since. Only time will tell. Could be Levy has similar thoughts in which case I don't envy him but can fully sympathise.

You are wrong about Moyes though. Very dry sense of humour. Yes he is the very antithesis of someone like Redknapp, but that it isn't seriousness you see, it's frustrated ambition. The man is driven, committed to succeed. Absolutely thorough, hard task master and a players manager. One day soon someone is going to realise that.

Perhaps you are right though. Moyes is extremely loyal and he demands it from people he works with and for. He probably wouldn't get it from Spurs as they are today.

Very disjointed England tonight. Rooney got the goal, sure, but neither he nor Welbeck was a good enough outlet tonight. The team looked less effective than when Carroll played.

Fortunate goal (but they all count) and a fortunate let off with the "goal that wasn't".

I hope Hodgson now realises Millner is a waste of time. Start with Walcott against Italy. All or nothing. Milner just doesn't get in the game.

Good job Gerrard is on form just now. Thought Terry had a fair game as well.

There were shades of 'old England' tonight. Constantly going sideways. At one pointed I counted Parker and Lescott exchanged passes 9 times. Not enough movement off the ball tonight.

Most stupid booking - Cole for a delayed throw in. No one was moving for him. He almost got a red a few minutes later for the same offence. They need to raise their game if they can for Italy.

Italy not hot, who knew? They are on a diet, and certainly turned their noses up at this topping on a classic dish.

http://now.msn.com/living/0621-worlds-b … sagna.aspx

Actually, in the first 20 minutes of the game the Czechs were the better side and I was hoping for an upset there, but the Portugese weathered the pressure and suddenly the Czechs just disappeared from the game. Such a shame. I don't know whether they ran out of steam but they just conceded the whole middle of the park to the Portugese. After 20 mins there was only going to be one winner.

It was a deserved victory and if he had been a mite luckier he would have had at least 3 goals to his name and not just 1. He is world class. Of that there has never been any doubt and he continues to justify the tag.

I wondered myself what happened to the Czech game. It seemed they came out and dominated but when their best effort to score was fruitless they just gave up, or was it the Portugal team took that long to understand the proper way to take them apart. Missing Rosicky was surely a big part of it. The young Czech team shows a lot of promise. This is the best team Portugal has fielded in a very long time.

Might be an interesting game tonight. Could be a thrashing or a bore, but I don't expect an upset.

As for WHU/BFS. He has a reasonable record with foreign imports. I don't like the fact that we have to have them, but if we do then he seems to have a good eye on them. Green was probably right to move on, but QPR? better terms I guess. BFS' old keeper (Jaskawhatsits) from Bolton is shrewd move. He was/is a good keeper. Happy to have him. the more experience the better