Agree completely. The media does what the media in this country has *always* done, overhype small successes, and massively dramatise failures, but to suggest the media and the English team are synonymous is just silly, especially with this group of players.
Very much this.
We're a country where a common refrain from the terraces is:
SSN said Kane was just beaten up, no actual injuries, Vardy and Alli are doubts for Saturday, Young less so.
I honestly don't think I'd be able to live my life without sarcasm.
On who will knock us out
Can’t be bothered finding anymore.
This is the beauty, you don’t even notice it yourself when you get carried away. Read the last sentence again if you don’t believe me @Barca84.Correct.
I sometimes think when people refer to "the English media" it's a very narrow minded definition that doesn't go beyond the sensationalist tabloid nonsense.
England could win the bloody thing and there'd be a queue on here to say they don't deserve it just like they didn't in 1966.
It is easier to be an underdog but Sweden hyping up this position smells of insecurity. Perhaps that will be your undoing.
The English media is easily available and understandable to many non-English supporters. That's why it comes under the microscope so much.
Why do you think I’m not understanding your excitement? I would be the same in your shoes.
I expect Sweden to lose so any other outcome will be a welcomed positive feeling but apart from my negativity you can be right. I have seen signs of over confidence even among the most balanced pundits so we have our problems too. But judging from the past our mentality is more balanced then yours. Trust me.
Why make it personal? If you win the WC it will be well deserved and I will be happy for you.
One Swedish pundit says our players are spoilt children so they’ll win.
Did you watch last night? We lost the lead in injury time after being comfortable for most of the game. That’s a major blow which would usually see you favour the equalising team to go on and win it. As it was we managed to win our first penalty shoot out since 96, first in 6. Our lads looked composed and hit great penalties under massive pressure and won.
Me for a start. Lots of people suffering from post Iceland PTSD had reached that point.
Agree that English players showed good mentality to turn the penalty shootout around but I was talking about the difference between English and Swedish media. But let me say this first. Recently Swedish media has lost so much credibility it’s unreal. Everything is political. A fair balanced view is almost impossible to find in these days and time.
Aye, classic banter that those bloody 'softies' from across the pond don't understand. That and the booze, don't forget the booze!
Don't think that's true at all.
I think I read today that he's a major doubt.
See, I don’t think a nations media has anywhere near as much influence as you do on how a team performs on the pitch. In the case of Messi maybe or the individual treatment of Raheem Sterling maybe. But just the general noise about the tournament I don’t think it plays a significant part, unless the camp is dysfunctional in the first place.
Colombia were awful, should have been a man down and Pekerman might be spouting crap but the fact is that John Stones was very lucky to not to be sent off. To my mind he left his leg over Falcao's head like Beckham in 98. By the letter of the law he should have walked (the same for Layun vs Brazil). Ashley Young's was even worse, a clear red in most premier league games. He's very lucky he went down. And if England lost last night, you'd be reading in depth profiles about the MLS ref's incompetence. He was incompetnt btw, should have been 3 reds in that game.
I'd like to dispute this. A League winning keeper and centre half (Vida) never mind what this sub rates the leagues they play in. Kovacic would start for most top teams, Rebic is an excellent player whose recent highlight was scoring twice in a DFB Pokal final vs Bayern. The 'decent option' striker you mention played for bloody Bayern Munich and Juventus and he's got more big match experience than all of England's squad put together. On the coaching staff is Ivica Olic who has incredible experience and has won nearly everything at club level. Even Redknapp's old mate Corluka is a league winner with Lokomotiv Moscow. Two midfielders for Real, One for Barca, Two at Inter. I'd say they've got bags of experience and quality. And they too are coming off a Penalty shootout victory where their two best players scored having previously missed in an important QF in 2008. So please, a little respect for the Croats. Their players have achieved quite a bit.
Yeah this game has 1-0 after extra time or Pens written all over it.
Plenty of people are stupid. Panama and Tunisia were never finishing ahead of England, basically the way the draw was QF's is the minimum England should have expected pre tournament(that was the place all bookies had them most likely to finish). They still failed to beat either Belgium or Colombia, seems to me that expectations dropping will be the only reason to laud this as a successful World Cup, especially if they throw away such a great opportunity to progress further.
We have decent enough replacements for those three if they are out anyway, so no big concerns.
Erm... Aren’t Colombia on a plane home?True. As good as Young's been, Rose is perfectly adequate replacement. It's just Young's winning mentality and big games know-how that stands out for me. Footballing-wise there isn't that much difference.
