The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

welch wrote:Spurs: ouch.

Yeah - somehow, you could see that coming, couldn't you? Still, they'll be in the Uefa Cup next year, and that will be great for all the young English players in their squad.

By the way, the hot rumour here today is that Aaron Lennon will be selected for the England World Cup squad. I hope so, because he's a great talent, and so few English players have the abilities that he has.

So, the England squad has been announced, and the big news over here is the inclusion of 17 year old Theo Walcott, who hasn't even played for his club (Arsenal) in the Premiership.
The full squad is here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/teams/england/4983618.stm
The Walcott selection is an exciting one, but amazing too. Jermain Defoe of Tottenham is only on the standby list, but with the injuries to Owen and Rooney, he stands a good a chance of being on the 'plane. For welch and the other Tottenham fans, the good news is the inclusion of Aaron Lennon and Michael Carrick, as well as Robinson.

Info on the other squads announced so far can be found here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/teams/default.stm

Walcott is a weird pick, but, who knows? At least they didn't pick Darren Anderton, who had the longest, most complicated, most-often-aggravated groin injury in all of sports.

Australian squad is announced tomorrow

Sorry for my absence from this thread. I have had a lot of work lately. But I am getting geared up and ready for Germany 06.

All squads have been announced. For a review of each and all of them look here:

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/060515/1/6si9.html

And for an analysis of each team here:

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/w/team/index.html

Some surprises, as expected, in several teams. It might be one of the most exciting and even touraments in the history of the game.

I am close to Germany in a non-qualified country and the pre-tournament stories are dominating ALL other sports news already.

Actually, FIFA is putting out a "predictor" spreadsheet to keep track of all Hognostications. Hognostications? Who said hognostications?

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/e/predictor.html

welch wrote:Walcott is a weird pick, but, who knows? At least they didn't pick Darren Anderton, who had the longest, most complicated, most-often-aggravated groin injury in all of sports.

Is that a compliment?

welch wrote:I'm cheering for Barca and hoping for a pair of league losses by that nameless shameless team.

Barcelona 2, Arsenal 1

Good game. Better result.

Redskin in Canada wrote:

welch wrote:I'm cheering for Barca and hoping for a pair of league losses by that nameless shameless team.

Barcelona 2, Arsenal 1

Good game. Better result.

Good game. Arsenal were dreadfully unlucky - the myth of Barcelona's greatness was certainly well shaken, if not exactly shattered.

We stopped work and watched. One techie had a "meeting" at the ESPN Sportszone. It also happened that we had a conference in the office yesterday that included a customer who is a life-long Arsenal fan. He was "gutted".

I thought the goalie red card should have been goal for Barcelona. They scored as the GK pulled the guy down, so why wave of the goal?

Ah, but, anyway, Arsenal lost.

UK Skins Fan wrote:Barcelona's greatness was certainly well shaken, ...

Stirred, not shaken.

Between them, Arsenal and Barcelona's squads contain 24 players that are going to the World Cup next month - now that is a lot of good footballers.

For people interested in a really open and exciting tournament, the performances and stature of such players as Eto, Eboue and Toure bode well. For England fans, the return to form and fitness of Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole are major plusses. The Germans, meanwhile, obviously have a mad goalkeeper (and not for the first time). Once more, French fans should note the inability of Thierry Henry to score from the truly important chances in big games, despite being a fabulous footballer. Ronaldinho flattered to deceive, with his deft touches and great strength in possession, but really didn't cause too much damage. The Spaniards on display showed once more that Spain really should be contenders in the last four at this World Cup.

Oh, and Tottenham fans should realise how lucky they are that Spurs didn't sign Mark Van Bommel when they wanted to.

UK Skins Fan wrote:Once more, French fans should note the inability of Thierry Henry to score from the truly important chances in big games, despite being a fabulous footballer. Ronaldinho flattered to deceive, with his deft touches and great strength in possession, but really didn't cause too much damage.

These were the TWO most important players beeing kept more than an eye throughout the entire game! You are unfair to both in the heat of the outcome. The fact that none of them scored is instead a monumental achievement by the opposite team in each case.

These two have every chance to be among the top five players in this tournament.

Unfair? Henry had two fantastic chances to score, with only the goalkeeper to beat, and he missed both times. Well, to be fair, he forced the 'keeper to make saves, but he didn't make him work all that hard to do it. Believe me, I think Henry is just about the most wonderful football player in the world to watch - he plays with such, dare I say it, joie de vivre.

But I've said it before, he doesn't seem to deliver the goods in the big games. I might be judging him by different standards to everybody else, but that's the opinion I've formed over a number of years. Give him those two chances against Wigan on a wet Tuesday night in November, and he'd have buried one or both.

As for Ronaldinho, I still hold a grudge against him for his freakish and entirely accidental goal that sent England out of the last World Cup. I'll declare that grudge now, for the sake of honesty. But he didn't deliver on Wednesday. Maradona was the most marked man in football when he won Argentina the World Cup back in 1986 - the greats overcome the tight marking.

You're right though, either one of them could be THE star of the tournament.

You are a tough costumer Pom. No wonder, playing in the English league is one of the most scrutinised and difficult things to do for any player in that league.

I judge a player balancing their -entire- performnce over the season. Both players had fantastic seasons. It was a pleasure to watch their best play reels for both teams leading to the game.

Yes, I can be tough! But they don't give out world cups for performance over a season - it's all about seizing the moment, that one chance that will likely never come along again. Henry can win the Golden Boot for top scorer in the tournament, and may make it onto any "Team of the Tournament" selection, but France will not win the World Cup unless he puts away that one chance when it comes along.

But I don't want to turn this into a Thierry Henry bashing thread. I love to watch him play football, and would be happy to see him realise his full potential in the next month. Honestly, I actually don't think we've seen the best of him yet.

If we didn't have Michael Owen, then I'd wish Henry was English!

Oh, and Thierry Henry is widely considered to be the best player ever to have played in the English Premiership, since it's creation in 1992.

UK Skins Fan wrote:If we didn't have Michael Owen, then I'd wish Henry was English!

Al right, enough said but ...

Have you considered becoming a Frenchman instead?

Redskin in Canada wrote:

UK Skins Fan wrote:If we didn't have Michael Owen, then I'd wish Henry was English!

Al right, enough said but ...

Have you considered becoming a Frenchman instead?

That's not fair - there's no way I can answer that outside Smack. I'll have to use these:

UK Skins Fan wrote:That's not fair -

You walked into that one yourself as a matter of reverse logic. But I digress...

Australia beat Greece 1-0 last night in our last home game before the finals start

Josip Skoko scored a brilliant goal for the Aussies and we dominated the match without 3 of our best players

good Omen for the finals

Amberion wrote:Australia beat Greece 1-0 last night in our last home game before the finals start

Josip Skoko scored a brilliant goal for the Aussies and we dominated the match without 3 of our best players

good Omen for the finals

Congratulations! You will have your hands full with Brazil, Croatia and Japan but it is possible.

The English team is having some drama, as usual.

And the list of all players was just posted on the Germany 06 Official Site:

HERE!

Well, since the Aussies have also just drawn a game against the Dutch, it might just be time to start taking them seriously. OK, these warm-up games need to be seen for what they are, but I think the Aussies can qualify for the second round. Brazil are obviously several leagues above the rest in that group, but I really don't think Croatia or Japan should hold any fears for the boys from Down Under.

An important day for England's chances is Wednesday, when Wayne Rooney has another scan on his injured foot. If the news is positive, then he should be able to step up his training, and could be available for the latter stages, if England battle through their group.

In the meantime, they may have stumbled on a viable replacement in Peter Crouch. A completely different player to Rooney, the 6 foot 7 inch Crouch is an awkward guy to play against, and is deceptive. Considering his height, he is not a physical player (he's built like a stick insect), but he has excellent touch, and is scoring goals at the moment. His most important contribution though could be to form a partnership with Michael Owen and enable Owen to use his pace to get behind defenders.

Even if Rooney is fit, my view is that Michael Owen is the most important player for England. If he hits peak form, the rest of the World is in trouble, because he can be top scorer in the tournament, and take England deep into the tournament.

Goin' to the game...sort of. My wife is Dutch, so we will join several Dutch organizations (NL Borels???) at a bar in New York to watch NL play at 9am on Sunday. Must get there before 8am, we here. NYC law says no alcohol on Sundays before noon or 1 pm: consider the devotion.

My superficial estimate: the Dutch will have a splendid group of players. If the coach can make them play as a team, then watch out!

Well, finally, the tournament is underway. Not surprising that the Germans started with a win. A lot of negative stuff has been written and said about this team in the run up to the tournament but I have no doubt that they will play themselves into form during the next two weeks. Their defence looks wobbly, but it will still take a good team to beat them.

It was an entertaining game (certainly compared to the opening games of other World Cups) with good goals, and Costa Rica played their part. Must tip my hat to Paulo Wanchope, who took his chances well. A player that was very inconsistent when he played in the English league is clearly a different proposition at international level. His goalscoring record is superb, although it would be all the more impressive if he played against European defences every week.