England V Portugal

[Backpack_thailand]

Quarter Final - England v Portugal

England will never have a better chance!

Deco and Costinha suspended, Ronaldo not 100% (although that doesn't really matter as Ashley Cole has had his number for 3 seasons now, remember Euro 2004??).

Surely we will NEVER have a better chance to get to a World Cup semi again!!!

[mrbojangles]

Absolutely backpack, this is where we need to step up a gear and start to peak. Upto now we've played no where near our ability and yet we're still in the last 8.....so who know's

[opothai]

2-0 england

the only other time i heard we will never have a better chance was 2002 1-0 up against brazil and them down to ten men, with little competition left, this time i hope we attack and not defend to much and believe in our selves.

[Simmo]

They'll need to up their game a bit.

I nearly feel asleep with all the route 1 football in the last game.

[thankuverybig]

it will be interesting to see how england perform against a good side like portugal.im hoping their game will open up bit & well see some fireworks.it seems like the last few games were strange to the england team as they were the favourites & had to break down teams,who got alot of men behind the ball.

now we will see how good englnd are,with no excuses.

[mrbojangles]

Interesting article by Jose Mourinho on Sky Sports. He reckons Crouch shouldn't play as "Mourinho feels that playing Crouch would be an error due to Ricardo Carvalho's ability to contain the giant Liverpool forward"

http://home.skysports.com/worldcup/article...9;t+play+Crouch

[OneeyedJohn]

I just tried looking at that link...its illegible,,blue background black print just like Stickman,,how the hel_l r u sposed to read it

Sorry ....wrong forum

[mrbojangles]

I just tried looking at that link...its illegible,,blue background black print just like Stickman,,how the hel_l r u sposed to read it

Sorry ....wrong forum

Just for you Oneeyed, the full story, although it's not very long

Jose Mourinho has warned England not to play Peter Crouch against Portugal in their World Cup quarter final on Saturday.

The Chelsea chief has a foot in both camps and an inside knowledge of the two teams.

Mourinho feels that playing Crouch would be an error due to Ricardo Carvalho's ability to contain the giant Liverpool forward.

"In the games against Liverpool, I believe Carvalho devoured the information about the opponents and their way of playing," said Mourinho.

"In the Champions League game, he gave an excellent performance.

"There was no time and space and Liverpool tried to solve that with direct play to Crouch, but Carvalho was impeccable in that unequal fight against a giant who makes it difficult.

"In the next match, Carvalho had an astonishing game - he closed down on Crouch's movements, won everything by anticipation, adapted to the jumping distance when making him and won everything in the air, came away with the ball to begin attacking moves, always with accurate passes.

"He showed great concentration and intelligence to push the team forward."

[jackr]

Have you guys picked up your England shirts yet?

[OneeyedJohn]

Nice one jackr...wonder where she hails from

I don't give credit to Mourhinho's comments, sounds like a troll to me

[rainman]

Nice one jackr...wonder where she hails from

I don't give credit to Mourhinho's comments, sounds like a troll to me

she looks scottish ...anyone?

[jackr]

Nice one jackr...wonder where she hails from

I don't give credit to Mourhinho's comments, sounds like a troll to me

she looks scottish ...anyone?

Not sure about that, rainman, but Cardiff springs to mind with this little number:

[ben01]

Nice one jackr...wonder where she hails from

I don't give credit to Mourhinho's comments, sounds like a troll to me

she looks scottish ...anyone?

Lealani...from Bournemouth

[britmaveric]

Payback for the Euros 2years ago... England will thrash the Portuguese.

[Plus]

The only problem is that England is not in the high gear yet - three wins against minnows were like a warm up. Are they psychologically ready to step up? The pressure and rush of a high stake game is not there yet. Will they faint at the first wiff of blood? Do they know how to perform when revved up to a redline?

Portugal has enough time to recuperate from Holland match and mean serious business, and no mercy.

[jackr]

I reckon they were cruisin against the minnows, who didn't really ask much of England to perform. Many people think these little football powers are a pushover that should have been despatched with, but, on the contrary, they are highly unpredictable and have a knack of shoving ten men behind the ball making any headway pretty tough. The Portuguese will be coming at em and the park should be more open for The England to rise to the occasion... of course, I could be talking complete <deleted>.

[britmaveric]

1966=2006, 40yr Anniversary lads - think this is our time.

[Backpack_thailand]

In honour of the fact that this is my 500th post (Yippee!), I'd better make it a memorable one. So here goes....

And I quote:

"Let's cut the f***ing bullshit, ENGLAND ARE GOING TO WIN THIS MOTHER F***ING WORLD CUP and all of you non-English out there can kiss my f***ing a*se...!!!"

Man that felt good!

[rainman]

In honour of the fact that this is my 500th post (Yippee!), I'd better make it a memorable one. So here goes....

And I quote:

"Let's cut the f***ing bullshit, ENGLAND ARE GOING TO WIN THIS MOTHER F***ING WORLD CUP and all of you non-English out there can kiss my f***ing a*se...!!!"

Man that felt good!

i may be taking a wild guess here, but are you english?

[mariana]

Sorry to spoilt the party but i have heard that the ref to the team Portugal vs england is an Argy ...

[Backpack_thailand]

In honour of the fact that this is my 500th post (Yippee!), I'd better make it a memorable one. So here goes....

And I quote:

"Let's cut the f***ing bullshit, ENGLAND ARE GOING TO WIN THIS MOTHER F***ING WORLD CUP and all of you non-English out there can kiss my f***ing a*se...!!!"

Man that felt good!

i may be taking a wild guess here, but are you english?

COME ON!

[Neeranam]

I'm not sure about this one, but I am definately cheering Portugal.

I made a substantial bet with someone that England wouldn't make the semis, at even odds.

I really thought that they'd be out by now, but my if they are beaten by Portugal, everything is just great

[bendix]

I'm expecting a stormer of a game. As others have said ..for the likes of paraguay, T&T and ecuador, playing England was their World Cup Final. They did everythey could to pull off a result, including playing 10 behind the ball.

It wont be the same now the competition has started seriously.

Expect a fast and furious game with lots of space and lots of opportunities. Expect England to control the midfield and for Lampard to get his shooting boots back. I think he'll score. I think Crouch will come on as sub and score too.

2-1 to England, after trailing by an early goal.

[joe1912]

Has anyone warned Figo that butting Rooney could be suriously bad for his own health?

[Plus]

Expect England to control the midfield and for Lampard to get his shooting boots back. I think he'll score. I think Crouch will come on as sub and score too.

Let's look at it from a different angle. Beckham scored a free kick and forced an own goal from another one. Those are his only goals in 13 games. Following this logic his next goals will come somewhere in the middle of the next Euro campaign.

Gerrard has blasted one already, it will be some time before he can score from long range again, same goes for Cole. Crouch is lucky to score something at all, next goal will be in EPL, not before that.

That leaves us with Rooney and Lampard. Statistically Lampard is closer to the goal with each shot, and Beckham will never run out of perfect crosses.

Let's see if this theory works.

[Simmo]

Let's look at it from a different angle. Beckham scored a free kick and forced an own goal from another one. Those are his only goals in 13 games. Following this logic his next goals will come somewhere in the middle of the next Euro campaign.

Gerrard has blasted one already, it will be some time before he can score from long range again, same goes for Cole. Crouch is lucky to score something at all, next goal will be in EPL, not before that.

That leaves us with Rooney and Lampard. Statistically Lampard is closer to the goal with each shot, and Beckham will never run out of perfect crosses.

Let's see if this theory works.

You're missing Terry and Rio nodding one on from a corner

[Backpack_thailand]

I'm not sure about this one, but I am definately cheering Portugal.

I made a substantial bet with someone that England wouldn't make the semis, at even odds.

I really thought that they'd be out by now, but my if they are beaten by Portugal, everything is just great

Git!

[jackr]

I'm not sure about this one, but I am definately cheering Portugal.

I made a substantial bet with someone that England wouldn't make the semis, at even odds.

I really thought that they'd be out by now, but my if they are beaten by Portugal, everything is just great

How much, 100 baht?

Another very good reason for England to progress.

[Plus]

Let's look at it from a different angle. Beckham scored a free kick and forced an own goal from another one. Those are his only goals in 13 games. Following this logic his next goals will come somewhere in the middle of the next Euro campaign.

Gerrard has blasted one already, it will be some time before he can score from long range again, same goes for Cole. Crouch is lucky to score something at all, next goal will be in EPL, not before that.

That leaves us with Rooney and Lampard. Statistically Lampard is closer to the goal with each shot, and Beckham will never run out of perfect crosses.

Let's see if this theory works.

You're missing Terry and Rio nodding one on from a corner

Well, yes, everyone can score from a good position, I'm mostly talking about "lucky" goals that come out of nothing. Honestly, England had his quota of lucky goals already. They should start working to score now.

[tom yum goong]

2-1 to England, after trailing by an early goal.

I can see this happening, England conceding first and then coming to life to win a tight game. I just hope it stays 11 v 11 but thats probably expecting too much from an Argentinian ref

Ever the optimist, i have predicted a 3-0 drubbing for the Portuguese.

Come on England!