Reply to: England's chances in the World Cup ..

Re: ??

Quite possibly the best goal ever scored IMHO.

What, even better than Archie Gemmel 1978, vs Holland?

Controversial.

Van Basteen 1998 European Championship final, vs Russia ...

Re: ??

Yes, but he was f ucking ugly though, you have to admit.

Maybe, but he was a class player. Lineker grabbed the glory as the scorer, but a lot of his goals were thanks to the skill and vision of Beardsley.

??

>> Yes, but he was f ucking ugly though, you have to admit.

What's that got to do with the price of fish? Are you gay?
I don't care if every player in the English team looks like Quasimodo if they can play.

..

>> I don't recall Gillette clamouring for PB to model their new razors

Exactly what's wrong with Becks - one of the weak links in the present team IMO.

Re: ..

I think Beardsley was seriously underrated.

Yes, but he was f ucking ugly though, you have to admit.

I reckon we've got a great chance in next WC if Sven takes a few more chances. We should have beaten Brazil in the last WC if Sven had told them to go for it 2nd half.

Watched Mexico beat Brazil last night - Brazil were very ordinary, and how anybody like Roque Junior can get 30 odd caps for Brazil is beyond me!

Re: ..

He basically performed the role Becks is supposed to perform now

Well not quite, I don't recall Gillette clamouring for PB to model their new razors although I believe he did get a few bob modelling for the front covers of "Goosebumps"!

..

I think Beardsley was seriously underrated. He basically performed the role Becks is supposed to perform now - what I call the vision thing, only much better. I still remember some of his inch-perfect long distance passes.

Re: 1996

I obviously wanted England to win that game, but when you witness something like that....

Quite possibly the best goal ever scored IMHO.

Re: 1996

1996 contained England's best match in a final tournament that I remember, against Holland,

From what I remember, that result had more to do with Holland imploding than England being brilliant.

Maradona was brilliant that year and England would probably still have lost to that lot.

Quite. Maradona deserved to win the WC on his own. I know he cheated, but the other goal he scored against England was pure genius. I obviously wanted England to win that game, but when you witness something like that....

Re: 1996

1996 contained England's best match in a final tournament that I remember, against Holland, but I don't think the team were as good as 1990.

In 1990 they might have won it if their captain and best player had not got injured in the group stages. Germany were no better than England in that semi-final, and Robson might have made the difference.

He also got injured in 1986, but Maradona was brilliant that year and England would probably still have lost to that lot.

Re: 1996

Do you remember when Des Walker was actually good!?

No, but I have seen some Movietone footage...:lol

Re: 1996

The 1996 team was the best in my opinion. The balance of the midfield with Anderton and Mcmanaman wide, ince holding and gazza providing the craft for shearer.

I think the 1990 side had the edge. Do you remember when Des Walker was actually good!? Waddle and Barnes gave the side flair on the flanks, with (an as yet unspoilt) Gazza providing creativity in the centre. Shilton was probably the best goalie we've ever had. Up front, Lineker the poacher partnered by the more thoughtful Beardsley.

1990 team

SB

I only say that because the semi-final with Germany is imprinted on my brain. England played brilliantly against an excellent German team and were unlucky to lose. I believe that was the only time we were genuine World Cup contenders.

1996

The 1996 team was the best in my opinion. The balance of the midfield with Anderton and Mcmanaman wide, ince holding and gazza providing the craft for shearer.
Great team, maybe not packed full of the best quality individuals but a good international team never is.

Re: You were right first time

Surely the 1990 team has the best claim to be the best England team since 1966?

Why do they have that claim then? The 1986 team (admittedly many players overlapped both) might have won had they not been beaten by Diego (doffs cap!) Maradona, and the Euro 96 lot were not too bad really either. I would not have said the 1990 team were any better than either of them. To get back to the original point, the current England team do have a reasonable chance. However, so do about half a dozen others at least. It might well come down to the team that gets the largest slice of good fortune, and that is traditionally where England come unstuck. They are by tradition victims of bad luck, other than when the draw for who they would get as neighbours was being held obviously.