QF3 - England v Portugal, Saturday 4.0pm BST

[Stu]

They could do, and every time England fail to win a World Cup, its the FA who'll eventually get the blame.

This is the cycle of blame as I usually see it;

1 - Blame an individual, usually a person who got sent off / missed a penalty... Pearce, Waddle, Southgate, Beckham, Rooney.

2 - Blame the team for under-performing at key times

3 - Then blame the manager, as he controls the team

4 - Then blame the FA, as they select the manager.

FA decide to select foreign manager, footballing circles in uproar, press in uproar. FA select English manager, he fails, cycle starts again... FA appoint foreign manager, get slated by allcomers, he fails, cycle starts again with new english bloke...

Until folk actually realise that England have no divine right to win trophies or make the semi finals every year, then it'll never cease to stop.

3 successive quarter finals, not a bad achievement, reflects our ranking in the FIFA lists.

And round we go again...

[SheffieldSaddler]

Neil, have you got nothing better to write?
Throughout the World Cup all I have read is you continual slating of Lampard. It boring, its cheap and its damn right pathetic.
Get a life, if only we all did our job as good as you do yours 52 weeks of the year, 24 hours a day etc etc.
If only we performed our best like you do, 52 weeks of the year, 24 hours a day etc etc.
Just do something else, watch cricket, take up knitting or go out and have a friggin drink and forget Lampard.
There is damn right rude and boring and you.

It always hurts when I'm proved right, doesn't it? Just accept it - he's had a bloody awful World Cup, by all the pundits admission as well, and has looked wanting at this level. The Lampard/Gerrard partnership has been proved to not work yet again. Your main counter was "he who laughs last, laughs longest". I still haven't heard Frank laugh, I'm afraid.

BUT there is plenty of time for Frank to have the last laugh. And my god he will, dont worry about that.
There were other England players that have under performed, but you continue on the Lampard root time after time.
As I said, its boring and damrn right pathetic.
As I said, we all cant be perfect like you and perform 24 hours a day, 52 weeks a year.
The reasons for Lampard perhaps not performing at this level (not as if I agree) is because he has not playing in the same position he does at Chelsea and does not have the holding midfielder to mix it with him.
Thats not his fault is it?
Just do something better with your time and find the real reason for our demise, because you are looking in the wrong place Neil thats for sure.

[Neil Ravenscroft]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Magic Man Fan]

Neil, have you got nothing better to write?
Throughout the World Cup all I have read is you continual slating of Lampard. It boring, its cheap and its damn right pathetic.
Get a life, if only we all did our job as good as you do yours 52 weeks of the year, 24 hours a day etc etc.
If only we performed our best like you do, 52 weeks of the year, 24 hours a day etc etc.
Just do something else, watch cricket, take up knitting or go out and have a friggin drink and forget Lampard.
There is damn right rude and boring and you.

It always hurts when I'm proved right, doesn't it? Just accept it - he's had a bloody awful World Cup, by all the pundits admission as well, and has looked wanting at this level. The Lampard/Gerrard partnership has been proved to not work yet again. Your main counter was "he who laughs last, laughs longest". I still haven't heard Frank laugh, I'm afraid.

BUT there is plenty of time for Frank to have the last laugh. And my god he will, dont worry about that.
There were other England players that have under performed, but you continue on the Lampard root time after time.
As I said, its boring and damrn right pathetic.
As I said, we all cant be perfect like you and perform 24 hours a day, 52 weeks a year.
The reasons for Lampard perhaps not performing at this level (not as if I agree) is because he has not playing in the same position he does at Chelsea and does not have the holding midfielder to mix it with him.
Thats not his fault is it?
Just do something better with your time and find the real reason for our demise, because you are looking in the wrong place Neil thats for sure.

No Sheff. The problem is that Sven won't drop him or Gerrard.

We have the holding midfielders in Carrick and Hargreaves who were both excellent in the last couple of games.

Sven hasn't got the balls to do anything than play both Gerrard and Lampard to the detriment of the team and our World Cup glory.

Which is a shame because Gerrard is far better at International level than Lampard and Lampard's inclusion held back his performances too.

[Stu]

Lampard had a holding midfielder next to him against Portugal and had arguably his worst game of the tournament...

However Sheff, don't take this as a personal crusade against Lampard. You can criticise the bloke for having a very disappointing World Cup, by the standards he sets himself, and not have a go at him.

All Neil is doing is stating the truth, that Lampard was a huge let down in this World Cup. Ir-regardless of the partnership or who he is playing with, he has just had no effect what-so-ever and he can do better than he has done.

That's not to say he won't turn it around in the future, I'm sure he will, but it still doesn't detract from the fact that Lampard under-performed, end of.