Marco Jacksonovic

Crazy What You Could've Had
2004-06-13 22:00:38 (UTC)

Euro 2004 Day Two. England Win!!!!! In other news, England Lose.

Sorry, but today was the climax of the test series against
New Zealand, and no matter how hard either of the Gallic or
Anglian football teams tried, they could match up to only a
small part of the drama Graham Thorpe, Chris Cairns et al
dished up at Trent Bridge.

I missed large portions of the day playing football (Its
more energy intensive with 2 people than cricket, to be
fair) and I rotated my strike between television and radio,
so as to get the best of both worlds. It seems Radio 4 is
suffering from the fact that Channel 4 and Sky have all the
players that are adjectival on the radio. I recall vividly a
stroke being described as Athertonian whilst I was in the
bath. Touche (No accent, I find that Ctrl Alt e create a
window of 'Notes') but Michael is on the telly now,
describing him-esque strokes as belonging to another name of
the past. I look forward to shot being Thorpian and
especially the adjective Freddie Flintoff will produce....

Anyway, I saw the climax, thrilling climax of the third test
in a pub at the bottom of the top of Huddersfield (My
non-drinking was tested, I wanted to order a bottle of
champagne, but settled for a Hussainian kneeling punch of
the air, and a soda and blackcurrant) It was very good. Very
good indeed.

So to the football. If I'd planned it better, I'd have been
watching Harry Potter instead of England France, and I
could've caught the highlights later. I'll do that with
Switzerland, and go out burgling for Croatia.

Anyway, I sat through the first half here, with my back to
the TV, turning round when Clive Tyldsley became excited. It
wasn't often, to be fair, and I was genuinely happy to see
England go 1 up. They'd not really threatened, but France
looked too effective up to that point, without actually
fashioning a chance of note. That was a pattern that
continued.

Second half, France, like some irked bee, were all over
England, but, unlike the bee, for France to strike would NOT
be fatal. It just felt like they thought it would. It was
all long crosses and passes just overhit. Nothing of note
chancewise. Beckham missed his penalty. Silvestre should
have been sent off. Henry was there....he wouldn't have done
anything, but the fact Rooney was going outside meant Henry
would've got back to him before he shot if he wasn't
scythed. He wasn't sent off. James, too, should have been
sent off. Henry was going to have to really motor to keep
the ball in, and by the time he'd stopped it near the line,
and taken another touch, a defender could've been back. In
both cases, however, the defender/keeper got NOWHERE near
the ball. The referee was consistent. You can't ask for
more, really. Its subjective. I changed my view after I'd
typed that all up.

Zidane proved he is a big game player.
Vieira proved he is a colossus of international football.
Rooney proved he is not just for the future, but for now.
Heskey proved he is not a defender
Henry proved he is not a machine. What do you want him to
do? Take a gun to his head and shoot himself?

No, nobody should begrudge France their victory, England
soaked up so much pressure second half that Sol Campbell and
Ledley King are both made of diamond now. It was just a
cruel way to lose. They must, to continue, bounce back. And
fast.


France are halfway through. They must learn from their
mistakes, and NEVER play Sylvain Wiltord again.

WILT? Enya - Anywhere Is




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