Germany vs England

+1, but linesman and referee just crap. Still great game so far
linds2010-06-28 02:49:15

Germany definitely the better team, I think they've been brilliant going forward. England played like they have the entire cup, until Germany put two past them and now they were robbed not two be equal at half time. That goal almost brushed the back of the net!

great game so far, a step above the rest of england's play in the tourney. All germany in the first 20, england far better in an action packed final 25. Could quite easily be 4 3 germany, should least be 2 2.

Upson and Terry have been shambolic at the back.

great game so far, a step above the rest of england's play in the tourney. All germany in the first 20, england far better in an action packed final 25. Could quite easily be 4 3 germany, should least be 2 2.

If England go out i can't wait to hear all the whinging about that 'goal' 

how did the lino not give that!!!!!????? Was about to go to bed after the second went in then upson scored then lampard with the goal that wasn't got the heart rate up!!!! Defiantly no sleep now!!

Great game, that was a goal for sure,great fight back by England i think the Germans will hold on though 

I'm loving the slow-mos of girls in the crowd. Now I know what the linesman was looking at when Lampard scored.

that had ronaldoesque movement. Lovely effort by lamps.

Nelsen was just so much greater than Terry at this cup, just so much.

Both defences are all over the show. Would be surprised if it ends 2-1.

End to end stuff here in the Flower City.

J Cole on, England are conceeding... Case and point his first touch of the game...

3-1 Muller. What a brilliant counter attacking goal. DEUTSCHLAND!!!!

Muller goal, lovely counter. 3 on 2, powerful shot, no chance for James.

4-1. HAHAHA GOOOOOONE!!!!

It's going to be hard for England to come back. It's a blitzkreig!

Oezil (sp) will be one hell of an international star in the future. Mueller, 4 1.

England need more Tommy Smith.

defoe off and heskey on? Thats like playing with 10men!! Better off with crouch!

Do the Germans need to be diving when they're 4-1 up! Come on!

Needs more defense fullstop.

So true

Full time 4-1. Germany took England to pieces, and shredded them of any dignity they had left from a piss poor group stage.

Bye England

I feel sorry for Gerrard as captain, this is Terry's team and he's been the epitome of this England team's performance.

Why? Gerrard was equally sh*t today. Always thinks he has to be the hero and do it himself. Lampard proved why he is so so much better than that scouse git.

Outstanding football from Germany. Well deserved and watch out Argentina.

Terry and Barry can travel home in economy class.

Well that's that. Four more years until every Englishman with a dot of pommy blood sparks up with the old "we're going to win the World Cup" spiel. Until then we'll have to hear about that Lampard disallowed goal.

Germany was just too good. Enough said.

Bugger, 4 1 final. Had Lamps' goal been allowed, how different the result could have been. Enjoyable game of footy though. Look forward to whether English press tomorrow focus on the loss, or on the disallowed goal,

On a side, and United supporting note (sorry)- horrible tourny Wayne, go rest up for the next season...

Ahhh well... the dream is over. No penalty shoot out loss for England.

Terry was absolutely rubbish today, Gerrard was ok in possesion, he set up the goal with a great cross and had a good shot, brilliantly saved. And it seemed like this World Cup he was the only one trying to do anything.
linds2010-06-28 03:58:26

Every cloud has a silver lining!

Yeah, all by himself. No wonder England are pish. Zero team work ethic whatsoever.

The All Whites finished with a superior goal difference to England. Nice!

I almost wish England's goal had counted just so the Germans could go onto beat them but we wouldn't have to hear about it for the next 20 years plus.  Germany were completely dominant.  Their passing game was simply sublime and absolutely beautiful to watch.

Retribution for '66.  Disappointing, though, that Germany gained it tonight as a day when England were actually challenging them would have been a more prudent time to get it.

On dear, woke up to see final result. and controversy.

Lamp unlucky with goals, one denied by officials, two off the post. He did well but fall short.

Upton nice goal but was lacking in defensive position twice out classed not enough experience for starting eleven.

Terry, was horrible, are real mixed day of all days.

Barry, too slow to mark Ozil, backed off him a number of times and lead to two goals, not good enough or experience enough to start in the eleven.

Johnson, has potential but again not experience enough and was dragged about by Ozil or Khedira because Barry was not picking up or doing his role in defensive midfield.

Ashley Cole was not tracking inside the player for that second goal and Johnson was dragged across in order to compensate but left the Podolski on the right free. Again Terry or Upton left a gap in the center field.

I question the first Germany goal because it seemed offside even through Upton was too far up from the defensive line and Terry was not on the inside of Klose (and hence the large gap in the center defense), as the goalkeeper kicked the goal kick, Klose looked offside but only once did the cameras alert to this fact and typical commentators brush it off without a hint.

Gerrard did well today but there is only so much one man can do with the pressure.

Defoe wasn't bad but he wasn't getting enough quality service to run on to. Same for Rooney. Heresky not the option for this game, I thought and would have chose Crouch personally off the bench.

If Walcott was selected, he would be the ideal option off the bench with his speed that none of the other four forwards had. I was a bit lost as to why Lennon wasn't given a run to tuck inside and make head way straight at the goal later on because although the idea was to use Johnson on the wide as a right wingback to stretch the german backline, it was not doing as much damage later in the second half simply of his injury but so when SWP came on, I was think "eh?, England need more attack being down by more than a few goals now"

Barry was not the right defensive midfield for this game and I though that Carrick was more suited. But it was a tough position as having both Lampard and Garrand advancing with effectiveness, it left Milner in the centre and Barry being indecisive between or even three german players, but most cases, he should have just stuck on Ozil (the central free attacking midfielder) and leave the others for the defence or other midfielders coming back later in the phase.

In summary:

Germany lined up with the 4-2-3-1 and England did not counter this strategy well enough and played into the German's hands with their traditional 4-4-2. Ozil was given too much room by Barry. Terry did not handle Klose, the lone striker. Upton was drawn upfield to Ozil because Barry wasn't. Ashley Cole or Johnson had to drop in because of Upton advancing and/or Terry man marking Klose and it left Mueller and Podolski free to roam and Podolski was free for that second goal and eventually Muller scored twice on the counter. On the other end, the threat by England possession was easily sorted by the germany defensive and they were as dangerous on the counter to which they used the 3v3 , 4v4 breaks in good effect by taking ball to the sides and switching the ball across by the time it was near the box to the unmarked attacker.

At the end Fabio Capllelo backed an old system which may have worked in the past, but with the growing list of injured and unavailable players leading into this tournament, the new players in the team were not as tactically minded of their roles and had not adapted the traditional 4-4-2 to counter the threat of the 4-2-3-1 that the Germans adopted. The Germans were simply the opposite, having practised their system enough and used their younger players well with confident and speed. The defence did just enough to put off the england shots and tracked effectively enough to place pressure on England's attacks. Rooney was basically pushed out of the game as before and the final pass was lacking after constant pressure. Johnson did Ok for a few low crosses from the wide, but without the speed you expect from Lennon or Walcott say, to go around the defenders with one-on-one cutting in or round the wide into the box, then the cross was always going to be countered by the German Goalkeeper or defenders. Except for Garrard high cross from the deep right, first for Upton's head goal and then Defoes offside(?) header on the crossbar there was very little threat otherwise coming from the right. Maybe it was unfortunate for one of the low crosses of England met by Lamps stretch leg that was saved well by the German GK, but any chance of such a repeated cross for a run on was picked out quickly since lamps is a midfielder and Defoe was marked and Rooney too far left and deep at times.AllWhitebelievr2010-06-28 06:31:44

BEST DAY EVER