who's staying up for this?

welcome to my world

go to bed before hand and set the alarm*, or stay up

drink or not

10am here, which is nice

*I drank then slept through alarm and missed the first half of the Congo game

5 hours ago, Sweep said:

100% - Although Southgate would have employed those tactics at 1:0

Tuchel only needs to win one more WC game to get to the same achievement level as Sir Gareth did with the England team, maybe he'll win 2 more and get us to the final, and surpass Southgate

.....or even win it? After the slaying of the Azteca ghost, how good would it be to knock out the Argies?

5 hours ago, BeeversLeftPeg said:

Stayed up right though, woke both the kids up at 01:50. Both gone to school knackered this morning but what a memory for them.

Fantastic performance from every single player last night. Some shift they put in especially up against after going down to 10 men.

Dealt with a lot of different tactics so far, and that was a real marker last night.

Saturday is going to be a very tough game though. Big Norwegian streak of piss just cannot stop scoring. Scored in his last 15 competitive games in a row scoring 27 goals. Obscene record.

Like 2 losses in 89? Keep knocking them over.

4 hours ago, L/H White said:

also, I think the azteca may be the best stadium in the world

Possibly. Bernabeu?

It will soon be the Hassan II.

https://populous.com/showcases/stade-hassan-ii

3 minutes ago, bolty58 said:

.....or even win it? After the slaying of the Azteca ghost, how good would it be to knock out the Argies?

I don't see why, if we beat Norway, we can't also beat Argentina.

France or Spain may well be a totally different proposition, but, in a final, anything can happen, as Wigan unfortunately showed us a few years ago

2 minutes ago, Sweep said:

I don't see why, if we beat Norway, we can't also beat Argentina.

France or Spain may well be a totally different proposition, but, in a final, anything can happen, as Wigan unfortunately showed us a few years ago

Am I missing something?

Agree with your second sentence BTW.

Edit - re-read it. You meant if we beat Norway why couldn't we beat Argentina. Read the other way it suggested we weren't on the same side of the draw.

Apology accepted. 😁

Edited July 6Jul 6 by bolty58

1 minute ago, bolty58 said:

Am I missing something?

Agree with your second sentence BTW.

No, I mean I think that the Norway game will be more of a physical challenge than the Argentina game - I don't think Norway are more skilfull/better than Argentina, I just think it'll be a pure blood and thunder game.

If we get past Norway, I'll be confident we'll despatch Argentina and get to the final (provided they get through to the semi of course)

4 minutes ago, Sweep said:

No, I mean I think that the Norway game will be more of a physical challenge than the Argentina game - I don't think Norway are more skilfull/better than Argentina, I just think it'll be a pure blood and thunder game.

If we get past Norway, I'll be confident we'll despatch Argentina and get to the final (provided they get through to the semi of course)

Hope you are right pal. Hoping that Messi and Co. will not be a bridge too far.

Meanwhile ... Henderson.

Seems like his arm snaps between wrist and elbow.

Grim.

2 hours ago, bolty58 said:

Possibly. Bernabeu?

It will soon be the Hassan II.

https://populous.com/showcases/stade-hassan-ii

Bernabau not in the same league, atmosphere unreal in there, can't say the same about the bernabau

3 hours ago, Sweep said:

No, I mean I think that the Norway game will be more of a physical challenge than the Argentina game - I don't think Norway are more skilfull/better than Argentina, I just think it'll be a pure blood and thunder game.

If we get past Norway, I'll be confident we'll despatch Argentina and get to the final (provided they get through to the semi of course)

Norway weren't particularly blood and thunder last night, conditions were stifling and they paced themselves, conserved energy and used subs well.

Apparently, in Miami on Sat it won't be any hotter than here but a lot more humid, so it might not be a 'typical Premier League game'

In terms of statement wins in a big game over a 90 minute + performance where does that rank?

I’m looking beyond the moments - Belgium in 1990, the iconic goals - Gazza 96, Beckham 2004 etc

Actually putting in a proper performance that is respected world wide.

And I’m putting 66 to one side because I wasn’t around and it pretty obviously stands alone!

Beating Germany 5-1 and knocking 4 past Holland in Euro 96 are standouts for me.

But because of the drama, the adversity, the setting and the pure determination to see out that win, that’s up there as one of the best ever for me.

Means nowt like if we lose Saturday 😂

I know we might've technically had the better team "on paper" but I've just watched the highlights with the sound on and I don't care how good they are, it takes some stones to go into that atmosphere and come out on the right side of it

16 minutes ago, desperado said:

In terms of statement wins in a big game over a 90 minute + performance where does that rank?

I’m looking beyond the moments - Belgium in 1990, the iconic goals - Gazza 96, Beckham 2004 etc

Actually putting in a proper performance that is respected world wide.

And I’m putting 66 to one side because I wasn’t around and it pretty obviously stands alone!

Beating Germany 5-1 and knocking 4 past Holland in Euro 96 are standouts for me.

But because of the drama, the adversity, the setting and the pure determination to see out that win, that’s up there as one of the best ever for me.

Means nowt like if we lose Saturday 😂

The 0-0 draw in Italy in 97 to qualify was another gritty backs to the wall performance that nearly had a goal at either end in the last minute.

1 minute ago, RONNIE PHILLIPS said:

The 0-0 draw in Italy in 97 to qualify was another gritty backs to the wall performance that nearly had a goal at either end in the last minute.

Remember that. Wrighty played well didn’t he? Watched it in Lostock Arms.

Fine result and performance, but I don’t think it comes close to last night.

12 minutes ago, desperado said:

Remember that. Wrighty played well didn’t he? Watched it in Lostock Arms.

Fine result and performance, but I don’t think it comes close to last night.

I might be missing remembering, but didn't wright miss a good chance?

1 minute ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

I might be missing remembering, but didn't wright miss a good chance?

I’m a bit sketchy too TBH. Wright sticks out but can’t remember exactly why! I might be misremembering too, but didn’t he miss out on the 98 squad with Gascoigne and folk were surprised?!

1 minute ago, desperado said:

I’m a bit sketchy too TBH. Wright sticks out but can’t remember exactly why! I might be misremembering too, but didn’t he miss out on the 98 squad with Gascoigne and folk were surprised?!

Just searched it up. He was in the provisional squad but got injured in pre-tournament game.

And well done re the miss @Tonge moor green jacket

During the famous 0-0 draw between Italy and England on October 11, 1997, at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Ian Wright nearly scored the winning goal in stoppage time. He danced around Italy goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi, but from a tight angle, his shot cannoned off the post.

14 minutes ago, desperado said:

Just searched it up. He was in the provisional squad but got injured in pre-tournament game.

And well done re the miss @Tonge moor green jacket

During the famous 0-0 draw between Italy and England on October 11, 1997, at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Ian Wright nearly scored the winning goal in stoppage time. He danced around Italy goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi, but from a tight angle, his shot cannoned off the post.

Unforgivable! 😁

56 minutes ago, RONNIE PHILLIPS said:

The 0-0 draw in Italy in 97 to qualify was another gritty backs to the wall performance that nearly had a goal at either end in the last minute.

That whole WC98 qualifying campaign was epic and it felt massive after not getting to 94 and off the back of Euro 96.

Wins away in Moldova and Georgia which seemed like intimidating places to me. Home to Moldova was the princess Diana/Elton John game that Gazza rolled back the years in. Shearer twatted an indirect free kick in from inside the box at home to Georgia. Poland away was Channel 5's first england game and Jonathan Pearce screamed his head off. Home to Italy Le Tissier played, then that away one in Rome is an all timer.

Vieri should have won it with a header then we went up the other end and Wright hit the post. Was ecstatic when we came through that.

You don't get qualification groups like that anymore!

And thats how 15 year old me went into the 98 world cup convinced we were going to win it 😃

2 hours ago, little whitt said:

1 hour ago, desperado said:

Remember that. Wrighty played well didn’t he? Watched it in Lostock Arms.

Fine result and performance, but I don’t think it comes close to last night.

I was in there that night as well. The Locky Arms was great for watching big matches.....

But I bet the TVs back then were only about 28"!!

4 hours ago, L/H White said:

Bernabau not in the same league, atmosphere unreal in there, can't say the same about the bernabau

So that's how you are rating it? Just on that one measure. Fair enough.

I have a different bunch of considerations.

No arguments mind that the Azteca is a phenomenon as is the Maracana.

2 hours ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

I know we might've technically had the better team "on paper" but I've just watched the highlights with the sound on and I don't care how good they are, it takes some stones to go into that atmosphere and come out on the right side of it

We only had one Stone 😜

Edited July 7Jul 7 by bolty58