I had an ominous feeling England would lose the shootout when the TV cameras focused on Vassell’s face before the shootout and his look was one of abject terror.
Oh well, losing to the hosts on sudden-death penalties is no disgrace, and we can take heart in that it was a good team effort, and the determination of the entire back four (Sol Campbell in particular) was admirable, and England should have won with Campbell’s goal. But our defence was too deep, midfield too spread and tired, and the tactics were plain shoddy (why continue longballing it to two of the shortest forwards in the game?). England deserved a win for their effort, and Portugal deserved a win for being the better side technically. Paradoxical, no?
Tonight was fairness and unfairness, glory and pain, pride and failure, and a whole bunch of other stuff, all mixed together in 120 very exciting minutes, and the whole nation shared in it. Now 90% will turn their back on football for another two years, but the rest of us will be enjoying such ups and downs and dealing with such conflicting emotions all the way through next season - we just can’t get enough of it.
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June 24th, 2004 at 23:31:54
And the incredible thing is, 90% of what you just said could equally have been written after the Argentina match all those years ago… Except, of course, that then Shearer did foul their keeper, whereas there was nothing - nothing - in this one.
I haven’t started breathing again.
June 24th, 2004 at 23:45:27
Of course, b3ta have it right…
June 25th, 2004 at 00:46:45
And here, here, here and here.
Oh, and not forgetting this especially offensive one.
It’s as if there was a trained crack squad of Photoshoppers ready to pounce, maybe even in the stadium itself. Maybe that’s the future - at major news events, in warzones etc. alongside the people with TV and PRESS in big letters on the back of their coat, there will be people with B3TA or PHOTOSHOPPER emblazoned on their back.
(And then the IDF will shoot them regardless)
June 25th, 2004 at 02:04:18
You know, having studied images from other penalty shoot-outs in the past, I think I have an idea where they come from…
June 25th, 2004 at 02:41:28
Still, it’s good to see that despite one or two dodgy decisions, they can still all get together for a nice post-match sing-song.
Lord above, what a time-waste. Bed now.
June 25th, 2004 at 11:53:16
b3ta overdrive…here’s another, and another, and another.
Hugh has pointed out that Urs Meier looked a little Bowie-esque, I may have to do a shopping of the cover of “Heathen” (the one where Bowie has no eyes) now…
June 26th, 2004 at 14:10:14
Inspired dirt digging from the Sun Particularly liked “Meier and his new love spend their evenings watching football videos while lounging on vile zebra-striped fake fur chairs.”