I saw the close up - it looked intentional.
That's the rules - you get provoked - your out - it needs lots of discipline sometimes... and players know that...
... and england has earned players with discipline - the fans are fantastic - I get goose bumps listening to god safe the queen. They start singing once the team's in trouble not only when the guys are doing fine. Things to learn in germany.
Wayne should definetly have caught a breath and turn away - my opinion.
Otherwise the spirit of that team was great playing 10 vs 11. Penalties were bad perpared - players looked like they where beaten already.
Don't look for scapegoats - keep your stiff upper lip - and most important don't let the sun ruin englands image.
Please
I agree completely with your last post. Well, apart from the deliberate stamp bit but I haven’t seen too many replays, having been away, so I won’t get into an argument over that.
The fans showed the better side of English fans and stirred the team on after the s*** hit the fan, and the team responded. We put up a fight, unlike Brazil, and I can’t ask for more than that.
I have sympathy with the players if they looked a little downbeat going into the shootout. We had no strikers, our main penalty taker was on shocking form (Gerrard or Hargreaves should have been given the first attempt, I believe) and our record in shootouts is abysmal. Not exactly the circumstances to inspire confidence.
Now I just have to decide whether to back Germany to win the tournament or just cut my losses and watch the games as a neutral.