Often the most exciting bouts in a match don't involve any actual goals. There are the near misses, the attacks that are beautifully and heroically saved, the ball that looks like it's found the back of the net, with the whole stadium baiting its breath, only to clip the bar and veer off behind the goal. Some of the tackling and defending is like watching a dance, or a duel. The goals are really a very small part of the actual game.

@ZenGum. Oh I dare say. I just like taking issue with the whole Football = soccer thing :P

But when they DO score... the celebrations are the best. You have to wait for the last one.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=k0fPnu1grSo&feature=related

and the not so clever moments
http://youtube.com/watch?v=8sflsSYxc4I&feature=related

We're not going to Austria/ Switzerland next year.
Sigh.
And I can't even say we deserve to - Lampard was gifted his goal after all.

Just hope we can get a manager with experience now, turn us around in time for South Africa in 2010...

Well....the Bookies have the Special One tagged as a favourite...

What can I say - I can put up with Boring, Boring England to get some silverware.

But once we've got our second world cup (pref against Germany again) it's buh-bye!

SG, Dana chin up. Maclaren should have never been in that position. Missing Euro08 sucks, but at least the FA has time to put a new manager in place and get things turned around for SA 2010.

I honestly hope it isn't Mourinho. coaching the national team is a completely different beast than a club team and i don't think he's cut out for it. he's great at mind games and those don't play as big a role on the international stage. his man management is ok, but not great and that is the key to the national team. if you can't balance the egos you can't stear that ship. he doesn't do well when he doesn't have complete control of the team and let's face it - you're england. the FA will never get out of the way of good football. if he benched gerrard they'd call for him to be lynched. you know he won't bench lampard. those two cover the same ground and shouldn't be on the same field. he becomes sullen and pouts when personnel choices are taken out of his hands. so no way jose.

you might have a shot at Lippi though. that would be pretty sweet.

Keane would be a better choice though because he actually is willing to talk about hte problem. he isn't gray enough to get the job though.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...484078&cc=5901

I would love that. He said he wouldn't take the job a few weeks ago though.

Really? I'd say his man management is phenomenal, and in fact the best asset that he has. The mental strength and team spirit that he built amongst what was essentially a bunch of mercenaries at Chelsea was amazing.

fair enough but what happened once a couple things went other than how some of the mercenaries desired. his gamesmanship cost him. just my opinion, of course. i think tactics are his greatest strength and off the field politics and man management take too much out of him.

Hey, a soccer thread! A really old one... Oh well... *BUMP*

Exciting stretch run in the EPL, no?

Rugby is better than both.

Diehard Arsenal fan here. I'll just sit here brokenhearted for a while thanks.

Diehard Chelsea fan here. I'd try not to gloat, but where's the fun in that? Ya'll got Drogba'd.

I guess that's not very nice. Let's both just fantasize about a scenario that ends with C Ronaldo's fibula poking through his skin.

Nah, ronaldo may be a diving pretty boy but at least he makes it look good.

You realize that Drogba is just trying to up his value so he can go to italy or spain in the summer right? I think Italy has to be the better place for him, it is the only place he can get away with looking like he's been shot whenever someone breathes on him.

We'll see what happens at Chelski next year. Lampard in Spain, Drogba in Italy, Shevcenko back in Milan, Ballack and Makalele on their last legs, and just wait for Anelka to decide he isn't being respected enough. Whew boy...

;) :stickpoke

Of course, Arsenal will bring in another 16 year old from Africa with a name we can't pronounce and an early 20's firecracker from eastern Europe that noone else wanted.