Crunchy Nuts, stop chewing that lemon. I dunno why you are being so harsh for. If England get put out this year controversially I'd say you'd change your tune.

At the end of the day, no one is saying that Ireland were robbed of a place, but we were robbed of a fair chance of getting through by a completely gormless referee (the same ref that let Porto take the 'quick' free against arsenal last year in the CL 1st leg).  

What you are saying about Shay given, yes he might have gotten sent off..they penalty may not have necessarily went in. But this 'goal' assisted by Henry was the goal that won the game and that's the difference.

Also, England were never ahead of Argentina in '86, so then does that mean that the Maradona goal was acceptable?

Crunchy is right actually but then the fact he knows a lot about football might be a reason why.
Still why substitute facts for jingoism eh?
Yes Titi handballed the ball and Gallas scored. Should it have been allowed? No. Was it cheating? Yes But that's not the only reason Ireland didn't go through.

I can't stand Roy Keane but he was spot on with his analysis of that match when he was asked

  
   "Get over it".  Sorry River Rock & Shar.  We didn't take our chances.

Yeh Tayto I know. Bu when you look at the likes of Honduras and them there, cant help but feel a bit sad we cant join in the fun.

I'm quite hopeful that the Ivory Coast will go far ...

Ooooo Veggie...you sound very familiar with Henri 

Hahahaha Suzy - I'm a Gooner innit

Really?.......

Shar me too I really like them, think Drogba to be the key. They are def in the group of death but I think they will certainty put it up to Brazil and Portugal.

Them, Spain and Argentina are my favourites for the competition. Spain with Fabregas, Villa, Alonso and Torres . Argentina with Messi, Teves and Mascerano.

Sorry ... I have to admit to picking the Ivory Coast at random because of their flag ... it's the wrong way round though

Couldn't get on last night but I must say that this statement surprised me. The English media is no different to any other except maybe that there is more choice. Now if you had said that you despise certain parts of the English media, I could have gone along with that. The German and French popular press for example take exactly the same attitude as ours.

Garage Joe

I assure you this isn't an attack on the English, but I really hate the English Media when World Cup season is upon it, they build up everyone's hopes that England are definitely going to win, they blow the egos of the players. It frustrates me no end.  In reality England are a limited team, they have only one World class striker with he rest of the team being pretty average. I do think Capello has brought them on strides this year, and it would be a shame for the likes of Lamps and Gerrard to finish their International career with nothing to show for it.  These A.B.E.campaigns stem from the English Media. A couple of others on here have mentioned they agree about the English Media or am I a lone solider?

There can be miracles when you believe.....Niamh, there is nothing wrong with the media being positive 

Are you sure he wasn't joking?
It sounds like his sort of sense of humour.

I agree, they drive me mad... its practically a frothing at the mouth frenzy if they get to the quarter finals Kinda makes you hope they'll get knocked out early so the meeja will shut the hell up

I'm sure the Irish media would be getting in to a frenzy if Ireland would have qualified and got through to the quater finals


Especially that most of the same newspapers are the same except called 'The Irish' Sun or 'The Irish" News of the world whats different I'm confused ?


So what if we don't win most people don't expect them to but at least they qualified

I hate football.

I hope you all lose

*high fives Arwen*

Off with her head!

I've never been on a forum during a world cup before........we're going to get all crazy aren't we?

OMG...... BB and the world cup are on at the same time! We're going to get all utterly insane!

*joins the we love Catherine of Aragon group on FB*
Morning Arwen

Football is the beautiful game  I love it as much as I like girly, frothy things like shoes and handbags  It keeps me balanced 

I bloody loathe football....I never look at the back pages of the papers so wouldn't know which one is saying what....if forced to watch 11 men kicking a ball about, then I would go for the team with the best looking totty...which definately puts England out of the running...or the team that throws the best tantrums

Not amongst football fans, they don't

F1 does that for me And geeky stuff I suppose

I never once said the handball was acceptable, but to be fair the officials missed it, just like they missed Shay Given denying Anelka an open goal to roll the ball in to. (whether Anelka would have scored the pen or not doesn't make it okay in the laws of the game to foul someone in that position).

No the handball wasn't acceptable, no im not fixated on this, I'm just not blind to what else went on in that particular game of football. To say that Ireland deserved to go through is crazy. If they'd taken their chances that they had then they would have won by 3 or 4 goals, then they would have deserved to go through.

 And Wimbledon!

TBF they did get Ledley King to stand in front of Robert Green so as not to cause damage to the cameras.
Mrs Joe also reckons that this is the most butt-ugly team to leave these shores.

Lookers on the England Team...

Gerrard
Lamps
Carrick

that is all.

none of them cut it

I agree completely with Mrs Joe

Looks like he's out for the WC with a broken ulna

Looks like Ferdinands out with a crocked knee!! Heskey doesn't do much but when he does...

Drogba has a suspected fractured elbow

Well if Uruguay and Mexico draw its curtains for France!!

Germany all the way for me.

Love how they were beaten by a team in green!