Corruption in the AFA is the driving force, they want the leadership changed. There may not be an Argentina Premier League this year.
14.
Tony J
We need a few minutes of slow passing, moving the Icelandic midfield around, keeping possession, calming, the feck, down. Why are we racing to throw whipping long ball passes to runners with 25 mins on the clock? Shrek needs to slow things down and have a word with his shell-shocked millionaires.
15.
Tony J
Deli-Dive!
Wait until the defender actually throws in a challenge, son, otherwise you look a bit daft.
16.
Onkel Fritze
Rooney has never really delivered in any tournament for England, hasn’t he?
17.
MobiusKlein
Am I the only guy rooting for Iceland here?
18.
themann1086
If you’re not following this twitter feed, you are missing out. #ICELANDSMITES!
19.
Shana
I don’t know if anyone else has mentioned this, but we saw an article in an English newspaper on Friday that said that about 10% of Iceland’s population had gone to see one of the games, missing an election back home. There was great concern that the missing 10% would screw up the election. I haven’t decided if that was a good thing or not. Probably not.
Now now, Wayne’s currently the reigning champion in the Bi-Annual “Looks like a Bulldog’s Arse” competition the squad runs at every tournament.
Otherwise no, he hasn’t.
25.
LesBonnesFemmes
My goodness, are England going to flame out again. I could not watch the first half, and the Guardian commentary seems to be putting all the blame on Joe Hart. Is that the case?
26.
Calouste
@Onkel Fritze: 4 goals at his first tournament at Euro 2004, 2 goals in major tournaments since.
27.
Runt
Just saw a clip of the last goal with Icelandic commentary. Would it surprise anyone that high-pitched screaming was involved?
Why are we racing to throw whipping long ball passes to runners with 25 mins on the clock?
Have you never seen English play before?
29.
Tony J
Looks like Woy’s big gamble on returning to his original squad and not, apparently, doing any pre-match work on how Iceland actually play their football is not working out too well.
The pundits back in the studio aren’t just ripping England’s performance apart, they’re poking their fingers into its flaccid, worm-pale carcass and making faces of bemused disgust. Rightly so.
Will Woy have the balls to make some much needed changes?
Not really for the first one, that was down to colossally inept marking, but the second one should have been an easy gather for someone of his quality.
32.
Prescott Cactus
Go Iceland ! They even throw bankers in jail !
33.
Onkel Fritze
The first Jceland goal was basically a carbon copy of one of their goals against Austria.
I tell you, mate, if you wanted a shiny example of exactly what England fans complain about with their team’s performances in big games, this is textbook.
Slow, predictable, aimless, panicked, and ‘big’ players not performing well, but the manager won’t take them off until far too late.
I don’t even have a bad feeling that we’ll lose this, It’s a reasonably comfortable feeling.
It’s just so simple. Iceland are going to defend in depth, two solid ranks of four, holding position until an English player around their box gets the ball then they’ll mob him, two or three to one, deny him space or an angle to pass the ball. Clear the danger, repeat over and over again.
The only way to get past that is with movement. Players pulling their markers with them, dragging them out of position so that when a ball does come in there’s room for other players to run into. Quick passing, carving out openings so that the defenders can’t outnumber you.
Look at England when the ball comes forward. They’re just – standing – there, waiting to get the ball before they do anything. Iceland can defend against this all day, it’s what even semi-professional footballers train to do.
Pathetic.
49.
SRW1
If England goes out, will Rooney follow Messi and announce his retirement from the national team as a last service?
@Tony J: So they need a motion offense with backside picks.
54.
raven
“A nation on the verge of humiliation” and that’s without this game!
55.
SRW1
Awesome Iceland, absolutely awesome! Maybe people will now accept that dumping the Netherlands during the qualification to the tournament was not a fluke.
You know, in a week during which I got to enjoy the full sensory experience of an American Democrat in 2004 (as in, what the hell is wrong with a bare majority of my fellow countrymen?) it’s somehow fulfilling that the English team wipes its collective arse with the Cross of St George that you just – know – the mindless Brexitheads would have been planning on waving frantically in the wake of our national head-trauma.
Our week of God-awful misery is now perfectly complete. Put money on Andy Murray to win at Wimbledon and dedicate his victory to an Independent Scotland, just to rub it in.
It is terrifying isn’t it? Now imagine hearing it at two hundred yards coming from a line of axe wielding Iron-Age Hell’s Angels and you can see why most of Europe spent a few centuries in abject terror of these blokes.
That might well be a piss-take… But I can’t be sure. When you’ve seen enough muppets banging their chests and grunting “Getting our England baaaaackkkk!” you get the impression half of your country are stupid enough to believe and say anything.
Funny tweet out there (paraphrased): English team says they were misled about consequences of allowing Iceland to kick ball in net. Asking for a do-over.
Normally I root for the overdogs more in soccer than other sports, just because I feel the biggest flaw in the game is that the less talented side wins too often [b/c it’s too f’ing hard to score – we evolved opposable thumbs for a reason, and it was to pick up round objects and throw them! :^)]. Definitely feel that way when it’s some boring ass team like Switzerland (traditionally, at least) who just pack it in and pray a longball will bounce the wrong way and they take advantage at some point. I like the Icelanders, though, for their pluckiness, the miracle that they’re even here, the camaraderie and national lovefest they’ve started, etc. Plus, they do actually try to score goals and push the advantage when they can, and for whatever reason they’re pretty damned efficient at it, too. They take less shots but they’re usually good shots.
That said, prediction: France will figure out how to score on this team. Pogba to Griezmann on shifty runs will eventually crack the egg.
Onkel Fritze
Brexit now!
Onkel Fritze
Early polling shows ‘remain’ in the lead.
Calouste
Scores level after 5 minutes :)
humboldtblue
Oh my, me fixing a sammich and missing both goals
Onkel Fritze
The righteous smiting beginns!
Paul in KY
3 Lions to get past the Fighting Lutfiskers!
Tony J
Little bit late to the party, what did I miss?
Oh… Game on then.
scav
Team Alphabetsson!
burnspbesq
OT; espn.com is reporting that Messi, Mascherano, Higuain, Aguero and others are retiring from international play for Argentina.
Onkel Fritze
LOL – classic English goalkeeping
humboldtblue
By Thor’s hammer and the castle of Asgard, Joe Hart was flummoxed by the vixens of the volcanoes!
Tony J
Oh my giddy aunt. Why didn’t Jeremy Corbyn fly onto the pitch and save that? It’s like he didn’t even try!
Hey, England, here’s an idea, why not use that ball thing you’ve had so much of and put it in their net?
humboldtblue
@scav:
So good.
@burnspbesq:
Corruption in the AFA is the driving force, they want the leadership changed. There may not be an Argentina Premier League this year.
Tony J
We need a few minutes of slow passing, moving the Icelandic midfield around, keeping possession, calming, the feck, down. Why are we racing to throw whipping long ball passes to runners with 25 mins on the clock? Shrek needs to slow things down and have a word with his shell-shocked millionaires.
Tony J
Deli-Dive!
Wait until the defender actually throws in a challenge, son, otherwise you look a bit daft.
Onkel Fritze
Rooney has never really delivered in any tournament for England, hasn’t he?
MobiusKlein
Am I the only guy rooting for Iceland here?
themann1086
If you’re not following this twitter feed, you are missing out. #ICELANDSMITES!
Shana
I don’t know if anyone else has mentioned this, but we saw an article in an English newspaper on Friday that said that about 10% of Iceland’s population had gone to see one of the games, missing an election back home. There was great concern that the missing 10% would screw up the election. I haven’t decided if that was a good thing or not. Probably not.
Onkel Fritze
@MobiusKlein: Whatever gave you that impression?
Gin & Tonic
@MobiusKlein: No.
scav
@Onkel Fritze: The guy on top started with his leaning much earlier in the day. Couldn’t wait.
raven
@MobiusKlein: I am.
Tony J
@Onkel Fritze:
Now now, Wayne’s currently the reigning champion in the Bi-Annual “Looks like a Bulldog’s Arse” competition the squad runs at every tournament.
Otherwise no, he hasn’t.
LesBonnesFemmes
My goodness, are England going to flame out again. I could not watch the first half, and the Guardian commentary seems to be putting all the blame on Joe Hart. Is that the case?
Calouste
@Onkel Fritze: 4 goals at his first tournament at Euro 2004, 2 goals in major tournaments since.
Runt
Just saw a clip of the last goal with Icelandic commentary. Would it surprise anyone that high-pitched screaming was involved?
BillCinSD
@Tony J:
Have you never seen English play before?
Tony J
Looks like Woy’s big gamble on returning to his original squad and not, apparently, doing any pre-match work on how Iceland actually play their football is not working out too well.
The pundits back in the studio aren’t just ripping England’s performance apart, they’re poking their fingers into its flaccid, worm-pale carcass and making faces of bemused disgust. Rightly so.
Will Woy have the balls to make some much needed changes?
Tony J
@BillCinSD:
Well, you have a point, but we’re supposed to be doing that in bare arsed panic with 5 mins to go. Everything in its season.
Tony J
@LesBonnesFemmes:
Not really for the first one, that was down to colossally inept marking, but the second one should have been an easy gather for someone of his quality.
Prescott Cactus
Go Iceland ! They even throw bankers in jail !
Onkel Fritze
The first Jceland goal was basically a carbon copy of one of their goals against Austria.
raven
@Tony J: That weren’t bad.
Tony J
Frigging hell. Ball in the box, five touches, the only one by an English player a goal-line save by the keeper.
Not good enough.
LesBonnesFemmes
Well there, now English folks can say nice things about Hart. Maybe that is the turning point? (I don’t think so, but I’vebeen wrong before.)
LesBonnesFemmes
Here’s Vardy. What does Hodgson have against him.
raven
Looked like old man Bush throwing out the first pitch!
Tony J
@raven:
I tell you, mate, if you wanted a shiny example of exactly what England fans complain about with their team’s performances in big games, this is textbook.
Slow, predictable, aimless, panicked, and ‘big’ players not performing well, but the manager won’t take them off until far too late.
I don’t even have a bad feeling that we’ll lose this, It’s a reasonably comfortable feeling.
raven
@Tony J: Yea, I’m getting the idea!
Tony J
Jesus Christ Wayne, get off the frigging pitch. You’ve been shit.
Gin & Tonic
@Tony J: That Twitter account referenced above is a thing of beauty.
Sloane Ranger
England not moving the ball fast enough and useless around the goalmouth. England’s 2nd exit in 5 days looks imminent.
A perfect end to a perfect week/snark.
LesBonnesFemmes
Rooney (or Scrumple as the Wife and I call him) is horrid today.
Runt
Rooney looks tired. And now that I’ve written that, he’ll probably score a hat trick.
raven
EEECCCLAND
LesBonnesFemmes
I love this story. Iceland are awesome. And their fans are awesome too.
Tony J
@raven:
It’s just so simple. Iceland are going to defend in depth, two solid ranks of four, holding position until an English player around their box gets the ball then they’ll mob him, two or three to one, deny him space or an angle to pass the ball. Clear the danger, repeat over and over again.
The only way to get past that is with movement. Players pulling their markers with them, dragging them out of position so that when a ball does come in there’s room for other players to run into. Quick passing, carving out openings so that the defenders can’t outnumber you.
Look at England when the ball comes forward. They’re just – standing – there, waiting to get the ball before they do anything. Iceland can defend against this all day, it’s what even semi-professional footballers train to do.
Pathetic.
SRW1
If England goes out, will Rooney follow Messi and announce his retirement from the national team as a last service?
Tony J
Taking Wayne off with five minutes to go when he’s been shit all game? You are a joke, Woy.
Onkel Fritze
Rashford in. In the 86th minute. Plenty of time to make a difference, I’m sure.
raven
@Tony J: Brexit 2!
raven
@Tony J: So they need a motion offense with backside picks.
raven
“A nation on the verge of humiliation” and that’s without this game!
SRW1
Awesome Iceland, absolutely awesome! Maybe people will now accept that dumping the Netherlands during the qualification to the tournament was not a fluke.
Runt
Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Onkel Fritze
50 years of hurt…and counting.
Tony J
@raven:
I… Okay, yes. That sounds massively better than ” Stand around with your thumb up your arse.”
And we’re out. Deservedly. You wretched bunch of crap.
scav
!
raven
@Tony J: It’s always darkest before the dawn. . .
Steeplejack (phone)
Brexit! Er, Engexit.
Well done, Iceland.
Sloane Ranger
And once again the pampered millionaires can’t be arsed when there’s no pay cheque at the end!
Now have to hope the Welsh dragon can pull off a miracle againt the Belgian lion.
otmar
EXIT.
scav
Successerson
Tony J
Congratulations to Iceland. You had a plan, stuck to it and could have won by more.
What a fantastic end to a really frigging awesome week.
Somehow I just know Jeremy Corbyn is to blame. It’s like he didn’t even try!
SRW1
That Iceland war cry is almost as good as the haka.
Onkel Fritze
So who’s going to be the next England coach?
otmar
“The land that has more volcanos than football professionals, won against England”
–the Austrian tv commentator
Loviatar
Brexit Biiiiiiiiiiitches!!!!!!!!!
LOL, LOL, LOL
Steeplejack (phone)
Population of Iceland almost equal to that of Ealing.
raven
@SRW1: I think I’ve seen other fans do it as well.
LesBonnesFemmes
The Iceland slow clap. My goodness.
Beagleowned
Brexitwo
Tony J
@raven:
You know, in a week during which I got to enjoy the full sensory experience of an American Democrat in 2004 (as in, what the hell is wrong with a bare majority of my fellow countrymen?) it’s somehow fulfilling that the English team wipes its collective arse with the Cross of St George that you just – know – the mindless Brexitheads would have been planning on waving frantically in the wake of our national head-trauma.
Our week of God-awful misery is now perfectly complete. Put money on Andy Murray to win at Wimbledon and dedicate his victory to an Independent Scotland, just to rub it in.
Omnes Omnibus
@Tony J:
Any blancmanges in the tournament?
OGLiberal
Björk! Björk! Bjöööööööööööörk!!!!!!
raven
@Tony J: girlfriend explains why she voted out of EU with a football twist!
MobiusKlein
@OGLiberal: people in Iceland apparently don’t listen to Björk, but there is a liquor of that name they drink.
Tony J
@SRW1:
It is terrifying isn’t it? Now imagine hearing it at two hundred yards coming from a line of axe wielding Iron-Age Hell’s Angels and you can see why most of Europe spent a few centuries in abject terror of these blokes.
90 minutes was enough for me.
Tony J
@Omnes Omnibus:
I’m going to have to look that one up, aren’t I?
Omnes Omnibus
@Tony J: Part 1. Part 2.
Onkel Fritze
@Tony J: Shame on you!
Omnes Omnibus
@Tony J: @Omnes Omnibus: Part 3.
Tony J
@raven:
That might well be a piss-take… But I can’t be sure. When you’ve seen enough muppets banging their chests and grunting “Getting our England baaaaackkkk!” you get the impression half of your country are stupid enough to believe and say anything.
Tony J
@Omnes Omnibus:
Ah, Britain’s greatest export. I boweth the knee.
Omnes Omnibus
@Tony J: Ta.
West of the Cascades
@Omnes Omnibus: Angus Podgorny, what do ye mean?
kd bart
Other than Adele, what does England have anymore?
MCA1
Funny tweet out there (paraphrased): English team says they were misled about consequences of allowing Iceland to kick ball in net. Asking for a do-over.
Normally I root for the overdogs more in soccer than other sports, just because I feel the biggest flaw in the game is that the less talented side wins too often [b/c it’s too f’ing hard to score – we evolved opposable thumbs for a reason, and it was to pick up round objects and throw them! :^)]. Definitely feel that way when it’s some boring ass team like Switzerland (traditionally, at least) who just pack it in and pray a longball will bounce the wrong way and they take advantage at some point. I like the Icelanders, though, for their pluckiness, the miracle that they’re even here, the camaraderie and national lovefest they’ve started, etc. Plus, they do actually try to score goals and push the advantage when they can, and for whatever reason they’re pretty damned efficient at it, too. They take less shots but they’re usually good shots.
That said, prediction: France will figure out how to score on this team. Pogba to Griezmann on shifty runs will eventually crack the egg.
Paul in KY
@Tony J: Sound analysis on our shortcomings.
Paul in KY
@MobiusKlein: I have seen Bjork & I understand why they don’t listen to her much.
Paul in KY
@Tony J: Yew bows are your friend.