Saturday, June 10, 2006

England vs. Paraguay: A Weak Win For The Boys In White

England strike pair Peter Crouch and Michael Owen pose after exiting the team bus...
...and during the anthems

A win is a win, but as is so often the case with their opening games of major tournaments England looked lethargic and overly defensive. The full BBC match report is here.

Still early days and not a time to panic: in 1990 England drew their first two group games and struggled to beat Egypt 1-0 before going on to reach the semis; in 1998 we won two and lost one; and in 2002 we drew two and won one.

Also, Trinidad really helped out; playing a great game to hold the Swedes to a 0-0 draw. England lead Group B; next game Thursday.

4 comments:

Bill Norris said...

The hell with own goal victories.

I assume, based on the rules we've established, that we now have two day/night doubleheaders to keep track of for our baseball bet? So, that's one series in Boston, where the make-up game, if you win, dooms me. And if I win, means a split and no one suffers.

And one series in the Bronx, where the make-up game, if you win, means a split, and if I win, means you suffer?

I do have this right, right?

And I'm all over Ecuador right now. Those are my boys.

Mondale said...

Norris? Can you shut up about baseball for 5 seconds? I came here to reassure Weasel about England grinding out a very English result against South American opposition and all I get is "Yankees this and Yankees that".
Don't you know there's a World Cup on?

Bill Norris said...

Oh yes. I've been watching. Trinidad and Ecuador. Love those sides.

Wisdom Weasel said...

It was going in on it's own- it was just helped a little by the Paruguayan. Ecuador were good, but I'm head over heels for Trinidad and Tobago and Le Cote Ivorie. Until we play 'em. And yeah Sox/Yanks- your math checks out; everything is in abayance until one team breaks out.

Mondale: the official word from my Granddad Len is that "England must try harder" and also "Serbia and Croatia don't really count as seperate countries- its like they have two teams in". An unreconstructed pan-Yugoslav Titoist, that grandfather of mine.

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