By Myles Palmer
Albania 1 Engerland 3
Be lucky, my son!
Gary Neville did not appeal on the Albania “goal” that made it 2-2 because he knew the guy was not offside.
He just stood there and hoped Rraklli would miss. He stood there and hoped Seaman would save it. But Seaman didn’t save it, the lineman did : he put his flag up, wrongly.
First half was like watching a Graham Taylor England team.
4-4-2 never works.
Take Macca off and put Heskey on and prove that 4-3-3 doesn’t work either.
I was thinking : Who wants to play a World Cup in a Korean monsoon anyway?
It was 73 minutes of garbage and then a good little pass from Scholes, neat finish from Owen, good work by Cole for Scholes tap-in from two yards, an Albanian goal by Rraklli after another boob by dopey Rio Ferdinand, then the disallowed equaliser by Raklli, then Heskey set up Andy Cole for his long waited and long deserved goal.
Wes Brown superb, coming on for injured Sol Campbell. But we knew that anyway, didn’t we?
Ashley Cole did OK. A bit impetuous in tackles in the defensive third. What do you expect from a lad who has only played 24 games for Arsenal? He is a real good kid and getting better every week.
Sven Goran Eriksson has gone to Las Vegas to break the bank. Gary Neville has gone with him. They might not even be allowed into the casinos.The doormen will say : We know you guys, you’re so lucky, you can’t come in ! Go back to England and do some work!
Nice to see France stuffed 2-1 by Spain.Only saw second half. Any five minutes of this game contained more good football than the entire 95 minutes from Tirana.
Terrific goal by Morientes, lovely pass by Thierry Henry to set up Trezeguet consolation.
Portugal 2 Violent Orange 2.
Those vicious Dutchmen, beaten 2-0 in Rotterdam, did not deserve to keep their 2-0 lead after Stam, Cocu and Reiziger had kicked lumps out of Luis Figo. Figo made one and scored a late, late penalty equaliser.
But what a fantastic cross by Overmars to pick out Kluivert for the second goal. Different class.
Enough rambling, it’s 12.40 a.m., bathtime, then bedtime.
29th March 2001.