Not the football team. I thought England did really well against Italy in their opening World Cup game last night and, to be fair, were unfortunate to come away without at least a point. Indeed, there was enough from Roy’s boys in the opening 15 minutes to excite more than the whole of the ‘no show’ in South Africa 2010 put together.
In a tournament that has been all about goals, goals, goals the England – Italy game delivered more and was anything but the dour, cautious 0-0 this numpty predicted. Ok, we lost but we played well in doing so. With the emphasis being very much about England on the front foot rather than camped in the defensive third, I’m anything but downbeat about our chances of progress.
My disdain is more for Phil Neville. The BBC really have dropped the ball in their team selection at the World Cup. The likes of Lineker, Shearer and Henry are still street ahead of anything ITV have to offer but are they taking it for granted?
Things got off to a bad start on Friday with the Manchester United referencing Rio Ferdinand. He continued name-dropping on Saturday (yawn) but things then hit a real low when we switched to the main game.
Phil Neville, as analyst in the commentary box, seems to have had all the charisma surgically removed from him prior to taking his seat (that is, assuming he had any charisma in the first instance). For a game that kicked off at 11pm, the last thing a tired audience needed were the soporific tones of this human Horlicks. It was like listening to a robot. He really was that monotone.
Just one more needed to complete my sticker album
Ironic, considering we really needed a robot on the pitch. Daniel Sturridge’s fine equaliser saw a celebration that was less Peter Crouch and more seasick scarecrow.
To compound the felony, with both Leighton Baines and Andrea Pirlo having second half set piece efforts in front of goal, Phil couldn’t even give us a, “And this is Saunders territory”.
The BBC still has far too much in the tank to be worried by ITV but their choice of Phil Neville seems a really odd one. His brother, Gary, does a fine job on Sky – I’m the first to admit. Clearly, it doesn’t run in the family.
Or perhaps, with the selection of Rio, the thought is that Manchester United’s fallen stars are the future of football punditry.
I hope not.
Tags: 1-2, 2-1, 2010, 2014, Alan Shearer, Andrea Pirlo, Brazil, Brentford, Brentford FC, Championship, commentary, commentators, Costa Rica, Daniel Sturridge, England, Gary, Gary Lineker, group, Italy, Leighton Baines, lost in space, Manchester United, Neville, panel, Panini, Peter Crouch, Phil, Phil Neville, Rio, Rio Ferdinand, robot, Roy Hodgson, Roy’s boys, Sam Saunders, Saunders territory, South Africa, sticker, Thierry Henry, Uruguay, World Cup
BrentfordFC 
Was this the worst performance ever? Come on England.
15 JunNot the football team. I thought England did really well against Italy in their opening World Cup game last night and, to be fair, were unfortunate to come away without at least a point. Indeed, there was enough from Roy’s boys in the opening 15 minutes to excite more than the whole of the ‘no show’ in South Africa 2010 put together.
In a tournament that has been all about goals, goals, goals the England – Italy game delivered more and was anything but the dour, cautious 0-0 this numpty predicted. Ok, we lost but we played well in doing so. With the emphasis being very much about England on the front foot rather than camped in the defensive third, I’m anything but downbeat about our chances of progress.
My disdain is more for Phil Neville. The BBC really have dropped the ball in their team selection at the World Cup. The likes of Lineker, Shearer and Henry are still street ahead of anything ITV have to offer but are they taking it for granted?
Things got off to a bad start on Friday with the Manchester United referencing Rio Ferdinand. He continued name-dropping on Saturday (yawn) but things then hit a real low when we switched to the main game.
Phil Neville, as analyst in the commentary box, seems to have had all the charisma surgically removed from him prior to taking his seat (that is, assuming he had any charisma in the first instance). For a game that kicked off at 11pm, the last thing a tired audience needed were the soporific tones of this human Horlicks. It was like listening to a robot. He really was that monotone.
Just one more needed to complete my sticker album
Ironic, considering we really needed a robot on the pitch. Daniel Sturridge’s fine equaliser saw a celebration that was less Peter Crouch and more seasick scarecrow.
To compound the felony, with both Leighton Baines and Andrea Pirlo having second half set piece efforts in front of goal, Phil couldn’t even give us a, “And this is Saunders territory”.
The BBC still has far too much in the tank to be worried by ITV but their choice of Phil Neville seems a really odd one. His brother, Gary, does a fine job on Sky – I’m the first to admit. Clearly, it doesn’t run in the family.
Or perhaps, with the selection of Rio, the thought is that Manchester United’s fallen stars are the future of football punditry.
I hope not.
Tags: 1-2, 2-1, 2010, 2014, Alan Shearer, Andrea Pirlo, Brazil, Brentford, Brentford FC, Championship, commentary, commentators, Costa Rica, Daniel Sturridge, England, Gary, Gary Lineker, group, Italy, Leighton Baines, lost in space, Manchester United, Neville, panel, Panini, Peter Crouch, Phil, Phil Neville, Rio, Rio Ferdinand, robot, Roy Hodgson, Roy’s boys, Sam Saunders, Saunders territory, South Africa, sticker, Thierry Henry, Uruguay, World Cup