Watching England from the bench
- 25 Jun 06, 08:17 PM
BERLIN: Having edited last night鈥檚 game and not travelled to Stuttgart, I was in the same position as the rest of the nation watching England struggle through on the 91热爆 this afternoon.
And probably even more relieved than most, given that we have first pick of the live quarter-finals, and will, unsurprisingly, now pick England.
At one point, though, those of us back here at base thought we might be heading for a Theo Walcott-like desperation-inspired appearance from the bench.
The guys preparing VT analysis for World Cup Extra and tonight鈥檚 highlights were listening to talkback from Stuttgart during the first half, and at one point it seemed that for technical reasons there may be a problem in returning to the on-site studio at half-time.
We started preparing some video clips and putting a few key people on standby here in Berlin.
Having once edited an England qualifier in Newcastle which was beset with serious technical problems, and having also been in charge of an FA Cup tie at Manchester City when transmission failed completely for a couple of minutes, I knew how our people on site must be feeling.
Fortunately, everyone kept calm, the technical wizards pulled some levers and changed some plugs, and the crisis passed. The match coverage was not really to our taste either, but as I鈥檝e explained before that is beyond our control out here.
Having shown Germany v Sweden and that fantastic Argentina v Mexico match live yesterday, we only have one of the remaining live games in this phase left to show. That鈥檚 Ukraine v Switzerland tomorrow: I鈥檓 planning that one and not unreasonably, it鈥檚 been left a little up in the air until the England game was put to bed.
We can鈥檛 currently get to Shevchenko for an interview, though he may come to post later in the tournament if Ukraine progress. Our very own Leonardo played with him for two seasons at Milan, so is at least qualified to give us an informed assessment.
Philippe Senderos, the Swiss player most familiar to the domestic audience, is now sadly ruled out of the rest of the tournament through injury. Instead, we鈥檙e trying to persuade Switzerland鈥檚 most famous sportsman, Roger Federer, to do something for us at Wimbledon. Given how well Boris Becker has spoken about football prior to a couple of our German matches, we鈥檙e cautiously optimistic.
We鈥檝e pencilled in an England follow-up and a decent chunk of the afternoon match between Italy and Australia, plus post-match interviews.
We may also have an opportunity to run another of our colour pieces showing facets of modern Germany. This one involves Adrian Chiles and a stunning German model in a very loose pastiche of a certain car advert, comparing their two countries in terms of literature, music, sausages, dancing and car manufacturing. The premise being that for all the daft stereotyping, Britain and Germany are actually very similar. I鈥檝e seen the half-finished edit and I think it works really well.
One obvious difference between the two countries is that the Berliners have been unfailingly polite and indulgent as I鈥檝e paraded my dreadful O Level (GCSE to any youngsters who are still with me) German these past three weeks. Half the time they switch effortlessly into faultless English. Anyone turning up in London with a similar level of English to my German would probably get extremely short shrift.
So it鈥檚 51 games down, 13 to go. One, two or maybe even three of those will involve Sven鈥檚 boys. The motto for 91热爆 Sport and England over the next two weeks should be 鈥淕ehen Sie immer geradeaus weiter!鈥 I think that means 鈥渒eep going straight on.鈥 Either that or I鈥檝e just ordered a rhinoceros sandwich鈥
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It is odd that their is no talk about the Ecuadorian team. It seems that they have finally played up to their potential, the concrete chances that existed in this game did not materialized for them and they were beaten by a wonderful goal from the English Captain, good luck to the English Team.
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Well Done England
The 5-4-1 system is great but you need the right Coach & Players for this system.
The best man for this is Jose of Chelsea, he would play 2 wide men to support the lone Striker.
For Me, David Beckham would have played this system 5 years ago but he has not the legs for this system.
I would play 2 wide players to support Rooney not the Centre Midfielder's, they are the late runner's from deep.
Play Joe Cole on the right wing and Theo Walcott on the Leftside, these are the players to support Rooney, they have the pace and legs.
In the Centre of Midfield, would be Lampard, Carrick or Beckham and Gerrard.
Beckham is to slow for this system, when he was one on one, every time was a back pass, never tried to go forward.
Stephen Birch of West Sussex
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I agree on that.But i still believe english captain is the best free kicker in the world.The goal was a superb now they have to get ready for portugal.I think the best combination for them would be 3-4-3
or 4-4-2 against portugese.
BEST OF LUCK TO ENGLISH TEAMS
CHEERS
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91热爆 is doing a fantastic job and first I like to thank you for it. Today England was very lucky to slip away. World Cup is really an interesting thing.
Today, I found out that India got the chance to participate in World in 1950
but it did not take part because they did not want to play with
those days. I
wish you write about this topic in future.
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I was interested to know why some players, for example Wayne Rooney, were wearing long sleeve shirts. I've seen it before in games that are being played in hot conditions but never heard a technical explanation of the thinking behind these decisions.
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Re post 2 (mayday)
Dear mayday:
go an see a doctor. And quickly, if you can manage.
Best wishes
Rolf (GERMANY)
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In case anyone wants a new spin on an old theme...sing it through - it works well..!!!
Get ready for an England Germany final.. Come On England!!!!
We still believe
We still believe
We still believe
It's coming home
It's coming home
It's coming
Football's coming home
It's coming home
It's coming home
It's coming
Football's coming home
Lisbon Lions in white and red
Another final day in bed
Back at home, aching head
And It was meant to be different with Sven
And it happened again
But stand together and then
We'll keep on singing....
Three lions on a shirt
Jules Rimet still gleaming
40 years of hurt
Never stopped us dreaming
More talk of football coming home
But its time the world was shown
that we're strong, that we have grown
Cos We'll see Becks there grabbing the loot
With Wazza's golden boot
leaving Germany mute
while we're still screaming....
Three lions on a shirt
Jules Rimet still gleaming
No more years of hurt
No more need for dreaming
We will play them and win.
We will win in Berlin
It's coming home
It's coming
Football's coming home
It's coming home
It's coming home
It's coming
Football's coming home
It's coming home
It's coming home
It's coming
Football's coming home
It's coming home
It's coming home
It's coming
Football's coming home
Three lions on a shirt
Jules Rimet still gleaming
No more years of hurt
No more need for dreaming..
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Having watched todays game, and in particular the half time analysis, a strange thought entered my mind. We're Gary and the boys actually in the stadium, or was it just the pictures of the crowd and ground 'projected' onto the glass screen behind them? (and they were still in berlin)...
Which leads me to ask..... is the studio really outside the brandenburg gate, or are the pictures also projected behind them on to the glass? (Or are they really windows?)
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english are very strong team i hope their will go into the semi- final i realy love david beck the capitain is the greatest player i never see in all my life.
thobias
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As an English ex pat living in Sydney, I was doubly delighted to see our boys remain in the competition with the win over Ecuador.
I've been getting so much flack about England's performance from the Aussies - this World Cup's surprise stars! When you look at the Aussie team there is guts in their performance and they look like they want to win. This attitude goes a long way to make up for any lack of finesse in their game.
Sadly I can't say the same about England's campaign to-date and today's performance again does little to inspire confidence. I don't know how we've got this far to be honest - other than the fact we were in a fairly easy group to start out with. Where's the hunger and passion?
Do we look like a World Cup winning team? Do we look like the best in the world? I'm not sure that we do. I'm just waiting for it all to come crashing down as it has done so many times in the past.
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I work as a Night Supervisor, with TV access, and I was very dissapointed that the 91热爆 decided to show England v Equador on MOTD Replay. The game had already been shown live and dissected on 91热爆 and ITV highlights shows. Surely the story of the day was Portugal v Holland and I was looking forward to the full 91热爆 version tonight.
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Thanks for the technical info as well, it is v interesting to read about the make up of TV progs as well as just watch them!
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Paul, thanks for another interesting post. I know you have no control over the live coverage, but there is an increasing tendency to not show the football (which is, after all, the most important item in the match) during live coverage.
I think very few people would take binoculars to a match in order to study the players shorts or the managers suits. Yes, there is a value in showing these things, but it should be incidental to the game, and not shown instead of it.
The same goes for replays, there is a great value in showing them, but not at the expense of an unfolding attacking move on the field.
Perhaps the next time you meet your counterparts from other TV companies for a beer you could start a new trend in football coverage :-)
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I'm so very confident on u, England.whatever ur display are, but u can win the world cup this year. Come on England! the ball depend on your foots.
you're the kingdom of conscience, kingdom of football. There're so many wold-class players in the team, so what's the big macth will on! u can go through all the way, com on my men!
I'm asian, but my heart is in deep to england. when england plays, it makes my heart slower and faster at the same time. so please, bring me the passion, the good memory and the champion.
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That the match coverage has not been to the taste of the MOTD team is understating a constant irritation to viewers. Countless times we lose live action to replays and unneccessary and gratuitous crowd shots (Mexican waves - OK so the crowd are bored; planted models - OK these can liven things up - but please only during stoppages). Yesterday we missed a whole Portuguese attacking move and save. Sooner or later we'll miss a goal. Is this what it will take to shake up the editors? What pressure can the 91热爆 and other TV companies exert on the host TV coverage?
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Quite unconvincing so far, but it always is isn't it? Next game will be interesting. Shame we couldn't have had an important game against strong opposition in the group games so we could've had more of an idea of what this team is like when it's backs against the wall. Can you imagine Gerrard, Beckham, Rooney, Lampard or Terry wilting away when we're up against it?
It's the same everytime and yet we always act surprised.. England only ever do what they have to.. it's only when we come to a team that can push us that we push back. But the gamble is the same as well.. will it come to late? will they try to find form in the middle of the second half when they're a goal down and have 20minutes left? I for one would prefer England to maybe start playing a bit earlier in tournements.
Anyway, four games, four wins with only two goals scored against us. That's the same as Argentina and Germany.
imagine what it'd be like if we actually found some decent form as well? what a strong position we're in to build on.
portugal next, and I for one am not afraid. Deco and Costihna are out I believe? Deco inparticular will be sorely missed, I seem to remember him playing a part in their defeat of us at euro 04.
We've got a very good chance of the semi's... probably against Spain or Brazil. then we win that and it's Argentina in the final! If we can beat Portugal, Brazil and Argentina then you can't say we won't deserve this cup.
can't believe we have to wait til Saturday!
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RE- 'super si'
You may as well stay in Australia with you're negative attitude. Dont know which England team you have been watching! The passion and pride is there for sure. Maybe we weren't spectacular in the last couple of games, but we are definitely getting better. The passing against Ecuador was solid, and England looked confident on the ball. The hoof-ball was gone, and replaced by some patient build-up play. We will step it up another notch against a dodgy Portugal and make the semis.
So sick of all this negativity from supposedly 'England fans'. I suppose you really put the 'whinging' in 'whinging pom'! Ha!
England till I die..
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Actually, you're wrong when you say "So it鈥檚 51 games down, 13 to go. One, two or maybe even three of those will involve Sven鈥檚 boys." There's a third-place play-off, so England will definitely be involved in either one or 3 more games!
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Regarding match coverage, I e-mailed HBS, the Swiss company that provides the pictures:
Do you realise that you are ruining the World Cup experience for
millions of people by your appalling coverage?
Everything is shot from so far away that the players, and especially the
ball, are almost invisible specks in the distance. Whilst I realise the
necessity to maximise shots of the sponsors' advertising boards, it is
beyond a joke when this becomes more important than the match itself.
We feel as though we are watching the games from a helicopter. I have
never seen such dreadful camera-work - you should be ashamed.
+++++++++++++++
They responded:
Thank you very much for your nuanced and objective message!
As a matter of fact being the host broadcaster of the 2006 FIFA World
Cup Germany gives us the obligation to cover the games in the most
objective and impartial way as possible, trying to please all our
clients which are the broadcasters from all over the world.
I am very sorry you do not like our production style which has received
the praises from most of our broadcasters and viewers. Once again there are as many opinions as there are viewers...
+++++++++++++
I replied:
Your reply is factually incorrect. It has been well publicised that some
broadcasters - your clients - are unhappy with your coverage. Your own
Nicola Taylor admitted as much - see this article
. And I was
not accusing you of not being impartial or objective - just that your long-distance camerawork makes the players and ball impossible to see.
I am copying this to one of my local broadcasters, the 91热爆, as I would be
interested to hear their views. And I would be fascinated to know who
among your clients and members of the public have actually praised your
coverage - your method of shooting every match from about 5 kms away is
quite the worst piece of television I have seen!
+++++++++++++++++
No response to date.
Ian
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Re Post 16 from Chris Bryan - "Anyway, four games, four wins with only two goals scored against us."
I thought we only drew with Sweden. And didn't Argentina draw with Holland?
So are myths born.
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Hi I would just like to know why the panel on match of the day namely hanson and wrighty feel the need to slag of david beckham at every oppertunity. England have scored 6 goals in the world cup so far and he has 3 assists and 1 goal now in four games thats not bad and noboady else in our squad has come close. J.T. has not played his best or F.L but no one wants to drop them and rightly so nither do i but becks contribution is better than most and we still call him. should we not get behined the team. Beckham seems to be the only player to hold his nerve and drag us through the group and into the quater final. COME ON ENGLAND
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Okay, saying England beats Argentina, Portugal and Brazil is one thing - but how can they actually do this?
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re Chris Bryan post 16. Four games, four wins? Does that include the 2-2 draw against Sweden? Interestingly England's next opponents, of whom you are not afraid, have actually won four matches and only conceded once. The next game will indeed be interesting.
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Quite rightly my mistake was pointed out! Whereas in my head I thought "three wins and one draw... the same as Argentina & Germany" I actually wrote "Four wins... "
Still the point of what I was saying, that our record matches that of Argentina and Germany so far in this world cup stands as correct, even if the finer details we off!
And I'm not saying that we will beat Argentina, Portugal and Brazil, just that we will have to to reach the final.
Portugal will be a very tough test, as we all know they knocked us out at the last round. But not impossible by any means. And I'm not afraid of them... that doesn't mean the concept of losing to them doesn't enter my head, just that I have confidence in the guys and have a gut feeling that we'll win. If it were Brazil, Italy or Argentina I would be more afraid. I would've rather we faced one of Switzerland or Ukraine in the next round though if truth be told.
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Quite rightly my mistake was pointed out! Whereas in my head I thought "three wins and one draw... the same as Argentina & Germany" I actually wrote "Four wins... "
Still the point of what I was saying, that our record matches that of Argentina and Germany so far in this world cup stands as correct, even if the finer details we off!
And I'm not saying that we will beat Argentina, Portugal and Brazil, just that we will have to to reach the final.
Portugal will be a very tough test, as we all know they knocked us out at the last round. But not impossible by any means. And I'm not afraid of them... that doesn't mean the concept of losing to them doesn't enter my head, just that I have confidence in the guys and have a gut feeling that we'll win. If it were Brazil, Italy or Argentina I would be more afraid. I would've rather we faced one of Switzerland or Ukraine in the next round though if truth be told.
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Another mistake! Portugal didn't knock us out in the last round! The knocked us out of the last Euro's!
I think I need to go have a lie down.
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Chris, I can tell you're excited but you obviously haven't been completing your 91热爆 Sport World Cup 2006 Wallchart! Germany have also won their four matches but you are right to say that England's record matches Argentina (although they have scored a shedload more goals). I do take your point that it could have been much harder in the next round though ;)
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I have been completing my 91热爆 Wallchart as it happens! I've just got my melon twisted over who's done what!
Argentina and Italy are the two teams I was thinking of who had won two and drawn one. Although maybe we are closed to Italy in form.
And yes, I am getting over-excited I think. It's just that we're in the 1/4's against a team that are probably as good as us but not any better (just being honest, not trying to knock portugal).. so we have a good chance of going through to the semi's.. and then it's just 90 minutes til we're in the final! (90 minutes against Brazil, the worse kind of 90 minutes!)
I'm a 30 year old England and Newcastle supporter. I don't know what it's like to win anything, i can't imagine how you'd go about celebrating it!
I must be letting my imagination run away with me, because I keep thinking we might have a good chance of winning this thing.
yeah we've been boring at times, but we're difficult to play against now (have been for the last few games anyway) and if our attack can click just a little bit more...
When I think back to the last world cup I remeber us in the second half against Brazil, down and out without someone to drag us to our feet... and then I think about Gerrard playing for liverpool in the Champs league final and FA Cup final... and Chelsea's rediculously consistent winning ways (Terry, Cole and Lampard take a bow)... and Rooney's bull-in-a-china-shop approach to oppositions defenses...
We might just have that little bit of 'it' that makes the difference between nearly and actually winning!
We have match winners all over the pitch, and one or two surprises on the bench too..
can't wait til Saturday...
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Can someone confirm that Maniche is also out of the portugal tie ???
He's had two yellow cards (mexico and holland I think).
Everyone's talking about deco and costinha (red cards), and there's no info on Maniche (would be great if he's out too).
Let me know by email please : ptconference@aol.com
David
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David, I prefer to reply here, as it may help someone else who wants the same info.
I can't find any reference anywhere to Maniche beiong out of the next match.
Ian
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David, I prefer to reply here, as it may help someone else who wants the same info.
I can't find any reference anywhere to Maniche being out of the next match.
Ian
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Maniche is OK. Yellow cards are not carried forward from the group stage.
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i hav nothing much 2 complain 'bout.......
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i hav nothing much 2 complain 'bout.......
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Can you tell me what the music is with Adrian Chiles' England Germany piece with the German model?
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