Team of the tournament - as rated by you
- 29 Jun 06, 11:04 AM
LONDON - For the past two weeks many of you have been judging the performances of every team's World Cup players using our .
Yesterday we had a look at how .
Today we've aggregated your votes to show which players have got the highest overall rating in each position, to make up the team of the tournament so far - check it out and tell me if you agree. We've also worked out the overall top 10 best and worst rated players...
The criteria we used is that players have to play for one of the eight teams still left in the tournament and must have made at least three appearances (including sub).
It makes for interesting reading - three Ukrainians, three Germans and no Englishmen.
The top 10 overall players (ie not based on position) are as follows:
Klose (Ger) 8.34
Messi (Arg) 8.28
Shevchenko (Ukr) 8.18
Tevez (Arg) 8.16
Riquelme (Arg) 8.11
Ballack (Ger) 8.07
Lahm (Ger) 7.89
Kalinichenko (Ukr) 7.78
Figo (Por) 7.77
Crespo (Arg) 7.76
The bottom 10 is made up almost entirely of players from England and France, with the basement position rubbing salt into Michael Owen's existing wounds!
Thuram (Fra) 6.15
Lampard (Eng 6.08
Emerson (Bra) 6.07
Hargreaves (Eng) 6.06
Robinson (Eng) 6.05
Abidal (Fra) 6.02
Carragher (Eng) 5.83
Downing (Eng) 5.76
Wiltord (Fra) 5.7
Owen (Eng) 5.66
Claire S, blog editor.
Comments Post your comment
I agree with the bottom 10.
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Cannot agree about Shevchenko. I'd stick Podolski in there, or even Ronaldo based on his last few games.
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Nice to see we British are behind our team as usual. It may not be pretty, but as Rio said I'd rather win ugly than lose playing pretty. Get off their backs and give them some decent support and the Portugeezers will be no problem.
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I would like to see Frings in there somewhere he has been great in the German midfield. I think after his last two games Ronaldo deserves a place in that team.
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Shevchenko??? Not really that good... How about Podolski, Crespo?
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Hmmm. Nothing to do with the whole Scotland voting down the English players then.
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Poor Hargreaves in only in that list because nobody likes him. He had an excellent game against Sweden and was pretty respectable playing out of position at right back. Inetersting that Beckham isn't on that list.
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Even the injured ones....
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Surely Torres would have to be in there in place of Sheva? Torres was simply sensational in the group stages and deserves to be in the team somewhere!
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These points mean nothing.I'm sure Spain or Holland would be rated much higher than England. But where are they now?
Our chances to win would be doubled without Sven and Becks. Any ideas how we could injure the manager?
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shevchenko? wheres kaka? surely ronaldo should be up front... i know hgis performances are not quite up to scratch but with his record surely he deserves a spot! ENGLAND ALL THE WAY!
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drop beckham... PLAY LENONN!
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We British really are a laughing stock when it comes to supporting our team - we just can't do it with the same passion and grace that other countries can!
The main problem is that some of our fans, and our media, think we have a god-given right to win the tournament as we have some of the best players in the world, which is wrong. The best team wins, and out of the 8 remaining we're still in with a big chance of that being us!
I, for one, am backing the team to go all the way. If the crowd is supposed to be the 12th Man, then England currently have a man sent off for complaining...
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The only reason there are so many england players in bottom 10 is because british people criticise england lots more than any other team, no matter how well they play.
One other thing why has Figo got a Spain shirt in the graphic?
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Tom, why would we waste our time voting england players down when 'some' england fans are doing it themselves. Based on the last performance I'd say it was a bit harsh on Hargreaves to be down there. Oh and agree with the call for Lennon, maybe beckham needs to be moved more in into a central role.
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A point of order:
If we had included only players appearing in all four games, Maxi Rodriquez (Arg) would come in for Kalinichenko and Kaka (Bra) would replace Ballack.
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I'm curious as to how the team is put together, surely Messi coming in second in the overall ratings should mean he is in the team if you are basing it on player ratings??
Shevchenko as looked a bit dull from what I have seen. He hasn'y had enough support, but obviously these are player ratings scores, not just one persons view.
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I agree with Matt, I've been out of the country for 3 months and away from english press.
Why is it us English refuse to get behind our team unless we play like Brazil, we're in the quarters for god sake. Be proud, we've got the best team we've had for at least 10 years and we know what theyre capable of. If we can get this far at 10% if we play 2 matches at 100% the world cup is ours
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Both that bottom top 10, and the bottom 10 are way off the mark. How can none of the German defenders be in the bottom 10???
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Also, the reason that the ratings are so harsh on English and French players is that they play in the Premiership. Sad to see the Scots are jealous and petty as always.
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I'd have to have Jason Scotland in there somewhere.
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I agree about England fans being entirely too negative. We moaned about Croach being played, then we moaned when he was dropped, we complained about a 4-4-2 but now we don't like 4-5-1 either, poor old Sven probably won't make us happy even if he does win the world cup. Incdientally- does anyone really think that a couple of sub appearances in the last half hour where he doew well but makes no serious creative contribution really qualifies Lennon to oust our most highly capped player?
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Messi is second highest but not on the team because he hasn't made enough appaearances. I'm not sure about Ballack being there. I also think Joe Cole should be on the top 10.
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Figo plays for Portugal and not Spain-honestly!
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I thought that censure was censured in England. Cheers
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I'm welsh and cannot understand the criticism the team is getting. Lennon has done well when he has come on but at this stage of his career I think he can only be used as an impact player.
The team have done well, not played fantastically but done well never the less. I think that the Ecuador match whilst a bit dull was played exactly right - it was 34 degrees!!!!
Beckham has done far better than people give him credit for. No he doesn't whizz past players but he never has.
So my English counterparts get behind the team, cheer them on and pleeeeeeeeeeaaaase if you do win the cup don't go on about it for another forty years!!!
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Heres my best XI of the remainng teams -
GK - Dida (Brazil)
DF - John Terry (England)
DF - Fabio Cannavaro (Italy)
DF - Roberto Ayala (Argentina)
MF - Maxi (Argentina)
MF - Kaka (Brazil)
MF - David Beckham (England)
MF - Michael Ballack (Germany)
MF - Joe Cole (England)
FW - Hernan Crespo (Argentina)
FW - Miroslav Klose (Germany)
I would have Maniche (Portugal) as well, but you can only have 11!
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I just don't get it. We, being English, have the most support out there in Germany rooting on the boys but yet at the same time, we must be the most hard to please fans ever known. The country that we supposedly support has got to the quarter finals without losing a single game and we go and vote them all in to the bottom 10 players in the tournement, its so sad. I fully back them and support them all the way to win the lot and shove it in the faces of all you miserable sods!
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Why the hell isnt Joe Cole in that top 10, hes the man and has played out of his skin in every game!
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i hope england play with 2 up front and gamble a bit,by playing attacking football.we're a lot better and we'll cause more problems for teams and also we'll get the best out of rooney. come on england!.
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I am a big fan of Argentina and that puts me against of Brazil in my part of the world. However, I am surprised not to see the name of Ronaldo. He is the highest scorer in World CUp history.
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So the ten worst players in the world cup, don't come from teams who didn't win a game, they come from teams who have reached the quarter finals...
Why are the 成人快手 wasting their time with this rubbish which quite clearly doesn't tell us anything?
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and 10 out of 10 for your journalistic accuracy with Figo's shirt color and his nationality !
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Would have Senderos in that lineup. Didn't concede a goal throughout the tournament and the sight of him celebrating his goal with blood running down his face will go down as one of the all-time memorable world cup images.
also tempted to have Joe Cole in the line-up ahead of Kalinichenko and Torres ahead of Sheva.
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oh what I didn't read it properly, ignore/delete previous comment !
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Having seen Jason's suggestion for the best team still in the tournament- what do people think would be the best eleven players who aren't there any more? What do the 成人快手's player ratings suggest? I'd be interested to see that information.
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How can you say John Terry should be in there Jason Salt?
Hes been shocking.... hes not half the player he is at Chelsea foe England. And theres only one reason for that... Makelele.
Same for Lampard, the reason he gets all the headlines and the goals is because Makelele's in there doing the real "midfield" work.
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What about Zuberbuler of Switzerland? He didn't let in a goal in four games and saved Shevchenko's penalty.
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I agree about Scheva, Crespo woud be more reasonable there. And perhaps Maxi Rodriguez could be on the midfield instead of Kalinichenko whereas Segio Ramos could take the place of Ricardo Carvalho, playing on the right back and Ayala in the centre.
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I would Mascherano in there I have to say, but seems to me.
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Shevchenko, why? Podolski, Crespo, Torres even Ronaldo would pip him for that spot.
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The list is not particularly accurate. Shevchenko should not be anywhere near it.He has been average at best uptil now. The same goes for Crespo
Not too sure you can play Ayala at Right back in a team of the tournament. If he can't be one of the two CB's he can't be in the lest.
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wow, what a team. I sure wouldnt want to play them in my work 7 a side league!
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This world cup show that cheats DO prosper. Not one cheat has been fined or disciplined after post match review. So its open season on cheating as the worse you will get is a yellow card if the refereee spots it; but you will most likely get a match winning opponent sent off, free kick or penalty.
But Players have to be on their best behaviour so as not to commit petty infringements / mistakes such as not to touch the ball after the whistle (if its not for your team); Not to touch a player as he may fall over; or show any dissent (even when the ref is wrong); or even talk to the ref in some cases.
There can no longer be any arguements against the ref consulting video replays like in most other sports.
Can't wait for the current crop on the FIFA board to go and some resemblance of fairness and common sense return to football.
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marquez of mexico was far and away the best defender.
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Even as an Arsenal supporter, I think we must play Lennon, even if it is for Beckham. He would give our game a much need injection of pace. What do people think?
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Hi I m a fan of england and I want dat england should be reached atleast at the Semifinal against brazil. I am waiting for that gr8 match.
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WHERES STEVE BULL?
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Certainly wouldn't have Figo in there. fantastic player obviously, but have lost count of the number of times he's over-run the ball in this competition. People say Ronaldo should learn off him, but Ronaldo is actually more effective than him already.
This is not to say that Figo shouldn't be in Portugal's team. Of course he should, he is one of the world's true great footballers and just his mere presence must lift the belief of his team-mates and plant a seed of doubt in their opponents. Much the same effect as Ronaldo for Brazil, Zidane for France, and Beckham for England.
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messi has been terrible and shevchenko could not hit a barn door
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I can,t understand how french defenders are supposed to be amongst the worst players.They were rock solid against Spain and it smacks of pettiness and bias rather than football judgement.Were the Serbs better defenders?England are in the last 8 were,nt there any worse players already back home.How many times have Germany scraped into the final with dour performances?So this time they,re playing well.I,m tired of heroic failures(10 lions and 1 stupid boy).The history books do,nt show if you were lucky.Maybe the Germans will go out despite playing exciting football.As for England I do,nt give a monkeys how they play,boring or lucky sounds ok,just not heroes in defeat.It can,t be easy when your under constant attack from so called experts and pseudo supporters.
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Someones already said it but I want to say it too. What exactly will make the English fans/press happy? We have reached the last 8 conceding only 2 goals and without loss. If we really are playing as badly as everyone seems to be moaning and crying about then we as a team can only get better yes?
Seems the only thing we can count on the english fans to do is cause trouble. But it's only a small minority yes? We don't hear about anything else do we. "12,000 England fans had a wicked time after game drinking beer with out incident" instead its "15 fans arrest for throwing a plastic chair" I blame the British press but then that's being negative again innit. But hey i'm English.
Ballack in the top 10? I'd take Gerrard over Bollack any day. In fact that whole top 10 is rubbish. I'd take Japans Hidetoshi Nakata over Kalinichenko. That's just a team filled with expensive players. The rest of the team that those players make up makes those players work.
England will beat Portugal in the consistent nail-biting gut-wrenching fashion that they have inflicted on us throughout this tournament. I can't wait!
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Odd. I wonder if anyone has actually seen Owen Hargreaves play or if they are just guessing! Has played well in both games he has started. Why do you people not like him? He is the best defensive midfield option we have. He does everything to a consistently high standard.
Aaron Lennon for Beckham. Don't make me laugh. All pace! What is the point of getting to the byeline, which, may I add, Beckham has done consistently throughout this world cup, if you cannot cross the ball. Beckham posseses the best midfield qualities of our first choice 4. lennon is great to bring on for 10 mins against a tiring defence but not for 90. Same with Walcott. KEEP THE FAITH!
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Steve Bull's not in there because he's an ancient has-been who was never any bloody good in the first place!
there's your answer, now get over it!!
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It's not difficult to see why 3 Ukrainian players have made surprise appearances. Firstly, expectations were very low, so the favourable reaction has been inflated slightly.
Having said that, I'm backing those plucky underdogs all the way. They've clung on with their fingernails, showed occasional sparks, and have been a humble, admirable side.
Go Ukraine!
(Go England, too.)
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england were playing all right under the circumstances.they will improve with each game.the important thing in the world cup is winning and nothing else!
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Where are Crouch and Gerrard? Far better than Shevchenko and Ballack! Get behind our team! Sven has to realise that Gerrard is world class in front of a holding midfielder.Drop Lampard and play 4-4-2 with Gerrard and Hargreaves central midfield, Crouch ahead of Rooney and we'll win it.
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this team has no english player stevie g has played great he should be in it
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Im fairly dissapointed in the way england have played up to now in the world cup. One reason is the tactics. I feel that lampard and gerrard simply cant play together well. Based on performace throughout the tourney, lampard should be dropped for carrick to give gerrard the freedom going forward. With the 5 in midfield, this also seems to be arkward as when england get caught on the break from attacking gerrard and lampard are caught out off position which leaves carrick on his own trying to pick up the pieces. Also I beleive that the players arnt showing the passion and belief to win the world cup. the likes off gerrard and others usually run there heart out for their club teams but seem to be a bit lazy in the comp. However there was signs of improvement in the game against ecudor and hopefully we can biuld on this.... CUMON ENGLAND!!!!
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Don't agree with all that team up there. My team of the tournament so far is
GK: Casillas (Spain)
DF: Ayala (Argentina)
DF: Marquez (Mexico)
DF: Lahm (Germany)
DF: Sagnol (France)
MF: Riquelme (Argentina)
MF: Ballack (Germany)
MF: M. Rodriguez (Argentina)
MF: Robben (Holland)
ST: Viduka (Australia)
ST: Klose (Germany)
What do people think? Maybe even Magnin should be in there as well....
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What a load of nonsense. It proves beyond any doubt that the man in the street knows nothing about football. Fortunately, I am not the man in the street. I am a man in a bedroom.
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Viduka up front?! Get out!
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Lampard should be in the worst 10 based on performances in the world Cup he has missed several atttemps and just not performing to his best.
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Look people, the team listed above is composed only of players who are STILL IN THE COMPETITION. That is a retriction they placed on there, so yelling that so-and-so from Australia/Mexico/Spain should be in there is silly.
Also decrying the team is wrong is silly as this team has been picked by the public!!
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Shaun Wright-Phillip's non-inclusion in the team is why england have no drive and are simply limping forward,and as for Downing only because this is a public site will i curb my words but he is a joke at best, a sick joke. He provides nothing and takes occupies a valuable space in the squad, the only reason he's not being criticised is because he is no anomimous every match no one seems to notice him.
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If you want the best team of players whose teams have been knocked out:
GK: Edwin Van der Sar (Netherlands)
DF: Andre Ooijer (Netherlands)
DF: Rafael Marquez (Mexico)
DF: Philippe Senderos (Switzerland)
MF: Zinha (Mexico)
MF: Park Ji-Sung (South Korea)
MF: Didier Zokora (Ivory Coast)
MF: Tim Cahill (Australia)
FW: Arjen Robben (Netherlands)
FW: Fernando Torres(Spain)
FW: David Villa (Spain)
It be fair, I've spread it out a bit between the knocked out teams.
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hay what happen to GHANAIAN players...they played the best
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Surely Kaka should be in there?
As a Northern Ireland fan we have had our fair share of ups and downs (mainly the latter) but one thing we will always do is get behind our team. Maybe this is because we do not have the same level of expectency but we will at least show we are behind the team. Why dont England do the same?
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Haha some quality posts by you English fans there, Scottish fans wouldnt have voted for English players for the simple reason they have been rubbish. Joe Cole was good for one game, Beckham has been dire apart from one free kick! And stop this saying British critisize English players, the English critisize the English
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Heres a prediction for those who doubt lampard...he'll score the winner on saturday...
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Don't forget, these ratings are very much a spur of the moment thing, people vote while the game is on. Also, people will often vote for players that are in the Premiership or that play for their team. I'm an Arsenal fan and noticed that when the Ivory Coast played - Eboue and Toure were given high ratings, likewise for Fabregas, Reyes, and Senderos when they played. Kewell was given high ratings even though he wasn't particularly impressive - a lot of people voting only know of players they see on a regular basis. The ratings have little value in all honesty.
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why isn't Joe Cole in the top ten he has easily been the best performer for england and deserves a place in the top ten. It's a bit harsh on michael Owen being in the bottom 10 the first two games everyone hoofed it up to crouch then against Sweden he gets injured.
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That's a very misleading rating for Hargreaves, as his average is pulled down massively by the performance against T&T, where he was on the pitch for just eight minutes. If the average were weighted by time spent on pitch, his score would be 6.71 .
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Team of the tournament so far
Schwarzer
Emmerton
Neil
Moore
Wiltshire
Grella
Cahill
Bresciano
Kewell
Viduka
Jason Scotland
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I have to agree with the general sentiment expressed here - the english public and press and so negative. I just don't get it. I am an Australian living in the UK for the last ten years and your support for your sportsman is somewhat schziophrenic. One the one hand you desperately want them to win (nothing wrong there), and on the other you're too scared to stick your head above the parapet and say you believe in your team/competitor (in case they lose). And then when your team is doing well, you think they are doing crap. Even doing a randem poll in my office, 99.9 of the negative comments were from English supports regarding their team. Bewildering when you consider you are in the quarter finals of the WC, not having conceded a game, and arguably have the best team for decades.....I shall be supporting England (though am still in mourning over the Aussies' demise) with believe and conviction. I challenge you to do the same.....
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Lets all get behind the lads. i agree with some of the sentiments made already! we haven;t got out of 2nd gear but haven't really needed to apart from maybe to shut the tabloids up! real england fans should boycott these papers as all they do is try and shoot the team down! We're in the last 8 with all the chances in the world to go further!
come on england!
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Team of tournament: Casillas(GK), Ramos(RB), Lahm(LB), Nesta(CB), Ayala(CB), Cambiasso(DM), Riquelme(CM), Maxi Rodriguez(AM), Ballack(AM), Klose(ST), Crespo(ST) Coach: Klinsmann
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I'm sorry, but this is the most useless load of schnitzels yet.
This blog is pointless and appears to be written by a five year old.
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downing should have never been picked, we are a tired lacklustre team who doesn't seem to want to win. Wright-Philips brings enthusiasm and burning desire but the natural idiot sven didnt pick him. If England do not win it i will forever hold sven personally responsible, never before have we had such a team and neveragain are we likely to. Sven is wasting our only oppurtunity for half a century or more realistically and he is to be never forgiven. Tactically inept and an enemy of the state.
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whether you are behind them or not, doesn't make any difference, England are obviously not nearly good enough to win the world cup and are only in the top 8 due to the luck of the draw (never having beaten a team ranked within the top 30).
Just enjoy the games and hope that the best team wins the tournament, for the benifit of the sport at least.
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I can't believe that anybody who knows anything about football would have David Beckham in a team of the tournament. England should just start their next game with 10 men and wait till they have a freekick from 30 yards before bringing "Golden Balls" on. Engerland look like they're playing with 10 men anyway whenever Becks is on the pitch!
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Why are we slamming our players so badly try telling the ecuador team we're rubbish. We have just shown ourselves to be one of the best 8 teams in the world and people are still moaning. Instead of being so negative why don't we praise the team for winning because after the final whistle has gone that's what really matters.
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GK: Zubi (Swiss)
RB: Barnetta (Swiss)
LB: Lahm (Germany)
CB: Marquez (Mexico)
CB: Cannavaro (Italy)
MR: Maxi (Argentina)
ML: Schweinsteiger (Germany)
MC: Appiah (Ghana)
MC: Yorke (T & T)
CF: Klose (Germany)
CF: Saviola (Argentina)
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i have woundered to see england's most expensive players fragiled on the pitch because of weak managment of ERIKSSON , If the team losses this trophy it is because of the manager
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You are all wrong. Here it is. Though who cares?
Buffon
Sagnol
Marquez
Canavaro
Lahm
Appiah
Riquelme
Ballack
Makalele
Klose
Messi
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Report from Germany, by a German who actually likes the English and the English football:
Please England, don`t be too sceptic with your team, they done well and they will do better. Look at France, they showed that it is not important to start a world cup in perfect shape but to find it, to improove, to play effectively, to win the important games.
England: hasn`t lost a match yet and they weren`t even close to do so. Beckham and Joe Cole are in incredible shape, Lampard and Gerrard didn`t find a way yet, to combine their strength, I think Lampard is kind of disapointing so far, as well as Terry, but you can be sure that they will step up when it comes against one of the big teams, which Portugal isn`t. Finally Rooney: you can actually see, how he is getting better every minute. He will make you smile.
I would have liked to see Joe Cole in the top team and I think Ballack is overrated. Sheva, I don`t know, it is easy to shine in an avarage team, but also how could a team like that have made it so far? Because Sheva led them. Philipp Lahm has played a great wc, and he is still playing with a casc around his ellbow. He is also close to the top team.
Now Germany: for the first time I can remember (28yrs.) we are playing an addictive attacking style, because of Klose, who plays the season of his life. And for the first time nobody in Germany is crticizing. This is what we want to see. In the last wc we bored the world to death, but we made second. There wasn`t much of a celebration.
So here is the other side to playing effectively. If they fail against Argentina, we will still be proud but also disappointed and I am not sure what will be stronger.
So maybe we will meet in the finals, it surely will be an outstanding match and then I will see some more of you blokes in Berlin and we will do some more heavy drinking and cheering, like we did here in Frankfurt, in my home town.
Whoever will win: these past weeks had been the graetest of my life. I`ve been traveling around Germany, meeting people from all over the world: swedish girls, brazilian girls, dutch girls, english...well...you know
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team of the tournament:
Robinson
Neville
Terry
Ferdinand
A Cole
Hargreaves (though it pains me to say it)
Beckham
Lamps
Stevie G
J Cole
Rooney
I'm sure they'll do it...
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team of the tournament:
Robinson
Neville
Terry
Ferdinand
A Cole
Hargreaves (though it pains me to say it)
Beckham
Lamps
Stevie G
J Cole
Rooney
I'm sure they'll do it...
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i am actual a fan of France but i would like to suggest that england has a capacity to raise the troophy if they were fired Eriksson that is the big mistake of englands FA not to fire him early
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I find it so interesting reading this post. Many have questioned the value of it so far and probably with considerable reason.
However, I'd just like to make a couple of comments about the tournament so far.
Firstly, it seems that being in the last 8 makes you one of the best 8 teams in the world. I will be the first to admit that England are not playing at their best, as will I to be to defend David Beckham. He's got behind players a lot, and he frightens teams from putting in hard challenges in "David Beckham territory". I've been far less impressed with Lamps for his 100 shots on goal which never hit the target, and think Crouch deserves some respect, he's been great.
That aside, there is little mention of Messi in these posts. He is nineteen years old and is a phenomenal talent. He pulls teams apart and looks an exciting player. Rooney has been injured and is hailed as England's 'main threat'. Messi is injured and the Argentines still look a fearsome attacking threat and for me, are favourites to win the tournament.
Ronaldo takes stick, and yet picks up his game, puts in some cracking performances and gets no praise, because people expect it from him.
Let's be fair and honest. England are not the best team in the tournament. Italy's last peformance was extremely lucky and France have only looked convincing in spells. Only the Brazilians, Germans and Argentinians can take full credit for looking the part of top teams, and we should hold up our hands to those lads. Schevchenko? Why? Because he's signed for Chelsea? Shocking.
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i think gerrard should be in top 10.He is better than lampard & ballack.
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where is gerrard.
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how is messi the second highest rated player in the tournament and is still not in the top team. in my opinion he has shone throughout and has not shown any fear when running at players and is able to visualise the best pass or through ball. i also think its a bit unfair where owen hargreaves has been placed. when i saw they were going to play i to criticised him. When he has started he has shown strength and has continuously won back possesion. He is not a substitute that will make a difference but he is likely to shine as a started. he needs at last 45 minutes to get into his stride and gain confidence in his position.
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Why are England fans so upset that none of their players are in the top 10? Firstly, this is a collection of subjective player ratings by whoever has taken the time to rate the players. Secondly, none of the English players has been particularly impressive, so why should they be in the top 10? The only reason England is in the quarter finals is because they have had an easy route so far. Sven may be an idiot - the FA certainly are - but it's these highly (over)paid players who actually have to perform. They should share as much blame for their rubbish performances as Mr. Eriksson.
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I do not usually right in on these sites as i feel it is a waste of time and changes little, however i am sick of reading, watching and listening to people slating Becks.
I am a Man Utd supporter through and through so you may feel i have a bias towards him, but i would like to highlight his contribution to our teams great achievements so far at the World Cup.
Against Paraguay he arguably scored / created the match winning goal, Against Trinidad & Tobago he made two assists, firstly with Crouch which again won the Match and then Gerrards, which although it was only a short pass still allowed Gerrard to manuevre for his wonder strike. Ok, so he did little against Sweden granted. Then he receives huge criticsm from Fans and media to be dropped, the above alone should suggest otherwise! Next up Ecuador, he only goes and scores another Match winning Goal and is so exhausted through effort he throws up! The question i would have to ask, is where does the rest of the England midfield go for a player to be sick? I am not sure if any of you writing in have ever played in exception heat but trust me, to throw up with Beckhams level of fitness is no easy achievement and shows that OUR COUNTRIES captain does alot more than you see on TV down the pub!
Any of you who have season tickets will appreciate that you only truely see how hard players work is when you see them live and not highlights on MoTD.
I apologise that this may not coinside with your recent discustion on who have been the best players in the World Cup, i am just sick of people slating a player that has so far scored 2 match winning Goals and created 2, equating to 4 Goals out of Englands current 6 Goals!
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Re Post 95, Brad;
Brad, I must thank you so much. Having gone through these entries I increasingly had the impression a heart condition was creeping up on me: So much rubbish! And I figured I could never voice my thoughts easily - English not being my mother tongue; I am German - and thus not vent it all.
But you, Brad, did it for me, in a nutshell, and in a sublime manner.
Allow for one P.S.
What irritates me in particular is the reproach so often repeated here that England fans were too critical of their team.
Now from the outset, and after every pitiable England match again, I had the feeling England fans in their blind cohesion to imaginary greatness are just about the least self-critical among all the WC blogs all over the net.
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My top 11 of the World Cup so far would be:
Buffon
Barnetta
Cannarvo
K Toure
Lahm
Maxi
Mascherano
Appiah
Kaka
Klose
Torres
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There is no Brazilian, English or French player in the team of the tournament. It should not be declared now as the most important part of the world cup is yet to go. After the final match you can decide the individual performance of a player. I think Zidane should be included there and some other players from England and Brazil have chance to go there.
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the team of the tournament iz Man U coz they R the bomb fools
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I can't believe people are taking this so seriously, especially those who've decided to have a go at the English for knocking there own team!
(1) Obviously the ratings reflect certain baises of the voters towards favoured/unfavoured players
(2) The Scots voting influence re: English votes
(3) Those voting are not necessarily good judges of performances when they have only seen a game on TV.
Chill out people, it's not real.
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this will give you a better idea of the team of the world cup
www.persona442.com
Its great
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Well i reckon gerrard should be on there for starters.
But more importantly, what about Zidane?? he's been back at his brilliant best.
I also think Viera has played a huge part in France's defensive resilience. (2 goals conceded, only 1 from open play)
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I think that Lampard should be in there instead of Riquilme and probably Ricardo in goal even though I'm an England fan!
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I think that Lampard should be in there instead of Riquilme and probably Ricardo in goal even though I'm an England fan! And I don't think that Shevchenko should be up front.
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