06-24-2004, 10:50 AM
It seems to me that this tournament is really exposing teams who sit back
We (England) did it once we were one up against the French
I think the old days of teams getting a goal and then just clamping down on the game are truly gone at this level
I think the English realised this which is why we attacked so much against Croatia. Best way to counter a team that might score one or two goals is to stick four in yourselves
But England aside many many teams have gone into cruise mode and been punished for it. The big names who have been knocked out are all very much guilty of this
Maybe the sport psychology needs to change. In tennis, no matter how the match is going you have to remain utterly competitive since if you stop winning points you'll eventually lose. In football, where this genuinely hasn't been the case in the past, it seems like it's becoming true at international level
It remains a fascinating tournament, hope we don't go one up against Portugal tonight and try to sit on it
We (England) did it once we were one up against the French
I think the old days of teams getting a goal and then just clamping down on the game are truly gone at this level
I think the English realised this which is why we attacked so much against Croatia. Best way to counter a team that might score one or two goals is to stick four in yourselves
But England aside many many teams have gone into cruise mode and been punished for it. The big names who have been knocked out are all very much guilty of this
Maybe the sport psychology needs to change. In tennis, no matter how the match is going you have to remain utterly competitive since if you stop winning points you'll eventually lose. In football, where this genuinely hasn't been the case in the past, it seems like it's becoming true at international level
It remains a fascinating tournament, hope we don't go one up against Portugal tonight and try to sit on it