The Final Tune-up!
posted by The Blue Devil @ 8:32 AM
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
Saturday, June 02, 2012
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
Contributors
Previous Posts
- Euro 2012 Predictions Game
- Euro 2012 Preview - Ireland
- The Gooner wants to see all of you this month!
- Euro 2012 Preview - Italy
- Euro 2012 Preview - Spain
- England Squad, by the numbers
- Euro 2012 Preview - Portugal
- We now take a break for Eurovision...
- Euro 2012 Preview - Germany
- A Day of Tune-Ups
134 Comments:
The action all starts this morning with Denmark v. Australia at 11am. Poland, Croatia, Holland and Portugal are all on show today.
Hey Boys,
I am afraid I will be a no-show for today's festivities. The family has to help another family move... in the pouring rain!
Enjoy the games
See you next week Dr. Dahlgren!
Morning, Dave - sorry to hear that you won't be with us today. I'm looking forward to seeing your predictions. See you soon!
Right, then. I'm back to enjoy a bit of the 11am matches. I've got a link up for Denmark v. the Aussies.
http://www.firstrowsports.eu/watch/125284/1/watch-denmark-vs-australia.html
Poland are kicking off with Andorra as well, but that sounds a bit tedious.
The Danes get us started this afternoon.
FSC will be giving us coverage of the England v. Belgium match at the top of the hour. Lovely jubbly!
Everything good for the Danes seems to be coming through the evergreen Rommedahl on the right flank.
Bendtner could have done better with the header there.
Penalty to the Danes! Agger was fouled by Spiranovic there. Looked like a decent pen.
And Agger converts his own penalty in the bottom right corner.
Poland are having a wee party against Andorra. 3-0 up in the first half. Not a bad one for morale even if it is against Andorra.
Here's the team news out of Wemberley:
England: Joe Hart, Glen Johnson, Ashley Cole, Steven Gerrard, Gary Cahill, John Terry, James Milner, Scott Parker, Danny Welbeck, Ashley Young, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Belgium: Mignolet, G Gillet, Kompany, Vermaelen, Vertonghen, Fellaini, Witsel, Hazard, Mertens, Mirallas, Dembele.
A lot of focus in the ITV build-up for the England match on Eden Hazard who's the subject of a lot of interest from the English clubs.
Are Belgium the best European side not to be at Euro 2012 this summer? Your thoughts, gents?
One last adjustment to the Belgian side. Vincent Kompany has sustained an injury in the warm-up, so Siemens will take his place.
Good to see that Glen Johnson and Scottie Parker have been able to recover from injury to take part today. Let's hope for no more injuries.
Teams in the tunnel now at Wemberley.
Good morning UWS and BD. How are you? I am at work because it is our teacher workday and despite completing my checkout list, I have not been given permission to leave.
I guess I need to watch at the usual web site.
Another interesting point about this match is that the Hawkeye goal-line technology is being tested during this match. It apparently won't be affecting the outcome of the match in any way though.
Afternoon, MUR - sorry to catch you at work. There is a good link up here.
http://www.firstrowsports.eu/watch/125291/1/watch-england-vs-belgium.html
Martin Tyler and Tony Dorigo on the mic as Belgium get us underway in all black. England in all white.
The match kicks off from the New Wemberlay
Cashley gets himself into trouble there and goes down under a heavy challenge. He's up again but limping.
That man Hazard will be the focal point today
Sloppy play there from the skipper but his defense gets him out of jail.
Too much Belgian possession at the beginning of this match for my liking.
Indeed - do you rate Hazard?
Fulham's Dembele is dispossessed. I have seen some of Belgium's players that play in the EPL. They are a decent side. It must be poor coaching because they are good enough to trouble any side.
I do not know enough about Hazard to respond, but am thinking that if he was so great that I would have known more.Perhaps he is playing with mediocre players.
The ref is waving a lot on and Hazard takes advantage running straight at the England defense. Corner.
Hazard looks a decent player in the Carrick mold.
i agree that Belgium has looked good early on.
Odd - the angle on the computer coverage is from the other side of the pitch from that on the telly. I think the FSC one is the weird one because you usually see the benches on the coverage from Wembley.
OX was too selfish anbd should have crossed after going past the first player. Dembele fouls Stevie G.
Oh dear - The Ox misses a glorious opportunity there inside the box from LUFC Academy's cross. Slipped as he hit it.
A shite finish from OX after a superb cross from Stevie G.
Sorry that must have been Lennon.
I am at a student desk with my laptop because I turned in the power cord to the desktop.
No it's Jamie Milner again playing wide right. Aaron didn't make the squad.
I looked at the lineups you posted and Belgium has five EPL players plus Hazard starting.
A strong foul by Parker on Hair Bear.
Belgium do look decent - a good warm-up for France next Monday.
Sorry mate. My mistake. Forgot Lennon didn't make the squad.Not sure why.
How did they finish only fourth in their group?
A decent effort from Ox is just over after Welbeck raced on to a long ball and laid it off. Poor defending from Vermaelen
Yes - Mignolet, Fellaini, Vermaelen, Dembele, and Kompany (although he pulled up injured in the warm-up).
Ashley Young pulled up lame there. More cause for concern.
Did you see that. Roon told Andy Carrol to @#% off.
Blimey - that was scary. Cahill and Hart got in a mess and Mertens ran on to it. I didn't think it was a foul. Cahill is down holding his face now.
I didn't see that. What was the argument?
Mertens is booked for pushing Cahill into Hart and Cahill is not getting up. It's not looking good.
Cahill is up again seeming a bit dazed.
Carrol , Roon, and another player appeared to be joking, Carrol said something and Roon responded.
Wow - Lescott is going to come straight on for Cahill. Not good at all.
I observe that too and now Lescott is on for Cahill. Perhaps it is a precautionary measure. I am sure Lescott will do a decent job.
Milner had a chance to cross again but the ball in was poor.
Her majesty just got on the intercom and gave us permission to leave for the summer. I might stick around till halftime.
Yes - in many ways I'd prefer Lescott (or Jags) to Terry.
Is your principal also celebrating her Diamond Jubilee?
This match is a lot chippier than necessary. Don't like it.
I doubt I will be around for the second half , but I will send in my Euro predictions.Did you read my scathing criticism of Trap's squad selection? I gave a case by case analysis.
She is not exactly a ray of sunshine!
Decent crack there from Witsel, over the bar.
Not far over from Witzel.
I did - thanks for the post. I'll look forward to seeing your predictions.
Belgium's absurd FIFA ranking is 44th, lower than Wales. Like this side would lose to Wales!
Cheers BD!
Again - far too much possession for Belgium. England have rarely looked comfortable at the new Wembley.
Johnson fouls Mertens just outside the box, but Mertens rolled trying to get Johnson booked. Poor!The free kick is headed away for a corner.
The corner from Hazard is cleared and Mertens fails to keep the ball in play.
I guess Trap and I will agree to disagree. Only he knows why four Wolves players need to be included in the squad.
Perhaps Trap thinks relegation battlers (even unsuccessful ones) can keep Ireland afloat in the group. The problem he's got is the order of the matches. Ireland start with Croatia, presumably the one match they have a chance of winning.
Nasty by Hair Bear on Parker. Retribution?
Parker is skating on thin ice now with the referee.
Now Parker is booked for a late tackle or was it for cumulative infractions?
Now it's Cashley hacking down his new colleague Hazard. Roberto won't be pleased.
Now Casley is booked for a late challenge on Hazard?
The match has gotten really choppy now with all these fouls. Now it's Gillet on Young.
Gillet fouls Young on the break
Decent free kick in from Young but Lescott was wrestled away from it.
I agree. More than I would expect in a friendly.
Belgium definitely outplaying England now. Full of enterprise.
Useless cross from Vertongen after a superb Belgian possession.
Vertongen to Spurs? Harry will be expecting better crossing .
GOAL! Against the run of play, Welbeck scores!
YESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!
WELBECK GIVES ENGLAND THE LEAD AFTER A SUPPERB PASS FROM YOUNG AFTER WELBECK WON THE BALL FROM DEMBELE
Dembele coughed up the ball to Gerrard in a dangerous place and Young fed it through for Welbeck.
1-0!
I agree. It is against the run of play, but mistakes like that will be punished at international level.
Hair Bear wins a corner off of Scott Parker.
Hazard rifles one at Hart but it's well handled.
England are inviting the Belgians onto them again now. Is that Woy's plan against France?
Hazard shoots powerfully from long range, it takes a bounce and goes straight to Hart
I think that will be Woy's plan in all the group matches, but France is a far superior side.
Welbeck robs the ball again and then goes off a dangerous run.
Missed the foul because the laptop is really slow.
Hair Bear is off for treatment.
A mad scramble there after some sloppy defending from Siemens.
Several blocked shots from the Belgians as England pile on the pressure, then Milner heads over. Two minutes of stoppage time.
Half-time: An odd performance from England, conceding a lot of possession to Belgium. But they've got the lead.
Useless cross from Mertens and England lead 1-0 at the half.
I am sorry, but I am off. I will definitely be around for the Euros starting Friday. Cheers BD! It was great chatting with you.
We're back on for the second half - no subs as I can see.
Cheerio, mate. I'll look forward to chatting with you on Friday.
A better start to this second half from England.
The Danes have run out 2-0 winners over Australia today, with goals from Agger and Bjelland.
Poland have finished at 4-0 over Andorra.
Now here's an odd change - Roon on for Welbeck. What's the point of that?
Oh - Roon straight into the action there. Milner lofted a cross over and the Ox nods one back toward Roon.
Vermaelen is clobbered as he goes for a ball with Milner.
Mirallas is replaced by Chadlis.
Mertens keeps looking dangerous but his final effort is weak.
Hazard with a curling effort, collected well by Hart.
Fellaini got through into the box there but Hart collected with comfort again. I always feel comfortable with Hart in goal for us.
Two more pointless substitutions here. Theo on for the Ox and Defoe on for Young.
Norway are at 0-0 with Croatia in the second half.
John Terry off for Phil Jagielka.
Mertens is off now for Chelski's Lukaku.
Gerrard over a free kick now...cleared out.
Oh - Defoe was nearly able to find Gerrard with his squared ball.
England finishing strongly here. I'd like to see a second goal.
Great block from Cashley from his teammate Lukaku!
Now Joleon Lescott is getting patched up after sustaining a cut over his eye.
Oh - Gillet rockets a shot off the outside of Hart's left post. No chance for Joe there. Lucky.
Lescott now with the Paul Ince "Pint of Guinness" look.
Another great block from Cashley! This time robbing Hair Bear of his chance.
Oh - Defoe hits the post and out after a great feed from Theo!
Jordan Henderson on now for Steven Gerrard who was limping a bit at the end.
About five minutes left now for Belgium to try to get something out of this. It's a bit hard on them.
Oh - Vertongin nearly ghosts in with a free header.
Now it's Fellaini who rises to nod one past the post.
Oh - Ballhog Defoe again with a chance but hit it side netting. He does look like he's got the appetite for it.
Roon looks strangely subdued today as if he understands that it doesn't matter for him.
Full-time: 1-0 England
Well, it's two wins in two for Uncle Woy's new England side. On the plus side, it's another clean sheet and England looked tight at the back with both the Chelski back four and their replacements when they came on.
On the minus, Belgium outplayed England for long stretches of the first half and were a touch unlucky to come away empty handed.
Hey Boys, I have just finished watching the match
England ended well but Belgium were all over them for most of the match
I noticed right away that the angle for the TV was off. It was the other side and not center!! WHY?
I know it isn't good looking at empty seats near the benches for the Wembley Club members.
I hope England improve for next week!
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