Much as I want England to win tonight, I hope it isn't at Dab's expense.

We need the concensus afterwards to be that, at worst, he was let down by team-mates, if it's going to be slaughter of the innocents, rather than for him to be at fault for any goals.

Or am I being presumptive in assuming we're going to score, let alone win ?

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Answers

Am presuming.

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Dabs will be given the run around by Owen all night!! Poor fella, I hope his international colleagues are better than his Newcastle ones.

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Of course we're gonna win. 3-0 if Martyn is in goal or a 3-3 draw if fat boy seaman is in goal.

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Georgiadis to score their hat trick?

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

I'm supporting the team with the most Newcastle players in it.

If Dabs can break Baby Scouse's legs then I suggest the fans committee vote him a pay rise.

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Team with most toon players in ... It might soon be TWO.

Newcastle boss Billy Robson is one of three Premiership managers expected to cast an eye over Greek international Giorgis Karagounis against England in Athens on Wednesday night. Sunderland boss Peter Reed and Derby manager Tim Smith, along with a representative from Middlesbrough, are also likely to watch the 24-year-old Panathinaikos attacking midfielder in action against Sven Goran Eriksson's men in the crunch World Cup qualifier. Karagounis was outstanding against Manchester United in the Champions League last season and was immediately linked with a £3,496,000 million switch to the Premiership. However, the Greek ace will also be watched by clubs in Italy, with Bologna already thought to have offered £2.2 million for his services.

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

'Newcastle boss Billy Robson .....'

When did this happen Rik ? And where did Bobby go ?

And isn't Georgiadis banned for tonight ? :-))

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Funny story about Georgiadis, rememeber he paid some amount out of his pocket to Panathinaikos when he joined Newcastle. Well his current team PAOK have an owner who hasn't paid wages for months. He wont be playing today and this is a relief for all as he has mastered the art of diving.

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Tim Smith?????

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Peter Reid?

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Any more in the "spot Rik's typo's even when he cuts/pastes from other sites" competition

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Do I detect a bit of a pet lip Rik ? :-))

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Nope not at all, I just changed the names so I couldn't be done for breach of copyright when I call them Exclusive stories.

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Hadn't thought of that Rik. It's called covering your rrrrr with a vengeance. :-))

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Just before I gan yem ,

Prediction for tonights game 2 - 1 win to England, both goals scored by Liverpool players. Dabizas not getting crocked. Also Germany will draw 1 - 1 with Albania.

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Greece 4-3, Dabizas first goal with his big beautiful heed

Albania 2-1, first goal scored by some Albanian with an Italian name

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Yeah, I've got a feeling it'll be 4-3 to Greece as well. I don't know why.

I think England's team is great and should beat Greece, but some strange referee error is going to cost us I think.

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Phil f ing Neville!, 4 scousers, 3 @r$es, Rio Ferdinand and 2 other Manure:

Seaman, P Neville, Keown, Ferdinand, A Cole, Beckham, Scholes, Gerrard, Heskey, Owen, Fowler. Substitutes: Carragher, Martyn, Southgate, Butt, McManaman, Smith, Sheringham.

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

WOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Sweden 6 Moldavia 0

Four goals from Henke Larsson!

I hope you can score in the second half!

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Good team performance from England, and an inspirational Captain's performance from Becks.
5 out of 5 for SGE - what a difference a few months makes, basically through method and organisation.
There is a growing belief in this team, and I think we have a real chance now of even winning in Munich in September.

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Good second half by nearly all of them, even Neville played well.

Owen was a bit quiet, but Beckham was outstanding, he really had an urge to win. 3 goals in his last 4 proves he is the man in form.

Dabizas didn't play badly, although it wasn't one of his better games. He was caught out when Owen got through, but let's just say Dabs put Owen under enough pressure to make him shoot wide.

Heskey did well also, as did Gerrard in the first half. Scholes seemed quiet, but he made a good run for the goal - maybe something Gary Speed has been lacking in the second half of the season, hence his lack of goals?

Anyway, back to England, well done to them, I really hope we can beat the Germans in Munich, that would be a fantastic acheivement after the start we made. However, things can change in 3 months, players can get injured etc. Let's just hope Beckham stays fit and in form by the Germany match othwerwise we will definitely struggle (unless of course Kieron Dyer deputises for him)

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Catain's performance from Becks. Looks like being made cap has done him the world of good. More power to their elbows.

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Yep.....I agree with both of you. Good performance...very impressed with Beckham particularly, but the whole team looks eager. Bodes well methinks.(:o)

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

What a massive difference SGE has made to this England side...they are unrecognisable to the side that played in Euro2000 (not just cause he's playing the youg un's) but they all work for each other, and the movement off the ball was first class....and as Alan Hansen said on TV "they can only get better". But I still think We'll finish second in the group. :-((

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Paul, were you watching the same game as me: "Heskey did well also"?

I (IMHO)thought Heskey was ABSOLUTELY $H!TE, apart from when his mis-hit shot (fortunately) found Scholes alert enough to poke it in the net! Every time Heskey got the ball he stuffed it up, BIG TIME, I'm surprised he stayed on the pitch as long as he did (b4 being substituted by Macmanamanamanaman), the way he feigned injury, when being substituted, just confirmed , he also knew he was cr@p!

;7)

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Gotta agree with Bud on this one Paul, first half apart from one run he was content to lay back to Cole until Sven got a hold of him at half time, defensively a lot of crossfield boys from the Greeks were aimed at the area he should have been or at least covering for Cole, I do not know the managers thinking on this one , Heskey is not a left midfielder and it puts a onus on the young full back. A good performance, Ferdinand oozes class and Scholes though playing deeper was excellent,Beckham`s contribution was invaluable , his overall game remains an egnima to me , maybe should be subject of another thread started off by LR view from club level

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2001

Classic quote from Brooking on Dabizas when he was trying to catch Owen, "and Dabizas was blowing bubbles!"

Round our house the obvious response was, "Does Michael Jackson know about this?"

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2001

Don't agree it was a mis-hit shot that led to the first goal. I think he tried to make as if he was going to shoot to kid the goalie and laid it off instead.

Not disagreeing that he was generally crap, though.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2001

is second place enough?

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2001

Puts us in the playoffs, and I think Holland could be in the same boat.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2001

Second place should be enough if they continue to play the way they do , I can't see many other International sides beating us in England and fancy us to give most other European teams a good game away from home.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2001

I thought the panel of BBC tv pundits, in particular Alan "Loud Mouth" Hansen, were well out of order in taking the p*ss out of Wor Nic last night.
The reference to him "blowing bubbles" was particularly unkind as Owen wasn't really running away from him over a 20 yard chase, and in fact Dabz was able to apply enough pressure to cause him to miscue his shot from 10 yds. As most people understand, Michael Owen is no slouch, so to conclude that Dabz is slow was way over the top, IMO.
I might also ask 'ol Liverpool eyes how many goals did Owen score against Mr. Bubbles last night if he's all that slow?

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2001

Actually, for the first hour, I thought Nik was solid as a rock.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2001

Dabs looked more at home as centre of three centre backs.

That said, the pass & move football of the second half made me enthuse about England, I thought Keegan would have had us doing that.

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2001