Posted By bec_batty Completely off topic, as a lighthearted Friday thread.... Do we have any predictions for England vs Portugal tomorrow?

Posted By RA Portugal 2 England 1 Unless Sven rearranges the formation that he is using- use the oldie but a goodie 4-4-2 tomorrow and there may be a different outcome.

Posted By Ian Mitchell ERICPD. Eliminate - the ultimate aim! However, we will have to eliminate them by winning as rules don't allow for murder! Reduce - the referee for Portugal V Holland managed that for us in the last round - two key men not to worry about! Isolate - can we lock them in the changing room and get a walkover? Control - Keep the ball, freeze them out and play like we ought to have been doing already! (Best option) PPE - Issue 'box protectors' for our wall when they have to face down a free kick! Give Rooney boots that protect the metatarsal. Discipline - If the team exercises this we will be fine... come on England!

Posted By Ian Mitchell You won't get one - you aren't worth it. Saw another 'proud Scotsman' in Manchester the other day with a German flag on his beemer and a St Andrews Cross on the tailgate! Be pro Scottish not anti-English, they aren't intrinsically linked!!! I always follow Wales, NIR and even Eire as they are home nations. I stopped following Scotland until they grow up.

Posted By Dee Most Scots would happily want to see the England team do well, after all I follow most of these players in the Premiership week in week out. Unfortunately the English press are the ones who blow it out of all proportion. I agree they are probably the best squad of players for some time and lets face it performance so far has been pretty poor but if you didn't keep banging on about '66 it would help Which country has already booked their victory parade...........Brazil, the current holders or Germany the hosts? Nope you've guessed it England, it is that attitude that puts people off supporting them (that and John Motson) At least with Scotland we have no expectation and therefore cannot be disappointed! Dee

Posted By 9-Ship All very boring, couldn't give a stuff who wins this match or the final - and I'm English Roll on a week Sunday, when we can get rid of these overpaid ..... well I would say it, but would get another ear bending from a Mod. Anybody else bored stiff by footie?

Posted By Lynne Ratcliffe Prediction: empty Carparks and empty supermarkets! result!

Posted By Ian Mitchell All, Must admit I totally agree with the Scots about the press. Succesful Scots are 'British' (Andy Murray anyone?), negative Scottish images are 'Scottish'. Negative English images are 'British'. !!! The poor Welsh don't even get a look in! Fair play then from Alex and co to an extent I concede, but I still get wound up and still think that Scotland is a beautiful country with a heritage to be proud of and doesn't need to bash us lot to feel national pride!! Have a good weekend everybody, football fans or otherwise, English, Scottish or bemused onlooker from the rest of the world! Regards Ian.

Posted By Merv Newman Gentlemen, PLEASE ! (ladies too I suppose) I have vowed to get through this trying period without being able to quote from memory ANY goal result. Can't avoid knowing that France beat some other team the other night, (we were at a village BBQ and some guy kept going to his car and telling everyone the state of the match) but I am proud to say that I do not know who scored how many goals. Thank god for Wimbledon Merv

Posted By Tim England went out of the World Cup 3-1 on penalties after their quarter-final with Portugal ended 0-0. England lost skipper David Beckham to injury just after half-time and Wayne Rooney was sent off after 62 minutes for a stamp on Ricardo Carvalho. They battled on bravely for the rest of normal time and extra-time with 10 men to take the game to a shoot-out. But Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher missed to end their hopes and Sven-Goran Eriksson's reign. The Swede leaves his post as England coach after going out at the quarter-final stage of a major tournament for the third time in succession and now hands over to Steve McClaren. Eriksson had promised a big performance from his side but until Rooney's early exit it was not forthcoming. The young striker endured a frustrating game and his patience finally snapped as he got tangled up with Carvalho and Armando Petit and appeared to aim a stamp at the Chelsea player's groin. The incident occurred right in front of Argentine referee Horacio Elizondo, who was urged on by Portugal players - including Rooney's Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo - to take action. Elizondo took a moment before sending Rooney from the field and with him seemingly went England's World Cup hopes. But roared on by the England fans that made the AufSchalke Arena like a home game, they finally showed the passion and heart for a battle so often missing in this World Cup campaign. Portugal were far from their best but they at least caused some worrying moments at the back for England in a tense first half. A deep Luis Figo free-kick was not dealt with by Gary Neville or Lampard and there was huge relief for England to see Tiago slip with the goal at his mercy. Tiago almost caused further problems when he was given a free header in the box that Paul Robinson clambered across to save. Eriksson was forced to change things round six minutes into the second half with Beckham struggling with an ankle problem. Beckham almost won a penalty with his last contribution of the game - and probably his chances of winning a World Cup - when his cross hit the hand of Nuno Valente but England's appeals came to nothing. He was replaced by Aaron Lennon and was seen on the sidelines looking anguished as treatment was performed on his ankle, although he did later bear the pain long enough to berate the referee following Rooney's dismissal. Lampard, who endured another miserable time in front of goal, mistimed a volley after finding himself unmarked from a Gerrard corner. Lennon's introduction gave England brief hope as his pace took him past two players, but when the ball fell for Rooney he almost completely missed and Joe Cole's effort was just too high. But then came Rooney's premature exit, with Jole Cole sacrificed for Peter Crouch. With temperatures again close to 30C it seemed only so long that England's brave 10-man backs-to-the-wall effort could hold out the Portugal onslaught. England's best hope of a goal was a set-piece and Lampard fired in a free-kick that Ricardo did well to keep out, with Lennon scuffing his attempt to put in the rebound. A deflected John Terry shot just looped over the bar after some brilliant work from an outstanding Owen Hargreaves, but Helder Postiga also blazed over in a nerve-jangling injury time. The drama continued through to extra-time with England showing remarkable energy to match their opponents. Crouch almost got on the end of a Gerrard cross but at the other end it needed some desperate last-ditch defending and some solid keeping from Robinson. The game seemed destined to be decided by a penalty shoot-out, just like when the sides met at the same stage of Euro 2004. And unfortunately for England it ended in the same result - with Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari getting the better of Eriksson. Only Hargreaves - who had easily his best game in an England shirt - was successful from the spot. Lampard, Gerrard and Carragher - who scored at the first attempt but had to retake - all saw their efforts saved by Ricardo, who became the first player in World Cup shoot-out history to save three penalties. Hugo Viana and Armando Petit had missed to give Eriksson's side brief hope, but when Helder Postiga and Ronaldo scored England's dream of being crowned world champions was over for another four years. Portugal now face France in Wednesday's semi-final in Munich.

Posted By Adrian Watson This thread is now locked.