tand, this will be England's worst-ever World Cup finals defeat. They lost 4-2 to Uruguay in 1954 - although that was technically worse, as Uruguay were down to eight fit men by the end of the game. "The sad truth is now that the blame will be laid at linesman and Sepp Blatter, sighs Chris Langmead. "As wrong as the decision was, it can't disguise the lack of basic skills. So much for our 'big match experience'."

76 min: England are a pathetic rabble now. Ozil and Schweinsteiger are running at what passes for their defence, time and again, at will. "Heskey on alongside Rooney?" notes Chris Bunce. "Well, Shrek and Donkey were always meant to be together."

77 min: Khedira dinks a delicious ball down the inside-right channel for Gomez. All he's got to do is whack it, Muller style, at goal, but he tries a crazy backflick instead, and the chance for Germany's fifth is gone.

79 min: "Is it true that the England fans at the game are now singing 'It's just like watching North Korea'?" asks Ted Lee. Heh. I have no idea, but to be fair to England's support, they have moved from being rightfully livid at half time to enjoying the gallows humour. I do know they've been singing a chorus of "England's going home". For fans who have had pelters for acting up down the years, they're taking this with good grace. Especially after witnessing this defensive display, never mind that Lampard goal.

81 min: Rooney cushions a lovely pass down the inside-left channel for Gerrard, allowing him to scoot clear into the box. His shot towards the bottom right is decent - and fingertipped round the post brilliantly by Neuer. The corner's wasted. Which reminds me, there's always next Premier League season, everyone.

82 min: Johnson is booked for hauling Ozil down on the left wing. He had no choice; the brilliant young German would have been in acres in the England half had he not.

83 min: The wonderful Ozil is replaced by Kiessling.

84 min: Germany are just knocking it around for fun, now. "That's it for the so-called Golden Generation," writes Norman Keane. "James, Terry, Upson, Ferdinand, Gerrard, Lampard, Defoe, Heskey, Crouch should feature in any future squads. Let's start again, as the Germans seem to have done."

85 min: Still, look on the bright side, at least Rooney didn't melt down and get himself sent off.

87 min: Johnson is replaced by Wright Phillips. On BBC TV, Jingo the Commentator is trotting out that "we know these players are world class, they play for Chelsea and Manchester United and the like every week" argument. Has he thought that the reason they look good is because they're alongside players who are from Not England? No. No he hasn't, is the answer to that poser.

89 min: Rooney tries to cause some bother from the byline, to the right of goal. Neuer is on hand to smother. Lampard takes another swipe, a decent one from 30 yards towards the top right, but the keeper claims well. That's another World Cup gone without him scoring a goa... actually, in the circumstances, it's pretty tight to be pointing that out today.

FULL TIME: Germany 4-1 England. England's worst World Cup finals defeat in history is sealed. By all accounts, there were 54 seconds between Matthew Upson's goal and Frank Lampard's crazy ping over the line. Now, it was a disgraceful decision not to allow that goal, and if it was given much might have changed. But to be honest I doubt it. England were appalling. And anyway, when you boil it down, England played well for 54 seconds out of 90 minutes. A terrible show, an embarrassment, and an especially pathetic defensive performance.

Fabio speaks: The decision to not allow Lampard's goal was the turning point of the game ... he's calling for either video technology or a fifth referee ... England were playing well at 2-1, and at the start of the second half ... England have played well, but Germany are a good team ... if it was 2-2 the result would have been different ... the little things decide games like that ...

But England's players know the true story here: Germany's four goals rather than Lampard's phantom one. There's no righteous anger on display; just some very sad and sheepish faces as they shake hands with their victors. Oh hold on, Terry is strutting off with the radge on. Anyway, that was a right pasting, and England have to take it on the chin. Lord Nelson, Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Anthony Eden, Clement Attlee, Henry Cooper, Lady Diana, your boys took... hold on, someone's already gone with that riff, haven't they.

上一页  [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]