2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil

[Bubba]

A player on your smurfing team. Get behind him you .

Glen Johnson is wank. Where the smurf were you?!'

I may have given young Glen... a piece of constructive criticism. As in... you are a pile of ejaculate. But... at least I didn't post ten pictures referring to him as an inexperienced Paul Parker.

[Psychotic]

To be fair, if Glen had taken that corner I don't even know what vegetables I would've thrown his way.

[DK]

smurf yeah keisuke, what an utter badman. Hope my adopted homeland can see this one out, the place will go crazy

[Raistlin]

I would have watched this game, but I'm fairly certain the commentary here was more entertaining.

https://vine.co/v/MIqup0UpdpK

Ahahahaha except for that part anyway oh man that is glorious

EDIT: So I just watched the highlights on ESPN. Rooney's shank was also brilliant, especially after Italy's screw-up left him barely onside. (it originally looked like he was about 8 miles offside too, but nope)

[Loony BoB]

Didn't see much of the game last night because I fell asleep about 10 minutes in (if I didn't figure out that you could turn off the commentary I'd have just turned the game off, though, thankyou BBC for that option as my headache at the time could not stand Phil Neville or whoever else was with him).

But I saw the reports today!

Rooney got an assist! What a smurfing pro, man. Best player bar none. If it weren't for Rooney it would obviously have been 2-0 to the Italians.

[Psychotic]

This article sums up the problem with Rooney very well: http://www.football365.com/f365-says/9349764/F365-Says

[Loony BoB]

I dunno. I mean, I didn't see much of the game so I'm definitely not the best person to talk to about it all (and I don't watch many England games all told) but I felt that the cross sent in by Rooney that lead to the goal would probably be a pretty great moment of his in the game rather than a failed counter attack detailed in that article.

I do, however, wonder if any other player had performed "as bad as" Rooney if there would be clamourings to see them dropped. There were - are - a number of players who have failed to perform at World Cups and it's only because Rooney is known as a striker that people look to the goals and say "see, he's useless." I don't see Rooney as a #10, personally. In his best season for United when he scored 27 goals, he was leading the attack far more often than before and he was loving it, I remember the articles about him loving leading the line and so forth and how it's actually where he prefers because he gets more chances. I'm not saying he should play in lead role because I feel Sturridge is better for it. I definitely feel that Rooney is best in a role that he is not being played in at all, and prefers not to play it should be said - that of central midfielder. You might not hear many people say it as often as it could be said, but Scholes said it himself that Rooney is suited to fill Scholes' old boots. He may not have the speed of many but he has the energy, the ability to dog players and tackle and more than anything in the past few seasons Rooney has gained the ability to send incredible balls forward or across the park with shocking accuracy. It genuinely reminds me of Scholes. If Rooney was able to get a bit more space (ie, if the other players weren't so quick to get in his way - probably because he's Rooney) and perhaps most importantly if he were eager to play there - or again even more importantly if Roy had the balls to drop the other central midfielders - then he'd be incredible there. I genuinely wish he would just be a CM for United because he's just so well suited to it. I just don't think it'll happen, sadly. Giggs made the move off the wing, Alan Smith made the move back from being a forward. Obviously they weren't the best in the world, but I feel Rooney is more suited to that move than they were and if only he were desiring it, he would be fantastic. I don't think it will, so oh well.

Not that I really care about how Rooney performs for England, it must be said. I do feel more than anything that the other players aren't much better than he is with a few exceptions, so I do feel he gets far more criticism than any other player would. It seems to me that Rooney is one of the few players out there that doesn't need to be one of the three or four worst players on the pitch in order to be the #1 target of "drop the bastard". That isn't to say I think England should retain him if they are to be at their best, but more so just an observation as to Rooney being England's #1 Scapegoat because of his wages, reputation for a bad attitude towards various things and the "potential" people attribute to him.

[Old Manus]

I never rated Rooney as highly as most from the beginning really. A top player, but he's no Alan Shearer, for example. Internationally he's been riding on the wave of a good Euro 2004 performance his entire career. That said, he's still probably England's most gifted player at the moment alongside Gerrard. I think there's always too much expectation on him to bang in goals, but the fact is that if he was going to peak, it's probably already happened.

Hoping for 2-goal margins for both France and Argentina tonight. I'm doing well so far

[Psychotic]

The problem Rooney has is that if England are going to set up to play the England way, lighting quick counter attacks, he is not suited to that system. Sterling, Sturridge and Welbeck are all full of pace and movement. Rooney is more ponderous. This would perhaps be better in a tiki-taka side, or a team like Man United who will dominate a game. Last night the game was passing him by and that was clearly affecting him mentally - the corner, that awful shot when he was clear on goal, taking the ball off Barkley determined to score. He just doesn't fit what England try to do and so he shouldn't be shoe-horned in.

ps: hey old manus haven't heard you say raheem sterling is just a trout lloyd dyer lately

[Mahad]

England can win the next two matches and move on to the next stage.

If the refs keep helping Brazil, Brazil will take the cup. If not, then I think Germany or Argentina can take it.

[Freya]

Wow France is super pushy. I'm surprised they aren't getting flagged more.

[Psychotic]

It's all kicking off!

[Mahad]

Penalty for France and red card for Honduras; game over for them.

[Psychotic]

Hahahaha goal line tech debacle, what a shambles.

[Jess]

That was hilarious