Two accounts of Sven’s response to his critics:
“Eriksson happy to ‘win it playing bad’”
“Eriksson gives both barrels to England critics”

Remember when David Beckham got sent off in Brazil in the World Club Championships against some Mexican side?
Saturday’s ref might: same guy.

It’s not just fans and reporters who’ve noticed that Wayne Rooney hasn’t scored for England in two years.
Wayne is aware of it as well.
But that will change, he vows: “I think I’m due a big goal, and hopefully that will come against Portugal on Saturday.”

Reviews of England’s performance from the world’s sporting pundits have been grim, though the French seem keen on Wayne Rooney.

Owen Hargreaves, for one, isn’t afraid of what might happen if England go to penalties in their potential remaining matches.
Or so he says….

The papers are teeming with items today about the psychological warfare prior to Saturday’s quarter-final match. Here are some highlights:
1) Sven has shown his squad video of Portugal’s blizzard of yellow and red vs. Holland.
2) Russian ref Valentin Ivanov — he of the itchy trigger finger — warns England against Portuguese chicanery.
3) Sven says [...]

It’s Big, Brassy Phil vs. Inscrutible Sven, and Big Phil reckons he knows who’s better.

Among those jaded onlookers who don’t rate England’s World Cup form very high is…Michael Owen! “”Players aren’t stupid. Everyone realises if we play like we have been playing then you would not think we would win the trophy,” he says, and it would be cruel to correct any part of that statement, wouldn’t it?

1) Everyone’s defending David Beckham, whose I-told-you-so goal was the margin of victory against Ecuador.
2) Ashley Cole, whose deflection of an Ecuadoran shot was the early turning point of the match, has an interesting battle shaping up against Cristiano Ronaldo.
3) Frank Lampard admits what the rest of us know: he’s been awful.
4) Sven [...]

Portugal’s bid to have one of Deco’s yellow cards from Sunday rescinded has been denied.
Now what shall we argue about?