Laivasse

Ivory Coast look decent in attack and wonky in defence when Japan counter. I'd definitely expect more goals if the 2nd half carries on like this.

Jesus **** christ.

OK maybe Baines was the problem

You make it sound like Rooney didn't make a brilliant run, then an equally good cross, to create a goal. The only thing he did in the entire half. His inability to cover the left led to the corner which led to the Italian goal.

Don't think Baines is the problem. Rooney's worth as much as a patch of empty air so Italy just overload that flank. Gerrard's been ropey and Hart's been shit. Any coincidence it's all players who know they'll walk into the team no matter how poor they are?

Studs up, misses the ball, hits the player, in an international game... should be a yellow all day.

Rooney looking no less useful than he ever does for England, to be fair.

Sink without trace, thou cheating bastards!

Wonderful header and justice done. Here's hoping for a bullshit free 45 minutes coming up next. Just once?

All coming together for once. The players have shown up with real fight, which is something we weren't sure we would see.

Beauty! Great stuff Bowery and Weimann.

****'s sake, carved to bits on that training ground piece.

Just as Lambert's choice tactic of sticking 5 up front when we are desperate for a goal doesn't necessarily make you a better attacking team, filling the team full of defenders doesn't necessarily make you better at defending. He doesn't seem to have figured out that inviting pressure increases the likelihood of defensive cockups, which is our chronic problem. McLeish Mk 2.

Never expected them not to score, it was all one way traffic for ages. However with the chances Bolton had they could have brought the hammer down. Just before the equaliser, a former blues player blazed the ball way over the bar from an unlikely angle, in a 3 on 2 situation for Bolton. Bit fishy that.

LOL hilarious. I was already smiling from Torres' pointless hacking down of Skrtel a few seconds before, but that's the perfect punchline.

If Willian had left that to run for Lampard I reckon that's 2-0.

Wow, people weren't kidding when they said Ba could play for Villa. Never seen such horrible lack of awareness at critical moments.

I don't think it's possible for Martin Tyler to say 'Gerrard' at anything under 200 decibels. Guess it hurts to lose that amount of body fluids every time.

Cracks me up more and more on each replay.

Bahahahaha, couldn't have happened to a nicer scummish thug!

It depends on whether you think the goal comes from the original goal scoring opportunity or the attacker has had to use his skill to craft another. If, say, a defender fouls to deny a one-on-one finish, then the ball rolls out and someone scores from a 30 yard screamer, then the 'obvious opportunity' has certainly been denied - it's just that the attacking team has created another second chance anyway. The original infraction may still need to be punished. However Barnes interpreted as you did, in that there was still a goal scoring opportunity during the advantage that was played. Back on topic: game over now...

That's a quirky one but my interpretation of the rules is that in instances of unsporting behaviour or serious foul play, you get the card at the next stoppage regardless of whether the referee allows play on or not. There was no avoiding the red IMO. The red is for 'denying a goal'. If Sunderland had scored there is no red card, just a yellow. I had a look and the red should be for 'denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity', not the goal itself, so I believe my first guess about the red standing should be the way it would have been played out, if Phil Dowd had refereed evenly. (Not saying he would, in general I find him to be shite).

That's a quirky one but my interpretation of the rules is that in instances of unsporting behaviour or serious foul play, you get the card at the next stoppage regardless of whether the referee allows play on or not. There was no avoiding the red IMO. The red is for 'denying a goal'. If Sunderland had scored there is no red card, just a yellow. That would make sense if it's true.

That's a quirky one but my interpretation of the rules is that in instances of unsporting behaviour or serious foul play, you get the card at the next stoppage regardless of whether the referee allows play on or not. There was no avoiding the red IMO.

I agree with you and all the pundits, I think it was good refereeing. Same as you guys, I think he made a decent interpretation of a nuanced situation. Also in order to preserve the game as a contest and avoid further headlines he's just allowed Fabio to get away with murder.