World Cup 2010

[pink_triangle]

England needed 4 points from the last 2 games to qualify and have got 1 today. As usual when england win, they are potential world cup winners and when they dont they are the worse in the world. My belief is that the team which finished second in the group will get a better draw than the team who win. Maybe early incompetency will benefit them. As for shearer his time at necasltw hardly convinced me he is in any position to talk tactics.

[ampersand]

Chin up mate, it's still in England's hands, and you did start with two draws in Italia 90.

[Kowalski]

Right enough. Their passing was horrendous, especiially considering the team on show - Lampard, Gerrard etc.

It seems to me that all the problems England have stem from the problem that has plagued them for as long as I can remember (I'm 22) - they dont have a good left sided midfielder. Gerrard and Rooney? IIRC both played there tonight and they couldnt influence the game (and why would they be able to?) You cant get away with that playing 4-4-2 at World Cup level.

[Snufflebutt]

and they started with a draw in 65 was it? something like that. i'm sure clive mentioned something like that just before half time.

[llcoolphil]

Don't waste your time, you're going on ignore (hopefully this works better on the new forum software)

[pink_triangle]

Surely one of the problems that has plagued England for many years is trying to accommodate Gerrard and Lampard in the same midfield. Either play Gerrard up front "in the hole" behind Shrek, or don't play both Gerrard and Lampard. Gerrard is wasted out on left midfield.

[llcoolphil]

As for shearer his time at necasltw hardly convinced me he is in any position to talk tactics.

[beLIEveR]

Two more points than Scotland!

Two more points than Scotland!

Da da da da!

Da da da da!

[ampersand]

Definite 3 points against Scotland Algeria. Doubt we'll lose to Slovenia, but I can see it ending in a draw.

[Langdale Wolf]

Its alright man, they were just the back-up. A Beatles sing-a-long is still on the cards.

[minute5072]

What England need is a proper midfield leader....

Step forward

[beLIEveR]

Wayne Rooney can f**k off though.

I didn't boo, but every single England fan who shelled out thousands to be there had every right to be absolutely furious with what they were watching. Okay, his world cup fee is going to charity, but since the start of this month Rooney has earned nearly £300,000 from his employers, has got to play for England at Wembley in front of 90,000 people, and has had an all expenses paid footballing holiday in a five star hotel.

EDIT: Not ignoring your post Ampersand, just can't double quote. You've caught me pants down there.

Ironically, if we do qualify from here, our most likely opponents are Ghana. Not even I can pretend that we're likely to do it from here, but if we do scrape through there's good reason to believe that we can turn it around.

Edited June 18, 2010 by beLIEveR

[ampersand]

What England need is a proper midfield leader....

[ampersand]

Wayne Rooney can f**k off though.

I didn't boo, but every single England fan who shelled out thousands to be there had every right to be absolutely furious with what they were watching. Okay, his world cup fee is going to charity, but since the start of this month Rooney has earned nearly £300,000 from his employers, has got to play for England at Wembley in front of 90,000 people, and has had an all expenses paid footballing holiday in a five star hotel.

[Cardboard Box City]

Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.

[pink_triangle]

The media are in typical overanalyzing mood. Was it down to fear, poor tactics, poor selection. In my opinion none of these,england just played rubbish.

[ampersand]

EDIT: Not ignoring your post Ampersand, just can't double quote. You've caught me pants down there.

Ironically, if we do qualify from here, our most likely opponents are Ghana. Not even I can pretend that we're likely to do it from here, but if we do scrape through there's good reason to believe that we can turn it around.

[Langdale Wolf]

The media are in typical overanalyzing mood. Was it down to fear, poor tactics, poor selection. In my opinion none of these,england just played rubbish.

[ampersand]

And no - that's not arrogance. Look at the line ups.

[beLIEveR]

it's usually me that's caught like that, so apologies for milking it

i seriously can't see where england are going to up it. i did think that england would eventually score but there was just no killer instinct. other teams have upped their games, and i think that even if england do qualify, they'll be out in the last 16. like i predicted from the start against serbia. except i think the games more likely to be on a different day.

Edited June 18, 2010 by beLIEveR

[ampersand]

If Rooney said what he said, I'd drop him. We did it to some bloke called Jimmy in 1965 (albeit through injury) and that worked out okay.

Going along with that, this is the team I would pick:

James

Johnson

Terry

Dawson

Cashley

Lennon

Carrick

Gerrard

Joe Cole

Crouch

Defoe

Rooney dropped for Defoe for the reasons previously stated. Heskey dropped because Crouch can fulfill the same role and is a far better striker. Joe Cole for Lampard because Gerrard needs to be in the middle. Carrick in by default: Milner's confidence will be shot to bits, and Lampard and Barry are taking their places for granted.

Oh, feel free to milk it. I would. And usually do

[philipsteak]

So how long until Rooney's living in his caravan?

[ampersand]

So how long until Rooney's living in his caravan?

[llcoolphil]

can't argue with that. the team needs to be picked for the best for the team.

[ampersand]

Which means that if Rooney is fit you pick him everytime. End of story.

Drop him for summat he said in the heat of the moment? Get out of here