England World Cup Discussion Thread

[mommysboy]

Thought it might be worth launhing this topic so a discussion can be focused and wit continuity.

As a start, am I the only one sensing another poor showing? Here we are again most of the other teams nicely warmed up with 6-0 thrashings and the like, knocking the ball round at ease, and full of swagger. USA have warmed up nicely, and will step out fresh with no fear. We on the other hand lumbered to some unconvincing wins, barely stringing more than 2 passes together. And no doubt full of wooden legged fear.

[smokie36]

The preparation couldn't have been worse with the Rio injury adding to England's woes but maybe it will foster a team spirit out of this. Also it takes a lot of the pressure weight of expectation from England. Maybe just maybe they will come out and have a go...play attractive flowing football and let the results take care of themselves.

But then again....

[tigerfish]

sky sports report that capello already knows his starting 11.

i think a lot will depend on who he goes with in the first game against the U.S.A. and the formation he uses. him being an outsider so to speak and a coach with his own way of doing things. i dont think he will be afraid to make a few unexpected picks( would love to see james kicked to the side line).

whilst instilling in the team a certain kind of italian mentality that no matter how they do things the most important thing is to keep everything tight at the back and win. whether it be by 1 or 5 goals it dosent matter, just get the job done. and let him worry about things like dealing with the press.

it will be interesting to see if he puts some kind of restrictions on his players while the tournament progresses i.e. no outside influences and contact with the WAG element. or if he just lets his squad relax and take things in their own stride, the way they see fit.

[smokie36]

Are you suggesting a sex ban?....I can imagine the players going for that one...well the Carragher clan might as well fly home now.

And as for Rooney's wandering eye....Winnie Mandela perhaps......

[LuckyLew]

Personally I think the Rio injury is a blessing in disguise

He showed poor form most of the season and was out injured for most of the season

I rather reckon King will more than take his place in starting 11

As for how will they do as a whole, if you look at the bracket seeding for the knock out

rounds, it is a pretty easy draw, I can see them making it to the Semis where they

will in all likely hood lose to the Netherlands or Brazil

When was the last time England beat a team that was ranked higher than them in the

FIFA rankings

[StevieH]

england have got as easy a run to the semi-finals as they could hope for.

rooney's going to get sent off against america though.

[carmine]

england have got as easy a run to the semi-finals as they could hope for.

rooney's going to get sent off against america though.

Now that is an interesting one. Mindyou, the wind up on him is so obvious and well publicised if he falls for it theres no hope for him or England anyway.

[alfieconn]

england have got as easy a run to the semi-finals as they could hope for.

rooney's going to get sent off against america though.

Now that is an interesting one. Mindyou, the wind up on him is so obvious and well publicised if he falls for it theres no hope for him or England anyway.

Looks like he is going to play Lampard and Gerrard together, apart from never working before, it then means when Barry is fit he will chop and change the team, continuity is what we need for the first few games overwise we will be out before we get started.Play his best team and then change players like for like if theres any injuries.

[carmine]

england have got as easy a run to the semi-finals as they could hope for.

rooney's going to get sent off against america though.

Now that is an interesting one. Mindyou, the wind up on him is so obvious and well publicised if he falls for it theres no hope for him or England anyway.

Looks like he is going to play Lampard and Gerrard together, apart from never working before, it then means when Barry is fit he will chop and change the team, continuity is what we need for the first few games overwise we will be out before we get started.Play his best team and then change players like for like if theres any injuries.

I agree. Just get the best fit for Barry againsr USA and then hopefully he'll back ready for the second game. I still can't believe he will play SG/fl together though.

[StevieH]

england have got as easy a run to the semi-finals as they could hope for.

rooney's going to get sent off against america though.

Now that is an interesting one. Mindyou, the wind up on him is so obvious and well publicised if he falls for it theres no hope for him or England anyway.

Looks like he is going to play Lampard and Gerrard together, apart from never working before, it then means when Barry is fit he will chop and change the team, continuity is what we need for the first few games overwise we will be out before we get started.Play his best team and then change players like for like if theres any injuries.

i think gerrard / lampard playing in centre mid together also means rooney coming deeper looking for the ball and that's where michael bradley will be all over him. throw in that rooney now can't be totally relaxed and focused because of the attention on him for swearing and he's ready to blow.

[carmine]

england have got as easy a run to the semi-finals as they could hope for.

rooney's going to get sent off against america though.

Now that is an interesting one. Mindyou, the wind up on him is so obvious and well publicised if he falls for it theres no hope for him or England anyway.

Looks like he is going to play Lampard and Gerrard together, apart from never working before, it then means when Barry is fit he will chop and change the team, continuity is what we need for the first few games overwise we will be out before we get started.Play his best team and then change players like for like if theres any injuries.

i think gerrard / lampard playing in centre mid together also means rooney coming deeper looking for the ball and that's where michael bradley will be all over him. throw in that rooney now can't be totally relaxed and focused because of the attention on him for swearing and he's ready to blow.

Exactly, and thats why i can't believe a coach as good as him will opt for this. It won't work.

[StevieH]

Exactly, and thats why i can't believe a coach as good as him will opt for this. It won't work.

he's probably been leading everyone a merry dance and will start carrick alongside lampard after all.

[carmine]

Exactly, and thats why i can't believe a coach as good as him will opt for this. It won't work.

he's probably been leading everyone a merry dance and will start carrick alongside lampard after all.

As i said on another thread i'd put carrick in. He;s not been in good form of late but atleast we will keep our shape and play our best suited formation.

[alfieconn]

Exactly, and thats why i can't believe a coach as good as him will opt for this. It won't work.

he's probably been leading everyone a merry dance and will start carrick alongside lampard after all.

Lets hope Stevie

[LuckyLew]

Exactly, and thats why i can't believe a coach as good as him will opt for this. It won't work.

he's probably been leading everyone a merry dance and will start carrick alongside lampard after all.

Not likely to start Carrick over Gerrard

Gerrard is captain and cannot see him picking splinters out of his .....

He has to get Gerrard to buy into playing wider and staying there,

since he is captain he should take it for the team, but personal I think

he is a wanke_r and will do as he pleases

[StevieH]

Exactly, and thats why i can't believe a coach as good as him will opt for this. It won't work.

he's probably been leading everyone a merry dance and will start carrick alongside lampard after all.

Not likely to start Carrick over Gerrard

Gerrard is captain and cannot see him picking splinters out of his .....

He has to get Gerrard to buy into playing wider and staying there,

since he is captain he should take it for the team, but personal I think

he is a wanke_r and will do as he pleases

who is a wanke_r? gerrard? you're wrong there. he has enormous respect for fabio capello and will do as he's told to for the team.

have read so much crap about players 'staying wide' coming into this tournament, some people really don't understand what they're seeing when they watch a match in the modern era. nobody successful plays with traditional 'wingers' any more. 4-2-3-1 means that 2 of the 3 start nominally wide and have license to cut infield and switch with the player playing in the hole, in england's case rooney. if gerrard starts left him and rooney will switch all the time since rooney's also comfortable playing from the left and coming inside. meanwhile ashley cole bombs up the line into the space created outside to create an extra attacker. same happens on the right with johnson getting up outside.

[alfieconn]

Exactly, and thats why i can't believe a coach as good as him will opt for this. It won't work.

he's probably been leading everyone a merry dance and will start carrick alongside lampard after all.

Not likely to start Carrick over Gerrard

Gerrard is captain and cannot see him picking splinters out of his .....

He has to get Gerrard to buy into playing wider and staying there,

since he is captain he should take it for the team, but personal I think

he is a wanke_r and will do as he pleases

No ones saying play Carrick over Gerrard, i think the general concenus is for Gerrard to play on the left of a 4-4-2 or in the hole of a 4-4-1-1 with perhaps Joe Cole on the left..

[bkkjames]

This is how I see the line-up against the US if Milner is fit.

Rooney

Milner Gerard Lennon

Carrick Lampard

Cole Terry King Carragher

Hart

[StevieH]

This is how I see the line-up against the US if Milner is fit.

Rooney

Milner Gerard Lennon

Carrick Lampard

Cole Terry King Carragher

Hart

green

johnson king terry cole

lampard carrick

gerrard rooney cole

heskey

[carmine]

This is how I see the line-up against the US if Milner is fit.

Rooney

Milner Gerard Lennon

Carrick Lampard

Cole Terry King Carragher

Hart

green

johnson king terry cole

lampard carrick

gerrard rooney cole

heskey

God forbid Heskey. The rest i agree with although a bit uncertain about Cole.

[StevieH]

God forbid Heskey. The rest i agree with although a bit uncertain about Cole.

have a hunch he'll go tried and trusted for the first match. which means heskey to get the best out of rooney and gerrard etc.

if he doesn't play a holding midfielder and only has gerrard and lampard in the middle then landon donovan and mates are going to have a lovely big hole in front of england's defence to play in.

[carmine]

Exactly, and thats why i can't believe a coach as good as him will opt for this. It won't work.

he's probably been leading everyone a merry dance and will start carrick alongside lampard after all.

Not likely to start Carrick over Gerrard

Gerrard is captain and cannot see him picking splinters out of his .....

He has to get Gerrard to buy into playing wider and staying there,

since he is captain he should take it for the team, but personal I think

he is a wanke_r and will do as he pleases

No he won't. Gerrard is well aware, and Walcott will also be aware in the future, that if you don't do what Capello instructs you to do you will be dropped, pretty much whoever you are.

[bkkjames]

Carmine:

I think it's pretty much accepted that Gerrard plays best when he is free to support the striker be it Torres or Rooney. England has enough cover out wide to allow this IMO.

[StevieH]

No he won't. Gerrard is well aware, and Walcott will also be aware in the future, that if you don't do what Capello instructs you to do you will be dropped, pretty much whoever you are.

further evidenced this week by gerrard's outright refusal to discuss his club future with journalists, because capello has told the players not to.

[carmine]

Carmine:

I think it's pretty much accepted that Gerrard plays best when he is free to support the striker be it Torres or Rooney. England has enough cover out wide to allow this IMO.

I'm merely saying Gerrard will do what Capello tells him to do, so i don't understand your point.

[bkkjames]

Carmine:

I think it's pretty much accepted that Gerrard plays best when he is free to support the striker be it Torres or Rooney. England has enough cover out wide to allow this IMO.

I'm merely saying Gerrard will do what Capello tells him to do, so i don't understand your point.

Sorry mate, it was lucky leu i was replying too : hey that rhymes!

[carmine]

Carmine:

I think it's pretty much accepted that Gerrard plays best when he is free to support the striker be it Torres or Rooney. England has enough cover out wide to allow this IMO.

I'm merely saying Gerrard will do what Capello tells him to do, so i don't understand your point.

Sorry mate, it was lucky leu i was replying too : hey that rhymes!

I thought that might be the case because you've probably seen my team and my only question marks are with Heskey/Crouch and Cole/Lennon. Whilst i'm no great fan of Crouch and i do understand where Stevie is coming from with regards Heskey getting the best out of Rooney and gerrard, but it isa distinct possibility that he could'nt score in Nana Plaza let alone in the world cup.

To start with Cole and maybe bring on lennon later in the game would work.

I feel certain he'll play Lampard with Carrick and have Gerrard supporting Rooney and as someone has already said Don Fabio to make sure Rooney keeps his big gob shut.

[bkkjames]

Carmine:

I think it's pretty much accepted that Gerrard plays best when he is free to support the striker be it Torres or Rooney. England has enough cover out wide to allow this IMO.

I'm merely saying Gerrard will do what Capello tells him to do, so i don't understand your point.

Sorry mate, it was lucky leu i was replying too : hey that rhymes!

I thought that might be the case because you've probably seen my team and my only question marks are with Heskey/Crouch and Cole/Lennon. Whilst i'm no great fan of Crouch and i do understand where Stevie is coming from with regards Heskey getting the best out of Rooney and gerrard, but it isa distinct possibility that he could'nt score in Nana Plaza let alone in the world cup.

To start with Cole and maybe bring on lennon later in the game would work.

I feel certain he'll play Lampard with Carrick and have Gerrard supporting Rooney and as someone has already said Don Fabio to make sure Rooney keeps his big gob shut.

I like pacy wingers - particularly to start matches and give the full-backs of the other team some hard running and keeps them from pushing forward too much. Ever wonder why we (Utd) score lots of late goals is this tactic. Alternatively you could bring on the Lennon / Wright Philips types in the 2nd half to take advantage of this (tired fullbacks). Much consideration regarding the opposing teams full backs needs to be taken - are they the Dani Alves, Cashly Cole type that like to push forward.

Anyways, here's a tip for tonight. Mexico 3-1 over the hosts. Uruguay to draw the French.

[carmine]

Is everyone aware that for average age England is the oldest team in the tournament? I read this yesterday and was quite suprised, especially as i thought the Italiens were bordering on geriatric!!

[bkkjames]

Is everyone aware that for average age England is the oldest team in the tournament? I read this yesterday and was quite suprised, especially as i thought the Italiens were bordering on geriatric!!

Anyone with Calamity James in their team is gonna be the oldest squad. Maybe with Ferdinand out and Dawson in England not only got better, but younger?