England World Cup Discussion Thread

[StevieH]

Capello won't drop Terry

dam_n I was hoping he would throw caution to the wind with a 3-5-2 formation....

think that would be suicidal myself.

[smokie36]

Capello won't drop Terry

dam_n I was hoping he would throw caution to the wind with a 3-5-2 formation....

think that would be suicidal myself.

[NADTATIDA1]

We can't play any formation at the moment,if you haven't got the basics by now better go home.

Capello i thought was a good manager tactically,so it is just not having the quality of staff that is it.

Last game it was Barry to come back and kick start us,this game it will be Cole then what???

Carrick? we just are not good enough.

[carmine]

We can't play any formation at the moment,if you haven't got the basics by now better go home.

Capello i thought was a good manager tactically,so it is just not having the quality of staff that is it.

Last game it was Barry to come back and kick start us,this game it will be Cole then what???

Carrick? we just are not good enough.

True, and add to that other teams know how to play us. They know we have to play with high intensity. So, they slow us down, lower the tempo and the better teams will slice us up.

[smokie36]

We can't play any formation at the moment,if you haven't got the basics by now better go home.

Capello i thought was a good manager tactically,so it is just not having the quality of staff that is it.

Last game it was Barry to come back and kick start us,this game it will be Cole then what???

Carrick? we just are not good enough.

I reckon the second string Argie team we saw last night would beat England right now. Better to bow out disgracefully now.....

[NADTATIDA1]

I think any S American team will do us at the moment,but i will just keep slating them in hope rather than my better judgement that they can give a performance tonight for the country and at the very least to give themselves respect as so called England players.

Slovenia are no pushover and i fear them on the break against Terry and Upton especially with Cole and Johnson head loose going for the goal,at least we are now in the knock out situation already .

[StevieH]

We can't play any formation at the moment,if you haven't got the basics by now better go home.

Capello i thought was a good manager tactically,so it is just not having the quality of staff that is it.

Last game it was Barry to come back and kick start us,this game it will be Cole then what???

Carrick? we just are not good enough.

cole's not playing. it's defoe up top with gerrard, rooney and milner off him. at least defoe will make some attacking runs and has a striker's movement unlike heskey, that's one small plus perhaps.

[smokie36]

We can't play any formation at the moment,if you haven't got the basics by now better go home.

Capello i thought was a good manager tactically,so it is just not having the quality of staff that is it.

Last game it was Barry to come back and kick start us,this game it will be Cole then what???

Carrick? we just are not good enough.

cole's not playing. it's defoe up top with gerrard, rooney and milner off him. at least defoe will make some attacking runs and has a striker's movement unlike heskey, that's one small plus perhaps.

Its an ambitious selection. If Rooney and Gerrard use the ball well it could be goals galore for England. But again will they bother to turn up tonight I'm wondering.

Well enough of this.....

Good luck tonight England!!!

[bkkjames]

England will wear an all-red kit in their crucial World Cup game against Slovenia on Wednesday. The only previous time they have sported it in the finals is thought to have been Chile in 1962 - when they drew 0-0 with a poor Bulgaria side.

I havent even seen the kit,

Good omen? 

WORLD CUP 2010: SIMPLY REDS! England to wear all-red kit against Slovenia - and the omens are good | Mail Online

[NADTATIDA1]

Sometimes a change is good....They could always change at half-time if things arn't going to well

Never lost in it? then goes on to say we got thumped in a wine coloured kit against Brasil

[StevieH]

at least the kit will hide the blood that england's brave john terry sweats for the cause. gawd luv' 'im.

[bkkjames]

at least the kit will hide the blood that england's brave john terry sweats for the cause. gawd luv' 'im.

yea, you have a real hard on for him today stevie and he hasn't even f-up'd yet.

[StevieH]

at least the kit will hide the blood that england's brave john terry sweats for the cause. gawd luv' 'im.

yea, you have a real hard on for him today stevie and he hasn't even f-up'd yet.

i've hated the fuc_ker for years james, just found his thinking he was bigger than his national team's manager quite incredible even for a cun_t as massive as him.

[quiksilva]

Here's to a good showing tonight!

http://youtu.be/Jnoz2gp6QrM

[brahmburgers]

Though I'm an American, I was in England in 1966, the year they won the W.Cup on their home turf. I was 14 at the time, attending a public school in Herts (which any other English speaking country would have called 'a private school'). Needless to say, all the boys got to stay up late for that, and the cheering was rousing.

That was the same year Cassius Clay (later; Mohammed Ali), came to England to box the British champ (can't recall his name). No cheering at the end of that bout, Which Clay won, ......except I was about bursting with pride inside, but didn't want to show it in front of a roomful of Brits.

[NADTATIDA1]

Edited June 23, 2010 by NADTATIDA1

[NADTATIDA1]

Just 10 months ago, England faced Slovenia at Wembley. The Three Lions would certainly settle for another 2-1 victory in Port Elizabeth tonight.

Photo GalleryZoomEC: Jermaine Defoe of England scores doubled (AFP)The Three Lions have played Slovenia just once in history heading into tonight's massive encounter. Incredibly, that came less than a year ago, on September 5, 2009 and the 2-1 England win at Wembley featured a host of players who will likely start in Port Elizabeth this evening.

Coming just a few days before the Wembley encounter with Croatia, England laboured to victory thanks to a Frank Lampard penalty and a Jermain Defoe strike. Zlatan Ljubijankic pulled one back late on and Fabio Capello voiced his displeasure: "It was not good concentration from us - I want us to focus in every moment."

Eight of the expected England starting line-up tonight started against Slovenia at Wembley (Glen Johnson, Ashley Cole, John Terry, Matthew Upson, Gareth Barry, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney). Interestingly, both Defoe and James Milner impressed as second half substitutes and they are the two changes tipped by the English media ahead of the Group C match.

Slovenia meanwhile fielded 10 of the players expected to be named by Matjaz Kek at Wembley (Samir Handanovic, Miso Brecko, Marko Suler, Bojan Jokic, Bostjan Cesar, Aleksander Radosavljevic, Andraz Kirm, Robert Koren, Valter Birsa and Milivoje Novakovic).

The only Slovenian missing from the starting line-up to play tonight was lanky striker Zlatan Ljubijankic and he came on as a 55th minute sub at Wembley.

England should take heart from the 2-1 victory but it was arguably when they were playing their best football under Fabio Capello and they had the home advantage of Wembley. Slovenia would argue that the Three Lions were lucky to receive a penalty and since that fixture they have lost just one international fixture in nine.

Either way, it is quite fascinating that almost exactly the two teams playing out a crucial World Cup fixture tonight faced each other just 10 months ago.

[dave111223]

Great result! We go through! We should have won by more really. Not the greatest performance, but quite a bit better than against Algeria, and USA.

[mommysboy]

We came second in the group. Maybe we'll be playing Germany.

What's the rules for choosing group wnner.

Please say it's result between the 2 sides first! then goals scored, then goal difference. That way we'd play Serbia.

[dave111223]

We've definitely gone into the harder side of the bracket. Probably Germany next, then if we beat them probably Argentina...If we win this world cup no one could say we did it the easy way.

[mrtoad]

Not totally convincing, but much better than the previous two performances. We looked a lot better without Emule starting this match.

[nellyp]

Though I'm an American, I was in England in 1966, the year they won the W.Cup on their home turf. I was 14 at the time, attending a public school in Herts (which any other English speaking country would have called 'a private school'). Needless to say, all the boys got to stay up late for that, and the cheering was rousing.

That was the same year Cassius Clay (later; Mohammed Ali), came to England to box the British champ (can't recall his name). No cheering at the end of that bout, Which Clay won, ......except I was about bursting with pride inside, but didn't want to show it in front of a roomful of Brits.

I was in Britain the same year. I remember Henry Cooper beating a guy call something or other ( he seemed unsure as he didn't know what religion he was) from some country (they seemed to have no history they could put a history on .......apart from knicking one) who had his trainer (angelo dundee cutting his glove so he could recover). Apart from that I'm Welsh and shouldn't care. But Casius Clay is my all time favorite fighter nad this is a black mark on his record. Everyone should have played square. Clay came back and kicked his arse well and truley anyway

[Abrak]

yeah better performance.

Not many pundits calling for Defoe or Milner and they both did well. As for Gerrard, everyone says he never produces his club form, which is just as well as he hasn't been great for Liverpool recently. Finally, I was impressed by Terry who didn't seem to let the recent problems get the better of him.

[mommysboy]

yeah better performance.

Not many pundits calling for Defoe or Milner and they both did well. As for Gerrard, everyone says he never produces his club form, which is just as well as he hasn't been great for Liverpool recently. Finally, I was impressed by Terry who didn't seem to leTt the recent problems get the better of him.

Milner was particularly composed and added quality in the final ball, it's so important to get good crosses in and he did that. Man of the match IMHO.

Gerrard: well he represents English football- good and bad!

J. Cole showed good composure too. I notice he blows a lot these days, and wonder if he's a bit past it at the top level.

Assuming Germany win, then they are almost certain to win the group because of superior goal difference. To beat them we'll need to take our chances much better.

But what a relief and a very flowing display.

[macanello]

Flowing display. ff sake u just beat Slovenia

[anothertorres]

haha, burn.

[oswald]

Though I'm an American, I was in England in 1966, the year they won the W.Cup on their home turf. I was 14 at the time, attending a public school in Herts (which any other English speaking country would have called 'a private school'). Needless to say, all the boys got to stay up late for that, and the cheering was rousing.

That was the same year Cassius Clay (later; Mohammed Ali), came to England to box the British champ (can't recall his name). No cheering at the end of that bout, Which Clay won, ......except I was about bursting with pride inside, but didn't want to show it in front of a roomful of Brits.

Believe the man Clay fought that year was Henry Cooper.

[maccaroni man]

Though I'm an American, I was in England in 1966, the year they won the W.Cup on their home turf. I was 14 at the time, attending a public school in Herts (which any other English speaking country would have called 'a private school'). Needless to say, all the boys got to stay up late for that, and the cheering was rousing.

That was the same year Cassius Clay (later; Mohammed Ali), came to England to box the British champ (can't recall his name). No cheering at the end of that bout, Which Clay won, ......except I was about bursting with pride inside, but didn't want to show it in front of a roomful of Brits.

Believe the man Clay fought that year was Henry Cooper.

true and cooper was fending quite well, many had him ahead but he was a cutter and the fight was stopped due to bleeding.

[bkkjames]

Couple of thoughts. Rooney is def carrying a knock of some kind and Barry was very unconvincing.

Overall much better performance  - more energy but need to bury those chances as I don't expect as many from Germany. Upson did fine overall and would start him again over snot nose.

[carmine]

Improved performance. Nothing to get over excited about just yet but atleast they played with some balls, and created chances.

Thought Milner, who would'nt have been my choice, played well, and Defoe looked quite sharp.

Upson did nothing really wrong, but win or lose, he'll get caught out by the Germans, although if we did beat them Ledley King will be back supposedly for the quarters. Without getting too ahead of ourselves, that would likely be Argentina.

Terry had a very big game,

I can't help thinking there's something not right with Rooney. He looks so out of sorts. Injury he's keeping to himself?