England World Cup Discussion Thread

[StevieH]

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!!

yes, it's interesting that an italian manager has picked the most senior england squad isn't it? it could mean a) that he's going the italian route of trusting the most experienced players to not let you down in a tournament or b] that england has no decent young players coming through.

[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!!

yes, it's interesting that an italian manager has picked the most senior england squad isn't it? it could mean a) that he's going the italian route of trusting the most experienced players to not let you down in a tournament or that england has no decent young players coming through.

Unfortunately it's the later mate

[smokie36]

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!!

yes, it's interesting that an italian manager has picked the most senior england squad isn't it? it could mean a) that he's going the italian route of trusting the most experienced players to not let you down in a tournament or that england has no decent young players coming through.

Unfortunately it's the later mate

Yep soon you will be as bad as us....happy days!

[mommysboy]

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.

USA are a strong team and play with exuberance. Traditionally England are slow starters. I don't think it's an easy draw as such. If there is to be an upset then this will be the match. If England play to their capabilities, well then yes, that will be a completely different matter.

[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.

USA are a strong team and play with exuberance. Traditionally England are slow starters. I don't think it's an easy draw as such. If there is to be an upset then this will be the match. If England play to their capabilities, well then yes, that will be a completely different matter.

i've gone for a 1-1 draw in my predictions thing. teams in world cups usually perform about par to their fifa ranking coming into it, england are 8th, USA 14th. not that much between them.

[Moonrakers]

Sod the chat.

Let's have some vindaloo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlCCJF2Fsfw&feature=related

[LeungKen]

Sod the chat.

Let's have some vindaloo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlCCJF2Fsfw&feature=related

Cracking video Grommit, shame about the lyrics for the song..............

[NADTATIDA1]

Nothing like a curry to get you in the mood na na na!!! na na na!!

Just wish i had more confidence in the "were going to score more goals than you" bit

[Moonrakers]

Cracking video Grommit, shame about the lyrics for the song..............

What on earth do you mean?

The lyric:

"Can I introduce you to a lump of cheddar cheese"

has to be one of humanities finest works.

[smokie36]

C'mon where are all the England fans? You should be here talking up your chances....Its likely the only commentary you will get anyway.

Hopefully after yesterday's games (France/Uruguay especially) we will see some good football and a hatful of goals today!

[tigerfish]

how about a bit of this to get you all in the mood!

come on you lions! get in there...........

and just for good measure, i think we will have a bit of shaun william ryder, joe strummer and keith allen

.

[davejonesbkk]

please god dont play Heskey.

So who does everyone prefer between Hart and Green?

[carmine]

please god dont play Heskey.

So who does everyone prefer between Hart and Green?

Because he's been the most in form English keeper this last season

[Foxman888]

With regards to the OP, i don't want to see England winning 5-0, 6-0 in friendlies, Capello used those games as he should to experiment a bit, in tournament football your going to get injuries/suspensions. Although i wish he had given Parker a try as Carrick hasn't had the best of seasons. Although i see Carrick as more disciplined, but to be honest i haven't seen that much of Parker this season to see if he could play the Barry role.

On the Lampard/Gerrard conundrum i agree it has never worked before, if Capello does go with those 2 central i think they will be under no illusion what their respective roles will be unlike under Ericsson and MacLaren, from what i have read under those 2 team meetings were more based on the players telling them what they wanted rather than the other way round .

Tonight will be a tough game, England tend to start slowly and the US are a good side. We need to boss the games tempo early like we did in Zagreb, you could after 2 minutes of that game see that we had belief, knocking the ball around and being positive.

I think a 2-1 win to the 3 Lions, but it will be tough. I don't think they will be able to handle Rooney....

COME ON ENGLAND etc etc

[NADTATIDA1]

C'mon where are all the England fans? You should be here talking up your chances....Its likely the only commentary you will get anyway.

Hopefully after yesterday's games (France/Uruguay especially) we will see some good football and a hatful of goals today!

Quietly confident we all are smokie...very quietly .... ....can you here us,shhhhh! 4-1 Ronney hat-trick ok?

[bdenner]

I'm lead to believe that the people who subscribed to True HD were conned, an extra deposit of 2000Baht and 400 per month or whatever for nothing. No ENGLISH commentary. Any truth in that? TS1 are doing replays with no commentary but just the horrible background noise.

[StevieH]

1-0 US. rooney sent off 64'.

[alfieconn]

1-0 US. rooney sent off 64'.

Can we take it that is US and not U.S.

[smokie36]

C'mon where are all the England fans? You should be here talking up your chances....Its likely the only commentary you will get anyway.

Hopefully after yesterday's games (France/Uruguay especially) we will see some good football and a hatful of goals today!

Quietly confident we all are smokie...very quietly .... ....can you here us,shhhhh! 4-1 Ronney hat-trick ok?

I can't see why not if you start well and build confidence.....'Get the ball to Rooney in the final third' would be my words in the dressing room....

[NADTATIDA1]

<deleted> performance from Green,Carrhager,Lampard,Lennon,Milner,Rooney

The rest where poor.

USA where not that much either! Algeria next! what a disapointment!

I started watching the geckoes running up the wall they where more creative

[smokie36]

<deleted> performance from Green,Carrhager,Lampard,Lennon,Milner,Rooney

The rest where poor.

USA where not that much either! Algeria next! what a disapointment!

I started watching the geckoes running up the wall they where more creative

Please fedex me some geckos I'm not back home until the second round.....you might well be out by then.

Only joking of course England should have won the game but for a good performance by Tim Howard....OK some defensive errors and the howler by the goalie but still....

[mommysboy]

I had feared worst: England had plainly gone in to sleep mode in the run up, and USA are a very good tournament team.

England have major problems at centre back, and the GK situation is worsening. Basically if King was not felt to be coping, then certainly Carragher was not the answer either.

I think we were the better team, and maybe this will serve as a wake up call.

Quite what wil haen at centre back I don't know.

[bkkjames]

Capello got it wrong. Wright Phillips? Come on all he does is run quickly in circles and shoots to nowhere. Milner was awful . Carragher? Slower than whale shit in an ice float. Midfield performance was mediocre. Gerard and Lampard cannot play together in the middle. Need a holding Midfielder to protect the slow CB's.

Where's Singer to defend this perfomance?

That being said, the US is an much improved side. Did quite well in last year's confederation cup I believe.

[carmine]

Capello got it wrong, both in team selection and substitutions....ShaunWright Phillips. Milner was totally dreadful, but in his defense, the manager should'nt have picked him anyway. Carrick was needed to fill the spot left by Barry.

Thought Gerrard had a decent game, and stood up well as captain.

[JacknDanny]

<deleted> performance from Green,Carrhager,Lampard,Lennon,Milner,Rooney

The rest where poor.

USA where not that much either! Algeria next! what a disapointment!

I started watching the geckoes running up the wall they where more creative

Well the only entertaining part for me, was the retarded Thai commentators, calling the USA team South Africa throughout the whole game.

Must have thought USA is the Union of South Africa!! :D

[carmine]

Apparently Ledley King got an injury (not knee) and will not be playing in the next game. Carragher was just not up to pace so the CB situation is back to being a major headache.

[CNF55]

Looks like Mr. Stevie was spot on with his prediction. I thought that the U.S. looked quite vulnerable in defense but were lucky that England did not exploit it mainly due a lot of erratic crossing by Johnson and Lennon.

[salty]

England were poor. They will probably still win the group but the obvious shortcomings in the side must be worrying for sterner tests in the knockout stages.

[uptheos]

The fault lies with Capello.

Green made a howler, but I'd still play him in the next game.

He should never have started with Heskey and Wright Philips is rubbish - both shouldn't have even been on the plane!

With these lesser teams, you have to go for broke, Crouch & Defoe up front - Rooney behind and Carrick holding.

Whether Gerrard and Lampard should play together is debatable.

And for Christ's sake they should get the ball out to Lennon more. He has the ability to devastate any defence, but he needs the passes.

Milner....oh my oh my....and they want 30 million for him?

[smokie36]

Apparently Ledley King got an injury (not knee) and will not be playing in the next game. Carragher was just not up to pace so the CB situation is back to being a major headache.

The time for Dawson to have his chance.