England Squad Confirmed

[StevieH]

Did you fall out of bed the wrong side this morning?

little bit yeah.

[carmine]

Did you fall out of bed the wrong side this morning?

little bit yeah.

I think the point about injuries is that every team will get to varying degrees but at the end of the day its all about who you have to replace them.

A decent french example is upfront . does it really matter if Loic Remy is ruled out when you also have Karim Benzema to slot in a 4-2-3-1.

[carmine]

OK Einstein not....the furor caused by Hodgson in not wanting to have Rio In the squad and not being honest about it to him at the start(the real reasons)Terry has yet again undermined the England squad because of these allegations and should be the one that is not going to the finals.

Kelly being picked ahead of Richards is a complete joke never mind Ferdinand.

And incidentally i would not of picked Rio on footballing reasons and i stated that before but the way Hodgson and the FA have done this is wrong and deserves the backlash they get.

Hope you understand now Einstein!

No not really, Admittedly The fa were clumsy in the initial handling of the terry allegations, after all our justice system is innocent until proven guilty, it now could be v strongly argued that terry has already been punished for something that's unproven and the FA's clumsiness cost them a manager. Capello didn't use Ferdinand and it wasn't a big issue.Why should Hodgson now be held to account?. Hodgson has picked youngsters for the stand by crew, his choice, not that I'm particulary impressed with his choice, ? So where the respect and undermining is going on is from the papers and media looking to make a story as it s all quite on the footballing front, and consequently, the expected idiots are biting

I totally agree, it's Hodgson's job to make footballing decisions, and he's doing it based on form and fitness as far as I can see. If the FA management or UK courts make decisions that effect a player's availability so be it, but that is really not his concern, let alone predict what any furure outcome might be. One defender is there because he is (was) fit and in good form, and the other not for opposite reasons. Where's the controversy in that?

I think its the FA pulling the strings with regards Ferdinands omission.

Are we really expected to believe a football manager would select a right back and largely reserve player over a fit Rio Ferdinand. Sure he's not the player he was but atleast he has loads of experience.

In short, he should be selected and Terry shouldn't.

[MrRed]

Did you fall out of bed the wrong side this morning?

little bit yeah.

He sleeps on a mat!

[StevieH]

I think the point about injuries is that every team will get to varying degrees but at the end of the day its all about who you have to replace them.

A decent french example is upfront . does it really matter if Loic Remy is ruled out when you also have Karim Benzema to slot in a 4-2-3-1.

yeah it's about depth. loic remy is alright but to me he's only like england losing darren bent really. he's not that good. benzema will start as the one up top and the alternative is the excellent olivier giroud who is on the back of a fantastic season.

likewise france's two holding players matter less when they can pick three to support the striker from ribery, nasri, ben arfa, valbuena and marvin martin.

[carmine]

I think the point about injuries is that every team will get to varying degrees but at the end of the day its all about who you have to replace them.

A decent french example is upfront . does it really matter if Loic Remy is ruled out when you also have Karim Benzema to slot in a 4-2-3-1.

yeah it's about depth. loic remy is alright but to me he's only like england losing darren bent really. he's not that good. benzema will start as the one up top and the alternative is the excellent olivier giroud who is on the back of a fantastic season.

likewise france's two holding players matter less when they can pick three to support the striker from ribery, nasri, ben arfa, valbuena and marvin martin.

Exactly. I'm happy with my score at 12/1 too. Laurent Blanc doing a good job and unbeaten in the last twenty.

Do you understand my frustration trying to explain to smokie why the english on here really don't have any aspirations for this tourno whatsoever. Compaired to the likes of France, Spain, and Germany for example we just look so weak its frightening.

[StevieH]

I think the point about injuries is that every team will get to varying degrees but at the end of the day its all about who you have to replace them.

A decent french example is upfront . does it really matter if Loic Remy is ruled out when you also have Karim Benzema to slot in a 4-2-3-1.

yeah it's about depth. loic remy is alright but to me he's only like england losing darren bent really. he's not that good. benzema will start as the one up top and the alternative is the excellent olivier giroud who is on the back of a fantastic season.

likewise france's two holding players matter less when they can pick three to support the striker from ribery, nasri, ben arfa, valbuena and marvin martin.

Exactly. I'm happy with my score at 12/1 too. Laurent Blanc doing a good job and unbeaten in the last twenty.

Do you understand my frustration trying to explain to smokie why the english on here really don't have any aspirations for this tourno whatsoever. Compaired to the likes of France, Spain, and Germany for example we just look so weak its frightening.

i don't think it's just 'look weak' though carmine, it's 'are weak'. and have been for ages. it's just that the expectation level is that much lower this time because there are fewer supposed 'star' players, the 'golden generation' have all turned well past 30 and they've got a manager whose idea of tactics is try not to concede if you can lads and then hopefully we might nick something off a dead ball. in fact the expectation level isn't just lower, it's finally realistic. france, spain, germany and holland all play football which involves bossing possession of the ball as much as they can. that's why they tend to do better in tournaments than england.

fifa ranking nonsense aside does anyone really believe that england are among the 8 best teams in the world? which makes par for them at a world cup or euros getting out of the group really.

[MrRed]

My money is on Holland this time,France always seem to have problems in tournaments and implode,although most of the problem players are not there this time i am sure one or two new ones will come to the fore and cause a headache for Blanc.

[smokie36]

Do you understand my frustration trying to explain to smokie

You tell your uncle smokie all about it son....I'm always happy to listen.

[rijit]

I think the point about injuries is that every team will get to varying degrees but at the end of the day its all about who you have to replace them.

A decent french example is upfront . does it really matter if Loic Remy is ruled out when you also have Karim Benzema to slot in a 4-2-3-1.

yeah it's about depth. loic remy is alright but to me he's only like england losing darren bent really. he's not that good. benzema will start as the one up top and the alternative is the excellent olivier giroud who is on the back of a fantastic season.

likewise france's two holding players matter less when they can pick three to support the striker from ribery, nasri, ben arfa, valbuena and marvin martin.

Exactly. I'm happy with my score at 12/1 too. Laurent Blanc doing a good job and unbeaten in the last twenty.

Do you understand my frustration trying to explain to smokie why the english on here really don't have any aspirations for this tourno whatsoever. Compaired to the likes of France, Spain, and Germany for example we just look so weak its frightening.

Which in itself could well be construed as an argument in favour of our man woy( roy), look at Fulham and wba, he's v v good at gettin the best out of average teams

[carmine]

Do you understand my frustration trying to explain to smokie

You tell your uncle smokie all about it son....I'm always happy to listen.

I'd be better off talking to a haggis!

[rijit]

Do you understand my frustration trying to explain to smokie

You tell your uncle smokie all about it son....I'm always happy to listen.

I'd be better off talking to a haggis!

Yeah and now you mention it carmine, haggis's are a bit like the Scotland team, stuffed full of crap

[mommysboy]

Did you fall out of bed the wrong side this morning?

little bit yeah.

Not injured I hope! Might have to be replaced with a newbie nil poster.

[LucidLucifer]

Did you fall out of bed the wrong side this morning?

little bit yeah.

Not injured I hope! Might have to be replaced with a newbie nil poster.

.......from a large city in the north-west of England.

[StevieH]

Did you fall out of bed the wrong side this morning?

little bit yeah.

Not injured I hope! Might have to be replaced with a newbie nil poster.

heh. if you mean the sort of 'injury' that often kept paul gascoigne and tony adams out of matches, then yes, that kind.

[Abrak]

i don't think it's just 'look weak' though carmine, it's 'are weak'. and have been for ages. it's just that the expectation level is that much lower this time because there are fewer supposed 'star' players, the 'golden generation' have all turned well past 30 and they've got a manager whose idea of tactics is try not to concede if you can lads and then hopefully we might nick something off a dead ball. in fact the expectation level isn't just lower, it's finally realistic. france, spain, germany and holland all play football which involves bossing possession of the ball as much as they can. that's why they tend to do better in tournaments than england.

fifa ranking nonsense aside does anyone really believe that england are among the 8 best teams in the world? which makes par for them at a world cup or euros getting out of the group really.

What concerns me rather more than our 'ageing golden generation' is that I am not really convinced that the crop of youngsters coming through is really good enough. Admittedly, for the euros, a fair few of them are injured but I have a feeling that when we get to the World Cup in two years time our expectations for the England team will have to again be 'realistically low' like they are now.

[smokie36]

Do you understand my frustration trying to explain to smokie

You tell your uncle smokie all about it son....I'm always happy to listen.

I'd be better off talking to a haggis!

Yeah and now you mention it carmine, haggis's are a bit like the Scotland team, stuffed full of crap

Racism mrboj....book him!

[rijit]

And the England crowd roared in the background 'Boring boring Scotland, boring boring Scotland boring boring Scotland'.

Edited June 5, 2012 by rijit

[smokie36]

And the England crowd roared in the background 'Boring boring Scotland, boring boring Scotland boring boring Scotland'.

I told you he deserved a straight red didn't I mrboj?

Just wait till next week rij...just you wait!!

[rijit]

And as the team trooped of at half time, shoulders slumped yet again to the constant chant, 'boring boring scotland'

[smokie36]

And as the team trooped of at half time, shoulders slumped yet again to the constant chant, 'boring boring scotland'

Do the fans do that at half time to gee up the troops?

Sorry I've never been to Wembley.

[rijit]

Nah, were talking Hampden pk here mate, and scottish fans doin the chanting after an inept 1st half display totally on the bac foot, no goals and no goal attempts

And jokin aside if u havn't been smokes Wembley is defo worth a visit, Barring the fact they kept abso nothing of the old stad and the food and drinks a total rip off,and they still expect u 2 stand up 4 the national anthem, the rest they've got about right.

[smokie36]

Nah, were talking Hampden pk here mate, and scottish fans doin the chanting after an inept 1st half display totally on the bac foot, no goals and no goal attempts

And jokin aside if u havn't been smokes Wembley is defo worth a visit, Barring the fact they kept abso nothing of the old stad and the food and drinks a total rip off,and they still expect u 2 stand up 4 the national anthem, the rest they've got about right.

You are almost as persistent as me rij....and that's saying something!

I went to the Arena years ago...shit acoustics...but the entrance to the old Wembley was good...atmospheric.

[StevieH]

france warmed up for monday with a 4-0 win against estonia last night. attack looking in good shape, defence still a bit shaky.

http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/france-4-estonia-0/

[smokie36]

france warmed up for monday with a 4-0 win against estonia last night. attack looking in good shape, defence still a bit shaky.

http://www.101greatg...ce-4-estonia-0/

Bit ominous that.

[carmine]

france warmed up for monday with a 4-0 win against estonia last night. attack looking in good shape, defence still a bit shaky.

http://www.101greatg...ce-4-estonia-0/

Bit ominous that.

Yes i'd like to think so too mate but Blanc will probably have tightened up their defense by the time England play them. Still i am quite confident that we can score against them. They will also be aware that our defense is reasonably solid.

Will al you bitters up in the north be wearing your little french shirts for the game?

[smokie36]

I'll be enjoying some Escargot and a bottle of Pouilly Fume....

Edited June 6, 2012 by smokie36

[LucidLucifer]

Eleven reasons (I tried to find a round dozen but couldn't manage it) to be naively optimistic England will take the Euros by storm:

1) Rooney is world class, is on the back of a good season, and will be well rested.

2) We have great attacking fullbacks in Cole and Johnson.

3) Our centre backs are solid, Terry's experience makes up for his diminshing powers.

4) Hodgson will have them well organised.

5) Expectations are low this time, that will alleviate some of the pressure on the players.

6) We have a mix of players on their last swansong for the national team, and others that are eager to make a name for themselves. All will be hungry.

7) In Joe Hart we have one of the most promising young keepers in Europe, and certainly our best for years.

8) We have the speed and energy to counter attack. Welbeck, Young, Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain would worry any defender. That will suit our style of play.

9) Not since Gazza in Italia '90, and Owen in France '98, have we had a player that has the ability to take the tournament by storm, in Chamberlain, we may just have that now.

10) Carroll is a brute and has hit form at the right time. He will surely give any centreback pairing a torrid time.

11) Chelsea have given us a template to follow.

Now shoot me down in flames and burst my bubble.......or alternatively, you could join me in my daydream and add some of your own.

Edited June 6, 2012 by LucidLucifer

[carmine]

Eleven reasons (I tried to find a round dozen but couldn't manage it) to be naively optimistic England will take the Euros by storm:

1) Rooney is world class, is on the back of a good season, and will be well rested.

2) We have great attacking fullbacks in Cole and Johnson.

3) Our centre backs are solid, Terry's experience makes up for his diminshing powers.

4) Hodgson will have them well organised.

5) Expectations are low this time, that will alleviate some of the pressure on the players.

6) We have a mix of players on their last swansong for the national team, and others that are eager to make a name for themselves. All will be hungry.

7) In Joe Hart we have one of the most promising young keepers in Europe, and certainly our best for years.

8) We have the speed and energy to counter attack. Welbeck, Young, Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain would worry any defender. That will suit our style of play.

9) Not since Gazza in Italia '90, and Owen in France '98, have we had a player that has the ability to take the tournament by storm, in Chamberlain, we may just have that now.

10) Carroll is a brute and has hit form at the right time. He will surely give any centreback pairing a torrid time.

11) Chelsea have given us a template to follow.

Now shoot me down in flames and burst my bubble.......or alternatively, you could join me in my daydream and add some of your own.

You naive fool! Don't you know the English are not allowed to be positive about our national team. If we do we are racist, nationalistic arrogant bigots.

Apart from bankrupting a country that had no debt when they took over and the fourth largest gold reserves that what 13 years of Blair and Brown did to the country.

An its not politics when discussing those two its discussing criminal activity.

[smokie36]

Can we talk about your midfield now?