COME ON ENGLAND!!!!

[HastGill1]

Originally Posted by MickeyPaul

Interesting thing I noticed in the BBC report was that they said Green, according to the OPTA stats, was the keeper that made most mistakes that led to a goal last season. Blimey guv!

Im not one to stick the boot in when someones down but he had a bad season last year, he was flapping a lot and although he played alright for England it went against what Capello said in that he would only pick people in form..if he was doing that he would have picked Hart or Robinson in goal..

Might be proved wrong but I cant see Capello getting this, ahem, 'golden generation(!)' any further than the quarters..I will be having a big bet on us on Friday because its exactly the kind of game we will win by a couple, but I dont see anything different between how we are playing now and how we have played in the opening of previous tourns..

Am I right in thinking that we have the oldest squad in the comp? If so, I think we could be perhaps heading for a couple of years of transition between the old guard and the err..younger players (whoever they are!), if this group of players prove, yet again, they are not up to doing it at major tourns then we need to move on, they have had ample opportunity to prove they can carry domestic and european form onto the international stage and have thus far failed to do so when it counts...last chance saloon for some of these guys for me..

[Betfly]

Hast ,

The odds on Englnad for Friday's game are horrible 2/9 in places.

England will win but @ very slim odds

[MickeyPaul]

Problem I have with this England team is a problem they seem to have had as long as I can remember - they seem incapable of passing and moving. Not even at speed. They're just a great lump of white that struggles to move the ball around. Stuffy, difficult to beat. Great. So was, "Big Sam's" Bolton.

What they need is to go into every game with the attitude of total underdogs and the feeling that everyone hates them and thinks they're shit (ssshhh). I think that brings out the best in people from this part of the world.

I reckon they might click in the next game having taken a bit of criticism.

[Gavster]

I even think England will struggle against Algeria! I must say, I'm surprised. I really thought England would have played better against the USA.

But as Mickey points out, England always struggle with the basics... they can't fucking pass a ball. They don't move off the ball to try and find space either, so nearly every move seems to break down before it gets to the opposing box.

They play like Manu in Europe. Standing off players, giving them space to express themselves and inviting pressure. Then they go OMG, how did that happen when they concede.

[HastGill1]

Originally Posted by Betfly

Hast ,

The odds on Englnad for Friday's game are horrible 2/9 in places.

England will win but @ very slim odds

I would never play the straight win at those odds but I have little problem in backing us on the -1EH @ 1.72 and the -2AH @ 2.5..

Most people that are criticising us I have little or no time for..they are the chavs that sit outside Yates getting shitfaced on a Wed afternoon when I'm going for lunch, buy those fucking stupid flags to put on their cars and hang the flag of St George on their flats, the ones with 'England' written on them in case some dumb twat doesnt realise whose flag it is ffs, they watch 4 games a season all invariably involve Man U and decide they are experts..they can piss off as far as im concerned, USA are not a bad side and if most people were asked before the weekend who they would pick as a semi-final outsider they would have said the States..we will be much better against Algeria, trust me..

Algeria do not defend well from set pieces or balls into the box in general, the goalkeeper is a flapper and I fully expect us to win by at least 2 goals, had my eye on this game since the start, Im going to be all over it and will make a pile of cash, no worries..

[HastGill1]

Originally Posted by gavinalwaysright

I even think England will struggle against Algeria! I must say, I'm surprised. I really thought England would have played better against the USA.

But as Mickey points out, England always struggle with the basics... they can't fucking pass a ball. They don't move off the ball to try and find space either, so nearly every move seems to break down before it gets to the opposing box.

They play like Manu in Europe. Standing off players, giving them space to express themselves and inviting pressure. Then they go OMG, how did that happen when they concede.

Yeah, who the hell would want to play like Manu in europe!? They've hardly had any success over the years have they?..without meaning to be too rude, what the bloody hell are you going on about?

[ONEDUNME]

[QUOTE=HastGill1;646625], USA are not a bad side and if most people were asked before the weekend who they would pick as a semi-final outsider they would have said the States..
/QUOTE]

Most people?

You wouldn't like to name a couple would you mate? Semi final? You must be havin a laugh.

[HastGill1]

[quote=ONEDUNME;646630]

Originally Posted by HastGill1

, USA are not a bad side and if most people were asked before the weekend who they would pick as a semi-final outsider they would have said the States..
/QUOTE]

Most people?

You wouldn't like to name a couple would you mate? Semi final? You must be havin a laugh.

Didnt think that was a controversial statement actually! ..Im not saying you would have picked them out as a team likely to reach the semi's but considering they are in a group they should qualify and their impressive showing the confed cup last year they are prob the side outside the obvious top ranked sides (Brazil, Argies, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, err..England) that I certainly would have picked out.. ive read a fair few WC previews and I cant imagine im the only one who has read about them as a outside shot at getting to the latter stages, dont think it will happen mind! ..

[ONEDUNME]

I must admit that I expected more from Slovenia and although they spawned 3 points against Algeria, I can see the US taking all three points against them on Friday and going through to the next round.

I still saw very little about them to impress on Saturday though and I'd be amazed if they got through the first knock out stage.

[HastGill1]

Havent seen much from anyone so far though have we? Argies looked good and Germany looked good but Australia were were so bad it was a difficult indicator..I would guess one of Brazil and Spain will flatter to decieve in the next couple of days also..expect a terrible game tonight too! I blame the new ball, and the horns and floodlight that they put on for every match regardless of when its played, and the pitches which are too heavily watered..

[slick]

i wouldn't read much into any of the games at the moment, the fire and brimstone starts when teams 'have to win' at the moment their just testing the water, The English result was not a disaster, far from it as we should piss past both Algeria and Slovenia. My main concern is Capello's tactics and the players he picked, if we go into the second round continuing like that we'll end up on the first plane back home.
Holding the ball is a major concern and for as well as Heskey played, while he's on the pitch we're a one directional team, just hoofing the ball up to him in the hope he gets a decent touch, doing that against the likes of Spain or Argentina will mean we'll never see the ball for most of the match.
Thats why i was miffed to see Joe Cole sat on the bench as he's the best player we have at keeping the ball, I'd much rather see him on the pitch rather than Heskey and let Rooney lead from the front, that was another thing, Heskey was pinching Rooneys space which left Rooney out on a limb as he was not recieving the ball, Rooneys never been the sort of player to live on 'flick ons' he thrives off running at defenders and recieving decent ball from the flanks so he can head them in, its also a bad state of affairs having no fcuker who can cross a ball so whats the point of playing with two wingers that can't cross or can't defend, the mind boggles.

[MickeyPaul]

Oooh, those Germans are laying into your boys. Mocking! Couple of interesting points in the full article I thought.

Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer has launched a blistering attack on England's playing style in their opening game at the World Cup.
While Fabio Capello's team laboured to a 1-1 draw with the United States, Germany crushed the Australians 4-0.
The former German captain, 64, said: "What I saw of the English against the US had very little to do with football.
"It looked to me as if the English have gone backwards into the bad old days of kick and rush."

BBC Sport - Football - Germany's Franz Beckenbauer criticises England style

[keemanan]

Apparently in a fit of fairness our teutonic cousins have been using this crappy ball for 6 months!

You cant deny the ball acts like it's made of rubber, I cant remember the number of occasions I've seen a pass to the flanks bounce 20 foot over the intended players head!

[HastGill1]

Originally Posted by keemanan

Apparently in a fit of fairness our teutonic cousins have been using this crappy ball for 6 months!

You cant deny the ball acts like it's made of rubber, I cant remember the number of occasions I've seen a pass to the flanks bounce 20 foot over the intended players head!

The ball was on offer to all countries to use from Feb..Austria, Swiss, Portugal and the States leagues have all used it..

The Prem League have a deal with Nike so couldnt use the ball and the national team have a deal with Umbro so couldnt use it..same with other countries I guess..

Comes down to money at the end of the day chief..

[keemanan]

Just looking at the Guardians football coverage.
After 1 match
England are shyte (were potential winners on friday)
All African goalies are brilliant
Germany will win it
Spain will win it (see day after they draw)

All after 1 game and in Spains case 0 games.
What if they draw? what on earth will our shit hacks make of that? their world will crumble