World Cup 2010 - England Thread

England should beat Algeria, but SLovenia could be more difficult, on a normal day I would expect the English to win, but now every other team is going to pepper Green with shots from 30 yards out, I fear he could drop another clanger against the plucky Slovenes or against the opposition in the knockout. There is very little margin for error at this level and I think he has to go, in all honesty he was a bit suspect for the Mexican goal at Wembley (jointly with Jonhson perhaps) and I just think James is the saftest pair of hands.
 
It's true that other teams facing England now will try to take advantage of Green's undoubted drop in confidence and put pressure on him. That's why some think, he should be dropped and will be. Alan Shearer is one.
 
matherto said:
People saying we weren't that bad need to open their eyes and actually watch the game. We were trully awful.

None of our players are comfortable on the ball, and when off it they don't move. The astounding amount of hoofball played from the back purely because none of our midfielders showed for the ball proves we're simply in trouble. It was horrible to watch Terry wack it up constantly and yet because Heskey was far bigger than the US defenders, it's seen as a good thing because he kept winning headers.

The US midfield looked far, far better than ours and if they had someone other than the useless Altidore up front we'dve been made to look very silly. We had more of the ball and more chances in the second half and I think that was basically down to them getting knackered. First half we couldn't get the ball off them.

I know it's knee-jerk to say look at Germany tonight to see the difference, but they were so good because they do all the basic things so well. Pass and move, creating triangles by moving into space, keeping runs going and simply being able to keep the ball are all strengths they showed today and it trully shows how awful we are technically.

That said, we'll probably score a few against Algeria and Slovenia by virtue of being bigger than them at set pieces and suddenly we'll be painted as world beaters again.

The less said about Green the better but at least he got a decent save in to build his confidence again. I'dve played Hart purely on the basis he's simply the best keeper we have and sod the lack of experience but I don't want to see Green dropped now, it'll simply destroy him.
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This.

EDIT: My opinion on how England should play when both Gerrard and Lampard are on the pitch.

----------------------Green/Joe---------------------


Johnson------Carragher----------Terry---------A.Cole


---------------------Carrick/Barry------------------


-----------------Gerrard--------Lampard-------------


-------Lennon------------------------------J.Cole---

---------------------Rooney/Defoe-------------------
 
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PLF said:
So in the absence of King, you'd have Carragher ahead of Dawson and Upson?
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With his experience, yes. If Dawson had bags of experience I'd have definitely gone for him. He had a pretty impressive season.
 
True. He is much more experienced.

I don't know if that'd be enough for me though. I'd have to think hard about it but think would ultimately opt for Michael or even Upson who isn't short on experience ahead of Jamie as for me in terms of ability at this time now, the veteran is last choice.

And playing alongside an experienced back-line with likes of Terry and Ashley, I think the defense would be experienced enough and he should be fine. But I don't know, maybe experience in this case is more important than I'm giving it credit for and Jamie is the right choice...

Upson has a lot more experience than Michael though and is less likely to crack under World Cup pressure but for me, more effective than Jamie who is the most experienced of the trio. I may settle for Upson then. I don't know it's a tough choice. King if fit would definitely be ideal partner for Terry though, little doubt about that. He's the best of the bunch after Terry now with Rio missing.
 
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If you're good enough your age should not matter.

This has always been a bit of problem in the conservative England selections.

Badstuber, Marin and Ozil are all kids relatively speaking but Loew had no problems in picking them. People like Adam Johnson who has genuine ability is left behind.

Sven Goran Capello ? :P

PS Ledley King is out for three weeks with a tear in the adductor of the groin. So that's his WC over.

Rooney also missed training today due to an ankle knock. Maybe the same one he injured at the tail end of last season.
 
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I don't think Capello regards age as an issue at all. James Milner was chosen ahead of SWP despite being younger and inexperience at this level. It clearly didn't work against USA but age isn't a factor.

Adam Johnson wasn't picked because he didn't play enough games in the top flight IMO. You can't compare him with Badstuber, Marin and Ozil who are all solid performers in the Bundesliga last season.

Joe Hart was chosen ahead of Robinson who had a decent season. So, I really don't think age is an issue for Capello in his selection.
 
Carragher-Terry as CB's could be disastrous IMO.
They both had an catastrophic season and are simply not good enough on this level. It will maybe work against Algeria and Slovenia, but not against better teams...
 
Mack said:
Playing Caragher and Terry would give us the slowest centre backs in the entire World Cup, Dawson and Terry for me expierence or not...


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lol
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It's meant to be ironic. A 1-1 draw for the USA was seen as a victory for them of what they regard as an established footballing power much like Bunker Hill was seen as a great victory of irregular militia over a regular army led by Howe which despite the British Army winning they suffered enormous losses.

ZV I still think if Ozil, Badstuber were in England there would be a reluctance to pick them. Capello is all in all a pretty conservative coach who favours experience over youth.

Whilst experience generally wins WC's it's no bad thing to blood the technically capable and young players you have.

There will be a gap and perhaps some trouble ahead come Euro 2012 as an intermediate group of players come through to replace those who will no doubt retire from this group being thirty something.
 
ALBICELESTE2010 said:
It's meant to be ironic. A 1-1 draw for the USA was seen as a victory for them of what they regard as an established footballing power much like Bunker Hill was seen as a great victory of irregular militia over a regular army led by Howe which despite the British Army winning they suffered enormous losses..
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I get the irony and the History mate, just presumed that the USA thought they were themselves a decent team these days.....
 
A Carragher/Terry partnership is a recipe for distaster. Neither of them have any pace. I'd be happy with Terry and someone else or Carragher and someone else, but not the two together.

Also, SURELY the USA game proved ONCE AND FOR ALL that Lampard/Gerrard in the centre does not work. It's no coincidence that as soon as they're back in the middle England put in a Sven-like performance.
 
Shazam! said:
A Carragher/Terry partnership is a recipe for distaster. Neither of them have any pace. I'd be happy with Terry and someone else or Carragher and someone else, but not the two together.

Also, SURELY the USA game proved ONCE AND FOR ALL that Lampard/Gerrard in the centre does not work. It's no coincidence that as soon as they're back in the middle England put in a Sven-like performance.
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It does not work simply because they're playing in a 4-4-2 system.
 
Nick Cave said:
Hmmm if Germany come second and we win, we should throw the last game if it means avoiding them...
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Ata1251YES_PLEASE2.jpg
 
---------------------James-------------------------
Johnson---------Carragher----Terry---------A.Cole--
----------------------Barry------------------------
--Lennon--------------Lampard-------------Gerrard--
---------------Rooney---------Heskey---------------

is the team.
 
It's not even like anyone nearly scored. I'm sorry, I'm gonna have to blame Capello here. Gerrard off Rooney, Cole on the left. It's not rocket science.
 
It was nice of Rooney to do his best to make Heskey look good. I guess all his skill is based on swearing at refs......

Shockingly poor performance.
 
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