England National football team thread

[MasterBlaster76]

To be fair, we didn't 'choke' in WC 2006 - everyone who saw the game knows we were all over Portugal, who didn't know what to do with Lennon when he came on and Hargreaves was great as well. We just couldn't get the crucial goal.

In 2004, we would've beaten Portugal if the ref. could do his job and recognise when a goal was legally scored instead of disallowing it. In 1998, the ref disallowed another goal by Sol Campbell (who scored the one vs Portugal as well incidentally) against Argentina. Oh and speaking of referees, if we had one with the ability to see that Diego Simeone (or should that be Simona ) was trying to get Beckham sent off, we would've beaten Argentina then as well - we were living with them throughout extra time even taking into account being down to ten men.

Indeed, England history is littered with these 'what ifs' - but at WC 2010, we really did 'choke'. We usually start slowly (even in 1966 - and you remember what happened then) and reach the quarter finals after a plucky showing against a superior team. WC 2010 was simply awful though - I've never ever seen an England team play worse at a major tournament - we plumbed new depths. We started slowly and kept on going slowly - until we were murdered (or maybe put out of our misery by the Germans).

England are not a lucky team - if we were, we would've definitely won at least one more trophy since 1966: probably European Championship 1996.

 

[Lee1981]

But is your attitude not half the problem here,

You seem to be making excuses for us as the players seem to do every tournament we fail in.

Why is it that as a nation we just cannot accept we are just not good enough, there is no harm in that, using a refs mistakes as an excuse is just an easy kop out for our over paid "stars".

Its funny how spain don't have these problems.

Yes we do get alot of suspect descions but come on, in 2006 wc, we were awful aswell, your memory must be failing you.

We struggled against paraguay and barely scraped through against trinidad and tobago a part time nation i must add.

Sweden we drew with as always, then in the knockout a beckham free kick put us through after an awful performance against ecuador.

Portugal game, we tried hard but hardly looked a threat, hargreaves carried us on his own from what i remember, and rooney beeing rooney got what he deserved.

No excuses are needed, managers take the blame, players escape the flack, thats how it works in this country, this is why i will "never" see us win a big tournament, and the sad thing is i dont even care anymore.

They can enjoy the fortunes they earn, good luck to them, but they cant pull the wool over my eyes, i know what i see, and i see players hyped to excessive levels they do not deserve to be at.

If they had an ounce of the passion your everyday hard working englishman has then maybe that is a start.

But i doubt it!

 

[War]

Fabio Capello keen for Josh McEachran to sign loan deal | Mail Online

Word up Fabio..

 

[War]

BBC Sport - Sven-Goran Eriksson says England needs a winter break

This cant be stressed on often enough.

 

[War]

BBC Sport - Danny Welbeck picked in England squad to face Netherlands

Although this is undoubtedly a poorly timed friendly, some recent selection by Don Capello remains slightly disturbing.

- Why was Bent not picked. Unless he has some injury its ridiculous to not pick based on his recent run of form at the back end of last season for ENG.

- Why is Dawson being overlooked all of a sudden?. He is clearly the best center-half in England behind the Rio/Terry partnership. Now way should all three of Jaigelka, Lescott, Cahill be picked ahead of him

- Great to see Richards picked, although i suspect strongly that he only was picked because Johnson had to pull out injured. Hopefully he starts and puts on a performance that proves to Capello why he should be ENG # 1 right-back.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

No Sturridge? Can't believe Crouch still gets into the squad.

I agree with most of your points. But Lescott was very good at the end of last season and I don't really have many qualms over Jagielka and Cahill, Jagielka offers versatility and Cahill is a solid choice.

 

[War]

No Sturridge? Can't believe Crouch still gets into the squad.

I agree with most of your points. But Lescott was very good at the end of last season and I don't really have many qualms over Jagielka and Cahill, Jagielka offers versatility and Cahill is a solid choice.

Sturridge is indeed good, but the wings area with Young, Walcott, Lennon, Downing, A Johnson, Milner (at times) is the one area ENG have alot of quality options. So for now he is way down the pecking order - but an impressive season for Chelsea can certainly move him up.

Im not to convinced abt Jaigelka's versatility at international level. I cant remember the game, but the friendly Capello tried him @ right-back he looked poor.

With the emergence of Walker, Kelly in the last season to challenge G Johnson. Capello should have two natural RBs in the side now.

All three of Lescott, Jaigelka and Cahill are good centre-halves back-up option these days for sure. My point was i dont think all 3 are better than Dawson - especially Cahill and Jaigelka IMO. Dawson and Lescott are close though.

 

[War]

Bent confirms shoulder injury | England Football Team News, Fixtures, Results | Sky Sports

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Joey Barton just too dangerous to play for England, claims Fabio Capello | Mail Online

Outside of his recent beef with the Newcastle hierarchy recently, i thought he on field behaviour was fine last season and his football certainly did solid enough talking.

Along with Parker, Barton is a good jack of all trades. Very good passer of the ball, good set-piece taker, great tackler, fantastic engine, capable of shooting accurately from long distance etc.

So he could he could slot into a role as defensive mid-fielder as back-up to Parker ahead of Barry these days quite easily.

 

[Lee1981]

Barton is a good jack of all trades. So he could he could slot into a role as defensive mid-fielder as back-up to Parker ahead of Barry these days quite easily.

Agree with this.

How many England regulars have been in trouble on and off the pitch?

Rooney, Gerrard just to name 2, so he should be given a chance.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

Cleverly's in as well.

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But is your attitude not half the problem here,

You seem to be making excuses for us as the players seem to do every tournament we fail in.

Why is it that as a nation we just cannot accept we are just not good enough, there is no harm in that, using a refs mistakes as an excuse is just an easy kop out for our over paid "stars".

Its funny how spain don't have these problems.

Yes we do get alot of suspect descions but come on, in 2006 wc, we were awful aswell, your memory must be failing you.

We struggled against paraguay and barely scraped through against trinidad and tobago a part time nation i must add.

Sweden we drew with as always, then in the knockout a beckham free kick put us through after an awful performance against ecuador.

Portugal game, we tried hard but hardly looked a threat, hargreaves carried us on his own from what i remember, and rooney beeing rooney got what he deserved.

No excuses are needed, managers take the blame, players escape the flack, thats how it works in this country, this is why i will "never" see us win a big tournament, and the sad thing is i dont even care anymore.

They can enjoy the fortunes they earn, good luck to them, but they cant pull the wool over my eyes, i know what i see, and i see players hyped to excessive levels they do not deserve to be at.

If they had an ounce of the passion your everyday hard working englishman has then maybe that is a start.

But i doubt it!

OK, maybe 2006 wasn't the best example. What about 1996? What about 1990? In both games, we were all over the Germans, easily the best team - you think England were lucky in either of those games? Sure, you make some valid points but the fact is England are not a lucky team. Another wonderful example: in the England v Germany game in 1990 (I think), a shot from one of our players hit the post. In those days, posts were made square - scientific analysis has since shown that had the posts been rounded, that shot would've gone in.

If that's not bad luck, I don't know what is.

 

[War]

BBC Sport - England players 'need break to avoid burnout this season'

Why is still even a question. OF COURSE they need a winter break!

 

[Lee1981]

If that's not bad luck, I don't know what is.

What about 1966?

Sir geoff off the bar.....

I agree that we do have a few cases of bad luck.

But any top team shouldnt use this an excuse as really you should be good enough to win without luck.

The best teams like Spain and say Barcelona, just go and win simple as that, luck very rarely comes into it.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

What about 1966?

Sir geoff off the bar.....

I agree that we do have a few cases of bad luck.

But any top team shouldnt use this an excuse as really you should be good enough to win without luck.

The best teams like Spain and say Barcelona, just go and win simple as that, luck very rarely comes into it.

Dude, you're English - so I didn't expect you to bring up 1966. Remember - we won 4-2. Not 3-2. So if Geoff's goal was disallowed, we would've won it in the last seconds.

And since we're going back to 1966, I'd like to bring your attention to one of Germany's goals - it might even have been the one which forced the match into ET. It came from a free kick and if that should've been a free kick, then I'm the King of Scotland. Sir Geoff's goal gets all the limelight because it was a 'was it over the line' controversy, but taking into account the aforementioned German goal which should never have been, I'd say it sort of evened itself out. So let's not degrade England's greatest footballing achievement - we won that game fair and square.

Another example of England's bad luck: Germany's first goal in 1990. A freekick, which Paul Parker rightly charges down, loops up and over Shilton and in. 1996, when Gazza was within inches of putting Germany out - and so many others. Oh and of course, we musn't forget 1986. Not only 'the Hand of God', but also a cross which Lineker was about to score from only for it to be whipped away somehow. I swear, every time I see that, I think it's gone in! To say that England have had 'a few cases of bad luck' is something of an understatement.

Speaking of Spain, they were damn lucky to win the World Cup - Holland had plenty of chances as well. When Italy won the World Cup in 2006, they well and truly rode their luck as well. Luck always plays a big part in football - always has done and always will do. What is it they say? If you can't be a good manager, be a lucky one - that counts for teams as well.

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BBC Sport - England players 'need break to avoid burnout this season'

Why is still even a question. OF COURSE they need a winter break!

No question about it. None whatsoever!

Still at least they're going to get a bit more of a break before the Premiership gets under way (if it does this weekend that is), thanks to the members of Idiot Central who are running amok in the country.

 

[Auwais]

Meh, the luck argument is a pretty weak one. Swings and roundabouts.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

England seem to get a few too many swings, and not enough roundabouts. 'Swings and roundabouts' means it evens out over time. I've watched England since 1986 - and it most certainly hasn't evened out over time.