England National football team thread

[War]

Totti was rushed back unfit for the World Cup 2006. Still managed to play a blinder mind.

Yea that was a unique case. He defied the odds with much faith shown by his coach and had a top tournament.

Buffon missed Euro 2000

Yea, but Italy as they usually do have great depth in goal-keepers. Francesco Toldo was a great back-up. If England lose Joe Hart now, we don't have the equivalent of Toldo in back-up ATM.

Pirlo missed the first two matches at the World Cup 2010 due to injury.

Ye however, Italy's team was a mess going into WC 2010. I doubt whether a fit Pirlo who back then was not in the best of form anyway compared to his recent career reviving season with Juventus - would have helped much.

Ballack missed the first match of the 2006 World Cup due to a calf strain

This was a minor injury. He recovered well enough to be at his peak for the the rest of that competition.

Ballack missed all over the 2010 World Cup due to an ankle injury

Ballack was passed it by 2010 and as we have seen in the last two years, its unlikely Low would have picked him back then, since Khedira/Schweinsteiger was the preferred mid-field partnership.

In fact there were five Germans who missed the 2010 World Cup due to injury Ballack, Adler, Traesch, Westermann and Rolfes.

None of these players in 2010 or now were ever regulars for Germany. So them getting injured back in 2010 not a loss of any key influential player.

Christian Vieri missed Euro 2000.

I can't remember this off my head now as I type. But the Azzuri got to the EURO finals without him. That highlights their depth, which is something ENG usually don't have as i mentioned before.

 

[Themer]

So the point stands that England haven't been unlucky with injuries they just have absolutely no depth because they're a poor team.

 

[Bevab]

In fact there were five Germans who missed the 2010 World Cup due to injury Ballack, Adler, Traesch, Westermann and Rolfes.

Add Enke to that. Although he did not miss it due to injury.

England rely far too much on one or two players and the manager in the end receives the heat. The other players are never given a chance to show that they can perform well.

 

[6ry4nj]

So the point stands that England haven't been unlucky with injuries they just have absolutely no depth because they're a poor team.

I think your point is well made that England have NOT had more than their fair share of injuries for tournaments. You could be right that it's because of lack of depth. But they are not a poor team - you're completely wrong about that. If they suffer from a lack of depth in tournaments, that's either a problem with the selectors (the more likely cause imho), or with the management and development at the national level.

It's vital that we get right behind our team, and slate home our indignation and dissatisfaction to the national FA, where it belongs.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

@Themer - fair enough - but have any of those teams had injuries to vital players several trophies in a row?

Anyway, to those saying that England haven't had rotten luck in tournaments, go ahead and dig out England v Germany 1990, England v Germany 1996, England v Argentina 1998 and England v Portugal 2004. In the first two games, we were all over our opponents, against Argentina even when down to ten men, we still scored a perfectly good goal in extra time, which was chalked off - and the same thing happened vs Portugal in 2004. In fact, you can probably add England vs Germany 1970 to that. Banksy gets food poisoning before the game and the replacement keeper lets in a goal which Banksy simply wouldn't have conceded; it was a real howler. And how could I forget 1986 when it was less bad luck and more the fact that we were cheated out of the tournament.

Anyone who reckons that England are not an extremely unlucky team is having a laugh.

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It's vital that we get right behind our team, and slate home our indignation and dissatisfaction to the national FA, where it belongs.

Indeed.

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So is Smalling our best player or just a key player?
Rooney being suspended is hardly "bad luck" either...

It hasn't happened for this tournament... yet. Of course it wasn't bad luck with Rooney - it was stupidity on his part.

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Add Enke to that. Although he did not miss it due to injury.

England rely far too much on one or two players and the manager in the end receives the heat. The other players are never given a chance to show that they can perform well.

Other sides have done likewise - remember Italy in 1994? Roberto Baggio dragged them singlehandedly to the final. If he wasn't playing, they wouldn't have got past the quarter finals at most.

England are not a poor team man for man, but for some reason, it's when it comes to playing together as a team it hasn't worked, especially recently. The idea that it's because they get too much money from their clubs doesn't wash either. Doesn't Iniesta get paid thousands as well? Da Silva? Villa? Yet they can play together as a team and get the job done.

 

[Bevab]

England players are lazy, and they lack the link-up like you say. Maybe it must be the rivalry of too many teams.

 

[Themer]

Anyone who reckons that England are not an extremely unlucky team is having a laugh.

You just think that because you're their our country and so we remember it better. If we're going to go with "unlucky" stories every country is going to have hundreds where they were "robbed".

As I listed last night Germany had a tournament where they had 5 players who they would have picked injured including their "key player/talisman" in Ballack (he most definitely was in their team, he was the bloody captain before the tournament)

 

[Meghraj_17]

England players are lazy, and they lack the link-up like you say. Maybe it must be the rivalry of too many teams.

Second this,I think their defence is too weak,the attack is more solid with the likes of wilshere and walcott,bent and HESKEY,rooney and welback.gerrard.?
Gerrard can work with anyone,salute to this man.

 

[puddleduck]

It's unlucky dammit! When Maradona runs past the entire team and slots home it's bloody unlucky that he also used his hand. When Beckham kicks someone in retaliation and a goal that gets ruled out every week in every form of football is ruled out, that's unlucky. When Rooney disrupts England's preparation by getting needlessly sent off? It's unlucky!

Straws, clutched.

 

[barmyarmy]

Grant Holt for England anyone?

 

[Bevab]

When England is awarded a something that was never a goal in '66 against Germany, is that unlucky?

When France lose their captain in the finals in 2006 and still drag on, isn't that unlucky?

When Ghana lose to Uruguay due to unfortunate handball, isn't that unlucky?

Every team has its lucky and unlucky days. England are just overhyping their unlucky days, and not everything is due to bad luck for England.

England's defence actually would look good only if the selectors pick the right players and the manager makes sure that they play to their best, both by motivation and by tactics.

Its their mind that needs to change, and hopefully Roy can change that.

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Grant Holt for England anyone?

Holt? I don't think so.

 

[Auwais]

No useless competition like the Carling Cup.

That's only a minor inconvenience compared to the lack of a winter break.

 

[barmyarmy]

I wouldn't have thought so either but he's the second English top scorer after Rooney this season. Clearly that's England's weakest area to address.

Here's the the list of English goal scorers:

2. Rooney - 26
8. Holt - 14
12. Sturridge - 11
13. Graham - 11
14. Lampard - 14
20. Defoe - 10
21. Crouch - 10
23. Welbeck - 9
24. Bent - 9
26. Pilkington - 8
32. Sinclair - 8
33. Walcott - 8
34. Zamora - 7
43. Johnson - 6
44. Young - 6

Well first off 15 in the top 50 is pathetic. Secondly how can Defoe and Bent really be better than giving Holt a chance?

If I was playing ChampMan and picking a Euro2012 squad I'd take Rooney, Holt, Sturridge, Graham, Walcott and Welbeck.

 

[Bevab]

Maybe he stands a chance now that you mention that fact. But however, he does not have that good a reputation to get a selection.

And 6 strikers in the squad?

 

[barmyarmy]

Walcott usually plays in midfield so doesn't really count. Considering one can't play in the first two games you need at least 3 others

Danny Graham is an even less likely pick than Grant Holt. I can't see Hodgson playing two up front anyway. What would be the point when you have talented midfielders and useless strikers?