England National football team thread

[puddleduck]

I'll still support them come the time, but I don't really see why I should feel any undying support and loyalty to a team that is mostly populated by people I don't actually like. It's difficult to support a team that has John Terry at centre back. It's difficult to get too caught up in bad luck when their main striker is missing because he's a selfish, self-indulgent, self-centred pillock.

Losing Wilshere and Cleverly for so long is a shame, but they're both young and will hopefully be able to still have important roles to play in the future. I may have been more enthusiastic knowing those two and a host of other young players were been given a chance to impress, but as it is, it's the same old over rated, under talented players that have done nothing but disappoint. Not only that, but have pretty much done nothing but moan about playing for England, or demonstrate themselves to be fairly appalling human beings.

No, I think I'll skip making excuses for a tournament that is still to begin, and instead I'll judge them when it all starts, and I'll do so with the perspective of someone that appreciates this is a team and squad put together by a manager who has yet to coach a single player in the squad bar the Liverpool ones. That this entire thing is a bit of a shambles, is precisely the reason I'll just enjoy the football this summer, and hope to the footballing gods that after Chelsea winning the Champions League with anti-football tactics, someone wins it playing the right way.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

Fair point - some of the current England players are jackasses.

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You dig your own grave when you don't bother having a winter break like the rest of Europe, unfortunately.

Too right.

 

[War]

Euro 2012: Rejuvenated Lampard a big miss | Live football and soccer news | ESPNFC.com

 

[puddleduck]

I figured you might enjoy this - England's Most Influential Squad Revealed... | Football365 | Features | F365 Features

Certainly suggests Carrick is a big loss.

 

[War]

I'll still support them come the time, but I don't really see why I should feel any undying support and loyalty to a team that is mostly populated by people I don't actually like. It's difficult to support a team that has John Terry at centre back. It's difficult to get too caught up in bad luck when their main striker is missing because he's a selfish, self-indulgent, self-centred pillock.

Losing Wilshere and Cleverly for so long is a shame, but they're both young and will hopefully be able to still have important roles to play in the future. I may have been more enthusiastic knowing those two and a host of other young players were been given a chance to impress, but as it is, it's the same old over rated, under talented players that have done nothing but disappoint. Not only that, but have pretty much done nothing but moan about playing for England, or demonstrate themselves to be fairly appalling human beings.

No, I think I'll skip making excuses for a tournament that is still to begin, and instead I'll judge them when it all starts, and I'll do so with the perspective of someone that appreciates this is a team and squad put together by a manager who has yet to coach a single player in the squad bar the Liverpool ones. That this entire thing is a bit of a shambles, is precisely the reason I'll just enjoy the football this summer, and hope to the footballing gods that after Chelsea winning the Champions League with anti-football tactics, someone wins it playing the right way.

Yea well i see where you are coming from can't disagree with much of what you say here in theory.

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I figured you might enjoy this - England's Most Influential Squad Revealed... | Football365 | Features | F365 Features

Certainly suggests Carrick is a big loss.

Ha interesting

 

[War]

Gary Lewin: Players need winter break - Profiles - People - The Independent

 

[Auwais]

I'll still support them come the time, but I don't really see why I should feel any undying support and loyalty to a team that is mostly populated by people I don't actually like. It's difficult to support a team that has John Terry at centre back. It's difficult to get too caught up in bad luck when their main striker is missing because he's a selfish, self-indulgent, self-centred pillock.

It's one of the reasons I find it far easier to get behind the national cricket team than the national football team, along with the media hype, the national football team's always been full of self-centred cnuts.

 

[barmyarmy]

I'm just fed up with the fact the squad is stuffed full of Liverpool players who can't cut it at club level. I can honestly say that I would feel exactly the same if it was full of players from any other club who've had a poor season.
Why not reward players like Grant Holt who've played well rather than the likes of Henderson and Caroll who haven't?
Just makes me care less how the team gets on.

 

[puddleduck]

I think Johnson's the big one. Barely been the best right back at Liverpool, let alone the best right back in England Downing as well, I'd rather take someone like Johnson who delivers from the bench, than a middle of the road player like Downing who delivers ---- on a stick.

Interesting from Hodgson in his interview today saying that he was basically told Carrick was not available for selection.

My own personal opinion based on nothing but observation over the years is that Carrick potentially suffers from depression. His massive highs and lows in terms of form combined with his generally fairly downtrodden demeanour suggest to me he might have some kind of mental health issues. Pure speculation of course.

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It's one of the reasons I find it far easier to get behind the national cricket team than the national football team, along with the media hype, the national football team's always been full of self-centred cnuts.

Indeed

 

[Bevab]

I think Johnson's the big one. Barely been the best right back at Liverpool, let alone the best right back in England Downing as well, I'd rather take someone like Johnson who delivers from the bench, than a middle of the road player like Downing who delivers ---- on a stick.

Interesting from Hodgson in his interview today saying that he was basically told Carrick was not available for selection.

My own personal opinion based on nothing but observation over the years is that Carrick potentially suffers from depression. His massive highs and lows in terms of form combined with his generally fairly downtrodden demeanour suggest to me he might have some kind of mental health issues. Pure speculation of course.

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Indeed

I don't think so Carrick suffers from depression. He may have suffered though.

 

[puddleduck]

Well I obviously can't say either way, but he rarely does TV interviews, he keeps himself to himself, and he has had quite a few moments in his career where his performances just seem to drop off for no discernible reason. He also goes missing in most massive games, and always gives the impression he doesn't like pressure on him. Add to the fact he never shoots

Fact is, if he has suffered, than he will always suffer. It'll always be an issue, which is my point really

 

[Bevab]

Valid point. Although Torres too maybe had something like that, he never ever hit the net for a long time, and RDM was hinting about some mental issue, and that he needs his confidence back.

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I don't think so a depressed player would be somewhat consistent. Somebody like that will also look out of touch, not being able to do what he does best, blah blah blah.

Which is why I suspect Torres may had something like that temporarily.

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

Why not reward players like Grant Holt who've played well rather than the likes of Henderson and Caroll who haven't?
Just makes me care less how the team gets on.

gary hooper was the top scorer in the SPL this year by a comfortable margin and wasn't even considered. now, yeah, the quality is a lot lower in scotland than it is in the premier league, but then Jelavic went down there and promptly became the best striker during the second half of the season. so it's not like it's a different sport.

should have been worth having a look at a striker that is in the habit of scoring a lot of goals rather than picking out-of-form players just because they had silly price tags and played for a big club.

 

[Bevab]

When Henderson and Downing are picked up and a good striker like Hooper is not considered, the selection process is just weird.

I'm guessing Hodgson forgot about Hooper.

 

[puddleduck]

Guy is in a losing battle though having to pick a squad without even so much as a friendly or training camp to really go on.

@ Bevab, I don't mean this rudely, but I really don't think you have a clue what I'm talking about haha I'm talking about a genuine condition, along the lines of what affected (and always will) Trescothick. Not Torres being miserable because he couldn't score