The Official ENGLAND Thread - The Team We ALL Support

[E31Shrew]

This commentator is an absolute tosser. " He's given the goal" Well it did cross the line by about three feet, so that is the normal consequence of such actions. Numpty

[Jetl3on]

why is Crouch such a crap runner? Arent tall people generally faster as they can take longer strides?

[Killer2005]

E31Shrew said:

This commentator is an absolute tosser. " He's given the goal" Well it did cross the line by about three feet, so that is the normal consequence of such actions. Numpty

Suprising he hasn't mention "that night in the nou camp" yet

This just about covers it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwwywcM_sdQ

[ArtVandelay]

Does anyone believe we will win the WC? I see some people believing it because we beat some awful teams by about 5 goals but every time we've played a good team in a friendly (Brazil, France and Spain) we've looked second best, as we do tonight.

I for one think we'll be lucky to reach the semi-finals as I don't think we have a good enough team. Michael Carrick in particular has looked poor tonight, giving away possession all the time and just looking like he couldn't give a st. I know it's only a friendly but I think the semi finals is as far as this squad can realistically get us.

[E31Shrew]

Heart always sinks when I see a match is only on ITV. Perhaps Chiles will bring something to the party. Then again.....

[Gun]

Cracking goal by Johnson!

[Jetl3on]

ArtVandelay said:

Does anyone believe we will win the WC? I see some people believing it because we beat some awful teams by about 5 goals but every time we've played a good team in a friendly (Brazil, France and Spain) we've looked second best, as we do tonight.

I for one think we'll be lucky to reach the semi-finals as I don't think we have a good enough team. Michael Carrick in particular has looked poor tonight, giving away possession all the time and just looking like he couldn't give a st. I know it's only a friendly but I think the semi finals is as far as this squad can realistically get us.

Luck plays a huge part in every cup tournament, they are not the best, but they are good enough to win.

[Castrol Craig]

as i said in the world cup thread i dont honestly think baines is international class anyway.

[anonymous-user]

Castrol Craig said:

as i said in the world cup thread i dont honestly think baines is international class anyway.

As much as I dislike them both as people I am glad that Terry and Cashley Cole are fit and will be on the plane

[sleep envy]

Not a terribly convincing game, still lots to work on before 7th June.

[Jetl3on]

That new nike advert with a bushy bearded Rooney is pretty cool.

[Fittster]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

In fairness you have Terry and Cole to come back which will improve the defence.

The midfield was more disappointing, couldn't hold or win possession in the centre and Walcott lacks and end product (posh man's Franz Carr) The lack of an out and out ball winner is probably a greater concern than a true left footed winger.

The other thing that sticks in my mind is how pointless it is to get an England team to play anything but 4-4-2. You can argue that highly paid professionals should be able to adapt, but it never seems to work out well.

Edited by Fittster on Tuesday 25th May 09:00

[Promised Land]

Jonny671 said:

Have they given the crowd t-shirts or is that very well co-ordinated dress sense

Most of the fans actually kept them on for the whole game, although seeing as I was wearing a white England top I thought it pointless so took mine off after 15 or so minutes as the heat was getting unbearable.

Fantastic atmosphere though saying it was a friendly. A bit shaky to start with! But Johnsons goal was superb and took everyone by surprise.

Great day out

[Promised Land]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Agree with that but maybe they weren't giving it their all for fear of injuries?

Mexico could quite easily have been two goals up in the first quarter of the game.

[anonymous-user]

Promised Land said:

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Agree with that but maybe they weren't giving it their all for fear of injuries?

Mexico could quite easily have been two goals up in the first quarter of the game.

Coulda Woulda Shoulda

If it had been a World Cup game Mexico would've been down to 9 men

Mexico recently beat the USA our opening opponents hence Fabio choosing them for this game

We have Lampard and Barry to come back into midfield, as well as potentially J Cole

I think Lennon stated his case far better than Walcott

[Gun]

I thought we did well last night, you have to remember Mexico had played 4 internationals this month leading up to the game last night so they were bound to be a more coherent team whereas that was the first England team game since the beginning of March.

There were a lot more positives from the game than negatives, we have three good keepers, Ledley King looked in top form as did Lennon when he came on and we looked good when going forward, Mexico also beat the USA recently so our display against them last night has left me in no doubt that if we play in a similar way in our group games we'll finish top without many problems.

[curlie467]

I wasnt too excited by last night but hopefully it will look better against japan.
Sticking with a traditional 4-4-2 i think we always look better.
Choosing the players is trickier, i think Lennon should get the nod before Walcott, especially if you are basing it on pace and final product, he is quicker than Walcott and more precise(just).
Please do not play Gerrard out of position, he should be a centre mid and only used in that way, he is awful on a wing so really should only come on as a sub for lampard or vice versa or another centre mid.
Players to lose:
Baines.
Upson.
Carrick and Huddlestone but only if Barry is out.
Walcott.
Parker.
Heskey.

Hopefully it will look like this.

Hart.
Johnson, Terry, King, A.Cole
Lennon, Lampard, Barry, J.Cole
Rooney, Crouch

I would rather start like this than cramming Gerrard, Lampard and Barry on and having a really good sub bench, one that can change a game.

[Fittster]

curlie467 said:

I think Lennon should get the nod before Walcott, especially if you are basing it on pace and final product, he is quicker than Walcott and more precise(just).

I was always under the impression that in a straight sprint Walcott has the beating of Lennon and pretty much anyone else. The problem is the way he uses the ball.

THEO WALCOTT is the Premier League’s answer to sprint superstar Usain Bolt.
Manchester United fan Bolt hit a top speed of 24.04mph as he won two golds at the World Championships in Berlin.
Arsenal’s Walcott clocked 22.72mph and Sol Campbell took a shock second place in the top-flight race with a 22.50mph top speed.
The top speeds have been calculated by Castrol using data captured over two seasons.
Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres would be in a photo finish for third with their joint top speed of 22.27mph.
Football’s fliers hit incredible speeds and Walcott’s bursts mean he would run 9.9secs for 100m – if he could sustain his top speed of 10.1m per second.
WALCOTT 22.72 mph
CAMPBELL 22.50 mph
DROGBA 22.27 mph
TORRES 22.27 mph
ANELKA 22.05 mph
FABREGAS 22.05 mph
A COLE 22.05 mph
CLICHY 21.82 mph
ROONEY 21.82 mph
GERRARD 21.60 mph (The Sun)

source

Looking a Kings performance last night, I'm starting to think it's a shame Sol didn't make the 30.

[VXRuss]

Well, my choice would be :

Hart
G Johnson
Terry
Ferdinand
A Cole
Lennon /Walcott half each
Lampard
Gerrard
A Johnson
Crouch
Rooney

We need a decent crosser of the ball, Lennons pace will cause problems for teams, although he does have a habit of leaving the ball behind, I would select A Johnson as he is a good crosser of the ball and naturally left footed which is what Crouch badly needs seeing that Beckham is out.

Milner was non existent, as was Carrick, King is too slow, would prefer Carragher!

[Castrol Craig]

curlie467 said:

Please do not play Gerrard out of position, he should be a centre mid and only used in that way, he is awful on a wing so really should only come on as a sub for lampard or vice versa or another centre mid.
Players to lose:
Baines.
Upson.
Carrick and Huddlestone but only if Barry is out.
Walcott.
Parker.
Heskey.

Hopefully it will look like this.

Hart.
Johnson, Terry, King, A.Cole
Lennon, Lampard, GERRARD, J.Cole
Rooney, Crouch

I would rather start like this than cramming Gerrard, Lampard and Barry on and having a really good sub bench, one that can change a game.

not start gerrard? wtf? barry in his place? even bigger wtf....

im sorry, but regardless of the fact im a liverpool fan there is no faviroutism here, gerrard is in another league to barry and even with a mediocre year like he had still had a better year than barry.

the rest i agree with, a strong team that.