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Agree with a lot of the criricism aired on here. Although I want England to win the World Cup, I would never have backed them (not at the crazy 8/1 on offer), and think I may have posted on an earlier thread that they may make the 1/4 finals; that is still on.
That the top players England have available don’t cut the mustard at the highest International level has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the international make-up of Premiership sides. That’s an easy, lazy and false excuse. England would be worse if their team was picked from a league that only had UK players in the sides.
Does anyone seriously imagine that if Premier League teams had to play only home-grown players that Capello (or any other manager)would have picked a squad markedly different from the one he did? Get real.
On our day, England are a decent side, but they’re not in Brazil, Spain, Argentina, or Italy’s class. At their best they’re on a par with the current German, French and maybe Dutch sides. And England are seldom at their best. The composition of Premier League nationalities wouldn’t alter that one iota.If they can’t beat Algeria and Slovenia they should all swim home.
Aren’t they shark infested waters down there?!
You would think that after seeing the Algerian keeper trying to compete for ‘blunder of the tournament’ as well as worst barnet – that we might shoot on sight?!
Maybe not ‘shot shy’ two stripe/one trick though!
We have Gerald and Lampard – a beach ball – both can hit it – come on have a poke – sort it chaps!
These games will be tough – lots of tricks (dirty) and play acting by these teams…with no real aim of actually getting forward…
A look into the future of the General Sports section of TRF.
The year – 2066.
The Poster – Pompete the third.
The Post.
100 years of hurt but this is the year.
http://thm-a02.yimg.com/nimage/d40e57e22a077472
^Like my grandad Pompete use to say ‘it’s coming home.’
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Tbh you can prattle on about lack of youth players coming through in the prem etc but the truth is youngsters today have other things to do other than football. How often do you see kids playing footie in the street these days.those that do play go into the game for the wrong reasons ie make loads of money. That is totally the wrong reason to play the game. The same can be said of the current England side all it is is a cash cow for their agents to bump up their incomes.England will qualify for the next round that is certain and I’d go as far as to say if they manage to get to the semis they will win the World Cup.I’ve seen some classic quotes on this thread "Rooney world class" "Sheringham comfortable on the ball". Heh heh priceless
No this is priceless, Ardross.
Ladies and Gentleman, we have found the FA chairman of our dreams – our 2018 bid is back on track. Hallelujah! Can I get an Amen! Ardross clearly is great.
First of all, my man. Sheringham was renowned for his technique and intelligence. He was never born with pace, but was blessed with a superb footballing brain that attracted the attention of Brian Clough and Alex Ferguson.
He was still playing, and scoring, at the highest level at the age of 40. He had no pace to offer, so what did he possess that enabled to compete at that level for so long? Technique – he was comfortable on the ball and knew how to use it. Just ask Brian and Sir Alex.
The problem with the National team is that we don’t possess enough players who are comfortable on the ball. Just look at how composed the likes of Italy, Brazil, Spain and Germany are in possession – it’s like the ball is glued to their feet.
Give an Englishman the ball and it’s like a game of hot potato – ‘I don’t want it, you have it’. Fabio had a chance to bring on a player who looks happy with the ball at his feet and instead he allowed the headless chicken, also known as Shaun Wright-Phillips, to venture onto the field. A typical English winger – gung-ho, run as fast as you can and…nothing. No end product.
I’ve been saying the same thing over, and over again for what seems like an eternity. We don’t have technically gifted players. They will give 100%, but are tactically rigid and easy to read. That’s why we always come unstuck at the same stage of every major tournament.
Blood, guts and passion will only get you so far. We have that in abundance. The money they earn is not an issue. It’s just lazy, stereotypical drivel that is spouted whenever we fail.
If you don’t accept what the real problem is, you will never find the right solution.
We need foreign coaches teaching our youngsters from an early age. We have already turned to the continent to manage our National team and inject some tactical nous, but it’a like trying to get blood from a stone – our players are just too inflexible.
We have enough ability to beat anyone on our day and a punchers chance of going all the way, but I fear the same as always – a brave effort in the face of adversity before losing at the knock-out stage.
Cue the manager being made a scapegoat and the feeble excuse ‘They are too rich, too young’. Onto the European Championships and we start the same cycle all over again…Hype – Realism – Excuses.
I’m a great fan of clough but imho Sheringham was one of the luckiest footballers around in his time. You quote SAF and Clough buying him but that is no back up to your opinion at all they did of course buy such luminaries as Ian Wallace,Justin Fashanu,Djemba Djemba(so good they named him twice),Kleberson,Taibi et al. Quoting an old football adage "footballers are born not made". Its a simple game made complicated
Mate the Confederations Cup means nothing. On a World Cup stage America are a poor team, a team that should be fairly easliy beaten by a team with an ambition to win the world cup or indeed get to the latter stages.
Please tell me you’re joking right?
Unless of course you slept through the entire 2006 tournament and missed the eventual winners Italy drawing with the USA in their 2nd group game.
The fact is, that the USA are not the easybeats everyone is seemingly making them out to be. The Confederations cup may not be on the same scale as the World cup but the fact is that USA beat Spain in the semi-final. A Spain team including the likes of Fabregas, Xavi, Alonso, Villa and Torres. They are
NOT
a poor side, anyone with even the slightest bit of football knowledge must surely be able to appreciate that?
I think the disappointment with many people came from the fact that we scored so early and everyone thought we were gonna stroll to victory.
This was always going to be the most difficult of the group games and the number one priority was to not lose the game, so on that score the objective was achieved.
The error from Green is something you can’t legislate for, it won’t have helped the confidence through the team, and I thought we were already being a bit conservative in the way we played and had to be more so after that, yet could still have won had we taken one of the numerous chances we created.
Mate the Confederations Cup means nothing. On a World Cup stage America are a poor team, a team that should be fairly easliy beaten by a team with an ambition to win the world cup or indeed get to the latter stages.
Please tell me you’re joking right?
Unless of course you slept through the entire 2006 tournament and missed the eventual winners Italy drawing with the USA in their 2nd group game.
The fact is, that the USA are not the easybeats everyone is seemingly making them out to be. The Confederations cup may not be on the same scale as the World cup but the fact is that USA beat Spain in the semi-final. A Spain team including the likes of Fabregas, Xavi, Alonso, Villa and Torres. They are
NOT
a poor side, anyone with even the slightest bit of football knowledge must surely be able to appreciate that?
I think the disappointment with many people came from the fact that we scored so early and everyone thought we were gonna stroll to victory.
This was always going to be the most difficult of the group games and the number one priority was to not lose the game, so on that score the objective was achieved.
The error from Green is something you can’t legislate for, it won’t have helped the confidence through the team, and I thought we were already being a bit conservative in the way we played and had to be more so after that, yet could still have won had we taken one of the numerous chances we created.
You appear to be missing the point – they WERE a poor side last night. As I said we are now in 2010. Greece managed to win a European Championship but couldn’t carry that form forwards.
If you really think there was so much substance in the Confederation Cup surely you should take advantage of the 80/1 on offer?
Not saying I think they are gonna trouble the better sides later on in this tournament mate, just saying they are a lot better side than people give them credit for and more than capable of making life difficult.
A draw was a satisfactory result for me and I thought we dominated and were the better side. For so many people to totally write off our chances after drawing with a more than capable team is absolutely laughable to me, especially like I pointed out earlier… that they drew with Italy early on in the last World cup and Italy went on to win it!
If they are such a poor team and available at 80/1, why are all the fans who are so certain we have absolutely no chance of winning the tournament not offering bigger prices than 8/1 for us on betfair?
I’m a great fan of clough but imho Sheringham was one of the luckiest footballers around in his time. You quote SAF and Clough buying him but that is no back up to your opinion at all they did of course buy such luminaries as Ian Wallace,Justin Fashanu,Djemba Djemba(so good they named him twice),Kleberson,Taibi et al. Quoting an old football adage "footballers are born not made". Its a simple game made complicated
‘It’s a simple game made complicated’.
That summed Teddy up, really. He kept things simple, using his brain, not his legs. He basically let the ball do all the work, which is why he was still playing at the highest level at the age of 40 – I wonder how many players will achieve that in their career?
Rooney would have thrived playing alongside a player of his ilk, with so much guile and variety.
We lack that now, especially since Paul Scholes left the international scene.
Did anyone see Germany tonight? Very impressive. OK, they may have not been playing a very good side (damn, it feels good saying that about the Aussies), but that was a solid, balanced unit with technical ability. They looked comfortable in possession and used the ball productively.
A pleasure to watch.
Just had a thought, if only John Terry had sha**ed Robert Green’s wife, then England would probably have three points now
Just had a thought, if only John Terry had sha**ed Robert Green’s wife, then England would probably have three points now
And so it begins. Its Capello’s fault. Or maybe the number of foreigners in the Premier League. And of course, we still have the chance to blame an as yet unnamed player, for winking or getting sent off or whatever. Then there’s the referee, the pitch, the ball, the weather, the long season and so on.
Bosranic and several others have hit the nail on the head. Our players are not comfortable enough on the ball to play the way we need to play to win a World Cup. We are not producing them and worse still, we seem to have no interest in working out how to put things right. I was talking to someone today who was waxing lyrical about the Germans. I asked why he thought they were all more comfortable on the ball than our ‘superstars’. The answer? Its genetic apparently.
So what about the Dutch, the Brazilians, the Portugese, the Spanish, the French, the Argentinians, the Italians? Why do they continually produce players who are comfortable on the ball? Is it all genetics? Of course not. Its the way they coach their kids.
When they are under pressure, too many of our players resort to the long ball or make the wrong decision. They are fit, they are fast, they are strong, but they are not great footballers. We have not produced a great team since 66-70. That was the last time we were at the cutting edge of world football. 40 years ago, thanks to a crop of good players and an excellent manager. The fact that we invented the game is a hindrance, it leads us to complacency and conservatism.
Now miracles may happen, the draw may fall apart, six or seven fancied teams may play badly, we may get a lucky penalty or a fluky goal and somehow end up in the final. But if we go out in, say the quarter finals again, lets not turn on Capello, like we did with Sven, McClaren, Keegan, Hoddle, Robson, Greenwood, Taylor and every other one of the poor souls charged with the impossible task of turning brass into gold.
And the issue of the foreigners in the Premier League is a red herring. If English youngsters want to play at the top level, they can go and play in Holland or Germany or France, instead of sitting on their backsides in England whinging about lack of opportunities.
^^Very true, Andrew.
A quick story that says it all…
A friend of mine was playing on the right wing for the Bristol Rovers youth team, this is going back about ten years, or so.
He went a fantastic run, passing a couple of players before a pinpoint cross led to a goal. He emerged from the changing rooms at half-time looking rather unhappy, so we asked what was wrong. He replied "I got a bollocking for not passing".
Our youngsters are (maybe were) coached to recieve the ball, look up, one touch, then pass. How can we feel comfortable in possession if we’re not allowed to keep the ball?
Have you ever seen footage of third world children kicking a ball around on the beach, in slums etc? There must be dozens of them playing, but have you noticed how hard they are to knock off the ball? I think Craig Bellamy spent two weeks in Sierra Leone opening an academy and commented on this.
There will be a few more twists and turns for England before they come home (at what stage is open to debate), before their shortcomings are exposed by a more technical outfit.
I don’t know what all the fuss is about on here.
It’s the World Cup just sit back, relax and enjoy it. Whoever wins, wins. Whatever, England or anyone else do, they do.
As we all know, it’s a funny old game and there will be plenty of trills, spills, shocks and surprises to come.
We’re starting to get some enjoyable tosh written on here
Time for some more…
England are a good team, just not a great team. Capello is a great manager – end of. OK, he is new to international footy but I think he will enjoy great success at that too, whether with Blighty or not.
I can’t believe peeps doubt Engerrrland will get through their group – it really is weak as others have pointed out.
Rooneytunes had a bit of an off day but he should surely be more forward than he played on Saturday? I know he likes to run past a few defenders but he was not getting the service. He must be so frustrated at the moment but the goal will come against Algeria.
I think Eng could make it to the 1/4’s dependig on who we face in the 2nd round.
A draw to USA, FIFA ranked 14th, is not that bad a start. I think the goalie error was just so depressing it has put something of a dampener on any enthusiasm and momentum for the team. credit to Green for coming out and facing the music post-match.
England must pass better though – we must be better at passing…we must be. Erm, aren’t we?
Zip
I think some of you have slightly forgot something – THIS IS A CUP COMPETITION. Do you really believe that a tournament decided by this format produces the "best" team in the world on every occasion? I don’t. It’s played every 4 years as well if no one realised. That means England can be appalling from start to finish and CAN fluke their way to glory. Being comfortable on the ball won’t matter if England draw 0-0 and go to penalties in a QF match. Being comfortable on the ball didn’t help Barcelona against Inter Milan in the 2nd leg of their Champions League tie. They had 80+% of the ball and they still couldn’t score 2 goals. I don’t think England will win the World Cup, and I don’t think they’ll win it because of howlers like Green’s – not because of anything to do with being "comfortable" on the ball. Football is actually a sport that relatively poorly rewards possession, field position, even chances created in relation to say, Rugby. Luck plays a huge part.
Euro 2004 1-0
World Cup 2006 1-1 AET
Euro 2008 1-0Best team won on every occasion then in those finals given no team managed to score 2 goals? Or maybe the fact Greece’s amazing technical ability in Euro 2004 meant that they scored an incredible 7 goals in 6 games won them that title?
Totally disagree. A team cannot be appalling from start to finish and ‘fluke’ a World Cup win. The best team does not always win it, that is perfectly true, but I cannot think of a team that has won the World Cup in the last 50 years that did not have the ability to retain possession of the ball and a high degree of skill.
Besides, I don’t just want England to ‘fluke’ their way to a one-off cup win with a series of lucky goals, dodgy decisions and penalties. I’d like to see the England team amongst the best in the world, consistently reaching finals and semi-finals and playing with the flair of the Spanish or Brazil or the technique of the Germans or the Dutch.
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