The England National team thread

[1966+2006]

Anyone who appoints McClaren over many other top candidates deserves what they get, absolutely disgusted with that performance. Awful...

 

[MikeyM]

Once again we failed to hold a 1-0 lead :s***:

 

[1966+2006]

We just bottled it big time.

 

[majestic7]

a few points (not to the Russia game - but GENERALLY)

• a lot of England players are overrated (mostly looking good in the Premier League due their international teammates) Czech, Carvalho, Essien - make Terry look a much player. Vidic, VDS > Rio etc - that doesn't mean they are crap - but they are not as good as they are in the Premier League

• bad choice manager - drops to please media, doesn't select players by form or system - just generally selects the media darlings and standard 11. underperforming players don't get dropped - Stevie Me Me Me belongs to that category aswell - even without the "Lampard" shackless and a nicely balanced Barry midfield he sucks

• English players loose possesion to often and everytime the go 1-0 go back and defend (keeping possesion) till it bites them in their @ss (vs Portugal twice 04/06, vs Brazil 02)

• can't win at home to macedonia (no disrespect to them there) Home games must be 3 pts usually

• England suck at Penalties

SHORTTERM SOLUTIONS

• select one of the current top 3 english goalies
  
  Steve Harper (keept Given out)
  Ben Foster (injuried, but promising)
  Scott Carson (had good last 12 months)

• Gerrard = dropped till he improves his game

• only one of Lampard/Gerrard to play if at all

• Campbell keept in (even if he's not one for the future - form and right mix of youth and expirience is always good)

• Milner to get a chance etc

LONGTERM SOLUTIONS

• change youth coaching from "only result matters" to "play/train with the ball" more

• make an english "claire fontaine"

• limit average foreign players (not the best ones!) somehow in order to allow more english players chances.

• play same system(s) from youth set ups to senior team

Discuss

 

[1966+2006]

• select one of the current top 3 english goalies
  
  Steve Harper (keept Given out)
  Ben Foster (injuried, but promising)
  Scott Carson (had good last 12 months)

I'd put Green in that list, too.

 

[Dipanjan]

yes Green should also be there.He has been phenomenal the last season and the start of this season too.

 

[1966+2006]

Thank you Israel...

 

[Callum]

England ftw.

 

[pede54]

Amen to that. They played Russia off the park for the first 45 minutes and held out for most of the second half, scoring their second goal as Russia pushed everyone up. Lovely result indeed.

Croatia LOST 2-0 to Macedonia too. Weonly need a draw against them on Wednesday to qualify, or a 2 goal victory to finish in first place. I have a feeling the boys will be up for this game.

We will be missing Owen, Terry, Rooney, Ferdinand, Neville still out ( but Richards is doing well enough).

I do not want to see the likes of Wes Brown or Alan Smith get a game. As they showed once again against Austria, they are crap and nowhere near good enough for the squad. The same goes for Phil Neville and Stewart Downing. Surely we can do better than these four misfits for cover.

The players need to shine on Wednesday to ensure qualification, and WHEN we do qualify, maybe all the doom merchants and whingers will give it a rest too.

In all the qualifying groups no team has won more than eight games from eleven. England have won SEVEN. We have drawn 2 games and lost 2 games. If you look at the standings tonight, you will see that there is NOT ONE TEAM that has comfortably cruised through their group.

Why it is that some English fans still think England have a God given right to qualify for everything is beyond me. Football has moved on a lot over the years and as more foreign players are plying their trade in strong European Leagues, it is logical that those players National teams will also benefit, and their quality has improved.

So unless you are talking about the real minnows like San Marino or Lichtenstein, then there is a lot of truth in the cliche, " There ARE no easy games."

It's high time that some English fans realised that fact, once and for all.

C'MON ENGLAND.......

 

[Thelonious]

Since Croatia are already through England should really take something from this game. Still not convinced on McClaren though, why does he keep bringing the dead wood back in, England need to move on from the Beckham era.

 

[Bobby]

Since Croatia are already through England should really take something from this game. Still not convinced on McClaren though, why does he keep bringing the dead wood back in, England need to move on from the Beckham era.

In fairness to Beckham, he's still a quality player.

 

[Daz]

i'm with Bobby on this one. Although possibly not a starter, Becks is a fantastic asset to the England squad. Even coming off the bench, with his vast experience and talent he can change a game pretty quickly - we've seen him drag England on single-handedly before and i think he's still got it in him.

 

[1966+2006]

Who will be playin up front on Wednesday?
Crouch and?

 

[AlienSeafood]

defoe?

 

[Bonzi]

Russia's victory over your team have depreciated completely after Israel

 

[pede54]

Yeah that late winner must have been gutting Bonzi. Still it's how the team does over the whole qualification period that matters. Look at Scotland man. They beat France twice and had a great campaign but they are out of it now.

Its not over until the fat lady sings

 

[1966+2006]

Very gutting since Russia hit the post moments before...

 

[pede54]

Thats what happens when luck goes against you. Man, I think we've all been there at one time or another. It aint a good feeling at all is it?

 

[majestic7]

I assume this could be the 1st time the atmosphere will be top notch at Wembley (with all at stake) on the other hand it could be all "booing" aswell...

hope Barry (can keep possesion, left footed) plays along with Becks and Campbell (both Expirience)

 

[Vedran-10]

I just read a few articles concerning this game... among them was an article about the country of Croatia... apparently the English did some "research" on it.

All I can say after reading it, is that I really really really hope we win tonight and send your arrogant, ignorant asses out of EURO. Unbelieveable.