Rax
1st team Player
Posts: 1,171
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Post by Rax on Jun 3, 2010 10:37:39 GMT
Work's slow and I'm bored so i thought I might as well start a World Cup thread.
Who's excited, who d'ya think is gonna win/do well/crash out?
I reckon Spain will cock up, England will bow out at the quarter final stage yet again having drawn with the USA in our opening game.
As for winning it Brazil are looking hard to beat despite being less fancy.
Cheeky bet, £10 on Honduras to make it out of their group. Yes, I know they only drew 0-0 with Azerbaijan yesterday!
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Post by fluffy rascal on Jun 3, 2010 11:25:42 GMT
I'm hoping France will crash out, preferably with a broken legged Henry ;D
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Post by 1hughjaynus on Jun 3, 2010 13:50:06 GMT
I'm getting excited at the prospect of seeing some great football but am preparing myself for further disappointment with regard to the England team.
Do I want England to win?, of course I do, my George Cross flags are already flying and I will party with the best of them if we find enough luck to lift the trophy. I am however, less passionate about the National team now, I felt exactly the same in 2002 and 2006.
And yes folks it is the same old argument: A victory would feel somewhat tainted as the whole team isn't English. When we won the World Cup in 1966 the manager, coaching staff, kit man, physio were all English. When England fans go mental as their team runs out on to the pitch, there is an undescribable connection. The England Football team represents our country in a way which makes our chests swell with pride. But now, just behind the white line is an Italian who is calling the shots for our national team and call me an old fart but this just doesn't seem right. Apart from that, the National team is by definition supposed to be a representation of the nations talents.
It's all about passion. Where will Fablo's passion be if we get to the final and our opponents happen to be Italy???, what National anthem will Fablo be singing???, will he feel this undescribable connection and will his chest burst with pride if our captain lifts the trophy???
I could never understand Jack Charlton taking on the Republic of Ireland job in 1986. The man was a World Cup winner for England in 1966, a true legend in our eyes, and there he was 22 years later dumping us of Euro 88 and 2 years after that trying to knock us out of the 1990 World Cup as fate had it that we were drawn in the same group as them on both occasions.
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Post by garethl on Jun 3, 2010 15:24:07 GMT
I don't think you'll have to worry about Fabio's passion in the event of a final. If we get past the 2nd round in my opinion it's a major success and an over achievement based on the players available and the general low level of performances for decades. Anyone who thinks differently reads too many papers . . .
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Post by 1hughjaynus on Jun 3, 2010 15:46:10 GMT
Your probably right. Most people say that there is no current English manager qualified to do the job. In my honest opinion that is rubbish. After all, would the likes of Harry Redknapp, Roy Hodgson, Ian Holloway, Dario Gradi, Stuart Pearce etc etc etc done any worse that Sven Goran Whatsisface? ?
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Post by Andy K on Jun 3, 2010 17:49:13 GMT
Theres also the fact that there really are only 2 world class players in the team (IMHO) - Rooney and Gerrard. And Gerrard only is when he wants to be. The rest of the side can look frail, and with what can only be classed as an average defence, and no really decent keeper between the sticks, its going to be a 2nd round, unless we do a Turkey 2002 and fluke the way to a semi.
I just get the feeling that too many hopes are pinned on Rooney in the absence of any real class in the side. That's not Fabio's fault. An injury free Owen and Beckham may have changed that. But when you have Defoe, Crouch and Heskey as the other 3 strikers, then you see how ordinary the team is.
The real challenge for Capello is to have the talent to work with the tools he has got. Examples of this going right were Greece in 2004, Fulham in the UEFA cup and even Notts Forest in the late 70s. All of which, and I quote John McGovern here "I'd walk barefoot over the Sahara for Cloughie". If Fabio can do that with the team there is a fighting change. Somehow I doubt that could ever work on players such as Ashley Cole.....
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Post by Nick the Greek/The Speshul One on Jun 3, 2010 22:11:37 GMT
Gerrard isn't world class or at least not anymore.
Lampard is though, A. Cole as well plus Rooney.
However where we are weak we are very weak. Left mid. right back and keeper.
Gerrard should be dropped for a fit Barry or (as Parker didn't make it) Carrick. Gerrard and Lampard can't play together and Lampard can score.
For me I would go with.
Hart Johnson Ferdinand King A. Cole Lennon Barry Lampard J. Cole Rooney Crouch
I've put King in but that is because I rate him as the best English centre back (Spurs tinted glasses on).
All in yes I'm excited but know it won't end well.
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Post by Nick the Greek/The Speshul One on Jun 3, 2010 22:13:18 GMT
Oh and Crouch can always fluke a goal for England.
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Post by gardned on Jun 4, 2010 14:47:35 GMT
Rio Ferdinand is out...Bad times!
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Post by Nick the Greek/The Speshul One on Jun 4, 2010 15:43:43 GMT
King to start and Dawson called up...good times!
However with Gerrard as vice captain he has to play which means our midfield will be wonky (Gerrard on the left) or won't be able to play together (Lampard and Gerrard in the middle).
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Post by os on Jun 4, 2010 21:10:42 GMT
England have 2 real world class players for me and they are Rooney and Terry who no one has mentioned so far. I don't like Chelsea but Terry is their key as Rooney is Man U's and neither side do well without them.
England are ranked 8th for a reason and although I think we maybe slightly better than that to win the WC is a very big ask even if they all play to their potential. I too think qtr final is about as far as we will get but then they are one off games so we do have a chance but its not a big one.
As for Crouch, he does well for England is difficult for foreign defences to handle and would be ideal up front in the early games?
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Post by undergroundernie on Jun 4, 2010 21:18:18 GMT
Time to throw my hat into the ring, I predict England v spain in the final, with England winning 3-2. Bold prediction I know but I feel we can do it.
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Post by Chalmers on Jun 6, 2010 21:20:14 GMT
I think A.Cole and Rooney are the only irreplacable players in our side.
The rest need to be on top of their games for us to have any success.
I think we'll win our group and might be lucky and squeeze past someone like Serbia or Australia in last 16. All about luck from there on in.
Fluffy - I thnk France will struggle mate, SA, Uruguay and Mexico regularly play at altitude and think that could go against the aging French side.
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Post by markn on Jun 6, 2010 21:36:03 GMT
Back to the Gerrard/Lampard thing, I struggle to understand the general opinion that Gerrard is world class and as such, superior to Lampard.
Lampard's goal scoring from midfield (20 goals+ for 5 seasons in a row) is way better that one incredible second half performance in turkey and a few other superhuman efforts to dig Liverpool out of a hole that they should not have got into in the first place.
Back to the main issue though, I would love England to win the world cup but doubt it will happen. I will support them for as long as it lasts but my money is already on Holland at 14-1.
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tonyd
1st team Player
Posts: 1,494
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Post by tonyd on Jun 7, 2010 7:55:23 GMT
I can't wait for it all to be over so that the real football can begin.
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