England Team Thread

[toythatkills]

ENGLAND U21 5-0 SLOVAKIA U21

Let's see if England seniors can get a result like that tomorrow.

England 2 - 1 Estonia

England score in the eighth minute to get the hopes up, then attempt to sit back for 82 minutes, Estonia equalise in the 11th minute, then we scrape a win in the 93rd minute with Peter Crouch stumbling the ball over the line (with his foot, natch) from a corner.

That's my guess.

[MarioMark]

Yeah, it will be a dull low scoring afair, it always is when we are expected to thrash a team. I hope I'm wrong.

[Big Seany]

Can anyone remember the last time England served someone's ass to them in a proper competitive game? Apart from playing against minnows that is. I can't think of the last time I can remember watching a brilliant England performance where everything clicked, probably apart from when we destroyed the Germans 5-1. Individually I have seen some virtuoso performances, but as a team....

Everyone going for a tight game, but I think that if Crouch plays we will do well tonight, particularly if you have Dyer and Beckham down the right and one of Shorey or Bridge on the left for the crosses.

[EJG1980]

We had a decent home win against Turkey in Euro 2004 qualifying. Only 2-0 but Turkey were very good at the time, having got the the WC semis so it was a good result. The 5-1 against Germany was that last complete caning I can remember though.

[prinnysquad]

Can anyone remember the last time England served someone's ass to them in a proper competitive game? Apart from playing against minnows that is. I can't think of the last time I can remember watching a brilliant England performance where everything clicked, probably apart from when we destroyed the Germans 5-1. Individually I have seen some virtuoso performances, but as a team....

That's the only performance and result I've seen in the last good knows how many years that was entertaining, full of passion and talent and made me proud.

Practically every Enlgand game since has been a procession of long ball crap, defensive strategies and tired old excuses about 'only the result' mattering. I can understand a bit of cagey nerves in major tournament knockout phases, but this is a pisspoor excuse on the whole. We're supposed to be a team of all talents, ffs, a golden generation. Not a crock of tossbags ****ting their pants at the idea of using the wings, getting men in the box and defending higher up the pitch. The crappy Italian method of snatching a goal then defending for dear life for (potentially) 80 odd minutes works for them, but we're **** at it. And no wonder. Our players play in a faster league where goals win matches.

[MarioMark]

That's the only performance and result I've seen in the last good knows how many years that was entertaining, full of passion and talent and made me proud.

Practically every Enlgand game since has been a procession of long ball crap, defensive strategies and tired old excuses about 'only the result' mattering. I can understand a bit of cagey nerves in major tournament knockout phases, but this is a pisspoor excuse on the whole. We're supposed to be a team of all talents, ffs, a golden generation. Not a crock of tossbags ****ting their pants at the idea of using the wings, getting men in the box and defending higher up the pitch. The crappy Italian method of snatching a goal then defending for dear life for (potentially) 80 odd minutes works for them, but we're **** at it. And no wonder. Our players play in a faster league where goals win matches.

Hear, hear!

[saif]

Although the italian league does have more goals per game than the so-called greatest league in the world.

[prinnysquad]

I'm talking about the national team. Italy often get early-ish goals then go mega-defensive, snatching a late second on the break.

[Kongster]

Joe Cole makes it 1-0 to England.

[MarioMark]

England won and Croatia drew!

[Mardigan8]

I only seen the goals last night when watching the after match discussion on Sky but looked like a good result for England. The 30 minutes match analysis from Hoddle and Redknapp was superb and probably better than the game itself, hehe, of course I love Redknapp as a pundit and a player, so that was expected

BUT, my mainreason for posting in here is David Beckham... I have loved Beckham since he first played for Man Utd and respect the guy so much for what he has done in the game, he is an example to all aspiring players. His assists for the goals last night were some of the best passes I have ever seen and if I was Steve McLaren Beckham would be playing every game for me. The way he has handled his return to the Englad squad has been fantastic and his performances even better, the guy is simply world class and continues to prove his critics wrong.

Watching Beckham pass a ball is like watching Zidane control a midfield, Ronaldo dribble past a full back or Drogba boss defenders... there simply is no-one better at their job. Long may his Englad career continue... I am guessing McLaren is kissing his golden balls as we speak

[Nu-Eclipse]

A writer for BBC Sport has predicted how he thinks Group E will pan out.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/6729757.stm

Have to say, I'm not sure that I agree - It isn't impossible for England to avoid defeat against Guus Hiddink's Russian team in Moscow, but I'm finding it hard to see. Also, home fixtures against Russia, Croatia and Israel are definitely winable, but also potential slip-ups (which can be ill-afforded, obviously). I'm having a nagging feeling that England might just miss out, and I truly hope that I'm wrong.

Your thoughts?

[EJG1980]

I think you're right in that the away match in Russia will probably be the most crucial match. After all, we can beat Croatia at home and they'd still be ahead of us, and a win at home against Russia would count for nothing if we lost to them away.

So I think that away match in Russia could be the difference between us going to Euro 2008 and not going. Assuming, that is, that we don't cock up and lose or draw a home match

Edit: whoops, I thought Croatia were 4 points ahead of us, it's actually 3, so a win would draw us level with them.

[Big Seany]

I was spot on about Crouch. He had a stormer. Joe Cole was very influential, and of course Becks played well too; Dyer looked sharp when he came on, just no end product. Well done England. Neither Lamps or Stevie G had great games, then again all the work was done out on the flanks.

[Oh_Mutants]

Joe Cole was ****e, kept giving the ball away. Stunning goal of course, but other than that i thought it was his poorest game in an England shirt for some time. Dyer looked the part when he came on, cracking player, he's just lost so much time cos of injuries. He would've had a good England career imo, had it not been for bad luck.
Becks once again proved that there's no substitution for class, bet he's wonderng whether he made the right choice to go to America now. It's obvious that decision was made cos he'd pretty much given up on his England chances, though i'm sure his wage packet will provide some consolation.