World Cup 2010

[wonderboy]

What?
Ghana have been pretty good imho, if they had better finishers they may have topped the group!

Yeah, they have loads of midfielders, but no brillant forward. Imagine a Drogba up front for them...

[wonderboy]

Anyone fancy Japan to beat Denmark (hopefully !) ? Wonder if N Zealand have any chance against Paraguay ?

[Anpanman]

Japan game is hard to call, think the Japanese only need a draw and I'm fearful that's what they will play for.

Liked watching Ghana, faded a bit in the second half, German experience came through but I reckon they can take the Americans.

[wonderboy]

Exactly, i hope Japan don't sit back to far, as they where miles better attacking. In doing so, they played really well against Holland. It's really only down to this match, so it's in their hands...

Don't no what to think about Italy. Not sure if Pirlo is playing at all ? They really need him badly... Hopefully though, they all good games tomorrow...

[toythatkills]

I'm sorry, but there's no way Japan can overcome TEAM BENDTNER.

[Spooky Mulder]

Oh Joy!...by now finishing second in the group, we face ze Germans in the last 16, with the victor then playing the winners of Argentina vs Mexico game in the quarters....as opposed to winning our group and playing Ghana in the last 16, then the winners of Uruguay vs South Korea in the quarter finals

[dataDave]

I got confused with working **** out so found this nicely designed interactive wallchart: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sol/shared/inc...4dojkuo94kk94o

[Number45]

Rooneys injury was a simple twisted ankle apparently, so he's going to be fine for the weekend.

Also:

The legendary Franz Beckenbauer - a World Cup winner as both player and coach for Germany - has already had his say on Sunday's match in Bloemfontein. "A game like this should be a semi-final, not a last-16 game," he told Bild newspaper. "Stupidly, the English have slipped up a little by finishing second in their group."

Yeah, because Germany cruised to top spot in their group didn't they!

[prinnysquad]

I'm glad it's not just me who was a bit meh about the performance.

When they played Premiership football, they tore the Slovenians up. The pace was good, they retained possession, and created chances.

The rest of the game was poor, with the last 25 minutes in particular being an embarrassment. They looked **** scared of keeping the ball, and just aimlessly humped it around. Nerves, you say? Tough ****, every game is at the business end of the competition now. If they sit back and try to defend a lead, playing hot potato football, then they'll get ripped up by better teams. They simply don't have the positional quality to avoid being split open like a hammered ringpiece.

England must learn to play up and stay composed on the ball. They proved for periods of the game that they can keep possession to a good technical standard.

But when they sit back ... it's like bending down to pick up a quid off the floor of the dodgiest public toilet in town - just asking for trouble.

[NemesiS]

I didn't think we played that well tbh. We were definately better than in the previous two games, but that wasn't going to be difficult. Slovenia reminded me a bit of greece in the fact that they never really pushed for a goal in the knowledge that as long as the US didn't win they would go through.

They still caused us a few problems though, but we really should have won it comfortably and didn't, and while Germany didn't breeze through their group either, i don't think they will be too worried about facing us. I saw enough in their three games to convince me they will beat us

Our own fault really for wasting a glorious opportunity of taking advantage of an easy group.

The press have again made me laugh tho. After all the vitriolic abuse about our performances, the headlines today are: "BRING ON THE GERMANS"

FFS, one iffy result and we're world beaters. Roll on Monday morning

[fallenangle]

As I said earlier, Capello put on Joe Cole as a supposedly like for like Rooney replacement running around the pitch to not much attacking effect. But the reason for this is that he'd clearly been told (in the long pre-sub talk with Stuart Pearce) to go on and hold up the ball along with Heskey. Reeked of desperation to me.

Joe Cole's natural game is as a left sided wide mid-fielder feeding other forwards and then following up himself, working in tandem with Ashley Cole.

I've read that Spurs are interested in buying him. I so hope that happens.

[Jebus]

Joe Cole's natural game is as a left sided wide mid-fielder feeding other forwards and then following up himself, working in tandem with Ashley Cole.

Sorry but I don't agree.

He's been forced there for England and Chelsea (hence him leaving, he doesn't fit their system) but he's an attacking midfielder cum striker if he's anything.

He's the ideal player in a 4-4-1-1 behind the main striker imho.

[merf]

in a moment a bit like the first election debate I have to say I agree with Jebus.

I can't recall a player so constantly forced to play out of position for most of his career, to the degree that people now think that's his role.

He lacks the pace to be wide and you really want his touch, passing and odd trick to unlock defences centrally.

From a money & medals point of view he's done brilliantly at Chelsea but if he'd been elsewhere I think he'd have a lot more game time and influence on matches.

[Number45]

Joe Cole was a fantastic attacking central midfielder (If a little naive, and rough around the edges) when he came through at West Ham. He asked to play on the left to give him a chance to play for England at a time when the centre of midfield was untouchable (Ha! That sounds familiar) and that seems to have stuck.

When he's given the freedom to move about he's so much more effective it's not even funny.

[Jebus]

I can't recall a player so constantly forced to play out of position for most of his career, to the degree that people now think that's his role.

I'll see your Joe Cole and raise you a Theo Walcott.

I really have no idea what position that lad is! I'm not a fan at all but I think he's technically best player as a striker?

Back to Joe Cole though, I can't believe Man United aren't in for him. He's custom built to play behind Rooney! That partnership would be soooo fruitful imho! Hargreaves back from injury as the defensive midfielder, Valenica and Nani whipping balls in! I just can't believe Fergie isn't after him.