World Cup 2010

[glazza]

Ok we didnt get the win our overall performance probably just deserved lol and we couldnt keep the ball for more than 1 min without giving away 5 yard stray passes,but its only the first game of three and boy is there even more pressure on this England side to get the 3pts against an unknown quantity that is Algeria on friday.

Always a rollercoaster ride with England init lads ..

[EJG1980]

According to Keegan that was a great performance and good enough to beat any team... no wonder he did so well as England manager

[Adrock]

Only good performances tonight were from Heskey, Cole and Johnson.

The rest were poor. Lampard needs dropping, stick Barry into the team and work at a Gerrard/Barry partnership. SWP is so predictably bad I cant believe he is the only option we have. Milner looked worryingly out of his depth. Lennon's final ball just wasn't good enough.

And Rob Green should be flown back home.

Joe Cole needs to be trusted, he is the only player we have that can unlock a stubborn defence. Firing crosses into the box with Heskey unable to hit a barn door and Rooney starting from too deep was too ineffectual.

[abigsmurf]

We play 'fast flowing' football under Capello, this style of play always leads to being flaky under possession. You rely on teams being shell shocked and overly cautious for it to work. Look at the Nigeria vs Argentina game, Nigeria gave Argentina far too much space and were backing off from them because their play style made them nervous.

Unfortunately England doesn't have the flair to intimidate teams. Rooney may make the occasional run and belter of a shot but put one defender on him with another defender able to back him up and Rooney doesn't do much. We can't haven't got someone who can run down the side and deliver in good crosses, we haven't got someone who can skip around a defender marking him and make them panic. We've got a lot of players who can do some really great shots if they get the ball to them in the right position but not the people to really ensure that happens.

[parkinho]

Few thoughts:
- Heskey played well, but of course his missed opportunity will be the highlight for many
-Rooney was off the pace as he was in the friendlies
-starting King and Milner, 2 clearly unfit players, was a big mistake
-no Joe Cole against a deep sitting defence in the 2nd half was a mistake IMO



Oh well, we will still qualify and at least Green ****ed up now before it actually matters. And my mate nearly got us into a brawl cos someone slagged off Heskey LOL

[abigsmurf]

[merf]

assuming we get there I see Johnson as an issue against better teams, its not simply bombing on but his insistence to keep cutting in on his left foot, it looks good but rarely comes off and leaves our RB pushed on in an advanced centre field position.

the general shape tonight was horrible, Rooney coming far to deep, lampard and gerrard both pushing on, SWP on the left is just mental.

for me Heskey was our best player by far in an overall poor team performance.

[toythatkills]

England have not won a World Cup game when they have conceded a goal since 1990.

Can that be true? Amazing fact if so.

[Flabio]

Algeria are not a total unknown quantity, they're the African champions. Although apparently they're a bit pish, and if we can beat Egypt we should beat them too.

I'd worry about Slovenia more, they put Russia out in the playoffs...

Anyway, of the three games tomorrow only one looks entertaining on paper and thats Germany v Australia. But then, in the last Europeans 2 years back some of the best games were the ones that looked like being sucky. Serbia v Ghana should be a nice physical one, expect a lot of cards in that.

[merf]

Can that be true? Amazing fact if so.

didn't qualify for US 94 and a quick googling shows that stat to be amazingly true !

[fallenangle]

I have to admit what Heskey did tonight was fine as far as it went but you don't win games just by holding up the ball effectively.

As for King, I saw him as a natural second half sub for Rio F or Terry, if they needed a rest/injured/booked. That's what he was there for and that's the job he had a good chance of carrying out without crocking himself. But with Rio F out permanently what was the manager to do but try him, one of the best centre backs in the Premiership, from the start?

It hasn't paid off but the other alternative was play untried Dawson or Upson - surely that was just as risky?

[parkinho]

I have to admit what Heskey did tonight was fine as far as it went but you don't win games just by holding up the ball effectively.

No you need you players like Rooney to perform who didn't. Heskey carried out his role very well tonight.

[Adrock]

Algeria are not a total unknown quantity, they're the African champions. Although apparently they're a bit pish, and if we can beat Egypt we should beat them too..

They aren't African champions. Egypt are. They beat Egypt in the play off to get to this World Cup.

Algeria aren't very good in reality but neither are USA. It'll be interesting I suppose. We need a few players to start transferring club form to international level.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Heskey carried out his role very well tonight.

That's debatable. I'm sorry, but it really is.

Heskey is a centre-forward by trade. He is a striker, and he failed to convert at least two glit-edged chances that fell to him tonight.

You can talk about "holding up the ball", "tracking back" and "working hard for the team" (or any other well-worn cliché used to excuse strikers who lack finishing ability) until you're blue in the face. But the absolute bottom line for a striker is his goalscoring ability. That is what they are judged on at the highest level.

And rightly so.

Heskey was utterly profligate in front of goal tonight. Ergo, I would suggest that he didn't carry out his role well tonight.

[glazza]

Think we can all agree on one thing...

That Dennis The Menace has plenty to ponder on before friday cos he simply has to get it right.