World Cup 2010

[NemesiS]

Just a shocking performance

But honestly, what did everyone expect?? I had a feeling we wouldn't beat Algeria and said so a couple of pages back. The problem is we have too much expectation on England when the reality is we are nowhere near good enough to get close to winning it.

The 3 friendlies we played were enough to convince me we would struggle even though everyone said "its only a friendly". You still have to get the basics right even if "its only a friendly", and we didn't and that set the tone for our performances.

Rooney again looked utterly lost amidst a team who really didn't look comfortable at any point in the match. Where the hell was Joe Cole???

I just do not understand Capello's thinking. What has happened to the team from the qualifiers?? The quick fast flowing football that swept all before it is long gone (but was it that good in the first place??). He has to change it as we now have to beat Slovenia (no easy task). FFS, i cannot believe we are in this mess from a group that looked ridiculously easy.

Rooneys petulance at the end should get a rollicking as well. Hard working people have forked out good money to go out there to follow the team and don't need him slagging them off for boo'ing them which is their right!!!! They are in the privileged position of representing the country because they are deemed the best 23 for England, and if they under achieve the they should expect flak (especially as one of the favourites) and take it on the chin and not slate the supporters.

Thats my rant over.....But I had to laugh though at the England supporter who made it down the tunnel and into the dressing room and gave England
a proper bollocking. Brilliant

[NW2013]

Van Persie: dirty Gooner.

[NW2013]

Quality ITV commentary. Vuvuzela update: woman ruptured throat from blowing trumpet too hard. Fnar fnar.

[Matt]

Yep. Awful. How any sane individual can think putting SWP onto a football field will help your team is beyond me. I bet every day at home he has trouble getting out the door, just running into the wall instead. Maybe Cap just doesn't like Joe Cole.

I truly despair. He needs to ask the players how THEY want to play and let them do their thing. Then we'd win.

[Jebus]

But honestly, what did everyone expect??

I think it's safe to assume that given the talent in the team and the pedigree of the manager, whilst we wouldn't expect to win it, we might expect something better than we got last night.

[merf]

I'm with Jebus here, there is a camp that isn't 'win the cup' or 'we're rubbish'

With our squad its fair to expect a relatively drama free progression from the group then depending on who we get and/or a bit of luck some progression into the ko stages.

This lot are perfoming massively under par at present. Of the teams who've played 2 games off the top of my head only the French have scored less and been worse than us.

btw, just seen that Anelka being sent home for 'insulting the coach', brilliant, lets hope somebody grows a set and tells Capello a few truths he needs to hear.

[Jaz]

Wish England was in the All Whites group...we'd deal to your lot.

[Flabio]

Australia really not having a fun tournament are they?

[EJG1980]

Agree with Merf and Jebus too. I had zero expectations of us winning it (second round / quarters is where we should be getting) but England are performing way below that level at the moment.

I don't really like Mark Bright as a commentator but he's right, Ghana have got Germany up next, they should really be pressing for the win in this match much more than they are.

[Jebus]

I'm with Jebus here, there is a camp that isn't 'win the cup' or 'we're rubbish'

With our squad its fair to expect a relatively drama free progression from the group then depending on who we get and/or a bit of luck some progression into the ko stages.

This lot are perfoming massively under par at present. Of the teams who've played 2 games off the top of my head only the French have scored less and been worse than us.

btw, just seen that Anelka being sent home for 'insulting the coach', brilliant, lets hope somebody grows a set and tells Capello a few truths he needs to hear.

Thing is, if we just performed as per the group stages then it wouldn't be so bad, but this team and some of the players are so far below even that standard it's a joke.

Before the game Postman Pat was asked what we need, and in his usual manner of giving short shrift to the media when asked a polite question just replied "GOALS...We need GOALS"...well then Pat, why the **** do you start with Heskey, a man known for NOT scoring goals.

Capello is stubborn and that might cost us progression to the next round, or is it just that he's simply not as good tactically as people want to believe...no...no, it can't be that, he's foreign after all!

I consider myself reasonably knowledgable of the game, and I ask you this...how many of our current starting eleven play 4-4-2 for their clubs? It's ridiculous. Rooney doesn't have a "Heskey" at Man United, Lampard is a freescoring midfielder...how many times did he even get into the box last night, I counted twice!

Lennon is a good young player, but every bit of space he wants is taken by Glen Johnson, so we may as well play Milner on the right, a player who can cover full back more capably. James Milner may not be as quick but he's far more robust and can actually cross the ball and take a good corner.

Joe Cole has long been the best left sided (even though he's a natural striker/forward) player for England but we're forcing a world class attacking midfielder out there instead, purely because Capello won't change to the more comfortable (for the players) formation of 4-3-3 or 4-4-1-1. Joe Cole is also without a club, he's the only one who has something to lose here, if he has a good world cup then maybe someone will take him on his high wages.

Barry is a good defensive midfielder who can get forward too, but he's not one of the best in the world, putting so much pressure on his return is poor management, extremely poor.

Rooney looks burnt out to me, injuries and sheer number of games look to have taken their toll and he looks a shadow of himself at the moment. No matter how good he is, if it's not working, he shouldn't be above being subbed.

However, the most disappointing player so far for me has been Ashley Cole. A marauding full back who loves to get right up the other end and put a good ball in, absolutely gone missing Ashley.

It's simple, we either change and play the players in the formation that suits or we may well go out. All the fuss over the goalkeeping position is largely irrelevant and all it did was paper over the cracks of a system that was looking tired a month ago. The first eleven hadn't played together because Capello was too busy trying out players like Bent, Walcott et al when we should have been bedding down some on-the-field team spirit.

Stop putting round pegs into square holes and play the players where they are best!

Over to you Postman Pat...

[wonderboy]

You get the feeling with England, that they'd rather be on holiday. Then play in this world cup ? They just don't seem to be having any enjoyment being there. Like France. Putting the England shirt on, is like wearing kryptonite for superman !

It's already been said, but i can't see why Capello isn't playing Joe Cole and maybe Gerard behind Rooney. With no Hesky. He's showing he's hardly a mastermind tactician. After all the time he's been coaching the England team. If everyone seems to see it ?

Also, i see Anelka has been sent home, after an arguement with Domenech.

[nakamura]

Took the words right out of my mouth Jebus.

[NW2013]

Rooney finally realised he's a tool and apologises for his stupid comment. Defoe not as thick and says people are entitled to boo having traveled so far to support the team.

[Mayhem]

My personal eleven for the Slovenia game: James, A.Cole, Upson, Terry, Johnson, J.Cole, Gerrard, Barry, Lennon, Crouch, Defoe. Discuss...

[parkinho]

Joe Cole must have shagged Capello's wife/daughter/mum because his absence so far has been baffling.

Very poor last night as everyone has already said, but I though Barry did well considering it was his 1st game in 6 weeks.