The 2014 World Cup thread

[Mick Mac]

Face the facts Otta, hes no Roy Keane.

[MrBen]

???? Wrote:

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> ???? Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

Happy to eat my words but I think we'll

> not

> > make it out of the group and not get a win.

> >

> > Just an embarrassment in terms of our standing

> > rather than the actual performance.

> >

> > Rooney drop him and Gerrard not that great

> either.

> > I can't wait for the golden generation to pass!

>

>

> Wot he said - we've gone from dull drawers to

> more exciting losers...we are miles behind the top

> teams, miles.

>

> and I am pretty sure Italy and Urugauay aren't in

> the top teams either....

So based on what you said about Scotland v Costa Rica on the other thread. How confident do you feel now that you will hammer these latin minnows?

[????]

I am confident we'd hammer Scotland

[Otta]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> Face the facts Otta, hes no Roy Keane.

More than happy to face that fact.

Give me someone not good enough for their country over someone that decides he's too good for his country any day of the week.

[titch juicy]

El Pibe Wrote:

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> "Why take Stirling off, he was quiet for a while

> but the Uruguay manager must have breathed a sigh

> of relief at that point."

>

> My reaction too, especially as Sturridge had done

> little but pass meekly to the keeper over and over

> (yeah a little unfair but his finishing was

> woeful).

Becauae Sterling was completely ineffectual. He's another in a long line of average England speed merchants that can beat a player for pace and have a little trickery, but when it comes to a final ball or using their brain are found wanting. File next to Lennon, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Townsend. He had novelty factor on his side against italy, but once oppo defences work out how to play him, he's pointless. Besides, he's more effective up the middle, but Rooney was there last night and was our best player.

[titch juicy]

El Pibe Wrote:

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> With Suarez there Uruguay can challenge, without,

> unlikely.

> Italy are boring but excellent, definitely first

> string.

I'd argue against both statements. This is a relatively poor Italy team. Apart from Pirlo, they have no players that would get anywhere near the first xi of a top international side. Uruguay have Cavani and Suarez.

[titch juicy]

El Pibe Wrote:

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> when was the last time we had a decent playmaker?

> Scholes, Sherringham? If we count players who

> could produce for club AND country i guess that

> rules out the former.

>

> Anyone waiting in the ings to fill that

> role...bueller....?

Barkley

[Parkdrive]

Otta Wrote:

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> Mick Mac Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Face the facts Otta, hes no Roy Keane.

>

>

> More than happy to face that fact.

>

> Give me someone not good enough for their country

> over someone that decides he's too good for his

> country any day of the week.

Well said Otta, good lad.

[Otta]

titch juicy Wrote:

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> He had novelty factor on his side

> against italy, but once oppo defences work out how

> to play him, he's pointless. Besides, he's more

> effective up the middle, but Rooney was there last

> night and was our best player.

That doesn't make any sense. It's not because defences worked him out, it's because, as you point out, he was played in a different position and didn't have the opportunity to do what he did against Italy.

[Otta]

titch juicy Wrote:

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> El Pibe Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > when was the last time we had a decent

> playmaker?

> > Scholes, Sherringham? If we count players who

> > could produce for club AND country i guess that

> > rules out the former.

> >

> > Anyone waiting in the ings to fill that

> > role...bueller....?

>

> Barkley

Hmmm, hope you're right, but he got a fair run out last night and didn't really do anything to set the world on fire.

[El Pibe]

"but when it comes to a final ball or using their brain are found wanting"

That summed up everyone though, so why favour one over another? pace and trickery are at least a start!

[Mick Mac]

I thought you'd know I was just teasing Otta. I know your views on Keane already.

[titch juicy]

El Pibe Wrote:

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> "but when it comes to a final ball or using their

> brain are found wanting"

>

> That summed up everyone though, so why favour one

> over another? pace and trickery are at least a

> start!

because it's that one player that everyone seems to be selling as the big hope for the future

i think sturridge is a better prospect

[titch juicy]

Otta Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> titch juicy Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > He had novelty factor on his side

> > against italy, but once oppo defences work out

> how

> > to play him, he's pointless. Besides, he's more

> > effective up the middle, but Rooney was there

> last

> > night and was our best player.

>

>

> That doesn't make any sense. It's not because

> defences worked him out, it's because, as you

> point out, he was played in a different position

> and didn't have the opportunity to do what he did

> against Italy.

he came inside often enough last night to no effect

[MrBen]

???? Wrote:

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> I am confident we'd hammer Scotland

Delusion!

Well you didn't at Wembley in August (3-2 after a late goal) and frankly you're even worse now.

England are like a wounded duck and we are playing our best since 2008. 27 in Fifa rankings vs 70 for the Republic of Ireland and...yes above Costa Rica.

On the plus side you can only get better once your Golden Generation shuffle off to do telly instead.

[Alan Medic]

Otta Wrote:

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> Mick Mac Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Face the facts Otta, hes no Roy Keane.

>

>

> More than happy to face that fact.

>

> Give me someone not good enough for their country

> over someone that decides he's too good for his

> country any day of the week.

So Keane returned to international football why? He wouldn't have done that if he thought he was too good for his country.

[Alan Medic]

Good to see no one is blaming the manager yet.

[????]

...ok, I'll start.

Not taking A.Cole

[StraferJack]

no point taking players like Cole (good as he was/is - he isn't available for much longer)

This cup is about trying out the younger players and building on that

before the tournament started people were saying "for first time in ages we have no real expectation"

After 2 narrow defeats to 2 big teams it's all "we should have done x y and z"

everyone should juuuuust calm down. None of it matters. But if it does, the long term is the goal

knee-jerk reactions to 2 matches is exactly the sort of thing that has the national team where they are

[Otta]

What SJ said, big time.

Although Baines was pretty shit last night. Johnson had a pretty good match going forward, but he's still very iffy at the back.

titch juicy Wrote:

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> he came inside often enough last night to no

> effect

Coming inside is different to being in there all the time IMO. But I'm not an expert I'll freely admit.

Mick Mack, I assumed you were teasing, but couldn't let that go unanswered ;-)

[El Pibe]

I thought Baines and Johnson both improved coming forward, but at the rather obvious expense of their, you know, proper job.

[MrBen]

SJ - agreed.

The problem is clearly that England still "expects" despite what was said before the WC.

[Otta]

EP, I have to disagree about Bains coming forward. He tried but he just ran the ball in to dead ends most of the time.

And the whole "Englamd Expects" thing is a joke. Why do "we" (apparently) expect anything?

[Alan Medic]

Stuart Pearce made what I thought was a very valid point about England not letting their younger players develop through the age groups. As soon as there is a whiff of someone being good, they're promoted to the senior squad. The problem is they usually only get to sit on the bench or in the stands.

Last time England won anything was the U 17's twice in the Euro's in recent years. Reason being is that at that age the players aren't pulled out of selection. At the last U20 WC England had 46 players pull out. Keeping the better players in their under age teams gives them a chance to experience tournament play which in due course will benefit the senior team.

I think most international associations take the under age game seriously.

[El Pibe]

I'm really not sure England does expect anymore does it? Apart from Otta's neighbour.