England v Kazakhstan 11/10/08 KO:17.15

[Super_horns]

I suspect people were just waiting for Cole to make a mistake and boo him for as you point out the general reasons why people have a dislike for footballers like him whatever ability he shows on the pitch.

Felt the mistake actually woke the other 10 players up a bit and got them playing to actually kill off the game because it wasn't great up till that point.

[chandog]

I suspect people were just waiting for Cole to make a mistake and boo him for as you point out the general reasons why people have a dislike for footballers like him whatever ability he shows on the pitch.

Felt the mistake actually woke the other 10 players up a bit and got them playing to actually kill off the game because it wasn't great up till that point.

agreed
i think coles mistake was just used as an excuse for the fans to boo him cos he is a c*nt

[Royalee]

Was at Wembley yesterday for a game of two halves. First half we lacked movement and ideas as they sat deep, much better after what was probably a stern half time team talk from Capello. Lampard and Gerrard will never work, the former sits far too deep and doesn't make himself available going forward - it's all very well sitting deep and passing the ball from side to side, but it'll never get you anywhere. Heskey was pretty poor, Rooney showed some nice touches and took his goals well. Efficient performance really, even after Cashley's blunder I didn't feel worried that we'd fail to win.

As for the booing, the majority booed him, which shocked and entertained me to some extent. Pretty harsh I guess, but then again he is Ashley Cole and if it had been any other player then he wouldn't have got anywhere near that level of stick. Perhaps Cole might want to work on his image!

[Stranded]

Apart from all the worthies slagging off England fans for booing Ashley Cole, I haven't seen anyone state the real reason why he was booed.

Are the pundits unaware that Ashley Cole's nickname among football fans is 'Cashley.'

Rightly or wrongly, AC has become a figure who epitomises the way fat cat Premiership stars have become removed from the average fan.

The way he left Arsenal, celebrity bird, opulent pictures, turning his back on the ref, general attitude, all these things combine to make it likely that if he makes a blunder he will get booed because people just don't like him.

Would Rooney, or any of the other players, have been booed for making a mistake like that? No. Because he is popular, whereas Ashley Cole isn't.

Lampard would have been booed if he'd done it.

[Kitsondinho]

Was at Wembley yesterday for a game of two halves. First half we lacked movement and ideas as they sat deep, much better after what was probably a stern half time team talk from Capello. Lampard and Gerrard will never work, the former sits far too deep and doesn't make himself available going forward - it's all very well sitting deep and passing the ball from side to side, but it'll never get you anywhere. Heskey was pretty poor, Rooney showed some nice touches and took his goals well. Efficient performance really, even after Cashley's blunder I didn't feel worried that we'd fail to win.

As for the booing, the majority booed him, which shocked and entertained me to some extent. Pretty harsh I guess, but then again he is Ashley Cole and if it had been any other player then he wouldn't have got anywhere near that level of stick. Perhaps Cole might want to work on his image!

I too was there yesterday and I really don't think we did too badly in the first half. Walcott had the beating of the left back every time. If one of the many half-chances we created had gone in (a la Owen's goal off his heel v N Ireland in WC2006 Qualifying), we would have looked even more comfortable than we did. Yes there were too many gaps at the back (again!!) and Cashley was poor even before his boo enducing mistake. I had to laugh at that...couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke!! Rio should have a look at himself after his comments...because surely only a moron would miss a drugs test to go shopping!!

I do have to say that I thought Heskey was fantastic. A vast amount of our good play went through him, he tracked back and won the ball countless times and played a superb ball through for the 5th goal. However, he SHOULD have scored, he had three superb chances and hit the keeper 3 times. I suppose that is the price you pay for his work rate and team ethic. Fabio Cappello seems to prefer that to Owen's goal scoring abilities........

[Ian Royal]

Apart from all the worthies slagging off England fans for booing Ashley Cole, I haven't seen anyone state the real reason why he was booed.

Are the pundits unaware that Ashley Cole's nickname among football fans is 'Cashley.'

Rightly or wrongly, AC has become a figure who epitomises the way fat cat Premiership stars have become removed from the average fan.

The way he left Arsenal, celebrity bird, opulent pictures, turning his back on the ref, general attitude, all these things combine to make it likely that if he makes a blunder he will get booed because people just don't like him.

Would Rooney, or any of the other players, have been booed for making a mistake like that? No. Because he is popular, whereas Ashley Cole isn't.

Lampard would have been booed if he'd done it.

If people dislike him, they should boo him in the warm up because they think he's a c*nt, not wait for him to make a (terribly stupid) honest mistake.

[KC Royal]

The 2nd half went to plan (even if it was a bit too open), but only after an incredibly dull 1st half that made me question why i was even watching the game. Said to my mate in the 2nd half that 4-3-3 simply doesn't work for England, we're a 4-4-2 side and it brings the best out of us. Not convinced by the Lampard/Gerrard partnership but happy with the eventual 5-1 win, though its a shame we gifted them a goal...

Belarus away could be tricky, though we should come away with a win.

[soggy biscuit]

Belarus away could be tricky, though we should come away with a win.

LOL @ the pundit interviewing Stuart Pearce after the under 21's win against Wales the other night who said 'you should go on to qualify' at which Pearce said something like 'should? Fairly clear you have never actually played the game then'

[Thaumagurist*]

Result was the most important thing, we've now got a decent goal difference. Ashley Cole's mistake was very bad. He took the ball on the chest, and didn't bother to look up before lumping the ball into the space between the box and the defenders. I guess he heard the defenders should "pass it back to the keeper", but I'd think he take a look before making a decision.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

we've now got a decent goal difference.

Not sure this matters that much any more - IIRC, if two teams are level on points then it goes down to results between the teams hence why scoring 4 in Croatia was massive (I can't see Kazakhstan challenging at the top of the group).

Having said that, goals breed confidence and it was good to see Defoe carrying on his goal-scoring form - I just wish Heskey could have buried his header in the last few minutes...

[TheMaraudingDog]

United 3 Kazakhstan 0

[Thaumagurist*]

When was that game? Was it a friendly?

[Great Knolly]

Lampard / Gerrard : Time to shift them both out. We have alot of creativity up front now with Rooney and Walcott, and a choice of J.Cole or SWP on the left. Let them bomb on, and secure the midfield with the likes of Hargreaves, Barry and King . A solid back six would give more license for the wing-backs to get forward too. 442 with Rooney and Heskey up front. To put Rooney on the wing in order to get Gerrard in the team is ridiculous.

At a pinch I'd put Lampard in the middle. Gerrard is a great player, but just too erratic. If he is to play for England, Cappello will have to build the whole team around him. Otherwise he has to go the same way as Hoddle did in the end.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

Lampard / Gerrard : Time to shift them both out. We have alot of creativity up front now with Rooney and Walcott, and a choice of J.Cole or SWP on the left. Let them bomb on, and secure the midfield with the likes of Hargreaves, Barry and King .

Good post - and to be honest, there's no reason why (injuries aside) the axis England team couldn't be:

Terry & Ferdinand
Carrick & Hargreaves
Rooney & one other

4 PL & Champions League double winners and 1 PL & CL double runner up - could do a lot worse. I know Fwank also is a PL & CL double runner up but it would be good to see a CM combination without him or Gerrard and allowing the wingers to really "bomb on". Perhaps this could be tried out in the friendly against Spain next year (barring Ferguson withdrawing his players with a sore little finger or whatever minor ailment United players seem to get before friendlies).

[Hoop Blah]

Why would the midfield be built around two players that hardly get a game for their clubs through form or injury?

Barry and Gerrard have shown they can operate as an effective midfield pairing. Hargreaves has shown he is perfectly capable of replacing Barry and Lampard has shown he can replace Gerrard. What's blindingly obvious is that Lampard and Gerrard occupy the same space as each other and want to make runs into the same areas irrespective of where on the pitch they start.

Unless Gerrard is told to sit infront of the back four and play the defensive role and stick to it, they can't operate in the same midfield. If they do do that England fans and the media have to accept that England will never see the Gerrard that plays for Liverpool because he's doind a completely different job to the one he's asked to do for his club.

The midfield should be, at the moment, one of Lampard and Gerrard alongside Barry with Hargreaves and Carrick waiting in the wings to replace him. The more defensive midfielder may not be necessary against the lesser teams, but if you don't build the team pattern against the weaker teams you can't expect it to work against the good ones!

As for SWP playing the left for England, he looked like a fish out of water. Joe Cole should be the man in possession of that spot in the side, but how Ashley Young has been overlooked as the outstanding left winger in the Premiership is beyond me.

[soggy biscuit]

but how Ashley Young has been overlooked as the outstanding left winger in the Premiership is beyond me.

I have said for a some time now that I would have Young in the starting XI for England. The boy is a bit special.

[papereyes]

In the one game against 'top' opposition, Young went a bit AWOL. I think Capello watched Chelsea - Villa as well.

There's also the whole 'cutting inside' thing, which may stand against him.

[papereyes]

The midfield should be, at the moment, one of Lampard and Gerrard alongside Barry with Hargreaves and Carrick waiting in the wings to replace him. The more defensive midfielder may not be necessary against the lesser teams, but if you don't build the team pattern against the weaker teams you can't expect it to work against the good ones!

I would have thought that this was obvious.

Seems that it isn't.

[Kevin Doyles Right Foot]

Chelsea 0 - 1 Kazakhstan