Belarus v England thread

[Huntley & Palmer]

Apart from defend the back post properly you mean?

Right back and right sided centre half...goal scored with a header on their post and they shouldn't have done anything about it? Are you sure?

They were both marking players. The left winger was on the edge of the box with Walcott, made a late run and left Walcott ball watching. Do you want Wes to teleport from his man to this new one who's just arrived?

I don't think the fact that Mr Orange thought he heard a call from James helped either, hence why he ducked the ball to allow the Belarus player to score. He should have cleared it himself. Him and James are the two weakest points in the side at the moment

[Harry Carry]

Deffo a blame culture amongst England supporters. They won 3-1 and have 12 points, I very much doubt that goal conceded will have any impact on the group in Englands case.

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

If it was against United I'd be going mad at Ronaldo for not doing his job. I still can't believe that people are trying to detatch any blame from their wonder boy. A lot more of the blame should be on the FIVE players who are all attracted over to the left forcing Rio and Wes to do the covering that you are on about.

5 players on one man, Rio covering the run of two players, Wes covering the man in the middle leaving the left winger able to get in ahead of Walcott. Blame goes 50% to those 5 mongs and 50% to Walcott.

Agreed - if you look at the wider angle shot of our penalty area when they score, Walcott is stood watching whilst their bloke gets a free header. Yes it was a great goal, but a midfielders (and that is essentially what a winger is) job is to defend as well as attack.

[Hoop Blah]

I still can't believe that people are trying to detatch any blame from their wonder boy. A lot more of the blame should be on the FIVE players who are all attracted over to the left forcing Rio and Wes to do the covering that you are on about.

5 players on one man, Rio covering the run of two players, Wes covering the man in the middle leaving the left winger able to get in ahead of Walcott. Blame goes 50% to those 5 mongs and 50% to Walcott.

I agree that Walcott was also to blame, as with almost any goal there are many ways in which it could've been prevented, but you said that Wes and Rio weren't at fault.

They were, partly.

[Silver Fox]

They won 3-1 and have 12 points, I very much doubt that goal conceded will have any impact on the group in Englands case.

You're right Harry and I can see England winning the group at a canter now. However, if I was a St George Cross tat stockist I wouldn't overdo it for the tournament itself as demand will probably dry up as soon as they play someone good

[Hoop Blah]

Deffo a blame culture amongst England supporters. They won 3-1 and have 12 points, I very much doubt that goal conceded will have any impact on the group in Englands case.

Behave...the blame culture is just pointing out to Mr Utd that his team didn't win 2-0 because two of his players were partly to blame for the 1 we conceded.

It's not an England fan thing at all.

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

They won 3-1 and have 12 points, I very much doubt that goal conceded will have any impact on the group in Englands case.

You're right Harry and I can see England winning the group at a canter now. However, if I was a St George Cross tat stockist I wouldn't overdo it for the tournament itself as demand will probably dry up as soon as they play someone good

^ 'greed - beat Ukraine at home in the next game and it's a 5 point lead at the top of the group. Means we can afford to lose away in Ukraine and only get a draw at home to Croatia (providing we beat Ukraine by more than they beat us) and still win the group (can't see anything but England wins in the rest).

Would love us to win every game (has any team ever done that before?) but I think we may struggle in Kiev...

[papereyes]

Would love us to win every game (has any team ever done that before?) but I think we may struggle in Kiev...

I was fairly sure that Greece did for 1994, but they drew two games it seems.

[SpaceCruiser]

Walcott WAS to blame for that goal conceded. What was he doing? Trotting back, thinking that his marker wouldn't score.

Walcott is a great player, but he's too hot and cold. Even in the game against Croatia, he didn't start very well, was giving the ball away, then he hit the hat-trick.

And Wes Brown, what the f**k is he doing in an England shirt? Is Gary Neville past it now?

[cmonurz]

More to the point, has Micah Richards really been playing that badly?

[TheMaraudingDog]

More to the point, has Micah Richards really been playing that badly?

He's always been shite in my mind. All pace and power with no ability. Good enough to fool the English public but lacks class.

[SpaceCruiser]

Wes Brown doesn't have much ability. He's just another Phil Neville.

[PlasticRoyale]

More to the point, has Micah Richards really been playing that badly?

He's always been shite in my mind. All pace and power with no ability. Good enough to fool the English public but lacks class.

His positioning is terrible and he lacks a bit of discipline. Often leaves huge gaps making it difficult for his team mates to defend.

[readingbedding]

England has only reached the SF in the WC once since Mexico 70.

[SpaceCruiser]

England has only reached the SF in the WC once since Mexico 70.

Didn't they reach the quarter finals at Mexico 70?

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

England has only reached the SF in the WC once since Mexico 70.

Didn't they reach the quarter finals at Mexico 70?

I don't think readingbedding meant that we had qualified for the semis in 1970.

[readingbedding]

England has only reached the SF in the WC once since Mexico 70.

Didn't they reach the quarter finals at Mexico 70?

Read what I said numbnuts.

[Royal Rother]

So why didn't you say we have only reached the WC Semis once since 1966?

[Hoop Blah]

More to the point, has Micah Richards really been playing that badly?

He's always been shite in my mind. All pace and power with no ability. Good enough to fool the English public but lacks class.

His positioning is terrible and he lacks a bit of discipline. Often leaves huge gaps making it difficult for his team mates to defend.

I'd agree with a lot of that assessment. He get's away with it because he's so strong and quick he can compensate and make up for his own mistakes. Very much like Linvoy Primus did when he was at Reading.

I think in time Richards can learn his trade, don't forget that he's still very young, especially for a defender where you have to learn the game more than a young forward, and he's certainly got a future playing for England.

I think the real reason he's not made the squad, apart from untimely injuries, is that he's been playing centre half for most of the time for City. Cappello has probably never seen him play more than a couple of game, if that, at right back and so it's hard for him to select him as a right back.