Platinum Stars v England

[FORSTERS_RIGHT_FOOT]

Joe Hart started in goal in the first half...

So i have no idea.

[Silver Fox]

Well as Fabio said he knew his starting XI and they'd all play some part in this game it suggests James is out. Of course it could mean that Hart will start but that would be even crazier than Green.

[FORSTERS_RIGHT_FOOT]

If thats the case, then its between Green and Hart to fight it out in training the rest of the week.

Definately think its going to be King and Terry in the centre at the back. Both better than Dawson and Upson, plus Carragher is playing right back at the moment.

Joe Cole has played the whole game so far aswell.

[Compo's Hat]

Well it's definitely 4-4-2 on Saturday.

Green or Hart will be in goal, probably will be Green. The back four will be Johnson (who wasn't great), Terry, King and A.Cole. The midfield will certainly have Gerrard and Lampard in the middle with J.Cole more than likely out left. Thought Lennon was better than SWP on the right and would play him, while up top i reckon Heskey will partner Rooney up front having paired them up front 2nd half.

I never want to watch a game with adverts interrupting it again!

[prostak]

Or it could be, seeing as Capello has stated he knows who's starting in goal, that he wants to decide the order of his reserves and James is first choice?

[leww_rfc]

Or it could be, seeing as Capello has stated he knows who's starting in goal, that he wants to decide the order of his reserves and James is first choice?

^ This.

[Compo's Hat]

Or it could be, seeing as Capello has stated he knows who's starting in goal, that he wants to decide the order of his reserves and James is first choice?

Capello siad that everyone who will start against USA would get 45/60 minutes so the only things we did find out was that it won't be James or the injured Barry.

[Ian Royal]

Or it could be, seeing as Capello has stated he knows who's starting in goal, that he wants to decide the order of his reserves and James is first choice?

Capello siad that everyone who will start against USA would get 45/60 minutes so the only things we did find out was that it won't be James or the injured Barry.

Misinformation isn't impossible.

I'm struggling to see us make the quarters with Lampard & Gerrard partnered in the middle and King as first choice centreback.

[prostak]

This is an excellent look at the Gerrard-Lampard midfield combination, among other tactical nuances of Capello's England. Frankly, I can't see a team with Michael Carrick as its defensive midfielder, not to mention one with a right wing consisting purely of attack in Lennon and Johnson, doing that well. This England team, with this coach, probably shouldn't lose to USA if raw talent were the only consideration, but I'm fairly sure blind arrogance will come into play again and can see the coming match being a scoring draw. I'd say a US win, but the English are jammy (more so than the fans tend to believe, certainly) and normally start tournaments fairly strongly.

On James, I'd think it a shame were he not to play some role in this World Cup. I warm to him as he seems one of the only footballers I'd actually enjoy a conversation with. His intelligence perhaps leads him to be the ultimate confidence player - mistakes and so on will always affect a thinker more, and that's probably why Stevie G's so good at last-minute game-changers - he's too thick to think about anything other than the moment in hand.

[Maguire]

the English are jammy (more so than the fans tend to believe, certainly) and normally start tournaments fairly strongly

2000 - LOST to Portugal
2002 - DREW with Sweden
2004 - LOST to France
2006 - BEAT Paraguay
2008 - DNQ

Not sure that statement really holds up.

[Row Z Royal]

the English are jammy (more so than the fans tend to believe, certainly) and normally start tournaments fairly strongly

2000 - LOST to Portugal
2002 - DREW with Sweden
2004 - LOST to France
2006 - BEAT Paraguay
2008 - DNQ

Not sure that statement really holds up.

Can't remember WC'98's first game, but at Euro '96 we drew with the Swiss in the opener.

[Stranded]

'98 was a 2-0 win over Tunisia

[Silver Fox]

Beat Tunisia in '98

Drew with Uruguay I think in '66
Lineker had to save the day in '86 against Poland in game 3 after a dogshit first two games
Didn't play well in Italia '90 until the semis AFAIR

[Row Z Royal]

'98 was a 2-0 win over Tunisia

:facepalm.

Soz, forgot that that was the first game.

[6ft Kerplunk]

'82, we did peak at 28 secs.

[BR2]

In 1966 IIRC we drew 0-0 with Mexico in the first game.
I gather that no World Cup winning team has ever lost their first game.

[Maguire]

So going backwards from my list we have:

98 - BEAT Tunisia
96 - DREW with Switzerland
94 - DNQ
92 - DREW with Denmark
90 - DREW with Ireland
88 - LOST to Ireland
86 - LOST to Portugal

Comprehensively disproved that st8ment I think.

[Stranded]

Or it could be, seeing as Capello has stated he knows who's starting in goal, that he wants to decide the order of his reserves and James is first choice?

Capello siad that everyone who will start against USA would get 45/60 minutes so the only things we did find out was that it won't be James or the injured Barry.

BBC mention that James has a slight knee injury - won't stop him playing on Saturday but if that is the case would have been no point playing him on Monday.

[readingbedding]

1990 we were very good against the Dutch.

[readingbedding]

Robson scored the quickest goal ever (until H Sukur) in their first game in 82.
Needed a Lineker hat-trick to get us out of trouble in 86.

2002, was a good start.