England v Kazakhstan 11/10/08 KO:17.15

[papereyes]

Tanat Nusserbayev is, apparently, the Kazakh Theo Walcott.

So now you know.

[cmonurz]

No doubt about it, Kazakhstan have the best names in world football.

England not doing badly, but 0-0 after half an hour, about 6 or 7 shots (not far) off target. Barry's 'passing' is the opposite of sublime, but Lampard and Gerrard doing well, and Rooney lively. And Heskey is the best player on the pitch right now.

And how baLOLd is Rooney?

[papereyes]

Will they get booed at half time?

Bored now. What's Jonothan Wilson written about the Kazakhs?

[kwik-silva]

Sorry about this being a bit off-topic, but is anyone else's picture really shit? We have a HD tv- though no HD service as of yet, and the game looks absolutely horrible. No clarity at all. I realise the sometimes non-HD shows on a HD tv can look a little worse than a normal tube television but this is much worse than any show I've seen on this tv.

Mines fine

[kwik-silva]

there were a couple of boo's...

[cmonurz]

there were a couple of boo's...

Those two people are very loud booers then.

[JimmytheJim]

No doubt about it, Kazakhstan have the best names in world football.

England not doing badly, but 0-0 after half an hour, about 6 or 7 shots (not far) off target. Barry's 'passing' is the opposite of sublime, but Lampard and Gerrard doing well, and Rooney lively. And Heskey is the best player on the pitch right now.

And how baLOLd is Rooney?

wrong. absolutely wrong. i can't believe that yet another manager has ignored all evidence and decided to try and make a gerrard/lampard partnership work. it doesn't. everyone in the whole oxf*rd world knows it. irrespective of how this game finishes, i sincerely hope fabio learns his lesson and avoids playing those two in the same line-up at all costs in future. both exceptional individuals, both bollocks when in the same team.

[papereyes]

"Best midfield in the world" circa 2006

That would be ignoring the central midfields of countries like Italy and Germany. They just don't play in the Premiership.

[Ian Royal]

Can someone explain why we appear to be playing 4-5-1 against the Kazahks?

And why Lampard & Gerrard are playing together AGAIN?

oh dear, oh dear.

[cmonurz]

Not absolutely wrong. Wrong to write them off completely, and when I wrote that (after 20 minutes or so), England had enjoyed about 70% possession and had created 5 chances, those two involved in most of them. But they have faded, as usual.

Andy Townsend just showing Walcott's three most effective moments, and its telling that Wes Brown is in the frame for each of them. Get the full-backs forwards, create space for wingers.

Walcott's pace is causing a lot of problems, move him to the right wing, Gerrard to the left, and switch to 442.

[Ian Royal]

Barry off for SWP

[cmonurz]

Gerrard and Lampard in the middle then. Fabio is determined it will work.

[cmonurz]

Nearly 1-0.

To Kazakhstan. Striker smashes it over from 6 yards.

[papereyes]

SWP on the left - can't see who got subbed off.

Barry.

Hmmmm

Damned uppity Kazakhs!!!
LOL

[Ian Royal]

Gerrard and Lampard in the middle then. Fabio is determined it will work.

I really really hope we lose this after that substitution.

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Oh oh, noticed Sony's advery sponsoring the match has the Madstad in it....

Noticed that as well.

[cmonurz]

I hope Gerrard scores two of his Liverpool-stylee thunder-blasters.

[kwik-silva]

1-0 ferdinand

[cmonurz]

Rio, 1-0, after the keeper got lost at a corner.

[Row Z Royal]

1-0 Ferdinand.

Not impressed by the booing at half time.