England vs Egypt

[TBM]

First half was a bit shit. Walcott was a useless sack of turds who kept losing the ball - I don't want to see him on the plane to South Africa. SWP for the third goal, take note Walcott, that's f*cking how to do it. The other thing I noticed was that we seemed to be trying to go the right hand as we had nobody on the left apart from Baines. Who was meant to be playing in front of Baines? Gerrard, I think. Milner came on and was there occasionally - why didn't Gerrard do that? The second goal came from the left and Milner had a part in it. I like the look of Milner and I think he should be on the plane to South Africa. I'm not so sure about Upson, he made a mistake for their goal by slipping up. Was it the Wembley turf that made him slip?

'greed that Walcott may have played himself out of a spot and SWP played his way in. Milner has to play, put him wide left and Gerrard needs to be in the middle - he isn't a wide player and is wasted out there.

[Hoop Blah]

My midfield would be

Milner, Gerrard, Barry/Carrick, J Cole (wingers can play either side)

It's lacking a bit of pace admittedly, but with the likes of Lennon, SWP, Walcot or Young (never going to make the squad of course) on the bench then you can always change it around.

Lampard and Gerrard in the same midfield still doesn't work for me, it means we lack width and shape when one of the (Gerrard) gets shifted out wide or we swap to playing more of a diamond.

[TBM]

Milner Barry Lampard Cole
Gerrard
Rooney

That would be better!

[Zammo]

If England were a club side, Gerrard would have been dropped by now.

[soggy biscuit]

Sky Sports talking about how much shagg8 has affected Terry's form. Just showed his first touch from last night, crowd boo'd, he looked very nervous and then wellied it straight off the pitch!

Got a massive ALOL from me in the office

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Gerrard's done fine on the left, why anyone would look to change the shape that saw us lose only once in qualifying?

Actually thought the big differernce maker was Carrick coming on, so maybe Franks place is the one under most threat.

Has to be Heskey/Rooney with Crouch as the impact sub. Cappello has repeated a number of times he won't play Rooney on his own, he likes two central strikers.

Thought England played with a lot of fluidity last night, need the full backs fit though.

DJ
Johnson
Terry
Ferdinand
Cole

Lennon
Carrick
Barry
Gerrard

Rooney
Heskey

[Hoop Blah]

Milner Barry Lampard Cole
Gerrard
Rooney

That would be better!

Not bad, I've always been against playing Rooney as the main centre forward though, but perhaps with the way he's been playing there recently for Utd it might work. Previously I've thought he's wasted and needs to be getting into the spaces behind someone like Heskey to create things a bit more.

[Hoop Blah]

Gerrard's done fine on the left, why anyone would look to change the shape that saw us lose only once in qualifying?

Like I said, I still think it leaves us short of width on the left, and with the right wingers not being convincing (IMO) we're then looking a bit weak out wide. If Cole and Johnson aren't fit that just compounds the issue.

As for not losing in qualifying, although that was a terrific achievement I don't think the opposition were up to too much and if we want to get further than our standard first or second knock-out stage I think we'll need to be offering a bit more.

Actually thought the big differernce maker was Carrick coming on, so maybe Franks place is the one under most threat.

Agreed. He did get two very good goalscoring chances though, and continued to make some good runs (eg the one where Rooney cocked up his touch when Lampard would've been free on the edge of the box). Take away Lampards goals and Carrick would get the nod for me.

[Vision]

Strangely given Capello's supposed reputation (and that of Italian managers) this has to be the most open England team in years.

Gerrard no more plays as a left midfielder in this set-up than Rooney does. Thats why as much as people despise him Ashley Cole is a massive miss for this team as he provides the width on that side whilst Gerrard & Rooney are allowed the freedom to roam and create. If the move breaks down then it seems whoever is the nearest of the 2 then tries to chase back in that channel although this isn't always very successful. This is also why as Hoop Blah says Rooney will not play as a lone striker in this set up.

Against all the odds England look like we'll be one of the more entertaining attacking sides in the World Cup. Unfortunately though unless we have our 1st choice back 5 available and on form I think any thoughts about winning the tournament can be forgotten.

[BR2]

Hopefully the twat of a commentator Tyldesley (sp?) isn't doing our game on Sunday as I don't want to hear him when I get home after the game to have another look at the many incidents that produced such a high-scoring quarter-final.
He is the king of hype-first of all everything Rooney does is beyond normal human capabilities according to Clive although he chose to ignore the standard "f*** off" aimed at the ref.
Also he sees it as a virtue that Rooney ends up at left back but remember the free-kick he gave away there a couple of years ago that cost us the match?
Just stay up front Rooney where you have done well this season and don't bugger up the system by wandering all over the place-that is selfish,not team-work whereas Clive will be telling us that it shows how much he cares.

He is also in love with Carrick but somehow missed the passes that went astray and when he got caught in possession and makes the claim that he plays in a successful Man Utd midfield so he should be an England regular -by the same premise should WEs Brown be a regular for England? .
His newest love is Milner-I have a lot of time for the player who can never be faulted for effort and is a better utility player than Phil Neville but he is some way off being a Gerrard or Lampard or even Barry.
You need a workhorse or two in a successful side but you also need the flair that Gerrard and Fat Frank can bring to a side if you are going to win anything.

[Big Foot]

I think there's a real danger Joe Cole won't go to SA , he's way back in the pecking order at Chelsea right now.

My vision is:

Lennon
Lampard
Barry
Milner

Gerrard

Rooney

[Tredder]

I think there's a real danger Joe Cole won't go to SA , he's way back in the pecking order at Chelsea right now.

My vision is:

Lennon
Lampard
Barry
Milner

Gerrard

Rooney

^^^^^^This

[readingfc13]

As for not losing in qualifying, although that was a terrific achievement I don't think the opposition were up to too much and if we want to get further than our standard first or second knock-out stage I think we'll need to be offering a bit more.

We lost to the Ukraine in qualifying.

I echo the concerns of others that we lacked width last night and would like to see the return of Joe Cole too.

[Big Foot]

One thing that really puzzled me last night.

Rooney has been in scintilating form up front played centrally. Why did Capello put him out on the left with Gerrard tucking inside?

[Hoop Blah]

One thing that really puzzled me last night.

Rooney has been in scintilating form up front played centrally. Why did Capello put him out on the left with Gerrard tucking inside?

As Vision pointed out, Rooney and Gerrard seem to have a licence to roam but then when we lose the ball they get behind the ball wherever they are. Sometimes that means Rooney ends up out on the left whilst Gerrard is in the middle.

I like the fluidity of it, but at the same time I'd rather we had Rooney doing his stuff at the business end of the pitch and a left sided player doing his job over there. Imagine the mess we'll be in is Maicon is allowed the freedom of South Africa to bomb up and down that touchline in the World Cup.

BR - totally agree on the Rooney staying upfront it, it's much the same as Beckham vs Greece that came up a week or two ago.

[BR2]

As for not losing in qualifying, although that was a terrific achievement I don't think the opposition were up to too much and if we want to get further than our standard first or second knock-out stage I think we'll need to be offering a bit more.

We lost to the Ukraine in qualifying.

I echo the concerns of others that we lacked width last night and would like to see the return of Joe Cole too.

The trouble is Joe Cole doesn't bring Width playing out on the left as he has no left foot and turns in on his right creating even more of a traffic jam in central midfield.
Also it looks as though this injury has made him even slower than he was before and not getting a game for Chelsea could mean that he doesn't even make the final 23 within which assuming 3 keepers,8 defenders and 5 strikers leaves 7 midfielders and I would assume that subject to fitness Gerrard,Lampard,Barry,Lennon,Beckham,Carrick and Milner are automatics so even if we take 8 midfielders there is the one place left for SWP,Walcott,Cole,Downing and Young to fight over.

What a shame that in English football there is still no automatic left-winger other than Young,Downing and Johnson,none of whom look up to it.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Gerrard's done fine on the left, why anyone would look to change the shape that saw us lose only once in qualifying?

Like I said, I still think it leaves us short of width on the left, and with the right wingers not being convincing (IMO) we're then looking a bit weak out wide. If Cole and Johnson aren't fit that just compounds the issue.

As for not losing in qualifying, although that was a terrific achievement I don't think the opposition were up to too much and if we want to get further than our standard first or second knock-out stage I think we'll need to be offering a bit more.

Actually thought the big differernce maker was Carrick coming on, so maybe Franks place is the one under most threat.

Agreed. He did get two very good goalscoring chances though, and continued to make some good runs (eg the one where Rooney cocked up his touch when Lampard would've been free on the edge of the box). Take away Lampards goals and Carrick would get the nod for me.

We're certainly in trouble if Cole doesn't play, but I'm sure he will. As will GJ.

Never understood the Joe Cole love, he went missing 4 years ago against Portugal, certainly not as good as Milner imo. Just don't see him fitting into the squad. Although SWP looked good coming on, I think he is too similar to Lennon and if Lennon goes Walcott will go as back up winger/forward. With Becks in the mix somewhere.
t.
I think we looked good last nigh

[soggy biscuit]

As someone just said on the radio a minute ago, 4 years ago Walcott was an over eager school boy with pace to burn and not a great understanding of the game, now Walcott plays like an over eager schoolboy with pace to burn and not a great understanding of the game.

If it wasn't for one night in Zagreb people would be wondering what the hell he is doing getting near the squad.

[Vision]

playing Devil's advocate a bit but If Lampard had put away the sitter that Walcott's pace and final ball laid on a plate for him, his subsequent game and peoples attitude to him might be completely different.

[SpaceCruiser]

playing Devil's advocate a bit but If Lampard had put away the sitter that Walcott's pace and final ball laid on a plate for him, his subsequent game and peoples attitude to him might be completely different.

Not necessarily, it was Lampard who failed to put it away. What Walcott did there was the single good point he'd done in the entire game. I think whether Lampard put it away or not would not have mattered as Walcott did a fine thing and should have been happy with his effort, so why did he not replicate that? Cos he's shit.