Commiserations

[pnagames]

Commiserations to all England Fans and Scottish Fans

England is out of Euro (dont kid youselves that you still have hopes) and as for Scotland i can see the dream of Euro 08 to be just a dream (need a Win against Italy)

i for once can brag (actually lost count how many times i can say that in the last 4 years) as the European Champions will be back to defend the crown.

Bring on the Euro ( a trip to Austria is in order now)

[george]

Turn the clock back to the beginning of qualifying and be in a group that contains Italy, France, Ukraine, Georgia and get offered qualification for a win in the last game at home against the World Champions and theres not a Scotsman in the world that would turn it down. If we qualify, and its still an if, we'll deserve to be there. Against us we have the fact that Italy are a big game team, not like France or England for example, but hey, bring it on.

Congratulations to Greece of course, lets hope they recapture the sparkle and team spirit that got them the big prize in 2004.

For me England rely too much on Rooney and Owen, both have (like Gerrard and Lumpolard) been in and out of form and injury the last season or so and the Croats will be no pushovers who are generally pretty good tactically. One mistake I think SM makes is to play certain players when they are obviously unfit (Gerrard and Terry lately), which is bizzarre at this level of football.

[pnagames]

George i meant no disrespect towards Scotland as i think they have done brilliantly (except yesterday which basically just threw away the qualification)

England is a very very long story...

the whole team is pretty much the same every time, irrespective whether the players are in form or not, whether they just come back from injury or not. Mclaren should be shot and a new manager appointed (where is the Hitman that was around a few weeks ago). they need a manager that will make their own decisions, bold decisions (e.g. drop owen & Robinson, dont bring back campbell), and take risks...

Rooney played well in the last two games (considering that he hasn't perform for England at all for the last 1 1/2 years)

lumpolard is just useless.

as for yesterday, why no natural left back? they would have been a better side with shorey (spelling) in there. Lescott is good (and as a wolves follower i am proud that he played) but he is a CB not a left back. he has only played a few games as a LB and it showed yesterday

[los_design]

Well that has changed next summers holiday plans!

The FA will get rid of McClown and replace him with yet another hand puppet who will bow to their massive corporate machine and not shoot the fatted cow that is football today. Horse, gate, bolted?!!

On yesterdays showing (putting the UEFA conspiracies aside for now ), agree with the above, a glaring lack of awareness from the clown to bring in Lescott for his 2nd cap in a vital game in the WRONG position!

When Hiddink made the changes at half time to expose Lescot for what he is (inexperienced and in the wrong position) Why the F did it take the clown so long to react? Namely after they had gone ahead?!?!?!?!

We were in complete control until Lescot was left exposed and we had a forward defending and they could get a shot at the greatest goalkeeper in Paul Robinsons back garden!...then whamo game over and look forward to 6 weeks off next year Stevie G and your bunch of overpaid, underperforming pufters!

Once again the most hyped team in the world bottle it

[pnagames]

Lescott - inexprience does not count in my books. he did ok for a CENTRAL DEFENDER. but the wrong position was pretty obvious to all england fans EXCEPT the england manager. but as you said Hidding is a tactical master where mclaren ir the exact opposite.

Daren no you know why top class managers like Scolari etc... would not take the england job. Only ericsson took it (but i think it had something to do with huge paycheck). (by the way the manager that pretty much everybody was blaming for the rubbish performances hass produced one of the suprises of the season in premiership)

[leehack]

Gerrard disappoints me more than any other player, too many big games he just doesn't turn up IMO. That miss last night was a shocker with his supposed talent. He's a great player at league level no doubt, but not enough balls, consistency or composure at the higher level.

Lampard's another example but he is playing under a big cloud at the moment because of the WC, where he and Gerrard were just plain awful. He isn't as bad as we think but he is crap nevertheless. It can't be easy playing when you are getting booed, but you can either cry little a girl in the corner or prove everybody wrong - what's it to be Frank?

Too many big time charlies who haven't got the balls or composure (this is not skill related at all) to compete at the very top or when things really count. Like scared kids they are, kin pathetic.

[los_design]

Daren no you know why top class managers like Scolari etc... would not take the england job. Only ericsson took it (but i think it had something to do with huge paycheck). (by the way the manager that pretty much everybody was blaming for the rubbish performances hass produced one of the suprises of the season in premiership)

Exactly, SGE's record (competitive matches) was outstanding, his only flaw (and that of many of the recent managers) is that we have tried to adapt OUR WAY OF PLAYING to that of the opposition.

Not since El Tel have we had a gaffer who has said, stuff that lot, let them worry about us.

100 mile an hour, english footie from the heart! Up and at em from Kick off.

As for Stevie G, I think his performance last night was indicative of trying to milk a cow who had no milk left, the guy has been playing injured for far too long.

New gaffer, new team. Rip it apart, identify your strengths and build your team around them with an aim to have 2 full teams of quality!

Number 1's name on my team sheet....Ben Foster, JT, Micah Richards, Stevie G and the lad Rooney.

[leehack]

Hoddle's team was the closest we have been to achieving anything in a very long while IMO and unsurprisingly he left because of something not football related at all. SGE's record was very good yes, but he had lost the respect of everyone around him - you can't manage a national football team with that hanging over you.

[los_design]

Hoddle's team was the closest we have been to achieving anything in a very long while IMO and unsurprisingly he left because of something not football related at all. SGE's record was very good yes, but he had lost the respect of everyone around him - you can't manage a national football team with that hanging over you.

Not unlike SGE

Indeed, loose the dressing room, loose the game

[leehack]

Good point, our best 2 managers in recent time left because of nothing football related. The venables departure was probably the third to add to that.

[pnagames]

but he never had much support from the FA.

SGE's record for England was appaling because he adapted to what the previous managers were doing) (and the current one). pick what appears to be the most talented and relly heavily on 3 players

with England if Terry is off or owen is injured it seems the whole world is in a conspiracy.

nobody mentions that Terry is a walking wreck (how many injuries in the last 6 months), owen can barely stand, Lampard just came back from injury, Gerrard plays injured and he hasn't had any good rest for god knows how long.

when england played their game (especially in recent matches except yesterday) they played decent to good football and got points.

two equal teams is what you need as a minimum and if you miss some players from the first 11 then so what... England have so many youngsters that can help but unless they are given the chance then they will stay as another x-u21 player. people saying about not experienced enough. is Richards good example for those moaners? why would not the england manager pick a fit english striker from the u-21 that is on form and playing wel at Club level. instead they pick crouch (not even on the bench for liverpool), defoe (how many full games has played recently), Owen (walking dead). same thing with midfield

inho pick Agbolahor and Noble in the squad. them with the rest of the squad being experienced players would have been excellent. both play regularly and they have been excellent for the u21's and they are injury free.

and i aslo agree with Foster (or even carson)

[george]

Got to disagree with a couple of points. For me, in defensive positions, experience IS king (no pun meant with Ledley), especially the central ones. Pace is essential nowadays and Richards at Manchester City could well be the future, time will tell. Not saying that Lescott shouldn't have played, but players who play in Europe yearly for their clubs will always have that little bit more experience, at reading the game and how to adapt to other formations and individual opponents.

Regarding Gerrard, the lad needs a holiday, I doubt he's been 100% fit since last season, and to play him with a broken toe? Oh dear, and with Terry with a face mask what message does that send out to the rest of the best English players, some of whom are not getting a regular game at club level (Crouch, Defore, Johnson to start with the strikers alone, then SWP etc). Personally I think he (Gerrard) should always be played in the centre, a real warrior of a player, and one of the best all round midfielders in the world. Perhaps Englands only real world class player?

Strangley Robinson seems undroppable, especially when Foster and even Green seem to be the keepers in form from this and last season.

Rooney needs a `hitman` to play around, funnily enough I still think that Ruud (at United) could have been his ideal partner, but maybe he can take over the Scholes role for his country.

Quite ironic that Heskey got injured just lately.

For a managerial comparison, just think about how Sir Alex or Wenger would play/pick the current team. I very much doubt they'd be similar to SM.

[los_design]

OK GUYS

Football is about opinions and here is my way forward for the Engerland...(starter and stand by)

Manager: STEWARD PEARCE

Team (4-4-2):
Goalkeepers: Foster, Carson

Right Back: Richards, (Ifil)


Left Back: Cole A, (God knows)


Centre half: Terry, King, (Ferdinand/Dawson, Taylor)


Right mid: Wright-phillips (Lennon)


Left mid: Derbyshire (Cole J)


Centre mid: Gerrard, Barry (Hargreaves, Huddlestone, Noble)


Strikers: Rooney, Agbonlahor (Walcott, Owen)


Stewards: Robinson, Johnson


Corner flag: Crouch

Tea-maker: Lampard

[leehack]

LMAO, classic.

[los_design]

Alternatively

Manager: Homer Simpson

GK Bagpuss
RB Mr Benn
LB Benny Hill
CH:3 Blind Mice
Mid:Tucker, Bobby D'Avro, Michael Barrymore
Up front : Jordan & Linda Lusardi