England squad for Austria and Croatia

COTR wrote:The three 'real' redbloods to save the day

Crouchinho

Captain Gerrard

and Carson

Well you got 1/3 coater, although thanks to the other 2 it wasn't enough to 'save the day'

I hope this will give McLaren a sack, which he truly deserve. He's absolute shite; he should have started with a more experienced side to see how the game would go, starting with young nervous (if not have tendency to be eager to go forward) in a not-to-lose game is utter shite. He'd have started with Robinson/James and Becks.

Anyway, well done to Croatia who actually came and played when many others wouldn't even try (e.g Germany wanted to be second tonight). England deserved to lose for many reasons (McLaren being absolute $h!t, over rated players, etc.) though the second half was better and second goal was genuine. I feel sorry for Becks; you almost did it again but you alone couldn't make it happen.

Agooner wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:

Owen wrote:
I'd Give Campbell 1

I think that's the sort of thing that should be posted on the "off-topic" section, don't you ?

btw your favourite players( bridge and lescott) have once again shown how overrated they are.

I can't judge Joleon when he's playing alongside that washed up, over the hill cocoa-shunter.

2216: "No I'm not stepping down. I take responsibility and I accept that. It's my job to get us qualified and I failed to do that. I don't want to discuss my future this evening."
England boss Steve McClaren

2214: "The biggest disappointment is for the fans, the country, and everybody supporting us. We felt ready but we failed to do it. It's a huge disappointment for everyone in the dressing room - not least myself - because we're not going to the Euros."

Christmas Turkey wrote:Gerrard had a pretty good first half, but a complete shite second. He was better than Lampard!

A Pot and a kettle?

S4P wrote:2216: "No I'm not stepping down. I take responsibility and I accept that. It's my job to get us qualified and I failed to do that. I don't want to discuss my future this evening."
England boss Steve McClaren

2214: "The biggest disappointment is for the fans, the country, and everybody supporting us. We felt ready but we failed to do it. It's a huge disappointment for everyone in the dressing room - not least myself - because we're not going to the Euros."

Is he an MP? Off you f@ck!

lol i am not stepping down

what a c**t

Pierre Littbarski wrote:

Agooner wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:

Owen wrote:
I'd Give Campbell 1

I think that's the sort of thing that should be posted on the "off-topic" section, don't you ?

btw your favourite players( bridge and lescott) have once again shown how overrated they are.

I can't judge Joleon when he's playing alongside that washed up, over the hill cocoa-shunter.

One reason i have never been a fan of campbell is he hoofs the ball any time het gets it. He's strong in the air and has a lot of pace and strength - a WC defender in his prime. But never my cup of tea.

I see u have started making up excuses for lescott, u can't make any for bridge though, he's just a poor defender as i have told u before. He should have become a midfielder given his ability on the ball.

combovers should not manage football teams. nor should potatoes. you'd think this would be obvious to folks in charge but alas no.

but hey ho...the rebuilding starts here

Agooner wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:

Agooner wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:

Owen wrote:
I'd Give Campbell 1

I think that's the sort of thing that should be posted on the "off-topic" section, don't you ?

btw your favourite players( bridge and lescott) have once again shown how overrated they are.

I can't judge Joleon when he's playing alongside that washed up, over the hill cocoa-shunter.

One reason i have never been a fan of campbell is he hoofs the ball any time het gets it. He's strong in the air and has a lot of pace and strength - a WC defender in his prime. But never my cup of tea.

I see u have started making up excuses for lescott, u can't make any for bridge though, he's just a poor defender as i have told u before. He should have become a midfielder given his ability on the ball.

He $h!t on Fake Ronaldo in the FA Cup final.

Ash has always been the better defender but I thought that side of his game had dipped recently therefore ideal chance to give Bridge a go.

He was fucking atrocious though.

Cinders wrote:Lampard 6

Jeez oh. McLaren declaring that he won't stand down is pretty arrogant!

It's not up to you now!

McLaren has to realise we are the only seed who didn't qualify. He was the only failure, he has to go and the fucks at the FA who appointed him should go too.

Just listening to some guy on the radio slagging of Bridge. Saying that he's not an interational. Don't quite agree with that, but he was pretty poor tonight.

Cinders wrote:McLaren has to realise we are the only seed who didn't qualify. He was the only failure, he has to go and the fucks at the FA who appointed him should go too.

Yeah, them too! Especially them!

S4P wrote:

COTR wrote:The three 'real' redbloods to save the day

Crouchinho

Captain Gerrard

and Carson

Well you got 1/3 coater, although thanks to the other 2 it wasn't enough to 'save the day'

Another great CotR prediction.

Spankeltoe wrote:

Cinders wrote:Lampard 6

5 for scoring the penalty. That took some guts which very few other players showed tonight.

Calidad wrote:Just listening to some guy on the radio slagging of Bridge. Saying that he's not an interational. Don't quite agree with that, but he was pretty poor tonight.

He looked ponderous tonight. It's not as if he's played much this season. I was concerned when i saw him in the starting lineup.

Cinders wrote:

Spankeltoe wrote:

Cinders wrote:Lampard 6

5 for scoring the penalty. That took some guts which very few other players showed tonight.

I went for 4. Didn't make any drastic errors, seemed to close his opponent down pretty quickly, but not technically good enough and slows the play down too much. 3 + 1 for the pen.

The Bulk wrote:Jeez oh. McLaren declaring that he won't stand down is pretty arrogant!

It's not up to you now!

At least Keegan had the balls to go after the Germany game, and we weren't in anywhere near as much of a crisis as we are now.

Cinders wrote:

Calidad wrote:Just listening to some guy on the radio slagging of Bridge. Saying that he's not an interational. Don't quite agree with that, but he was pretty poor tonight.

He looked ponderous tonight. It's not as if he's played much this season. I was concerned when i saw him in the starting lineup.

Had a bit of a shocker tonight. Though no one played well really, particualrly in defence. All over the place.

Beckam was the only player who did play well really.

That was a fucking disgrace.

Carson - 2 - at fault for the first goal, poor in general throughout the game, the 'world class' save was headed straight at him and hit him in the shoulder. No improvement on Robinson.

Richards - 4 - worst game so far for England. Provided no real attacking threat, wasn't great defensively, played some very poor passes.

Campbell - 4- very average, but put in one good challenge on Eduardo.

Lescott - poor on the ball, worse off it. Can't remember a single time he actually took the ball off a Croatian player.

Bridge - 1 - had a shocker. Terrible crossing, terrible passing, at fault for the second goal by being 4 yards behind the rest of the defenders, has completely ruined the good reputation he had. No better than Cole, and in some respects a lot worse.

Barry - 5 - wasn't dreadful, wasn't particularly good. The only central midfielder we had capable of controlling and passing the ball. Was taken off at halftime in what has to rank as one of the worst McClaren decisions ever.

Gerrard - 2 - woefully inept at both ends of the pitch. Kept giving the ball away, produced no chances at all, didn't seem to give a toss, didn't shoot once.

Lampard - 2 - good penalty, did nothing besides that except balloon it up in the air as per usual. Confirmation that he cannot play well unless someone else does the entire midfield role except the shooting part.

Wright Phillips - 4 - fluffed England's only chance of note in the first half by dawdling on the ball. Spent most of the half running into the defender in an effort to cut inside that never once came off.

Cole - 3 - gave the ball away too much, didn't beat a man all game, was fortunate to send in the ball when the penalty was awarded because otherwise he'd be getting the same as Gerrard and Lampard.

Crouch - 6 - only England player who did anything good in terms of attacking. Numerous flick ons, held the ball up well, passed it accurately and scored a nice goal. The only man on the night who looked like he gave a $h!t if we won or lost.


Subs:

Beckham - 5 - did alright, set up the goal well, added a bit of tempo and urgency but essentially had a mediocre game. Could at least pass the ball, unlike Gerrard and Lampard.

Defoe - 3 - did he do anything?

Bent - 3 - see Defoe.



Seriously, this result and performance should come as no surprise to anyone who has seen England under McClaren, or more generally over the last 6 or 7 years. We deserved to lose, we deserve to be out of the tournament and we should take a long, hard and honest look at why this failure happened.

We won't, of course. Because that would mean the FA losing its second biggest revenue generator.

At least SGE got us into major tournaments, the first time when we looked dead and buried. We need Mourinho, nobody would dare bottle a game like some of those players did tonight with him waiting for them in the dressing room.

I just saw an interview with McClaren where he lied outright. The interviewer asked him whether it was his decision to ask Defoe to drop back into the hole when England got their second, and his response was 'No', before he mumbled on about how England were struggling to defend with a 4-4-2, implying that some change did need to be made. He managed to both lie - to say it wasnt his decision then to imply it was, and that it was a decision which needed to be made - whilst also avoiding the question. He repeated that he was most sorry for the fans, that, personally speaking, it was the disappointment the nation was sure to feel that most aggrieved him, looked suitably downbeat and spoke in hushed tones, but he still managed to look a little insincere. And when asked about his future he made out as though it was quite impossible for him to even contemplate or recognise the existence of a future at this point - that is, that he might as well stay on at the job, and he couldnt tell you if anything would happen to remove him from it, because his mind was all awhirl at the moment.

I thought only Crouch, Richards and the subs came out of the game looking half decent. The rest were poor to appalling, and Croatia created all the chances to score. They looked very good in midfield and they have a decent selection of forwards, and they could do well next year. Ultimately Im glad Russia are going through too - I dont think theyre particularly better than England, they have limitations too and have a squad with less potential perhaps, but they have some better players and can actually pass the ball properly. Their finishing often seems to let them down. England need a complete overhaul, particularly in the midfield.

Yea forgot about Crouchy. Had a good game too.

I didn't watch the England game. What happened? I commented earlier that I thought starting Carson was a big mistake let alone playing Barry as DM WITH Gerrard and Lampard in central midfield.

Agree with Saints.

Carson, Gerrard, Lescott, Bridge, Lampard and SWP should not get more than 4's.

I still can't understand why lots of people seem to think SWP is good enough to start for Engalnd. He's a 15mins sub at best.

Capello to England...done deal...you heard it HERE first

We won't, of course. Because that would mean the FA losing its second biggest revenue generator.

What do you mean by that?