WC2010 Group C - England, USA, Algeria, Slovenia

crouching tiger wrote:You're such a massive c**t Saints. I'd be very suprised if you had any friends.

The first thing you've said to me in over a year is a (highly unoriginal) insult because I'm not jumping on the England bandwagon?

People in this country are so fucking thick its unreal. They'd rather get all excited about a shit team doing the bare minimum than admit the team is shit.

With fans like you, who needs foreigners to fuck up our national game?

God knows what people are on saying we were shit yesterday. Obviiously we wren't amazing but I thought we were decent enough and got the job done. Created a lot of chances an we should perhaps have killed the game off by half time. We started the 2nd half well but then started to get a bit nervy and the last 30 minutes were painful viewing.

I don't really know who from Slovenia and Algeria were apparently more deserving of qualification than us

Anyway, bring on Germany. I'm feeling strangely confident. Not entirely sure why to be fair, but I think Germany are due a bad game. If we can raise our game another notch on Sunday - get a better tempo to our play and look a bit more self assured in defence, then I think we have a very good chance of progressing. We've seen that Germany will allow the opportunity to have chances - so we need to be clinical. For that reason I wouldn't start Heskey. I don't think he'd add anything - its not as though his style of play would particularly fluster Mertesacker.

Tweedle: Defoe. Discuss.

Well he should have scored the other one as well - and aside from that goal, and the missed chance, did he actually do anything? ANYTHING?

I don't know. I still think he's a bit of a flat track bully and Im not sure if I'd start him against Germany.

Germany will dominate possession in midfield if we play the same formation on Sunday as it will be 3 vs 2. Didn't think Joe Cole was particularly impressive last night. I wouldn't like Milner to be shifted back into midfield either because I think he was our best player last night.

I would also hate it of Carrick was started

I don't know what I'd do Debbie, but we need to try and win the midfield battle IMO.

Mmm. It is a tough call, re: striker.

They might be missing Piggy though, and he's the heart of their midfield.

Poldi vs G.Johnson is where I'm a little worried. Think A.Cole should deal with Muller okay, but Johnson is a bit of a worry against someone who'll run at him and cut inside. Will need Milner to back him up..

Might be tempted to put Lennon on the left, to occupy Lahm. If we have Gerrard/Rooney there cutting inside all the time, he'll get a lot of chance to go forward.

ie.
---------Barry-Lampard
Milner----Gerrard-----Lennon
--------------Rooney----------

Especially as Poldi almost plays as a wide left striker.

What it does do though is make their left hand side vulnerable to attacks as we saw last night with Ghana.

I'm sure Capello has obviously considered all of this. I think Milner will certainly get the nod again on the right though because of his defensive capabilities.

Lennon on the left would be a disaster.

You said Defoe would be useless. I said he can score goals. Who was right there, me wonders

would be better if we had natural left-footer, but you can hopefully see my logic there about Lahm. He is good at getting forward, and if he's able to support Muller they can double up on Cole.

If you get Lennon to stick wide, he may not be in his best position, but his pace will mean Lahm has to be wary about getting forward too much.

The fact that Capello has generally used SWP on the left though probably shows that Capello doesn't think that Lennon can do a job out there.

I certainly concur that Lahm is going to be a danger for us, if we allow him to play high up the pitch.

Its difficult to know what to do really. Do we try and play to our strengths or do we set up to try and annull Germany's strengths.

Its what Capello is paid for I guess.

I thought we were better. But ejaculating about beating Slovenia 1-0 was a bit surprising. I mean we should be beating teams like that by 2 or 3 minimum. Considering 2-0 meant an easy route to the semis it was surprising they wasted time at the end. Should have definitely tried to expose them in the last 5. But it's not to bad i wasnt impressed by Germany.

Its better that we've come 2nd.

Every game from now to the final would be a classic.

We rarely go out to shite. I am sure we would beat Ghana and Uruguay/Korea. So first semi final in 20 years is not to be sniffed at. But it could turn out better who knows.

debaser wrote:You said Defoe would be useless. I said he can score goals. Who was right there, me wonders

He was useless and he scored so you both were.

Scoring the only goal is not useless. It was his movement that got the goal, and that's what he brought to the team which Heskey/Crouch would not

Yeh, but aside from that goal he didn't really do much for the team. That's fina against Slovenia but against better teams you really need all 11 players to offer something a bit more than that, don't you think?

debaser wrote:Scoring the only goal is not useless. It was his movement that got the goal, and that's what he brought to the team which Heskey/Crouch would not

...the movement for that goal is overrated - its woeful play from the back 4 (the keeper deserves to play behind better) to let a player that small and weak just run goal side of you, any good defender holds him off.

You can beat a player who plays in Belgium or one who has just been relegated to Ligue 2 with that but something so basic would not work against Krauts, Holland, Italy, Argies etc.

Same old problem for Defoe - too small and weak to play right up top, not skillful/creative enough to play just off a striker.