England -v- Algeria

[Gemmill 34533]

Can't remember if I've already said this (apologies if I have) but it was a bit like the Villa game when we went down in that during the last half hour I just knew we weren't going to score.

 

I honestly thought it was gonna be like a classic England friendly - play shit, knock a couple in from the 70th minute on, and all the dross would be semi-forgotten. Sadly not. And as annoying as it would be from the point of view of maintaining a genuine interest in the tournament, if we go out on Wednesday cos we couldn't win a match in this group then you have to say it's tough shit and we fully deserve to be on the plane home.

[Gemmill 34533]

In the interests of cheering people up, here's a Paraguayan fan with epic knockers:

 

 

 

 

 

As it turns out, she's a "plant" of sorts, as she's a relatively famous model in that part of the world. But as plants go....

[Sima 0]

When you watch England play a supposedly "minor" team like Algeria, there still seems to be a massive deficiency in technical ability on England's part.

 

By that I mean the way the players behave with the ball at their feet, the short passes, the little touches to create space and the movement.

 

England seem obsessed with getting the ball up the pitch as fast as possible, whereas other sides bide their time, take a few extra touches and passes in midfield and build play that way. Watch it on Wednesday, most teams that England play look far more assured when in possession of the ball and don't give it away as easily as England do.

[Guest The Three Lions]

In the interests of cheering people up, here's a Paraguayan fan with epic knockers:

 

 

As it turns out, she's a "plant" of sorts, as she's a relatively famous model in that part of the world. But as plants go....

Oh my god the one on the right is like a pornstar, you see pics of England lasses over there and they look like they work in a factory in Stalybridge.

[spongebob toonpants 3604]

Some really good points in this article

World Cup 2010: if Fabio Capello can't coach England to glory could anyone?

 

Is there a point when you have to stop blaming the manager and start asking if there is anyone out there capable of coaxing this generation of players into succeeding at a major tournament?

As the tide predictably begins to turn against Fabio Capello, you have to wonder, if he can't, then who can? Just to recap on the calibre of Capello.

 

He did not lose in his first 58 games as manager of AC Milan and he has won nine league titles in 16 seasons, with AC Milan, Real Madrid, Roma and Juventus. He has won the Champions League and coached to success some of the greatest players ever to have kicked a ball. But with England, even he is stumped.

Capello is faced with an infuriating problem that even a man of his experience and standing seems unable to solve. It's a puzzle with a missing piece, a colour-blind Rubik's cube, a sabotaged crossword.

When asked in his post-press conference briefing what he could do to change things in the three days before the next game he said: "This is a good question, because I speak a lot with the players, we train and everything is perfect, but when we play the games, the players are not the same.

"I think the fear of the World Cup is in the minds of the players. It's incredible. The performance on one side is good [in training] but on the other one they are not the same players."

How do you expect to institute change if the players cannot or will not listen to what you want them to do? Surely nobody out there thinks that what England did against Algeria was what Capello wanted? How do you stop this fear of the World Cup apart from by going out of it?

Capello's post-match despair in the bowels of the Green Point stadium was that of a man who had been beaten. He has received everything that he has asked of the Football Association to ensure that the team received the best possible preparation. There can be no blame thrown in that direction. No, it comes down either to Capello's incompetence or that of his players. Guess who's got the track record?

In the positions that require spatial awareness and tactical intelligence – holding midfield and playmaker – there is not an Englishman to be found (Owen Hargreaves is an honourable exception, only he was coached in German football). That means if things aren't going right for them on the pitch, they struggle to understand why. Combine that with what John Terry candidly admitted was a "lack of fight and desire" and you are left with very little indeed.

What has particularly angered the England management team has been the change in attitude when things have got difficult. At the beginning of his time in charge Capello met with his players and told them that if they wanted to work for him they would be expected to make sacrifices and that if they were not prepared to do that they might as well not bother.

Having failed even to qualify for Euro 2008 – and while Steve McClaren was weak, his success at FC Twente suggests he is certainly not a bad coach – the players made it clear they were willing to work his way. Until it got tough.

Now, at an austere training camp, his methods are suddenly becoming a problem. Fragile egos are not being caressed and these players are not used to being forced to understand the weaknesses in their game. They cannot handle the pressure.

The nearest excuse is being grasped, such as that of team selection. Throughout qualifying Capello named his team on the day of the game but with the team winning it was not a problem. Now that a goalkeeper has made a mistake, it has become an issue.

Speaking after the game, David James implied that he was uncomfortable with the system and also suggested there was not a great deal of harmony in the squad. Asked when he knew he was playing he said: "I found out five minutes before we got on the bus. Usual standard. We train hard now for a few days and wait for the selection again five minutes before we leave again on Wednesday." Asked whether he was close to the other goalkeepers, James said: "I'm not close to anyone."

Changing the mindset of established professionals is not going to happen in a few days but what Capello can do is shake up the team. A new system is planned and a new system is certainly needed. He has tried building them into a team capable of beating the best. It did not work. Time to revert to basics.

Of the front six only Aaron Lennon is playing in the position he does for his club side. Gareth Barry and Frank Lampard are both used to playing in more attacking roles, Steven Gerrard plays through the middle not on the left, Wayne Rooney played as a lone striker all season while Emile Heskey did not really play at all.

The logic of having Heskey in the team is that he gets the best out of Rooney. He isn't, so he has to go. Gerrard must come into the centre, behind Rooney, but curb the playground approach of trying to win the game with every touch. Playing up top might also stop Rooney from trying too hard. It might also be worth telling Lennon he's dropped unless he takes the full-back on for pace at least once. Otherwise he's just a small man who can't pass.

In place of Heskey then, should come Joe Cole. You can understand Capello's reservations about Cole and the way he slows the game down but that is only when the team are playing like he wants them to. They are not and Cole proved four years ago that he can play and perform at the World Cup. He does not play with fear.

Defensively, for all his barely concealed carping, James should keep his place in goal, after a solid performance against Algeria (kicking aside). Matthew Upson should be trusted in place of the suspended Jamie Carragher.

He may not have had a good season with West Ham but he repeatedly proved himself an able deputy to either Terry or Rio Ferdinand during the qualifiers.

To be in the position where beating Slovenia guarantees a place in the second round is hardly disastrous. What will be is if, even in victory, England play with such laboured ugliness. So much for fear of the World Cup, some should be afraid that this might well be their last game for their country.

Whether the next generation has the humility to learn is another matter.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/...uld-anyone.html

[Gemmill 34533]

It might also be worth telling Lennon he's dropped unless he takes the full-back on for pace at least once. Otherwise he's just a small man who can't pass.

 

Canny article. Redknapp probably the obvious choice if Capello does fuck off, but all we'll get there is the blood and thunder back. We'd still get found out by the top teams and get nowhere in WCs and ECs.

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

It might also be worth telling Lennon he's dropped unless he takes the full-back on for pace at least once. Otherwise he's just a small man who can't pass.

Bang on.

[tinofbeans 86]

In the interests of cheering people up, here's a Paraguayan fan with epic knockers:

 

 

 

 

 

As it turns out, she's a "plant" of sorts, as she's a relatively famous model in that part of the world. But as plants go....

 

Fantastic. Fuck England and their overpaid c***s. this is what the world cups all about.

[Bi-Polar Bear 0]

In the interests of cheering people up, here's a Paraguayan fan with epic knockers:

 

 

 

 

 

As it turns out, she's a "plant" of sorts, as she's a relatively famous model in that part of the world. But as plants go....

 

Fantastic. Fuck England and their overpaid c***s. this is what the world cups all about.

 

Has anyone got her mobile number????

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Terry doing a press conference on SSN now.

[manc-mag 1]

In the interests of cheering people up, here's a Paraguayan fan with epic knockers:

 

 

 

 

 

As it turns out, she's a "plant" of sorts, as she's a relatively famous model in that part of the world. But as plants go....

 

Fantastic. Fuck England and their overpaid c***s. this is what the world cups all about.

 

Has anyone got her mobile number????

 

Dunno but I hope she's got it on vibrate.

[Monkeys Fist 38786]

Terry doing a press conference on SSN now.

Only caught the last minute or so.

Anything interesting?

[LeazesMag 0]

As shit as Walcott has been, at least he isn't the exact same player as Lennon. SWP was a lucky boy to get into the squad.

 

I said on the day the squad was announced that taking Wright-Phillips instead of Johnson was a fuck-up of epic proportions.

 

I said before the tournament started that England would give the ball away too much as usual and Heskey was a big lumbering piece of shite

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Terry doing a press conference on SSN now.

Only caught the last minute or so.

Anything interesting?

Everyone trying but frustrated, team meeting tonight to clear the air. Joked some might be getting sent home Anelka-stylee.

 

Lots of bigging up of Joe Cole

[LeazesMag 0]

Terry doing a press conference on SSN now.

Only caught the last minute or so.

Anything interesting?

Everyone trying but frustrated, team meeting tonight to clear the air. Joked some might be getting sent home Anelka-stylee.

 

Lots of bigging up of Joe Cole

 

 

he is the obvious candidate to play left, always has been, as he plays this position with his Chelsea team mate and namesake every week.

 

The only way to accomodate Lampard and Gerrard is to move one of them. He must do it, or drop one of them. When I saw Carrick warming up I thought he was going to take Heskey off and push Gerrard up. He should do this. Lampard too may - may - be more like he is as a club player with Carrick or Barry behind him and get a few shots on goal.

 

Lennon - Carrick or Barry - J Cole

 

Lampard

 

Gerrard Rooney

 

If Rooney doesn't perform again then sub him for Defoe or Crouch. England have 90 minutes or they will be out. No time for messing around now.

[ewerk 26413]

As much as I know John Terry is a complete twat, he would've been the best candidate for captain (if it wasn't for the Bridge ex shagging thing).

[Bi-Polar Bear 0]

In the interests of cheering people up, here's a Paraguayan fan with epic knockers:

 

 

 

 

 

As it turns out, she's a "plant" of sorts, as she's a relatively famous model in that part of the world. But as plants go....

 

Fantastic. Fuck England and their overpaid c***s. this is what the world cups all about.

 

Has anyone got her mobile number????

 

Dunno but I hope she's got it on vibrate.

 

Please let her have it on vibrate.

[Monkeys Fist 38786]

In the interests of cheering people up, here's a Paraguayan fan with epic knockers:

 

 

 

 

 

As it turns out, she's a "plant" of sorts, as she's a relatively famous model in that part of the world. But as plants go....

Breastacular.

[Bi-Polar Bear 0]

Come on Paraguay!

[Monkeys Fist 38786]

Come on Paraguay!

I just have.

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Terry doing a press conference on SSN now.

Only caught the last minute or so.

Anything interesting?

Everyone trying but frustrated, team meeting tonight to clear the air. Joked some might be getting sent home Anelka-stylee.

 

Lots of bigging up of Joe Cole

 

 

he is the obvious candidate to play left, always has been, as he plays this position with his Chelsea team mate and namesake every week.

 

The only way to accomodate Lampard and Gerrard is to move one of them. He must do it, or drop one of them. When I saw Carrick warming up I thought he was going to take Heskey off and push Gerrard up. He should do this. Lampard too may - may - be more like he is as a club player with Carrick or Barry behind him and get a few shots on goal.

 

Lennon - Carrick or Barry - J Cole

 

Lampard

 

Gerrard Rooney

 

If Rooney doesn't perform again then sub him for Defoe or Crouch. England have 90 minutes or they will be out. No time for messing around now.

I'd go:

 

----Lampard - Barry

 

Milner - Gerrard - J.Cole

 

----------Rooney

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

As much as I know John Terry is a complete twat, he would've been the best candidate for captain (if it wasn't for the Bridge ex shagging thing).

I know he's a sex-pest, but he did come across very well. He's so much more of a natural leader than Stevie 'errrm' Gee.

[Monkeys Fist 38786]

Terry doing a press conference on SSN now.

Only caught the last minute or so.

Anything interesting?

Everyone trying but frustrated, team meeting tonight to clear the air. Joked some might be getting sent home Anelka-stylee.

 

Lots of bigging up of Joe Cole

 

 

he is the obvious candidate to play left, always has been, as he plays this position with his Chelsea team mate and namesake every week.

 

The only way to accomodate Lampard and Gerrard is to move one of them. He must do it, or drop one of them. When I saw Carrick warming up I thought he was going to take Heskey off and push Gerrard up. He should do this. Lampard too may - may - be more like he is as a club player with Carrick or Barry behind him and get a few shots on goal.

 

Lennon - Carrick or Barry - J Cole

 

Lampard

 

Gerrard Rooney

 

If Rooney doesn't perform again then sub him for Defoe or Crouch. England have 90 minutes or they will be out. No time for messing around now.

I'd go:

 

----Lampard - Barry

 

Milner - Gerrard - J.Cole

 

----------Rooney

FA- give this man a job.

 

I'd like to see that on Wednesday, don't think we will tho.

[Bi-Polar Bear 0]

Come on Paraguay!

I just have.

 

Just had a mental picture of a smoking monkey furiously pleasuring himself. Too much for this time of the morning, I'm going to watch the game.

[Besty 4]