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England have played no one of significance but the media will build them up as real contenders..............garbage,no decent keeper,two full backs who are ok going forward but crap at defending (Johnson and Cole),we do not have many world class players other than Shrek and Steven 'miseryguts' Gerrard...............Quarter finalists at best.

I'm happy your eternally optimistic assessments spread beyond City to England!

Biggest worry for England is the lack of real world class finisher. Rooney is hyped but truth is, he isn't in level with likes of Torres when it comes to bagging goals galore.

Goalkeeping, well none of the clowns who have got the chance to stake their claim have been nothing more than below average Premier League keepers, so you should definitely go with James. While he is prone to odd HORRIBLE mistake, when he is on form he is actually quite brilliant keeper. If you get lucky and James has six games with no big lapses of concentration, you could very well have winning keeper in him. Then again, if he has one of his bad spells, he could ruin the whole tournament for you. Still much better than likes of Foster and Green who have no potential to raise to that different level needed for winning the World Cup.

In center of the park you are match for anyone in the world and there are some very handy wingers you got. Cashley is also world class leftback and Bridge great cover. Right back is definitely another problem position for you as in latter stages the bigger countries will tear new arsehole to Johnson.

It's all about form. If you arrive in South Africa with, for instance, Defoe and Crouch in the form of their lives, that can make all the difference.

Crossan, you been on the prozac again.....god you happy clappy old bugger!!

Whilst I agree with your scepticism re the hyperbole surrounding the qualification campaign and also the deficiencies in the playing staff I would actually say that this is the first England team since Italia 90 that actually looks and plays as a team

We've had better players involved in previous campaigns and still gone out with a whimper at the end....I don't expect this to be any different in my sceptical moments

BUT I think this season so far with City's togetherness and spirit has shown what a difference it makes when teams have that character. I think we could do better than most (including me) might think deep down.

World Cup ALWAYS throws out surprises....teams either doing much better or much much worse than expected. We shall see which one England falls into

I agree with this they bang on about wins and stuff but we haven't been against any "real" teams since Cabbage man took over except that friendly with Spain and they destroyed us. Beating teams of plumbers and builders have got people thinking we stand a chance its just terrible. Being a City supporter I think we can see negatives a lot easier than most supporters who only follow the winning side i.e 80% of the rag supporters.

Vhero wrote:I agree with this they bang on about wins and stuff but we haven't been against any "real" teams since Cabbage man took over except that friendly with Spain and they destroyed us. Beating teams of plumbers and builders have got people thinking we stand a chance its just terrible. Being a City supporter I think we can see negatives a lot easier than most supporters who only follow the winning side i.e 80% of the rag supporters.

The Ukraine and Croatia are both good teams. I certainly wouldn't call the teams of "plumbers and builders".

England are shit...they will be built up into winners by the media, fans and pundits alike over the next few months...once again the weight of the nation on their shoulders...only to buckle under the pressure and go out to some equally shit team on penalties

This is always the way...and you know what

I don't care

IanBishopsHaircut wrote:England are shit...they will be built up into winners by the media, fans and pundits alike over the next few months...once again the weight of the nation on their shoulders...only to buckle under the pressure and go out to some equally shit team on penalties

This is always the way...and you know what

I don't care

Would that be the case if England won it and 4/5 players came from our team

Rag_hater wrote:

IanBishopsHaircut wrote:England are shit...they will be built up into winners by the media, fans and pundits alike over the next few months...once again the weight of the nation on their shoulders...only to buckle under the pressure and go out to some equally shit team on penalties

This is always the way...and you know what

I don't care

Would that be the case if England won it and 4/5 players came from our team

Absolutely...never been interested in International football...never will be

I'll leave the England supporting to the Chaz N Daves south of Watford

Niall Quinns Discopants wrote:Biggest worry for England is the lack of real world class finisher. Rooney is hyped but truth is, he isn't in level with likes of Torres when it comes to bagging goals galore.

Goalkeeping, well none of the clowns who have got the chance to stake their claim have been nothing more than below average Premier League keepers, so you should definitely go with James. While he is prone to odd HORRIBLE mistake, when he is on form he is actually quite brilliant keeper. If you get lucky and James has six games with no big lapses of concentration, you could very well have winning keeper in him. Then again, if he has one of his bad spells, he could ruin the whole tournament for you. Still much better than likes of Foster and Green who have no potential to raise to that different level needed for winning the World Cup.

In center of the park you are match for anyone in the world and there are some very handy wingers you got. Cashley is also world class leftback and Bridge great cover. Right back is definitely another problem position for you as in latter stages the bigger countries will tear new arsehole to Johnson.

These are the biggest weaknesses & in spite of Crouch's 2 goals last night, I thought his hold up play was roughly as good as Jo's; in other words hopeless. Catch 22 is, many of the top sides are weak on crosses etc so someone like Crouch COULD actually be a matchwinner for us assuming we kept it tight elsewhere.

A lot of it of course depends on form/fitness but assuming Joe Cole is back to his best by then, I'd be tempted to push Gerrard forward with Rooney & not start with a Crouch or Heskey at all but they say Rooney needs a big player next to him so it's a bit of a quandry. Another worry is how completely ineffective Lampard looks at the moment. Barry outclassed him last night.

All of these details & negatives though are balanced out by one huge plus; this is an England TEAM which has a plan & a manager in control of it. I've not seen anything even close to resembling that seen that since I was a child, just occasional talented drunks & big heads loosely following a general idea of a plan. The last time England had a team it won the World Cup.

mr_nool wrote:

Vhero wrote:I agree with this they bang on about wins and stuff but we haven't been against any "real" teams since Cabbage man took over except that friendly with Spain and they destroyed us. Beating teams of plumbers and builders have got people thinking we stand a chance its just terrible. Being a City supporter I think we can see negatives a lot easier than most supporters who only follow the winning side i.e 80% of the rag supporters.

The Ukraine and Croatia are both good teams. I certainly wouldn't call the teams of "plumbers and builders".

I wouldn't bat an eye-lid at either of those teams to be honest. I'd absolutely LOVE if we got teams of their calibur in our playoff!!

Unfortunately, its gonna be someone like France, Russia or Portugal... now THEY are dangerous teams.

As for the OP - I've been into detail about this reality check, but unfortunately I get called anti-English and the like and its not taken as constructive criticism...

Quarter finals should be your level. Semis would be a very good achievement and if Cappello gets you there he should be kept on without a doubt. I'm actually suprised his style of football hasn't completely grasped a hold of the team yet because you still seem well able to score...

He bored the shite out of Real when he went there. The fans couldn't wait to get rid... however, managers like that make the team hard to beat so that could help you a lot.

Original Dub wrote:

mr_nool wrote:

Vhero wrote:I agree with this they bang on about wins and stuff but we haven't been against any "real" teams since Cabbage man took over except that friendly with Spain and they destroyed us. Beating teams of plumbers and builders have got people thinking we stand a chance its just terrible. Being a City supporter I think we can see negatives a lot easier than most supporters who only follow the winning side i.e 80% of the rag supporters.

The Ukraine and Croatia are both good teams. I certainly wouldn't call the teams of "plumbers and builders".

I wouldn't bat an eye-lid at either of those teams to be honest. I'd absolutely LOVE if we got teams of their calibur in our playoff!!

Unfortunately, its gonna be someone like France, Russia or Portugal... now THEY are dangerous teams.

As for the OP - I've been into detail about this reality check, but unfortunately I get called anti-English and the like and its not taken as constructive criticism...

Quarter finals should be your level. Semis would be a very good achievement and if Cappello gets you there he should be kept on without a doubt. I'm actually suprised his style of football hasn't completely grasped a hold of the team yet because you still seem well able to score...

He bored the shite out of Real when he went there. The fans couldn't wait to get rid... however, managers like that make the team hard to beat so that could help you a lot.

Croatia would stand a good chance of beating any of those teams in the World Cup finals. They've really fucked up badly in a let down of Graeme Taylor's England proportions by not qualifying. They should be there.

Croatia have a 12/13 man team. Take two out and they're fucked. They shot themselves in the foot not winning a game against Ukraine. It doesn't matter that they got battered that badly by England. If Bilic had not gone over his head and with an actual left back in the line up, they would've lost with a goal or two. Same same, but different.

The winner of this WC will have to play a nearly perfect torunament. Can't see this happening with England for obvious reason, nerves. Someone will fuck up as usual. Be it a howler by the keeper (whoever may play in the end), an unnecessary red card or just penalties. I wasn't too impressed with Englands performance against Ukraine either. There will be lots of stronger teams than that at the tournament.
I'd say quarterfinals, semis tops.

England are a decent international side at present, but thats it. A real lack of quality upfront as well as goalkeepers. You could get away with one, but not both. If you lose Rooney before the WC then you should be delighted just to reach the quaters.

You can only beat whats put infront of you but I would say England had a very easy group. Not discounting the Croatia away game which was an impressive result I would have expected England to have only lost one game before the start of the campaign. I'll be surprised if Ukraine make it to the WC. They looked disginctly average and if they did make it they would never make it out of the group.

Of course England can win it, along with about 7 other teams they should go into the WC thinking with a bit of luck we might win this, but I cant see it. Quarter finals is a good showing, Semis is a bonus.

i think some of the over the top negativity in this thread is unwarranted. England have looked as good as anyone in the world in spells this qualifying campaign, and not against complete rubbish either.

i can't wait to see how they play, and who makes the final squad. It's going to make for an interesting spring in the Prem as well as players are working their nuts off to try and make sure they are in form for selection. What could be better?

cheers

For England to reach the semis would be a great achievemnet. That would put them as at least fourth best in the world which isn't half bad when you think of the competition. And when you do get into the semis as underdogs who knows what could happen? I think England may benifit from teams like Italy and France having players that are past their prime.

I don't think the team should be blamed for the intense media coverage, which is really what this thread is trying to have a pop at them about.

Only thing is the whole team read the press, it's happened before where some stupid gobshite from the team starts spouting about what the team is going to do one day before an important match only for the team to put in another turgid performance on the night. If they could just keep their mouths shut and concentrate on football I might be able to tolerate their indifferent form when it inevitably changes.

Original Dub wrote:
I wouldn't bat an eye-lid at either of those teams to be honest. I'd absolutely LOVE if we got teams of their calibur in our playoff!!

Unfortunately, its gonna be someone like France, Russia or Portugal... now THEY are dangerous teams.

France, Russia, Portugal or Greece, as the rankings stand (potentially Ukraine and Portugal could swap in the rankings, but I doubt it). I'd take Greece or France. Both beatable over two legs.

I believe the swing seeding is Ukraine and Greece, not Portugal.

Either way, unless ROI get one of those two I can see them sitting this one out.