The England thread

[IAceI]

Gareth Barry has two goals for England?

No. Three.

[Liam]

I'm sorry, and no offense to the fella, but friendly or not Bobby Zamora should never be starting England games. Sturridge is on the bench, and Andy Carroll even off form is far better. He's not even playing that well in the league.

Whilst for the long term, I'd understand Sturridge, but Zamora is playing better than Carroll (who should still probably get the long term look-in, no doubt)....an off form Andy Carroll is a passenger, and hasn't played well enought to get a chance, realistically.

When the ball hits your head and you're sat in row Z, that's Zamora!

I hate that guy. Sorry, Liam.

It must have been the goals he scored for fun against Orient back in the day, ay?

Naturally happy for Zamora to get a look in, and would love him to score. Outside of the injury last year, he was one of the better English strikers form wise, and whilst not at the same level, has been playing well for Fulham this season also. For this kinda formation, he kinda makes sense, holding the ball up and supplying the men on the wing. Could probably do with a second man to run off of him though.

[Walker]

Gareth Barry!

England's 2000th goal, apparently.

[MJB]

Actually it might still be two, looked like an own goal on the replay.

[Thrilla]

That was definitely an own goal.

[MDK]

Gary Barry!

[IAceI]

Phew, everyone can calm down. Downing setting up Barry would surely put most English people into cardiac arrest?

[MDK]

I'm sorry, and no offense to the fella, but friendly or not Bobby Zamora should never be starting England games. Sturridge is on the bench, and Andy Carroll even off form is far better. He's not even playing that well in the league.

Whilst for the long term, I'd understand Sturridge, but Zamora is playing better than Carroll (who should still probably get the long term look-in, no doubt)....an off form Andy Carroll is a passenger, and hasn't played well enought to get a chance, realistically.

When the ball hits your head and you're sat in row Z, that's Zamora!

I hate that guy. Sorry, Liam.

It must have been the goals he scored for fun against Orient back in the day, ay?

Naturally happy for Zamora to get a look in, and would love him to score. Outside of the injury last year, he was one of the better English strikers form wise, and whilst not at the same level, has been playing well for Fulham this season also. For this kinda formation, he kinda makes sense, holding the ball up and supplying the men on the wing. Could probably do with a second man to run off of him though.

Maybe

[Liam]

I went and saw Leyton Orient back in the day, against Brighton. 2-0 Brighton, 2 Zamora goals. Fun times.

[Jimmy]

I'll insult Downing more often if he keeps putting in crosses like the one that lead to the goal and the one to Rodwell.

Walcott's been very threatening, Walker's been excellent going forward. Jones' run was brilliant and he should've finished it and Rodwell should've had one too.

I think there's something there in an England team that isn't filled with stars. We saw signs of it on saturday and there's some reinforcement here. We're going to have a lot of competition for places in the summer which is brilliant.

[IAceI]

I'll insult Downing more often if he keeps putting in crosses like the one that lead to the goal and the one to Rodwell.

Walcott's been very threatening, Walker's been excellent going forward. Jones' run was brilliant and he should've finished it and Rodwell should've had one too.

I think there's something there in an England team that isn't filled with stars. We saw signs of it on saturday and there's some reinforcement here. We're going to have a lot of competition for places in the summer which is brilliant.

http://www.thefootballramble.com/blog/entry/england-need-to-cure-their-talisman-syndrome

Pretty much sums up that last couple of sentences for you I think, and I agree wholeheartedly.

I'm glad the negatives being discussed are Rodwell and Jones' misses, because while pretty poor misses, we at least got into those positions and created the chances. Downing's play in-play far, far, far outstrips his set-piece delivery. Also I find that while Walcott and Walker may no possess the greatest deliveries, they're getting enough chances and attempts that sooner or later one of them is going to result in a decent enough cross. Plus Walcott brings that tricky dimension and draws the fouls.

At the minute I think my preferred defence would be Walker - Jagielka - Lescott - Cole. However I'm still partly expecting Johnson - Terry - Ferdinand - Cole with Ledley King on bench, to be honest. But yeah, it's nice that the match isn't revolving around what Rooney is, or isn't doing, which ties into that 'talisman syndrome' piece. We aren't looking to one player to solve our problems when things aren't going to plan, and we're being patient in our build up.

[Thrilla]

Holy shit, Scott Carson!

[MJB]

Our 'keeping options are so bad, we can't even give Hart a night off to give someone else a chance. If he gets injured close to any competitive game . . .

I didn't mean Scott Carson

[Walker]

Which other keepers are options at this point? Green, Kirkland, Robinson, Turnbull, Fielding? It isn't a very impressive roster however you cut it.

[IAceI]

Getting annoyingly sloppy now in typical fashion. Players not fully concentrating and allowing Sweden back into the game, it's only 1-0 and that possession play and intricate pass and move we had earlier in the game has gone and at times we're struggling to get the ball back, and when we do get it we're just giving it straight back to them too.

[Liam]

Which other keepers are options at this point? Green, Kirkland, Robinson, Turnbull, Fielding? It isn't a very impressive roster however you cut it.

You're forgetting Stockdale, who is clearly the best of the lot!

[Lineker]

Robinson reitred. After those Scott Loach would be next in line.

Zamora couldn't score, he's gone off.

[IAceI]

Good shift from Zamora I reckon, did what he had to do but will be disappointed he didn't at least hit the target with that early chance. Bent on, we all know what he can do but the midfielders will having to push into new areas now because where Zamora was dropping back and laying the ball out wide to Baines and Walker, Bent won't be in those areas so perhaps Milner will have to push into a more advanced area to cover that space in the middle of Bent, Sturridge, Downing and Barry/Jones.

[therockbox]

Costa Rica 2-0 up against Spain

[Lineker]

England have climbed to fifth in the Fifa world rankings on the back of victories over Spain and Sweden.

Fabio Capello's side recorded two 1-0 friendly wins in the space of four days at Wembley earlier this month.

Those results lifted them two places in the Fifa standings, although they are some way adrift of Uruguay in fourth.

World and European champions Spain remain top, ahead of the Netherlands and Germany.

Brazil, Portugal, Croatia, Italy and Argentina complete the top 10.

Frank Lampard scored England's goal against Spain to give them their first win over reigning world champions since they beat Argentina at Wembley in 1980.

Victory over Sweden - their first for 43 years - was secured when Daniel Majstorovic headed into his own net, taking England to 2,000 goals in the process.

Republic of Ireland rose four spots to 21st and Scotland climbed two to 49th, overtaking Wales, who slipped to 50th despite beating Norway 4-1 this month.

Northern Ireland, who remain without a manager following Nigel Worthington's resignation in October, fell five places to 89th.

England will not have to play any qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup in June 2013, giving them more time off at the end of the domestic season.

They will begin their Group H schedule in Moldova on 7 September, 2012 and face minnows San Marino twice in the first five games.

Their campaign finishes with a home game against Poland on 15 October.

"We managed to agree fixtures similar to those we set out to," said Club England head Adrian Bevington.

The fixture list was agreed in Warsaw on Wednesday at a meeting attended by a four-strong Football Association delegation, led by Bevington, managing director of Club England.

"We are very pleased to have reached an agreement so quickly today," he added.

"It was important for us to avoid dates in June. There was good co-operation in the room and Poland organised the event extremely well."

The toughest tests for Fabio Capello's successor as coach will come in the form of away games in Poland in October 2012 and Ukraine in September 2013.

England are likely to have one friendly between Euro 2012 and the start of their World Cup programme in Chisinau, although opponents for that game next August are still to be agreed.

ENGLAND'S WORLD CUP 2014 QUALIFIERS

2012

7 September: Moldova (away)

11 September: Ukraine (home)

12 October: San Marino (home)

16 October: Poland (away)

2013

22 March: San Marino (away)

26 March: Montenegro (away)

6 September: Moldova (home)

10 September: Ukraine (away)

11 October: Montenegro (home)

15 October: Poland (home)