The England thread

[Starvinho]

U21s lost 1-0 against Italy, just seen the higlights on SSN. Rodwell went off injured early on, Scott Sinclair fluffed England's best chance and Macheda scored the winner late on for Italy from the penalty spot.

[stokeriño]

A loss to an 88th minute penalty is about as good as a 0-0 draw to me.

I didn't get to see the stream as I was at work, but the BBC report has some very good words on Josh McEachran, who was only promoted to the U21s from the U19s after a tonne of injuries and ended up in the starting line-up.

[Starvinho]

Hart, Johnson, Terry, Dawson, Cole, Walcott, Wilshere, Lampard, Milner, Bent and Rooney.

Prediction? I'm gonna say a boring 1-1 draw. Hoping Bent rises to the occasion though and bags a couple, and Wilshere has a good game too.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

It's only a friendly, but it'd still be bloody nice to see us put in a top class performance. Just praying it's not a boring game and we go out there to play some attacking football. I'll go with 2-0 England.

[therockbox]

Wilshire and Lampard in central midfield is going to lead to exactly the same problems we had with Gerrard and Lampard.

Not learning (Y)

[DavidMarrio]

AGGER!!!!!!

If only he started scoring more headers for us

Edit: Responded straight away, good move and Walcott crying blood like a vampire out of True Blood

Edited February 9, 2011 by davidmarrio

[Pesci]

Holy fuck, it was Denmark who scored? I was taking a shit and I could've sworn I heard them scream Rooney's name and say it was 1-0. Came back in just in time to see the Bent goal though.

Yeah, playing Lampard and Wiltshere in midfield is fucking stupid. Being an England fan is so bad.

[Lineker]

Good match so far. I reckon there's more goals in this one yet.

Scott Parker has a Dexter-esque look going on tonight.

[Starvinho]

Has been a good game for a friendly. Enjoyed some of are football in the second half, it's a shame half these players won't get a sniff in when the Wales game comes round. Could you imagine Capello leaving Rooney out in favour of a Bent/Young frontline? Nah me either.

[Jimmy]

Yeah, good to see Bent bag a goal - but it would've been nice to see us press more. Other than creating the second goal, I thought Johnson was really off the pace. Scott Parker looked pretty good out there, though. His performance definitely did him some favours. Pairing up a combinition of Barry or Parker with Lampard/Gerrard or Witlshire could be good for England in their next friendly.

[The Pub Landlord]

Gerrard and Parker should be playing together in midfield for England but Capello won't drop Lampard or Barry and since Wilshire plays for a 'big club' the media big him up.

[stokeriño]

Prior to the match, I recall one of the ITV commentators said something like "the fact that Wilshire, at only 19 years of age, is playing regularly at a team like Arsenal, tells you a lot about the quality of the lad..."

I would have said it tells you more about Arsenal, but then everyone knew that already.

[Colly]

To be fair, he was looking like the best player on the pitch Saturday gone, and certainly the only Arsenal player who actually gave a toss second half. I'm vastly happier to be looking towards the next lot of tournaments than buttering the egos of Lamps and Stevie G until they're both mid 30. Wilshere and Barton FTW!

[Starvinho]

Wilshere did look good last night, even if Capello was playing him wrong. I'd rather see him playing alongside Gerrard with a holding midfielder behind them. But to be fair I did like the look of England last night with Barry and Parker in the center of the park with quick wingers and full-backs supporting Bent and Young.

[Summers]

Villa 2 - 1 Denmark. Get in.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Parker looked bloody brilliant and I thought showed up our entire midfield to be quite frank. It's a shame we'll never have the guts to play him ahead of Lampard or Barry in the big games though.

Good result really, looking forward to the Wales game.

[Pesci]

I'd be trying out Gerrard and Parker as the two definites in a three-man CM with Huddlestone or Wilshere alongside them. It can't hurt. It's not like our midfield has been good, like ever.

[Starvinho]

So John Terry has been reinstated as the permanent captain of England. Doesn't really bother me to be honest, Terry is a good player and a good leader so what more can we want? I do expect Rio to retire from international football sooner rather than later though, not because of the decision but because he finds it hard enough to be fit for his club these days never mind his country, so it would seem logical to hang up his international boots to prolong his club career.

[Adam]

I don't think Terry should've been stripped of the captaincy in the first place but the way Capello has handled this is appalling, and I'd not be surprised if Ferdinand didn't want to play for Capello ever again.

[Lineker]

You think Capello is a fuckup? We get Southgate next.

Also my new boss at the BBC looks like Stuart Pearce.