England to be eliminated at group stage in World Cup!

[grytters]

http://ultra-zone.net/2014-FIFA-World-C ... tage-Draws

I got them in "Group H" with Germany, Chile, and Honduras…

[al_quaker]

Switzerland, Costa Rica and Ghana. Probably about as easy as we can get!

The actual draw must be reasonably soon?

[AndyPark]

In early December I think.

[tezza]

6th December I think. Waste of air fares.

FA Better of giving us the cash

[AndyPark]

I got France, Argentina and Honduras.

[lo36789]

I got Argentina, Honduras and Algeria.

Honduras is remarkably regular!

[joejaques]

6th December I think. Waste of air fares.

FA Better of giving us the cash

What mind altering substances had you consumed to come up with that? There's more chance of them contibuting the money to the German FA.

[Spyman]

6th December I think. Waste of air fares.

FA Better of giving us the cash

They could always catch the flight and be held at customs.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

[cameron-darlo]

I got group F with Uruguay, Japan & Algeria.

[Spyman]

So how are we all actually feeling about England?

Despite the usual media onslaught, and although it wasn't a full strength Germany team, we dominated the first 35 minutes and I certainly didn't see Germany creating bags and bags of chances despite all this talk of Hart having a stormer and England struggling to cope with the German passing and movement.

I thought it was a pretty even game, we did struggle to make it count in the final third, but I saw enough from the likes of Townsend, Walker, Smalling to give me some hope that we're improving and beginning to have some balance through the side.

I also thought Cleverley was given a bum deal by the press - some of his vision and passing is fantastic if he can just do the simple things a little better.

So overall, I'm not hopeful we'll do any better than 2nd round, and may not even get that far if the draw isn't kind to us - we're currently not a match for the best teams when they are at the races, but we can be a match for them when they have an off day or are missing a couple of key players.

[lo36789]

So how are we all actually feeling about England?

We will either have a tough draw in the Groups and won't be expected to get out of that. In which case I hope we go and attack and give some entertainment value.

Alternatively we could be given a kind Group and will be expected to get out of it. In which case I hope we go and attack and give some entertainment value and don't pull off something similar to our performance against Algeria at the last World Cup.

If we play Andros Townsend, Daniel Sturridge, Rooney & Welbeck and give them the ball to do their thing, I will have complete sympathy even if our defence doesn't hold out.

If James Milner plays over one of those I will be less impressed.

[Spyman]

So how are we all actually feeling about England?

We will either have a tough draw in the Groups and won't be expected to get out of that. In which case I hope we go and attack and give some entertainment value.

Alternatively we could be given a kind Group and will be expected to get out of it. In which case I hope we go and attack and give some entertainment value and don't pull off something similar to our performance against Algeria at the last World Cup.

If we play Andros Townsend, Daniel Sturridge, Rooney & Welbeck and give them the ball to do their thing, I will have complete sympathy even if our defence doesn't hold out.

If James Milner plays over one of those I will be less impressed.

I agree - with expectation bound to be low we may as well go out and try and attack teams. The four players you've listed seem to be Hodgson's preferred four (he may have preferred Walcott to Townsend before his injury gave Townsend the chance to impress), and they worked very well against Poland.

All four are technically gifted players who seem to combine well and will get better with game time together. Sturridge needs to get off the mark internationally, but much like domestically, I think once he does we'll see a different player.

I much prefer Walker to Johnson, and would start with Cole behind Wellbeck.

The central defence seems to pick itself really.

The centre of midfield is probably the hardest area to pin down. You would expect Gerrard will start as captain, but then who starts with him? Carrick can move the ball well, but I think Gerrard is being turned in to a similar player for England who will sit deep and move the ball on from defence. Wilshere has the promise but is struggling for form. I think Lampard will go to Brazil as a squad player, and the jury is still out on Cleverley. Oxlade-Chamberlain and Barkley may be competing for a place with Jordan Henderson.

My squad at the moment:

Hart
Forster
Foster

Walker
Johnson
Cole
Baines
Jagielka
Cahill
Smalling
Jones

Townsend
Walcott
Milner
Wellbeck
Gerrard
Lampard
Wilshere
Oxlade-Chamberlain

Sturridge
Rooney
Defoe

[DarloOnTheUp]

I also thought Cleverley was given a bum deal by the press

Happens all the time mate, and it's stoopid.

It was the same with Ramsey (although he is Welsh, but the criticism was from Arsenal fans) last season, and it's also happened with Welbeck, Cleverley, Walcott, Henderson, and others at some point. It seems we can't just let players develop, they have to be amazing and the finished article NOW, otherwise people start jumping on the exaggerated criticism bandwagon.

Why we do this to our young players (for club and country), I have no idea.

[lo36789]

It seems we can't just let players develop, they have to be amazing and the finished article NOW, otherwise people start jumping on the exaggerated criticism bandwagon.

Haha you might wanna ask a few people on the other forum...look up the words "Curtis Edwards", "Curtis Main" & "Michael Smith".

[davidcorks 40yard OG]

Walcott ,Wilshire,Henderson,Milner,Wellbeck & Carrick are all utter shite and should never be anywher near the squad...thankfully Woy got rid of Scott Parker & Crouch only 2 decent things hes ever done,
Lampard should be starting every game as hes still englands best midfielder by a mile even at 35

Whole set ups a joke ,premier league reserves and scottish joke league players should never be getting a game for england...
Out in the group stages i'm afraid

[Spyman]

Walcott ,Wilshire,Henderson,Milner,Wellbeck & Carrick are all utter shite and should never be anywher near the squad...thankfully Woy got rid of Scott Parker & Crouch only 2 decent things hes ever done,
Lampard should be starting every game as hes still englands best midfielder by a mile even at 35

Whole set ups a joke ,premier league reserves and scottish joke league players should never be getting a game for england...
Out in the group stages i'm afraid

Hahahahahahaha







Hahahahahahaha

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

[AndyPark]

Walcott ,Wilshire,Henderson,Milner,Wellbeck & Carrick are all utter shite and should never be anywher near the squad...thankfully Woy got rid of Scott Parker & Crouch only 2 decent things hes ever done,
Lampard should be starting every game as hes still englands best midfielder by a mile even at 35

Whole set ups a joke ,premier league reserves and scottish joke league players should never be getting a game for england...
Out in the group stages i'm afraid

I disagree with part of this. Wilshere will be an integral part of the England team for years to come, will do well for us. The same with Carrick, he is massively under-rated by people in this country. For me he is the best defensive midfielder England have got, it's a shame he can't get in the team as Lampard/Gerrard are doing a great job as the attacking part of midfield.

[DarloOnTheUp]

Walcott ,Wilshire,Henderson,Milner,Wellbeck & Carrick are all utter shite and should never be anywher near the squad...thankfully Woy got rid of Scott Parker & Crouch only 2 decent things hes ever done,
Lampard should be starting every game as hes still englands best midfielder by a mile even at 35

Whole set ups a joke ,premier league reserves and scottish joke league players should never be getting a game for england...
Out in the group stages i'm afraid

LOL.

[davidcorks 40yard OG]

Walcott ,Wilshire,Henderson,Milner,Wellbeck & Carrick are all utter shite and should never be anywher near the squad...thankfully Woy got rid of Scott Parker & Crouch only 2 decent things hes ever done,
Lampard should be starting every game as hes still englands best midfielder by a mile even at 35

Whole set ups a joke ,premier league reserves and scottish joke league players should never be getting a game for england...
Out in the group stages i'm afraid

LOL.

Walcott ,Wilshire,Henderson,Milner,Wellbeck & Carrick are all utter shite and should never be anywher near the squad...thankfully Woy got rid of Scott Parker & Crouch only 2 decent things hes ever done,
Lampard should be starting every game as hes still englands best midfielder by a mile even at 35

Whole set ups a joke ,premier league reserves and scottish joke league players should never be getting a game for england...
Out in the group stages i'm afraid

Hahahahahahaha







Hahahahahahaha

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

I fail to see what is so funny about England selecting rubbish like Walcott and Wilshire ?

[cameron-darlo]

Wilshere is far from rubbish you utter pleb.

[Darlogramps]

I fail to see what is so funny about England selecting rubbish like Walcott and Wilshire ?

Wilshere is far from rubbish you utter pleb.

To be fair Cameron, he can't even spell Wilshere's name correctly, so I wouldn't take much notice.

Back on topic, England are better than everyone likes to make out.

If we get a decent draw, we certainly should be capable of makng the knock-out stages. After that, who knows.

Even if we get a hellish draw, there's certainly enough in our squad to be competitive and stand a decent chance of qualifying.

No-one expects us to do much damage, reaching the quarter finals would be a great performance in many people's eyes. But I think we could surprise a few people.

So long as we don't bomb like we did in South Africa (where the only win we picked up was a nervy 1-0 v Slovenia), and the players put in some good performances, fans will be satisfied I think.

[grytters]

Here's another reason England will be in Group "D".

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/foot ... 75196.html

Not just content with showing our group game after midnight, Bellend (with a little assistance from Woy) will have us flying left right and centre.

[lo36789]

Most biased article in the world contention that one surely? How to put one side of an argument and mention nothing of the alernative/others. It touched on the fact that everyone has to travel briefly before diving into the stats they have chosen as the headline.

What is the marginal difference in travel distance if we were in Group A, B or C for instance? What is our travel compared with the other teams in the Group we are in!?

Cracking effort at journalism.

[Darlo Till I Die]

Australia, Argentina, France

[grytters]

Here's another reason England will be in Group "D".

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/foot ... 75196.html

Not just content with showing our group game after midnight, Bellend (with a little assistance from Woy) will have us flying left right and centre.

Told you so.

You evil repugnant, shitty, slap-headed fucking c*** Blatter.

[lo36789]

Here's another reason England will be in Group "D".

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/foot ... 75196.html

Not just content with showing our group game after midnight, Bellend (with a little assistance from Woy) will have us flying left right and centre.

Told you so.

You evil repugnant, shitty, slap-headed fucking c*** Blatter.

Yeh definitely his fault that the random balls came out as they did. It's 2am on a Saturday morning for the people back home - It'll be pretty similar to people staying up for boxing.

[grytters]

How can it not be his fault for presiding over a draw that ensured a European team would play at two in the morning?

[Fibonacci0112358]

How can it not be his fault for presiding over a draw that ensured a European team would play at two in the morning?

But they're not playing at 2:00am.

Although, for some folks, 11:00pm won't be a great deal better!

[joejaques]

How can it not be his fault for presiding over a draw that ensured a European team would play at two in the morning?

But they're not playing at 2:00am.

Although, for some folks, 11:00pm won't be a great deal better!

No worse than staying up all night to see our mighty cricket team getting stuffed, and probably the same result.

[grytters]

How can it not be his fault for presiding over a draw that ensured a European team would play at two in the morning?

But they're not playing at 2:00am.

Although, for some folks, 11:00pm won't be a great deal better!

Except when I posted that, yes they were and it was before it was resceduled.