England 2 Trinidad And Tobago 0

[Paul]

Both England performances have been so dull I've managed to fall asleep during the second half, only being woken by Crouch's goal. I did manage to take in the first half. I've always believed SGE to be a complete waster and won't even try to hide my dislike and distrust of this odious man. I think it's now clear for the world to see he has no coaching or managerial ability whatsoever. Most people agree we have the finest collection of players for generations, they don't seem able to play for SGE. When was the last time we put together am exciting performance to remember?

Knowing nothing about Ecuador I'm hoping we get them in the next stage, there's no doubt Germany will beat us. The one thing I cannot get to grips with is the performance and attitude of the team. In theory we have a real chance, once on the pitch the manager can do little to influence team play, why don't the team simply stick to fingers up to SGE and play to their strengths? These are professionals with a chance to win the WC and they are throwing it away. Perhaps they simply don't care.

[SouthAussieRover]

Well I lasted the first 10 minutes and the next thing I knew it was the 80th minute of Sweden vs Paraquay.

On current performances Sweden vs England will be a great game if you're an insominac otherwise it'll substitute for a cup of cocoa.

On current form you'd fancy Ecuador vs England and Germany with the home crowd advantage.

Maybe it's time the senior players had a quite word with Sven re tactics.Didn't a similar thing happen in 1990 with Bobby Robson.?

[waggy]

i fell asleep in the ground on saturday,the game was that bad but yesterday i watched it on tv and stayed awake,i think england are very much like the rovers the better the team the better they play,i have tickets to the 1/4 finals and thats as far as we will get

[ABBEY]

Abbey, so is Crouch worse than Heskey?

yes!!!

[Flopsy]

carlton Palmer

And youre wrong there abbey - Crouch scores goals, Heskey didnt also crouch can hold the ball up and distribute it.

Heskey cant

[ABBEY]

but at least heskey could take players on and at least jumped off the ground ....and as for crouches miss..bloody hell he could drank a can of guinness befrore controling it and side footing in the net ..hes crap

[rover6]

Emile Heskey: 43 caps, 5 goals.

Both England performances have been so dull I've managed to fall asleep during the second half, only being woken by Crouch's goal. I did manage to take in the first half. I've always believed SGE to be a complete waster and won't even try to hide my dislike and distrust of this odious man. I think it's now clear for the world to see he has no coaching or managerial ability whatsoever. Most people agree we have the finest collection of players for generations, they don't seem able to play for SGE. When was the last time we put together am exciting performance to remember

?

[Eddie]

The English are so great at the doom and gloom. What I believe is that this performance would have been very good against a top nation. The back four look solid and we retain the ball very well. The problem is that against a team with 11 men in their own half that in itself doesn't really help you out in the game. Against a team actually trying to score England would have found that to be hugely to their advantage and would probably have looked more convincing. A lot of improvement needs to be made, but it's results and not performances that win World Cups. The last two world cups have been one by sides that were unconvincing in the early rounds.

[bob fleming]

Well said Eddie. That's more or less what I was going to type.

[Ozz]

As was I!

I can't beleive I agree with Eddie!

No offense!

[Eddie]

None taken.

Yes, I have noticed that I wrote one and not won.

[ABBEY]

its not a case of doom and gloom we have played woeful simple as and our strike force is naff,,,,2 unfit ,1 giraffe and 1 in nappies.

[philipl]

What is all this moaning about?

I saw the last 15 minutes and England were OK.

The Swedish game will be interesting- can England begin to pick their game up against a half-decent European side? If they can, there might be hope yet.

Neither Germany nor Ecuador should be capable of troubling potential WC winners in terms of last 16 opposition.

[HertsRover]

I feel really sorry for SGE at times like this. His team have won the first two group games for the first time since about 1890. For the first time since 1998 weve scored in the second half of a world cup game, in fact we scored two. In neither of the two games so far have we looked like losing and only looked like conceding once(thank you John Terry!). He was brave in his squad selection with Walcott, Lennon and Downing. He got a plan B, C and D if his plan A isnt working, which hes been critisised for not having in the past. Get off his back! So what if as a person hes boring and dull, who would you prefer Keegan? So what if weyre not doing it the Real Madrid way of we'll score one more than you(hows that been working out for them in the last couple of seasons by the way?). Weve qualified from the group against two teams who play very, very, very defensive with little or no attacking thoughts.

Stop whinging for god sake!

Edited June 16, 2006 by HertsRover

[Flopsy]

Paul some SGE moments -

1) 4-0 vs Spain

2) 1-5 vs Germany

3) 1-0 Argentina

4) 3-2 Argentina

5) 5-0 Jamaica

True some awfully frustrating games in their too. But I unlike a number of england fans can remember the utter crap served up under Kevin "Ive got bags of heart and passion me" Keegan. 0-1 to Germany at Wembley?? Remeber that one.

3-2 to Portugal Euro 2000

3-2 Romania Euro 2000

SGE took over with England heading towards non qualification of the 2002 world cup. He aint done bad just not as great as we would hope. He brought order and discipline to chaos and gave belief to despair. And for that I will always be grateful to him.

Still doesnt explain Owen ###### Hargreaves or Jemainne "Whats the Point" Jennas.

but weighing it all up Sven gets a well done from me.

As for last nights game.

Sven has been rightly criticised for not making the right substitutions or tactical changes. He should get some credit for doing it last night. We ended up playing an inverted 4-4-2 which although did leave us open for the counter was a sound move and was proved to be.

Still on another note

I think this has been the most enjoyable world cup that I can remember. theres only been a few drab games

[Eddie]

5) 5-0 Jamaica

6-0 Flopsy!

Not that I would rank that achievement up there with some of the others.

[RoyRover]

I'm looking forward to the Sweden - England match. Both teams have much to play for, as they'd both like to avoid Germany in the next round (providing they beat Ecuador). I've liked the look of Sweden so far, they have played well in both games, meeting an unbeatable Shaka Hislop in the first match and in the second match their chances fell to Marcus Allback. These two teams are always evenly matched and I expect it to be another tight affair. I'm waiting to see what England play like against a very good side, more of same drab nonsense or the high tempo football that seen on rare occassions.

[Flopsy]

6-0 Flopsy!

Not that I would rank that achievement up there with some of the others.

Crouch's first shouldnt count

[BuckyRover]

I still think we are going to win and blame all the doubters for when we go downhill after the world cup.

[Shevchenko]

You have to cut SGE some slack when you consider that he's had three key players out injured for long periods before the world cup. Ashley Cole and Michael Owen both look completely out of form and a competition like this isn't the right place to give them "match practice". Then there's Wayne Rooney. He looked ok when he came on yesterday but 30 mins isnt enough to tell what shape he's in. So what should SGE have done? I'm pretty sure he would have been absolutely slammed if he didn't pick Cole and Owen, particularly Owen, in the squad. So he can't win either way.

The midfield is a problem, the Gerrard/Lampard partnership doesn't seem to work. It's unbalanced. I'd give Hargreaves a chance, I think it's an absolute shame that England fans actually booed him when he came on against Paraguay. He's a very good player, shame most people can't see that.

As for the T&T game, it was obvious what they were going to try to do. When you're playing a team who defends that deep with as many men behind the ball as they did you need to stretch them and use the wingers to get to the byline. Not really Englands strenght...well, until Lennon came on. Perhaps Beckham should have started at right back with Lennon infront of him. He's quite capable of playing there against opposition like T&T.

And for whoever said Beckham should be dropped. Three England goals, three Beckham assists...

[ABBEY]

SHEV the start of your message states about injuries to the strikers.....

why in gods name did he not take extra strikers then..???

[Drakefyre]

I wouldn't overlook Ecuador or Germany - Ecuador seems to have one of the most fluid attacks. Not once did I see them just lump the ball forward - the always built from the back and wings before sending in great crosses and through balls. Mendes looks like a great player on the right wing. As for Germany, their defense looks a little weak, but England shouldn't really trouble them when Germany will be winning all of the balls in the midfield - they're far more combative.

[Blackpool_Rover]

anybody else wake up on a train in nuremberg this morning wearin a T&T top instead of their england top? doh

Trinidad people were unbelievable...they know how to have a good time!

[HertsRover]

SHEV the start of your message states about injuries to the strikers.....

why in gods name did he not take extra strikers then..???

Because if he'd taken one or even two of Defoe/Bent/Johnson/Beattie then he wouldve had to drop a couple of midfielders or defenders and then people wouldve complained that the depth in those areas was too thin. Your only allowed a 23 man squad. Unless you think Owen and Rooney shouldve been left at home?

[Eddie]

I wouldn't overlook Ecuador or Germany - Ecuador seems to have one of the most fluid attacks. Not once did I see them just lump the ball forward - the always built from the back and wings before sending in great crosses and through balls. Mendes looks like a great player on the right wing. As for Germany, their defense looks a little weak, but England shouldn't really trouble them when Germany will be winning all of the balls in the midfield - they're far more combative.

We'll see.