[Archived] England Games

[rock steady]

just been looking at the bbc match report

"2117: Peter Crouch is treading a fine line. He is all over Nikolce Novevski like a randy octopus and concedes a free-kick."

interesting

[Gareth]

Well...I think I'd have rather watched the Germany v San Marino game

I htink the ref should've put San Marino out of their misery at half time.

[Flopsy]

so much better now Sven's gone

BTW well done Northern Ireland

[B.R.F.C]

Was at the Northern Ireland game as per usual

Any chance of signing David Healy Sparky

[marvbfc]

must say that we were rubbish last night, but Norn Iron were fantastic.

how many teams have beaten both England and Spain in the last year?

Is Norn Irish football looking up at last?

With players like Lafferty coming through, the future does seem bright for them.

BRFC, what are your opinions on Lafferty btw?

[Flopsy]

Is Norn Irish football looking up at last?

They got stuffed 3-0 by Iceland on saturday so I think its a work in progress

[bob fleming]

BRFC, what are your opinions on Lafferty btw?

Who?

[Presty On Tour]

so much better now Sven's gone

BTW well done Northern Ireland

yeah well bloody done, healy and his hatrick cost me £460 on my football coupon!!!

[USABlue]

Peter Crouch's form is hopefully putting Michael Owen's talents into perspective.

Beckham's assists and occasional crucial goal were apparently evidence that England could not cope without him on the right - despite his predictable lack of form in tournaments.

Bit like Gamst for us.

[speeeeeeedie]

I'm still sick of England and all the sucking up the press are giving them. Once they beat a World Class team when it matters I'll start being happy about them again. All reports I've read have Lampard playing badly again.

On the bright side we have 6 points, no goals against, and an easy qualifying group.

[greggyk]

I dont think it's that easy actually, going to Russia, Croatia and maybe Israel is going to be hard. They wont make it easy for us, i mean if we only just beat Macadonia............

[B.R.F.C]

With players like Lafferty coming through, the future does seem bright for them.

BRFC, what are your opinions on Lafferty btw?

Very much the stereotypical targetman but with very good touch and control unlike many others. He is guaranteed to be the future 2nd striker for Northern Ireland alongside Healy considering he is only 18. He along with Davis and Evans are part of the promising crop of youngsters we have coming through the system. Evans in particular who made his debut last night at the age of 18 was superb, could well be a future Man Utd star.

Burnley are certainly a team to monitor at the moment as far as NI fans are concerned with Jones, Lafferty and Duff in the ranks.

[blue phil]

Well I was just as disappointed with England as I was when Sven was in charge . Very little movement off the ball , no drive by either Gerard or the invisible Lampard going forward - that was left to Hargreaves who is supposed to be the holding midfielder . Nothing down the flanks until Lennon came on . Terrible passing and retention of the ball . English football is becoming the most slowest and predictable in the world .

McClaren spoke about us becoming a fast passing and movement outfit . Nothing to suggest that yet I'm afraid .

[Fife Rover]

must say that we were rubbish last night, but Norn Iron were fantastic.

how many teams have beaten both England and Spain in the last year?

Is Norn Irish football looking up at last?

With players like Lafferty coming through, the future does seem bright for them.

BRFC, what are your opinions on Lafferty btw?

He's a Dingle! nuff said.

[neekoy]

Well I was just as disappointed with England as I was when Sven was in charge . Very little movement off the ball , no drive by either Gerard or the invisible Lampard going forward - that was left to Hargreaves who is supposed to be the holding midfielder . Nothing down the flanks until Lennon came on . Terrible passing and retention of the ball . English football is becoming the most slowest and predictable in the world .

McClaren spoke about us becoming a fast passing and movement outfit . Nothing to suggest that yet I'm afraid .

Not that I particulary care, but it is frustrating to see team with so much talent play such direct football. England have all the skills required to play posession football playing it on the ground but they just don't. Too much emphasis on speed and accurate long passing.

If they slowed down a touch, played a proper holding midfeilder role instead of a defensive one that sits in front of the back four and played the ball along the ground they would be much mroe entertaining and would probably pillage the rest.

As soon as the opposition sees McLaren on the bench and Crouch up front they know exactly what game is going to be played. Teams that sit back and soak up the pressure realise England will run out of creative options sooner or later, become frustrated and then there is a chance of mistake.

[Cheshireblue]

Lampard needs to be dropped in my view. Gerrard brought into the middle and Beckham re-instated on the right wing. Either that or give Lennon a starting birth out wide.

Lampards performances in an England shirt have been woeful.

[LeChuck]

Bring Beckham back? Lampard hasn't been great but he's been out-performing Beckham on the national stage for years now...although that's not saying much, almost every England player has out-performed Beckham recently.

We need to give this new midfield system time, with Lampard included. There's definite potential in the Hargreaves/Lampard partnership plus a free-roaming Gerrard from the right, I can't believe people are wanting to ditch it after just three games. Lennon is an excellent prospect for the future and a great impact player from the bench but there still isn't enough to his game to warrant a starting place.

[AxesFirstTouch]

Put Frank Fat in Boltons squad and he wouldnt score more then 5 deflected goals a season. He only looks good for Chelsea because he had world class players around him creating numberous chances. Drop the fool.

Edited September 8, 2006 by wakefieldrawks

[RovertheHill]

So far England are turning into the new Middlesbore... Playing Macedonia at home, and after 70 minutes I'm hoping we can nick one. Pathetic. Wonder what all those sad journo's who built McClaren up after 1 friendly will say about this.

[1864roverite]

BRING BACK SGE

That was the biggest pile of poo I have ever witnessed in recent years. The worst ever England game in the past 5 years against a second rate team.

Lampard is crud, the partnership of Gerrard and Carrick is pretty dam useless and Downing was nothing more than rubbish today.

I hope that Rooney and Defoe start on Wed with SWP on the wing as we have today lost 2 easy points and with the Russkis and Isreal drawing we could have marched one step further to qualifying, but, England being England we fail to take advantage.

BTW

Congratulations to the FRISPS who have just dicked the froggies

[RovertheHill]

Not good. Hopefully we can still qualify but frankly, I don't think McClaren is the man to get us anywhere beyond that. All this nonsense about taking the difficult decision and dropping Beckham. What a joke - that was the easy way out designed to get the biggest reaction. The difficult one is admitting Fat Frank and Gerrard cannot play together. Has there ever been a game where they both did well? The difficult decision will be dropping Lampard. Downing is not yet international class and I fail to see that he's any different to Beckham - he never beats anyone and more often than not goes either backwards or plays a poor final ball. SWP could be good but if you aren't playing regularly in the prem then you can't be playing at international level for me.

Not good

[joey_big_nose]

My side for Wednesday:

Crouch Rooney

Downing Lampard Parker SWP

Cole Terry King Neville

Robinson

Carrick, while a fine player, does not provide the drive that Parker would to the midfield performance. I imagine Mcclaren will stick but really Scotty should get the nod.

[Jan]

Can I just take this opportunity to say

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[SAS]

just got back

WHAT A POO GAME

werent even up for it

[USABlue]

Many of us said it when McClaren was given the job, he's not the man.

BTW I wonder if sparky and Robbie had a little wry grin on their chin today.