World Cup 2010

[adopted scouser]

everything on the news has been negative about sud africa,i'm there 4 six weeks and plan to do wheat i do every world cup,mixing with the locals is part of the deal.i'm looking forward to it,meeting mates from round the world,and hoping to make a few new one's

If you use your username anywhere be bloody careful with the spelling, things could get ugly

[EwoodGlory]

Kiwi's one up at H/T.

Grella with a horrendous challenge that should have been a red.

Admiral is having a steady game.

[LeChuck]

Disgusting tackle by Vince. Can't the suspend him for a year or something?

Nice to see Rooney being wasted on the left wing. We haven't got a cat in hell's chance of getting close to winning it with him there. He has to be the focal point if we are to have an outside chance.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Has Walcott got the best holiday lined up in the summer? He's certainly trying his best to force Capello to drop him.

Nice save Green! Poor defending yet again!

[Tango]

We may be 1-0 up, but this is the poorest I've seen England play in a long while. Why are they sitting so deep??

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Crouch again for England

His goalscoring record is unbelievable but knowing our luck, he'll pick Heskey to play the first game.

Walcott's beard in HD is very pubic hair like.

[HemelRover]

Milner should not be starting for England. Bench maybe but nowhere near the first 11.

[Guest Kamy100]

I know that we have players missing today, but that first half was a very poor performance, all over the place in midfield and defence. Alarming to see that these things are sorted so close to the world cup, my biggest worry with England is that when we come up against teams that are technically good we struggle as our ball retention is poor.

[Tango]

"He's give it... he's given the goal" - hardly surprising Andy Townsend given that it's 4 yards over the goal line but there we are.

Really poor performance from England, defence is a static line on the 18 yard box with Milner in a wasted defensive midfield position 2 yards ahead of it. There's then a huuuuuuuuge gap to the attacking trio of Rooney, Crouch and Walcott that I can only assume Gerrard is meant to be linking. He isn't.

They don't need to sit so deep, it's just giving Mexico room in spades to play through. Shame they can't finish or defend set-pieces.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

The main positives for England in the 1st half were the set pieces in the Mexico area and also Robert Green had a good game, although I felt he could have done a bit better for their goal (I haven't seen a replay yet so quite happy to retract that!).

The main negatives for England seemed to be the formation and also the players look scared incase they get injured on the pitch. When we get the ball we seem to either lose possession straight away or give it to Theo who runs himself into trouble.

Fabio will demand an improvement.

[tcj_jones]

I find Capello's faith in Walcott very puzzling. He's got pace to burn, sure, but whenever he gets the ball, he just runs straight into the defender. On the rare occasion he does get in behind the full back, his crossing is poor.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Great goal by Johnson.

Still not forgiven him for that goal against us whilst playing for Chelsea. GRRRR!!!

[tcj_jones]

I say that, and then Walcott crosses in a beauty.

[HemelRover]

Is Rooney actually playing? He doesnt look at all confident in his fitness.

[LeChuck]

Is Rooney actually playing? He doesnt look at all confident in his fitness.

Doesn't help that he hasn't been in the right half of the pitch all game. Why restrict by far our best player to half of the field?

[LeChuck]

HART

JOHNSON — TERRY — FERDINAND — COLE

GERRARD - CARRICK

LENNON ----— LAMPARD ------ MILNER

ROONEY

Going to revise that based on tonight.

HART

JOHNSON — TERRY — FERDINAND — COLE

GERRARD - PARKER

LENNON ----— LAMPARD ------ J. COLE

ROONEY

There wasn't enough bite in the centre of midfield, Mexico were allowed to play too much. Parker is more tenacious than Carrick or Huddlestone.

Milner isn't ready for starting yet, certainly not on the wing. If Joe Cole isn't fit enough then Walcott on the left.

Rooney can't play whatever position he was in tonight. Stick in him the position Man Utd play him please Fabio, then build the team round him. If he's on form for six/seven games like he was in January then we've got a chance. If he plays like that we'll be lucky to make the quarters.

[Hasta]

Is Rooney actually playing? He doesnt look at all confident in his fitness.

He didn't go in for a 50/50 all game did he. Hopefully just making sure of no silly injuries.

A couple of positives are that when we dont play that well we can grind out wins and, once again, Crouch makes things happen even at this level. Unsightly he may be but as long as the refs don't penalise him cheaply he's a handful.

One thing we did learn is that Leighton Baines will not be going to South Africa !!

[DanLad]

Hart would be my number 1.

Milner was awesome out wide for Villa earlier in the season. Seems to be falling into the 'utility player' trap.

Johnson is a good player, but I suspect that he won't go, notwithstanding that he's probably done more to deserve it this season than Walcott, who will be there.

Not a fan of Carrick...so that's hat trick for him at some point soon!

[Hughesy]

Not a fan of Walcott - id cut him from the 30....along with Parker, Heskey, Warnock, Upson, SWP & 1 more.

[roversfan99]

I agree id also cut Carragher

[Exiled_Rover]

Going to revise that based on tonight.

HART

JOHNSON — TERRY — FERDINAND — COLE

GERRARD - PARKER

LENNON ----— LAMPARD ------ J. COLE

ROONEY

There wasn't enough bite in the centre of midfield, Mexico were allowed to play too much. Parker is more tenacious than Carrick or Huddlestone.

Milner isn't ready for starting yet, certainly not on the wing. If Joe Cole isn't fit enough then Walcott on the left.

Rooney can't play whatever position he was in tonight. Stick in him the position Man Utd play him please Fabio, then build the team round him. If he's on form for six/seven games like he was in January then we've got a chance. If he plays like that we'll be lucky to make the quarters.

Disagree with that team. However much I dislike Crouch, we're a much better team with him on the field. It gives us another dimension - when he went off the ball just kept on coming back at us. Granted the players were going through the motions and letting Mexico have the lion's share of possession, but with Crouch upfront the ball stuck. Not to mention he has a knack of scoring goals! He's a great foil for our best player.

As for the performance tonight - it was, dare I say, decidedly German. We comfortably beat a good side (albeit one that's never winning the World Cup) despite not getting out of second gear. No doubt the papers will be in a panic tomorrow, but I took quite a few positives from that game.

If I had to choose the squad today, I'd cut: Warnock, Upson, Carragher, Wright-Phillips, Huddlestone, Heskey and Barry (I'm assuming he's not going to be fit).

That leaves you with cover at the back and options in midfield and upfront. No idea about the starting 11 though - but I WOULDN'T play Lampard and Gerrard together, not unless we play a 5 man midfield.

[JAL]

Is Ledley King highly overrated, just dont see what the hype is in this fellow.

[joey_big_nose]

Going to revise that based on tonight.

HART

JOHNSON — TERRY — FERDINAND — COLE

GERRARD - PARKER

LENNON ----— LAMPARD ------ J. COLE

ROONEY

There wasn't enough bite in the centre of midfield, Mexico were allowed to play too much. Parker is more tenacious than Carrick or Huddlestone.

Milner isn't ready for starting yet, certainly not on the wing. If Joe Cole isn't fit enough then Walcott on the left.

Rooney can't play whatever position he was in tonight. Stick in him the position Man Utd play him please Fabio, then build the team round him. If he's on form for six/seven games like he was in January then we've got a chance. If he plays like that we'll be lucky to make the quarters.

I would agree with that team in personnel but I would start Gerrard and Lampard the other way round. Lampard is a very good holding player when he is forced to do it. Gerrard is not exceptional without being able to get forward imo.

[LeChuck]

I would agree with that team in personnel but I would start Gerrard and Lampard the other way round. Lampard is a very good holding player when he is forced to do it. Gerrard is not exceptional without being able to get forward imo.

I basing it on their form this season really. Lampard has 20+ league goals to his name, whereas Gerrard has been very poor in front of goal this year, which is why he ended up playing a deeper role for Liverpool.

It probably makes little difference to be honest as both would naturally go forward.

[Hughesy]

Is Ledley King highly overrated, just dont see what the hype is in this fellow.

He's decent....but I think his lack of pace will get sorely exposed if he faces a quick team in the world cup.