World Cup 2010

[broadsword]

I loved doing Holland, that felt so good after the spanking we took in 88. Not that you'd remember that.

We've had some epic defeats. But some epic wins as well. I don't really get the lack of interest, but each to their own.

Italia 90 was just an unbelievable tournament, I don't think we've had one like it since.

[philipl]

I have ducked out of the WC build-up but now am beginning to feel excited and looking forwards to the games.

I am far more enthusiastic about the England Manager than any of the players- I think Capello might pull it off for us if the Spaniards find their self-destruct button at some point. Other than them all the major countries are capable of beating each other on their day.

I think it is good we have a real toughie to open with. Here is a New York Times profile of what we are facing. Make no bones about it, a win against the USA will be a very good result.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Got a feeling that Germany might go all the way this time round. Looking at their squad they have a nice blend of experience and some outstanding young talent (Ozil, Marin, Kroos etc.) Ballack might be a big loss but Schweinsteiger could make the step up, on his day he is a brilliant player.

[Bobby G]

The Bayern contingent will be key. Cant see them making it to the final, but a much weaker German team has done so in the past.

Dont write off the Germans, as they say.

Watch out for Kroos and Muller.

On a side-note, which betting site has the most comprehensive betting options for the World Cup?

[tony gale's mic]

I have ducked out of the WC build-up but now am beginning to feel excited and looking forwards to the games.

I am far more enthusiastic about the England Manager than any of the players- I think Capello might pull it off for us if the Spaniards find their self-destruct button at some point. Other than them all the major countries are capable of beating each other on their day.

I think it is good we have a real toughie to open with. Here is a New York Times profile of what we are facing. Make no bones about it, a win against the USA will be a very good result.

Disagree there a little. Will be a decent result but we really should expect to beat them; yes organisation and discipline are the key for them but they have nothing in the way of strikers and while they'll try to keep it tight we really should have too much quality for them. I'm not expecting an easy win but I am expecting a victory. If we win comfortably then that will be a very good result.

By the way this is the actual link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/sports/football/06bradley.html?ref=sports

[roversandy]

why is everyonbe always up spain's behinds, i watched them struggle to beat south korea the other day, a game which they could and should have lost if it wasnt for reina's saves, they also struggled to beat saudi arabia, they have class sure but they also have weaknesses, their left back is sh*te puyol is so overrated, and casillas is having a few dongas at the moment and albiol has looked shakey for both real madrid and spain lately. we probabaly wont win it but we aint that far behind spain in my opinion.

[Exiled_Rover]

Spain's midfield and forward line is immense. That's why everyone tips them to lift the trophy. World class player after world class player.

[adopted scouser]

Gerrard and carragher are working class??????????????????????????????

<Splutter>.

If they're working class then I must be in the gutter.

Carragher's an absolute anus, I can't stand him. He's got no feelings for England, he just wanted to see what it was like playing under Capello.

See under "Controversy"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Carragher

Christ Bryan, 'with friends like you' etc

Step up Captain Fantastic. No wonder we never win owt given the carping from old women. I'm only concerned with the activities on the pitch

[RibbleValleyRover]

If Spain are on top form then it will be difficult for anyone to beat them. Defensively they aren't that great but when you have a midfield and attack with such world class players getting to test that defense isn't that easy. Spain will be strong favourites and rightly so.

[roversandy]

i agree but do u doubt gerrard and lampard are immense? yes villa and torres are world class but so is rooney, after villa and torres their third choice striker is llorente and having watched him play he isnt anywhere near their class, he scores an average of 14 goals a season for bilbao, how come defoe scores 20 odd goals a season and crouch has 20 odd goals for england and yet everyone knocks them.

[cn174]

i agree but do u doubt gerrard and lampard are immense?

Hmmm, I don't think they can be classed as 'immense' at all.

I really dont think we can compare England's attacking force with Spain's!! It's a mis-match.

[RibbleValleyRover]

i agree but do u doubt gerrard and lampard are immense? yes villa and torres are world class but so is rooney, after villa and torres their third choice striker is llorente and having watched him play he isnt anywhere near their class, he scores an average of 14 goals a season for bilbao, how come defoe scores 20 odd goals a season and crouch has 20 odd goals for england and yet everyone knocks them.

I don't think they are immense to be honest. Gerrard and Lampard have never shined at international level and if it was a choice of having Xavi and Iniesta in my midfield or Gerrard and Lampard i would pick the Spaniards every time. Ashley Cole is probably the only player who would definitely get in that Spanish side, Rooney would be on the fringes as well but Torres and especially Villa are top class.

[tony gale's mic]

i agree but do u doubt gerrard and lampard are immense? yes villa and torres are world class but so is rooney, after villa and torres their third choice striker is llorente and having watched him play he isnt anywhere near their class, he scores an average of 14 goals a season for bilbao, how come defoe scores 20 odd goals a season and crouch has 20 odd goals for england and yet everyone knocks them.

1. Football is a team game, not a game of individuals. Gerrard and Lampard have consistently failed to produce the goods on the big stage internationally.

2. Chances are our second striker will have 7 international goals in 50 appearances but we'll playing him for the above reason.

3. Yes Spain struggled in recent friendlies but so did England. Friendlies mean very little.

Spain have to start as favourites; they have quality running all the way through their side, from goalkeeper to striker. Still surprised they left Senna out of the squad though as he was instrumental in their Euros success. I'm hoping that his absence will make Spain be a little less solid compared to the team of 2008...mind you it will likely only become relevant to us should we reach the final.

[67splitscreen]

On a side-note, which betting site has the most comprehensive betting options for the World Cup?

My link

[roversandy]

you say that iniesta and xavi are superior to lampard and gerrard yet gerrard and lampard have nearly 40 international goals between them, how many have iniesta and xavi got, u cant say they repeatedly fail to produce on the international stage with those stats and i dont agree that they have quality running throughout their side, terry and ferdinand are far better than puyol and albiol, glen johnson is as good an attacking right back as ramos

[broadsword]

Christ Bryan, 'with friends like you' etc

Step up Captain Fantastic. No wonder we never win owt given the carping from old women. I'm only concerned with the activities on the pitch

he's still an anus.

[tony gale's mic]

you say that iniesta and xavi are superior to lampard and gerrard yet gerrard and lampard have nearly 40 international goals between them, how many have iniesta and xavi got, u cant say they repeatedly fail to produce on the international stage with those stats and i dont agree that they have quality running throughout their side, terry and ferdinand are far better than puyol and albiol, glen johnson is as good an attacking right back as ramos

There is little point continuing this discussion - I wouldnt even know where to start.

[bellamy11]

you say that iniesta and xavi are superior to lampard and gerrard yet gerrard and lampard have nearly 40 international goals between them, how many have iniesta and xavi got, u cant say they repeatedly fail to produce on the international stage with those stats and i dont agree that they have quality running throughout their side, terry and ferdinand are far better than puyol and albiol, glen johnson is as good an attacking right back as ramos

Almost everything you say there is totally wrong.

Xavi and Iniesta are a class above Gerrard and Lampard. Each time we've played Spain they have embarassed us with how they retain the ball in midfield. Gerrard and Lampard may be better shooting from distance but they cannot keep the ball or control a game like those two. You'll do well to find a lot of people on here who would disagree.

Ferdinand won't even be at the world cup. Whether or not he and Terry are better (which they might be fractionally, but certainly not by a long way) is unfortunately irrelevant.

Sergio Ramos may be the best right back in the world. Glen Johnson isn't close.

Casillas is in the top 5 goalkeepers in the world, if not the top 3. In fact, Spain's third choice keeper would be our number one quite easily.

And don't even get me started on Torres and Villa...

[roversandy]

hey i agree spain are better than england, im not doubting that, but for those of you who say xavi and iniesta are superior are just plain wrong, lampard is the heartbeat of the chelsea team that has won another championship, he controls the midfield for them not just in the premiership but the champions league too, the likes of mourinho and ancelotti cant be wrong, gerrard likewise, they do retain possession, i cant beleive u guys can doubt their quality, xavi is a deep-lying playmaker, he doesnt go past players like messi does either but theres no doubting his quality yet u big him up as though he is far better than any of england's 2 midfielders, as for ramos he clearly isnt superior to johnson, maybe u lot are self hating englishman, i dont want an arguement, i just wanna enjoy the world cup, without people knocking england all the time, im sick of people putting england down and biging the likes of spain and brazil and holland up all the time, by the way u people acknowledge that spain is clearly better than england and i agree they are better, do u have the same stance with regards holland, germany, italy, argentina and brazil if so then i give up

[adopted scouser]

he's still an anus.

holding things up at the back ?

[tcj_jones]

why is everyonbe always up spain's behinds, i watched them struggle to beat south korea the other day, a game which they could and should have lost if it wasnt for reina's saves, they also struggled to beat saudi arabia, they have class sure but they also have weaknesses, their left back is sh*te puyol is so overrated, and casillas is having a few dongas at the moment and albiol has looked shakey for both real madrid and spain lately. we probabaly wont win it but we aint that far behind spain in my opinion.

Over the last two years, I think Spain have lost all of about one match. Their form is incredible and they have world class players in virtually every position.

Villa, Torres, Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas is just about as good as it gets in terms of attacking ability.

[USABlue]

Over the last two years, I think Spain have lost all of about one match. Their form is incredible and they have world class players in virtually every position.

Villa, Torres, Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas is just about as good as it gets in terms of attacking ability.

They lost to the Americans I think. Same Yanks that are likely to beat us. Sad but true. Way I see it we finish second, out in the quarters with the standard loss to the Germans.

[cn174]

They lost to the Americans I think. Same Yanks that are likely to beat us. Sad but true. Way I see it we finish second, out in the quarters with the standard loss to the Germans.

If we finish 2nd, we'll play Germany in the 2nd round, then would probably face Argentina in the quarters! Something to possibly look forward to!!!

[tony gale's mic]

They lost to the Americans I think. Same Yanks that are likely to beat us. Sad but true. Way I see it we finish second, out in the quarters with the standard loss to the Germans.

It's hardly likely. Possible but that's it.

[bellamy11]

hey i agree spain are better than england, im not doubting that, but for those of you who say xavi and iniesta are superior are just plain wrong, lampard is the heartbeat of the chelsea team that has won another championship, he controls the midfield for them not just in the premiership but the champions league too, the likes of mourinho and ancelotti cant be wrong, gerrard likewise, they do retain possession, i cant beleive u guys can doubt their quality, xavi is a deep-lying playmaker, he doesnt go past players like messi does either but theres no doubting his quality yet u big him up as though he is far better than any of england's 2 midfielders, as for ramos he clearly isnt superior to johnson, maybe u lot are self hating englishman, i dont want an arguement, i just wanna enjoy the world cup, without people knocking england all the time, im sick of people putting england down and biging the likes of spain and brazil and holland up all the time, by the way u people acknowledge that spain is clearly better than england and i agree they are better, do u have the same stance with regards holland, germany, italy, argentina and brazil if so then i give up

I've not mentioned any of those other teams. Out of interest, if you were to do the world rankings, where would you place England?

Nobody is knocking England - it's hardly negative to suggest that Xavi and Iniesta are better players - IMO they're the best midfield combo in the world.

They lost to the Americans I think. Same Yanks that are likely to beat us. Sad but true. Way I see it we finish second, out in the quarters with the standard loss to the Germans.

Likely? You think the US are favourites?