Group C Discussion - Algeria, England, Slovenia, Usa

[Tim Southampton Rover]

To be fair on USA, they've had their chances against Slovenia. They had a freekick was went close and the brilliant clearance from the Slovenian defender. If the USA get an early goal then that could give them the momentum to go and push for an equaliser.

[DE.]

The USA set out their stall against us. They obviously thought they would be able to beat Slovenia but have messed it up. Not totally unexpected. It now means we are guaranteed to top the group if we win our remaining two games.

I don't think that's necassarily true. They played a little more defensively but we got behind them a few times, it was possible to unlock them. We just completely messed up 2 of our big 3 chances to score and didn't look very creative otherwise - lumping it up to Heskey in the first half for the flick-on wasn't really challenging the USA defensively. Second half we tried to play more on the wing but SWP and Lennon were really, really poor. Slovenia have played good football on the ground and taken their chances, two things we failed to do.

Although, if USA had equalised when they were heaping pressure on Slovenia around the 30 minute mark this could be a very different game.

[yankrover]

What a pathetic half. Burnley defend better than this.

[BuckyRover]

Whereas Slovenia in their first game looked fairly awful and only won thanks to a goalkeeping howler, the same reason that we didn't win our first game.

I will judge England at 9:30 tonight (or when I sober up)

[Mr. E]

See, this is what happens when you actually try to score goals vs the USA and don't play someone who hasn't scored in a decade and is just there for his "good movement".

[DE.]

That was exactly what the USA needed. Game on now. Draw would be a perfect result for us.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Game on!!!!!

Not sure what the American strikers were playing at, they got in each others way. Landon Donovan had no option but to go it alone and what a goal it was.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

USA throwing on their final substitute with only 10 minutes left to play with Onyewu being replaced. I think that's 4 strikers on now. They're throwing the kitchen sink!

GOAL to the USA!

Goal disallowed by the US. I haven't got a clue why though. Crazy decision which could cost the US the victory.

[Amo]

USA winner disallowed for something of nothing.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Looked like two USA players were 100% fouled in the box anyway. A questionable third too!

Excellent game and an excellent result for England too.

[Grabbi Graeme]

SSN saying that David James will start in goal for England tonight, they are also saying that Heskey starts

[Amo]

SSN saying that David James will start in goal for England tonight, they are also saying that Heskey starts

Is there a more tragic sentence?

[Tim Southampton Rover]

We're the only nation in the world who would replace our dodgy keeper with another keeper nicknamed Calamity James.

[philipl]

USA had a perfectly good winner struck off so the Group is wide open for England to book their place tonight with a thumping win. Slovenia in the last game could be very unpleasant opponents now.

[Tom]

Is there a more tragic sentence?

Makes perfect sense to me, drop the keeper that lost us 2 points and start with our best player from the last game

[Exiled_Rover]

Johnson was our best player from Saturday. Heskey undid most of his good work by missing a sitter.

[Amo]

Makes perfect sense to me, drop the keeper that lost us 2 points and start with our best player from the last game

Yeah, Calamity James and Golden Boot Heskey are both reasons for cheer.

[tmap]

So two games today decided on quite ropy refereeing decisions; that USA one looked to me like the ref was desperately looking for any reason to blow his whistle. The Germany one looked like just weak mindedness, but it's still a game whose result has been decided by officiousness.

This is why I don't go to games any more. The authorities have clearly decided that absurd unfairness is all part of the fun. That's fine, but in that case I won't invest too much time, money or heartache then.

Not sure what the answer is, but you either need to make it harder for refs to send people off, or you make the punishment less decisively severe (a sin bin or similar). As it is we're in for another tournament where major teams and players are stiffed by idiocy, and apologies afterwards are no use.

[Grabbi Graeme]

SSN giving the team as

James

Johnson

Terry

Carragher

A. Cole

Lennon

Lampard

Barry

Gerrard

Rooney

Heskey

[Mr. E]

SSN giving the team as

James

Johnson

Terry

Carragher

A. Cole

Lennon

Lampard

Barry

Gerrard

Rooney

Heskey

Yep. This is the exact team I expected to see, and it is the worst possible one he could have picked. James is as error-prone as Green. Carragher will get himself sent off. Gerrard has never played a good game in his life on the left. And Heskey is the most useless player from all the squads in this entire tournament.

[Tom]

I don't like carragher being in there but we are low on options and tonight should be easy enough for him anyway. Otherwise that's what I'd go for.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Will be interesting to see how Barry does. He's not played a game for quite a few months.

First goalscorer - Heskey

[Exiled_Rover]

SSN giving the team as

James

Johnson

Terry

Carragher

A. Cole

Lennon

Lampard

Barry

Gerrard

Rooney

Heskey

Sigh. I thought he was meant to be a world class coach?

[Paul]

Well I suddenly find myself excited by the prospect of this game. Hopefully it will be an exciting night. Looks like a lot of England fans there.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

It's great to actually hear some songs in the stadium. Makes such a better atmosphere.

Let's hope it's us singing at the end.