Group C Discussion - Algeria, England, Slovenia, Usa

[jodrell]

We can allways look on the bright side.

[Majiball]

The apparent England team for tomorrow:

--------------James--------------

Johnson----Terry---Upson-----Cole

Milner-----Barry---Lampard--Gerrard

-----------Defoe---Rooney---------

Opinions????

[LeChuck]

Where's that from Maj?

Happy with Milner on the right, he's the best option we've got out there.

I'd swap Joe Cole for Defoe and change the shape slightly (Gerrard centre and Cole on the left), but other than that I'd agree with it.

A bit annoyed Capello still won't play Rooney in the position he's used to playing at Man Utd though.

If that team is true, of course.

[Majiball]

Where's that from Maj?

I had that sit down that was suggested with Capello and Ancelotti!!!

Talksport, they say that they've been told by their man in the camp.

To be fair to them despite the drivel they do get a lot of good info.

Wouldn't be my team either, guess we'll have to wait and see what happens. Fingers crossed.

[roversfan99]

Why Gerrard on the left? Hes rubbish there

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

If we played that formation and we made an effort we'd win.

[67splitscreen]

You may as well leave Gerrard out as play him on the left.

All he will do is keep coming inside looking for the ball.

When he does get it he'll take it deeper to the right side so he can kick the bloody ball with his right foot.

You either give him a free role in the centre behind Rooney or bench him.

I hope Capello has one hell of a big crash helmet.

Also read this morning somewhere Defoe is in.

[BuckyRover]

It's really starting to annoy me, this 4-5-1 talk. We played 4-4-2 in the qualifiers with Gerrard on the left and won every game (bar the last). But now the media have decided we need to play another system, in the middle of a world cup.

Baffling

[Steve Moss]

Why Gerrard on the left? Hes rubbish there

I'm beginning to suspect that team and squad selections are based on marketing reasons every bit as much, if not more, than footballing reasons.

Strange to think that we can still finish top of this group, even after our dire performances.

I am now willing us to go on and win again, unlike four days ago. I can't help it. Being an English means having a love-hate relationship with your national team.

I certainly hope England wins. It's my second choice team (well behind the USA naturally) and I would like to see it get its act in gear and be promoted. On the other hand, a [malicious, I admit] part of me is now hoping that Terry, Rooney, et. al. crash and burn. The only players I have any postive feeling for after watching the matches are Gerrard, Heskey, Crouch, James and Green (sympathy in his case).

[Majiball]

I worry about the Slovenia's putting a quick player on the left. Johnson pushes on past Milner and I would have the quick player move out there with milner. When they win it back get it into that area quickly and Milner will have no chance.

One things for sure though we may see some more football as without Heskey there's no lump to aim for.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Still no Crouch

He's our best scorer, especially against rubbish teams, yet he never features.

People may not like him as he doesn't play as well with Rooney than other strikers but Crouch is the guy who has been winning the games, not Rooney

[Amo]

I'm beginning to suspect that team and squad selections are based on marketing reasons every bit as much, if not more, than footballing reasons.

'Drog has said much the same and I'd wager he's right. Look at the way David Beckham was handed all those token caps. Fans have argued that Capello is too principled a man for special favours, but the 'Capello Index' put paid to that.

[beerwins]

It's really starting to annoy me, this 4-5-1 talk. We played 4-4-2 in the qualifiers with Gerrard on the left and won every game (bar the last). But now the media have decided we need to play another system, in the middle of a world cup.

Baffling

The reason is that the balls are very hard to control and playing a long passing game doesnt really help keep the damn things under control, I suppose the thinking that if we were to play a five man midfield we would be able play a more compact passing and build up attacks with less chance of losing possesion.

All of that being said fortune favours the brave (I hope)

[Tom]

Personally I think it's disgrace that Rooney will start he showed utter contempt for the travelling fans with his attitude during the game and at full time.

Whilst being a far inferior player heskey worked his balls off whilst Rooney walked around aimlessly.

Even if he scores 8 goals and saves some orphans from a burning building during the game it wont justify his selection for me. He should be taught that he isn't untouchable.

[DE.]

Considering our qualifying group contained Belarus, Kazakhstan and Andorra I'm not sure how much stock we should put into the performances from our formation during qualifying. The Croatia games were both fantastic performances, but we only beat Ukraine 2-1 in the first match and lost the second to them 1-0.

On a positive note, we beat Slovenia 2-1 in a friendly on 5th September '09. Lampard and Defoe scored. Wonder if Defoe will be given the chance to repeat?

[ABBEY]

Personally I think it's disgrace that Rooney will start he showed utter contempt for the travelling fans with his attitude during the game and at full time.

Whilst being a far inferior player heskey worked his balls off whilst Rooney walked around aimlessly.

Even if he scores 8 goals and saves some orphans from a burning building during the game it wont justify his selection for me. He should be taught that he isn't untouchable.

true although heskey is worst ever player in an england shirt ,worse than carlton palmer. def worst striker ,granted he works hard but i always thought the job of a striker was to score goals,id rather have grabbi in my team.

CROUCH,DEFOE AND JOE COLE must START.

[BuckyRover]

'Drog has said much the same and I'd wager he's right. Look at the way David Beckham was handed all those token caps. Fans have argued that Capello is too principled a man for special favours, but the 'Capello Index' put paid to that.

The Capello Index "put paid to that". What are you talking about? He was approached by a company who wanted his input on how to measure player performance with pre-defined measures, a sort of player performance model. . He helped them to create this.

He has absolutely nothing to do with the rating of players.

It would be like blaming Mr Richter for all the worlds earthquakes

[Rovermatt]

Personally I think it's disgrace that Rooney will start he showed utter contempt for the travelling fans with his attitude during the game and at full time.

Rooney is England's best player by some distance. Why wouldn't he start? The travelling fans want England to win and the chances of that are greatly reduced in his absence.

[Tom]

To me the problem is Rooney is Englands best player so he can do whatever he wants and gets away with it.

Why should someone who didn't try one little bit start the next game?

[BuckyRover]

I don't think you can judge him too harshly. He was annoyed after that game because of his and our performance.

[Rovermatt]

To me the problem is Rooney is Englands best player so he can do whatever he wants and gets away with it.

Why should someone who didn't try one little bit start the next game?

Beggars can't be choosers.

[ABBEY]

Rooney is England's best player by some distance. Why wouldn't he start? The travelling fans want England to win and the chances of that are greatly reduced in his absence.

why? hes been utter @#/?,lazy and slagged the fans . he isnt fit.

(hope thats hat trick mojo)

[Tom]

I don't think you can judge him too harshly. He was annoyed after that game because of his and our performance.

Instead of being annoyed afterwards he could have done something radical and actually tried during the game instead of skulking around then spitting his dummy out at full time

[tony gale's mic]

Instead of being annoyed afterwards he could have done something radical and actually tried during the game instead of skulking around then spitting his dummy out at full time

I don't understand why so many fans equate not playing well with not trying. It happened when Rovers were playing badly and now it's happening now.

[DE.]

I thought Rooney was trying, but quite simply nothing came off for him. His confidence slipped rapidly as the game went on and led to him not being able to even control the ball by the end. He probably should have been taken off in the second half, but not for lack of effort, just for the fact he was frustrated and totally off-form. Not starting him against Slovenia is unthinkable.