[Archived] England V Wales Wc Qualifier Preview

[jim mk2]

. I'd drop Beckham (nice goal, shame about everything else) and play Gerrard on the right hand side of the 'diamond'.

Eriksson will never drop Beckham, although perhaps the player deserves to be.

Beckham is getting a fair amount of stick in the papers (despite his brilliant goal) for his kamikaze performance in the second half. It is being suggested that he got himself deliberately booked (therefore missing the next game) because he did not fancy the trip to Azerbaijan (sp?) and it is not the first time that he has pulled off such a trick.

Andrew Cole never played for Eriksson again after picking up a suspension and Alan Smith was left out of the squad for a year after being sent off and banned. Beckham is likely to receive more lenient traetment however.

Any euphoria over England's performance should be tempered by the fact that Wales were pretty awful.

[tchocky]

IMO England have a very good team now and should be creating more clean cut chances. Wales defended well and with the players at their disposal was a good game by them I thought. A bit worrying with the defensive approach Hughes has to the game, although that maybe would be different with another set of players.

[tcj_jones]

My thoughts on the match are far more negative than the majority. I still don't think the diamond formation is working and don't think it ever will. On the left we were stupidly exposed and Wales had acres of space to run in and attack Cole. Butt rarely filled the gap and I don't share peoples views that he is "indespensible;" I thought he was nothing more than medicore. Better teams will punish us on the left if we continue to play Lampard so narrow. Then again, he isn't a left midfielder so it's understandable. At the very least Eriksson could have played an in form Joe Cole. Lets hope Bridge comes back soon.

On the right Beckham started well but again came into the centre for much of the first and second half and added little, leaving acres of space down the right flank. If we had played a team with wingers, like Spain, they would have ripped us apart.

Upfront we were excellent and I was extremely pleased with Owen and Rooney, the former full of confidence and the latter giving a world class performance. Defoe didn't seem to fit into the three upfront, but Smith looked to have a much bigger presence.

Why or why do we continue to play the long ball so often? Our strikers got lucky with a few but the Welsh looked pretty confortable for the most part - our strikers just don't have the height to challange. The only time we should play the long ball is when it's coming from Robinson who, by the way, has an awesome kick. Otherwise, we looked good when we played the ball along the floor.

[LeChuck]

Why or why do we continue to play the long ball so often?

Sorry...but were you watching the same game? I've been very critical of us in the past for using long balls but there was none of that yesterday, some of the passing moves were excellent and we were very patient in possesion, having Rio Ferdinand in defence and a play-it-simple Nicky Butt instead of a 50-yard-ball-to-Owen Steven Gerrard in midfield meant that we kept hold of the ball superbly.

[tcj_jones]

Sure, we kept possession of the ball in defence and just outside our own box, but as soon as our players lost patience and had passed it around for a few minutes it was always the long ball to the front two. If Rooney wasn't there to take the ball forward it would have been much more than it was. Admittedly in the second half we played a lot better out of defence and into attack, but the first half was full of long balls.

[jim mk2]

For me  Mr Bigley's death was a national tragedy.

No it is not.

Mr Bigley's killing was appalling, barbaric etc etc and devastating for his family but a "tragedy" (a much overused word), certainly a national one, is a cataclysmic event, such as Aberfan in 1966, when 144 people, most of them children, were buried under a falling slag heap.

Mourning Mr Bigley at an international football match was inappropriate in my view.

[blue phil]

Jim , you're correct . I was in favour of a silence for Cloughie as he was a truly great football man - it seemed appropiate .

This however was a "silence too far" and just further evidence , if any were needed , of how slushy and over sentimental we have become as a nation.

Those who disgraced the silence , however , provide evidence of how yobbish a lot of our people have become .

I reckon we were more of a caring people when we displayed our "feelings" less .

[den]

"over sentimental"? Sentimental is nice B.P. It shows caring. I follow the argument about the rights or wrongs of the minutes silence before the game, but slushy and over sentimental - never.

[blue phil]

Sentimental is nice , Den if you're having a quiet night in ; over sentimentality in a public place is not quite in the British tradition .

For example ; compare the old film of people paying their respects to the departed Churchill , filing past his coffin in a dry eyed , silent and dignified manner , with those weeping and wailing show offs who near enough prostrated themselves before the passing coffin of Lady Diana - who in truth was famous only for ... well , being famous .

Emotions derived from bereavement are best displayed amongst the close friends and relations of the family . We can still respect Mr Bigley in our thoughts , we don't need a public display to prove it .

[jim mk2]

Emotions derived from bereavement are best displayed amongst the close friends and relations of the family . We can still respect Mr Bigley in our thoughts , we don't need a public display to prove it .

Is that the first time we are in agreement?

Strange days indeed.

[den]

Private or public is nothing to do with sentimentality BP. It's a state of mind. It's nice.

[Ozz]

I agree with Jim.What makes Mr Bigleys death so different to the hundreds of other deaths in the last 12 months of British citizens/army personel in Iraq? Keep it public and make everyone aware, but no need for a minutes silence at the England game.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Hey guys, just got back from Manchester!

I totally loved the game, every minute of it. We deserved to win by more but at the end of the day we got the 3 pts and also put across a really good positive performance.

It was the first time ive ever been to Old trafford and all I can say is...WOW!!! It's so big and the views are amazing. I was near the back and the view was great and theres loads of leg room. The atmosphere was great as well and really loud at times. Also Wayne Rooney is fan-bloody-tastic when watching live. His off the ball movement is amazing and when he's on it...well, he's superb.

Anyway, i've got a few pictures for you all to check out if you wish!

Sir Matt Busby Statue

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/timy...irMattBusby.jpg

England & Wales meet guest of honour - Kelly Holmes

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/timyoung/P1010046.jpg

England fans create a giant St Georges Cross during the national anthem

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/timyoung/P1010049.jpg

Minute silence in honour of Kenneth Bigley

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/timyoung/P1010052.jpg

Rooney being replaced by Ledley King - King Rooney has left the building

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/timyoung/P1010059.jpg

[Drummer Boy]

Sentimental is nice , Den if you're having a quiet night in ; over sentimentality in a public place is not quite in the British tradition .

For example ; compare the old film of people paying their respects to the departed Churchill , filing past his coffin in a dry eyed , silent and dignified manner , with those weeping and wailing show offs who near enough prostrated themselves before the passing coffin of Lady Diana - who in truth was famous only for ... well , being famous .

Emotions derived from bereavement are best displayed amongst the close friends and relations of the family . We can still respect Mr Bigley in our thoughts , we don't need a public display to prove it .

Not very PC (which is all that matters nowadays or so it seems) but absolutely spot on BP. "Quick, here comes the camera, let's get the tear ducts going" - especially at football matches. It's a game of football nothing more. Ken Bigley's barbaric killing amply demonstrates this, but is not a matter of public grieving IMO - those who knew him should be allowed their moment to pay their private respects, rather than 60,000 football fans who did not know the man.

As for the national anthem debate, aren't we being a bit uptight? Anthems get booed, I'm not sure this signifies eternal hatred or disrespect except perhaps for the next 90 minutes.

[pg]

Your cricket crowds are the only ones in the world that boo the opposition (especially England). Nowhere else in the world (not even in roughneck South Africa) does this happen.

Nice try, Jim... a shame that its complete rubbish.

I suppose all the Indian fans that throw bottles at players, and light fires in the stadium don't exist?

Lunacy and anti-social behaviour doesnt adhere to national boundaries.

I'm not saying that every Australian cricket fan is an angel, because we all know that's rubbish.

But to somehow suggest that Aussie cricket fans are somehow the worst behaved in the whole world is ludicrious.

Well done Jim - I took the bait!

[American]

John Nicholson's take

[blue phil]

Good article . I read it in silence