Conditions / Humidity will impact us badly. We simply can't play a possession-retaining game as well as other nations, and i expect a host of miserable second halves from our perspective.
Clearly going through a transitional period, and any form of progress will be seen as positive. The two tournaments after this one are key to us.
If we get out of the group Id see it as a success this time round. Im hoping to see a few of the youngsters have a good game or two (the likes of sterling, sturridge and barkley) and seeing baines have 3 games against decent opposition on a world stage will show whether cole has been a loss.
Just looking forward to the tournament overall now, not got a huge amount of expectation for England. Just please no going out on penalties. I couldnt stand another week of headlines about it
South Korea finished 4th thanks to a series of real dodgy referring decisions.
Greece won it playing rank defensive football and got out the group on goals scored.
Denmark failed to qualify because they had probably the most talented European team of the time in their group. Schemeical, B Laudrup and Polvsen were quality players at the time.
Just offering a counter view.
Id class an England win as a bigger shock than any of the above. Id like to see us win but I think we will get 1 point with a draw against Costa Rica. I dont think that would mean Woy is a failure though and would like to see him given until 2016 no matter the outcome in Brazil.
Really?
And Yugoslavia the most talented European team of the time?
Sorry but this entire post is so spun it's meeting itself coming back the other way...
14 June Uruguay vs Costa Rica 14 June England vs Italy
19 June Uruguay vs England
20 June Italy vs Costa Rica
24 June Italy vs Uruguay 24 June Costa Rica vs England
Two draws for us from the first two and assuming Costa Rica don't cause upsets, leaves a table looking like this going into the final game:
ITA P2 PTS4 URU P2 PTS4 ENG P2 PTS2 CRI P2 PTS0
An England win would, in 90% of cases send us through. The only way it wouldn't happen is on goal difference if we scraped a 1-0 against Costa Rica while Italy and Uruguay won 3-0 and 2-0 for example. Italy and Uruguay would battle it out in the last game for top spot, with the losers being knocked out (should we win against Costa Rica).
Of course, the more points the better and we are all but guaranteed a place in the next round with two wins and a loss but just trying to put a "must not lose" slant on the Italy and Uruguay games rather than must win.
The Italians are notoriously slow starters in tournaments, lets take a draw on that one as the Italians normally have a good defence. Scrape a tie with Uruguay, a 0-0 and a win with Costa Rica puts us through.
All i have to add is the game isn't played on paper and although other teams on paper are better then ours a bounce one way or another and all of a sudden we're winning. Plus if you start gelling and get on a run, anything is possible.
The Italians are notoriously slow starters in tournaments, lets take a draw on that one as the Italians normally have a good defence. Scrape a tie with Uruguay, a 0-0 and a win with Costa Rica puts us through.
All i have to add is the game isn't played on paper and although other teams on paper are better then ours a bounce one way or another and all of a sudden we're winning. Plus if you start gelling and get on a run, anything is possible.
Should be a classic. Italy are slow starters and England are non-starters.
South Korea finished 4th thanks to a series of real dodgy referring decisions.
Greece won it playing rank defensive football and got out the group on goals scored.
Denmark failed to qualify because they had probably the most talented European team of the time in their group. Schemeical, B Laudrup and Polvsen were quality players at the time.
Just offering a counter view.
Id class an England win as a bigger shock than any of the above. Id like to see us win but I think we will get 1 point with a draw against Costa Rica. I dont think that would mean Woy is a failure though and would like to see him given until 2016 no matter the outcome in Brazil.
Really?
And Yugoslavia the most talented European team of the time?
Sorry but this entire post is so spun it's meeting itself coming back the other way...
When we play a good team we try and play football. That doesn't work. It's like west ham trying to beat Liverpool playing football. They need to just be hard to beat and try and nick it.
With 98% predicted humidity in the first game, a good ploy would be to only play young players against Italy and bring in the Gerrards and older pros for the next game. Italy will have a few oldies and our youthful fitness could counter their greater ability.
I don't think we will win it but are Italy seriously that much better than us. For years we have been saying pick youth with a bit of something so here's their chance. Can't be any worse than the shit we produced in South Africa.
South Korea finished 4th thanks to a series of real dodgy referring decisions.
Greece won it playing rank defensive football and got out the group on goals scored.
Denmark failed to qualify because they had probably the most talented European team of the time in their group. Schemeical, B Laudrup and Polvsen were quality players at the time.
Just offering a counter view.
Id class an England win as a bigger shock than any of the above. Id like to see us win but I think we will get 1 point with a draw against Costa Rica. I dont think that would mean Woy is a failure though and would like to see him given until 2016 no matter the outcome in Brazil.
Really?
And Yugoslavia the most talented European team of the time?
Sorry but this entire post is so spun it's meeting itself coming back the other way...
I don't think we will win it but are Italy seriously that much better than us. For years we have been saying pick youth with a bit of something so here's their chance. Can't be any worse than the shit we produced in South Africa.
South Korea finished 4th thanks to a series of real dodgy referring decisions.
Greece won it playing rank defensive football and got out the group on goals scored.
Denmark failed to qualify because they had probably the most talented European team of the time in their group. Schemeical, B Laudrup and Polvsen were quality players at the time.
Just offering a counter view.
Id class an England win as a bigger shock than any of the above. Id like to see us win but I think we will get 1 point with a draw against Costa Rica. I dont think that would mean Woy is a failure though and would like to see him given until 2016 no matter the outcome in Brazil.
Really?
And Yugoslavia the most talented European team of the time?
Sorry but this entire post is so spun it's meeting itself coming back the other way...
I dont see how that is spin, especially when I EXPLICITLY state "just offering a counter view"
Making the point that Denmark werent the mugs that some people paint them out to be.
But you inferred that S. Korea and Greece were mugs who got lucky and then say England winning would be a bigger shock?
I was just pointing out the flaws in your counter view.
yep and nicely aruged. seems we are fans of a similar period of international football...what do u think of that yugoslavia team? ridiculously talented arent they?
they won 7 out the 8 group games but denmark actually beat them in Belgrade i think. regardless of the them, no team would have fancied a trip there 1990/91
i do think s korea were the beneficiaries of some appalling referring. the Joaquin goal for Spain, ruled out because it crossed the goal line when not one part of the ball was even touching the line.
I want the best for England. im no hater. I am a realist though mate...I just dont want to see vitriol on Hodgson should we go out in the group...he is the best we got for sure...classy international manager IMO.
Conditions / Humidity will impact us badly. We simply can't play a possession-retaining game as well as other nations, and i expect a host of miserable second halves from our perspective.
Clearly going through a transitional period, and any form of progress will be seen as positive. The two tournaments after this one are key to us.
Since when has simply maintaining possession won a game of football? You need to put the ball in the big white net!
I don't think we will win it but are Italy seriously that much better than us. For years we have been saying pick youth with a bit of something so here's their chance. Can't be any worse than the shit we produced in South Africa.
They are better with the ball which will be an important factor in the conditions. They are notorious slow starters and I'm sure Hodgson will have a plan though.
Conditions / Humidity will impact us badly. We simply can't play a possession-retaining game as well as other nations, and i expect a host of miserable second halves from our perspective.
Clearly going through a transitional period, and any form of progress will be seen as positive. The two tournaments after this one are key to us.
Since when has simply maintaining possession won a game of football? You need to put the ball in the big white net!
When in possession you have the opportunity to score. When in possession the opposition have no possibility of scoring. You work it out.
Conditions / Humidity will impact us badly. We simply can't play a possession-retaining game as well as other nations, and i expect a host of miserable second halves from our perspective.
Clearly going through a transitional period, and any form of progress will be seen as positive. The two tournaments after this one are key to us.
Since when has simply maintaining possession won a game of football? You need to put the ball in the big white net!
Last year in the U21 euros we played Norway. We had something like 70% of the possession and lost three one. That day the people who bang on about England not being able to keep possession suddenly started telling us it is all about scoring goals...
South Korea finished 4th thanks to a series of real dodgy referring decisions.
Greece won it playing rank defensive football and got out the group on goals scored.
Denmark failed to qualify because they had probably the most talented European team of the time in their group. Schemeical, B Laudrup and Polvsen were quality players at the time.
Just offering a counter view.
Id class an England win as a bigger shock than any of the above. Id like to see us win but I think we will get 1 point with a draw against Costa Rica. I dont think that would mean Woy is a failure though and would like to see him given until 2016 no matter the outcome in Brazil.
Really?
And Yugoslavia the most talented European team of the time?
Sorry but this entire post is so spun it's meeting itself coming back the other way...
I dont see how that is spin, especially when I EXPLICITLY state "just offering a counter view"
Making the point that Denmark werent the mugs that some people paint them out to be.
But you inferred that S. Korea and Greece were mugs who got lucky and then say England winning would be a bigger shock?
I was just pointing out the flaws in your counter view.
yep and nicely aruged. seems we are fans of a similar period of international football...what do u think of that yugoslavia team? ridiculously talented arent they?
they won 7 out the 8 group games but denmark actually beat them in Belgrade i think. regardless of the them, no team would have fancied a trip there 1990/91
i do think s korea were the beneficiaries of some appalling referring. the Joaquin goal for Spain, ruled out because it crossed the goal line when not one part of the ball was even touching the line.
I want the best for England. im no hater. I am a realist though mate...I just dont want to see vitriol on Hodgson should we go out in the group...he is the best we got for sure...classy international manager IMO.
Yes - decent side I must admit. Lets all hope with less pressure this England side can over-achieve for once...
For one of the biggest nations in the tournament every World Cup, a win ratio of less than 50% in the first game of the group could be seen as a slow start. Especially as they're usually the top seed and would only be playing lesser quality teams.
Conditions / Humidity will impact us badly. We simply can't play a possession-retaining game as well as other nations, and i expect a host of miserable second halves from our perspective.
Clearly going through a transitional period, and any form of progress will be seen as positive. The two tournaments after this one are key to us.
Since when has simply maintaining possession won a game of football? You need to put the ball in the big white net!
Last year in the U21 euros we played Norway. We had something like 70% of the possession and lost three one. That day the people who bang on about England not being able to keep possession suddenly started telling us it is all about scoring goals...
Fair enough - but it generally is about what your weakness is compared to your opponents. Norway are traditionally a side that is not famed for their possession football. Would we have had that level of possession against SPain U21s?
Conditions / Humidity will impact us badly. We simply can't play a possession-retaining game as well as other nations, and i expect a host of miserable second halves from our perspective.
Clearly going through a transitional period, and any form of progress will be seen as positive. The two tournaments after this one are key to us.
Since when has simply maintaining possession won a game of football? You need to put the ball in the big white net!
Last year in the U21 euros we played Norway. We had something like 70% of the possession and lost three one. That day the people who bang on about England not being able to keep possession suddenly started telling us it is all about scoring goals...
Fair enough - but it generally is about what your weakness is compared to your opponents. Norway are traditionally a side that is not famed for their possession football. Would we have had that level of possession against SPain U21s?
I think you are reading too much into the point I was making mate. When it comes to England they can't do right for doing wrong in some people's eyes. If we had played Spain and they had 70% of the possession and we had won 3-1 some people would have been moaning that we were terrible and we were lucky etc. When we do dominate a game and lose, the same people tell us all that matters is the score. Like they did when we used our strengths to sneak a nil nil draw with Italy at the last Euros.
Comments
Thats what we are all about.
Our style always means the inevitable of getting knocked out on pens though after taking a better team to the wire.
FWIW, I think we will draw with Italy and Uruguay and beat Costa Rica and we'll squeeze through and lose in last 16 or QFs to a Portugal or such like.
Conditions / Humidity will impact us badly. We simply can't play a possession-retaining game as well as other nations, and i expect a host of miserable second halves from our perspective.
Clearly going through a transitional period, and any form of progress will be seen as positive. The two tournaments after this one are key to us.
Just looking forward to the tournament overall now, not got a huge amount of expectation for England. Just please no going out on penalties. I couldnt stand another week of headlines about it
And Yugoslavia the most talented European team of the time?
Sorry but this entire post is so spun it's meeting itself coming back the other way...
14 June England vs Italy
19 June Uruguay vs England
20 June Italy vs Costa Rica
24 June Italy vs Uruguay
24 June Costa Rica vs England
Two draws for us from the first two and assuming Costa Rica don't cause upsets, leaves a table looking like this going into the final game:
ITA P2 PTS4
URU P2 PTS4
ENG P2 PTS2
CRI P2 PTS0
An England win would, in 90% of cases send us through. The only way it wouldn't happen is on goal difference if we scraped a 1-0 against Costa Rica while Italy and Uruguay won 3-0 and 2-0 for example.
Italy and Uruguay would battle it out in the last game for top spot, with the losers being knocked out (should we win against Costa Rica).
Of course, the more points the better and we are all but guaranteed a place in the next round with two wins and a loss but just trying to put a "must not lose" slant on the Italy and Uruguay games rather than must win.
Whether they are better players or not cant deny weve had a "knob-head clearout"
Rio, Cole, Terry
All i have to add is the game isn't played on paper and although other teams on paper are better then ours a bounce one way or another and all of a sudden we're winning. Plus if you start gelling and get on a run, anything is possible.
Mijhalovic
Saveceivic
Stanic
Pancev
mijatovic
Boban
Prosenicki
suker
Jarni
sorry AA but that's a class outfit
They didnt use any Croats from may 1991 onwards.
I dont see how that is spin, especially when I EXPLICITLY state "just offering a counter view"
Making the point that Denmark werent the mugs that some people paint them out to be.
I was just pointing out the flaws in your counter view.
they won 7 out the 8 group games but denmark actually beat them in Belgrade i think. regardless of the them, no team would have fancied a trip there 1990/91
i do think s korea were the beneficiaries of some appalling referring. the Joaquin goal for Spain, ruled out because it crossed the goal line when not one part of the ball was even touching the line.
I want the best for England. im no hater. I am a realist though mate...I just dont want to see vitriol on Hodgson should we go out in the group...he is the best we got for sure...classy international manager IMO.
Since when has simply maintaining possession won a game of football?
You need to put the ball in the big white net!
Italy's Last 7 world cup opening games:
W3
D3
L1