israel v russia

[Colin Todd]

How dare you. There was a lot of interesting and thought provoking reasons behind my previous post.

I'll get back to you when I've worked out what they are

[flammableBen]

I think England will do it by the sking of McLarens alcohol flushed ball bag.  Meh and if England and the Eggs don’t qualify while it’s a terrible thing to say it’ll actually make the tournament worth watching in the pubs without all of the usual shit that follows England games nowadays.   :old:

Aye

[janaage]

George Cohen's a retard

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7098446.stm

[Colin Todd]

George Cohen's a retard

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7098446.stm

On what basis?  He's not saying England are great, just that we should really be beating the likes of Tinidad & Tobago and Macadonia by convincing margins. Which seems fair enough to me

[Kinky Tom]

Me too really - it's similar to Swindon coming up against teams lower than the Blue Square league - we quite rightly expect a win against these teams.

All he's saying is that we've been sh1t and something has to be done about it.

If Ferguson had had the England squad as his Utd. squad he probably would have won the league with them at least once in the last three years, something somewhere is going wrong...

[janaage]

for the love of god chaps, england are not world beaters, you get your ups you get your downs.  Macedonia are no whipping boys, none of the eastern block countries are, they're all tough teams to get results against.

If england stopped with this, "we should have qualified with ease" attitude the players might starting fighting for their shirts, and for their country so to speak.

england have stopped playing like a british side and lost the plot.

[Colin Todd]

No one is saying we are world beaters. There is no evidence to suggest that we are even close

England ranked 11th in world
T & T  - 78
Macadonia -  75

Its not English arrogance to suggest we should be beating these teams (and beating them fairly comfortably) - its just realistic.  Just as anyone would expect the Czech Republic (9) to beat Dr Congo (79) or Quatar(84)

Some of T & T's players are of league 1 & 2 standard FFS.

We should have qualified with ease. The fact that we havnt under McLaren with broadly the same group of players as under Erikson is a damning testament to his lack of management skills

[reeves4england]

Any team with John Terry, David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Joe Cole, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen in it should be able to get a result against Maecedonia. Not because Macedonia are crap, but because the English players are very good.

England are in the brown stuff now and they thoroughly deserve to be there for some of the hopeless performances they have put in. And yes, I think the media image of England being world beaters is to blame, but it doesn't mean the media is wrong in slating a team that loses to Macedonia.

[janaage]

Fuck me Colin, you don't take those rankings seriously do you???

They are an absolute waste of time.  That's coming from me who should be pleased that Scotland are ranked 13th best in the world, but I know that's a load of crap too.

Rankings should be abolished.


PS you didn't lose to Macedonia did you you won at their place and drew 0-0 at home.

[Colin Todd]

I dont take them that seriously, but they are at least a vague indication of the teams relative standings in world football.  The point remains the same even if they are wrong by 10 positions (ie England are clearly the no 1 super team!!111one )

P.S. I never said we lost to Macedonia. Of course drawing 0-0 at home is a fucking great result though

[janaage]

"Qualification should have been a matter of course "

Why Croatia and Russia were always going to be in the running, england are no better than either of these sides.

I know you didn't mate, reevesy boy did.

[Colin Todd]

Why Croatia and Russia were always going to be in the running, england are no better than either of these sides.

At the moment that is correct.

It shouldnt be though, we have better players and if we had a semi competent manager we have the potential to be much better than that

[Reg Smeeton]

George Cohen speaks as an old England player who played with pride for the country, and made the most of what he had got.

   Judgement on the likes of T and T should be made on the basis of their centre half, plated at the CG this season fro Gillingham who we should have beaten 10-0 and Ricky Shakes nearly got in their final 23.

[Bob's Orange]

well said ben, bacon sarnies all round!

How come Israel get all rhe support why not Macedonia?

Probably because Israel stand a chance of a result.

So how come england didn't manage to beat Macedonia at home then?

FFS fella's this is half the problem with the english set up, thinking that some of these eastern european teams are so shit you've won before kick off.

Just because you may not have heard of many of their players doesn't mean they have no chance.

Shows a touch of arrogance imo.

B.O. - As for supporting Italy fair play to you, each to their own.

Nothing personal, I live with 2 Scots and I have already had to put up with a load of crowing since you beat France, if you qualify and England don't it'll be hellish!! :evil:

Has DJ left for Glasgow yet???

He's on the Frankfurt Hahn to Prestwick flight as we speak! He's been going on about this game all week!! :roll:

[Simon Pieman]

for the love of god chaps, england are not world beaters, you get your ups you get your downs.  Macedonia are no whipping boys, none of the eastern block countries are, they're all tough teams to get results against.

If england stopped with this, "we should have qualified with ease" attitude the players might starting fighting for their shirts, and for their country so to speak.

england have stopped playing like a british side and lost the plot.

Load of bollocks. How many times have we seen <insert whiny cunt England player's name here> throwing a strop because he didn't like the way things we going down. Fucking hell, even David Bentley had a fair old crack of the prima dona whip.

They don't know what it is to fight for their shirt, to display pride and play their skins out. As soon as they've signed for a top side and have won their big contract they've truly made it. England selection is merely a formality.

That's why players like Micah Richards are great for England, because they approach the game as if it's there to be won, not to go through the motions without passion and belief. They're not playing for themselves or their careers, they're playing for England. Unfortunately Richards will probably succumb to the same fate as Wayne Rooney as soon as the big money starts rolling in.