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Short summer for England

K-9

By K-9,
in All Other Football Chat

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K-9 Newbie

K-9

Posted
Posted

Normally look at players at their disposal and worry they may actually go all the way but this squad is horrendous!!

 

wtf haha:

 

Forster

Jones

Smalling

Wilshire

Ox

Henderson

Gerrard (captain)

Welbeck

 

Hahaha

 

Standby list is weird also

Stones?!?!

Cleverly

Flanagan

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Dynamo Veteran

Dynamo

Posted
Posted

Normally look at players at their disposal and worry they may actually go all the way but this squad is horrendous!!

 

wtf haha:

 

Forster

Jones

Smalling

Wilshire

Ox

Henderson

Gerrard (captain)

Welbeck

 

Hahaha

 

Standby list is weird also

Stones?!?!

Cleverly

Flanagan

 

They won't get very far with 8 players.

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Sonoftherock Proficient

Sonoftherock

Posted
Posted

Worst England squad I can recall for a long time.

 

I was the same, K-9... I genuinely thought they were contenders when they had the likes of Owen, Shearer, Rooney, Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard, Cole, Ferdinand, Neville, Scholes, Terry, etc, right at the top of their respective powers. Folk like to bag England, but IMO, they had something of a golden generation.

 

With this squad, the vets are all past it and the youngsters are, by and large, all very over rated. They are lucky they've got quite an easy group this time. Costa Rica are shocking and Uruguay are well past it. Italy are traditionally slow starters too... I still think they qualify the group stage.

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boboisared Newbie

boboisared

Posted
Posted

Worst England squad I can recall for a long time.

 

I was the same, K-9... I genuinely thought they were contenders when they had the likes of Owen, Shearer, Rooney, Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard, Cole, Ferdinand, Neville, Scholes, Terry, etc, right at the top of their respective powers. Folk like to bag England, but IMO, they had something of a golden generation.

 

With this squad, the vets are all past it and the youngsters are, by and large, all very over rated. They are lucky they've got quite an easy group this time. Costa Rica are shocking and Uruguay are well past it. Italy are traditionally slow starters too... I still think they qualify the group stage.

Heard it here first folks. England to lose all three games.

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Dynamo Veteran

Dynamo

Posted
Posted

Worst England squad I can recall for a long time.

 

I was the same, K-9... I genuinely thought they were contenders when they had the likes of Owen, Shearer, Rooney, Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard, Cole, Ferdinand, Neville, Scholes, Terry, etc, right at the top of their respective powers. Folk like to bag England, but IMO, they had something of a golden generation.

 

With this squad, the vets are all past it and the youngsters are, by and large, all very over rated. They are lucky they've got quite an easy group this time. Costa Rica are shocking and Uruguay are well past it. Italy are traditionally slow starters too... I still think they qualify the group stage.

 

Uruguay and Italy will progress from the group.

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Sonoftherock Proficient

Sonoftherock

Posted
Posted

Heard it here first folks. England to lose all three games.

 

In all seriousness, I wouldn't like to predict that group.

 

I've seen Costa Rica getting beaten by a very poor Australian team and you have to count them out (Bobo, happy to take a bet with you that they won't qualify!). Uruguay scraped through the qualifiers and most of their stars of previous tournaments have all seen better days. Not really any idea how they'll do, but I doubt they'll have much impact. The Italians are always tough to predict in the group stages... however, a turgid carve up in the opening fixture between England and Italy, in the high humidity of Manaus, would probably represent a good result for both sides.

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Dynamo Veteran

Dynamo

Posted
Posted

 

In all seriousness, I wouldn't like to predict that group.

 

I've seen Costa Rica getting beaten by a very poor Australian team and you have to count them out (Bobo, happy to take a bet with you that they won't qualify!). Uruguay scraped through the qualifiers and most of their stars of previous tournaments have all seen better days. Not really any idea how they'll do, but I doubt they'll have much impact. The Italians are always tough to predict in the group stages... however, a turgid carve up in the opening fixture between England and Italy, in the high humidity of Manaus, would probably represent a good result for both sides.

 

 

I don't think a draw would be particularly good for either side in the first game with Uruguay (who you're doing a bit of disservice too) more than likely picking up 3 points v Costa Rica.

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boboisared Newbie

boboisared

Posted
Posted

 

In all seriousness, I wouldn't like to predict that group.

 

I've seen Costa Rica getting beaten by a very poor Australian team and you have to count them out (Bobo, happy to take a bet with you that they won't qualify!). Uruguay scraped through the qualifiers and most of their stars of previous tournaments have all seen better days. Not really any idea how they'll do, but I doubt they'll have much impact. The Italians are always tough to predict in the group stages... however, a turgid carve up in the opening fixture between England and Italy, in the high humidity of Manaus, would probably represent a good result for both sides.

I remember watching the 'Golden Generation' of English football struggling to a late win against Trinidad and Tobago.

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Sonoftherock Proficient

Sonoftherock

Posted
Posted

 

 

I don't think a draw would be particularly good for either side in the first game with Uruguay (who you're doing a bit of disservice too) more than likely picking up 3 points v Costa Rica.

 

Fair enough, RE: Uruguay, just not sure how many more rabbits they can keep pulling out of hats. Their poor performances in the world cup qualifying (coupled with an ageing squad) are what I'm basing this prediction on. Maybe they are beginning to run out of steam. We're about to find out! Having said that, I'm not expecting much from Italy or England, so anything could happen in this group.

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Sonoftherock Proficient

Sonoftherock

Posted
Posted

I remember watching the 'Golden Generation' of English football struggling to a late win against Trinidad and Tobago.

 

More often than not they were shite, but surely given the talent at their disposal, they underachieved?

 

I just googled that game and Englands team that day included Ferdinand, A. Cole, Terry, Beckham, Gerrard and Lampard (and a young Wayne Rooney coming off the bench) all of whom were right at the peak of their game. Night and day compared to their current team I reckon.

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Localfitbafan Newbie

Localfitbafan

Posted
Posted

I usually place a 'Tartan Army' insurance policy of £25 on Engerlund to win any tournament just before it starts. Would hate for them to win and happily give the bookies the £25 but should they ever win it at least it would soften the blow slightly. Looking at the squad, i think I can safely keep the £25 in my own pocket this year

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K-9 Newbie

K-9

Posted
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Posted

 

Fair enough, RE: Uruguay, just not sure how many more rabbits they can keep pulling out of hats. Their poor performances in the world cup qualifying (coupled with an ageing squad) are what I'm basing this prediction on. Maybe they are beginning to run out of steam. We're about to find out! Having said that, I'm not expecting much from Italy or England, so anything could happen in this group.

Not sure about aging squad bit - last squad of 20 players for last match had just 5 players in their 30s and Forlan oldest at 34. England have 5 in 30s also.

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Foster14 Apprentice

Foster14

Posted
Posted

Why do you keep on referring to an ageing squad for Uruguay SOTR? Take Lugano and Forlan out of the mix and their squad is largely in their mid to late twenties.

 

They had a poor qualifying campaign but still think they are a very strong team and will have a great chance of qualifying, especially with it being in South America.

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Sonoftherock Proficient

Sonoftherock

Posted
Posted

Why do you keep on referring to an ageing squad for Uruguay SOTR? Take Lugano and Forlan out of the mix and their squad is largely in their mid to late twenties.

 

They had a poor qualifying campaign but still think they are a very strong team and will have a great chance of qualifying, especially with it being in South America.

 

Haven't dissected their squad, but they were obviously tremendous in 2010 (4th place world cup) and 2011 (winning the Copa America)... however since then, they've struggled in world cup qualifying, finishing 5th in South America and eventually qualifying via a play-off. After Suarez, their stars in those tournaments like Lugano, Perez and Forlan are getting on. Lugano is the captain and he looked well off the pace at West Brom this season. So I'm trying to think of reasons why they might have dipped? As a relatively smaller nation, maybe they haven't been able to replace aging or outgoing players with similar quality?

 

As I say, I'm just guessing here... we'll find out more later this summer! Really hoping they do qualifying - loved watching them in the last world cup - they were a breath of fresh air.

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E-P-K Newbie

E-P-K

Posted
Posted

First time in memory they are playing down there chances, so with less expectations they may play better.

 

 

But with that squad, the predicted sweat pit weather forecast, and the group they are in, unlikely they will be in the knockout stages.

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boboisared Newbie

boboisared

Posted
Posted

 

More often than not they were shite, but surely given the talent at their disposal, they underachieved?

 

I just googled that game and Englands team that day included Ferdinand, A. Cole, Terry, Beckham, Gerrard and Lampard (and a young Wayne Rooney coming off the bench) all of whom were right at the peak of their game. Night and day compared to their current team I reckon.

I don't think they underachieved. I think they just about did as I expected them to.

 

Of that list I think it was only ever Ashley Cole who excelled on the big stage, that's why I was surprised they didn't take him this time. They always struggled playing Lampard and gerrard together too.

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RUL Grand Master

RUL

Posted
Posted

Surprised at the reaction to the England squad, what players did you's think they were going to call up? I think the stand by list is good too, lots of good youngsters who will be taken for the experience.

 

Looking at their best 11 in standard 4-4-2 formation

 

Hart

 

Johnson

Cahill

Jagielka

Baines

 

Sterling

Gerrard

Wilshere

Lallana

 

Rooney

Sturridge

 

Looks a decent enough 11 to me? I can't say I know much about the other teams.

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Tord31 Grand Master

Tord31

Posted
Posted

They should certainly play Italy at their own game in the first game and take a 0-0 - any other tactic probably results in a 1-0 defeat.

 

hard one to predict - I am rating U r gay higher than most on here. Suarez was a one man gang this season and probably it was only Mourinho that managed to shut him out

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BrianFaePerth Grand Master

BrianFaePerth

Posted
Posted

England will do better than you expect.

 

Fewer big names and no longer pinning everything on Stevie G.

 

A more humble team these days.

 

Tough group but I think they'll get through

 

 

As much as it pains me, eh have to agree with you Bloots. All England teams are jammy bastards.

 

Would still be funny to see them get horsed though.

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