lauren

agree with you Calista, we need to get the game by the scruff of the neck and put away our chances.. anyway all's well that ends well and the manks losing is just what we needed

injured and out for a while, tear in right thigh. do you wonder when we get a lot of injuries if there is a training problem?

yes at the drubbing we gave Wolves when they came up (think it was 5-0). Was just before kick off, was on the phone to my BF and he said ha you are on telly. also seen at the Monaco Super Cup game, my cousin spotted me which wasn't hard as there weren't many of us at the game in the Chelsea end.

I find it odd he has a 4 year contract. Very expensive if they need to sack him. Anyway, let's hope it all works out for us and him.

died today aged 76

excellent result at Boro, a 6 pointer now for us next week.

Probably the best away game I have ever been to was Tromso. Fantastic little town, amazing flying over the fjords, snow up to our knees, a friend ate whale lasagne in the pub, beer was something like a fiver a pint, great shops selling hunting knives and traps, pitch black at 2.30pm, snow on the pitch and kids with brooms trying to keep the lines clear, Dennis in short sleeves, some nutters in bare chests behind the goal, meeting the team at the Radisson before the game, my kiss from Dennis , effing cold day out!

great match report Loz. Who used to write them on the old forum - was it Butch?

I think it's about expectations and entitlements. The Scots don't have either of these. They go out to each match as underdogs and when they have fantastic results like against France their supporters begin to believe and get right behind them and the players start to believe too. The England fans and teams expect to qualify and feel entitled to qualify. There is less of a sense of urgency in terms of play and support. It is time we see ourselves as underdogs now. Which we are. Let's start to support England with no expectations and sense of entitlement. We might start to win. We are no different to how it went for Holland in the last 15 years. Fallen giants.

I am feeling pessimistic, don't see us qualifiying for this either. shoot me now!

I don't think there is anyone who would be any good to be quite honest. Shearer, Pierce, Bruce are in my opinion, lacking experience and proven ability as strong managers. Other options are not English. I think that makes a massive difference. I can't see any changes in our qualification abilities for years to come until we sort out a number of problems. Bringing youngsters through and finding a proven English manager. Whoever we take on now will not be the England manager in 3 years time.

I checked the ESPN schedule and cannot see England v Croatia listed. Anyone know better?

I think there are other reasons to the ones here. For many supporters it really is club not country so I don't think the support is there as it used to be. I also think after 40 years of winning nothing internationally fans are jaded with the ebb and flow of hope and disappointment, it's almost not worth supporting England as you just know they are going to fall at the final hurdles somewhere towards quarters and semis. And the lack of support definitely gets felt out on the pitch. I also think someone else suggested this, the fear of injury definitely demotivates players. Also, we are missing a Gazza type of person on the pitch. Someone who cares so much that they put all their passion into playing for England, or a Stuart Pierce. Don't get me wrong, players like Lamps, Terry, Gerrard etc play adequately for England but I do not believe they feel the passion that past players felt. Players have to truly LOVE playing for their country and I don't think we have any that do that. A big mistake was having Erikson. How can a non English manager really really fire up the players for their country? McClaren is wrong. I agree English managers are few and far between these days, maybe we need to groom an ex player to learn to manage the country's side. Someone who was not a club manager. Just a thought.

for training purposes. his new manager has given him permission to fly back to England to find a club to train with prior to England games. Any thoughts as to where he may go?

yep i saw that they are showing the scousers live the bast*rds

couldn't have been better - draws for the teams above us, draw for the scallies and a draw for Spurts and WE WON What happened to the forum today?? anyone else notice that Benitez has certainly been eating pies?

good results all round today and this forum finally working.

small matter of an EPL game tomorrow after having scored 10 goals this past week. who is playing? can we continue with our goal fest? I don't see why not. how long before JT is back?

I am with chippy. Not imaginable. I was born a Blue, was reciting the Div 2 side to my dad since I was 2 years old. There is only one team.

excellent result for us today. now let's all continue laughing at spurts

terrific game, everyone played well.

after tonight's defeat in UEFA no real surprise. Who is in? I heard Poyet is a possibility. edit - just read in the BBC online that it will be Ramos.

why don't you tell us how you really feel?

bottom of their group -

It won't be, it'll be how Liverpool have the luck of champions and put in a gritty performance etc. for once Talksport are firmly against the Scallies, all agree Everton were cheated out of penalties, sendings off and poor refereeing.