Israel vs England

[loz]

Something tells me this is going to be

a) a close match

dull as sh*t

I would not be at all surprised if it ends 0-0.

A blessing was the injury to Gary Neville as without it we may well have have seen him playing at left back. Having said that we should brace ourselves for seeing Phil Neville or Carjacker there instead rather than Gareth Barry. It is another England selection joke that when Bridge and Cole are both unavailable the likes of Shorey and Baines still don't get a look in, we would rather play a right footed right back at left back and ignore the players who have been showing some form in the league.

We will struggle to score - but I will watch as I always do!

[sergeyMS]

Sometimes it`s so difficult to understand why your country, having so much quality and a large choice of players, is lacking success at big football forums???

Having so much pace, creativity and flair England, sometimes, find it difficult to score, I don`t want even to remember your World Cup games, they were just awful.

What are your problems??

1) It`s Portugal - mistique opponent. (Eleonora)

2) It`s w**ker Sven Goran Erikkson......... and McLaren is w**ker too.

3) Players` motivation.

Or something else??

[Liam]

Something else - not good enough.

[sergeyMS]

Ghana was good, but not good enough, that why they lost a game against Brazil.

Australia was good, but not good enough, to beat 10-men Italy in quarters and finally lost it.

But England - not good enough?? What is not good enough?? I really cant see.......For me it`s a riddle.

[loz]

Well for a start we don't have that much creativity and flair, especially with Joe injured - in fact we have very little creativity and flair.

It is also due to the fact we have appointed a manager who is, at best, considered to be successful because he kept Boro out of the dorp zone, this being a Boro team which could arguably have been a top 8 side.

It is also because for too many years England have played games at Mickey Quinn pace (and I mean Quinn as he is now) and have consequently invited teams into the game and given them the confiedence that they can get something out of the match.

Fundamentally, for far too long, we have lacked a manager who makes big decisions when they are needed. Too many players being asked to play out of position instead of having the balls to bring in less experienced players who at least would be playing in their orthodox position and way too much credence given to the senior members of the team (i.e. Beckham, Neville, Lamps and Gerrard - sometimes I think they picked the squads more than the manager)

[sergeyMS]

I see your point Loz.

Lamps and G are, at least, creative enough and arguably are very creative.

Lennon, Rooney and maybe SWP have a lot of flair and I`m sure I`m missing somebody.

And who do you prefer to see as a manager? (Mourinho? )

[loz]

I don't think of Lampard and Gerrard as particularly creative midfielders.

SWP is a bit part player for England and Rooney's ability to create is being reduced by the fact that we are lacking a quality partner for him to play behind. England has a lack of good centre forwards just now. I am hoping we play Johnson form the start on Saturday but I have a bad feeling it is going to be Rooney and Crouch.

As for who I would want, well certainly nobody in England right now, and definitely none of the current crop of English managers. Big Phil would have been good if we hadn't screwed that up. Hiddink another good candidate, hell why not go for Lippi!

[ethicalstrategy]

I don't think of Lampard and Gerrard as particularly creative midfielders.

SWP is a bit part player for England and Rooney's ability to create is being reduced by the fact that we are lacking a quality partner for him to play behind. England has a lack of good centre forwards just now. I am hoping we play Johnson form the start on Saturday but I have a bad feeling it is going to be Rooney and Crouch.

As for who I would want, well certainly nobody in England right now, and definitely none of the current crop of English managers. Big Phil would have been good if we hadn't screwed that up. Hiddink another good candidate, hell why not go for Lippi!

I think this lack of strikers is certainly key to why we struggle. If international defenders are not worried about the opposition strikers then it makes it a lot easier to push up and compact the midfield.

Personally, I think we have plenty of talent at the back and in midfield. What we need is a manager who knows what he wants from his players and is able to communicate it to them. The last two managers who have been able to do that were Hoddle before he went nutty and Venables back in Euro 96.

McClaren is worse than useless, but I'm disappointed that Venables hasn't been able to get us playing better.

I quite like the idea of a midfield 4 of Lennon, Hargreaves, Lampard and Gerrard with Rooney and Johnson up front. The full back situation is a complete joke.

I'm sure it will be excruciating but I just hope we scrape a win.

[Elliott]

England have 4 'World Class' Players:

Lampard

Gerrard

Terry

Rooney

And one mediocre Coach:

Mclaren.

Highly overated team in my opinion (I'm English). And i hate having to watch them nowadays, which says everything.

England's best performances come, when starting the game at 90mph, and when really taking the game to opponents. Vs Germany, Vs Argentina etc.

Sadly, it doesnt happen enough.

[Englishman]

England have 4 'World Class' Players:

Lampard

Gerrard

Terry

Rooney

The flip side of that is we have a lot of overrated players and lots of people prepared to overrate them. Before we signed Cashley I would regularly hear pundits gushing about him being the best left-back in the world (imo he isn't even the best left-back at Chelsea), Owen Hargreaves had a few good games in the world cup and is now considered the messiah. Rio is often touted as 'world class', but I just don't see it, Paul Robinson is very very average, as are our strikers beyond Owen and Rooney.

[sergeyMS]

England have 4 'World Class' Players:

Lampard

Gerrard

Terry

Rooney

The flip side of that is we have a lot of overrated players and lots of people prepared to overrate them. Before we signed Cashley I would regularly hear pundits gushing about him being the best left-back in the world (imo he isn't even the best left-back at Chelsea), Owen Hargreaves had a few good games in the world cup and is now considered the messiah. Rio is often touted as 'world class', but I just don't see it, Paul Robinson is very very average, as are our strikers beyond Owen and Rooney.

It`s difficult to disagree. Before signing Cole I thought he`s super player - very fast with mad dribbling, can do almost everything on a field and now deeper into season I`m starting to think that it was Arsenal who must pay 5 extra millions to complete exchange. The idea "Bridge is at least the same" laying in my head deeper and deeper.

[Elliott]

England have 4 'World Class' Players:

Lampard

Gerrard

Terry

Rooney

The flip side of that is we have a lot of overrated players and lots of people prepared to overrate them. Before we signed Cashley I would regularly hear pundits gushing about him being the best left-back in the world (imo he isn't even the best left-back at Chelsea), Owen Hargreaves had a few good games in the world cup and is now considered the messiah. Rio is often touted as 'world class', but I just don't see it, Paul Robinson is very very average, as are our strikers beyond Owen and Rooney.

This was my point, Englishman.

Rio? World Class?

Do me a favour?!

[g3.7]

owen is needed. desperately. the only truly world class, perhaps the only truly capable striker we have at that level.

with owen, rooney, and all the other key players fit we have the makings of a side that should realistically challenge for trophies.

[Pauly]

Sometimes it`s so difficult to understand why your country, having so much quality and a large choice of players, is lacking success at big football forums???

Having so much pace, creativity and flair England, sometimes, find it difficult to score, I don`t want even to remember your World Cup games, they were just awful.

What are your problems??

1) It`s Portugal - mistique opponent. (Eleonora)

2) It`s w**ker Sven Goran Erikkson......... and McLaren is w**ker too.

3) Players` motivation.

Or something else??

Let me give you a hand: They can't pass. And their idea of a good game is to go crazy and run really fast.

Good luck England!

pauly

[lauren]

I think the players think club is way more important than country, none of them want to be injured, especially those players whose clubs are still involved in Europe, FA cup and league titles.

So they don't put their all into a game.

I think supporters feel the same way about England too. Club before country.

[geezer]

I think the players think club is way more important than country, none of them want to be injured, especially those players whose clubs are still involved in Europe, FA cup and league titles.

So they don't put their all into a game.

I think supporters feel the same way about England too. Club before country.

Club before country? Club for me EVERY time!

[lauren]

I think the players think club is way more important than country, none of them want to be injured, especially those players whose clubs are still involved in Europe, FA cup and league titles.

So they don't put their all into a game.

I think supporters feel the same way about England too. Club before country.

Club before country? Club for me EVERY time!

of course club FIRST.

[Loud and Proud]

I used to put my club before my country, until i went to Germany last summer. I haven't experienced anything like that with Chelsea. I haven't travelled abroad with Chelsea but i doubt i'd experience the same as the world cup.

[loz]

No great surprise so far. Half an hour in and an England display which is laboured, lacking any inventiveness and riddled with wayward passes.

Appalling stuff so far, but nothing more then I expect from this team at the moment,

[Maksimov]

Did Sahar start?

[loz]

Did Sahar start?

No

[loz]

Half time and no improvement. All the England fans who have paid out for flights, hotels and match tickets to see a football game surely have a case for a refund under the terms of the Trades Descriptions Act.

Barry Fry would be ashamed if his team played as poorly as that!

[loz]

Sahar on with 20 mins to go - ENgland still appalling although very much dominant in terms of possession now. No changes from Mclaren whatsoever - Rooney being totally bossed by Tal Ben Haim. I would get him off for Defoe (Johnson been one of the few bright points in the game)

[Guest]

Is this a football match?

[loz]

A fair question Cloakey - England are certainly not being manaaged by a football manager! Doninating possession but failing miserably to break them down - McLAren's master switch is? Richards on for Neville and that is it. Nothing else. Jesus wept (he is at the match)!