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Can England Win The World Cup?

Harry

By Harry
in Football Chat

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Harry

Harry

Posted
Posted

Ok.  Before you react, I am not overhyping England's chances based on tonight's performance.  I don't think that we are world-beaters or expect us to go and do well.  In fact, I think, as usual, we will fail miserably and whimper out.

 

However, I'm gonna play devil's advocate a little here.

 

In the last 2 years we have played 24 games.  We've Won 15, Drawn 7 & Lost just 2.

 

We've beaten Spain, Belgium, Italy away and Brazil.  We've also drawn away in Brazil.

We qualified without losing a game.

 

Hodgson's record is Played 21, Won 13, Drawn 7 and Lost just 1*.

*this is based on the Italy game in the Euro's being a draw at full time (even though we lost on pens!)

 

Looking at the stats on show there, surely you'd say we're in with a shot.  We've beaten 4 of the favourites in the last 2 years and we are very hard to beat.

 

Again, please can I make it absolutely clear.  I am not getting carried away - I think we're not good enough by a long way and will come home early.  But woss fink of ee boys?

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Jordan Tansley

Jordan Tansley

Posted
Posted

Of course we can win it, but we won't.

 

We need to be clever with our squad selection and our team selections. Baines has to play in the games against middle to poor teams and Cole needs to player when we'll be on the back foot for longer periods.

We need to play a proper right back and we need to use players like Townsend correctly as he leaves the right back totally exposed.

We need to find a way of getting Rooney on the end of more and ensure flair players like Sturridge get the ball in better positions.

We need to avoid putting Lampard and Wilshere on the pitch

We need to play Carrick next to Gerrard if we shape up with a 4 man midfield.

We need to have a **** load of luck

and we also need to have a **** load more luck

 

 

But we're there, and that's a very good feeling.

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collier

collier

Posted
Posted

Yea we qualified really well at the last world cup, look how that turned out!!! We are notorious for playing well against the better nations in meaningless friendlies but when it comes to the nitty gritty, we always fail. We look good going forward at the moment but make no mistake, the better sides will more that expose our weaknesses at the back. Poland created a few good chances themselves tonight, the better sides won't miss them. Imo.

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Kingswood Robin

Kingswood Robin

Posted
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I don't think we'll be winning anything soon. However, if they keep on attacking like that, then we'll at least give a good account of ourselves. The last few tournaments we've been absolutely dire with no apparent plan at all. Sure, better teams will undo us at the back, but we might just put the wind up a few teams as well. What a talent that Townsend looks.  

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Cunnyfunt

Cunnyfunt

Posted
Posted

Of course we can win it, but we won't.

We need to be clever with our squad selection and our team selections. Baines has to play in the games against middle to poor teams and Cole needs to player when we'll be on the back foot for longer periods.

We need to play a proper right back and we need to use players like Townsend correctly as he leaves the right back totally exposed.

We need to find a way of getting Rooney on the end of more and ensure flair players like Sturridge get the ball in better positions.

We need to avoid putting Lampard and Wilshere on the pitch

We need to play Carrick next to Gerrard if we shape up with a 4 man midfield.

We need to have a **** load of luck

and we also need to have a **** load more luck

But we're there, and that's a very good feeling.

Spot on JT. I also fear for our centre backs against top level opposition.
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EnclosureSurge

EnclosureSurge

Posted
Posted

Ok.  Before you react, I am not overhyping England's chances based on tonight's performance.  I don't think that we are world-beaters or expect us to go and do well.  In fact, I think, as usual, we will fail miserably and whimper out.

 

However, I'm gonna play devil's advocate a little here.

 

In the last 2 years we have played 24 games.  We've Won 15, Drawn 7 & Lost just 2.

 

We've beaten Spain, Belgium, Italy away and Brazil.  We've also drawn away in Brazil.

We qualified without losing a game.

 

Hodgson's record is Played 21, Won 13, Drawn 7 and Lost just 1*.

*this is based on the Italy game in the Euro's being a draw at full time (even though we lost on pens!)

 

Looking at the stats on show there, surely you'd say we're in with a shot.  We've beaten 4 of the favourites in the last 2 years and we are very hard to beat.

 

Again, please can I make it absolutely clear.  I am not getting carried away - I think we're not good enough by a long way and will come home early.  But woss fink of ee boys?

 

 

Harry, you're absolutely right except...

 

For once we'll probably come home with whimper. Be it Jack Wilshere eating too many fags, Phil Jacki-Oatley eating too many favellas (they're a type of Brazilian speciality, right?) or Danny Wellbeck and Danny Sturridge being arrested for impersonating each others' hair-doos, for some reason we'll come home alright.

 

We will be in the second pot, unseeded and therefore up against some proper team - like the aforementioned, Belgium, Spain or Brazil. That's one defeat. Then there'll be the opening game draw. And the final group game desperate lunge at everything that moves.

 

Mexico 86, my third WC I can remember (second with Ing-er-land playing) vividly the result of playing at altitude and/or in rarified South American heat: the puce (A. Chiles' word of the night tonight), panting, perplexed faces of the starting eleven. And that was just coming out the tunnel.

 

The atmosphere (tropospherically speaking, not the one generated - or not - by the paying punter) will restrict us, disproportionately to other nations. Spain, similarly from Europe of course, play a much more slow-slow-quick tempo ideally suited to circumstances of tougher breathing. We don't.

 

Our one-dimensional, all-out, 100mph style - as witnessed tonight, and in every Prem game - puts us behind everyone else before you even consider the idea of possession and passing accurately. It's so depressing to see Stevie Geeeee still trying to a] pass five yards accurately ten times out of ten and b] hit Hollywood passes every minute that are totally uncontrollable and counter-productive, despite all the good work he does. And every little kid looks up to him, wanting to be him (or some other similar overpaid Prem twonk) ... and we wonder why at a macro-level nationally and at a micro-level down the City we have a generation of players who similarly can't pass or control 100% successfully. I mean, have you ever seen Busquets miscontrol the ball as much as English players - leave alone Shabby or Inny-Esther. And he's their plank plonked in front of the back four.

 

I hope we play with some flair and go out by having a go. It's too late to try and implement a passing game (and no-one's got the patience for it, anyway - vis City and poor old SoD's attempts to get us passing).

 

Maybe the even further diminished sense of expectation might help (but not by idiots like the ITV plank whose last words to Woy Hodge tonight were, "England expects". Cheers, great help. F off ITV).

 

Maybe youth and a bit of naivety/fearlessness will help (maybe don't play Gerrard or Lamp-post? Now there's a thought).

 

Maybe all the other teams will part like the Red Sea as we march towards ... the semi-finals.

 

Maybe.

 

Great stuff, Harry.

 

(Bugger, I wasn't going to react...)

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Jordan Tansley

Jordan Tansley

Posted
Posted

Bit silly to write him off at 21 years old. He'll come good without doubt.

 

Perhaps, I just see another player who has been given a massive reputation too early and is already living off it rather than performing.

 

Everything I've seen of him since his injuries has disappointed me. I see more in Barkley & Oxlade-Chamberlain, much more.

 

It's just my opinion, I just don't see what most of the hype is surrounding Wilshere. I watched his debut for Arsenal in the Emirates cup when he was 15 and thought "F me, he's gonna be great." but he's not gone far enough to be considered World Class and I don't think he ever will.

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reddoc

reddoc

Posted
Posted

Been below par in every game this season, no?

And it's 8 months till the world cup. Ok he's a has been at 23. Bit harsh I think. Huge talent but you've decided to write him off as he's yet to regain form. He's not even broken a metatarsal yet. If we're to compete in Brazil it'll be because players like him are on their game.

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The Enormous Turnip

The Enormous Turnip

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Anyone writing off Wilshere, after an average start to the season, post long-term injury, just needs to look at Ramsey. The guy is now looking the complete midfielder he was starting to become before the legbreak, but he did take a season or two to properly get back into it. These things can take time but he'll be back... still just 21...

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