The Official World Cup Thread!

[R2D2]

OK, last night we had EN GER LANDs first warm up match against Hungary.
What did we think. Owens fitness, Young Theo, Gerrad. My man of the match......Joe Cole.

 

[dougal74]

You can't play 4-5-1 or 4-4-1-1 with Michael Owen (particularly a partially fit one).

I'll repeat Ian Wright's question "what does Owen Hargreaves have on Sven that means he picks him despite the fact he plays like a bad pub player"?

Joe Cole - very good second half but needs to use his great dribbling skills more effectively against better defenders.

Theo Walcott - has pace and good temperament but is not going to make the impact Owen did in '98 or Rooney on '04.

David Beckham - best game in an England shirt for years.

Steven Gerrard - you can play him anywhere other than in goal.

 

[R2D2]

I agree about Owen Hargreaves. I have never seen him play a half useful game.

We still rely on a fit Owen, Gerrad and . Owen must play the whole match on Saturday.

 

[SEM]

Owen needs to be a little sharper, and should be left up front IMO

I thought Joe Cole was good but Ashley not so good.

Agreed Beckham still has his pin point accuracy to cross the ball

Gerrard what can i say a great allrounder

Lennon should be played also

Walcott if he's not pushed over by a big defence them maybe who may show some skill

Sven, clueless

So who's your odds on to win?

 

[R2D2]

I reckon Brazil are favourites, Germany as hosts have a good chance, then maybe England!

 

[fatherpierre]

Why does he insist on playing Hargreaves? He's never been good enough, will never be good enough and is a waste time.

Both Coles looked good, Beckham looks to be back to his best and beanpole even looked comfy. Owen looked understandably lethargic.

Let's not get carried away though - Hungary are no opposition and England were pretty poor in the 1st half.

Good runabout though.

 

[Alfie]

So who's your odds on to win?

I know very little about football myself as I'm not a fan of any particular club. BUT, I know talent when I see it. Beckhams free kick in that game against someone or other when he scored - magic. Paul Gascoigne's goal against Scotland when he flipped it over that blokes head and volleyed it in - priceless.

So, I will be watching England's games out of patriotism and in the hope that we see some of the sort of magic described above. As for the eventual winners .. I'd like to think it would be England but in reality I think it will be Brazil. Those boys are born and they start playing football and they dont stop. They play it day in day out until they are unbelievably good at it.

 

[Rose Chap]

I hope the tall chap plays and scores frequently as I found his goal celebration of doing the robot highly amusing!

 

[Alfie]

I hope the tall chap plays and scores frequently as I found his goal celebration of doing the robot highly amusing!

Who is the 'tall chap'? (Told you I didnt know much about football)

 

[Vips]

For England's sake, Lampard should never be allowed to take penalties ESPECIALLY if it goes to penalties.

 

[SEM]

Who is the 'tall chap'? (Told you I didnt know much about football)

Peter 6' 7" Crouch... his robot dance was originally spotted at the Beckham Charidy party... so it looks like he's had some fun poked at him.


Just some odds
Top Goalscorer
Ronaldo (11/1), Adriano (14/1), Thierry Henry (15/1)
Group With Most Goals
Group F (5/1), Group A (11/2), Group B (11/2)
Name the Finalists
Brazil & Germany (12/1), Brazil & Argentina (14/1), Brazil & Italy (14/1)
New Winner?
No (3/13), Yes (3/1)
Player Of The Tournament
Ronaldinho (5/1), T Henry (16/1), Ronaldo (17/1)
To Reach Final
Brazil (6/4), England (4/1), Germany (4/1)
Top Goalscorer/Winning Team Double
Ronaldo & Brazil (20/1), Adriano & Brazil (25/1), M Owen & England (33/1)
Winning Group
Group F (5/2), Group C (9/2), Group B (13/2)

 

[Will]

Who is the 'tall chap'? (Told you I didnt know much about football)

Don't know all that much about football, but that's Peter Crouch.

 

[Ian B Walker]

Don't know all that much about football, but that's Peter Crouch.

Forgive me but I just cannot stand the Bean Pole. Something about his selection makes me think that he is in the team for ammusement reasons only. Ours and the oppositions. (Apologies to all Liverpool Supporters)

 

[fatherpierre]

As long as he puts a few away when it matters....

His height will but the frighteners on most defences and he'll be great to come on in the last half hour when legs are getting heavy.

He does look wrong though!

 

[nickg]

Crouch's celebration was the "champagne moment" of last nights game.

hargreaves - didn't even know he'd come on until about the 80th minute - useless and pointless.
walcott - hopeless at this level and unsurprising 'cause he's barely played a top class game inhis life. Sven is taking the p*ss out of the whole country by picking him. It is Sven's revenge on the battering he's taken from the press over the years. And what's more probably a plot by david dein to increase walcott's transfer value.

if you don't know what I'm on about then you need to get out more, watch more football and stop spending all your time on nerdy car club websites.........

 

[fatherpierre]

Walcott was like a kid playing against grown men. The couple of times he went in for a challenge he was brushed aside like a lightweight.

Poeple said Owen was too young though - he might surprise but needs to strengthen up big time.

 

[nickg]

I think owen had played most of the season for liverpool (and scored goals) before he played in '98.

*edit* just checked his website. he scored in total 24 goals for liverpool in 96/97 and 97/98 before playing in the world cup

 

[SportsCoupeRich]

I think owen had played most of the season for liverpool (and scored goals) before he played in '98.

*edit* just checked his website. he scored in total 24 goals for liverpool in 96/97 and 97/98 before playing in the world cup

Rooney had played only 18 games, but he is an ox of a boy.

Walcott has only come on when the game is broken up. I thought he did ok tbh. He had a half chance and showed pretty good movement - something Defoe and Andy 'i only score from the spot' Johnson cant do.

 

[R2D2]

England Vs Jamaica

Team announced:
England Team:

1. Paul Robinson
2. Jamie Carragher
3. Ashley Cole
4. Steven Gerrard
5. Rio Ferdinand
6. John Terry
7. David Beckham
8. Frank Lampard
9. Peter Crouch
10. Michael Owen
11. Joe Cole

Crouch/Owen to Gerrad bacjk to Midfield then?

Edit Subs:
Substitutes:

12. Wayne Bridge
13. David James
14. Phil Neville
15. Michael Dawson
16. Sol Campbell
17. Owen Hargreaves
18. Michael Carrick
19. Jermaine Jenas
20. Aaron Lennon
21. Stewart Downing
22. Scott Carson
23. Theo Walcott
24. Jermain Defoe
25. Andrew Johnson
27. Ben Foster


LOL

Michael dawson?
Scott Carson?
Ben Foster?

 

[R2D2]

6-0 but dont let Crouch take penalties