[Joe]

So what did people think of the game?

On that show the biggest danger for England is themselves and in particular the manager.

He has been dismal all through qualifying and today he made one of the craziest substitutions ever. Why bring off Owen? Tactical, maybe, if it was Crouch should have been the player subbed. Owen can always work a defence on his own, Crouch does not have that quality.

There was no real encouragement from Sven to get the England team to stop playing so deep. The substitution of Cole for Hargreaves tells you that he was happy to close up shop and invite pressure upon the defence.

Today England had the better team and eventually won, but if an equaliser was scored with Owen off what would have happened then? Walcott to save the day?

The real test is when these decisions that Sven makes are critical to the outcome of the game. A more dangerous team will cause many more problems to a nervous England team.

Personally I can see him freezing when the chips are down.

[pspcrazy]

after watching England played yesterday, our team still looked very inexperienced. However the heat seemed to cause England team distraction.
love to see both team improve their performance.

[1966]

We came away with three points which is the most important thing, isn't it?

We didn't play well but it was the heat that caused that, the Paraguayans were used to that heat we are not.

You can discount that poor second half performance in difficult conditions. We were the better team in the first half by far and that should be remembered too.

[Don Juan]

Good result for England and first half was pretty good for them.

But Sven's substitutions were crazy. His tactics for the 2nd half were really poor...almost schoolboy errors.

The English team is good enough to win but the fans and now the players have a question mrk over Eriksson's masterplan.

[beartons]

Originally Posted by Don Juan

Good result for England and first half was pretty good for them.

But Sven's substitutions were crazy. His tactics for the 2nd half were really poor...almost schoolboy errors.

The English team is good enough to win but the fans and now the players have a question mrk over Eriksson's masterplan.

England are not good enough to win, you needed a flukey deflection to win against mediocre opposition!

I feel the excuses are starting already! The heat, the referee, the tactics, the manager, you are always the same!

You are just not good enough and this is a fact, which will hurt you all very soon!lol

[Joe]

beartons, this year England have a good team and one which is capable of wining the tournament, just as Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Holland and others have.

The difference that makes a team one capable of winning the tournament and one who actually wins the tournament can be the finest of details. The fine detail this time that could cost them is Sven Goran Eriksson, for me he is a liability.

This time England may have a reason for not being able to win it and we may never hear the end of it.

[God]

I'm confident that we'll start slowly and pick up momentum as the team blends together better with more matches.

Don't forget we are now favourites to win the group which gives us the runner up from the germans group so we will progress easily to the 1/4 finals then the real competition starts for us.

[beartons]

Originally Posted by Joe

beartons, this year England have a good team and one which is capable of wining the tournament, just as Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Holland and others have.

The difference that makes a team one capable of winning the tournament and one who actually wins the tournament can be the finest of details. The fine detail this time that could cost them is Sven Goran Eriksson, for me he is a liability.

This time England may have a reason for not being able to win it and we may never hear the end of it.

i dont agree England have a good team!!Good players,but not a good team!
i rate Argentina,holland,Germany,,Brazil, ahead of the england team! and ivory coast,Mexico, will give them a tough game!
France, italy,and czech republic could also be ahead of them in my eyes,but il reserve judment until i see them! if England avoid germany in round 2,England will make the quarters and its curtains, im certain of this! THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE!

[Joe]

i dont agree England have a good team!!Good players,but not a good team!

Care to explain that statement???

[beartons]

Originally Posted by Joe

Care to explain that statement???

well its quite simple, these players are get stuck into them british style players,they run out of steam,they lack confidence and winning mentality together against decent opposition,and technically dont work well as a team! again against decent opposition,you have match winners in gerrard,lampard,and rooney,but its not a team to beat greatness,they are england and they just dont have what it takes!!

[Joe]

I actually thought you were on to something beartons.

Jack Charlton at a speech commented on the late Sir Alf Ramsay. Charlton said that Ramsay did not pick the best 11 players for England in 1966 but he did pick the best team.

Do you really feel that Erikssson picks the best team or just the best 11 players?

My focus would be on the midfield. Lampard and Gerrard together? It has never worked for me.

[beartons]

Originally Posted by Joe

I actually thought you were on to something beartons.

Jack Charlton at a speech commented on the late Sir Alf Ramsay. Charlton said that Ramsay did not pick the best 11 players for England in 1966 but he did pick the best team.

Do you really feel that Erikssson picks the best team or just the best 11 players?

My focus would be on the midfield. Lampard and Gerrard together? It has never worked for me.

i think you could improve the team slightly! Gerrard and lampard are fantastic players,but they are not a midfield machine! if you watched the czech republic there,now that is a midfield masterclass,they gel,they understand what the others thinking! gerrard and lampard are too similiar and are looking for a roy keane type player round them so they can do their magic,but i feel both players are waiting for the other one to do them a favour like running off the ball,a nice through pass or even understanding each others play while on the back foot! i dont blame either one as this is their own style of play!
if they both have to play,erickson has to completely change his tactics,gerrard just behind the front 2, attacking midfield role! lampard further back,using cole etc on the wings with over the top diagonal passes,it tears teams to shreads, while thats going on gerrard is there as support on the inside and lampard can quitely move up slowly and wait to pounce !
the other way is put owen behind crouch and rooney if he plays,and let him run at the defence,keep lampard or gerrard off,until 60 mins!!
the only thing with this would be a great counter attacking side,but this could be balanced better with a positive 3-4-3! errickson is a defensive optimist,and this is not good for England! and i feel the way they are set out,they will be destroyed!

[Joe]

I think this World Cup will decide whether it is a gooad partnership. England will come up against another strong midfield at soem point and that will be a good test.