England. The hype begins....

[shakermaker1982]

England are going to win the World Cup according to the press this morning over here. It was a good result last night but they said the same thing after beating Germany away by the same scoreline back in 2001 and look what happened at the World Cup 9 months later.

Do England have the players to win the World Cup? Average Gk, dodgy right back and Heskey up top for starters. Spain gave them the run around a few months back and I can see the same thing happening again as soon as they meet a top side.

Anybody out there actually fancy their chances next year?

[Infadel]

I still don't fancy their chances they eased out of a easy group where the strongest side they could face where missing some key players Modric through injury and Niko Kovac who retired.
When they faced some of Europe's top sides they were played off the park by Spain a few months back and where beaten by a poor French side.

[superfrank]

I really don't think friendlies are a good indicator of how teams do. They have a perfect qualifying record and competitive games are really all there is to go on. Capello has done a good job so far and I don't think people should dismiss them, or build them up, until the WC is actually underway.

[Scram]

Letter to FIFA:

PLEASE SWOP ARGENTINA FOR ENGLAND FOR THE GOOD OF THE GAME AND EVERYONE ELSE

A good competition is "Who will be the scapegoat this time when England fail?"

I'd say Capello, he's a foreigner at the helm so as soon as they screw up, the Engerrrrlish will be all over him.

[Lionel Ritchie]

They have a perfect qualifying record and competitive games are really all there is to go on. Capello has done a good job so far and I don't think people should dismiss them, or build them up, until the WC is actually underway.

Indeed. Credit where it's due they've ripped through their group. An amount depends on who they draw and sadly an amount depends on how mischievious the apology for a press that trails after them gets as well. They usually manage some grand exposé or other on the eve of a big tournament.

Form in the qualifiers may not readily translate to a four week tournament in SA either. Aside from the examples of the likes of Norway who only dropped 4 points in qualifying for USA 94 and then did little enough when they got there, I've long thought England would do better if the WC were played out over the same time span as a Champions League.

[gustavo]

If you don't like it don't listen to it

[centre mid]

Might sound silly but the fact that it will be winter in SA in June may actually help England. Its fractions that win end of tournament games usually and a good wet windy day Engalnd v Brazil, might just suit England!

On a serious note though, they have been very solid in qualifying, scoring plenty of goals too. Barring a couple of injuries you would have to rate them as solid contenders.

[superfrank]

a good wet windy day Engalnd v Brazil, might just suit England!
I take it you missed the Brazil Chile match last night then. On and off downpour throughout the match.

[centre mid]

I take it you missed the Brazil Chile match last night then. On and off downpour throughout the match.

Thats warm rain.

[bennocelt]

I really dont know what the problem is.........England have a good honest chance of winning............shouldnt we be happy if they had a chance of winning??!!
(because we just never hype things in ireland at all!!!)

i would rather have England win than italy or germany thats for sure

[Keen2win]

i really dont know what the problem is.........england have a good honest chance of winning............shouldnt we be happy if they had a chance of winning??!!
(because we just never hype things in ireland at all!!!)

i would rather have england win than italy or germany thats for sure

italia! Italia!

[Stuttgart88]

I think they've made a decent leap forward while many other fancied teams have gone backwards and may not even qualify. They have matchwinners in Rooney, Gerrard & Lampard, proven at the highest level.

I used to always write them off, but as Kissinger said, as the facts change, I change my mind. I think they're in with a shout this time. 3rd or 4th favouraites at this time - though they nearly always look good at this time of the year (sorry for the Stan-ism).

I have a suspicion that usual failings like ball retention & lack of a tournament winning keeper will be their downfall again, and although Endabob1 says that SA will be warm next June/July, Patrick Barclay wrote a piece in The Times recently saying how the temeprate climate in SA at that time of the year will give England a better chance than in warmer venues.

Spain & Brazil are the 2 best teams by a mile, but they may face each other and England may only need to beat one of them. Netherlands don't convince me at all, despite a perfect campaign.

[Neish]

I think the current English set-up is the best they had in a long time, but as for them winning the World cup sure they reckon that every time. I'd say semi final defeat for them

[irishultra]

they're class but if all the teams were at their best then I think they'd be knocked out in semis.

as has been said turn it off if you dont want to hear it. i can't imagine what english fans would think if they heard eamonn 'we have better players than inter' dunphy punditry.

[shakermaker1982]

If you don't like it don't listen to it

what am I supposed to do? Stop reading the papers over here and give up on Sky Sports News for 9 months? It's impossible to avoid the mass hysteria that is associated with the English football team. I wasn't complaining. I just think it's funny that there is no middle ground when it comes to English sport journalism. It's either doom and gloom or euphoria.

I was only putting a question out there as to whether fellow foot.ie posters think England have a chance next summer.

[tetsujin1979]

I'm having recurring nightmares where England win the Word Cup. Capello's an excellent manager. He's used the friendlies to experiment with monir changes and implemented them in the qualifiers. Qualifying with a 100% record is nothing to be laughed at.
They'll probably be third favourite behind Brazil and Spain, but those are the only two teams I think that could beat them.

Netherlands don't convince me at all, despite a perfect campaign.
Plus they've a long and distinguished history of imploding at international tournaments

[gustavo]

what am I supposed to do? Stop reading the papers over here and give up on Sky Sports News for 9 months? It's impossible to avoid the mass hysteria that is associated with the English football team. I wasn't complaining. I just think it's funny that there is no middle ground when it comes to English sport journalism. It's either doom and gloom or euphoria.

I was only putting a question out there as to whether fellow foot.ie posters think England have a chance next summer.

It's the same in other countries like Italy and Spain though , hardly something unique to England

It's the same here on a different level , Lots of people are talking about the World Cup next year and about what will happen to us in the play offs

As to whether they have a chance , I think they've a very good chance to be fair , Can only see Brazil and Spain that would be in my book better than them

[juan]

England are the international Liverpool... every 4 years its their year.:rolleyes:

[thischarmingman]

Theirs isn't the best quality group but anyone who tears through it the way they have deserves respect- it's difficult to keep consistancy in internationals because of the way they're spread out and to have won 8 in a row so far entitles them to confidence about SA.

[galwayjames]

Considering England's two least favourite teams (Argentina and Portugal) may not make the Finals, they should be looking for at least a semi-final place.

[superfrank]

If anything, after losing twice to Croatia the last time round, beating them 4-1 away and 5-1 at home will do plenty to restore their confidence.

[don ramo]

they wont win, and if they do god help us all, 66 will be ringing in everyones ear by next may,

the english set such a high standard for there national team, even winning the damn thing wouldnt be good enough, they want there team to be so good that the rest of the world just stops playing football cause there would be no point playing anymore, and id say they still wouldnt be happy

germany for me again, there gonna win it sooner or later, or argentina:cool:

[shakermaker1982]

It's the same in other countries like Italy and Spain though , hardly something unique to England



Italy have pedigree, a proven track record and are the reigning World champions. Spain won the Euros and their media, fans and players have a right to be confident about next years finals. England on the other hand have reached one World Cup semi final since 1966 and the majority of Capello's current squad have struggled in crunch games at the big tournaments. Capello has done well in the qualifiers and done all that is asked of him so far but how they fare in tournaments will determine whether a £6 million salary was good value for money. A penalty shoot out defeat at the Q Finals stage and he'll be a bigger clown that Sven and McClaren in the eyes of the English media. Hero to villain in the space of 4 weeks.

[Stuttgart88]

The thing with England is that they're always capable of big home victories. They won 3-0 against both Israel & Russia in the last campaign, without impressing in either. The difference this time is that they're also winning the games you think they might have difficulty in.

Against the better opposition - only in friendlies - they were comprehensively beaten by France (very early in Capello's reign) and Spain. They came from behind to draw 2-2 with the Dutch having gifted the Dutch both goals.

I do think they've improved, and I think in Rooney, Gerrard & Lampard they have proper big game matchwinners, but I still think they're vulnerable in central midfield, full back and in goals. They just don't have a tournament winning keeper in my opinion. Neither did Greece though.

Speaking of Greece, they romped home in their Euro 2008 qualification group as far as I can remember - I think they beat Turkey into second - but they were awful in the actual finals. Good qualification is no guarantee of good form in the finals.

An awful lot will depend on how the tournament is refereed. If anything like Euro 2008 they'll have to cut out the lunging tackles that are part & parcel of the EPL.

Watching Brazil beat Chile 4-2 on Wednesday with a second string team made be more relaxed!

[Stuttgart88]

Italy have pedigree, a proven track record and are the reigning World champions. Spain won the Euros and their media, fans and players have a right to be confident about next years finals. England on the other hand have reached one World Cup semi final since 1966 and the majority of Capello's current squad have struggled in crunch games at the big tournaments. English media in angloccentric coverage shocker! The fact is that football is ingrained in the culture here and it really matters to them, hence they bang on about it all the time. It hurts them that they don't win more often and they're desperate for success.

It's annoying as hell for us but our only real problem is that we live next door to them. The poor old Belgians probably get it from 3 sides! My Flemish mate just can't stand the Dutch.

[osarusan]

A lot will depend on whether or not Capello can stop the players getting nervous as a result of all the hype which will be going on between now and whenever their last game of the World cup finals is.

[Oink]

The big problem with England for me had always been the fragility of team spirit and leadership.... Capello seems to have addressed both issues to some degree but the time when these attributes are most tested is at tournaments.

You could see the warning signs against the Dutch when they went 2 nil down in the first half, the team began to fall apart and the team became 11 individuals. Capello got them in at half time, sorted them out and they should have really won the match. Clever teams like the Germans or Italians are great at exploiting these weaknesses and along with Spain and Brazil being better sides anyway the English would do well to get past the Semi's.

There is a line between confidence and arrogance.... England always cross that line by a fair distance around these big tournaments, which makes it really satisfying when they fail miserably.

[razor]

They have a fantastic team and on their day would beat any other team in the world.
It really depends on a mixture of luck, their form at competition time, as well as whatever injuries they may have.

No doubting Capello is an excellent manager though.

Personally, if we're not going to win it then i'd like to see them win it.

[Closed Account 2]

They wont win it, here are some of the reasons why:

- Other teams as good as or better than them. Germany, Brazil, Spain and Russia are probably as good as them and would beat them more often than not.

- They will bodge the shoot out again.

- Cappello might be a great manager but at the end of the day he still has to field 11 English players who have no experience outside the Premier League / CL. International football is played at a different (more continental) pace and the English cant play their run, run, run football game after game in a 4 week tournament. Trying to blitz the opposition will only work for the first few games.

- Well organised average teams, with good coaches can tactically blunt the English. Ukraine nearly got a draw in London back in April. They played a tight game and had a well marshalled defence despite a paucity of class players. Teams like Bosnia, Serbia, Greece, Sweden, etc could out stifle the English, draw them in and then nick a goal on the counter-attack.

Personally I think they will make quarter finals at best... Don't buy into the hype lads...

[gaiscíoch]

They wont win it, here are some of the reasons why:

- Other teams as good as or better than them. Germany, Brazil, Spain and Russia are probably as good as them and would beat them more often than not.

- They will bodge the shoot out again.

- Cappello might be a great manager but at the end of the day he still has to field 11 English players who have no experience outside the Premier League / CL. International football is played at a different (more continental) pace and the English cant play their run, run, run football game after game in a 4 week tournament. Trying to blitz the opposition will only work for the first few games.

- Well organised average teams, with good coaches can tactically blunt the English. Ukraine nearly got a draw in London back in April. They played a tight game and had a well marshalled defence despite a paucity of class players. Teams like Bosnia, Serbia, Greece, Sweden, etc could out stifle the English, draw them in and then nick a goal on the counter-attack.

Personally I think they will make quarter finals at best... Don't buy into the hype lads...


I'd buy into some of your points but....
England are now in my opinion a "different animal" under Capello.
He is in my opinion the second best coach in the world second only to Alex Ferguson.

I'd agree Spain and Brazil are ahead of them. But only slightly I think the difference can be made up by good tactics. Something which Capello excels at.
But the main reason I think they could do it is because the players will be kept well away from the media there wont be any Journo's aloud full access as they have been the past.
So there won't be no bull going on players ego's being rubbed and rubbed until untimately they start to believe the hype and fall flat on their faces.

They have players just as good as any other country it's making these players into a team..

[jebus]

They're on the second tier (the top tier being Brazil and Spain atm) so with a bit of luck they could win it

Anyone saying otherwise is fooling themselves

[Lionel Ritchie]

I'm inclined to agree with a lot of Edmundos post. I just don't think a 7 games-in-4-weeks style tournament lends itself to the English cause. I said in previous posts they'd do much better if the world cup was played out over a season like a champions league.

Aside from the fact their squad as opposed to it's first 11 might just be found a little shy of the neccessary anyway -they'll pick up suspensions, injuries and will wear out quicker than others.

All that said they'll scarcely get a better chance than next summer with the decent team they do certainly have as climate shouldn't be as big a factor as it normally is.

[Closed Account 2]

I really think there could be some shocks in this World Cup. I think Russia, if they can make it by either beating the Germans and winning their group, or a play-off, could be a dark horse. They have some superb players and with Arshavin, Pogrebnyak and Zhirkov now playing at the highest level (top European leagues and Champions League) I think they will lack the inexperience and naievity they showed at times in Euro 2008. They have a lot of strength in depth in attack, with young players like Bilaletdinov, Dzagoev and Denisov waiting in the wings they have a lot of options in this area. A significant weakness, as with England, would be goalkeepers, Akinfeev is a bit iffy he'll have one great game then one dicey one. Malafeev (of Zenit) is even worse. I think with Hiddink Russia have as good a chance as England.

[Stuttgart88]

Lack of a tournament winning goalkeeper may hurt England alright. When things are tight a goalie who can relieve pressure is worth his weight in gold & I don't think England have one.

I thought the quality of goalkeeping at Euro 2008 was way below par, so I don't see much reason to expect WC 2010 to be any better.

I've been massively impressed by Brazil's keeper when I've seen him, pretty much the first time I've ever been able to say that. Spain have Casillas, enough said. Buffon will be capable of lifting an uninspiring Italy (if they qualify :)). Bar those 3 I'm not sure any country has a keeper that'll add something to his team's chances. If Shay is there...