England v Slovenia [poll attached]

[Maguire]

Did anyone lesten to Robbie Savage on R5L this morning? Not my favourite pundit by a long way but he has had his eyes opened by working with the media. He has suddenly realised that there are real people doing real jobs in the world.

I heard this, although I didn't really think was that great an insight to hear that being a footballer is somewhat different to plugging away in the 9 to 5.

It was the 'real world' comment, to be fair. He acknowledged that footballers don't live in the real one.

On that basis, it's easier to appreciate, if not understand, why they don't 'get it' when playing for England. I'm not saying it's right, just that it's not beyond the realms of comprehension.

Like I said, I don't think it's much of a reveal to suggest that footballers might not have the most balanced sense of perspective when it comes to eg. understanding fans.

[Zammo]

Upson will start with Terry according to Capello - he will also be changing "some" other players.

Defoe to start apparently with Joe Cole on the right wing

....and Gerrard still on the left

[brendywendy]

Upson will start with Terry according to Capello - he will also be changing "some" other players.

Defoe to start apparently with Joe Cole on the right wing

id drop rooney the useless bag of shite - defoe looked sharp and dangerous on friday

cant believe cappello is soooo stubborn

[Zammo]

Upson IN. Defo.

German Ref IN. Defo.

[BR2]

It looks as though EVERYBODY has chosen the right-footed Joe Cole in their starting eleven.
My how a person's status rises while they aren't playing.
This is the player that has hardly started a game for our league champions since coming back from injury and yet is seen as our saviour.
Previously it was Rooney but now he has failed we want Cole and of course Terry should be captain-what a load of tosh.
This is all getting more like Life of Brian by the day.
It doesn't matter who is captain-remember we had that numbskull Beckham as captain for ages.

I think we will beat Slovenia by at least a couple of goals and all the chavs can get their flags out again,Capello will be God again and presumably the players will get OBEs and there will be an open-top coach trip planned because we made it through to the last 16.
Oh how I love our country.

[Zammo]

It looks as though EVERYBODY has chosen the right-footed Joe Cole in their starting eleven.
My how a person's status rises while they aren't playing.
This is the player that has hardly started a game for our league champions since coming back from injury and yet is seen as our saviour.
Previously it was Rooney but now he has failed we want Cole and of course Terry should be captain-what a load of tosh.
This is all getting more like Life of Brian by the day.
It doesn't matter who is captain-remember we had that numbskull Beckham as captain for ages.

I think we will beat Slovenia by at least a couple of goals and all the chavs can get their flags out again,Capello will be God again and presumably the players will get OBEs and there will be an open-top coach trip planned because we made it through to the last 16.
Oh how I love our country.

Cole was Chelsea's best player when they beat Man Utd at Old Trafford. He also showed up well in both pre-tournament friendlies. He's better than SWP, and gives the team something a bit different than 'head down and run' Lennon. Cole could fail like the rest of them, but it is certainly worth giving him a run out.

[No Fixed Abode]

The other options haven't worked, so it's time for J Cole to make his mark.

[Zammo]

The other options haven't worked, so it's time for J Cole to make his mark.

We agree

[Hoop Blah]

I often find myself agreeing with you BR but I can't see what other viable option we have on the left than Joe Cole.

Who is the natural creative player to play down the left? As much as I'd love us to have a player who naturally wants to give us width, beat his man on the outside and wrap his cultured left peg round the ball and deliver a half decent cross we don't have one. All the other options are right footed aren't they?

Gerrard is the man in possession, but I think we both agree he would be more useful playing in his natural position of roaming around from infront of two midfielders (Lampard and Barry) like he does so well for Liverpool. It's how we should get the best out of him, and pretty much how he played in the first game where he was our best player.

That leaves a gap on the left that needs filling. Cole is our most technically gifted and creative midfielder. He's also used to playing out there, has a good understanding with his overlapping namesake and has proven in the last World Cup he can produce that match winning moment from out wide.

Seems an easy decision to me.

[BR2]

I don't disagree HB.
The problem is that we came to this world cup without a left-sided midfielder so there is no other option.
Adam Johnson,Downing and Ashley Young-none of them that great but at least they can go outside the full-back and cross a ball whereas the right-footer will always come inside and crowd the already crowded midfield where the ill-disciplined Rooney often ends up.
With Robert Koren one of their best players I think Reading would have a real chance against Slovenia but then we are not a team of prima donnas who seem to resent being told what to do by their manager.

Isn't it odd that in Carrick,Heskey,J Cole and SWP we have players that are not automatic choices for their club sides?
Also not only is Capello the best paid manager out there on about £6,000,000 salary but Maradona is only on £800,000.
English football=one big gravy train for everybody connected.

[Maguire]

Ashley Young is heavily right-footed. I'll give you Downing and Johnson, although Downing's so limited he's already proven he's not cut out for international football.

Joe Cole was one of the few players who actually played well in our warm-up games. I can't believe he hasn't been on tyhe pitch yet, particularly as he's performed that left-hand side role in the past.

Get him in the team.

[Royalee]

I will get mine in before everyone else on Wednesday.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

I hope we lose on Wednesday and that the plane carrying the great under-achievers crashes!

Why don't you get behind the team? I hate the English mentality of building people up to knock them down.

[Compo's Hat]

Capello has hit back.

http://www.itv.com/sport/football/fifaw ... awtoterry/

[cmonurz]

Professional footballers' one-footedness really grates with me, always has. To see SWP and Lennon in particular simply not using their left foot to trap, dribble or pass the ball is utterly ridiculous. I'm a lefty, apparently I have a better left foot than some England players, which I find truly bizarre. Even then, I can kick it with my right, put a cross in, make a successful pass etc.

I must make a note to watch for one-footedness in other teams. I've never looked for it, but can't imagine any of the Spain or Brazil teams being guilty of this.

[PlasticRoyale]

Professional footballers' one-footedness really grates with me, always has. To see SWP and Lennon in particular simply not using their left foot to trap, dribble or pass the ball is utterly ridiculous. I'm a lefty, apparently I have a better left foot than some England players, which I find truly bizarre. Even then, I can kick it with my right, put a cross in, make a successful pass etc.

I must make a note to watch for one-footedness in other teams. I've never looked for it, but can't imagine any of the Spain or Brazil teams being guilty of this.

Rivaldo was all left foot

[T.O.G.]

I will get mine in before everyone else on Wednesday.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

I hope we lose on Wednesday and that the plane carrying the great under-achievers crashes!

Why don't you get behind the team? I hate the English mentality of building people up to knock them down.

To be fair it is the Media that every 4 years loses it's head with some idea of re-creating 1966. There is no getting away from the fact that they have seriously underachieved, still what is the incentive these days when a player can earn £100k a week for playing club football? It is interesting that all the European teams are struggling and wasn't it Platini recently calling for a cap on the number of foreign players in any one club side? There again football is a business and profits come before country even for the FA although they would never admit it! It's the "Great football swindle" aka Sex Pistols

[AbovetheI]

Upson IN. Defo.

German Ref IN. Defo.

I didn't think Jermaine swung that way.

PS, at the same time?

[cmonurz]

Professional footballers' one-footedness really grates with me, always has. To see SWP and Lennon in particular simply not using their left foot to trap, dribble or pass the ball is utterly ridiculous. I'm a lefty, apparently I have a better left foot than some England players, which I find truly bizarre. Even then, I can kick it with my right, put a cross in, make a successful pass etc.

I must make a note to watch for one-footedness in other teams. I've never looked for it, but can't imagine any of the Spain or Brazil teams being guilty of this.

Rivaldo was all left foot

Ok I'll give you that one.


Just means Rivaldo pisses me off too.

[TBM]

Watching Spain tonight its obvious we're not gonna win this bloody thing!

Why cant we play nice football like them, we have the players, we just dont "click" like other nations

[LUX]

Watching Spain tonight its obvious we're not gonna win this bloody thing!

Why cant we play nice football like them, we have the players, we just dont "click" like other nations

not taking the piss, but do you really believe that?

Spain had Fabregas as a sub ffs.