AyeDubbleYoo

Thing is... he could have gone for Crouch up front, he could have taken Adam Johnson to play on the left, he could have kept Lennon for width on the right, he could have left out an unfit Barry, he could have dropped Rooney, he could have played Dawson instead of Upson, etc etc. He's not just the innocent victim of s*** players, he's made a lot of mistakes recently. and if he tried those things and they didnt pay off (which is highly likely) (Actually not taking Johnson was wrong) he would have got lambasted There really is a bigger issue here than the manager - no doubt he could have tried some different formations, some different players BUT the final result would have been the same - getting outplayed by better teams Changing the footballing culture overnight is not going to happen BUT when technically good players are coming through (Wilshere the prime example) they should be highlighted and brought into the setup as soon as possible Well that's the job of a manager, if he only makes safe decisions that the press will approve of it's pointless having him. I don't buy into the fact that we would always have been outplayed no matter what. Yes, there are better teams than us, but we have the talent to beat any of them if it's used properly and the players perform as they can.

Also, for some reason British players have become unrealistically expensive compared to importing players from abroad.

The emphasis on this sort of thing is the one of the main problems with the English game IMO. It's why John Terry madly closes down a German midfielder and leaves a gaping hole behind him, it's why Gerrard charges off out of position all the time, and it's why skilful players aren't allowed to develop in this country.

True... we will never change the English approach to the game, and the way English players are brought up. At the very least, it will take generations. What we need to do is work out how to create an England team that looks and plays like a Premier League team. Lampard looks brilliant for Chelsea, but he's surrounded by players who move brilliantly off the ball and have tons of energy and athleticism.

Generally I think we put far too much emphasis on the wrong aspects of the game in England. We rate experience, hard work and effort ahead of youth, vibrancy, movement and technical ability. This is a deep cultural issue, and will be very difficult to change.

Surely we've gone too far down the road for anything like that to ever happen? We're talking hundreds of players of huge value to their clubs, on 5-year contracts worth millions. Not sure we really have any major systemic problems that cause the England team to fail. We just need to work out how to organise and select our team, and how to impose our Premier League style of play on international games.

Aye, we as a country need to look at the football that gets played in our leagues, look at the players skill set and ask ourselves a few questions. We will never change the English football culture IMO, we'll always be more about blood and thunder and getting stuck in. What we need to learn to do is impose our style on games properly, remain organised and close down the opposition.

It's getting ridiculous now, it's getting to the point where I'm not enjoying watching matches. The way players collapse to the floor when a hand goes across their body is pathetic. We may as well just say we're in a non-contact sport and be done with it. You should only fall over when it's physically impossible to stay up... simple as that.

Thing is... he could have gone for Crouch up front, he could have taken Adam Johnson to play on the left, he could have kept Lennon for width on the right, he could have left out an unfit Barry, he could have dropped Rooney, he could have played Dawson instead of Upson, etc etc. He's not just the innocent victim of shit players, he's made a lot of mistakes recently.

I'm fairly surprised with him TBH - I thought he was all about the team above the individual, but then he went and picked the same old players and played them out of position. I wouldn't be bothered if he resigned... I don't think he has the potential to succeed with us anymore.

TBF, Ashley Cole is one of the only players who performed anywhere near decent in this WC.

good to hear Especially since it's an agent, they would normally just have dollar signs spinning round in their eyes like a cartoon.

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; Or close the wall up with our English dead. In peace there's nothing so becomes a man As modest stillness and humility: But when the blast of war blows in our ears, Then imitate the action of the tiger; Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood, Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage; Then lend the eye a terrible aspect; Let pry through the portage of the head Like the brass cannon; let the brow o'erwhelm it As fearfully as doth a galled rock O'erhang and jutty his confounded base, Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean. Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide, Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit To his full height. On, on, you noblest English. Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof! Fathers that, like so many Alexanders, Have in these parts from morn till even fought And sheathed their swords for lack of argument: Dishonour not your mothers; now attest That those whom you call'd fathers did beget you. Be copy now to men of grosser blood, And teach them how to war. And you, good yeoman, Whose limbs were made in England, show us here The mettle of your pasture; let us swear That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not; For there is none of you so mean and base, That hath not noble lustre in your eyes. I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, Straining upon the start. The game's afoot: Follow your spirit, and upon this charge Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'

Never really seen him play for any length of time. We do need another LB, as long as we keep Enrique I'll be pretty much happy.

Think J.Cole should have come on for him instead of Rooney. Yeah, possibly, I just thought that when the fullback was booked we should have been looking to exploit him more. I'm a big fan of Lennon anyway... just to stretch the game a bit.

Milner put in a couple of great crosses in the first half, which I suppose makes it a good half from him. He was pants in the second half, and should have been substituted for someone like Lennon around 70 mins. Quite good sometimes, often poor - sums him up really.

I thought Anelka had sorted out his whinging side, but obviously being surrounding by another 20 whiners was too much for him.

Surely there are quicker ways of finding this out! Think it's BBC.

Don't think you can hold Ashley responsible for the fact the media like to invent transfer rumours.

Always been truly baffled at how many people Milner can fool ALL the time, and your comment seems more accurate than we usually hear when people talk of Milner. I personally don't rate him at all. And, hope Im wrong big time, but think he'll hinder more than help England today. I don't rate Milner at all either, never have. He is massively overrated in the media, he is a decent CM but no good as anything else. The idea that he is a utility player has damaged him and all the teams he plays in.

That's total bollocks.

He gives with one hand and takes away with the other.

Just saw this quote on Lee Chung-Yong's profile on BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/groups_and_teams/team/south_korea/lee_chung_yong Mint!

Stephen Hunt's a very good signing, as is Petrov for Bolton IMO. Both players we should have been looking at.