Tiresias

there are, but doesn't make that not annoying

Well that's fair in a way but saying outright he wants to be captain just seems a bit lacking in awareness of his age.

So pissed off at Gerrard saying he has no plans to relinquish the captain's armband, if he had any decency he would retire from international footy to save him being dragged out to the world cup in a wheelchair or whatever by then and take a position on the pitch that would be better filled by players who won't get knackered after 10 minutes

from what I've seen of US team there's more skill there :|

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/jun/25/euro-2012-statistics-damn-england?CMP=twt_gu

He was shit for me in Football Manager once

Loaned out to swansea wasn't he? Loaning to same division is annoying and shouldn't happen, did well for Sturridge (though this last season wasn't) but didn't think he got much game time even at swansea, would have been better going down a division.

I can see Jones being a defensive midfielder, didn't impress me as a CB this season, and few teams really tested him, the ones that did, inc us, got results. In midfield at least isn't last line of defence and can go on more rampaging runs.

Chaimberlain should be played centrally, but still not yet convinced, he was hardly used extensively by Wenger last season. Most important is finding a midfield combination with some understanding, a Chamberlain - Wilshere - Cleverly midfield 3 (Rodwell maybe) could well do us good.

I am unconvinced by Smalling and Jones the latter has some attacking potential and could make a good full back or maybe a midfielder, not at all sure about being a centre back which is what he seems destined to be but he has yet to settle into a position for long I suppose. As for Smalling seems average, but could improve. Richards imo is very unfairly ignored for england, Baines should replace Cole who will be past it by next world cup imo. For midfield Wilshere is needed badly to be able to retain the ball, however he may be a crock. Cleverly and co are exciting prospects but only prospects still, hopefully will be able to establish themselves at international level. More worried about Hogson sticking to 4-4-2 eternally, it may work if we were very good at counter attacking but our wingers aren't up to it atm.

Slightly embarrassing for Scott Parker imo as the apparently more defensive midfielder...

Warning nsfw, there appears to be an England fan flashing Diamante as he took his pen https://twitter.com/ilMonz/status/217210413882941440/photo/1

No idea the point of playing a 4-4-2 if as reported Hogson asked welbeck and rooney (who was hilariously the one meant to be picking up Pirlo) to drop deep into midfield to help get control there. They of course failed miserably and ended up doing the worst of both worlds. Oxlaide chamberlain should have played in a midfield 3 instead of Welbeck, and Rooney asked to hold up play at top end of pitch.

I assume so

RIP

well that's depressing

yeah young had silly long runnup and cole paused ages. It's in the heads, and England have been for a long time a mentally weak team, penalty shoot out record reflects that. I love the interpretation that Pirlo's penalty saved Italy mentally showing Hart to be just as fallible as everyone else after arguably player before him had tried to do too much.

Pirlo has struggled against high tempo and intensity English game previously...but Cattermole? About as low tempo as you can get

Field Music are pretty great, need to listen to Plumb more

they're both great but you know the one

Just watched his goal against chelsea again...IT'S STILL BRILLIANT Amazing player

says it all really

lol Futureheads first album is good fun have to say

A decade of neglect of our youth systems is to blame not foreign players here, more technical creative foreign players should surely only benefit english players training and playing along side them.

I think Pardew is going for having 2 formations rotating, a 4-4-2 with Ba and De Jong up front (hence the mention of Ba to link up with) and a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 or some such with Cisse up front with HBA and marveau or someone on wings as the other formation. Would give us plenty of tactical flexibility, though would require egos to be shed, think Pards has proved good enough man manager to do that though, wonder if though Ba on wing may be considered a failed experiment now. of course possibly totally baseless...