How far will England go this time round?

[womblemaster]

Sat down with my World Cup wall chart and made some predictions yesterday.....

 

second round:

 

m1 SA vs Skorea

m2 eng vs ghana

m3 ger vs usa

m4 arg vs fra

m5 hol vs para

m6 bra vs chile

m7 ita vs cam

m8 esp vs port

 

quarter finals:

 

hol vs braz

SA vs  eng

ger vs arg

ita  vs  esp(spain)

 

semiF

 

bra  vs eng

arg vs esp

 

final

 

bra vs arg

 

 

all assuming we can top grp c, if not we exit to germany in round 2.

 

Personally i cant see games vs ghana or south africa as a problem, unless fifa fix the result for SA.

 

SO if we thrash algeria it could be clear route to semis, barring any freak results.

 

Agree?

 

[Kaizero]

I don't agree fully with your bracket, but I'd bet on you going out in the quarters or semis on pens regardless of opposition.

[Guest firetotheworks]

I'll stretch for it and say the Quarter finals. We have a worse team, but a potentially easier path than usual.

[tmonkey]

Semi final.

 

Think the team played pretty well against the US, and having pace on at least one wing could add a different dimension compared to previous tournaments (Beckham and Joe Cole are/were slow). Though with Green, Carragher, an off form Terry, Heskey, and possibly Milner/SWP in the team, there's ample scope to be knocked out easily.

[Andy]

England will get to the quarters.

 

The prospect of a Brazil/Spain final is awesome, assuming they both make it. Argentina vs Spain has epic written all over it, too.

[mrmojorisin75]

From what i have seen of the smaller teams so far i must say England really needs to step their game up or this will get ugly.

agreed, other teams appear (this far) to have a far superior combination of pace/physical strength AND technique squad wide, too few of the England team have that combination imo

 

the only thing might get them through is reputation, take South Korea for example - the way they played vs Greece England players would be chasing shadows but would the Koreans approach the game vs England with the same boldness?  Doubtful...that might get England through, other teams not realising how ordinary we are before it's too late

 

cappello needs to ditch (football)brain-dead players like SWP and Lennon and play his better technical/intelligent players - no fuckin way those two should be plan A or B, you throw them on as plan C when A and B have failed...

 

[tmonkey]

England will get to the quarters.

 

The prospect of a Brazil/Spain final is awesome, assuming they both make it. Argentina vs Spain has epic written all over it, too.

 

Could well be the only time we ever get to see Messi face Xavi and Iniesta in a competitive game. Wonder if they bother trying to tackle him in training, as I imagine them thinking "fuck it, we're never going to face him".

[cp40]

if we meet germany next round- its over

[Cronky]

I'd say semis, but it all depends on restoring the shape and style that took us through the qualifying rounds.

 

This is a better England team than previous ones, because we now have a threat going down the middle, as well as down the wings with crosses. Against the US, we ended up with a traditional 4-4-2 and the chances were restricted to the wings.

 

The key is getting Gerrard forward and linking with Rooney down the middle. That didn't really happen on Saturday, and in fact the only time it did, we scored. We can do that either by making Rooney the lone striker with Gerrard alongside him, or by keeping Heskey / Crouch and playing a 4-3-2-1, with Rooney and Gerrard as the roving two, which was our previous pattern. Barry's return is crucial because he allows that to happen.

 

It was very striking that neither Rooney or Gerrard were that effective on Saturday. They're our two best players and we have to use them. The Americans were very smart tactically and played their part in stifling them. If we play that way against a better team, we'll lose.

[NG32]

if we meet germany next round- its over

 

WHy is that?

 

Cos they hoofed the ausies 4 - 0.

 

Christ this complex about Germany  :rolleyes:

[JH]

There's no way South Africa will make the Quarters, which means if we win our group and 2nd round we'll come up agaist France/Mexico/Nigeria/South Korea and probaby lose to one of them.

[NG32]

France maybe but not fcking Mexcio, Nigeria or S Korea

[David28]

Final. Don't think the first game gives an real indication on anything. France and Italy both started very very poor in 2006 and both reached the final.

[Mowen]

Semis.

[OzzieMandias]

QF.

[SEMTEX]

Still SF tbh

[Disco]

I reckon we might get a semi-on. Need to win the group though.

[Jayson]

Sems against Brazil & a chance to make up for Ronaldinhos nonsense last time

[womblemaster]

"we meet germany next round- its over"

 

 

did you not see the game yesterday?  Germany were good in first half, very creative in last third with pace and movement.  They would tear a slow paced def like engs apart!

 

ofcourse aus were poor, but they(ger) look an impressive side, and in better form than we are.

[Dr.Spaceman]

?

[Stifler]

QF.

[Guest firetotheworks]

"we meet germany next round- its over"

 

 

did you not see the game yesterday?  Germany were good in first half, very creative in last third with pace and movement.  They would tear a slow paced def like engs apart!

 

ofcourse aus were poor, but they(ger) look an impressive side, and in better form than we are.

 

Eh? Why are you disagreeing with something, and then agreeing completely with his point?

[Guest thenorthumbrian]

I wonder if Green is going to be made the scapegoat for in-ger-lands inevitable failure. We always need at least one.

We can't just admit that so many teams from around the world are much better technically, tactically and in terms of skill than we are.

One fortunate win in 1966 (at home) and some people think we have a divine right to win the tournament every 4 years.

I was listening to the Danny Baker show on radio 5 at the weekend and he said how surprised at how the international sporting media didn't really take in-ger-land very seriously compared to the genuine big hitters in world football.

Perhaps a lesson in humility and the realisation that we just aren't that important anymore wouldn't go amiss ?

[Shak]

I'll still be surprised if you don't make it to the semis, the draw really couldn't have been any kinder.

 

And Capello will have you sorted by that point and you might just bore somebody into a snakey 1-0 win or two once you make it that far.

[Ketsbaia]

Semi-finals. Not because they're one of the best 4 teams there, but because that half of the draw is so damn easy. As soon as they encounter a good side, they're gonners.