England squad announced for friendlies against Spain and Sweden.

[Titus Shambles]

Guus Hiddink for instance success!!!!

To be fair, you can't really say that - no-one actually knows yet although I will agree that he'd probably be a good choice. You never know, though, Redknapp may become a world-class England manager!

Its ok saying these people are role models but they do not chose to be role models and kids know the difference between right and wrong and its also up to the parents to teach them this.

I wouldn't say it's all up to the parent to teach this. I have learnt a lot more from other people sometimes than I have from my parents. I know what you mean by 'they do not chose to be role models' but they have a massive contract, and even have imaging rights, so surely they should know how to behave?

What I don't get is, how hard it is for some football to just sit back and not do anything stupid. Swearing under your breath is fine in the heat of the moment, but no matter what racist or personal insults to other players are not.

It's not a good example to kids to punish an innocent man, either.

True this, it's innocent until proven guilty.

I admit was expecing a 2-0 or a 3-1 loss. But it was an awesome defensive display. Especially when taking into account Jags is playing with a hairline fracture. But Parker was just incredible. If this doesn't spur them on.... Expecting a similar display against Sweden. It's like I mentioned earlier-the second half just didn't feel like a friendly once we went 1-0 up. It's rare I enjoy friendly's but this one I did immensly.

It's a last chance to win a major competition for some players and on today's performance, they've pretty much acknowledged that. Too little too late? Remains to be seen. Hopefully not.

Hairline fracture? Really? That is astonishing! He had a brilliant performance against the world champions anyway, but playing with an injury is even more impressive. Always rated Jags, and wanted us (Arsenal) to sign him in the summer!

But I wouldn't get your hopes up - England sure have their days (Germany 1-5 England away) but somehow always manage to mess it up (only qualified for World Cup 2002 due to a last-minute Becks wondergoal). But I think this squad genuinely have the quality to win it, but it always seem that they never live up to the media hype and perform to the best of their abilities.

The day a footballer gets dropped for not performing his 'role model' duties, will be a sad day for football.

Tevez saga? Would you count that as 'role model duties'?

It was very good defensive effort from whole team especially Lescott and Parker. Lescott and Jags worked really well as a team, so did Cole. Only concern was RB who was neither good at defending nor attacking.

...Walcott/Johnson and Milner as wingers.

Never rated Lescott, but he was brilliant today, I've got to admit. Did a good job marshalling the defence alongside Jagielka. Cole and Glen Johnson had good games overall, although I think they aren't as good as they used to be (Johnson is poor defensively and it seems he cannot attack anymore as well). Bring in Baines and Richards in Euro 2012 and we should have a chance of winning it.

 

[Joel`]

Tevez saga? Would you count that as 'role model duties'?

In a word, no.

 

[Jamie.]

I'd call it breach of contract myself.

 

[Jak]

Great Performance from England, really solid defensively and almost similar to when Inter shut down Barca a couple seasons ago. Was a very Italian like performance, an example as to why the manager 'having to be English' is just not a good argument. Who cares what nationality the manager is as long as he does his job well. Having foreign managers can almost combine styles of football to create an even better style of playing. Lescott was very solid (convinced someone kidnapped him and replaced him with someone better, who looks the same) and Parker was outstanding. When he walked off the pitch he was completely shattered, something every England player should be after representing the country. 100% commitment and that is what Parker is.

 

[GodCubed]

Only me that actually rates Carroll?

Had a bad time adjusting to Liverpool but he has all the assets to be a brilliant big striker, I'm still backing him to be England's future lone striker anyway.

I'd take him over Crouch or Heskey in their primes. If Carroll was fit tonight he would have been my choice to start over Bent, think he gives you an option and a target I just hope he proves me right and actually does the business for Liverpool.

Carroll can beat any CB in world football aerially, if he works on his technique he could be an England legend not just a star. I just can't lose faith in the guy I saw play for Newcastle, immensely talented and a bit of a 'character' which most England fans like so they can relate to him as a person, i.e Gazza.

The problem here isn't with Carroll's ability - though frankly his form recently has left plenty to be desired - but the effect he has on the rest of the team. There seems to be some kind of automatic lock for English players, that when they see a footballer over 6'2 playing for their national team they immediately revert to hoofball. I'd argue that Carroll might well've been more useful for a game like this, with his holdup ability allowing us to relieve pressure in classic style, but his form means that he wasn't picked. The thing I'd like to see is our team being picked on a 'horses for courses' basis.

Darren Bent, whilst not a particularly adaptable striker, is one that is not only our default but is useful in a whole variety of situations: Bent deals strictly in goals, and there is no time in football when a goal is not appreciated. Perhaps against Spain bigger and stronger forwards like Carroll might be useful in order to relieve pressure and simply give the comparatively mollycoddled Spanish defenders a taste of thoroughbred English No.9 and see whether they can cope with it. Then, if we're facing smaller teams with rugged, classical defenders, picking sharp-eyed, nippy forwards with excellent movement to create space for the attacking midfielder - Bent, or perhaps Andy Johnson or Gabriel Agbonlahor - would be more effective than just giving them a big lump to challenge in the air.

 

[ajt09]

Away from on-pitch, Ray Clemence has been admitted to hospital and will miss Sweden match

England goalkeeping coach Ray Clemence admitted to hospital | Football | guardian.co.uk

Hope he gets well soon-legendary keeper for Liverpool. Played 665 times for the Reds, missing just six league matches in 11 years at the club, and earned 61 caps for England

 

[DMF]

Capello has now said that Sturridge will start on the bench vs Sweden and may not get his first cap. Welbeck looking likely to start.

Also, a journalist asked John Terry, "Are you a racist?".. FA Rep stepped in and said "We're not going there". Also, looks like there'll be 10 changes to the side vs Sweden tomorrow.

Phil Jagielka has gone back to Everton too after playing vs Spain with a broken toe.

 

[Crayth]

Then dont watch them, and then come on here and whinge about it.

We pressed as a team, something we have never been good at, and we did so without our best creative players. That isn't going backwards. Now against sweden we need to the same, but since we wont come under such relentless pressure, we must combine it with real attacking prowess. People have every right to be happy with todays performance, we actually defended well. Now we must build on it

That's what I mean, we won't. This is just another thing that always happens everytime before a major tournament, everyone gets really excited, ease the group stage and get beat in the Quarter-finals, usually against Portugal. I'm not saying it was a bad performance at all, any team who pull off a victory against the Spaniards, even on their own soil are very much a good side, but you can't say their going to do that in major tournaments with a lot more pressure from fans and the world public really. We always underperform and I can't help but feel that the exact same thing is going to happen again. We have the players, I think but we never play attackive football, we were on the back foot against Spain for long periods of the game. They hit the post, and others would have went in on other days. We always lack going forward, we need to get Ashley Young in the side as he I think has proven he is now World Class, I would go that far because he made a huge jump from my side to a more pressured Manchester United side and he's made the transition perfectly. Micah Richards has also got to be in with a shout. He has showed that he can be consistent in the Champions League and the Premier League. Agbonlahor, has got to be in with the shout the way he is playing at the moment, I'd have Gabby in for Bent any day of the week, Agbonlahor has got the pace and the potential to be a danger whoever he plays against, even playing him on the wing would work. I don't think come summer that it will be Jagielka and Lescott centre half when we kick off in the Euros. John Terry and Rio will be his first choice in my opinion. I feel they are not up to it now. We should most definitely keep these centre halfs, Lescott did look solid, and Jagielka had a good performance, but when the pressure is really on in the Euro's, will they perform against some of the best sides in the world? I don't think so. So I'm not stopping everyone else get excited but I'm just saying that it will be the same old ****!

 

[cfc12345]

Annoyed Sturridge is no longer starting tonight. Proberly wont watch it as I only really was looking forward to this game to see Sturridge get his first England start.

 

[DMF]

Hart
Walker - Cahill - Terry - Baines
Jones
Rodwell - Barry
Walcott ----------------- Downing
Zamora​

Confirmed.

 

[GodCubed]

That's what I mean, we won't. This is just another thing that always happens everytime before a major tournament, everyone gets really excited, ease the group stage and get beat in the Quarter-finals, usually against Portugal. I'm not saying it was a bad performance at all, any team who pull off a victory against the Spaniards, even on their own soil are very much a good side, but you can't say their going to do that in major tournaments with a lot more pressure from fans and the world public really. We always underperform and I can't help but feel that the exact same thing is going to happen again. We have the players, I think but we never play attackive football, we were on the back foot against Spain for long periods of the game. They hit the post, and others would have went in on other days. We always lack going forward, we need to get Ashley Young in the side as he I think has proven he is now World Class, I would go that far because he made a huge jump from my side to a more pressured Manchester United side and he's made the transition perfectly. Micah Richards has also got to be in with a shout. He has showed that he can be consistent in the Champions League and the Premier League. Agbonlahor, has got to be in with the shout the way he is playing at the moment, I'd have Gabby in for Bent any day of the week, Agbonlahor has got the pace and the potential to be a danger whoever he plays against, even playing him on the wing would work. I don't think come summer that it will be Jagielka and Lescott centre half when we kick off in the Euros. John Terry and Rio will be his first choice in my opinion. I feel they are not up to it now. We should most definitely keep these centre halfs, Lescott did look solid, and Jagielka had a good performance, but when the pressure is really on in the Euro's, will they perform against some of the best sides in the world? I don't think so. So I'm not stopping everyone else get excited but I'm just saying that it will be the same old ****!

I'm all for reducing the frankly ridiculous levels of expectation the English public put upon their football team, but this is going way too far in the other direction. Pessimism will get us nowhere.

Who's getting excited? So far, I've seen about ten times the amount of people saying "Ooh here comes the stereotypical English overexcited fan saying we'll win everything" than actual fans saying we'll win everything.

Mike. didn't say we would beat Spain at a major tournament, he just wants us to improve further. If we do, then on our day we might just win. So what if we were against the back foot against Spain? If we'd played attacking football, they'd have cut us to pieces like they do any other team that tries to play expansively against them. As it is, we won, and I'm afraid that is the only thing that matters in football.

Ash Young, world class? You have an extremely inclusive definition of 'world class'. He's a good player and he's on form, worthy of a place in the England squad, but he's not world class. The chances of Rio and Terry being our partnership are getting slimmer by the day. Terry and someone else? Viable, probable even. But with Ferdinand being kept out of his domestic team by the likes of Jones and Smalling and what appearances he is making shaky, I doubt he's in with a shout.

So what, you're not going to give Lescott and Jagielka a chance to prove their mettle on the highest stage, and instead just go back to a defensive pair that have hardly won us a trophy? Yeah, great idea. You sort of are stopping everyone getting excited.

 

[GodCubed]

Hart
Walker - Cahill - Terry - Baines
Jones
Rodwell - Barry
Walcott ----------------- Downing
Zamora​

Confirmed.

Could be worse. Dunno why Bobby's starting though.

 

[sunilvk7]

Could be worse. Dunno why Bobby's starting though.

Will be good to see how he performs at international level. I like his hold up play which he is very good at. Tbh I wanted him to play against Spain as he would have been better target man than Bent. (Nothing against Bent)

 

[Dunc]

Would have liked to see Lescott keep his place after how well he played against Spain. Suppose the team is fine, it's only a friendly, would have rather seen Sturridge up top with Welbeck playing on the right instead of Walcott.

Nice to see Rodwell, Jones and Walker playing though.

 

[sunilvk7]

Would have liked to see Lescott keep his place after how well he played against Spain. Suppose the team is fine, it's only a friendly, would have rather seen Sturridge up top with Welbeck playing on the right instead of Walcott.

Nice to see Rodwell, Jones and Walker playing though.

Welbeck is injured if I'm not wrong. Would have liked Sturride Zamora Johnson/Downing combination upfront in a 4-3-3.

 

[Dunc]

Welbeck is injured if I'm not wrong. Would have liked Sturride Zamora Johnson/Downing combination upfront in a 4-3-3.

I see, in that case, play Sturridge out wide left, Downing on the right, Zamora in the middle. I don't see why he basically changes the whole team, but keeps Walcott in? I mean, Walcott has been around for years, why do we need to keep looking at how **** he is.

 

[sunilvk7]

I see, in that case, play Sturridge out wide left, Downing on the right, Zamora in the middle. I don't see why he basically changes the whole team, but keeps Walcott in? I mean, Walcott has been around for years, why do we need to keep looking at how **** he is.

Maybe one day he will make Henryesque progress

Would like to see Adam Johnson starting instead of impact sub also why is Lennon not getting chances. He has done enough to deserve call up surely?

 

[ajt09]

Delighted Rodwell and Baines start. Can't wait to see him in action. I :wub: Fabio. Shame about Jags though

 

[CJ]

Can't believe Downing and Walcott are playing again. Just why? Would much rather have Johnson/Sturridge out wide. Not sure why Lennon's not been called up as well, been great this season.

Not sure why Jones is playing CM again as well, wasn't good last game. Play him in his ****** position Capello.

 

[Jak]

Very defensive looking team tonight, was looking forward to a more attacking display then was against Spain. But most midfielders in squad are more defensively minded so not too surprised. Maybe would have liked to see 2 up front (Zamora and Sturridge) and remove one of the midfielders (Jones or Barry). Oh well hope it's a decent game