England V Belarus

OPENROAD · 15-10-2008 1:19am #1

Changes expected for the starting line up, Gerrard could be dropped. Joe Hart and Wheater drafted into the squad.

David James, Scott Carson, Joe Hart, Wes Brown, Glen Johnson, Wayne Bridge, Rio Ferdinand, Matthew Upson, Joleon Lescott, David Wheater, Gareth Barry, David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Jermaine Jenas, Stewart Downing, Theo Walcott, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Emile Heskey, Wayne Rooney, Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch.

_blank_ · 15-10-2008 1:24am

Personally I'd like to see a midfield of Barry and Stevie. They work well together, imo.

Charlie · 15-10-2008 1:39am

Gerrard's been a passenger for far too long for England. Can anyone actually remember his last decent game for them?

As underwhelming as Frank has been over the last few years, he has still performed at a level above Gerrard, and on a number of occasions, recreated his club form, something which Gerrard hasn't managed.

For me, it's an easy choice.

estebancambias · 15-10-2008 1:47am

Clearly Lampard should play with Gerrard dropped. The lad is bound every 5 minutes to pass the ball to the opposition or just give the ball away somehow else.

I reckon they will win 2 or 3 goals to 0 although I think Belarus might have beaten Holland in the last qualifers.

mike65 · 15-10-2008 10:22am

The lad is bound every 5 minutes to pass the ball to the opposition or just give the ball away somehow else.

Thats BS by the way, Gerrard stats from the last game.

85 passes, 74 complete, 7 key (free-kicks, defence openers etc)
10 tackles won
2 shots, 1 on target
3 headers won

That said I'd drop him too.

Mike

_blank_ · 15-10-2008 11:54am

Who is showing this game tonight?

Boggles · 15-10-2008 11:57am

Al Jazeera Sport +3
DigitAlb SuperSport 3
ESPN Brazil
ESPN Pacrim
Polsat Sport
Setanta Sports 1
Sport Italia
YES Sport 1

yahoo_moe · 15-10-2008 2:08pm

I see Rio 'World Cup Pranks' Ferdinand has decided that some of the England squad may have lacked focus in 2006. :rolleyes: Naturally, it's mainly the fault of the women and the press.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/7670787.stm wrote:

We became a bit of a circus, in terms of the whole WAG (wives and girlfriends) situation. People were worrying more about what other people were wearing and where they were going, rather than the team.

It seems like there was a big show around the whole England squad. It was like watching a theatre unfolding and football almost became a secondary element to the main event. When you step back and look back at that, you think like it was a circus.

I'm not going to tell the other players what you should or should not do but I just think that, as a squad, we were a bit too open, going out in and around Baden-Baden, and probably had too much contact with families.

You don't get many tournaments in your career. To give yourself the best chance, you have to be focused.

MagicMarker · 15-10-2008 3:19pm

Des wrote: »

Who is showing this game tonight?

Unfortunately, it's only Setanta 1.

Is there any other way to watch this online other than justin.tv? I just can't get into a game that's such crap quality. I don't mind even paying for the service, so long as i get tv quality.

whatawaster · 15-10-2008 4:13pm

i hope Gerrard plays no part tonight. Liverpool have important games coming up.
That said, he should definitely start.
I'd go with this team if i were Capello:

James

Brown

Ferdinand

Upson

Bridge

Barry

Lampard

Gerrard

Rooney

Walcott

Heskey

Charlie · 15-10-2008 4:39pm

whatawaster wrote: »

i hope Gerrard plays no part tonight. Liverpool have important games coming up.
That said, he should definitely start.
I'd go with this team if i were Capello:
James

Brown
Ferdinand
Upson
Bridge
Barry
Lampard
Gerrard
Rooney
Walcott
Heskey

But that's playing Walcott totally out of position, a player who has performed quite well in that role. If Sven taught them anything, its that square pegs in round holes really doesn't work.

You play your best team, not your best 11.

mike65 · 15-10-2008 4:43pm

I bet Gerrard ends up on the left.

Mike

whatawaster · 15-10-2008 4:44pm

charlie mchugh wrote: »

But that's playing Walcott totally out of position, a player who has performed quite well in that role. If Sven taught them anything, its that square pegs in round holes really doesn't work.

You play your best team, not your best 11.

Walcott has played on the left for Arsenal. And Gerrard is a better crosser of the ball so it makes sense to have him on the right were he can whip them in. Walcott's game is based far more on running at defenders. On the left he can still do this and he has the option of cutting inside and shooting.

CantGetNoSleep · 15-10-2008 5:02pm

whatawaster wrote: »

Walcott has played on the left for Arsenal. And Gerrard is a better crosser of the ball so it makes sense to have him on the right were he can whip them in. Walcott's game is based far more on running at defenders. On the left he can still do this and he has the option of cutting inside and shooting.

Looked for good on the left v Blackburn this season

mike65 · 15-10-2008 7:05pm

Engerland team

James,
Brown-Ferdinand-Upson-Bridge
Walcott-Lampard-Barry-Gerrard

Rooney-Heskey

So it looks like Gerrard on the left, fancy.

Mike

MagicMarker · 15-10-2008 7:10pm

mike65 wrote: »

Engerland team
James,
Brown-Ferdinand-Upson-Bridge
Walcott-Lampard-Barry-Gerrard
Rooney-Heskey

So it looks like Gerrard on the left, fancy.

Mike

at least he's sticking with the 442... Although i get the impression that there's too many chefs, so to speak.

Will be interesting to see how it goes.

~Rebel~ · 15-10-2008 7:11pm

mike65 wrote: »

Engerland team
James,
Brown-Ferdinand-Upson-Bridge
Walcott-Lampard-Barry-Gerrard
Rooney-Heskey

So it looks like Gerrard on the left, fancy.

Mike

Have they confirmed the shape?
Could also be;

Barry

Gerrard--Lampard
--Walcott

Rooney

Heskey

Regardless what shape they use though, Gerrard, Lampard and Rooney all like being in almost exactly the same spot..

mike65 · 15-10-2008 7:26pm

Subs: Carson, Johnson, Lescott, Beckham, Wright-Phillips, Defoe, Crouch.

Rebel the formation has not been made clear yet. Any min as its a 7.30 KO

Setanta have an hours worth of 'material' at 10 pm.

edit it is a 4-4-2 with Gerrard left.

Mike

OPENROAD · 15-10-2008 7:46pm

1-0 Gerrard and 40 Euro for me

mike65 · 15-10-2008 7:49pm

mike65 wrote: »

That said I'd drop him too.

Embarrasment for me.

Mike

OPENROAD · 15-10-2008 8:01pm

1-1

missingtime · 15-10-2008 8:04pm

Bahhhh ha ha ha ha

OPENROAD · 15-10-2008 8:19pm

1-1 half time, can see him making changes.

~Rebel~ · 15-10-2008 8:32pm

who played where for the first half?

mike65 · 15-10-2008 8:38pm

Gerrard is nominally on the left, he's plainly been given licence to roam.

Goallllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll! Heskey > Rooney > Goal

Mike

Pepe LeFrits · 15-10-2008 8:47pm

mike65 wrote: »

Heskey > Rooney

Can't take it back now. Ha.

mike65 · 15-10-2008 8:52pm

Mike

OPENROAD · 15-10-2008 8:56pm

Shaun Wright Philips on , Theo off.

mike65 · 15-10-2008 8:58pm

Shaun Wright-Phillips on, Theo Walcott off, Crouch coming on for Heskey.

Mike

OPENROAD · 15-10-2008 8:59pm

mike65 wrote: »

Shaun Wright-Phillips on, Theo Walcott off, Crouch coming on for Heskey.

Mike

Bit surprised with Heskey going off.

mike65 · 15-10-2008 9:02pm

Rooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooney! *cough*

Gerrard > Rooney > Goal

Mike

mike65 · 15-10-2008 9:14pm

Bloody boggin hell! Gerrard misses a sitter!

Beckham coming on for Rooney

FT 1-3 the second half was pretty much all Englands.

Mike

OPENROAD · 15-10-2008 9:23pm

Full time 3-1 very good result for England, p4 w4.

Smegball · 15-10-2008 9:26pm

Rooney is on fire.

MagicMarker · 15-10-2008 10:32pm

Jaysus, i'm never watching highlights on setanta ireland again. Absolutely useless!!

I couldn't believe it when i saw Crouch and SWP on the pitch and then 2 minutes LATER they show the substitutions. :rolleyes:

mike65 · 15-10-2008 10:36pm

Shocking stuff, so cheap still.

Mike

juvenal · 15-10-2008 10:40pm

England looked good.

Does anyone know how many passes Belarus put together in the build-up to their goal? I was half-watching, but it sounded like they had a long build-up. I thought it was outstanding; reminded me a little of Cambiasso in WC 2006

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R_iYLca2gc

OPENROAD · 15-10-2008 10:41pm

Highlights just starting now on ITV 1.

MagicMarker · 15-10-2008 10:42pm

Yeah the Belarus goal was fantastic, piss poor defending from England.

mike65 · 15-10-2008 10:48pm

23 passes and no tackles!

Mike

Dave! · 15-10-2008 11:11pm

Jayzus Rooney's second goal was a peach. Let's hope he carries this run of goals through to Sunday and we can trounce WBA

Boggles · 15-10-2008 11:52pm

Dave! wrote: »

Jayzus Rooney's second goal was a peach. Let's hope he carries this run of goals through to Sunday and we can trounce WBA

I don't care what he does Sunday!

Dave! · 16-10-2008 12:05am

P*ss off ¬_¬

England V Belarus

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