My prediction for our over paid and over rated England football team in the World Cup.


We'll lose the first game to the States but win (without looking great) against the other two teams in our group.


We'll meet Germany in the second round and they'll beat us in extra time.


Rooney wont score a single goal in the competition.

I hope not! That is the nightmare scenario. I'll be there and I can do without that sort of hassle. The way I extrapolated (they can't touch you for it missus!) we can only play The Fatherland in the final and in that unlikely event......................

*waves* I do.


This would be my team, could say im slightly biased.


Hart
Johnson
King
Terry
Cole
Gerrard
Barry
Lampard
A.Johnson
Rooney
Crouch

So do I. Captain, my arse..

It's even worse when a lot of it comes from our own fans - both Arsenal and England. Walcott hasn't had a great season but doesn't deserve the hatred levelled at him by fans and the media. I go mad listening to the commentators: Every single time he touches the ball they make some disparaging or patronising comment. They don't do that with a lot of the players who have had worse games recently.
It's amazing how many people criticise (sp) him for going to the last world cup. Wtf did they think a player would say in that position? "Oh no FA thanks for the offer but I think there are better players who should go!!"


Meaty - re your selection; King is probably the best defender but his fitness rules him out for me.

Arsenal line up Fabregas replacement:

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/...s-cesc-gourcuff.html

Rio is at his best when Nemanja is by his side.


Mourinho press conference at the Bernabeu, 4 year deal...

FA are beside themselves with worry that Fabio could join Inter Milan.

Everton have confirmed the signing of Jermaine Beckford on a four-year contract following his departure from Leeds United.


Could be a bargain.

Everton are ruining football...

Sorry but I dont see sean wright phillips moving ahead of him by sitting on the bench wherever he goes to collect a paycheck nowadays.  He has been extremely tepid and uninspiring in most of the England games I have seen him in and he is significantly older and should be in his "prime" about now but he was better 3 years ago.  Lennon yes I agree he is great and one of our great prospects but there is room for both of them in the team even if it came to it on the pitch together, one on each wing.  People expect him to be the next Tierry Henry, he isnt but he is a good player and is in the first team of one of the top 4 clubs but I guess I am one of those "idiot" Arsenal fans who "think" he isnt utter shit along with Arsene Wenger.

Owen hasnt been able to trap a sack of potatoes for the whole of his career but that didnt stop him being one of the best players of our recent period before he lost his pace actually neither can Heskey or Bent.  As I said before with him he has been set back by injuries too much and that would be my one concern if he isnt fully fit or at risk of further injury since he has seemed to break very easily in the past.  At least he can actually score a penalty though which will probably be enough to exclude him on the grounds that we prefer defenders to take penalty's in world cups.

I watched that, fantastic game and the first time we have ever won it .  Maybe Cappellos words about taking the younger teams more seriously have started to take effect .

FFS everyone can piss off with their Wright-Phillips, Walcott and Lennon....



Johnson sh*ts all over them anyway

That's quite true.

Mr. Joe...you have dialogue 

Ah good! I'm mainly in the garden. I will attempt to answer you on the electric iPhone thingy after we've had us tea.

Hiya hun  same here.  I'm fine thanks, hope you are too.

I had problems with broadband (specifically BT ~jokers) and now due to their total incompetence have got a T Mobile dongle which had a content lock which for ages wouldn't allow me on here, got that sorted and have been back for a few weeks.  Looking forward to next season very much, I know it will be hard but enjoyable.

For what it is worth, I can see all the above players having their uses in the England team and do think a lot of the criticism of Walcott is unfair, I would really like the kid to have a fantastic game in England colours and for once and for all shut up the critics.  

However we feel personally about players, they are going to be wearing our colours next month, personally I do not like Gerrard either as a player or a man, but I will cheer him on when he is wearing an England shirt, if this makes me a hypocrite, then so be it.

Who????   he's in last place in the pecking order...even behind the terrible Walcott.


Everyone knows that Lennon will be starting for England on the right.

Morning all.

Well today's the day.  The final 23 man squad is announced for England.  I think the players already know who is going and who is not and probably already knew before Sunday's match.  Well done to all who are selected and bad luck to those who miss the cut.  Good luck to ALL who are going to South Africa, regardless of what team they play for domestically, they will be carrying the hopes of the country and I hope, hope, hope this year will be the year we can get the second star (although my head tells me it won't be, my heart hopes it will be)

ION Wolves have signed Jelle Van Damme from Anderlecht.   No comment!!!  Wonder if he can do the splits as well as his namesake.

 Crystal Palace face liquidation today if an agreement cannot be reached regarding the club.  Sad news for the fans and I hope that the agreement can be reached before 3pm.

Darren Bent, Leighton Baines and Adam Johnson all left out.


SWP in so far according to the information Sky Sports News has.. i'll be surprised if Emile Heskey gets in.

Shame for Palace.

BBC news saying Walcott is out...

I hope Barry passes his fitness test.

BBC said that test he had this morning was positive..

Afternoon all
Someone was reporting this morning that they saw Theo and Mel flying off to the Windies so knew he wasn't going to be picked.
He hasn't had a good season, partly because he was run ragged by playing for both the U21s and senior England team last summer and the way his body kept breaking down - just as AW said it would.
It's about time that the clubs who pay the exorbitant wages had more say over the players than the FAs.
As for Capello and his selection; I'd have more respect for him if he stuck to what he says. He has stated repeatedly that he would not pick any player that was not playing regularly for their club - and yet we have the prospect of Heskey, Joe Cole and SWP going to SA - bench warmers the lot of them

Jusr read elsewhere th layers not going are Walcott, Leighton Baines, Darren Bent,  Johnson, Dawson, Huddlestne and Parker

I'm surprised that he didn't take Johnson. However, he's the expert I suppose.

Not only that but he can get a penalty too! His skill in falling over in the penalty area was  sublime, and made even Ronaldo look like a clumsy oaf.

I feel really sorry for Darren Bent - what more does a striker have to do to get picked?

And I can't believe he's picked Carrick - I think he's had a poor poor season by his standards both for club and country.

Time will tell I suppose if Capello has got it right - personally I think it's a crap selection

I'd have picked Dawson over Upson. And if Carrick can get in the side, anyone can. Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor didn't even make the provisional squad, and he gets in?

I know Demantoid. I can't believe he's picked Joe Cole and SWP over Young and Gaby. At least they have the discipline to stay on the flanks. Joe Cole is forever cutting in and with Cashley bombing forward it will leave massive gaps down our left if he lose possession.

Palace have been saved
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/h...l_palace/8714650.stm

Nice one,



Fabio said he would only choose those who have been in form and play regularly for their club... so he leaves out Johnson who fullfils both of them but takes wright-phillips who is currently sitting on our bench. The only thing I can say positive for Sweep is that he is consistant for England, never had a bad game. I still would of taken Johnson over him though. AJ can play both left and right

Im not a fan of Joe Cole especially when teamed with Ashley because he leaves the left exposed so much but he has played well for England.  I dont understand SWP inclusion as said he isnt playing regularly and theres an English player picked ahead of him for his club who isnt going.  I can understand Walcott, hes only just got back to fitness with a long time out with injuries two of those playing for England so he knows how brittle he is.

I understand Bent too, I think it was said on Sunday that paired with Rooney they had never scored.  He is too one dimensional for me and you need someone who can play with your best player. 

As for Carrick he fits all the reasons Cappello has given for not including a player yet still gets a ticket.  Strange choices indeed but we shall see

Just saw this on the other page, yes I do too.  He is often the one missing in defence after going off on one of his jaunts in England games when we concede a goal leaving the blame to the poor sucker covering for him or the goalkeeper.

Just seen the Holland 23. May be worth a small punt.

Carrick is very lucky to be on that plane.


Some of Capello's decisions are debatable although gotta have faith in the guys he has chosen.

Sorry, but despite his 2 below par performances, not putting Walcott in the squad is absolute madness, especially when we're already only taking 4 strikers, 2 of which are absolute cart-horses. I've always thought Walcott is best playing in a front 3, not wide in a 4-4-2. He plays that role for Arsenal and played it well when we played Croatia away (scored a hatrick). He's not a right sided midfielder.
I think this is an absolutely crazy decision, but oh well, we'll see.

I dont understand it either crunchy he does play on the wing for Arsenal too, he played a couple of good games there at the end of the season.  Too little too late I guess but one of the reasons why he was injured so long were the injuries he got playing for England.