The Official World Cup 2010 Thread

[Akira]

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

Serbia are going to be very dangerous, becuase they have a lot of people called vic`s in the team.

At least they won't need those plasters on their noses to breathe clearer.

[Unknown Soldier]

Originally Posted by ToeAndno

At least they won't need those plasters on their noses to breathe clearer.

Now that is being witty

[NumberNineDream]

I'm with Holland this time, they deserve some kind of recognition.

I guess the only tough group is the G. Portugal v/s Brazil should be interesting. Plus, the Ivory Coast has been evolving more and more into a ruthless team. Finally, there is no much doubt the Englishmen would be winning over the US, the latter call the game "soccer".

[Mojo]

The USA were a team to hopefully avoid in the draw, at least for me but i'm glad we got them now. They should be our toughest game but im looking forward to it and we should still beat them. If we can't beat the USA we don't deserve anything.

As for world class players, i dont think we have many but i think we have enough providing the rest of the squad are fit and well and are in decent form going into the world cup. In my own humble opinion Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard, Ferdinand, Ashley Cole and Beckham are all world class. Gerrard and Lampard have never really looked as convincing for country as they have for club but this is the big stage and their big chance and hopefully they'll come through. Owen i would say still has what it takes to be world class, he just has to prove between now and then that he's still got it and that he deserves to be there over certain players who are getting regular starts and scoring goals week in week out, especially if Capello only takes 4 strikers. That's gonna be quite a mountain to climb for him and of course theres already the risk of injury.

Beckham of course is getting older and playing his football in the mickey mouse leagues (apart from when he's in Italy) but theres no doubt in my mind that he has to be on the bench incase we need him. If you think of wide players or players Capello could play out wide we have Lennon who, for me, should start on wide right, Young, Wright Phillips, Milner, Walcott, Cole, Downing and a lot of competition but the majority of likely candidates have pace, can cause problems but cant cross a ball. They certainly cant cross a ball like Beckham and i can see us needing him in the latter stages of games.

Our progress could all come down to fringe players like Lennon, Defoe, Green, James, Terry etc proving themselves and playing well and of course relying on the consistency of our more senior, world class players which can often be a tricky thing to bank on for England. Just look at some of the mistakes Ferdinand has made as of late. He makes one of those and it could be all over.

[Sneer]

Terry a fringe player ?

He's our national captain and a world class centre back.

[Urban Hat€monger ?]

Terry is in no way world class.

A good defender, a good leader but not a world class player.

Chelsea suffered more when Carvalho was out injured than when Terry was.

[Mojo]

I maybe should have made it clear that i wouldnt put Terry in quite the same category as Robert Green or Aaron Lennon when i refer to him as a fringe player but basically what i mean is he isnt world class. If all our world class players have a solid, reliable, impressive tournament then were gonna need the likes to John Terry to step it up.

John Terry is commited and he's dedicated. He isnt world class.

[Sneer]

I think he is. As centre backs go, his reading of the game is outstanding, bravery there is no one better and technically he's great as well. Case in point that great ball that fed Ashley Cole to set up the first goal against my beloved Arsenal last week. And i havent mentioned the fact he is a natural leader. The only thing he lacks is pace, but he makes up for that with his positional sense.

[Unknown Soldier]

Terry is certainly Englands most important centre back, great at set pieces, captain & leader and will be vital for England at 2010 (Kind of like a modern day Adams) His big problem is, that he`s capable of committing some really bad mis-timed tackles something a true world class defender doesn`t often do. Ferdinand on the other hand IS world class but over the last couple of seasons has started to flag and he`s very lucky to have Vidic beside him at Man.Utd.

I don`t think the fact that Beckham plays in a mickey mouse league will be that much of a problem, hopefully he will come into 2010 fresh and all the experience of 3 WC`s behind him. Beckham has always been a professional and fit player throughout his career

England have a lot of maybe players, especially in wider and attacking positions: Wright-Phillips, Lennon, Milner, Young, Downing, Walcott, Agbonlahor etc and it remains to be seen how well they`re going to perform on the biggest stage (if they`re picked) and especially if they come of the bench when England need a goal etc.

I think Calamity James is actually a decent keeper and has had to put up with a lot of unfair criticism over the years and I think after the disasters and problems with Robinson, Carson and Green England went back to him. His big problem is, that in WC year he`s at Portsmouth, a team that will be fighting probably for relegation and the team will probably concede a lot of goals. I`ve always wondered when a team concedes a lot of goals just how much does this affect the confidence of the keeper, even if he`s not directly to blame.

[Mojo]

I think i would pick Calamity at the minute. He's made some mistakes in the past and theres been a few howlers but i just don't see who there is to pick ahead of him. Were in a position where we have a lot of good keepers to choose from, but the majority maybe will be ready by the next world cup, not for this one.

Green has looked a bit shakey i think. He doesnt look confident and i dont think he's gonna be a reliable keeper at all. Ben Foster has potential but he's nowhere near ready. I would pick Green over him.

It's probably the keeper im most worried about but i'd go with James, for experience if nothing else.