World Cup 2010

[Alcibiades]

Looks like England have called up Owngoal from man united! Probably a good decision.

[Iskaral Pust]

It's amazing how little cohesion England have as a team. It's been like that for ages. They have a lot of talented players and apparently no idea how to gel together.

[Jon AS]

Aaaand another one down: Heiko Westermann joins the ranks of injured Germany players, so now Löw only has to pick one to send home on tuesday. My money is on Trochoswki, he can't afford to cut another defender now and Jansen looked decent enough on saturday, though Trochowski is slightly more versatile. Neither will make the starting eleven against Australia in any case.

[Black Wizard]

Sol Bamba scored for Ivory Coast! Amazing that he gets into the squad when they have players like Drogba and the Toures to call upon.

[Renasko]

Dundee United would be blessed to have a defender like Bamba. :)

[Slick Mongoose]

Alan Shearer suggests that England should pick all 5 strikers and only 7 midfielders. He then suggests playing a 4-5-1 formation.

:lol:

[Jon AS]

Alan Shearer suggests that England should pick all 5 strikers and only 7 midfielders. He then suggests playing a 4-5-1 formation.

What could possibly go wrong?

[Calibandar]

Shirt numbers given to the Dutch side, which if it would be followed, the first 11 would look like this:

Stekelenburg,

Van der Wiel, Mathijsen, Heitinga, van Bronckhorst;

Van Bommel, De Jong, Sneijder

Kuyt, van Persie ( no. 9), Robben

Which is largely the same first 11 side used in qualifying. Van Persie is clearly going to be our deep striker, it's his own preferred position and all involved in the Dutch team have been talking the last few weeks about his amazing form, coming back from the injury. He did score two nice goals against Mexixo earlier this week as well. van der Vaart has his usual no. 23, but even so, I don't expect him in the first 11, despite some players wishing for vd Vaart and Sneijder to play together in midfield.

My only worry is one that is big in the press here which is that Robben has had a marvel of a season in Germany on the right wing, it's also where he wants to play because he is most dangerous there, but the manager seems to want him on the left, in order for us to play Dirk Kuyt on the right wing. That's the only thing that concerns me. I think Robben should play where he has played all year for his club, and bench Kuyt in favour of someone else who can play off the left ( Afellay can do it, or Hamburg's Elia). I'm sure Robben will do well on the left as well, but still, you can see how he's so lethal from the right.

But the manager swears by Kuyt, much like Benitez does. I understand how useful he is, and I suspect there are games in which he should start, but bringing him in in the front line robs us a creative forward. And if the aim is going to be to outscore the opponent given that some expected some defensive frailties, I'm not quite sure if that is wise.

We'll see. It's a tough call to make, cause Kuyt certainly has proved his use as well.

[mormont]

Aaaand another one down: Heiko Westermann joins the ranks of injured Germany players, so now Löw only has to pick one to send home on tuesday. My money is on Trochoswki, he can't afford to cut another defender now and Jansen looked decent enough on saturday, though Trochowski is slightly more versatile. Neither will make the starting eleven against Australia in any case.

Clearly, they all fear to face the mighty Serbs. ;)

[Alcibiades]

Wow. Mexico smashed Portugal 5:1. Did anyone watch this by chance?

[Horza]

Wow. Mexico smashed Portugal 5:1. Did anyone watch this by chance?

You mean this match?

[Renasko]

My only worry is one that is big in the press here which is that Robben has had a marvel of a season in Germany on the right wing, it's also where he wants to play because he is most dangerous there, but the manager seems to want him on the left, in order for us to play Dirk Kuyt on the right wing. That's the only thing that concerns me. I think Robben should play where he has played all year for his club, and bench Kuyt in favour of someone else who can play off the left ( Afellay can do it, or Hamburg's Elia). I'm sure Robben will do well on the left as well, but still, you can see how he's so lethal from the right.

But the manager swears by Kuyt, much like Benitez does. I understand how useful he is, and I suspect there are games in which he should start, but bringing him in in the front line robs us a creative forward. And if the aim is going to be to outscore the opponent given that some expected some defensive frailties, I'm not quite sure if that is wise.

We'll see. It's a tough call to make, cause Kuyt certainly has proved his use as well.

Kuyt is one of the worst starting international players in the world. I hold him in a very low esteem. I have no respect for his 'talent', whatsoever, and treat his hard working nature not too greatly, either. Considering how it would be easier to find someone that works in a similar manner, a lot easier than someone who holds a similar skill level.

[Jon AS]

Clearly, they all fear to face the mighty Serbs. ;)

They'll probably ask the Kiwis for some tips on how to deal with those guys.

Wow. Mexico smashed Portugal 5:1. Did anyone watch this by chance?

Portugal must be really embarassed by this. They've even gone so far as having major websites such as Eurosport replace their name with Gambia in the match reports...

[Alcibiades]

Portugal must be really embarassed by this. They've even gone so far as having major websites such as Eurosport replace their name with Gambia in the match reports...

Ah, this is what I get for listening to iFooty world on the iPhone. Apparently Mexico was supposed to play Portugal originally, but were replaced by Gambia. Yet was was reported as Portugal still in the app.

[mormont]

Kuyt is one of the worst starting international players in the world.

I'm fairly sure that's not true. The Solomon Islands, Andorra, Guyana, American Samoa, and Djibouti teams (to name but five) probably account for about a hundred worse starting international players than Kuyt. ;)

And in the end, Kuyt is rated well enough by a series of top managers at club and international level to be in their teams. He has 61 caps. That speaks to something more than simple workrate. He's no Bergkamp and he never will be, but clearly he offers the team something that others don't.

They'll probably ask the Kiwis for some tips on how to deal with those guys.

We've explained that. It's part of the master plan. Also, we were taking it easy on the poor Kiwis, as they were still sore from the kicking they got from Australia. (Check out the tackles at about 0:54 in that video...)

[Renasko]

I'm fairly sure that's not true. The Solomon Islands, Andorra, Guyana, American Samoa, and Djibouti teams (to name but five) probably account for about a hundred worse starting international players than Kuyt. ;)

And in the end, Kuyt is rated well enough by a series of top managers at club and international level to be in their teams. He has 61 caps. That speaks to something more than simple workrate. He's no Bergkamp and he never will be, but clearly he offers the team something that others don't.

I was thinking more of the team's that are at the WC, but yeah. He's not that bad. I am just frustrated after seeing him countless times at this point.

[Black Wizard]

Ten days to go. :D

[Slick Mongoose]

Upson ahead of Dawson? Bah.

[ljkeane]

Not much depth at all in the England squad (not that there was ever going to be), they really can't afford many injuries to the first team.

[Iskaral Pust]

Not much depth at all in the England squad (not that there was ever going to be), they really can't afford many injuries to the first team.

I was just thinking this morning that 23 seems like a big squad, but when you look at the English squad it doesn't feel that big, or that it offers enough alternatives. And for all the talent available, there is some big uncertainty about the holding midfielder (after Hargreaves and Butt were their top players of recent tournaments in that role) and the wingers. It's not the most balanced starting 11 around. Even so, they could go very far.