blonde poker forum

Here we go then

One month and counting

Please put all World Cup thoughts and betting predictions here on this one thread...anything from top scorer through to group predictions to individual matches and novelty bets etc etc


To start off, please give me your BEST VALUE tip to win and your e/w outsider to surprise us all and do a Senegal or a US last time.....Here are the best odds available

                       
Brazil 3-1
England  8-1 
Argentina 8-1   
Italy 9-1   
Holland  12-1   
France 12-1   
Spain 14-1   
Portugal 25-1   
Czech Rep 25-1
Sweden 33-1   
Mexico 40 -1
Ukraine 40-1   
Croatia 66-1   
USA 100-1
Ivory Coast 100-1 
Serbia and Montenegro 100-1   
Australia 125-1 
Poland 125-1
Switzerland  125-1 
Paraguay 150-1 
South Korea 250 -1 
Ghana 250-1 
Tunisia 300 -1
Ecuador 300-1
Japan 300-1 
Togo 500 -1 
Costa Rica 500 -1 
Iran 750 -1
Angola 750 -1
Saudi Arabia 750 -1 
Trinidad and Tobago 1500 -1 


I'll start off...at these prices I'll have a little tickle on France and to reach the final four at 1/4 the odds...the US

I cannot wait for the 20006 World Cup.

Only 18,000 years to go...

Touche.


Even geniuses add an extra 0 sometimes....

An interesting bet which I've had is backing all the group favourites to win their groups, which is going at about 35-1 on WillHill if you select the favourites.

A bit of value for Top Goalscorer.

Shevchenko is rated at 25-1.

Ukraine are in Group H and in their group are : Spain, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. This will be Shevchenko's first and most probably last major International tournament, and with him being the top goalscorer in Champions League history, he has a great chance in winning the Golden Boot.

Outsider - USA at 100-1  -  great value imo if they can make it out of the group.

We really should get some sort of sweep in place for this, you know the sort where you have to predict the scores & get points for correct score, correct result etc. Maybe bonus points for predicting top scorer, group winners etc

I'm sure Tighty could come up with something pretty good  :)up

Sweden EW... Germany outright but that doesn't seem to be on the list.

I fancy the following as good value to win their groups: Sweden (I know, I know), Mexico, Ukraine.

without getting into the old Scotland v England debate, I do believe that England are a ridiculous short price -

AFAIK they are the same price as before Rooney's injury saga. Believe me, without Rooney england are a far poorer team.

Definitely a lay at this price.

Some bookies were floating around 10/1 post-Rooney news.  Still ridiculously short, I wouldn't back them at 14/1

oh god no. too little time, too much hassle thank you very much.

African Nations runners up Ivory Coast at 100/1 is outrageous IMO. Not a bad e/w bet. Last time semi-finalists South Korea at 250/1? Is Ray Charles writing these?

Overall winners between Brazil, Argentina and Holland. Best value lies with Portugal/Czech Republic though.

Sweden to win their group, the prices indicate that they have about a 29% chance against England having a 60% chance. Should be less in it that for me. I think Mexico could win their group too.

Ivory Coast will be very hard to beat but their draw is tough, same for Iran who are a better team than many will imagine but tend to get their best results at home in front of 110 thousand crowds, couldnt fancy Argentina, Spain or France and Brazil seem to have ticks in all the right boxes.

Out of interest Baron the odds above were taken from www.oddschecker.com


There you will find out which firm is offering the price you are interested in


Good site that (I have no affiliation)...does best odds for groups, goalscorers etc too

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  ;D

I agree, a tipping comp would be great......

Any volunteers to organise a tipping thread and a blondiete league table then?


I will give you any moderator help you need, but really can't take this on myself...

I don't think they'll win it and it pains me to say it but, I think, France are a good bet at 12/1 - with the view to laying off at a shorter price after the group stages, hopefully around 8s.  They are currently 14/1 on Betfair.

The same could be said for Spain at 17/1 on Betfair.

Of course, they could balls up their group games and not make it through.  That's unlikely though, easy "green up" money IMO.

Brazil are obvious choices for outright winners but at 3/1 they're too short.  England might have had a sniff if Rooney was available.  Germany will progress IMO but won't win it.  That leaves my selection to win at a good price, Argentina.  9/1 on Betfair.

Lump on!

Lost a bucket on Argentina last time they played England.  ;tk;

Ripped off with a special "David Beckham to be sent off" bet at 33-1. ::)

France have their worst team in 10 years IMO.

Past underachievers Spain or Holland could be useful...

Think Argentina will be diffrent class this year & willbe backing them outright.

And to upset England fans (I am English too by the way) I've laid England to qualify from there group, lose £65 if they do pick up £300 if they don't. I thought about doing this BEFORE the Rooney injury but now we have no one up front who can score a goal! Sweden & Paraguay are not push overs & Trnidad & Tobago beat Mexico 2-1 to get into the play-offs to qualify. Sorry to say it but I think we have a really poor team this year & I don't think we will go very far :(

Don't bok my Argies, wormster!

 ;)

I can give some time to this - well keeping scores, recieving predictions etc.

How you want it done ??

Each game ?
or selections Last 4, Highest Scorer, group winners etc ?
Combination ?

And for Pride or Money ?

Suggestions people

Marvellous

can I suggest pride rather than involving money? keep it for fun


that apart, anything you want to structure it as go ahead!

Maybe group winners, name the semi finalist and name the winner and top scorer.

I'll be having a few varying bets on the WC.  I think my most profit will be in laying England on the exchanges.

As for the winners I have already had a few quid on Italy.  I will also be having some savers on Holland and Argentina.

As for top scorer Henrik Larrson is a long price at 66/1 worth an e/w bet me thinks.

Nice one Nakor  :)up

Combination is prolly best as it keeps an interest for longer

I will get something written up tomorrow.

Nice one :)

With Rooney and Owen both doubts for the World Cup, there's been a lot of talk about who Sven will take as cover.

He needs to name his initial 27-man squad at 2pm today (to be cut down to 23 on May 15th). It looks like both Rooney and Owen will both go, but who's Sven going to take as back-up if owen and rooney aren't fit to play? Defoe/Bent/Johnson/Ashton?!!

Well it looks like there could be a suprise addition to the squad. Never played a premiership game. Yet to get a single minute for his new club. Theo Walcott to be our secret weapon for the world cup? I can't say I saw this one coming.

http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?hlid=385281&clid=114&channel=skysports_home_page&title=Sven+ready+to+turn+to+Walcott (http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?hlid=385281&clid=114&channel=skysports_home_page&title=Sven+ready+to+turn+to+Walcott)

adding this shortly to the one stop for all posts World cup thread going in betting tips

its expected young prodigy Theo walcott will be named in the england squad as back up- could be the making of a star even if he hasnt played for arsenal yet. Id take him over johnson or ashton and take Walcott, defoe, Owen(think he should make it) and Id also take aaron lennon for out on the wing who I thinks superb

Wow, no Defoe, no Wright Phillips


Walcott, Downing and Lennon in

Amazing Walcott in the squad.

Well I give Sven some kudos - he is taking a squad to have a go.

They might not all be world class  - but . . .

SRP and Ashton must be gutted.

WOW - a few surprises in this squad - Provisional England World Cup squad:

Paul Robinson, David James, Robert Green; Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell, Jamie Carragher, Wayne Bridge; David Beckham, Michael Carrick, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Owen Hargreaves, Jermaine Jenas, Stewart Downing, Joe Cole, Aaron Lennon; Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, Peter Crouch, Theo Walcott.

its an amazing gamble


one injured striker who may not be fit at all, one striker short of match practice, one beanpole who is not a natural goalscorer and a 17 year old who has never played in the Premiership

He must be planning to play one up with a midfielder like Cole or Gerrard supporting in the hole until Rooney is fit

only 4 strikers, 2 of whom are injured, 1 has never played a minute of top flight football and the other - well errr.

England 800-1

Sven's taking the pi$$ before he leaves  :D :D :D

I'm pretty suprised by this squad. Not too sure what to make of it. Gambling on too many unexperienced players I think.

Lennon over SWP? Sven keeps saying in his interview he wants pace. Is SWP not pacey enough for him? Fair enough he hasn't played much this season, but until the end of the season Lennon wasn't even a starter himself at Tottenham. I think you have to take SWP over Lennon for his experience.

Walcott I could maybe understand as a gamble in normal circumstances. But with our 2 star strikers as doubts, surely you need a proven goalscorer in there as back-up. If Rooney and Owen aren't fit, I don't fancy our chances if we're forced to start Peter "couldn't score for most the season" Crouch and Theo "never played a premiership game" Walcott up-front. Defoe or Bent it has to be for me.

What about the back-up list too? Reo-Coker instead of SWP and no Bent? 3rd top scorer in the premiership and top english goalscorer and he couldn't even make the first 6 strikers. I don't understand that one.

Finally, I don't see the need for both Hargreaves and Carrick in the squad? Too similar players who are both back-ups. So I don't think we need both. I wouldn't take Hargreaves and would rather have SWP or another striker in the squad.

Sven's definately picked an "interesting" squad here.

I'll have £10 with you at those odds Matt.

Walcott and Lennon.  I like it.

Who said you never win anything with kids?

How wrong was he?

Get the giraffe up front until Rooney is fit.  What a genius Sven will look if we win it with Walcott and Lennon taking part.

Fair enough, the bet stands as soon as the £10 (payable in bananas) arrives at my treehouse.

Upon arrival the price will then become 650-1 for any other takers.......

So what are the odds on Walcott being top scorer at the world cup?

 rotflmfao rotflmfao

I know its childish but I don't care (sorry)

Not taking SWP is a gamble. Although I hope it warns future bright stars not to go to Chelsea.

Other than that I like the Walcott/Lennon roles. Not sure about Reo-Coker though. Would have preferred SWP/Nolan/Barton.

The SWP line of thinking must be that he hasn't played enough. If so then why is Walcott going?

Very odd. I like Walcott though, a future world beater for sure.

The more I look at the squad the worse it gets every time.

I think our reserves list is pretty shocking too.

Official bench warmer 2006?  

thats about the only role they will play..........

I disagree. What other players in our team (other than Joe Cole) can actually skin a few defenders? It's why I'm a big SWP fan.

Why are only 4 strikers being taken?...surely instad of both Jenas and Hargreaves who won't play much and fill the same role, take a fifth striker especially with the injury concerns?


I tell you, he's planning to play 4-4-1-1


and Hargreaves must have Sven's incriminating photos

Gerrard off the front man with Carrick holding?

Yes Aaron, I think he must be planning to get through the group this way and then see if Rooney is fit

I hope so. In 40 caps for England, Gerrard has had 45 mins in his best role. Attacking midfielder. If he plays of the front one/two he'll murder teams.

Ohhhh he's really gone and done it this time.

He's determined to make sure your lot don't get through the group!

Yup, we need another striker in there. We don't need carrick, jenas AND hargreaves.

When questioned about his strikers in the interview, Sven said "joe cole can be counted as another striker". So maybe he's planning to put joe cole just behind who-ever our lone striker turns out to be.

should have picked god robbie fowler

Amen.

                            Robinson

             Neville  Ferdinand   Terry  A Cole

                           Carrick

              Beckham  Gerrard  Lampard

                           J cole

                           Owen



When Rooney fit you can play a simpler 4-4-2 or Rooney off Owen  

                  Robinson
Neville  Ferdinand Terry  Cole

                  Carrick
Beckham     Lampard     Cole

         Gerrard
                  Owen

who replaces owen when he comes off injured after 20 minutes?

Joe Cole will be our key player IMO.

England odds pushed out to 900-1

Rooney ain't going to be fit.

If he does recover in time he'll be short of match practice and is the WC really the place to take risks on a guys fitness?

He could have taken:

Fowler
Bent
Ashton
Andy Johnson


And dropped that numpty Hargreaves am a better player than that boy!  What exactly does he offer the squad?  Does he just pick him because he plays in the Bundesliga?

England are in big trouble if youa sk me.  I was never convinced they would win or even get by the Quarters but now I reckon there could be a few quid in laying them to win through the group stages.

This squad has to be whittled down to 23 doesn't it?  So what 4 does he drop.

Right now I'd get in another striker get rid of David James, Hargreaves and Rooney (the boy just won't be fit)

He's only named a 23 man squad with 4 back up players if needed

                                         ROBINSON
N*****E               TERRY            CARRAGHER                    A COLE

BECKHAM              LAMPARD         GERRARD                       DOWNING

                                        J COLE

                                        CROUCH

Personally i play gerrard down the middle as he is far better at breaking the play than lampard and beckham. Lampard is a brilliant link player and would work perfectly with ashley cole attacking down the left flank, lampard has partial use of his left foot which is a bonus. Combine this with the trusted beckham/neville combination down the right, there will be quality balls raining into the oposition box and then you've got rooney and gerrard attacking down the middle when they wish. Bringing on Joe cole and crouch against tired defenders i guarantee will win us a game or two from a tight position, joe cole is really beginning to fulfill his potential and mark my words he will be a star of the tournament.

I made that post in november and still stand by the fact Joe cole will be a star of the tournament.

Didn't SWP go to chelsea to be sure he made the world cup?

I thought he was naming a 27 man squad today, to be cut down to 23 on May 15th.

Turns out he's named his 23 squad today, with 5 stand-by players.

Sven reminds me of the cash game player at the end of the evening,

"OK Lads. It's my last hand for the night. Good game, well played all.

 Don't have much but might as well gamble. I'm allin!"

seious point here, the experiences of SWP and Parker must put young british players off sigining for Chelsea?


Is this a good or bad thing for the English game?


good....talented players not left languishing in reserves

bad...talented young players have less chance of playing in Champs league etc

Its funny I have been so convinced that England would struggle to get out of the group.
Rooney's injury was the final nail for me.

But this squad excites me, yes I see some faults Hargreaves/Jenus - but it is all about pace in the main.
If Walcott gets a goal in the warm up games - remember Richardson last summer - confidence can go a long way.

I do think Baron/Tighty have got the team for the groups about right.
The defence is tight - loads of midfield strength and real pace and beanpole for plan B up front.

We have not got 23 world beaters to take - but at last Sven Gambles and we going to have a go.

So unlike the Monkey - at Nakor's bookies England have come in from 400 - 1 to about 100 - 1.
Could be worse.

As an aside I do wonder if the SWP missing out is two fingers to Chelsea - it is bound to have a knock on effect for future signings.

rooney will play every game for england at the world cup

can i have wednesday nights lottery numbers please

thank you Dr Miriam Stoppard.

As a decent footballer in my day, I have to say that this squad that the berk sven has picked is a joke.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1) Hargreaves is awful- full stop

2)Carrick isn't better than Ledley King. Ledley is injured currently but will be back in a few weeks and has shown he is the best england player at the holding role.

 3) Theo walcott is a huge talent - but has never played a premiership game, let alone a world cup game. Far to early for this lad.

4)Jenas is a waste of space - if one of the centre midfielders got injured then gerrard/lampard/beckham (any 2 of 3) would play in the middle so where does that leave jenas.He simply wson't get on

5) Am I right in saying that if Owen and Crouch started the 1st game (pretty sure that will be the case as sven may figure crouch's height will trouble the paraguyans), and owen got injured we wouldn't be able to call another player up. This would mean that we would have only Crouch and Walcott as recognised strikers. Why pick so many defenders and midfielders, but only 4 strikers , with 2 of them being injured or just coming back from injury.

I think Walcott is superb, and apparently is better than Rooney when they were at the same age - but the World Cup to make your debut. Cmon Sven. Giving him 10 minutes to try and change the game maybe aint such a bad idea, but with only 2 fit strikers and 2 crocked ones (owen and rooney) then Walcott may be playing more than we can ever imagine.

Walcott could be a brilliant selection, but some of his picks are just simply strange.

Ledley is better at tackling but his delivery is awful.

Carrick has been outstanding recently.

I've seen Walcott play twice for Southampton


extremely quick and brave but v lightweight at the moment....


lets hope it is an inspired selection, even more lets hope things go so well he doesn't need to play!

And on what are you basing this comment? A couple of first team games for Southampton against the likes of Crewe and Millwall or his very brief appearances in the Arsenal 3rd reserve youth team?

Hardly much comparison between them and the likes of Holland, Argentina and Brazil.........

why 3 goalkeepers in the squad...2 should be plenty allowing another striker...if the worst comes to the worst and they both get injured then we play rush goalies...sorted

................jumpers for goalposts

Pele played for Brazil at 16. Who was he proven against? Sometimes they are good enough to be given the chance.

Rooney hadn't done all that much before Sven gave him a shot vs Trukey.

but in that role he isnt gonna be bombing forward, and im not bothered whether he can hit a 50 yard ball to feet. The job of that player is to disrupt play, and break down everything the opposition throws at you. You need a tough, good tackling player and as you said ledley is a better tackler.

No way should carrick be ahead of king

Matt -

I have been down to Arsenals training ground in the last 3 weeks with my partners uncle who is a professional coach as he has been doing some mental coaching with them (he has done alot of stuff with PAul Mckenna). I watched walcott outsprint Henry on the training pitch, and he generally looked in the top 3 players on the training pitch. He is a serious talent but I still think that maybe he needs a bit of time. This was a training pitch and not a world cup semi!!!!!!!!!!!

And don't forget the gamble hoddle took on Michael Owen as a Kid and he set the tournament a light. We seem to have a history of taking a Kid who does great things.

Have never seen Walcott play, i hope he works out but ashton, bent, defoe et al must be sick

He at least had first team experience at the top flight of his country which led to him being included in the squad. What signals is it sending out when the top english scorer in the premiership cant get in the team but someone who hasnt even kicked a ball in top flight football is.

To me Sven is already planning a nice summer vacation with his golden handshake payout before his next assignment......

trukey were a very poor team in all honesty though

This is a requirement for the 23 man squads.  World Cup squads always used to have 22 players.  The 23rd has to be a 3rd goalie.

Sheriff

Brasil's squad are told the England squad....

http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/55855980.jpg?v=1&c=MS_GINS&k=2&d=83C02361B64D91850F05E3ABB823D681 (http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/55855980.jpg?v=1&c=MS_GINS&k=2&d=83C02361B64D91850F05E3ABB823D681)


As a Scot I'm kind of bemused by the squad. Taking a hell of a gamble on Rooney....

Zooiks!!!

9 midfileders that include Hargreaves and 4 strikers of which two are injured and one future star that has no top level experience. The young players are good players and I think there is a danger of overreacting as these young lads will probably only be bit part players at best.

I'm gutted by this squad.  We're going to take 2 unfit strikers with no proven goalscorer in reserve.  Rooney won't play in the Group stages at all, Owen carries a massive risk of being injured if he plays and he won't be match fit anyway.

Assume worst case scenario, Owen goes of injured in the first game.  Who scores the goals in our 4-6-0 formation?

Defoe is the best replacement we have for Rooney.  He's a natural goalscorer and I can't believe he's not made it, especially given the injuries.  At least he's on the standby list so our best hope now is that Owen breaks down again before the World Cup.  He's too much of a gamble in the squad given that Rooney is the first choice crocked player.

I don't like having Andy Johnson as the 2nd reserve striker, given that he's hardly set the Championship alight this year.

The worst selection is undoubtedly Hargreaves though.  Can't believe he's in there given the list of absentees.

I'm encouraged by Lennon being picked and Walcott would be a good gamble if we had a place in the squad to gamble with.  However, we're gambling on 3 players in this squad and all of them are strikers.

Sweden are definite value for our Group now.

Sheriff

just announced on sky sports......gary lineker called up to the standby squad

Just found this - pretty much sums up my feelings.

Bold Sven Loses The Plot (http://www.sportinglife.com/fanzine/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/06/05/08/manual_152040.html)

Gotta say that Sven is probably having a laugh as a parting shot - u thought i didnt have balls well take a look at this squad.

That said i quite like it - lets be honest, if rooney is not fit he will call up another striker so Walcott is not going to evert start.

Fact is he is going for the shock factor in Walcott - and he may be a great last 20 mins sub.

Lennon v Wright Phillips is a coin-flip.  Both good, i personally would have gone for SWP as he is proven.

My only gripe is Hargreaves - complete waste of space and so untalented when he has played for England.  Lets face it you would only use him late to protect a lead and surely King would be better at that.  Carrick, Jenas and Hargreaves is too many of the same.

Agree also with those that have suggested using Gerrard in a more attacking role.

Walcott --> Pele??

Your having a laugh arent you??

agree about hargreaves, he should not have gone, complete waste of time.

Question to sven, why did u pick theo walcott?

A. Becasue he has pace!


People get in the squad on pace alone, the little white leather ball irrelevant???

Only time will time, hope it pays off, woudl rather see defeo there tho

It appears as though i may have been a bit hasty in my odd calculations earlier, after all i currently have England as having a slightly less chance of winning the world cup as Angola, Iran and Saudi Arabia who were all 750-1 in the original betting.

To rectify this error and show a truer reflection of Englands chances i would like to change the price to 500-1......................











 of Iran, Saudi Arabia and Angola!  :D

Walcott picked and no Defoe or Darren Bent.

So, our strikers are:

ROONEY: Wont play, as he has a broken foot.

OWEN: Hasn't played for 5 and a half months, he will not be 'match' fit

CROUCH: LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

WALCOTT: Wonderkid? Only in the 1st division. Scored any goals in the Premiership? NO. Started any games in the Premiership? NO.

England = Laughing Stock

Still cant understand why walcott was picked over sheringham

also this video shows how good walcott is

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/56388/theo_walcott/

Well no I'm not actually. Pele had played for Santos but wasn't exactly proven.

People are saying Rooney will be as good as Pele, but Walcott is thought to be better than Rooney was at this age so it's not an outrageous comparison is it?

The video doesnt work.

It worked on my computer and it makes him look pretty special.

Everyone has seen the footage, and obviously he looks very special. But everyone saw the footage of Pennant and look how he turned out. But my last comment isn't the point, the point is that Rooney isn't fit and he has picked 2 other strikers. One is a usless beanpole and the other hasn't played for over 5 months. If Owen got injured in the group stages and Rooney wasn't fit. Who is Sven going to bring on? Walcott? The 'boy' hasn't played a whole match in the Premier League and now the country's hopes hang on him.

What a snub to players like Bent, Beatie, Defoe and Harewood who between them have scored over 50 league goals this season.

Like a previous poster said, it is like Sven is taking the piss before he leaves.

Copied from another thread - apparently all World Cup stuff should go in this one.


SWP is a better player than Aaron Lennon. But SWP hasn't played more than 10 games this season and is on low confidence. But to pick Walcott ahead of Defoe, SWP, Darren Bent (18 league goals) and even Marlon Harewood, is simply unbelievable.



incredibly strange! - Eriksson liks players that have been playing regularly for their club hence why i feel SWP missed out to Lennon so why o why has he gone for Walcott?!. - surely Defoe has to go ahead of him - i agree that Bent or even Vassel would have been ahead of Walcott.  Maybe Sven knows his preferred 11 and he is unlikely to stray from that apart from if injuries occur so he is just giving the young lad the expereince? - still a mystery though

If England win the World Cup, Sven will look like a genius and become the most wanted manager in history.

If they lose, he'll say "Rooney was injured, not my fault guv".

Win/Win for the shiney headed Swede.

<a href="http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008_ZBYYYYYYYYGB" target="_blank">[img width= height= alt=ROTFL" border="0]http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_11_6.gif[/img][/url]

<a href="http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008_ZBYYYYYYYYGB" target="_blank">[img width= height= alt=Laughing 1" border="0]http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_1_19.gif[/img][/url]

<a href="http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008_ZBYYYYYYYYGB" target="_blank">[img width= height= alt=ROTFL" border="0]http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_11_6.gif[/img][/url]

I guess Sven is going to use Walcott as his "Get of of Jail" card, if all else fails, the young lad is going to get thrown on. I feel sorry for the lad, he does not need this so early in his career. I suppose I will make or break him, but I fear the worst.

I just hope it isnt the same one given the Jermaine Pennant when he was the new bright hope of English football!!  :D

different characters entirely by the looks of things! - Walcott just yestreday passed his theory driving test with the hope of starting to drive soon - i believe at the same age Pennant was already driving without a licence and full o' booze!  :D

Heard it so many times before. This player or that player is the next great hope of English football.

However once every now or then the hype is justified, it was with Rooney and I believe it will be with Walcott.

Revised odds:

England 1000-1

I'll pop a penny on Matt.

Done. Hmmm, a scot supporting England who'd have thought that.

Due to the huge demand of support its regretable that i will now have to shorten my odds.

England: 999/1

Not supporting, I sincerely want you to keep your tenner.

Just couldn't pass up the stonking value without a liitle piece.

I expect my penny to arrive by Wednesday at the latest............

Otherwise i send round the monkey goons!!!