The 2006 FIFA World Cup

[wormster]

Sorry to say it but I think we have a really poor team this year & I don't think we will go very far

/quote]


I think we are priced too short to reflect the amount of patriotic money that goes on England for such things but cannot agree with the above statement


In Ashley Cole, Terry, Ferdinand, Gerrard, Lampard, Beckham, Owen and if fit Rooney we have 6 to 8 players that every other team in the comp would love to have...

The keys will be

a) the striking combination until Rooney is fit
b) Whether Sven's tactics allow them to progress

The thing I have with the team is that it's practically the same players that were at the last euro champs & even the last two world cups & they couldn't get the job done then, so why now?
 At the back, we are so talented we have to rely on Ashley Cole who has barely played all season, an ageing Gary Neville & a lazy Rio Ferdinand. John Terry is class but if any of those players get injured or suspended, who comes in for them? In midfield, we still don't have a left footed midfielder, Gerrard & Lampard find it difficult to both play in the centre & Beckham wonders all over the place doing very little! Up front who is going to score the goals? Forget Rooney, he has no chance of making it, Owen is several yards slower than he used to be & will hardly be match fit. Who else is there? Peter Crouch, Heskey, Darren Bent, Vassell, De Foe?
You never know, maybe one of those players will step up to the plate & play the best damn series of matches they will ever play in their lives & we get the job done but, for me anyway, it's hard to see. It's been a while since we had a complete nightmare at the World Cup, maybe this is the time!

 

[Coca919]

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

[TightEnd]

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

[Hairydude]

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

[TightEnd]

Wow, no Defoe, no Wright Phillips


Walcott, Downing and Lennon in

[Nakor]

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.

[marcro]

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.

[TightEnd]

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

[matt674]

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 

[Coca919]

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.

[MrMoves]

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 

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

[MrMoves]

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.

[matt674]

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

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.......

[marcro]

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

[Highstack]

Bent it has to be for me.

 

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