大象传媒

What exactly does Ashley Cole bring to the England team?

He didn't break sweat in the Trinidad game.
He isn't fast. He certainly isn't skilful. His passes and crosses aren't accurate.

He often passes to players under more pressure than he is.

All too often Trinidad players were getting round him easily. But nobody ever criticises him.

boycott-football.tk

Doh! i knew there was something I was supposed to do - although I'm surprised I got 7 points with 0-0 as my prediction for every game

Lets see how i do now

Thought you'd forgotten Ricco - I did early doors and also picked up a bonus 0-0 from Sweden v T & T. Another Sweden 0-0 on the way for you perhaps?

"What exactly does Ashley Cole bring to the England team?"
A lot of experience and courage. Just because he performed poorly, he does not become a bad player.

England VS Trinidad & Tobago as well as Sweden VS Paraguay was actually a struggle for the first goal. Let us see what happens with England VS Sweden as well as Paraguay VS Trinidad & Tobago.

"What exactly does Ashley Cole bring to the England team?"....a damn site more than you would....stop whining

2wheels, this is quite obviously not the place for advertising or geeky twatery! Go away and watch it on the telly with your friends, if you have any! xx

What to make of England's disappointing performance versus Trinidad & Tobago? I blame it all on Owen Hargreaves. After all, I can't think for myself and I don't pay any attention to the game outside of England. Signed: several million morons just like me.

Some thoughts...

Cole A. - Desperately unfit and lacking match practice. (See Owen. M, Rooney W.) He's even forgotten how to tie a shoelace.

When opposing teams play 1 up front (or even 2 if it's T&T), shouldn't full-backs be ATTACKING full-backs

Maybe play 3 at the back. Play Carrick in a deep holding role and let Lampard and Gerrard do what they are good at. (SGE doesn't have the balls. Neither does McClarren)

How about giving Beckham a rest. Oh, I forgot, we're playing Gridiron where you have a specialist player on for 3 'kicks' in a game. (Oh well, the shirts are selling well.)

Cole J.- Leave him alone. These are the last 90 minute games he'll be playing for the foreseeable future. (Hell be playing bench-warming with Duff, Wright-Phillips, et al).

Pursuade Crouch to make a career move into television and manage the team in the new reality show 'Freaks FC.'
And if he does play, NEVER let him attempt a scissor-sweep (resembles a giraffe in an abbatoir), even if he's unmarked, and has time to chest it down and make a cup of tea and a toasted sandwich.

Having said all that. 6 points is 6 points is 6 points.

Some thoughts...

Cole A. - Desperately unfit and lacking match practice. (See Owen. M, Rooney W.) He's even forgotten how to tie a shoelace.

When opposing teams play 1 up front (or even 2 if it's T&T), shouldn't full-backs be ATTACKING full-backs

Maybe play 3 at the back. Play Carrick in a deep holding role and let Lampard and Gerrard do what they are good at. (SGE doesn't have the balls. Neither does McClarren)

How about giving Beckham a rest. Oh, I forgot, we're playing Gridiron where you have a specialist player on for 3 'kicks' in a game. (Oh well, the shirts are selling well.)

Cole J.- Leave him alone. These are the last 90 minute games he'll be playing for the foreseeable future. (Hell be playing bench-warming with Duff, Wright-Phillips, et al).

Pursuade Crouch to make a career move into television and manage the team in the new reality show 'Freaks FC.'
And if he does play, NEVER let him attempt a scissor-sweep (resembles a giraffe in an abbatoir), even if he's unmarked, and has time to chest it down and make a cup of tea and a toasted sandwich.

Having said all that. 6 points is 6 points is 6 points.

Some thoughts...

Cole A. - Desperately unfit and lacking match practice. (See Owen. M, Rooney W.) He's even forgotten how to tie a shoelace.

When opposing teams play 1 up front (or even 2 if it's T&T), shouldn't full-backs be ATTACKING full-backs

Maybe play 3 at the back. Play Carrick in a deep holding role and let Lampard and Gerrard do what they are good at. (SGE doesn't have the balls. Neither does McClarren)

How about giving Beckham a rest. Oh, I forgot, we're playing Gridiron where you have a specialist player on for 3 'kicks' in a game. (Oh well, the shirts are selling well.)

Cole J.- Leave him alone. These are the last 90 minute games he'll be playing for the foreseeable future. (Hell be playing bench-warming with Duff, Wright-Phillips, et al).

Pursuade Crouch to make a career move into television and manage the team in the new reality show 'Freaks FC.'
And if he does play, NEVER let him attempt a scissor-sweep (resembles a giraffe in an abbatoir), even if he's unmarked, and has time to chest it down and make a cup of tea and a toasted sandwich.

Having said all that. 6 points is 6 points is 6 points.

Goodbye England you'll be out of the next round when you face the 'big boys'. No imagination, no apparent game plan, cept boot it into the air hoping to get a Crouch header. But you'll be in good company with Germany as well! I've seen all the games so far and only Equador and the fiery Ghana have shown any kind of bottle, they ran the Italians into the ground. Sweden? Ugh! Spain look promising!

I have watched all the games so far. I think Michael Owen is a mistake in the English squad. Crouch should be left alone as he is always hussling :) A. Cole is doing his best for the team too. Rooney and Crouch is a better crush :) I feel for him though.
Yes, Ghana and Ecuador have done well and I think Spain too looks promising. The problem with the English side is that unlike most other Countries, the attack on Coach and players from home is enough the demotivate them. English media and public don't help issues.
Anyway, knock round will be the Final for England so the media can rejoice. SVG will be happy to find some peace after the WC and no foregn coach will ever accept to work with the English FA and English media :)

Your thoughts,

After watching the game, I was not too impressed with Carragher's contribution. I am not a fan of Neville in the RB position, I feel that he can sometimes drop too deep and play the oppos onside, however, carragher does nothing going forward. At first I was convinced that Carragher would be better at the RB position, but to be honest, at this moment in time Neville seems to be the better. Maybe it is because he has a better understanding with Beckham on the right and is more confident on going forward and this is something Carragher needs to work on.

Oh by the way, well done the England fans. Fantastic behaviour. Respecting the oppos anthems and all that, keep up the good work, only wish I was there too.

Greets Andy from Holland

I'm not liking that new German ball. Yes it swerves... and once set piece experts get used to it, it can be magic... but in outfield play it looks like it's a nightmare for ranged power shots. The ball seems to have an uncontrolable desire to rise when given weight and this is bad for players like Gerrard or Lampard. It's not just England either... so many shots in other games keep sailing over the bar.

My advice to our boys is to practice hitting, aiming a couple of inches lower than they are used to.

Just like everyone else who thinks they know all about football, I'd make some changes to the team.
In every England team ever, there's always been at least one player who really isn't good enough to be in the team, yet they're always selected and it makes you wonder why.
For me, it's David Beckham. Perhaps the most overrated played of all time - and we made him captain!
Does anyone have the cross/freekick-success rate for Beckham of late? I reckon it'll make disturbing reading.
The 大象传媒 commentators always make a big deal of any freekicks he's about to take, and 90% of the time, they come to nothing.
One or two decent freekicks or crosses per match does not make him a great player, especially if you compare him with other international teams freekick takers.
He also gives the ball away alot and can't tackle - I believe this is how George Best also described him.
We need a replacement for Beckham asap, and then give the captain's armband to John Terry.

The Doc - Also in Holland

Its OK to criticise but T & T are a class team. Most of them are full time professionals and a couple have played at the highest level. In the circumstances we should be proud we beat them.

Our tactic of passing the ball from the front to the back certainly confused T & T, and our strategy of giving the ball away at every possible moment and shooting wildly was a masterpiece that lulled them into a sense of false security. I think we should build on this strategy of deception and start the game against Sweden with only 9 players, including 3 goalkeepers. They wouldn't have a clue what to do and Rooney could come on in the 85th minute and seal a victory.

It's time for a change.
Three at the back Terry, Ferdinand and Carragher, five across midfield Lennon on far right, Beckham inside him, Gerrard, Lamphard and Cole, Rooney and The Big Fella Crouch up front. A strong attacking formation with width and players that can deliver crosses, score from deep anmd go past people.

Well done england! another 3 points and a ticket for the 2nd round. Yet there are many to be improved.
- Crouch, a very obvious target in the front line, more crosses are made than short pass thus england midfield start to lose their creativity. though he is so wasteful whn chances come, tis was shown during the warm up match against jamaica n again in the match against T&T - the scissor-kick.
- Robinson, he look shaky in the last game, especially whn he handled those high ball, lot of misjudges in the game, almost gifted T&T their 1st WC goal, luckily Rio n Terry have done well to stop the goal. APPLAUSES

Crouch and Beckham were both pretty awful up until the first goal. Beckham and Lampard both had an off night, and Crouch was an embarrassment (although he has shown great confidence [misplaced!] and courage).
These guys are class players, and can't possibly continue to play so poorly. It's often said that it's the sign of a good team when they can play poorly and still get results, so we MUST be a good team.

Right result and into the next round - all looks good on paper...here comes the 'but'!

For the last 3 tournaments now we have looked outnumbered in midfield and have stifled the abilities of Steve Gerrard by playing him in a holding role. The formation has to change to 3-5-2 as we have 4 world class centre backs (perm any 1 from Campbell and Carragher) and a ready made holding midfielder in Carrick.

This would not only free Gerrard and Lampard from getting in each other's way but also provide the width and numbers in midfield that we need to compete.

Lennon to come on for last half an hour as an impact player and Rooney to start with Crouch. Cole to be pushed into midfield.

Here endeth the rant!

Well done to England firstly for qualifying for the 2nd round.

Irrespective of formation we are simply awful of having fluid, cohesive possesion of the ball. Too many players in our team want to make the killer pass or opt for a 40 yard ball when there is a simple 10-15 yard pass that would be just as effective. England really need to watch teams like Portugal, Argentina, Spain to name a few to see how they do this. Gerrard is is arguably our best player in every position across midfield with all due respect to the others, but most effective as an attacking midfielder rather than a defensive one ala the goal yesterday, only real time he got forward and he scored. Better possesion with a little more urgency and we'll create better quality chances. It is a must if we are to go all the way.

Cole played quite well, covering back to make several vital challenges. Although Lampard missed his chances he worked well to create them - just unlucky. He is a senior player who cannot be dropped. Ericsson did win the match with the substitutions. Lennon gave the team the belief it needed by skinning defenders. Otherwise it would been a nil-nil with England remaining mired.

Did you know that Italy have not lost a quarter final or subsequent match since 1978?

"One or two decent freekicks or crosses per match does not make him a great player, especially if you compare him with other international teams freekick takers."

Er - have you really thought this through? Roberto Carlos has scored about 3 or 4 goals throughout his career from free kicks. How often do you see other players getting assists in four matches in a row?