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Cutting Through The BS
Some simple points about the England match.
1) No Theo..
2) Yes Peter.
3) I hope to god Ashley/Glen/Rio get fit in time for the World Cup. Even JT looks ordinary with ordinary defenders around him.
I think that covers just about everything.
Jonny (on first name terms with the england squad) Sawce
Some Rather Lengthier Points
- The result was flattering but good considering the caliber of opponent.
- If Matthew Upson is still first reserve centre back in South Africa, England will struggle. He and Terry were, despite only conceding once, atrocious all evening. Brown was mediocre, Green relatively untested and Baines impressive. Purely football wise, Bridge is no loss and Baines (jostled by Warnock and, in the future, Gibbs) a more than competent back up for Cole.
- The starting formation (4-3-3 in the United/Arsenal style) is probably England's best bet with Rooney but the selection was wrong. Assuming the right winger is a quick, attack the full back player (Lennon/Walcott/SWP) then why waste Rooney on the left and Defoe up front alone? Rooney up top with Milner, Gerrard or A.N. Other on the left is surely a better use of the players available.
- Defoe and Crouch/C. Cole is, however, a decent back up against all but the best sides.
- Lampard was woeful, Gerrard looks badly out of form and Barry and Carrick are uninspiring. If Rooney's injured/has an off day it's hard to see where the spark's going to come from. Adam Johnson to be the wild-card call up?
- It sounded ridiculous when he said it but might Arsene's prediction of Sol Campbell's call up come to fruition?
- On balance, a good comeback but it shouldn't disguise the poverty of the first half performance, especially in defense. Upson, Lescott and Shawcross don't inspire much confidence especially with Ferdinand unlikely to be fit for any of the world cup and Terry horrifically out of form. This will probably be a typical England summer, make it past the poor teams and crash out to the first decent one encountered. The difference this time is that it should not be seen as underachievement. Normally at this time of year we look around and state that several Englishmen would walk into any team in the world. No one in this England side would make a dent in the Spain squad except perhaps Rooney who would still probably be behind Torres and Villa. Barring a major bottle job of South African cricket team proportions, their name's on the cup. Anything more than a last-16 exit should be applauded as far as England are concerned.
Matt C, AFC
...A few thoughts on the game tonight:
- Can everyone finally accept that Rooney and Defoe can't play together? They looked completely ineffective and, as the commentator said, have never scored a goal in a game they've started together.
- Can everyone finally accept that Crouch is actually quite good at international football? Yes, lots of his goals have come against average or poor teams, but most teams at international level aren't that good and a better than one-in-two record is pretty impressive in anyone's book. And take a look at the alternatives: Defoe's goals have come against equally poor opposition; Heskey doesn't score goals; Carlton Cole, Darren Bent and Bobby Zamora can't be asked to start a World Cup as first choice; Owen's past it.
- Michael Carrick is very effective in games where he has time and space. He was vital today in breaking Egypt down in the second half. Clearly he's not good enough against the top sides; but he's worth having in the WC squad.
- Walcott's performance needs no comment.
- Why did Capello not play Hart? What does he need to learn about Green? Yes, with outfield players it makes sense to play his first choice side and let the players gel. But this doesn't apply to keepers. Wouldnt it have been worth throwing Hart in to see how he handles the pressure?
- Why did Lampard take our corners from the right and Baines from the left. Surely it should be the other way round?
ITV's coverage was so s**t it deserves some points of its own:
- Townsend is not just incredibly annoying, he's incredibly patronising too. He actually sounded surprised in the first half that Egypt knew how to kick a football. He was praising them for not coming and just shutting up shop. Firstly, it's a friendly, so why would they play for a draw? Secondly, they're the bloody African champions and are only ranked two places behind England, as the 10th best team in the world.
- I hate this nonsense trotted out by Southgate at half time which we always hear from ex-pros when fans boo England players: 'Do they think that this is going to help the team?'. Of course they don't! But the fans have every right to be express their distate for a player's actions if they wish. In fact, it demonstrates a lot more moral courage for these fans be booing their own player and potentially harming the chances of the team they support (take note Chelsea fans). They're in effect putting their disgust at Terry's actions above their allegiance to the team, which has a certain nobility about it.
- Can commentators please stop this annoying cliche at the end of night games about how parents can 'put their kids to bed' now that it's over. I remember them using that one when I was growing up 20 years ago. It's tedious. And now that most kids have a widescreen HD plasma surround-sound TV or two in their rooms and don't go to bed until midnight, it doesn't even make any sense.
- Oh, and also, why are so many top-level referees completely bald? I think it's the Howard Webb effect, that the authorities think they look hard. But how many of those baldies are c**p: Webb, Tom Henning Ovrebo, Martin Hansson.
John Daniels
Carrick: Better Than Alonso
Pleased to see Carrick come on and change the game in his usual unassuming way.
Hes been a better version of Alonso for the last 4 years and hes still underrated, yet the same people seem to have no problems recognizing Alonso's talent. If he was spanish they would be taking him, he should definatley be on our plane.
Andy Kane, Brighton
p.s. please dont take walcott.
...Well the first half was dross and as the headline states we learnt very little, but in the second half we did learn something, we need Michael Carrick! Now Crouch will get the plaudits and SWP looked dangerous but the man who changed them game last night was Carrick.
In the first half with Lamps and Barry in the middle the distribution was painfully slow they took a touch, controlled the bobble, looked up then finally moved the ball on. Egypt were perfectly set every time and on that pitch it was very difficult to feed anything meaningful in to Rooney and Defoe.
Then Carrick who's much maligned by F365 comes on and makes the difference simply by being brilliant in his simplicity. He didn't crash through anyone in the "English" way, he didn't sprint around like a mental and he didn't hit any Hollywood passes which look good on the highlights reel. But what he did do was play it simple, first time and to feet (crazy I know). He was the perfect link man to knit the previously fractured formation together and his passing both long and short was accurate and impressive.
He has to be on the plane and on that 30 minute cameo perhaps even should start.
Dave (the state of the pitch is another matter) Bryant
Crouch = Berbatov?
Watching the England game and after taking into account Crouch's incredible scoring record, I don't see why he cant start up front with Rooney on a regular basis.
Rooney is florishing for United not only as a lone striker as this web site has pointed out, but also because of his growing understanding of playing alongside Dimitar Berbatov. Rooney used to float around in midfield trying to link up play but he no longer has to worry about this as Berbatov is now the one who links the play, allowing Rooney to stay further up field in dangerous, scoring positions. And Berbatov does this job fantastically well by the way.
Crouch has always seemed to fancy himself as a second striker and drop deep, linking up play (despite Arry's use of him as long ball target man). Although no where near in the league of Berbatov, Crouch would do an excellent job in this role for England, allowing Rooney to play further up field in his best position. And if Crouch can continue his impressive scoring record in this role as well as getting the best out of Rooney, even better!
Also, Theo Walcott?!?!?! Oh god no!!!
Kev The Clarke (he's big he's bad he's Wesley Brown, the hardest man in all the town, with orange hair beware, come and have a go if you dare), Skem
No Theo...Just...No
42 minutes in and I have seen enough to categorically state that Theo Walcott should be nowhere near an England squad, let alone a starting XI, until such a time as he has rediscovered how to control a football. It's like watching an Olympic sprinter let loose into the international footbaling arena. Just embarrassing.
He may go on to score a hat-trick, but do not be fooled - the guy is plain rubbish.
Wes Brown ain't much better either.
Matt H, London
...It shows how crap Walcott is when Brown is more of a threat going forward down the right!!
James Biggs CFC
...Admittedly I write this after what has hardly been a thrilling first half and knowing full well that anything could happen after the break
However, the one thing that I thought I'd share with you is thus. Theo Walcott does nothing that Darren Huckerby wasn't doing 10 years ago. Head down run, run, run but to very little effect.
That said Lampard should have buried that lay off.
Scott (bracket fun) Brooks
...Dear Mr Capello,
After tonights game I ask only one small favour of you.
For the love of all things sacred in the world, please do NOT take Theo 'Toepoke N Leggit' Walcott to South Africa this summer. Id rather take that chap out of the Visa adverts to the World Cup then him, least he knows how to produce an end product after running about like a sodding headless chicken for a minute.
Much love,
Neil (or just take SWP, please) Leicester
...Having watched the England match I realised young Theo is like a sneeze that never comes, you can feel it and it's building but then leaves you bitterly disapointed.
Angus, Melbourne
Not Cretins
Cretin- An idiot: a person of subnormal intelligence.
Am, I'm neither English nor living in England and I could be wrong about how ye operate over there but is it not the right of every man, woman or child that paid into Wembley last night to boo John Terry without being called a 'cretin' by your website. Is Fabio Capello a 'cretin' for displaying his disapproval of Terry's actions by stripping him of the captaincy and leaving Terry or anyone else in no doubt that he will never captain his country again as long as he is in charge? Is Gareth Barry a 'cretin' for saying City beat Chelsea for Wayne Bridge? Or is it just the 'little man' on the street that is the 'cretin'?
If the English public wish to make it known to John Terry that they think he's a prick for what he did and in doing so tell the rest of your national team that they expect certain standards from those lucky enough to represent their country then they are absolutely right to do so and absolutely within their rights do so also.
For a website with such high standards of what they expect from other publications and websites(see Mediawatch) I find this hypocritical and for a website that seems to think of itself as a voice for the ordinary fan on the street, to call the ordinary fan a 'cretin' is offensive. Constructive? No.
Kevin Walsh. Luimneach.
...Wow Nick Miller, you really baffle me sometimes. There was barely a hoot made by F365 when Wayne Bridge was booed at Stamford Bridge - apparently for dating a woman who, after they broke up slept with John Terry, and you cannot understand why Terry was being booed??
For starters, he betrayed a club and country teammate - and then he gave Capello a selection headache at left back and on top of that he's lost his form - probably because he's still thinking of Bridge's Ex. And if all this is not good enough, he deserves to be booed purely on a moral basis.
Capello needs to drop JT. There's many a centre back to choose from (Upson, Shawcross, Carragher, Ferdinand, King, Jagielka, Lescott) and if he isn't there, Bridge can play at left back which would take care of the left back drama that Capello currently finds himself in.
Kushal, Mumbai
...Maybe those who booed Terry didn't want to be constructive. They wanted him to know that they've gone off him. If, as you say, this was a pointless game then it's the perfect chance to do so.
People get up in arms on here about booing, but let me try to draw a distinction:
Booing a poor performance can and probably will be counter productive, especially if it's booing one player for a previous performance. If your concern is their form then yes, booing wouldn't be constructive.
Booing for matters outside football is different. Now maybe these details should have stayed private. The fact is that they are in the open, or at least a version of them are. In this case you want to send a messagae divorced from football, a plain message of dissatisfaction or disgust. Bettter to boo than send hate mail or indeed any letters that won't be read anyway.
In this second case the effect on the performance is built into the decision to boo. You decide that it matters more. Terry is not the only example of this. The booing of players that have shown callous greed has been common. If Tiger Woods had turned up to play a tournament before taking some time out and making a public aplology he would have been booed for this same reason.
Now we don't all need to hear Terry mutter to himself on TV or anything.....
The point is that not all booing is the same. Not all booing is stupid. The lads on ITV kept saying "I don't understand why they are booing him". Which is nonsense really. Unlike the pundits and journalists (this site included) the fans had not yet had a chance to weigh in on this debacle.
They have now, that might be the end of it. Or maybe they really do want him out of the team. We'll see.
But seriously, drop the sense of superiority please. The fans may have decided that they'd rather lose than win with Terry in the team. It may not be what you agree with. But don't try and tell them they have to be constuctive when you systematically dosmantle players and managers in this site.
We all have our opinions. Sone if us have to pay into a stadium to air them.
Declan, Leixlip, Ireland
...What is it about booing John Terry that makes me a cretin? Is it being faithful to my girlfriend that makes me a cretin or is it my loyalty to friends? Or is it that I voice my displeasure at the poor behaviour of others... the idea of free speech obviously appalls F365 (I mean, who would expect a media outlet to be a defender of free speech.
I won't be so crass as to label you cretins but I will ask that you take a look in the mirror and be honest with yourselves about what you see.
Aaron Maguire
A Note To The England Crowd
Booing own player (again) - p**s poor.
Doing Mexican wave 5 minutes after England equalizer - f*cking inexcusable.
If that's your idea of support feck off to the Emirates to support Brazil.
Chopper
...Dear England fans,
Have you got it out of your system now? Can we all move on?
Thankyou.
Richard Pike
Was It The Egyptians?
One thing crossed my grey matter last night amid the booing "scandal".
Per chance could it have been the Egypt supporters who were booing John Terry? I know I would have, (if I was egyptian) just to stoke the out of control fire that is the british press....
Then again it could have been a group of sun/star/times journalists all grouped together in the stand booing, just to give legs to story which quite frankly had them surgically removed with a sledge hammer...
On a footnote loved ITV coverage... On one hand you had the pundits saying that Terry should be left alone, the story is over , la la la...Then you have every camera following his every move, as if to suggest that if they didn't he would jump behind the advertising boards to have his way with a steward/fan/team mates wife.
Roberto (Letter this short should not have taken this long to write).
'C0cks'
You c0cks.
'So what did we learn? John Terry is unpopular? Theo Walcott isn't very good? Gareth Barry is solid? Breaking news there. It's our duty to report that England came from behind to beat Egypt 3-1, with Peter Crouch bagging twice, but it was a largely pointless exercise that probably told Fabio Capello sod all. '
England friendlies aren't just played so that he can learn things, it is also so that the players can practice a pattern of play, set pieces and even playing in a different position before a very importan tournament.
Maybe in the future, the night before the first game of a major tournament, all the players and there wives should get completely wrecked, throw their keys into a bowl, wake up with spew all down them and then turn up at the ground 15 minutes before kick off. You sports media people would love that, it would give you decades of material.
Floyd, I actually very much enjoy your website
We Learned One Thing...
What a great second-half display from England (after a horrible first) last night. I thought our midfield was very poor in the first with Lampard completely ineffective, Barry not able to make a pass, and Gerrard all over the pitch. Walcott was terrible and I don't think he should be anywhere near the African continent this summer - surely Lennon (pace, trickery, crossing and scoring), SWP (see Lennon) and Beckham (pinpoint delivery, dead-ball specialist) should be ahead of him. He left Brown exposed on the right providing zero cover/assistance in defence and consistently lost the ball in attack meaning Brown could not move up to support him. The rest of the back line looked a bit shaky; it seemed they had no confidence in their midfield cover. Up front, Defoe disappeared after the opening 10-15 minutes - and Rooney was getting very frustrated.
I think Carrick was a game changer for England, shielding the back four effectively, calm on the ball, providing some decisive passes (the 1st goal move started from his pass to Gerrard!). That gave the back four a little more breathing room and confidence. Crouch was great holding the ball up and linking play with his touches and of course scored two goals. SWP ran at his defenders, cutting in or going out and kept the Egypt left-back on his toes. He also came back to cover Brown in defence, so Brown could get forward to support the attack more and was excellent in his short time on the pitch. Brown is much more reliable in defence than Johnson while being a threat in attack and brings a better balance to the role (starting RB for me). Gerrard began to link up very well with the front two, and Barry seemed to get stronger. I love Milner's energy and really hope he's on that plane - he can shoot with both feet, passes, crosses and moves off the ball well.
Contrary to F365's headline that Capello has learned f**k all from the game, I think we've all learned, confirmed, and reconfirmed that walcott is utter s**te. Leave the pussy cat at home and make sure only the lions show up for the WC!
Wasmi, Bahrain (MUFC)
False Hope?
Was there much point in giving Leighton Baines a run? I think it's doing no more than getting the kid's hopes up in vain.
I'm not sure Fabio's the type of manager who would field an untested (at international level) defender in a World Cup.
Methinks either Baines or Warnock will win a spot in the final squad - but if Ashley Cole is unavailable in June, Gareth Barry will be the one who starts at left-back.
Philip Wen (Rob Green - really?), MUFC
Prescience
I was just catching up on today's mailboxes whilst watching the match and was reading "England: You Have Been Warned" as Crouch knocked in our third. Is Musajja wa Kabaka the African Lawro?
More predictions like that please Musajja.
Michael, England and LFC
Pressure Lifted?
Brief thought not quite worthy of mailbox entry -
What was particularly pleasing for me as a Man Utd fan, was that Wayne Rooney was not involved in any of England's goals.
Finally, the hopes and expectations of a nation can - albeit temporarily - be lifted.
Darragh G
The Moral Maze
I see Tevez has a problem with John Terry's morals with regards to Bridgegate. I wonder where leaving a club and joining their biggest rivals ranks on Tevez' moral compass?
Gary Daly
Lookeylikey
Interesting game last night, but I don't want to dwell on that. I just want to know if any other Mailbox readers have seen the ads for the new Matt Damon film, Green Zone, and done a double take thinking it was Rooney?
Richard Treadwell (what are you supposed to do with brackets again?) London
An Idea For A Follow-Up Show
I have just about had a gut full of ITV's utterly horrendous football coverage and Clive Tyldersleys "Rooney-Utd-thatnightinbarcelona" obsession.
Don't get me wrong I think Rooney is head and shoulders above the other players in the squad but Tyldesley is driving me insane with every semi-decent goalbound effort exhorted as an exocet from an angels devine boot.
I think the only way forward to clear the decks before what is likely to be an utterly soul destroying event of "World Cup 2010 on ITV" is for somebody to commision the following programme:
"Clive Tydesley felates Rooney to completion live".
Maybe then Clive will also have had a gutfull and we can all move on.
Mark Kelly
Finally, A Man Who Gets It
Referring to the poll asking readers to pick either "Shawcross is worse then (sic) Hitler" or "Arsenal are a bunch of whinging softies" Joey (fond of Polish Poles) writes:
"What exactly are you trying to find out with this poll? All you have done is taken two ridiculous statements, that have very little connecting them, and asked people to decide which is less moronic. Normally a poll will try to gauge people's opinions on comparable topics."
While F365 is perfectly capable of defending itself, I can't resists helping Joey understand this very subtle attempt at levity. Clearly, Joey, the poll is intending to find out which side of the general debate people stand: are tackles like Shawcross' merely an acceptable by product of playing hard in a man's game or should he be considered in the wrong for tackling with such force, regardless of malicious intent. The fact that F365 worded the poll the way it did was, in my view, a parody of the extreme arguments being raise by both sides and sensationalised in the media. And I don't think it was a very subtle parody either. If stuff like that is flying over your head Joey, may I humbly suggest you are not getting the most out of F365? Perhaps you would feel more at home on Soccer***t.
Don't thank me Joey, I'm just glad to help.
Dylan Durie, (for the record, Shawcross is worse than Hitler, and I'm an Arsenal hater who plays in central defence) Australia
