England at Euro 2012......why bother

[turienzo's lovechild]

Downing 0 assists and 0 goals him for Lennon, Carroll (a good 20 mins doesn't make up for 40odd games of shit) for sturridge

Terry for Ferdinand (awful against Liverpool, sent off v Barca and to top it off a racist)

nah....

downing for lennon would mean 3 right wingers and 1 left winger....no team would do that.......we needed a left footed left winger...downing is the best of a bad bunch (probably won't play anyway)

carroll for sturridge would mean no 'big' striker, so no plan b....with englands lack of striking options this wasn't really a serious option (imo it was either sturridge or welbeck)

terry for ferdinand was much of a muchness....they're about the same but we could only really take one....leaving ferdinand out wasn't the end of the world really....as for the racist thing, as roy said, he's currently an innocent man...can't not pick him off the back of that

people moan about his squad selection, but no-one has done enough to convince me about any of the alternatives

 

[Icy Gull]

I. And he should have taken 1 more striker as we've only got 3 for the first 2 games. I would left out Downing and Milner for Adam Johnson and another striker, maybe Sturridge...

Rooney aside (arguably) do we have any strikers who can set the Premier League alight let alone at World level? Not sure it'd make any difference if we could take 10 stikers

 

[darters74]

Rooney aside (arguably) do we have any strikers who can set the Premier League alight let alone at World level? Not sure it'd make any difference if we could take 10 stikers

No, we don't. Shame Darren Bent is injured though, he is a quality finisher, and no, I'm not joking. Defoe is still pretty good, got 17 last season, mostly off the bench, I think Carroll has been given a rough time this season (including by me at Anfield) and glad he's in ahead of Crouch, not convinced by Welbeck though, bit too raw for me.......I hope to be proved wrong.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

I would have only taken 2 keepers. How often do all 3 keepers get used? I can't remember it happening. And he should have taken 1 more striker as we've only got 3 for the first 2 games. I would left out Downing and Milner for Adam Johnson and another striker, maybe Sturridge...

the whole point of having 23 rather than 22 players is that you take 3 goalkeepers

imagine if hart got sent off in the first game, and say, green got injured....we then have 0 goalkeepers

as for johnson/downing...see above...roy had too many question marks about his ability to follow team orders...hodgson plays quite rigid tactics with everyone following an individual team plan....johnson doesn't really fit into that

plus johnson is (despite being left footed) definitely a RIGHT winger...taking him over downing would, again, mean 3 right wingers and 1 left winger....no team would do that

as for taking an extra striker, it's fairly likely that we'll only play with 1 up front and pack the midfield...so no point (sturridge is hardly world class anyway)

 

[Mellotron]

Spot on. Far too many 'premiership' England fans on here with a false sense of entitlement, but at least the unfounded over-expectation is missing this time. Still expecting a bombastic Sky advert and some unrealistic tabloid headlines though.

Looking forward to it, and I'll still be English regardless of performance.

Agreed. Hate the embarrassing, "fashionable" attitude of being able to take or leave England. I'm more English than I am Brightonish, whether I like it or not, and so are most of us. There's nothing more amazing than the whole country united when we win a big international game.

 

[darters74]

the whole point of having 23 rather than 22 players is that you take 3 goalkeepers

imagine if hart got sent off in the first game, and say, green got injured....we then have 0 goalkeepers

as for johnson/downing...see above...roy had too many question marks about his ability to follow team orders...hodgson plays quite rigid tactics with everyone following an individual team plan....johnson doesn't really fit into that

plus johnson is (despite being left footed) definitely a RIGHT winger...taking him over downing would, again, mean 3 right wingers and 1 left winger....no team would do that

as for taking an extra striker, it's fairly likely that we'll only play with 1 up front and pack the midfield...so no point (sturridge is hardly world class anyway)

Could have taken Jagielka, he used to play in goal as a youngster and is probably not a lot worse than Green!!!

9 midfielders and 4 strikers should have been 8 midfielders and 5 strikers in my eyes. Johnson can play on the left..........

Anyone know why Ben Foster wasn't selected, I know he missed the last game of the season but dunno how badly injured he is/was if at all !

 

[Sheebo]

I fear I may not even have the will to watch if it's a nice day outside, that is how little I now care about England's footballers and team, sadly.

After the bigger than usual shambles in South Africa I'm pretty certain I haven't watched more than 10 mins of England's qualifiers and friendlies.

I'd love to get enthused again

That's not true! I remember us having a row cos before one of our qualifiers / friendly games you said something like 'not even gonna bother watching' and then as we didn't perform well you were one of the first out the traps on here with your 'England were / are shit' comments! So you've watched more than 10 mins!

Why not give the new regime and English manager a go? Some good youngsters coming through and the Sun haven't picked on many of them yet to write bullshit storys to get morons believing it and therefore hating said player...

PS - If we WIN the Euros or do well (semis or above), same with World Cup - I will hjave every right to LORD it on here over the likes of you and Simster

 

[leigull]

Anyone know why Ben Foster wasn't selected, I know he missed the last game of the season but dunno how badly injured he is/was if at all !

'Retired' isn't he?

 

[Sheebo]

Agreed. Hate the embarrassing, "fashionable" attitude of being able to take or leave England. I'm more English than I am Brightonish, whether I like it or not, and so are most of us. There's nothing more amazing than the whole country united when we win a big international game.

Spot on as ever - but if people think it's 'cool' they follow like sheep - or plastics as it were.

Do you remember me using this 'plastic Man U' phrase to describe some people on heres attitude to England (prob before 2010 WC)? The amount of people not getting my point or arguing it - suddenly now lots of people seem to see it - I have a GOOD feeling that some national pride / togetherness in / through the team is close. Possibly the Euros but more realistically the WC under our English manager...

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

Could have taken Jagielka, he used to play in goal as a youngster and is probably not a lot worse than Green!!!

9 midfielders and 4 strikers should have been 8 midfielders and 5 strikers in my eyes. Johnson can play on the left..........

Anyone know why Ben Foster wasn't selected, I know he missed the last game of the season but dunno how badly injured he is/was if at all !

you can't, you HAVE to take 3 goalkeepers.....you can't take 2 and have 1 outfielder who can play in goal....north korea tried it at the world cup....it's the whole point of having 23 rather than 22 man squads

johnson is actually quite poor on the left....he's DEFINITELY a right winger and i'd prefer to take someone who IS, say, a left winger, than someone who CAN play left wing....plus downing is a lot more disciplined and better defensively than johnson

for the record, i am NOT saying downing is a better player than johnson, just in terms of left wing he fits better into hodgsons plans than johnson.....if you were going to take johnson it would be instead of walcott or the ox...NOT downing...

as for foster, pretty sure he's "retired" from international football

 

[Mellotron]

It's funny, the reasons others are giving for not being fussed are the EXACT same reasons why I can't wait for this one:

Realistic expectations - playing as underdogs for once rather than incorrectly branded as one of the favourites
Tough group will have some good games, rather than us just underperforming against minnows
Press hype lower than any England tourney in my lifetime
Looking like a GLORIOUS summer
Hodgson as manager

Cannot wait.

 

[darters74]

'Retired' isn't he?

What, from England, he's only about 26 !!! Surely not.......wish Green would retire, how can he show his face after that Dempsey goal in 2010 ! Why are so many goalies buffoons? James, Grobbelaar, Rob Green, Graeme Smith.............

 

[darters74]

you can't, you HAVE to take 3 goalkeepers.....you can't take 2 and have 1 outfielder who can play in goal....north korea tried it at the world cup....it's the whole point of having 23 rather than 22 man squads

johnson is actually quite poor on the left....he's DEFINITELY a right winger and i'd prefer to take someone who IS, say, a left winger, than someone who CAN play left wing....plus downing is a lot more disciplined and better defensively than johnson

for the record, i am NOT saying downing is a better player than johnson, just in terms of left wing he fits better into hodgsons plans than johnson.....if you were going to take johnson it would be instead of walcott or the ox...NOT downing...

as for foster, pretty sure he's "retired" from international football

I didn't know that you HAD to take 3 gk's, learn something every day!

Can't believe he's retired, why He is the 2nd best gk in England!

 

[leigull]

What, from England, he's only about 26 !!! Surely not.......wish Green would retire, how can he show his face after that Dempsey goal in 2010 ! Why are so many goalies buffoons? James, Grobbelaar, Rob Green, Graeme Smith.............

Ben Foster rejects Roy Hodgsons England plea for Euro 2012 - International - Football - The Independent

Ben Foster announced yesterday that he had no plans to end his self-imposed England sabbatical despite Roy Hodgson's best attempts to change his mind, during his last few days as West Bromwich Albion manager.

And maybe his reason for retiring was to avoid being called a buffoon if he does make a mistake for England??!

 

[Sheebo]

What, from England, he's only about 26 !!! Surely not.......wish Green would retire, how can he show his face after that Dempsey goal in 2010 ! Why are so many goalies buffoons? James, Grobbelaar, Rob Green, Graeme Smith.............

Graeme Smith was the best keeper we've had in decades - anyone who says otherwise is clueless

 

[Cecil]

England not getting out of our group is 7-4. That for me is printing money.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

I didn't know that you HAD to take 3 gk's, learn something every day!

Can't believe he's retired, why He is the 2nd best gk in England!

possibly the same reason as carragher....couldn't be bothered giving up his time to be a squad player

he'd only play if something happened to hart anyway....for the first time since seaman we have a CLEAR number 1 keeper

 

[Sheebo]

England not getting out of our group is 7-4. That for me is printing money.

Bell end!

Had a free £20 bet was thinking Spain to win it would keep things interesting for me while Eng were out but couldn't even bring myself to do that as in theory it's betting against your own... Betting against your own country is pure cuntishness if anyone does it

 

[Butch Willykins]

Bell end!

Had a free £20 bet was thinking Spain to win it would keep things interesting for me while Eng were out but couldn't even bring myself to do that as in theory it's betting against your own... Betting against your own country is pure cuntishness if anyone does it

I think Spain could be due a shocker.......reminiscant of France at 2002 WC. What price Spain to fail to get out there group A group with Italy, Eire and Croatia is not easy - all could take points off Spain.

I can't see the Spanish beating both Germany and Holland in consecutive games, which is probably what they will have to do to lift the trophy. I'm laying Spain.......

 

[Commander]

England not getting out of our group is 7-4. That for me is printing money.

In which case, you are an idiot.