Englands Chance @ the 2010 world Cup

[The Ringleader]

Looking Good So Far:
Côte d'Ivoire (CIV)
Ghana (GHA)
Australia (AUS)
Japan (JPN)
Korea DPR (PRK)
Korea Republic (KOR)
Denmark (DEN)
England (ENG)
Germany (GER)
Italy (ITA)
Netherlands (NED)
Serbia (SRB)
Spain (ESP)
Mexico (MEX)
USA (USA)
Brazil (BRA)
Chile (CHI)
Paraguay (PAR)
South Africa (RSA)

Algeria & Switzerland look like they will qualify and a few other small nations are in with a chance still!!

What struck me as odd is that England are one of only two team to average more than 3 goals a game in qualifying, the other is Fiji

Who else do you think will reach the 2010 world cup and who would you like in Englands group?

Btw Bahrain v New Zealand play on the 14/11/09 to decide who goes to the world cup after a 0-0 draw in Bahrain

 

[Mellotron]

Semis, which I will be happy with. That's roughly where we should be aiming at.

Spain and Brazil I believe are ahead, then the following group is England, Holland, Germany, Italy, France, Argies etc.

We are currently (I believe) one of the stronger in that chasing pack, having beaten Germany and outplayed Holland.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Based upon qualifying I would expect them to do very well. Hope they get to play RSA at some point as that should be a guaranteed win!!

Also think where they play in SA may be a factor - their best chance will be to play all their games at altitude, rather than playing a lot at the coast and then suddenly playing at altitude in the semi's, for example.

 

[Normal Rob]

I have no doubt that come the first day of the tournament the jingoistic juggernaut will have leveraged us to the position of sure-fire winners with nobody else being fit to grace the field at the same time as us.

In reality I agree with Mellotron - Semis would be a good performance - after that we'll need a bit of luck. We are due some though.

 

[Austrian Gull]

If, and at the moment it's a big if, Argentina qualify, I wouldn't be surprised to see them getting to the last four at least.

They would, however, have to get in a new coach who's not bonkers first.

Remember Brazil in 2002 - almost didn't make the finals and then went on the win the cup.

 

[strings]

Regarding altitude, it seems that old Fabio is hoping to take the team for a weeks training up a mountain somewhere in Austria or Switzerland to get the players used to altitude.

I'm hoping that we can make the semis - any further than that and we'll have to rely on a bit of luck.

 

[saafend_seagull]

one of serbia or mexico will go further than us i suspect

 

[saafend_seagull]

anything worse than semi finals is a FAILURE.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Regarding altitude, it seems that old Fabio is hoping to take the team for a weeks training up a mountain somewhere in Austria or Switzerland to get the players used to altitude.

Really? Better to bring them here a bit earlier I would have thought.

 

[Mellotron]

anything worse than semi finals is a FAILURE.

So by that logic, you definitely think we are one of the best 4 teams in the world, yeah?

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Semis, which I will be happy with. That's roughly where we should be aiming at.

Spain and Brazil I believe are ahead

The correct answer. We'll get knocked out in the Semis, Brazil or Spain will win, Capello will get his £200 million for a couple of hours work over two years and everyone will be happy with our successful tournament.... allegedly.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

reasonable..........i think fabio is EXCELLENT and i have no doubts that our players will be very well prepared for the tournament

our 'big name' players will need to step up to the mark though

 

[Mellotron]

If Gerrard, Rio, Lampard and Rooney all had the tournament of their lives, we could win it.

 

[Taybha]

same as usual flatter to decieve and get dumped in the quarters

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

our 'big name' players will need to step up to the mark though

Shaun Wright-Phillips? Sylvan Ewbanks-Blake?

 

[Dosser]

Based on current performances I think this could be one of the most evenly matched world cups in some time - nobody is really standing out as favourites IMHO.

Consensus round our Pub table still has Brazil up there (if for no other reason than they look difficult to beat), Spain possibly the best Euro team, and as an outside bet I fancy the Ivory Coast - not that I know anything mind.

Will be disappointed if England are not in Quarters - barring injuries/suspensions and media hype I would expect them to make the semis - and then its anyone's guess.

 

[Easy 10]

Capello has done wonders picking the team up from the shambles we were left with after McClaren. And we've qualified well.

But whether through bad luck or incompetance, one thing can be relied on - we always, always disappoint. I'm sure we'll make the knockout stages, but once we come up against one of the Big Boys, we tend to get found out. And although I'd dearly love 2010 to be different, I think we all know in our heart of hearts that it WILL all end in disappointment once again. But then that'll also be the case for 30 other nations as well.

best we can (realistically) hope for is some good performances along the way and an adventure through to the semi's, where someone will just be too good for us. I'd probably take that now, were it offered.

 

[Oscar]

We've qualified well before yet not excelled in the tournament. I'm sure it will be the usual "if only" scenario although I would love to think we could go all the way. First of all we need the miracle of Rooney, Gerrard, Terry, Lampard, Ferdinand (?) all making it to SA without injury or being so knacked they don't perform.

Finally, there's the psycological pressure should we have to go through penalties again.

 

[Gav1901]

I reckon we will get knocked out by chile in the quater finals

 

[essbee]

easy 10,

Stop living in the past!

How can you accept semi's now? I'd rather not even go than settle for semi's....

The difference this time is that we have discipline and quality - rather like 1990...
and we were just unlucky there... this time we might be luckier. I also think we have more world-class players than in 1990 when Gazza and Lineker were arguably the only
world-class.