Fabio Capello

[Fazz62]

The reality is we should be good and should have won a World Cup beyond '66 and Bobby Robson came within an ace of it as well twice and was very unlucky.

Other times we have had the talent but not the manager, maybe our time will come as we have some very good players but who knows.

I have to say I was baffled by the decision on Owen but clearly this was correct.

BH

"have to say I was baffled by the decision on Owen but clearly this was correct."

Maybe that is why he is England Manager, not you?

 

[Beach Hut]

Absolutely clearly he sees something we don't as he said he would pick players on form of which Owen has been playing quite well recently.

However Walcott looks in really good nick as does Rooney.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Why?

His track record is utterly beyond dispute.

One cant really argue with this. As things stand at this precise moment his career is unquestionable. He is a winner.

 

[Fazz62]

Absolutely clearly he sees something we don't as he said he would pick players on form of which Owen has been playing quite well recently.

However Walcott looks in really good nick as does Rooney.

BH

"Absolutely clearly he sees something we don't "

Then maybe in his way. He is a little bit like Sir Alf?
Don't remember him being that forthcoming with the nation as to what his plan was to win the World CUp in 1966?
But it worked.

 

[John Dorian]

I just wish the media and fans would let him get on with doing his job that he is paid to do, because when Owen wasn't called up, everyone was up in arms...now it seems to have paid off, humble pie eaten etc etc....if he is doing the business, why not just leave him be and start to TRUST his decisions and selections ??

 

[crodonilson]

He's a winner with a capital W

That's what Brian Barwick said when he asked the country what they wanted and that's what he's delivered. Record breaking stuff, tremendous England.

:yahoo:

 

[Beach Hut]

Us, Spain and Holland are the only ones with maximum points although Holland have played one game less.

Well done Fabio

 

[DJ Leon]

You have to say he's done well, but I won't go overboard by us beating the likes of Andorra (there are easy games in International football). The Croatia result was a cracker though.

 

[Skaville]

9 championships in 16 seasons in Italy and Spain. Mustard.

 

[Brian Fantana]

4 out of 4 with 12 goals scored in the last 3 suggests Capello knows what he is doing. Especially with Owen nowhere near the squad. I wasn't sure to start with but he has won me over.

In terms of tempo the fact the next world cup is in the South African winter is cracking news for us if we qualify. Normally, we look crap in summer tournaments becuase of the hot weather. Not this time.

South African winter is still going to be very hot. Worse than that it will be humid more than hot.

 

[beorhthelm]

the one issue that confuses me, and makes me sway away from geniusm, is why he insists on playing Beckham... for 5 minutes. why bother? its hardly a tactical improvement and unbalances rest of the team. i could understand a half or 30 minutes, but it looks like he's just collecting caps right now.

 

[Scotty Mac]

would have been very happy with points away in belarus and croatia at the start of the campaign, as they are the sort of places we traditionaly go and struggle - to have maximum from 4 games is excellent, and all fabio is starting to answer the questions that all those MONGS who doubted him were asking

 

[Skaville]

So what can Mickey Adams learn from Capello's masterclass?

- Nobody playing drastically out of position
- A hard taskmaster who motivates the team for 90 minutes from the touchline
- Players picked on merit and what they offer the team (Heskey) rather than favourites (Owen)
- Simple tatical changes that have impact - 12 goals out of 15 in the second half
- Substitutions can win/clinch matches (Cole against Andorra, SWP on Saturday)

By the way Mickey (and Dick) if you're here to bring in crowds I can tell you that I decided not to bother with Cheltenham and Hereford based on the dire performances, poor tactics and managerial decisons I had witnessed in the previous home games. I'm back for Millwall, Leicester and Derby, but you can whistle for my £25 fpr the rest of November if Adam Virgo goes anywhere near the midfield in the next couple of matches. I don't sacrifice time with my my family and pay my hard earned money to watch to watch a centre half on the right wing.

 

[beorhthelm]

- Nobody playing drastically out of position

Gerrard on the wing is still a concern, he just keeps coming into the centre making us very vulnerble on that wing. Barry cover this alot, will it work against the top teams? ist been made easier for him the last two games, but when J Cole is available will he still try this or is there no room for such a creative player? Lampard and Gerrard have to expect to compete for one midfield berth.

 

[Scotty Mac]

Gerrard on the wing is still a concern, he just keeps coming into the centre making us very vulnerble on that wing. Barry cover this alot, will it work against the top teams? ist been made easier for him the last two games, but when J Cole is available will he still try this or is there no room for such a creative player? Lampard and Gerrard have to expect to compete for one midfield berth.

there was an EXCELLENT article in the times today about gerrards role in the team - i cant remember what it said, but it was spot on on its assesment

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

the one issue that confuses me, and makes me sway away from geniusm, is why he insists on playing Beckham... for 5 minutes. why bother? its hardly a tactical improvement and unbalances rest of the team. i could understand a half or 30 minutes, but it looks like he's just collecting caps right now.

Although it's quite a churlish point, I sort of agree. There has been a big point made in the press today about Capello not caring about number of caps and therefore, milestones. Surely playing Beckham for 3 mintes plus injury time is tokenism out of the top draw.

As I said though, it is a VERY churlish point, he is clearly a class above and maybe, just maybe, it could be our time.

 

[Skaville]

Gerrard on the wing is still a concern, he just keeps coming into the centre making us very vulnerble on that wing. Barry cover this alot, will it work against the top teams? ist been made easier for him the last two games, but when J Cole is available will he still try this or is there no room for such a creative player? Lampard and Gerrard have to expect to compete for one midfield berth.

Agreed, but it could be argued that Gerrard is good enough to play anywhere across the midfield, or that he is covering the left sided position until Cole returns.

Gerrard is one of very few players that is actually good enough to play in about 5 different roles (central midfield, right midfield, the hole, right back, left midfield in roughly that order of success). Adam Virgo is not.

 

[Scotty Mac]

Gerrard is one of very few players that is actually good enough to play in about 5 different roles (central midfield, right midfield, the hole, right back, left midfield in roughly that order of success). Adam Virgo is not.

spot on

you'd rather have him on the left than downing. and he WILL do a job in each of those positions. the question remains though that once joe cole is back and ready for selection, then where will he play? you can usually guarantee that there will be one vacant place in the midfield through injury, which if he is given the freedom to play in like tonight he will thrive anyway. but if we have a fully fit walcott, lampard, barry and cole, where exactly is his role going to be?

 

[Weezle]

South African winter is still going to be very hot. Worse than that it will be humid more than hot.

No it's not - high teens or low twenties.

It won't be humid that time of year either.

Sort of a nice British spring day - perfect for us i'd imagine.

 

[Skaville]

spot on

you'd rather have him on the left than downing. and he WILL do a job in each of those positions. the question remains though that once joe cole is back and ready for selection, then where will he play? you can usually guarantee that there will be one vacant place in the midfield through injury, which if he is given the freedom to play in like tonight he will thrive anyway. but if we have a fully fit walcott, lampard, barry and cole, where exactly is his role going to be?

Ahead of Lampard.