Who will win the World Cup ?

Apparently some big football tournament starts next Friday. :-/

Time to get that crystal ball out and dust it off...............

Let's see whose predictions are the most skilful: Vote for one team above (I refuse to include France, they should not even be there !) and relate what else you think might happen. A panel will then decide the outcome.

My special tip: England to make the Semi-Finals this time, but to fall to Brazil.

[bigtj]

Be playing with the wrong shape ball for me, but being a true brit my hopes are that 1966 can be repeated, but not sure this squad is good enough.

[Dave Anscombe]

Agree tony. Don't think the squad is good enough :( though I would like to see them win.

You cannot rule out Brazil or Germany in any World Cup but I am going with Spain.

[bigstew]

The way the draw is set out, England should have no problem making the quarters, but like Tommo says, i think it will all end in the semi's.
Argentina to win this time round, their strike force looks frightening!

I have confidence in Heskey winning it for us!

Jun 4, 2010 23:17:08 GMT tommo III said:

Let's see whose predictions are the most skilful: Vote for one team above (I refuse to include France, they should not even be there !) and relate what else you think might happen.

Paraguay and Denmark to cause a shock by topping their groups.

I've been a bit disappointed with the matches so far: Germany and Argentina are the only teams who have demonstrated World-Cup-winning form.

Best moment (for me) has been New Zealand snatching an equaliser in the dying seconds thanks to 'Womble' Shane Smeltz's sublime turn and cross. ;)

[BB Warrior]

Group H was interesting yesterday...... 8-)

Spain played some great football although you have to admire the way that Switzerland defended against them and they could have beaten them 2-0 in the end. :o

I did enjoy the way that Chile played..... 8-) ..... they could cause a few shocks along the way, although I suspect that they may come unstuck against teams that are stronger than the part-timers of Honduras. ::)

Germany and Argentina both looked good in their first matches and I'm sure that Brazil will improve as the tournament goes on...... would love to think that England will progress to the later stages as well, although they seemed to lack the ability to keep the ball in their first match and I can't see them winning it unless they make some major changes and start to truly believe in themselves. :'(

[vinny]

Can anyone remember a game where we played so utterly appallingly?

Have to agree with Vinny, it was kick and rush, no invention.

Players played out of position, and like-for-like substitutions, when the occasion called for something special.

Margo commented we see better football each week in the Conference at Kingsmeadow. :-[

[BB Warrior]

Jun 18, 2010 21:15:36 GMT vinny said:

Can anyone remember a game where we played so utterly appallingly?

Do you mean apart from the first game against USA...... okay, maybe we were a bit better in that match and could have won it if it were not for the mistake by Rob Green but, having seen quite a few of the games played, so far I would say that England are overall one of the worst teams in the Tournament..... :'(

Luckily, we seem to be in a poor group so we could still qualify to go through to the knock out stages...... but we will have to play much better than we have so far and Slovenia will certainly not be easy to beat based on what I have seen so far. ::)

[BFG]

Jun 19, 2010 7:47:56 GMT BB Warrior said:

Jun 18, 2010 21:15:36 GMT vinny said:

Can anyone remember a game where we played so utterly appallingly?

Do you mean apart from the first game against USA...... okay, maybe we were a bit better in that match and could have won it if it were not for the mistake by Rob Green

Come on!

The loneliest place in the world is to be a keeper that makes one mistake!..........just one
Take a microscope view of the forwards and midfield of the team in that game, 1 mistake for Green vs how many for Roooney?

My Initial opinion was that Capello will be remembered as the manager that took the greatest squad of players that England has ever produced and failed to make them a team!

Take the stick out of their backsides and let them play!!!!

Defensive errors happen, you can't legislate against 'em.

But the rest of the team has no shape, no balance, no cohesion.

I have just read Sir Geoff Hurst's theory on what England's line-up should be for the now uber-important game against Slovenia:

Rooney and Gerrard up front;
A midfield four of Joe Cole, Lampard, Barry and Milner.

Makes sense to me.

[davejones]

Oxo's has just announced they are making a special World Cup cube in a white box with a red cross on it. They are going to name it Laughing Stock!

A couple more that are doing the rounds:

"I can't believe we only managed a draw against such a rubbish team we should have beaten easily........I'm ashamed to call myself Algerian."

and

The England team went to visit a South African orphanage. "It was good to put a smile back on the faces of people who have no hope and are constantly struggling........." - said Joseph Umboto, aged six.

.............and there's more.

Police have charged the man who entered the England dressing room with Tresspassing. Tweny-three others have been charged with 'impersonating a footballer'.


Snow White and the seven dwarves are having tea in their cottage when there is a gas explosion: When the fire brigade turn up they hear a voice in the rubble saying "England can win the World Cup". "Thank heavens" says a fireman. "At least Dopey is still alive."

[davejones]

some more...

Rob Green is out of the world cup with a fractured skull. Apparently after the last game he went into the dressing room and put his head in his hand, missed and headbutted the floor!

A turd was found on the training pitch. Capello confronted the squad and said "Who's s**t on the pitch?" After a brief silence Emile Heskey raised his hand and said "I am boss, but I'm not bad in the air!"

All future televised England matches have been moved to the Gay channel as the sight of 11 a***holes getting hammered for 90 minutes was far too explicit for terrestrial tv!

[margo]

It's a Brazilian for me ! ;)

[Chunky Monkeys other half]

Jun 22, 2010 20:32:47 GMT margo said:

It's a Brazilian for me ! ;)

Too much information for me Margo ;) ;D :-* lol

[BB Warrior]

A much improved performance today, enabling the "boys in red" to progress to the last 16...... balance of the team looked better and they actually looked as if they wanted to win.... 8-)

I thought Matthew Upson's distribution left a bit to be desired on occasions, but he did one superb block to make amends for that..... David James looked very calm and his handling was excellent which will help to give confidence to the back four. ;)

The late winner for the USA will probably mean we will now have a tougher draw..... but at least we can now have some hope to take forward. ;D

[bobhall]

the draw shouldnt be too bad we can beat any of them and also i was glad to see defoe playing he should have been there from the start

Jun 23, 2010 17:46:19 GMT bobhall said:

the draw shouldnt be too bad we can beat any of them and also i was glad to see defoe playing he should have been there from the start

What ? Probably Germany next (penalty shootout again ?), then the Argies. Can't think of a worse draw !

England's performance restored a bit of credibility, but let's not go overboard: Milner brings something to the table with his crosses from the right and I was pleased to see Joe Cole take a part. But it's not the 'perfect' formation yet, we're still playing Gerrard out of position on the left.

[BB Warrior]

Jun 23, 2010 19:49:35 GMT tommo III said:

England's performance restored a bit of credibility, but let's not go overboard: Milner brings something to the table with his crosses from the right and I was pleased to see Joe Cole take a part. But it's not the 'perfect' formation yet, we're still playing Gerrard out of position on the left.

The problem seems to be that Fabio can't accommodate all of the midfielders in their best positions...... Gerrard & Lampard are both at their best when they are in the middle of the park and have the freedom to attack..... 8-)

Which means that Barry is needed to cover in front of the back 4, to allow Johnson and Ashley Cole the option to push up on the wings.

If Milner plays on the right and Joe Cole (who does add a lot to the team in my opinion, although he clearly lacked "match practice" when he came on today) goes on the left..... we either have to play just one up font, or drop Lampard, Gerrard or Barry. ::)

Unless FIFA let us play with a team of 12 of course..... we really might be in with a chance then! :o ;D

[Chunky Monkeys other half]

Jun 23, 2010 20:02:11 GMT BB Warrior said:

Jun 23, 2010 19:49:35 GMT tommo III said:

England's performance restored a bit of credibility, but let's not go overboard: Milner brings something to the table with his crosses from the right and I was pleased to see Joe Cole take a part. But it's not the 'perfect' formation yet, we're still playing Gerrard out of position on the left.

we either have to play just one up font, or drop Lampard, Gerrard or Barry. ::)

I say Drop Lampard, He is forever getting in the way

[BB Warrior]

Jun 23, 2010 20:08:51 GMT Chunky Monkeys other half said:

I say Drop Lampard, He is forever getting in the way

Both Lampard & Rooney need to find their shooting boots if we are to get much further...... Germany next after they beat Ghana 1-0 tonight. ::)

[bobhall]

like fabio said he gave them a beer lets get them drunk then they will play like superstars

Jun 23, 2010 20:02:11 GMT BB Warrior said:

Which means that Barry is needed to cover in front of the back 4, to allow Johnson and Ashley Cole the option to push up on the wings.

I don't believe in attacking wing backs, I prefer a flat back four (you couldn't beat the old Arsenal defensive line !) and specialist winger(s).

So I'd drop Ashley Cole, who deserts his post too often, in favour of the returning Carragher but apart from that would keep the 'winning formula'.

For some reason Cappello thinks Gerrard is best on the left, so beit and the other thing I'd keep is England playing in their lucky red. ;)

id drop rooney and bring in crouch, can't understand why he isn't playing with the goal scoring record he's got for england ???

[bobhall]

crouch is crap mate dont use crouch in the england squad

Jun 24, 2010 15:53:15 GMT bobhall said:

crouch is crap mate dont use crouch in the england squad

you've got to be joking me mate, Crouch has scored 21 goals in 40 apps! And you got Heskey playing that has got about 10 goals in ten yrs