The Official *England's Journey to Brazil 2014* Thread

[Duty281]

First topic message reminder :

"There is a forgotten, nay almost forbidden word, which means more to me than any other. That word is England."
Sir Winston Churchill

Yes, it's nearly that time. Time for England to begin their Qualifying Campaign for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Those promising, encouraging, and brave displays witnessed during Euro 2012 will have to be built on as the long road to Brazil starts. Along the way, they will play in London, Podgorica, Kiev, Warsaw, Chisinau and Serravale. The aim is simply to top the group and make it to Brazil with a minimum of fuss.

"Ask any man what nationality he would prefer to be, and ninety nine out of a hundred will tell you that they would prefer to be Englishmen."
Cecil John Rhodes

England have been drawn in Group H with Montengro, Ukraine, Poland, Moldova and San Marino. I don't even need to be insanely optimistic this time round. England will top that group. Moldova and San Marino will be the whipping boys. Montengro, Ukraine and Poland will only prove a challenge in their own ground. Wembley will be deemed a fortress.

"Remember that you are an Englishman, and have consequently won first place in the lottery of life."
Cecil John Rhodes

The fixture list for those Qualifiers is the following:

Moldova v England (7th September 2012)
England v Ukraine (11th September 2012)
England v San Marino (12th October 2012)
Poland v England (16th October 2012)
San Marino v England (22nd March 2013)
Montenegro v England (26th March 2013)
England v Moldova (6th September 2013)
Ukraine v England (10th September 2013)
England v Montenegro (11th October 2013)
England v Poland (15th October 2013)

Lovely, simple, finishing with a Wembley double-header. I predict we'll get 28 out of 30 points, perhaps getting a draw in either Warsaw or Kiev.

"Follow your spirit; and upon this charge,
Cry "God for Harry! England and Saint George"."
William Shakespeare

Of course, while England's fate will be defined by those 10 games, the ever important International Friendly will hone the team against more quality opposition. The friendlies currently scheduled are:

Italy v England (15th August 2012)
Sweden v England (14th November 2012)
England v Scotland (14th August 2013)

So let's get the England train rolling, starting on Wednesday, build up momentum before landing in Brazil in nearly 2 years time. Come on England!

“The English are so filled with their own greatness and have won so many big victories that they have come to believe they cannot lose. In battle they are the most confident nation in the world."
Unknown

[Duty281]

Had to laugh when Andy Townsend game Welbeck man of the match, how many times is that now in the last 12 months? Brown-nose or what, its embarrassing. That said, he is growing on me is Welbeck and he is improving, although his finishing is just diabolical. I fear at the highest level in a Euro`s or WC, not having an consistant attacking goal threat in that position will be costly in comparison to our rivals. As for Cleverley, no, no, no & many more no`s to him being in the first XI. Just ineffective, offers little goal threat and although he set the Walcott goal up, it was only against Scotland......let's not get carried away. If anything Cleverly has just taken over the role of my most hated England player, which was vacated by the king of negative, side to side football, Gareth Barry.

As for the side, its pretty much guaranteed to be Wilshere, Carrick, Gerrard, Welbeck, Rooney & Walcott for home games. Against Ukraine, I'd expect negative Roy to replace Walcott with Milner and hope we either win 1-0 or achieve a draw.

That's exactly why I think Welbeck is such a frustrating footballer. If he could just finish better, he'd be an excellent player as he's got most of the other attributes required to be a top-class player. Just his finishing lets him down!

[Duty281]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23726025

After Lambert's dream debut, Roy Hodgson has his eye on other Southampton players, according to Pochettino.

[Duty281]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2396748/Alex-Oxlade-Chamberlain-season-knee-injury.html
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-alex-oxlade-chamberlain-three-month-injury-2180710

It appears that Arsenal and England winger Oxlade-Chamberlain, a very promising talent, is out with a knee injury for anything up to three to six months. Fingers crossed that it isn't that bad.

[Duty281]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/19/england-qualified-players-premier-league
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/20/premier-league-english-talent-margins?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487

English players in the Premier League hit an all-time low.

[NickisBHAFC]

They need to make a rule, its getting scary.

[Duty281]

Gareth Southgate is set to be the new England under-21 coach.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Kevin Nolan: West Ham captain retains England hope
West Ham captain Kevin Nolan has not given up on representing England.

Sorry, Kev, I think your time has passed. I can see the uproar now, and in many ways people would be right. A few injuries and maybe, but I just cant see it.

[Duty281]

Kevin Nolan: West Ham captain retains England hope
West Ham captain Kevin Nolan has not given up on representing England.

If Leon Osman can be called up, there's no reason why Kevin Nolan shouldn't be.

[Guest]

Don't be ridiculous Kevin, just do what you do best feeding off the Carroll scraps, doing the chicken dance and then going home. If there's a big plague and half of the England squad can't make it to a qualifier, you might get a call.......doubt it though.

I think KN is actually a good player, not outstanding just a good, effective professional but no chance of England now or a WC role, if we somehow make it.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

The first half was so delightfully bitter! Im pretty sure Joey is ahead of him in the England stakes, and thats not gonna happen again either

[NickisBHAFC]

I would love to see Kevin represent England! True Englishman, like i said about Parker, not many of them around these days. But i must admit his time has probably passed. Still if he scores a lot of goals this season, could be a nice place on the bench for him at the world cup ... Or even in the odd qualifier/Friendly

[Duty281]

Squad list for the double-header against Moldova and Ukraine:

Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster (Celtic), Joe Hart (Manchester City), John Ruddy (Norwich City).

Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur).

Midfielders: Ross Barkley (Everton), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), James Milner (Manchester City), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal).

Forwards: Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur), Rickie Lambert (Southampton), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United), Ashley Young (Manchester United).

Call ups for Barkley, Sterling, Townsend, Sturridge, and Lambert probably being the highlights.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Would LOVE, LOVE to know what Sterling has done to get in their ahead of Redmond...

[Duty281]

So I imagine a second-string outfit will play Moldova, and a full-strength one against Ukraine. Full strength would probably be:

Hart, Cole, Cahill, Jagielka, Johnson, Gerrard, Wilshere, Cleverley, Welbeck, Rooney, and Walcott.

[NickisBHAFC]

With that squad ill go for

GK Hart
RB Jones
LB Baines
CB Jagielka
CB Cahill
RCM Carrick
CM Whilshere
LCM Gerrard
ARM Walcott
ALM Sturridge
ST Rooney

[Guest]

Welbeck is pretty much first on the team sheet nowadays because he is able to fill that left hand side, whereas no one else really can. He may be horrific in front of goal but everyone seems to love him and he offers great work rate and, more importantly to Hodgson, the ability to track back and defend. When we play Ukraine away, I'd fully expect Milner to come back into the fold on the other side in place of Walcott. That's how Roy works.

Barkley & Townsend, pretty pointless in promoting them, barely will get a chance. Barkley being in the england limelight though is probably bad news for Everton. Can't see them holding onto him next summer, if he keeps progressing like this.

[Duty281]

Welbeck is pretty much first on the team sheet nowadays because he is able to fill that left hand side, whereas no one else really can. He may be horrific in front of goal but everyone seems to love him and he offers great work rate and, more importantly to Hodgson, the ability to track back and defend. When we play Ukraine away, I'd fully expect Milner to come back into the fold on the other side in place of Walcott. That's how Roy works.

Barkley & Townsend, pretty pointless in promoting them, barely will get a chance. Barkley being in the england limelight though is probably bad news for Everton. Can't see them holding onto him next summer, if he keeps progressing like this.

Well it certainly worked last time, when England reigned in Ukraine.

[Crimey]

Really surprised at Sterling's inclusion who has barely played for Liverpool so far, I think his U21 performance got him his spot. Glad to see Sturridge in it, he deserves his place and would love to see him get a shot, a much better player than Welbeck.

[Duty281]

Wayne Rooney, Glen Johnson, and Phil Jones have all been ruled out of England's double header against Moldova and Ukraine through injury. Caulker has been called up as cover.

I guess that means Walker at RB, and I would pick Sturridge up front. Although the latter position could be hotly contested.

[Crimey]

Sturridge probably isn't fit enough to start the game.

Really not what England needed. Welbeck will likely start up front on his own now, with Milner on the wing. 

[Duty281]

Sturridge probably isn't fit enough to start the game.

Really not what England needed. Welbeck will likely start up front on his own now, with Milner on the wing. 

No Andy Carroll either due to injury. Probably won't start Lambert against Ukraine due to lack of experience, Defoe maybe?

Spoiler:

[Crimey]

Would be very surprised if it looked like that.

Expect (at least against Ukraine):

Spoiler:

[NickisBHAFC]

Need to start Sturridge.

[Crimey]

I just don't think he's fit enough, he was clearly not fit against United, his movement was a bit off. He might play against Moldova, but I don't think he'd start against Ukraine.

[NickisBHAFC]

I'd do the opposite, i'd rest him against Moldova and play him against Ukraine.

[Duty281]

If we pick Carrick, I might go to a dark corner and cry. Picking super Frank might not be a bad idea - if he can still do it for Chelsea, he can do it for England! Praying that Wilshere is OK as well.

[Crimey]

If Wilshere is fit, expect him to start instead of Cleverley.

People seem to expect a big change in the England line up every time, Hodgson clearly has an idea of his best eleven and unfortunately both Carrick and Welbeck are a part of that idea. 

I think Hodgson is going to play a very cautious line up against Ukraine, hence Milner coming in.

[Duty281]

Roy Hodgson has got it right time and again - I have full confidence in the man to get it right again and again. #inroywetrust

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Milner gets an unfair rap in my book. Unlike most of our wingers he can actually cross a ball, plus he does do good defensive work as well (why it's looked down on I don't know). Underrated player

[Duty281]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23953899

The new FA Chairman Greg Dyke will soon outline his vision for the English football team.

[Soldier_Of_Fortune]

Milner gets an unfair rap in my book. Unlike most of our wingers he can actually cross a ball, plus he does do good defensive work as well (why it's looked down on I don't know). Underrated player

Probably because he's slow for a player in his position.

[Duty281]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23963416

England's aim is to win the World Cup in 2022. Shocking negativity.

And we're not even sure how, or even if, there will be a World Cup in 2022.

We can win it next summer with a bit of luck along the way.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2127956/Made-England-How-home-talent-got-Norwich-singing.html

Will this be the last team an all English side win a Premier League game?

[NickisBHAFC]

Greg Dyke speaking perfect sense, its been disgusting seeing the amount of foreign players being brought into the Premiership this summer, needs to be something done.

[Guest]

Greg Dyke speaking perfect sense, its been disgusting seeing the amount of foreign players being brought into the Premiership this summer, needs to be something done.

It'll fall on deaf ears though Nick. Clubs don't care, really.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Why would Norwich buy McCarthy for £13m when they can get Fer for £4m?

At the end of the day, there's more value abroad, clubs will go where the value is.

[Liam]

Where are the break out british stars though? if they're good enough clubs will play them. Look at Barkley this season for Everton, Wilshere a few years back for Arsenal. Fact is, the flawed system isn't producing players technically good enough, not to mention as Olly said, you can sign better foreign talent for half the price of British talent:

Henderson 20m....Michu 2m

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

There is more young English talent coming through this season, you see Redmond, Barkley, Shaw, Ward-Prowse, Chambers, then you've got the likes of Lallana, Clyne, Zaha all looking to progress in there careers. Then people like Welbeck, Sturridge, Henderson, Rodwell, Caulker, Smalling, Jones who are trying to make impressions at the top teams.

Lallana is a ridiculously superb player. How he hasn't got an England call up yet I dunno

[Liam]

I agree, there is more talent coming through this season. Time for England to start shipping out players like Cole (Despite him still being an excellent player), Lampard, Gerrard, and expose the youngsters to the world stage. They may not hit the ground running, but the experience will do wonders for them in years to come.

[Duty281]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23969106

Nobody realistically believes England can triumph in 2014, according to Mr. Dyke. He's never been to this forum then has he!

[Duty281]

Greg Dyke speaking perfect sense, its been disgusting seeing the amount of foreign players being brought into the Premiership this summer, needs to be something done.

As I posted on another thread, it's actually good for us:

"People that bemoan the amount of foreigners in the English club game - doesn't it actually make things more of a challenge for our lads? Doesn't it push them to be better players? It's better to be fighting for your place all the time, than guaranteed a place week in week out. It makes you a better player, surely?

No matter what anyone says, the Premier League is good for the National Team, and we are starting to see the benefits.

I truly do believe that the English football team are approaching a golden age. An unheralded period of dominance is just around the corner for England and 2014 will start it all off."

[Crimey]

I think it's absolutely ridiculous that the chairman is saying there is very little chance of winning the World Cup. I'm not somebody who expects it to happen, but in a knockout tournament I think it's fair to say anybody can win it. The best team doesn't always win the knockout competitions and all it would take is a little luck and England could make the final and possibly win it, it's certainly not out of the question.

I expect he's doing it to try and play down the media attention in the chances of England winning, but it won't work and now it'll just demoralise the players who are being told you aren't good enough. Every team should go into the World Cup believing they could win it, otherwise, what's the point?

[Duty281]

I think it's absolutely ridiculous that the chairman is saying there is very little chance of winning the World Cup. I'm not somebody who expects it to happen, but in a knockout tournament I think it's fair to say anybody can win it. The best team doesn't always win the knockout competitions and all it would take is a little luck and England could make the final and possibly win it, it's certainly not out of the question.

I expect he's doing it to try and play down the media attention in the chances of England winning, but it won't work and now it'll just demoralise the players who are being told you aren't good enough. Every team should go into the World Cup believing they could win it, otherwise, what's the point?

I'm still confused as to why the media, and 90% of the fans it seems, write England off at every single moment.

At Euro 2012, with an injury-ravaged squad and a complete overhaul of the coaching staff just 6 weeks before the beginning, England managed to top a group containing France, Ukraine, and Sweden, without losing a game. We then drew 0-0 with Italy, before losing on penalties. Italy of course went on to make the final. If Young's penalty had gone a couple of inches lower, it could have been the semis for England.

It was a good tournament for England, with some promising foundations. We're a better team now, than we were last summer. England are immensely difficult to beat, and it really isn't delving into the realms of fantasy that England could win it in Brazil next summer, like you say. At the very least, the semi-finals should be the expectation, and Euro 2016 in France is the one that Hodgson will have earmarked to win.

[Duty281]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23921240

Rickie Lambert will start for his country against Moldova, after Sturridge was ruled out through injury. Fingers crossed that Sturridge will be fit for Tuesday.

[Guest]

I'm going tomorrow so expect a 1-0 borefest!

In all seriousness this should be a cakewalk. 5-0 England.

[Guest]

Never like England having a non event of a game in the lead up to a big game. I'm pretty sure we played San Marino, thrashed them and then played appalling a few days later, away at Poland. I'm sure Cleverley will look like Iniesta against Moldova & Roy will be lauding the individual & team performances. Expect the game to be over after 45 minutes, probably 5 or 6-0.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Ian Abrahams ‏@BroadcastMoose
EnglandU21s team v Moldova: Butland, Stones, Shaw, Chalobah, Wisdom (c), Keane, Redmond, Ward-Prowse, Berahino, Carroll, Zaha.

Team tonight if you fancy watching the yoof

[Duty281]

Ian Abrahams ‏@BroadcastMoose
EnglandU21s team v Moldova: Butland, Stones, Shaw, Chalobah, Wisdom (c), Keane, Redmond, Ward-Prowse, Berahino, Carroll, Zaha.

Team tonight if you fancy watching the yoof

And Southgate's first game as manager. Not that we'll learn a lot from playing Moldova of course.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

What a finish by Berahino

[Liam]

So now Lambert is a confirmed starter, my team for England from a welsh perspective would be:

GK Hart (just over Forster)
RB Walker
CB Cahill
CB Jageilka
LB Cole
CM Carrick
CM Gerrard
RW Walcott
CF Welbeck
LW Sterling
ST Lambert

Wilshere/Defoe/Lampard off then bench

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