World Cup Play-Offs (European)/International Friendlies Friday and Tuesday Thread

[Duty281]

First topic message reminder :

European Play-Offs First Leg:

Iceland v Croatia (19:00)
Greece v Romania (19:45)
Portugal v Sweden (19:45)
Ukraine v France (19:45)

International Friendlies:

England v Chile (20:00)
Ireland v Latvia (19:45)
Scotland v USA (20:05)
Turkey v Northern Ireland (19:00)

Obviously the stand-out tie for the play-offs tonight is Portugal v Sweden, or Zlatan v Ronaldo if you prefer. That tie looks to be the most balanced of the four, with just one spot in the World Cup Finals up for grabs. Ukraine will remain hopeful of catching France off their guard, but France will start as strong favourites. Greece should seal their place over a potentially dangerous Romanian side. Lastly, Iceland will be aiming to spring one of the biggest surprises in World Football - by defeating Croatia. I imagine that, should Iceland get there, they will be the smallest nation to ever make the World Cup.

On the friendlies side, Ireland (under new management), Scotland, and Northern Ireland will start their building process to next autumn's Euro 2016 qualifiers.

For England, this is the first of five friendlies in preparation for the 2014 World Cup. Chile will provide a test, one that England should overcome, against an injury-hit and virus-hit home team. During qualification, Chile averaged the most possession amongst the South American teams - surpassing the likes of Argentina, Colombia and Uruguay - and an average of 3.4 goals per game were scored in matches involving Chile. High tempo, high pressure - that's the Chile way. England are suffering with the absences of Gerrard, Wilshere, Lambert and Walker. Nevertheless, I expect England to triumph 2-0.

Expected England team (the Times): Ruddy, Johnson, Jones, Smalling, Cole, Lampard (C), Cleverley, Milner, Lallana, Rodriguez, and Rooney.

[NickisBHAFC]

I agree with Jones as DM he had Ozil in his back pocket a few weeks ago.

For Scotland fans tonight

Gordon Greer 2 starts for Scotland and 2 clean sheets 

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Zaha just isnt anywhere near ready. And especiaaly for crossing and final product.

Ravel isnt a starting answer, but hes a lot better, especially for what we needed, than some players in that squad.

[NickisBHAFC]

If were talking about Zaha a man who hasn't played in the Premiership yet, being our answers then i suggest we just give up.

[mystiroakey]

Zaha just isnt anywhere near ready. And especiaaly for crossing and final product.

Ravel isnt a starting answer, but hes a lot better, especially for what we needed, than some players in that squad.

but he wins a lot of free kicks and rarely concedes possession!! obviously this has only been proven at u21 level and championship level so I understand that it isn't proven at the higher level yet!!



IMO Both are better than what we have , but both are not ready for the WC

[mystiroakey]

If were talking about Zaha a man who hasn't played in the Premiership yet, being our answers then i suggest we just give up.

well we might as well give up then- but this lad will be playing in jan and he will create a storm- mark my words

[Dr Gregory House MD]

Scotland Fans view, good result, truly awful performance, can't believe Norway didn't score, put it this way if they had a great striker and a bit of luck they could have had double figures

[monty junior]

Yea we were utterly stinking, worst since the Wales home game, but we did have so many players missing i'm not putting too much emphasis on it. Charlie Adam, Bannan (just too small), Hutton, I could go on just shouldn't be near the side. So many of the defenders plus Brown have no basic passing skills, time and time again it's passed across the defensive line then just a hopeful punt towards wee Naismith who doesn't have another player within 15 yards of him. Nothing good to take from the game except the result, we made Norway who have no players playing at any kind of top level look like the Brazilians of 1970.

[Guest]

And obviously we then need a true target man like carol over Sturridge.

Peter James Crouch (born 30 January 1981) is an English footballer who plays for Premier League club Stoke City as a striker. He was capped 42 times by the England national team from 2005 to 2010, scoring 22 goals for his country in that time, and appearing at two World Cups. The sky is not the limit for Peter Crouch.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Crouch

[kingraf]

waking up to find out South Africa beat Spain is like waking up to find Santa serving you milk and cookies!!! Especially when you put a tenner on it at 25/1 two weeks ago. The match itself of course has very little bearing, but I'd back my national team against anyone, when we play at altitude.

Just a pity the match may now lose its "International" status, due to an unfortunate injury for Valdez, which created huge commotion, which ended with Spain taking a seventh substitution.

[super_realist]

Rankings are of course rubbish, but England will drop like a stone after these two. Not be long before the sweaties overtake

[mystiroakey]

SR

I have no idea why you get such a kick out of England losing football games and at the same time totally disassociate yourself with the rest of Scotland. You sound very Typical mate tbh.

Secondly no England wont lose that many Ranking points as both teams are high ranked.(12th and 2nd)- we will probably only fall back about 2 -4 places.

[super_realist]

Oakey, I wouldn't feel the need to laugh at England if people were realistic enough to place England in the second tier of football where they deserve to be. Sadly, certain media and fans seem to over-rate and over-hype them to a ridiculous degree and portray them as a team that can and should be capable of winning tournaments. That's as laughable as it is embarrassing.

As I said last night, we're pretty gash at football in GB&I, just England are the "best" of a bad bunch.

[mystiroakey]

If England are best of a bad bunch(or gash at football) then there are also another 190 teams that are Gash!!

It really depends on your outlook. And yours isn't particularly rounded

And to be honest i have no idea who you think is over hyping England. You are stuck in the past. The England team hasn't been over hyped in years

[super_realist]

I am pleased to see people being more objective these days, it's a fairly recent phenomenon, but there is still an expectation that England "should" be winning qualification groups and "should" be beating certain teams etc. When really, no one deserves or "should" be winning anything.

[mystiroakey]

we do win qualification groups a high percentage of times- to assume we shouldn't or dont would be under hyping the team.

there is no deserving about it

[Stella]

If that should refers to me then I wasn't suggesting we should have won our group because we are England. I think most England fans realise we are just pretty good at times, and hope we can reach the latter stages of a world cup by playing some half decent Football.

[mystiroakey]

Off course we should have expected to win the group we were in. that is not over hyping the team Stella.

[Stella]

Off course we should have expected to win the group we were in. that is not over hyping the team Stella.

What in 2002?

[mystiroakey]

I thought you were talking about the last qualification group for this coming WC

[Stella]

Sorry, no. I mentioned last night that England should have won their 2002 world cup group, if they wanted to avoid Brazil. In no way do I believe we had a right to.

As for this qualification group. Yes, on paper we had the best team, and as it turned out, we had the best one on grass.

[Duty281]

Oakey, I wouldn't feel the need to laugh at England if people were realistic enough to place England in the second tier of football where they deserve to be. Sadly, certain media and fans seem to over-rate and over-hype them to a ridiculous degree and portray them as a team that can and should be capable of winning tournaments. That's as laughable as it is embarrassing.

As I said last night, we're pretty gash at football in GB&I, just England are the "best" of a bad bunch.

An interesting outlook that a team that regularly reaches the last 8 or last 16 of major tournaments, are "gash" at football. So all the teams outside the World's top ten are "gash"?

[Duty281]

Big ups to Gibraltar last night - drew 0-0 away to Slovakia!

[super_realist]

No, gash is a little harsh, but a team that reaches the last 8 or 16 isn't a team which is in a position to be considered one of the teams challenging for the tournament, thank goodness, most people are now accepting of that.

However, England, given their resources, money, population, facilities, managers, coaches, sponsors, etc are "gash" when those are taken into account.

[Duty281]

Not quite sure what population has to do with it. It's well established that England have a shortfall in top coaches and managers. Money? St. Georges Park was built a decade too late.

[super_realist]

Think of the nations where football is the national game, England are MASSIVE underachievers in that in regard to their population.

If a country as small as Sweden can have virtually the same qualification record and reach similar levels in majors then England are not making the best of their numerical advantage.

As always they pick on reputation, rather than who is actually the best in that position in that particular team. Thankfully Roy seems to be the one with the balls to pick from a wider pool which will benefit England in the long run, although, he's probably too bright for English players

[mystiroakey]

SR when you argue on that line(population)- you have to incorporate all sports- and overall England is well up there globally and above Sweden per capita

Your line of thinking is also the problem- you are making claims we should be better, whereas a few minutes before you were saying no one has the right to be good!!

[Stella]

Think of the nations where football is the national game, England are MASSIVE underachievers in that in regard to their population.

If a country as small as Sweden can have virtually the same qualification record and reach similar levels in majors then England are not making the best of their numerical advantage.

As always they pick on reputation, rather than who is actually the best in that position in that particular team. Thankfully Roy seems to be the one with the balls to pick from a wider pool which will benefit England in the long run, although, he's probably too bright for English players

Population can be a drawback. Finding the best players can be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

[Duty281]

England (population around 50 million, cricket seen as a posh sport) have won 6 of the last 8 tests played against India (population around 1.5 billion, cricket seen as a religion).

[super_realist]

No one has the right to be good or win games of course, but England have the "potential" to be better given the advantages they have over countries like Sweden, yet they don't realise that potential.

[super_realist]

England (population around 50 million, cricket seen as a posh sport) have won 6 of the last 8 tests played against India (population around 1.5 billion, cricket seen as a religion).

Of the 1.5 billion, I doubt there are many that can actually afford to play cricket. Comparing a developed country with India is silly.

[Stella]

India.

Typical example of a needle in a haystack.

[mystiroakey]

SR in honesty the majority of India play cricket- not much money is needed, but you are right the fact they are a developing nation is the problem, there facilities are not up to scratch.

[Guest]

I do think everyone is coming round to how poor we are. J Low knew his B national team could beat our dysfunctional A side, even if they didn't play particularly well. Starting to think Suarez makes Sturridge look good, as all the foreign players do to our lads in the EPL. Everyone is so focused on Luis, opens up the room for Sturridge to exploit. Sturridge was woeful again for England, why does he have to perform a trick every time he gets the ball? Infuriating. Him & Rooney partnership is terrible. The Southampton boys will not make the WC side, didn't see anything of Lallana really last night, would have Welbeck on the left side without doubt. Cleverley should book a one way plane ticket to Antarctica. Walker is a terrible right back, enough said. Can't even pass or cross a ball properly. There's more stuff to analyse but I can't really be bothered. As for Brazil, I think we need the Switzerland group badly & some luck in pot 3/4 in order to qualify out the group.

As for the other games Ronaldo was sensational. Unbelievable player. Congrats to France for qualifying. DD Sorted the defence out, played Cabaye & Valbuena & with better service Benzema produced.

[mystiroakey]

John Sturridge performed very well before Suarez got back in the team- so that's not a fair assesment.

[Guest]

I know but he just infuriates me for England does Sturridge.

Eurosport have got the old group's going, here's England's possible best/worst

GROUP OF DEATH: Spain, Japan, Chile, ENGLAND.
GROUP OF LIFE: Switzerland, Honduras, Algeria, ENGLAND.

[Stella]

Wellbeck and walcott will be better than Sturridge and whoever.

A front three of Rooney, Wellbeck, and Walcott looks exciting.

[Duty281]

Not sure why all the media are harping on about how the German second string defeated England. Much like the Chile game, a fair number of the English team last night won't be starting in Brazil - Smalling, Walker, Lallana, Cleverley, and probably not Townsend, and possibly not Cole and Hart.

[mystiroakey]

the German defence was full strength and the only thing that won them the game.

so its all a bit of hu hum..

Its a friendly!

[kingraf]

in all seriousness, I can't see Spain winning the world cup at the moment. We should have put four past them, and that was with a midfield comprising of a League 2 player, and two guys making their comebacks in the national team. Friendly or not, If I'm del Bosque, I'd be worried that a re-building South Africa, could boss them.

[mystiroakey]

Kinggraf dont worry about the friendly mate- NI have also beat them recently(in between cup wins).

These top level players are just having a bit of fun and games..

Base spain on barcas performance levels over there friendly levels.

[mystiroakey]

Did Djkachoi play?

I totally forget about my palace boy.

YEAH WE BEAT SPAIN!

thats put a different spin on it!

[Guest]

Spain just agree to these friendlies for the money, same as when they played Panama or Saudi Arabia in the last two years, results mean nothing but I'm sure their F.A is getting richly rewarded for agreeing these away trips. They step up when they need to & deliver the results when they need to.

As for the Germans - I'd expect it to be Neuer, Lahm, Schmelzer, Hummels & Mertesacker. Mats Hummels has been injury plagued this season, which is worrying for Dortmund, seeing as Subotic is out for the season - but that's a different matter. So it was really just over half strength that defence really.

As for the missing - Neuer, Lahm, Khedira (injured), Gundogan, Muller, Ozil, Schweinsteiger, Podolski, Klose, Gomez

England - Cahill (dodgy still) Walcott, Johnson, Carrick, Welbeck......

I know who's 'missing list' I would rather have!

[mystiroakey]

add a fit starting wilshire to our list!

I admit it doesn't change who i would prefer mind!

[Liam]

I actually think England have a decent side when everyone is fit. Wouldn't read anything into last nights match. England held onto possession well first half but it was just poor defending for the goal.

If wingers are the problem i've always wondered why Baines hasn't been given then left wing role. That way, you have Cole at left back, with Baines to cover him when he goes forward. Baines almost plays like a left winger anyway and his work rate is second to none on the flank. Cracking delivery into the box, Walcott on the right wing and Johnson behind him and you have some serious danger down the flanks.

[Liam]

I'd play something like:

Hart

Johnson Jones Jageilka Cole

Carrick Gerrard

Walcott Rooney Baines

Sturridge

[Guest]

How long do we have to wait for Wilshere to be 'fully fit'. I'm sorry, but I've seen him play for England & his style does not suit the players around him. England to Arsenal is like chalk & cheese, he tries to play intricate passing football but the other players around him would rather run with the ball. The style he brings contradicts what England are best at. If anything, his performances have been poor anyway, okay, he might be 90% fit but his passing has been wayward & he gets caught with the ball more often than not & then just sits on the floor holding his ankle. He'll never get over that ankle injury, you do know that?

Throw Wilshere into the Spanish team & he'd look more comfortable that's for sure. It's not his fault it's just, his style, doesn't suit our play in my opinion. Hodgson's tactic will be tight, defensive & hit on the counter with Welbeck & Walcott or Townsend. Why do we need a Wilshere type player, if we are too concede possession to basically 3/4 of the teams at the WC. No point. Do you see my point.

[mystiroakey]

my team

HART

Johnson Jones Jag Cole
Andros wilshire Gerard Baines
Rooney Walcot

[mystiroakey]

How long do we have to wait for Wilshere to be 'fully fit'. I'm sorry, but I've seen him play for England & his style does not suit the players around him. England to Arsenal is like chalk & cheese, he tries to play intricate passing football but the other players around him would rather run with the ball. The style he brings contradicts what England are best at. If anything, his performances have been poor anyway, okay, he might be 90% fit but his passing has been wayward & he gets caught with the ball more often than not & then just sits on the floor holding his ankle. He'll never get over that ankle injury, you do know that?

Throw Wilshere into the Spanish team & he'd look more comfortable that's for sure. It's not his fault it's just, his style, doesn't suit our play in my opinion. Hodgson's tactic will be tight, defensive & hit on the counter with Welbeck & Walcott or Townsend. Why do we need a Wilshere type player, if we are too concede possession to basically 3/4 of the teams at the WC. No point. Do you see my point.

Well the truth is we actually haven't been conceding possession to many teams this year- our possession stats have risen significantly

[mystiroakey]

actually i may sub out andros for OX ..

[mystiroakey]

One major difference i noticed in the England Germany game.

both teams had 5 shots , Germany had all 5 on target, England had zero on target!!

[Sponsored content]