Another Drive4show 'Anything goes' thread

[Duty281]

First topic message reminder :

Instead of a protest vote, then its better to spoil your ballot.

Ukip are dangerous because some people actually believe what they say, and they target the middle classes in areas of law multi culturalism - ( if thats a word). And as gets shown every now and then, the Councillors they put up have been shown as a bit racist. But its easy for them to make grand statements, because realistically they will not get voted in and have to back up the statements they have made.  

Have no fear, the nutters are getting kicked out at regular intervals.

And some people may believe what they say for, a lot of the time, it's common sense.

[mystiroakey]

I would play Wilshire. Despite some indifferent opinions. I thought he was decent. And his fitness looked back. He was my biggest English plus. CM is a huge position to fill. Gerrard isn't the Cm. He is a deep  midfielder. Henderson and him did very well last season but we're aided by some amazing forward play that gave them more time.

Hendo can't drop a shoulder and beat a player centrally like Wilshire can. He also doesn't have his instinctive forward passing.

But anyway as said I think Roy will start the team he did v Peru.
 

This was a friendly. But it certainly didn't seem like one
 It was a great game of football with some exceptional forward play,  which came at a price- mistakes.

Do not expect this team to be anything like our first game v Italy.. But if friendlies are key,  then look at Italy's results..

The key to note though is that Italy started a very strong side- with about 7 starters(to England's 1 who was out of position)

But that doesn't tell us Italy are rubbish by drawing against Luxembourg and the republic, but just that the players are crapping themselves not to get injured.

Roy played the rest of the team yesterday and they went at Ecuador from the first minute with intent. Ecuador responded and it became a pretty crazy game. Great work out- but we could have lost players playing in that fashion(and by the looks of it probably have in Ox- who was pretty decent last night)

[Diggers]

I don't think the CM position is as clear cut as you make out. Sure Gerrard plays deep but he will get forward as its in his nature and the other guy needs to know when to sit and when to join in, the positions have to be fairly fluid.
I can live with either Wilshire or Henderson starting, probably start with Wilshire for more game control and bring on Henderson as fresh legs later in the game.

[beninho]

If Sterling dives in like that in the world cup he will be sent off. It was a reckless challenge. He may get a yellow in the premier league, but in most other countries he would not get away with a yellow. English players never learn. And what was the point in diving in like that anyway? There was no need for it.

I thought the Ox looked the best of the players on show last night, shame about the injury. Barkley looks promising but i would not start him yet. Think he needs more then 1 full season in the premier league, and he has not been amazing, to get a starting place in the world cup.

I would play Henderson, Gerrard and WIlshire in the middle, with Milner, Lallana wide and Rooney up front. We need to win the midfield to keep the ball, if we do not then it will be a lot of chasing around, and in the Manaus heat it will kill us at the end.

[Diggers]

England's midfield never keep the ball, I don't see that one being any different Ben, it won't hold possession in a short passing game and there is virtually no pace in the side you've picked.
I know what you mean but just don't think we are able to do that against Italy, they would still have all the possession and can't see that side hurting them offensively.

[mystiroakey]

Milner had a shocker last night. He has been a great sub for Man City, he came on against Liverpool away and Bayern away and changed the games.

That is the kind of impact he can have.

He played out of position yesterday granted-and he is a much better player than that in a midfield role-But it wasn't just his tracking back and tackling that was off. It was his passing.

That wasn't due to his position for me- It was due to him not starting any games all year. He isn't a starter. He isn't match fit mentally to be one at the moment.

I dont like your team ben. I understand your team- but i dont like it. It offers little penetration- it creates for a stagnant England team. I like the 4231- and even if we go out playing it- It will showcase our talent in forward areas. Rooney has the no 10 sown up, no problems in that role at all. He played it most of the year for united and was part of 27 goals.

Lambert has shown again- if you give him a chance he will score. so we have a great option on the bench from him. At this rate Southampton could have sold him to early!! They may have short changed themselves!

Interestingly enough(or perhaps annoyingly for Roy)

Rooney seemed to be in the no 10 or strikers area more than Lambert last night and Lambert on the left. They interchanged a lot even though Rooney started out wide. Lambert drifted but popped up at the right time on 3 occasions even if he was compromised by Rooney.

[beninho]

I dont think the game will have much attacking anyway. Its got draw played at half pace written all over it. Full backs will not be overlapping, and players will struggle to press the opposition. Players with pace will be knackered after a few early sprints. And Pirlo will just stroll around pinging passes. We will need someone to sit on him. We can bring the pace players on later, when they do not have to pace themselves for 90minutes. Though i do think the game will be one for the fans and not the purists.

[mystiroakey]

I agree with that. Draw all over it.

[Diggers]

lambert did enough last night to make him a better sub option than Welbeck. Sturridge has to start for me, he can get you a goal out of nothing.

[Diggers]

it will be fairly cagey but I don't see a draw, I think both sides see this as the big game that could decide qualification. 2-1 England.

[mystiroakey]

Yep sturridge starts, rooney behind with ox(touching wood) and lallana, wilshire ,gerrad central and the back 5 that didn't start last night!

[beninho]

I don't like Sturridge. He seems like the kid at school that thought he was better then everyone else, so he wanted to do it all himself. Shoots from everywhere, tries to do just a bit to much. Clearly he is good. But I will not be banking on him. And i don't think we can play him and Rooney up front, Rooney is more centre forward then actual number 10. He is a 9 and half. Will end up with no support to the midfield from these two, and Gerrard pumping long Hollywood balls to the crowds.

[mystiroakey]

I don't like Sturridge. He seems like the kid at school that thought he was better then everyone else, so he wanted to do it all himself. Shoots from everywhere, tries to do just a bit to much. Clearly he is good. But I will not be banking on him. And i don't think we can play him and Rooney up front, Rooney is more centre forward then actual number 10. He is a 9 and half. Will end up with no support to the midfield from these two, and Gerrard pumping long Hollywood balls to the crowds.

When has Rooney ever Not offered midfield support?

Sadly I agree with you on Gerard. I wouldn't start him. But he will start. It is set in stone, so my mind is passed thinking about a different set up that doesn't involve him.

[incontinentia]

Can't see England making it out of their group in the world cup. Uruguay to win the group and Italy 2nd.

[Diggers]

Not for me, I think Rooney and Sturridge will work well, I prefer Rooney deeper pulling strings. I know what you mean about Sturridge but he has come on leaps and bounds and he can get beyond the line with pace, we need that.

[mystiroakey]

Sturridge is confident.

You need a cocky striker that goes for something out of the blue as well as one that can run the lines and has a good finish.

[beninho]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/10501412/World-Cup-2014-Wallchart-Predictor-Game.html

I have plumped with a Brazil Vs Argentina Final, England being knocked out in the Quarters by Brazil. France and the Dutch beaten in the Semis.

[barragan]

1Argentina
2Portugal
3Brazil
4Uruguay
QF England, France, Netherlands, Germany

[incontinentia]

1Argentina
2Portugal
3Brazil
4Uruguay
QF England, France, Netherlands, Germany

You think Italy won't get out of their group?

Has your mod status been rescinded Barragan?!

[raycastleunited]

Ray. You do realise bar rooney no one else will start.

Take no notice of friendlies. But at least this one was as entertaining as they come.

I mean it means nothing to me. But you are basing our world.cup games on this friendly. Have you caught the recent uraguay and Italy friendly results?

Yes I realise this Mysti. But there seems to be a lot of clamour in the press for Woy to give the youngsters a chance. I just think that at the very highest level - tournament football - you get punished if you make a mistake. The young England players are exciting but they all made errors last night. Luke Shaw may be the future but his performance last night showed why Ashley Cole should have been in the squad.

I think we should start with quite a defensive formation against Italy. Ben's 4-5-1 looked sensible, and then switch to 4-2-3-1 later in the game with Sterling and Sturridge as impact subs. A draw against Italy is a decent result. Same goes for Uruguay. Two bore draws and a scrappy 1-0 win against Costa Rica and we top the group!

[Diggers]

Hard to pick a winner, all the big candidates have questions to answer.
Could be a year for an African team to go far, even Japan will be useful in the conditions. Not as winners but could cause upsets.
Id probably go Spain, though not sure they have the firepower up front.

[Diggers]

Ray. You do realise bar rooney no one else will start.

Take no notice of friendlies. But at least this one was as entertaining as they come.

I mean it means nothing to me. But you are basing our world.cup games on this friendly. Have you caught the recent uraguay and Italy friendly results?

Yes I realise this Mysti. But there seems to be a lot of clamour in the press for Woy to give the youngsters a chance. I just think that at the very highest level - tournament football - you get punished if you make a mistake. The young England players are exciting but they all made errors last night. Luke Shaw may be the future but his performance last night showed why Ashley Cole should have been in the squad.

I think we should start with quite a defensive formation against Italy. Ben's 4-5-1 looked sensible, and then switch to 4-2-3-1 later in the game with Sterling and Sturridge as impact subs. A draw against Italy is a decent result. Same goes for Uruguay. Two bore draws and a scrappy 1-0 win against Costa Rica and we top the group!

Two bore draws and a one nil might not even see us qualify Ray. Its a dodgy path to take, I don't think we can play for draws personally.

[Diggers]

Christ Scholes is a little bundle of joy. Doesn't open his job for his career, retires and all he does is slag off the current England squad.
Roberts past it, Wilshire hasn't developed, Purko can destroy England. All comments have done merit but he could balance it with a bit of positivity. Didn't hear him make the same honest statements about how utter gash Utd were last season.
Shut it ginger!!

[super_realist]

Is anything he said untrue though?
Would you rather he lied about the England team?

[Diggers]

What he said is highly debatable that's for sure. Rooney had an excellent season, so why past his best?
Wilshire had been crocked and was playing well last year, take the injuries into account please to make a fair assessment.
Pirlo is great but he's two years older and he didn't rip us apart at the last Euros where IMO we had a pee poor side compared to the talent we have now.
Like I say, why no honesty re Man Utd. Think the ginger pearl feels he was hard done by England and maybe he was, but equally he never played that well for England regularly.

[super_realist]

Did anyone ask him about Man U? Do you bring up something completely unrelated when asked about something else?

[Diggers]

Yes people do do that Super. For instance you bring up religion in virtually any given conversation.

[super_realist]

Only when it's relevant.
I don't understand why Scholes ahould answer a question about England with a response about Man United.
I agree his comments aren't particularly positive or constructive, but we're always going on about how insipid and boring sports peoples interviews are for fear of offending people, so whilst I don't really care what the ginger nut has to say about things, at least he is open enough to say what he actually thinks and not what the media prescribes him to say.

[Diggers]

I wasn't saying he should answer a question like that. Of course it's not relevant on that interview but these comments have cone out on 3 separate occasions. He clearly to me has issues. Re Man Utd he will without a shadow of a doubt been asked questions about their performances lady season, I've not seen any negativity from him at all.
Now England are relatively speaking in a decent place whereas Man Utd had their worst season ever. Not heard a squeak about that.
He's chosen to make statements about England and doesn't about Man Utd. It's his choice, he can say what he wants, but I think he's bitter about England. That's my opinion on the subject.

[super_realist]

Are England in a good place, even relatively speaking? I don 't see them as being any better or any worse than at any other tournament in the last 30 years.

[raycastleunited]

Goldman Sachs stochastic model has forecast Italy to win the group and England to draw all 3 games 1-1. It also forecast Uruguay will draw all 3 games 1-1.

What happens if 2 teams have identical records? Coin toss? Rooney & Suarez to have a snarling/biting play off?

[raycastleunited]

Diggers - you might want to switch off predictive text. Some odd words appearing in your posts today  

[Diggers]

Are England in a good place, even relatively speaking? I don 't see them as being any better or any worse than at any other tournament in the last 30 years.

Guess we will find out soon. There is no doubt Nan Utd are in a terrible place.

[incontinentia]

Dance-off??

[MustPuttBetter]

Gerrard shouldn't start
The Sterling tackle wasn't a red card
Wilshire can beat people and make forward passes

There are some very strange comments being put forward here...

[Diggers]

It's all opinion MPB. Gerrard not starting would be on my list of strange comments.

[lorus59]

It actually could come down to Rooney and Suarez as they will probably pick the team with the best disciplinary record. I don't think you could rely on Rooney or Suarez to rate highly in that department. Although Italy has Balotelli.

[MustPuttBetter]

Certainly is Digs
Just some opinions are more correct than others   

[Diggers]

Well that's also a matter of opinion.....

[Davie]

Where is this good place that England are situated (even relatively speaking?)

[Diggers]

Well they are qualified and seem a content squad. Most pundits feel there is good batch of fresh talent coming through.
Nobody is mooting a world cup win but equally optimism is developing and I think the Euros could be promising in 2 years.
Might not be your opinion Dave but for me that's a much better position than I felt we were in a couple of years ago.

[1GrumpyGolfer]

Set in the Silver Sea. Above the English Channel, to the right of the Irish Sea, and to the left of the North Sea.

[super_realist]

We hear that diatribe EVERY tournament. We're building towards 92, 96, 98, 2000, 2002, 2006 yawnnnnnnn

[mystiroakey]

Gerrard shouldn't start
The Sterling tackle wasn't a red card
Wilshire can beat people and make forward passes

There are some very strange comments being put forward here...

yeah and yours questioning them..

Sterlings tackle sadly is a FIFA red but not a PL red, the rest are pretty obvious .

[Diggers]

We hear that diatribe EVERY tournament. We're building towards 92, 96, 98, 2000, 2002, 2006 yawnnnnnnn

Can you just stop it with the constant optimism Super!!

[mystiroakey]

Once Scotland is independent the media wont be talking about England any more.But then again what will happen with the TV- will we end up giving them BBc for free like we do in Ireland?

So Scotland stays the same but just gets out of paying the TV license?

[mystiroakey]

By the way. Moving on slightly.

Did anyone see Happy Valley.

best Uk drama for a long time!

[super_realist]

Once Scotland is independent the media wont be talking about England any more.But then again what will happen with the TV- will we end up giving them BBc for free like we do in Ireland?

So Scotland stays the same but just gets out of paying the TV license?

It's not an issue Oakey. Independence isn't happening.

[Diggers]

Not sure about that, polls are sneaking up for the Yes vote and I reckon the yes voters are going to turn out in force.
Will you actually be arsed to use your franchise this time Super?

[mystiroakey]

If England win this world cup(they wont but play along) - I bet you would become independent- I think it would push you scots over the edge!

[super_realist]

Not sure about that, polls are sneaking up for the Yes vote and I reckon the yes voters are going to turn out in force.
Will you actually be arsed to use your franchise this time Super?

Nah, the polls have been steadily against Independence since day 1. A 10 point advantage has pretty much been maintained all the way through with a few minor blips.

I'll certainly vote in this particular one. A great big middle finger to Fat Salmond.

In the unlikely event of a Yes vote, it might give me the boot up the arse to move to Denmark or Norway.

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