The Official *England's Passage to Paris 2016* Thread

[FootballLight]

First topic message reminder :

Sorry 24, I'm thinking of the World Cup again.

[Soldier_Of_Fortune]

Anyway all the best for you guys this weekend

I cheer on all home nations and with us being the Number 1 ranked team in the British Isles I know you will all be cheering us on as well

Good luck chaps

Steffan has been hacked.

[compelling and rich]

iceland booking their place currently winning in holland

[Duty281]

iceland booking their place currently winning in holland

That would complete a remarkable double!

[Ent]

Dodgy red card for Holland, then a very negative sub played into icelands hands. Robben off injured after about 20 minutes. While game was a disaster for the Dutch really.

2nd manager since World Cup and all players except vlaar available? Mad to think they probably won't qualify.

[Steffan]

Anyway all the best for you guys this weekend

I cheer on all home nations and with us being the Number 1 ranked team in the British Isles I know you will all be cheering us on as well

Good luck chaps

Steffan has been hacked.

No. "Wales suck" remember

Your words. And we do. We are crap

[Fernando]

Woy confirms Stones,Vardy & Shelvey are to start vs San Marino

[Duty281]

I can't remember ever feeling so uninspired by an England team selection!

Only nine months to go till France.

[GSC]

Wish international breaks were scrapped. Nobody wants to see England play San Marino instead of a full fixture list

[Duty281]

Repeat this ten times for such blasphemy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZSN5KC8eyo

[Guest]

I see Roy trying to crack jokes about England's Cricket team being able to beat San Marino. Probably correct, but hugely disrespectful. The only joke is Roy Hodgson himself.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Tbf what have San Marino ever done to get any respect - essentially a glorified pub team

[Duty281]

Tbf what have San Marino ever done to get any respect - essentially a glorified pub team

Quite right. They've played ten behind the ball for twenty years now - what's the point? Why not play a 4-2-4 and have a go, they're going to lose either way so they might as well go down with a measure of pride.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I'm baffled by such arrogance! What have a small team from a tiny island ever done to earn the respect of the mighty England?! We shouldn't just limit this to winning a football match, I say we kill them all and take their land too.

[NickisBHAFC]

San Marino 1-0 England would make my year.

[Duty281]

San Marino isn't a island, it's landlocked.

England are not mighty, but they do play football. As do most teams. But not San Marino.

If San Marino scoring a goal would make your year, you've had a pretty dismal year.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Silly assumption, my geography is appalling mind you and I couldn't tell you what countries I'd expect it to be near.

But it's sad that a tiny nation has to be considered unworthy of respect

[Duty281]

San Marino's football team make themselves unworthy of respect by succumbing to defeats in a humiliating manner time after time.

Is there anything respectable about shoving ten men behind the ball, sometimes eleven, for an entire ninety minutes, whilst hoping not to lose by double digits?

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I'm sorry but that's an appalling attitude to have in life. They deserve to be respected as any side who acts professionally should, regardless of ability. You're not very good so we don't respect you, now that's a real show of class.

[Duty281]

It's not that they're not very good, it's more that they don't play with any pride or self-worth. The latter reason is why I don't respect them, not the former.

As I mentioned earlier, why don't they play with a more attacking formation and at least have a go. They're going to lose either way, so why not be defeated after playing with a measure of gallantry and bravery?

Is there anything less deserving of respect than San Marino having ten players crammed in and around their box whilst being 4 or 5 down on the scoreboard?

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Because their progress isn't measured on what they do against England, and losing 20-0 to an elite nation does them no good. Equally, they are not good enough to do much else. They don't have the fitness, first of all, let alone the skill. How much more of the ball do you think they're gonna have if they leave spaces open all over the place? 

There is no honour in playing a stupid gameplan. I think I'd respect them far less if they went out and tried to outplay England on the front foot. It would be as good as saying they don't care. They go out there hoping to defend as make a competition of the game, which earns a damn sight more of my respect than just thinking one goal and 20 conceded is an achievement. 

Sacrificing yourself to a glut of goals to chase one or fighting and scrapping to defend for 90 mins regardless of the gap in quality? I know which one of those is gallant and shows respect to the competition they're in and the competitive nature of sport. The fact they care to fight in defence and limit score shows how much self respect they have. And I'd rather that attitude than disrespecting a lowly nation because they're not very good.

[Duty281]

Well I don't think anyone here is disrespecting a lowly nation because they're not very good.

What is their progress measured on, do you think? Gibraltar have already got as many wins in their history as San Marino do, despite playing about 100 games less. The circumstances of both sides are equally poor.

This fighting and scrapping that San Marino do isn't actually getting them anywhere in the short or long-term.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Then there needs to be a better understanding of tone and the English language. 

Well, there's 32,000 people in their country. There are 24,000 students in Cambridge. I think if we were to talk about what their progress should be measured on we would be going down the route of whether there should be so many teams in qualifying, which I don't think there should be. If they were given regular competitive matches as part of qualification against comparable teams we may get to see a complete shift in balance, but right now how many even half decent players are staying in San Marino? 

I do think you have to consider what would happen if a team of their quality attacked England. If you think the results are embarrassing now...

I'm gonna blame the modern media. Something has happened to you younger football fans, defence is a dirty word

[Duty281]

"It's not that they're not very good, it's more that they don't play with any pride or self-worth. The latter reason is why I don't respect them, not the former."

Well I think I made that reasonably clear.

Gibraltar is comprised of even less people than San Marino, and I believe San Marino have a football team in the Italian lower leagues, though I'm not entirely sure how it works.

And I love defence. 1-0 is so much sweeter than 4-3. Once more unto the breach etc.

But there is no pride in defence when you're clinging on at 0-6. It's embarrassing, shambolic, and completely lacking pride and self-worth. If San Marino are truly that bad, maybe they should consider not entering at all and only playing friendly matches.

[Hero]

I imagine there's a lot more pride amongst the San Marino players who play because they love football and every few months get to step out in massive stadiums and play against the best in the world than the money grabbing cockwombles that our nation churns out.

[NickisBHAFC]

I imagine there's a lot more pride amongst the San Marino players who play because they love football and every few months get to step out in massive stadiums and play against the best in the world than the money grabbing cockwombles that our nation churns out.

Exactly. There players probably lose sleep as there so excited to represent there country and signing their national anthem.

Most of our players couldn't care less and in fact I suspect most would rather have a week off.

[GSC]

The romance of San Marino probably wears off after the 60th loss in a row.

Probably sum up Rooney's England career if he breaks the record against San Marino

[Duty281]

Who cares about singing the national anthem? The one England use is awful.

[Nico the gman]

Rooney will break the goal scoring record of a player who's boots he couldn't lace, it should happen against the mighty San Marino, maybe even a penalty.

[Guest]

Who cares about singing the national anthem? The one England use is awful.

you're just a dumb kid, who know's nothing about the origin, meaning & importance of an anthem.

A national anthem is arguably one of the most important aspects of a country's independent status & it is the umbrella under which a country can rally & be proud. Anthems often speak of very similar things. One of the most prevalent theme among the world's national anthems is the theme of war. This also encompasses the struggles of revolution & rebellion. These anthems retell accounts of a battle, in which men succeeded against all odds to emerge as victorious against an oppressive evil. When this story is told over and over again, it reminds people of how their nation came to be and how they should be proud to be who they are.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I think Bobby would likely disagree with that.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Our national anthem is awful, load of rubbish. If we're gonna use one get a proper one like the Germans or Italians

[Duty281]

Who cares about singing the national anthem? The one England use is awful.

 you're just a dumb kid, who know's nothing about the origin, meaning & importance of an anthem.

A national anthem is arguably one of the most important aspects of a country's independent status & it is the umbrella under which a country can rally & be proud. Anthems often speak of very similar things. One of the most prevalent theme among the world's national anthems is the theme of war.  This also encompasses the struggles of revolution & rebellion.  These anthems retell accounts of a battle, in which men succeeded against all odds to emerge as victorious against an oppressive evil.  When this story is told over and over again, it reminds people of how their nation came to be and how they should be proud to be who they are.

Eh?

Well England isn't a independent country for a start...

[Duty281]

Our national anthem is awful, load of rubbish. If we're gonna use one get a proper one like the Germans or Italians

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4yWi06wwZQ

I vote for this.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Do you even know what the German or Italian one means? And if we're going to follow any country's example then it should be Argentina!

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Do you even know what the German or Italian one means? And if we're going to follow any country's example then it should be Argentina!

Sound > meaning for me. We could go total hipster and go along the lines of the Sri Lankan one

[Hammersmith harrier]

I imagine there's a lot more pride amongst the San Marino players who play because they love football and every few months get to step out in massive stadiums and play against the best in the world than the money grabbing cockwombles that our nation churns out.

Exactly. There players probably lose sleep as there so excited to represent there country and signing their national anthem.

Most of our players couldn't care less and in fact I suspect most would rather have a week off.

Are you surprised that the players have no interest in it, they like the fans probably wish the premier League season was carrying on instead they have to play a redundant game against a team that will provide no resistance. It's not San Marino's fault but rather Uefa who seem unwilling to consider a two tier qualification campaign.

[Nico the gman]

Our national anthem is awful, load of rubbish. If we're gonna use one get a proper one like the Germans or Italians

Spot on Olly, one of the most boring national anthems in the world.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Are we just going for best song? Whats number one this week?

[GSC]

Bieber unfortunately.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Hart, Clyne, Shaw, Stones, Jagielka, Milner, Shelvey, Barkley, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Vardy, Rooney.

Its really depressing to see Milner in a game against San Marino.

[Hammersmith harrier]

I'd rather see someone like Carrick playing in defence alongside Stones for these games but there can't be many 'top' international sides who would have Milner or Shelvey anywhere near the squad.

[Scottrf]

Milner is a quality player. But really not the sort of player you need against San Marino. Average looking side. The Ox should tear them apart by himself though. Vardy I just don't understand.

[Ent]

Who else do england have to bring in?

That's a poor looking side to take to a summer tournament.

[Guest]

Back five is hardly poor, Hart, our two best young full backs in the country, our £40m rated Stones & his club partner in Jagielka, albeit he is the weakest link. Midfield is being experimented, our first choice to come in, include Carrick/Henderson & injury the prone Wilshere. We then have Sterling & Sturridge to return, no doubt. Hardly time to start complaining about next summer's line up, given tonight's game is pointless.

[Duty281]

I think there's Cahill/Wilshere/Henderson/Townsend/Walcott/Sterling/Kane/Sturridge/Lallana/Welbeck who are all not playing today but will, probably, be in the squad for Euro 2016.

[Ent]

Defense looks like one of the weakest areas - not that it'll get tested today.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Cahill is obviously ahead of Jagielka, wouldnt be surprised if Smalling is too. Milner I have no problem with, but not against minnows. I'd have played him "right back" and played a defence of Carrick/Stones with Shaw the nominal left back.

[Scottrf]

Hilarious description of Vardy by Roy. Sterling he is not.

[Duty281]

Rooney's first touch on a perfect surface is atrocious, so I can't wait to see what it'll be like on this pitch!

[Hero]

Shelvey & Vardy, that pretty much sums up the quality of the English game right now if they're getting into the team.

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