I cannot forgive him for fluffing that one chance we had in the Portugal game in last World Cup.

As for prospects this year, I agree they are extremely slim.


No proper keeper.

Terry is slow (in every sense), Rio very possibly unfit, Johnson can't defend, Cashley fragile (will be), Barry goes missing in the really big games - very limited, why do you think it took him so long to make the grade, Gerrard out of form, Lamps doesn't really function outside a Chelsea line-up, nobody available who is good enough to help out Rooney, Hargreaves out best player unlikely to be even in the running for selection. Walcott, Baines, Lescott, Upson, Heskey, SWP all unproven or inadequate. Who have I missed out?

Steve Harper, Shola Ameobi, Andy Carroll, Mike Williamson, Steven Taylor (jaw willing), Wayne Routledge and (if Walcott could go last time, why not?) Nile Ranger.

HOWAY THE LADS!!

Sorry, am I in the wrong thread? Shola can only go if Michael Owen is in.

Then he's SOL innee?

And who said english people were pessimistic.

My 23 fitness permitting

Hart,Green,James (in that order)
Terry (can't stand the git but he can be good at times), Ferdinand, Brown, A. Cole, Baines, Lescott, Upson
J. Cole, Gerrard, Lampard, Barry, Hargreaves (hope he gets fit), Walcott, Lennon, A. Young
Rooney, Defoe, Crouch, Bent, Agbondlahor (sp?)

Sure, semi-finals at the very least.

As opposed to just limited if he's fit.

According tyo Sky Sports, Gomez stood on Rooney's foot in the build up to Bayern's 2nd goal.

I would agree with your squad but I think Capello will take Heskey over Agbonlahor. I also think Hargreaves will be left out and Michael Carrick will go.

We don't have the best players in the world or the best team. Brazil are the usual favourites and Spain the best rival.

I do believe England have a chance because as Greece proved in the Euro's in 2004- if you have a fit team and a good game plan you can give people problems. I think Capello is our best manager for sometime. I also think we have a very good group as long as we win that opening fixture against the USA (England always start poorly). I would like to think we can get to the Semi's but we'll need some rub of the luck. To win a World Cup you usually need an element of luck of anyway- England always get the bad luck but then I am biased =)

Bit harsh.

I'll be honest I don't remember the miss- but he would have only been 17! To dismiss a player on a single missed chance when they are that young is obsurd.

Have you forgiven Beckham for the petulant foul on Simeone in 98?

Capello does seem to have a soft spot for Heskey...sure he is unselfish and holds up the ball etc for other strikers, but his scoring record is terrible for a striker. Last I heard he is injured. Agbonlahor has got loads of pace and can put the ball in the net...ditto for Zamora who I would pick over Heskey.

I fear that Hargreaves won't make it (I think it may be a mental block he has plus injury issues that are preventing him from playing) and Carrick will skulk in there.

If Gary Neville makes it into the squad and plays we are doomed.

Fair enough, I remember it particularly because I had an Arsenal supporting Irish mate round watching. Sven was the real villain for not selecting strikers for the comp.

As for Becks, I forgive him as he had the balls to nail that crucial pen vs Argentina up in Sapporo. Glad he's not fit this time though. England need to use pace if they are to get anywhere. Can't compete in the skill department.

I prefer Agbonlahor to Heskey too. I think Capello likes to have someone big upfront for Rooney to play off which is why I think Crouch and Heskey will go.

I do think Heskey as a player has been vastly underrated in a similar mould to the way Darren Anderton was. The fans never seem to want him to play but multiple England managers pick him because he does a certain job.

20 goals in 77 England games from midfield says different.

That's a rate of one every 3.85 games.

Fabregas, playing in an Arsenal team more successful than England has played 187 times and scored 32...one in every 5.85 games.

For a successful Spain, Fab's record is 5 in 47 or one in 9.

Iniesta has 6 in 40 for Spain and just 17 in over 200 for Barcelona.

Gerrard's goals/game ratio is almost the same for England as it is for Liverpool. Remarkable given so many believe Lampard and Gerrard function less well in the same team. He scores about 1 in 4.7 games.

Zidane and Kaka have better records for France and Brazil but then you'd expect that just from them being more successful than England.

Lampard's strike rate for England is actually among the very best for midfielders in their respective teams. Imagine what it might be if he'd taken a few free kicks instead of Beckham.

I will start by saying that Lampard definately warrants a place in the England squad.

However during the last World Cup one of my more frustrating memories was Lampard wasting good positions by shooting all the time. Infact I remember the TV panel at the time highlighting some rediculous stats about the volume of shots outside the box that he had made.

Goals per games is a good stat for strikers but in the midfield more compelling statistics are passes completed and tackles made.

Beckham is a better set piece and free kick taker than Lampard.