Football

[Johnuk123]

I would have thought for anyone who wants to be taken remotely seriously Celtic is the last place you would go at the moment. It's a hiding to nothing job at least until they have a semblance of competition again

I agree, it is still a 'big club' but unfortunately in a league which isn't up to English Championship level.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Anyone with any thoughts on the possibility of playing James Milner in the right-back position in a coming friendly international ?

 

[richw]

Anyone with any thoughts on the possibility of playing James Milner in the right-back position in a coming friendly international ?

I'm happy to see Roy trialling this in friendlies, rather than getting by the World Cup and having to chuck him in for whatever reason. I would think Milner will do ok in that position and I somewhat doubt he will make as many errors as Johnson did against Peru,

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

International Friendly

Gibraltar 1...Malta 0

Well done to those from "The Rock".....both a win and a clean sheet...

 

[fowler9]

Anyone with any thoughts on the possibility of playing James Milner in the right-back position in a coming friendly international ?

Yeah, he's not the best in his own position. Whats the point of playing him in someone elses? Puts you off watching England in the world cup.

 

[Saint66]

Oxlade and Barkley looked exciting tonight.

Cant really complain with a draw against Ecuador considering how experimental the side was.

 

[fowler9]

Oxlade and Barkley looked exciting tonight.

Cant really complain with a draw against Ecuador considering how experimental the side was.

We drew against Equador. The national team of a country with one of the strongest leagues in the world drew with Equador and you can't complain because the team was experimental? You know what is going to happen. Nil nil draw with Italy and then flap about what to do next.

 

[richw]

We drew against Equador. The national team of a country with one of the strongest leagues in the world drew with Equador and you can't complain because the team was experimental? You know what is going to happen. Nil nil draw with Italy and then flap about what to do next.

To put this to consideration Italy drew 1-1 with Luxembourg this evening. I think England shall be happier than Italy with their respective results.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

We drew against Equador. The national team of a country with one of the strongest leagues in the world drew with Equador and you can't complain because the team was experimental? You know what is going to happen. Nil nil draw with Italy and then flap about what to do next.

Matters nowt what the stance of the league is, a considerable proportion of its participants and subsequent success is because of foreigners. Columbia, Argentina and Switzerland are far from the best leagues in the world yet are probably of the same quality as England's national team.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Anyone with views on the Raheem Stirling clash with Valencia, that saw both of them receive red cards ?

 

[fowler9]

Matters nowt what the stance of the league is, a considerable proportion of its participants and subsequent success is because of foreigners. Columbia, Argentina and Switzerland are far from the best leagues in the world yet are probably of the same quality as England's national team.

Liverpool came a close second in one of the strongest leagues in the world with a decent number of English players being at the forefront of that effort.Why are there even question marks over some of them starting for England against Italy?

 

[Saint66]

We drew against Equador. The national team of a country with one of the strongest leagues in the world drew with Equador and you can't complain because the team was experimental? You know what is going to happen. Nil nil draw with Italy and then flap about what to do next.

Nil nil draw with Italy? I'd be happy, they're a decent side!

Of course, if you're not happy, no one's forcing you to watch!

 

[fowler9]

Nil nil draw with Italy? I'd be happy, they're a decent side!

Of course, if you're not happy, no one's forcing you to watch!

Ha ha, I was possibly being a little negative there.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Away from the forthcoming World Cup debate, there are two matters of general note:-

1) Arsenal have informed Barcelona that they will now not be exercising the buy-back option upon 27 year old Cesc Fabregas that was written into the contractual part of the transfer document from Arsenal to Barcelona.

2) Hereford United are currently in the midst of a number of matters such as differing winding-up petitions and the "fit person" status of the new owner. Should they be expelled from the Conference Premiership, this could be a lifeline for Chester FC against their relegation.

 

[richw]

The referee just spoke to the ITV team live on screen. I don't recall a referee ever giving an interview previously.

 

[andrew bell]

The referee just spoke to the ITV team live on screen. I don't recall a referee ever giving an interview previously.

Fair play to the referee to help explain the reason for the delay rather than sitting in his changing room and getting 'slated' for it. If only the premier league and fa can ask their referees to do the same, but perhaps allow a minimum 30 minute cooling off period after the match before speaking to the media

 

[Cletus]

World Cup sweepstakes.
Done ours at work, as per my suggestion we did sealed envelopes until all were sold. They were all sold Friday and I got South Korea!
Luckily my local's sealed envelopes won't be opened until the night of the final, so I've still got a chance.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

If one could draw a comparison with the rail units operating in England, to the competing teams in the 2014 World Cup, would England be shown as an ex-Merseyrail Class 142 Pacer ?

 

[richw]

If one could draw a comparison with the rail units operating in England, to the competing teams in the 2014 World Cup, would England be shown as an ex-Merseyrail Class 142 Pacer ?

No it wouldn't be a pacer as we have a fairly young and quick side. Maybe a class 180 as we are always breaking down?

 

[hairyhandedfool]

460 - New-ish, not enough of them, full of (hot) air, didn't last long, displaced by older units and derided by most when they went.

 

[ExRes]

I think it would be better to classify English footballers alongside home built trains and locos, they have been completely buried by foreign imports for the last 20 years

 

[Johnuk123]

I think it would be better to classify English footballers alongside home built trains and locos, they have been completely buried by foreign imports for the last 20 years

If you had a present day list of the worlds top footballers it would be very hard to put any English players in it.
Unless of course it was based on income.

 

[fowler9]

If you had a present day list of the worlds top footballers it would be very hard to put any English players in it.
Unless of course it was based on income.

I think Sturridge and Sterling are very very good players who have just given a very good account of themselves in a team that finished second in one of the top leagues in the world. I am also of course biased. Ha ha.

 

[Johnuk123]

I think Sturridge and Sterling are very very good players who have just given a very good account of themselves in a team that finished second in one of the top leagues in the world. I am also of course biased. Ha ha.

Both excellent players but wouldn't get into the top 100 in the world.

 

[fowler9]

Both excellent players but wouldn't get into the top 100 in the world.

It depends what you judge the top 100 players on. Sturridge and Sterling were 2 of the most influential players in a team that came close to winning one of the strongest leagues in the world. Sturridge was the second highest goalscorer in the league. Sterling scored as many as Eto'o. I know that there is more to it than goals scored and also as I said that I am biased but I would have thought they would sneak in to the top 100 in the world for last season.

 

[Johnuk123]

It depends what you judge the top 100 players on. Sturridge and Sterling were 2 of the most influential players in a team that came close to winning one of the strongest leagues in the world. Sturridge was the second highest goalscorer in the league. Sterling scored as many as Eto'o. I know that there is more to it than goals scored and also as I said that I am biased but I would have thought they would sneak in to the top 100 in the world for last season.

I agree it's all about opinions and those 2 players are top players.

I remember seeing a top 100 about 6 months ago and the only English in it were Rooney and Lampard. Neither of those would surely get into a top 100 today.

I think if Sterling and Sturridge have sensational world cups they would probably be rightly in a top 100.

 

[fowler9]

I agree it's all about opinions and those 2 players are top players.

I remember seeing a top 100 about 6 months ago and the only English in it were Rooney and Lampard. Neither of those would surely get into a top 100 today.

I think if Sterling and Sturridge have sensational world cups they would probably be rightly in a top 100.

Yeah fair comment mate. The weird thing is I'm not sure Sterling will even be given a chance to have an sensational world cup by Hodgson.

 

[Johnuk123]

Yeah fair comment mate. The weird thing is I'm not sure Sterling will even be given a chance to have an sensational world cup by Hodgson.

Personally I wouldn't have Rooney in the side except on the bench, I think he's gone backwards and isn't good enough.

 

[fowler9]

Personally I wouldn't have Rooney in the side except on the bench, I think he's gone backwards and isn't good enough.

True, he must be exceptional in training because nothing I've seen him do has warranted his inclusion. Liverpool have had players in the past who got included and no one could work out why. Apparently in training no one could get the ball off Smicer and no one could get past Diao. Certainly wasn't the case in competitive matches. Ha ha.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I note that news has come out that full-back Luke Shaw told the management at Southampton on the very last day of last season that he wished to join Manchester United.

Considering other recent departures and impending departures from Southampton, a carefully fostered Southampton team now looks to have its soul ripped out of it.