England v Israel

[mikey]

A bit like our match against Burslem Village Hall FC, this is a must win match. A few years back we'd have been asking not if we were going to win, but by how many.

How times change eh?

0-0 at their place was bad enough but we could, very realisticaly, get beaten by these tomorrow.

I hope we can scrape it 1-0 or whatever, but McClown gives me no confidence whatsoever and the sooner he jacks it in, the better for everyone.

Taxi for Mr. McClaren?

:?

[Ned_Kelly]

Whenever i see or here McClown now i can't get his image out of my head........

[Whitti Steve]

If anyone wants to go - see Market place!

[big baz 1]

7-0 to the three lions.

[Plastic Hawk]

Won't be pretty, but I really don't see England not winning this. Probably 2-0 or 3-0 with at least one of the goals coming in the last few minutes. It's Wednesday's match that'll be crucial though - could easily draw that and then we'll almost certainly need to go to Russia and win next month.

[big baz 1]

Im sure we are playing russia on a plastic pitch the same pitch that celtic played on in their recent chamipns league qualifier

[latviancheese]

1-0 to us. Boring game, someone needs to make international football interesting again.

[Ulster Saddler]

England will paper over the cracks with a 1-0 win - and then it will be talk of how it is all coming together.

I am sick of the national side and the inevitability of failure which is accepted by those in power to do something about it.

England will qualify for the euro's but do sweet FA when they get there.

UP THE SADDLERS

[Plastic Hawk]

Im sure we are playing russia on a plastic pitch the same pitch that celtic played on in their recent chamipns league qualifier

Yeah, we are. These next-generation artificial pitches aren't too bad though. Much more like grass than the old-style plastic pitches of the 80's. Celtic seemed to adapt to it ok the other week. I'm sure it'll be trotted out as an excuse if we lose though...

[big baz 1]

Im sure we are playing russia on a plastic pitch the same pitch that celtic played on in their recent chamipns league qualifier

Yeah, we are. These next-generation artificial pitches aren't too bad though. Much more like grass than the old-style plastic pitches of the 80's. Celtic seemed to adapt to it ok the other week. I'm sure it'll be trotted out as an excuse if we lose though...

Well said mate i can see it now mcd*****ad using that as a excuse instead of admitting he is wack.

[Duke]

England will paper over the cracks with a 1-0 win - and then it will be talk of how it is all coming together.

I am sick of the national side and the inevitability of failure which is accepted by those in power to do something about it.

England will qualify for the euro's but do sweet FA when they get there.

UP THE SADDLERS

Agreed , A Scrappy 1-0 win . anything less McClown should be sacked .

[big baz 1]

7-0 TO THE THREE LIONS COME ON ENGLAND

[jnks]

It's an unfortunate truth that we have to fail significantly before we get rid of McClaren. I just can't decide if it's worth missing the European Championships to get rid of him. If I had any confidence in the FA to replace him with someone better I think I'd take the hit and accept a loss if it meant we got rid. However, there were better managers than McClaren available when he was appointed and the FA simply went for the easy option, so there's no reason to believe that they'd make the right decision in picking a successor to McClaren. If we could swap our place at Euro 2008 for a new board at the FA, I'd take it. :evil:

[SheffieldSaddler]

Even McClown can put a team together to beat these football none descripts.
At least 3-0, if not more.

[derbysaddler]

1-0 to us. Boring game, someone needs to make international football interesting again.

yep, And we'll have to listen to fool's like Ferdinand cooing on their great performance etc.

[the_game]

5-0 to england

heskey & lescott will both have great games!

[Registered Saddler]

Even McClown can put a team together to beat these football none descripts.
At least 3-0, if not more.

Why do people assume that this will be a much easier game than Russia? Russia only drew 1-1 at home to Israel earlier in the campaign. Last tournament, Israel were desperately close to knocking France (the World Cup FINALISTS) out in qualifying. They've only lost 1 of their last 18 competitive games. Anyone who thinks it's going to be easy clearly doesn't know what they're talking about.

[mikey]

5-0 to england

heskey & lescott will both have great games!

Old ginger flaps on talkSPORT (Adrian Duraham, complete tos*er) said if Heskey starts he'll emigrate :shock:


Please, please, please start Heskey McClown, to get rid of that prat, if nothing else :D :D

[KJC]

5-0 to england

heskey & lescott will both have great games!

Old ginger flaps on talkSPORT (Adrian Duraham, complete tos*er) said if Heskey starts he'll emigrate :shock:


Please, please, please start Heskey McClown, to get rid of that prat, if nothing else :D :D

YESSS!

Go on Stevie Mac ...... you know it makes sense!

[big baz 1]

5-0 to england

heskey & lescott will both have great games!

Heskey will probably start as for lescott i dont think he will start or even come on. Joeleon Lescott is well deserving of his england call up also a top fella aswell.

[Pedro]

1-0 England

Owen with the goal

[kh1959]

3 1 to the saddlers 4 0 to england good luck lads iwill be at wembley :roll:

[Goose277]

It's an unfortunate truth that we have to fail significantly before we get rid of McClaren. I just can't decide if it's worth missing the European Championships to get rid of him. If I had any confidence in the FA to replace him with someone better I think I'd take the hit and accept a loss if it meant we got rid. However, there were better managers than McClaren available when he was appointed and the FA simply went for the easy option, so there's no reason to believe that they'd make the right decision in picking a successor to McClaren. If we could swap our place at Euro 2008 for a new board at the FA, I'd take it. :evil:

You've hit the proverbial nail on the head there mate. The FA will never appoint the right man because that means employing someone with the cahones to do it the way they want to do it. The FA are interested in "yes" men, pure and simple. There was a debate on talksport the other day about why people are not bothered about England games as much as they used to be and the answer, for me, is the fact the FA won't give the job to the right man. Apart from Vennables and Sir Alf (obviously) they have always bypassed better candidates and gone for the safe option. SORT IT OUT FA YOU MUPPETS :evil:

That said.......C'MON ENGLAND

[big baz 1]

The u21s are playing tonight, but ive juts checked the listings on sky sports and its not on sky sports.

[Registered Saddler]

It's an unfortunate truth that we have to fail significantly before we get rid of McClaren. I just can't decide if it's worth missing the European Championships to get rid of him. If I had any confidence in the FA to replace him with someone better I think I'd take the hit and accept a loss if it meant we got rid. However, there were better managers than McClaren available when he was appointed and the FA simply went for the easy option, so there's no reason to believe that they'd make the right decision in picking a successor to McClaren. If we could swap our place at Euro 2008 for a new board at the FA, I'd take it. :evil:

You've hit the proverbial nail on the head there mate. The FA will never appoint the right man because that means employing someone with the cahones to do it the way they want to do it. The FA are interested in "yes" men, pure and simple. There was a debate on talksport the other day about why people are not bothered about England games as much as they used to be and the answer, for me, is the fact the FA won't give the job to the right man. Apart from Vennables and Sir Alf (obviously) they have always bypassed better candidates and gone for the safe option. SORT IT OUT FA YOU MUPPETS :evil:

That said.......C'MON ENGLAND

Venables...no surprise that he gets the plaudits from the media. But what did he do exactly? Yes - we beat Scotland (great) and Holland (even greater) and fluked past Spain. That's it. The semi-finals on home soil is the minimum to be expected. Sven reaches the quarter-finals away from home three times in a row - better than anyone bar Brazil in the same time period, better than any England manager since Sir Alf - and what thanks does he get? And wasn't Bobby Robson the right choice? He was the outstanding candidate at that time, surely? Ditto Graham Taylor, who'd been brilliant with Watford and Villa. No, I think people's disillusionment with the England team is the fact that our best players couldn't care less about how the national team gets on, with one or two notable exceptions. Not like the days of Adams, Platt, Ince, Gazza, Beardsley, Butcher, Pearce et al.

[Cully]

Watching England struggle with McLaren in charge rather reminds me of Mersons period of mismanagement at Walsall. I want us to both win and lose :shock: Any loss will surely hasten the sacking of McLaren who has been appointed by the real villians in this saga, the F.A. :evil:

ps and if he goes he can take that crap band with him, if I have to hear that blasted Great Escape tune one more time it will be one too many, almost as annoying as the Princess Di band wagon but living.

[Rushall Saddler]

3 - 0 England.

Gerrard, Owen and Johnson.

[Goose277]

It's an unfortunate truth that we have to fail significantly before we get rid of McClaren. I just can't decide if it's worth missing the European Championships to get rid of him. If I had any confidence in the FA to replace him with someone better I think I'd take the hit and accept a loss if it meant we got rid. However, there were better managers than McClaren available when he was appointed and the FA simply went for the easy option, so there's no reason to believe that they'd make the right decision in picking a successor to McClaren. If we could swap our place at Euro 2008 for a new board at the FA, I'd take it. :evil:

You've hit the proverbial nail on the head there mate. The FA will never appoint the right man because that means employing someone with the cahones to do it the way they want to do it. The FA are interested in "yes" men, pure and simple. There was a debate on talksport the other day about why people are not bothered about England games as much as they used to be and the answer, for me, is the fact the FA won't give the job to the right man. Apart from Vennables and Sir Alf (obviously) they have always bypassed better candidates and gone for the safe option. SORT IT OUT FA YOU MUPPETS :evil:

That said.......C'MON ENGLAND

Venables...no surprise that he gets the plaudits from the media. But what did he do exactly? Yes - we beat Scotland (great) and Holland (even greater) and fluked past Spain. That's it. The semi-finals on home soil is the minimum to be expected. Sven reaches the quarter-finals away from home three times in a row - better than anyone bar Brazil in the same time period, better than any England manager since Sir Alf - and what thanks does he get? And wasn't Bobby Robson the right choice? He was the outstanding candidate at that time, surely? Ditto Graham Taylor, who'd been brilliant with Watford and Villa. No, I think people's disillusionment with the England team is the fact that our best players couldn't care less about how the national team gets on, with one or two notable exceptions. Not like the days of Adams, Platt, Ince, Gazza, Beardsley, Butcher, Pearce et al.

As far as Venables is concerned, I think it's more a case of what he could have done if he'd continued. I know that's hypothetical but the FA could have bought him back after his problems with the sugar man were sorted. I'm not anti Sven, as his competitive record is right up there. I'm more frustrated because he could have, and should have, done better with the players he had. The Brazil game was there for the taking, he didn't know what to do when rooney went off injured against Portugal, he took an untried kid to the world cup, (which I don't have a problem with) and refused to play him when we needed something, (which I do have a problem with) and other than Beckham, he shouldn't have taken unfit players anywhere.

You're right about Bobby Robson, I was wrong not to have included him. Although Graham Taylor did great at Watford and Villa, he wasn't right for England. As far as I can remember, many people said this at the time and so it proved to be.

I refuse to believe the players couldn't care less about England. I don't see any evidence of this. Yes, there were more players around back then in the mould of Ince, Adams, Pearce..etc but just because they're not ranting and hyped up to the point of explosion doesn't mean they don't care.

[Registered Saddler]

I refuse to believe the players couldn't care less about England. I don't see any evidence of this. Yes, there were more players around back then in the mould of Ince, Adams, Pearce..etc but just because they're not ranting and hyped up to the point of explosion doesn't mean they don't care.

I agree with a lot of what you say up to this point. But I don't agree here, and my evidence would be to compare their performances for club and country. I've rarely seen the fired-up Gerrard that pulled Liverpool through to two Champions League finals play the same for England. His performances at Euro 2004 were awful - which I would attribute to the unnecessary distraction of a potential move to Chelsea. He's not the only one, mind.

[Goose277]

I refuse to believe the players couldn't care less about England. I don't see any evidence of this. Yes, there were more players around back then in the mould of Ince, Adams, Pearce..etc but just because they're not ranting and hyped up to the point of explosion doesn't mean they don't care.

I agree with a lot of what you say up to this point. But I don't agree here, and my evidence would be to compare their performances for club and country. I've rarely seen the fired-up Gerrard that pulled Liverpool through to two Champions League finals play the same for England. His performances at Euro 2004 were awful - which I would attribute to the unnecessary distraction of a potential move to Chelsea. He's not the only one, mind.

Exactly.

You're right, his performance was one of many not up to scratch but I'm not convinced it was because they didn't care. Still, as a professional footballer it's unacceptable. Thinking about it though, wasn't there talk of gerrard moving to Chelski when he put in that Champions League performance in 2005?

This is where I rant on about the whole Gerrard/Lampard thing so I'll stop :)