Capello

Maybe he does have a plan. Let's look at it in slightly more detail....

Heskey: We knew years ago that this lumbering oaf was out of place in the premiership, let alone the England team.

Carragher: Okay, Glen Johnson is sometimes a bit to eager to get forwards, but you'd surely pick him over Carragher at right-back. Carragher should be on the bench at best, surely.

Milner: Decent left foot, but who'd pick him in front of Joe Cole? And where was Cole anyway?

Gerrard/Lampard: We know these guys don't play at their best together, it's been shown again and again - neither are really playmakers, but both like to finish.

So what's going on in his mind then? I suggest two theories - (1) He didn't want to reveal how good England were so early in the tournament, and was confident this second string side would be enough to deal with USA, or (2) he's a plant, sabotaging the side because he wants Italy to win it.

Originally posted by avalanchethecat
Maybe he does have a plan. Let's look at it in slightly more detail....

Heskey: We knew years ago that this lumbering oaf was out of place in the premiership, let alone the England team.

Carragher: Okay, Glen Johnson is sometimes a bit to eager to get forwards, but you'd surely pick him over Carragher at right-back. Carragher should be on t ...[text shortened]... eal with USA, or (2) he's a plant, sabotaging the side because he wants Italy to win it.

Joe Cole has got to play !!
Heskey is a waste of time ,as is Shaun Wright phillips !!!
And i agree with just about everything you have stated here !

Originally posted by avalanchethecat
Maybe he does have a plan. Let's look at it in slightly more detail....

Heskey: We knew years ago that this lumbering oaf was out of place in the premiership, let alone the England team.

Carragher: Okay, Glen Johnson is sometimes a bit to eager to get forwards, but you'd surely pick him over Carragher at right-back. Carragher should be on t ...[text shortened]... eal with USA, or (2) he's a plant, sabotaging the side because he wants Italy to win it.

Heskey: played better than expected and had the assist on Gerrard's goal. I still wouldn't start him.

Carragher: played at center back, not right back, because there was something mysteriously wrong with first-choice Ledley King and he was subbed.

Milner: Agreed, would prefer J. Cole in there

Gerrard/Lampard: can play at their best together, they just need to have the formation that suits both of them the best. If England played a 4-2-3-1 instead of a 4-4-2 and used Gerrard as support for Rooney as an attacking mid with Lampard picking up scraps alongside Barry and occasionally going forward then England would look a lot more threatening.

Excuse my ignorance, but does Crouch have his original brain?

Originally posted by avalanchethecat
Maybe he does have a plan. Let's look at it in slightly more detail....

Heskey: We knew years ago that this lumbering oaf was out of place in the premiership, let alone the England team.

Carragher: Okay, Glen Johnson is sometimes a bit to eager to get forwards, but you'd surely pick him over Carragher at right-back. Carragher should be on t ...[text shortened]... eal with USA, or (2) he's a plant, sabotaging the side because he wants Italy to win it.

Holding cards close to the vest, eh? Capello is incompetent, that's all. So he would risk elimination by scoring only one point in the first game and end up with a zero on goal differential knowing Slovenia might win, leaving England in a two point hole. Risking Slovenia beating USA is a huge gamble. What if England fails to beat Algeria? England had trouble with USA. What makes you think they won't do likewise with Algeria and Slovenia. If I were either of those two teams I'd sit back knowing England has no credible attack and rely on counter strikes. Face it. England not very good at all. What's going to happen is they will end up in a must win situation in their final group game and without offense their goose will be cooked. I would buy your second stringer theory if Capello had seen its failure and righted the ship in second half of USA game. Good coaches do. You put in the second stringer once you tie up moving on to next round, not before. If Capello is that stupid and arrogant he does not deserve to coach!

Originally posted by scacchipazzo
Holding cards close to the vest, eh? Capello is incompetent, that's all. So he would risk elimination by scoring only one point in the first game and end up with a zero on goal differential knowing Slovenia might win, leaving England in a two point hole. Risking Slovenia beating USA is a huge gamble. What if England fails to beat Algeria? England had tr ...[text shortened]... next round, not before. If Capello is that stupid and arrogant he does not deserve to coach!

Of course you're entitled to an opinion, but do you really believe Capello is incompetent and stupid? Arrogant, I could believe, looking at his career stats.

Originally posted by avalanchethecat
Of course you're entitled to an opinion, but do you really believe Capello is incompetent and stupid? Arrogant, I could believe, looking at his career stats.

He did not exactly show great acumen in his first WC game. Perhaps I'm being harsh, but the man is supposed to be the genius of creating sarting line ups and also of substitution. Until he shows something more than thus far I will suspend lack of admiration for the coach.

Originally posted by scacchipazzo
He did not exactly show great acumen in his first WC game. Perhaps I'm being harsh, but the man is supposed to be the genius of creating sarting line ups and also of substitution. Until he shows something more than thus far I will suspend lack of admiration for the coach.

Well I'm not so sure. USA got lucky - they only scored thanks to a howler after all. Had it not been for that one horrible mistake by an otherwise excellent keeper, he'd've achieved a 1-0 victory in the toughest group game (first game and toughest opponent in the group). Don't get me wrong - I wasn't overly impressed with England's performance either, but I'm pretty sure that wasn't the best they can do.