[Archived] World Cup Qualifiers 2010

[philipl]

Bit late but Scotland already one down in Macedonia.

I'm going to watch Malta play Portugal later from the South Core. Wandered round the stadium watching the Portugese warming up. As one MFA official said, "We can pray..."

[Jim J]

Not a great start for the Scots!

Onto England, Capello's first competitive game in charge of England. Another manager has the chance to get the best out of what seems on paper as a half decent team. No Gerrard or Ferdinand today, but we should still sail past Andorra.

I just get a feeling that no matter who is in charge of the current England team, we will be let down. Terry has mentioned that there is a fear of failure, resulting in a lack of confidence. Sorry, I dont buy that, to me it seems there is a lack of national pride in playing for your country from a bunch of overpaid players. Maybe Capello can mix it up a bit with the inclusion of players like Bullard, who I'm sure will give their all. Time will tell.

Anyway, i'll go for a 4-0 win for England tonight, anthing less I feel will be a poor result!

[accyrover]

The last time England did well in any major competition was 1990. This, incidentally, is a couple of years before The Premier League was formed with all the associated fawning press, Wags, over inflated egos and average players on tens of thousands of pounds a week who are more intersted in driving fast cars and buying the latest must-have piece of bling than actually knuckling down and playing football for a living. In 1990 I suspect the players had pride in their shirt. I doubt that is the case now. Overpaid self obsessed tarts the lot of them.

Fear of failure my ar*e.

Rant over.

Accyrover

[Mattyblue]

The 'golden generation' have been one of the biggest letdowns/frauds/jokes (delete as appropriate) in English football history. They are not all of a sudden going to transform into a team capable of wining the World Cup.

For christs sake get some new blood in, we can end the 'Gerrard and Lampard can't play together' whine by dropping Lampard once and for all. The public have completely has it with these players if not the institution of the national team. I thought Jimmy Bullards comment that he could'nt believe he was wearing an England tracksuit and had to keep looking at it to mke sure he was is something I havent witnessed in an England player for a long, long time.

Gut the majority of the side and start afresh.

[lockers]

Come on the wee Norn Iron!

[Grabbi Graeme]

Walcott playing on the right in the place of Beckham, wonder what Mr Bentley thinks of that.

[mark1875]

The last time England did well in any major competition was 1990. This, incidentally, is a couple of years before The Premier League was formed with all the associated fawning press, Wags, over inflated egos and average players on tens of thousands of pounds a week who are more intersted in driving fast cars and buying the latest must-have piece of bling than actually knuckling down and playing football for a living. In 1990 I suspect the players had pride in their shirt. I doubt that is the case now. Overpaid self obsessed tarts the lot of them.

Fear of failure my ar*e.

Rant over.

Accyrover

did i dream that terry venables came so close to leading us to glory with some marvellous football in 1996? it seemed so real to me!

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I watched most of the Georgia- Eire game. Reidy had a very steady game in central midfield for a hardworking Eire team. Zurab looked a bit off the pace for a Georgia team that plays nice football but lacks a cutting edge.

[Foxxx]

Nelsen played for New Zealand, with us beating New Caledonia 3-1, and means we have won the Oceania Nations Cup. It books us a spot in the Confederations Cup, and gives us a play off against the 5th ranked Asian side for a place in the World Cup.

We have the return match at home on Wed, and I would think Ryan will play that, so im not sure if he will be picked for the weekend, because of the travel involved getting back to England

[philipl]

Had a pleasant evening at a nearly full National Stadium.

Deco was imperious for Portugal with about as much ball possession on his own as the Maltese side managed combined and an absolute peach of a defence splitting pass setting up the third for Simao.

First half Portugal dominated without threatening and lead through an absolutely lunatic og from Said. Second half subs saw Maniche, Nuno Gomes and Moutinho come on for Portugal and Malta got filletted. Nani was roundly booed for his double somersault after tapping home the 4th and last from a yard out.

Great shame for Malta who probably have the best side for a very long time- certainly good enough to beat Andorra 2-0 but couldn't even record a single effort on goal against the Portuguese.

Extremely hot evening and the youthful crowd seemed to be 50/50 male female which made crowd watching interesting whilst the Portuguese played keep ball in the Maltese half.

[steven]

Netherlands 1-2 Socceroos.

Grella watched from the sidelines and Bert played 45 mins.

Massive game v Uzbecks in Tashkent on Wednesday

[Commondore]

I'm not out to upset anyone (especially since my own national team only managed 0-0 against Albania with a very impotent performance), but now England has tried EVERY possible midfield combination including Lampard and/or Gerrard, and NONE of them are working...

[Hughesy]

They should drop Lampard totally.

Joe Cole should start, when fit Hargreaves with Gerrard and Bentley/ SWP on the right.

[Sandiway Blue]

After the England game i watched Equador v Bolivia with the much talked about Segundo Castillo starting for Equador.Well i have to say i think Rovers dodged a bullet on this one,he was hardly involved in the game and certainly didn`t look anything like a £6m player.I might be a bit harsh after only seeing him for 1 game,but Bolivia are unbelievably poor and if Castillo was anything like half-decent then i would expect to see him stand out against poor opposition.TBH i will be surprised if he plays much for Everton.

[bringdunnback]

He will play for Everton, they are desperate.

[Iceman]

Say what you want, im south african,but if ince doesnt sell Benni in January i wil be highly angry. He talked about ince being the problem to him not starting, wel wrong he hardly played last season. Anyway, he was shocking yesterday as SA failed to reach the nations cup. Before the game against Nigeria i read that he wil score and prove to everybody that he is not overweight. Good luck to all your countries, hope the all reach the WC in South Africa.

[scotchrover]

As an England and Capello sceptic I thought the biggest plus about yesterday was Capello.

As someone who believes the English players feel they are too big to be told what and happy to sped their time on the pitch passing slowly sideways and backwards we seeed at last to have some zip and someone in charge who is actually prepared to sort the lazy barstewards out. He also made changes if players weren't doing what they are supposed to. He seemed to get the message though - although it appears with a bit of a fight.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/se...p2010qualifiers

More optimistic than I've been for years. Just hope the players take note.

[Majiball]

Walcott playing on the right in the place of Beckham, wonder what Mr Bentley thinks of that.

Perhaps the grass is not always greener.

[philipl]

Walcott playing on the right in the place of Beckham, wonder what Mr Bentley thinks of that.

Bentley has not been playing wide right for Spurs so he needs to displace Barry, Lampard, Gerard, Hargreaves, Carrick now. That said, when I read that Cappello was going to shake up the England starting line-up, I was certain it meant a Bentley start. Obviously the England manager is not convinced.

Very pleasing to read that Cappello weighed into certain players for failing to follow instructions.

[rover6]

Austria 3 France 1

Say what you want, im south african,but if ince doesnt sell Benni in January i wil be highly angry. He talked about ince being the problem to him not starting, wel wrong he hardly played last season. Anyway, he was shocking yesterday as SA failed to reach the nations cup. Before the game against Nigeria i read that he wil score and prove to everybody that he is not overweight. Good luck to all your countries, hope the all reach the WC in South Africa.

Sorry for your pains Iceman. I read that the team played well against Nigeria, despite the defeat. Mokoena was suspended, wasn't he?

Are there any decent young South African players coming through - because the current lot won't be making much of an impression in 2010, will they?

[Iceman]

The team played well, rover6, however like with Rovers benni was no where.he again looked like he couldnt wait to get to a good restaurant to satisfy his hunger. We got some very good players coming through. Bryce Moon, Kagiso Dikgacoi, nasief morris,teko modise and a few others. We wil get knocked out 1st round at the world cup. We not ready, and the coach seems clueless.moko is or was on a 1 match suspension.

[Presty On Tour]

With Wales off to the perfect start by beating footballing giants Azerbaijan 1-0, there is optimism here again. Those nasty Russians up next in Moscow, I would love a win but with no Bellamy or Eastwood i think 0-0 is the target.

[rover6]

The team played well, rover6, however like with Rovers benni was no where.he again looked like he couldnt wait to get to a good restaurant to satisfy his hunger. We got some very good players coming through. Bryce Moon, Kagiso Dikgacoi, nasief morris,teko modise and a few others. We wil get knocked out 1st round at the world cup. We not ready, and the coach seems clueless.moko is or was on a 1 match suspension.

From what very little I know about South African football, it seems as if you do not produce many technically gifted footballers. Why is that?

The central/western African countries have a seemingly endless conveyor belt of skilful maverick young talent coming through, abilities honed playing football on the streets. And the Northern countries, to continue the stereotyping, seem to produce technically gifted but less flamboyant footballers - more in the Southern European mould.

Is it a consequence of the countries' social problems? Or is it simply cyclical - you've hit a trough but things will look up again, like the late 90s, when the team was doing well in the African Nations?

[Iceman]

We have gone backwards, from champions in 96, to not even qualifying in 2008. We have no hope for 2010.

[Oklahoma]

And it's Benni's fault, of course!