Has anyone else reached the point of desperation with England?

Question

Once again a very poor performance, thank god Sven is going. Since when did you play football by passing across field and back to the keeper. Get out there grab the game by the throat and go for gold, not this crappy "wear them down" tacktics

Answer 1

I reached it 3 world cups ago!!

Answer 2

The problem is that we are an England team playing an Italian style, Sven has only succeeded there. The thing that makes me really sad is that before the tournament even the German fans were saying how much they wanted to watch England play because the prem is so exiting (apart from Chelsea).The problem is that we don't play like a prem team.

Answer 3

I haven't yet reached the 'nil desperandum' stage with England but do agree that they have to bloody well wake up in 2nd halves of matches!! It's okay playing this dosy, negative stuff against limited opposition, but not the Brazils, Argentinas or Hollands of this tournament.

Imagine sitting back against Messi, Robben or Brazil's magic four? There would be hell to pay!

England need to get back to playing the disciplined, positive football which beat Argentina in the last World Cup, and very nearly beat France in Euro 2004. The defence needs to train again and again with set pieces. Two soft goals last night could have been cleared with fairly textbook headers.

There is though, some semblance of team plan coming together now. With Owen out of the side (I really felt sorry for him last night) we might have to shift the attacking emphasis to a five-man midfield, but that worked for France in 1998.

It is not all doom and gloom. The media just like to paint it that way to get a few more newspapers sold. When we won the World Cup, we did so without our most potent goalscorer (Jimmy Greaves) and tournaments do have a habit of throwing up 'able deputies' who come into the team, and then stand up to be counted (David Platt in 1990, Nicky Butt and Danny Mills in 2002, Ledley King in 2004 and of course, Geoff Hurst).

Who's to say that Peter Crouch or Joe Cole won't take on the mantle of Owen?

Another source of hope is that slow starters usually build momentum as tournaments go along. Probably the best example was Italy in 1982. They put in some soporific performances in the group stages (they didn't win any of their games!) but then went on to beat holders Argentina, a superb Brazil side, a talented Poland team and a typically Teutonic Germany, to clinch the trophy is sparkling fashion.

Who's to say England won't do the same? Knock-out football is very different to the group phase. Teams can't sit back and play for 0-0 (ey Sweden!) they have to attack, which means extra space for our attacking players.

And better teams usually elicit better performances from England.

Just don't underestimate Ecuador. We can't afford to 'do just enough to beat them' as we did in our first two games. They are big, physical, fast and have strong lungs due to playing at high altitude. They could tun out to be like Cameroon in 1990, we UNDERESTIMATE THEM AT OUR PERIL!

So wake up England. Attack teams rather than sitting back, and make sure whole team concentrates fully, for the entire game.

We can still win if we play positively.

Answer 4

I know that England can play a lot better, personally I think that it is all down to the manger, blame Sven, it is definately his fault, hopefully it will be his last year as manager.

Answer 5

um i though eng played quite well in the first half and if some of thoses chances had falled to gerrard instead of lampard then eng could have been 2 or 3 up at half time.
2nd half...that was pathetic. we were playing far to defensive and there was little creativity not to mention poor defensive work. i think eng need someone who can rn with the bal.

Answer 6

With all the talent ENGLAND has they should press the attack as much as possible.They have gotten away with it in the group.But it will come back to bite them in the butt unless i see something different in the next match which i have them winning i think they lose in the quarter finals.And has anybody seen Beckham were is he.

Answer 7

i was really frustrated after their matches with Paraguay and T&T. they were just walking around, there was no action. they weren't even trying to win. they played a little better against Sweden, but they need to be a lot better. and what the hell is wrong with Lampard... why is he unable to get a goal when he has so many great chances?

Answer 8

hey I thought they did well yest, esp gettin over the shock of Michael 'Anderton' Owen hurting himself again, they knuckled down and played well second half wasn't so good but was all round better than the first two games. EXCEPT THAT PRATT HARGREAVES! GET HIM OFF!

Answer 9

i have

Answer 10

almost