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So we're out of this World Cup, we lost to an average Brazilian side due to a pretty poor second half performance, so what now?
Obviously the next big tournament is the European Championships in Portugal in 2004. We're in a group with Turkey likely to be our main rivals for top spot. We should go all out to win this group with some confidence, but there are other things I'd like to see first.
No more "5-1!" No more "We beat the Argies!" That's in the past now, it just so happens that Germany got further than us in this tournament anyway. It's time to move on, look to the future rather than wieghing down the players with the memory of past glories.
Our team has plenty of potential goal scorers, but against Brazil we seemed frightened to shoot. Being a relatively young team, many of our players don't have a great many goals England, so maybe lack a bit of confidence in front of goal. Paul Scholes has hit a few for England, but it seems the fact that he hasn't scored for over a year for England is getting to him.
The answer to this problem? Set up a friendly with one of the whipping boys of world football for early next season. Bring the San Marino team over, and tell our midfielders to put their shooting boots on. Getting back on the score sheet would do Scholes' confidence the world of good, and if players like Sinclair, Dyer, Joe Cole and the like felt happier in front of goal, having scored a couple, they'd be more likely to let fly in the match, rather than passing the ball around for an age, then either losing it, or hitting a hopeful ball towards Owen. He's not the only player capable of scoring you know.
We now have a team capable of beating anyone on their day. The problem is making this day be every single match day. Against Brazil we just didn't perform in the second half. We have to figure out why this happens so often. at least under past managers, Glen Hoddle, Kevin Keegan, even Graham Taylor, our players would run till the very end. The fact is back then our team wasn't good enough, and we lacked ideas. Now our team is good enough, why the lacklustre performances? We need someone to get into these players heads to find out what the stumbling block is. The best examples are the two games after we beat Germany. Qualification was in our own hands then, and we struggled to beat a poor Albanian side, then there was the Greek tragedy, saved by a piece of last minute brilliance.
We have the players, decent ones now, decent young players to come in, we have a great manager, all we need is to be able to perform every single time. Once we have that, major tournament trophies may no longer just be a dream.
Obviously the next big tournament is the European Championships in Portugal in 2004. We're in a group with Turkey likely to be our main rivals for top spot. We should go all out to win this group with some confidence, but there are other things I'd like to see first.
No more "5-1!" No more "We beat the Argies!" That's in the past now, it just so happens that Germany got further than us in this tournament anyway. It's time to move on, look to the future rather than wieghing down the players with the memory of past glories.
Our team has plenty of potential goal scorers, but against Brazil we seemed frightened to shoot. Being a relatively young team, many of our players don't have a great many goals England, so maybe lack a bit of confidence in front of goal. Paul Scholes has hit a few for England, but it seems the fact that he hasn't scored for over a year for England is getting to him.
The answer to this problem? Set up a friendly with one of the whipping boys of world football for early next season. Bring the San Marino team over, and tell our midfielders to put their shooting boots on. Getting back on the score sheet would do Scholes' confidence the world of good, and if players like Sinclair, Dyer, Joe Cole and the like felt happier in front of goal, having scored a couple, they'd be more likely to let fly in the match, rather than passing the ball around for an age, then either losing it, or hitting a hopeful ball towards Owen. He's not the only player capable of scoring you know.
We now have a team capable of beating anyone on their day. The problem is making this day be every single match day. Against Brazil we just didn't perform in the second half. We have to figure out why this happens so often. at least under past managers, Glen Hoddle, Kevin Keegan, even Graham Taylor, our players would run till the very end. The fact is back then our team wasn't good enough, and we lacked ideas. Now our team is good enough, why the lacklustre performances? We need someone to get into these players heads to find out what the stumbling block is. The best examples are the two games after we beat Germany. Qualification was in our own hands then, and we struggled to beat a poor Albanian side, then there was the Greek tragedy, saved by a piece of last minute brilliance.
We have the players, decent ones now, decent young players to come in, we have a great manager, all we need is to be able to perform every single time. Once we have that, major tournament trophies may no longer just be a dream.
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Yeah, I have a feeling that England might win Euro 2004 too - but not World Cup 2006! We should at least be able to reach the Semi's quite easily, and I see no problem in us qualifying for the tournament either! :)
It's mainly because of the age of our squad, and how well it's done this year. We've also got a lot of talent in the U-21 squads, so we'll be able to forget about Seaman and co. as we should have good enough replacements!
And other teams like France are actually quite old, and so too many chages could effect them - for worse!
It's mainly because of the age of our squad, and how well it's done this year. We've also got a lot of talent in the U-21 squads, so we'll be able to forget about Seaman and co. as we should have good enough replacements!
And other teams like France are actually quite old, and so too many chages could effect them - for worse!
England could win Euro 2004, but I don't know if they will.
I have a feeling that the home nation (Portugal) will bounce back from this World Cup and win it.
Don't know why I feel that, but I just do.
:-)
I have a feeling that the home nation (Portugal) will bounce back from this World Cup and win it.
Don't know why I feel that, but I just do.
:-)
Ah, the Brazil game was the first time England have been beaten when Rio and Sol have played together...
Foreman wrote:
> remember when...
>
> The papers said that we weren't going to qualify for the World Cup
> after the 1-0 defeat to Germany and the draw to Finland, and then no
> manager and no one wanted the job.
>
> But then came Sven Goran Erikson who helped us to qualify, we also
> beat Germany in their own back yard. We then were entered into the
> 'Group of Death' and beat Argentina. Then beat Denmark 3-0.
>
> I think that we did very very well, as we were unbeaten in 19 games?
>
> I am proud of the England squad.
Exactly me to and they are still so very young most of them
> remember when...
>
> The papers said that we weren't going to qualify for the World Cup
> after the 1-0 defeat to Germany and the draw to Finland, and then no
> manager and no one wanted the job.
>
> But then came Sven Goran Erikson who helped us to qualify, we also
> beat Germany in their own back yard. We then were entered into the
> 'Group of Death' and beat Argentina. Then beat Denmark 3-0.
>
> I think that we did very very well, as we were unbeaten in 19 games?
>
> I am proud of the England squad.
Exactly me to and they are still so very young most of them
remember when...
The papers said that we weren't going to qualify for the World Cup after the 1-0 defeat to Germany and the draw to Finland, and then no manager and no one wanted the job.
But then came Sven Goran Erikson who helped us to qualify, we also beat Germany in their own back yard. We then were entered into the 'Group of Death' and beat Argentina. Then beat Denmark 3-0.
I think that we did very very well, as we were unbeaten in 19 games?
I am proud of the England squad.
The papers said that we weren't going to qualify for the World Cup after the 1-0 defeat to Germany and the draw to Finland, and then no manager and no one wanted the job.
But then came Sven Goran Erikson who helped us to qualify, we also beat Germany in their own back yard. We then were entered into the 'Group of Death' and beat Argentina. Then beat Denmark 3-0.
I think that we did very very well, as we were unbeaten in 19 games?
I am proud of the England squad.
It's all possitive as far as I can see.
In this World Cup campaign, Beckham hasn't been 100%, nor has Owen, even Scholes has been carrying a little injury, and Gerrard wasn't available at all.
Despite all of this we have still got to the quarter finals, and only through the luck of the draw (i.e. getting Brazil) have we gone out.
Not to mention the awesome feat of qualifying from the 'Group of death'. A task which many countries would have struggled to do.
On paper now we must be in the top 8 countries in the world.
In this World Cup campaign, Beckham hasn't been 100%, nor has Owen, even Scholes has been carrying a little injury, and Gerrard wasn't available at all.
Despite all of this we have still got to the quarter finals, and only through the luck of the draw (i.e. getting Brazil) have we gone out.
Not to mention the awesome feat of qualifying from the 'Group of death'. A task which many countries would have struggled to do.
On paper now we must be in the top 8 countries in the world.
Yeh but that was 12 Years ago, different players, different situation.
We beat Argentina, Denamark and came out of the Group of Death without much bother, I think we hold good stead for the future specially with Becks/Sven leading the troops.
We beat Argentina, Denamark and came out of the Group of Death without much bother, I think we hold good stead for the future specially with Becks/Sven leading the troops.
Although I appreciate this is a good Young team which can only get better...
Just look what happened 12 Years ago. England got to the semi-finals only to not even qualify for the next world cup...
Just look what happened 12 Years ago. England got to the semi-finals only to not even qualify for the next world cup...
What next for the England Team?
-----------
Firstly a Great effort by the lads, going out to Brasil is nothing to be ashamed about, they are a Greay team and even though we werent great we still managed to score and give them a scare, on our day I still believe we would have beaten them.
We have a fairly young team that hasn't been playing together as long as many other teams in this tournament. Many players like Butt, Sinclair, Hargreaves, Vassel, Rio were not even in the reckoning for a first team spot a year ago and the likes of Sherwood, Batty etc were
Therefore the young players have been put faith into With the addition of Neville and Gerrad our players have the chance to 'gell' together for the Euro Champs & Next world cup.
I also believe that there are a few players on the brink of the England squad the likes of Jansen, Dunn, Carrick looks excellent young players and hopefully they get a chance aswell.
The futures does look bright and the WC must have been a massive experience for some of these players and hopefully we will see further progress.
-----------
Firstly a Great effort by the lads, going out to Brasil is nothing to be ashamed about, they are a Greay team and even though we werent great we still managed to score and give them a scare, on our day I still believe we would have beaten them.
We have a fairly young team that hasn't been playing together as long as many other teams in this tournament. Many players like Butt, Sinclair, Hargreaves, Vassel, Rio were not even in the reckoning for a first team spot a year ago and the likes of Sherwood, Batty etc were
Therefore the young players have been put faith into With the addition of Neville and Gerrad our players have the chance to 'gell' together for the Euro Champs & Next world cup.
I also believe that there are a few players on the brink of the England squad the likes of Jansen, Dunn, Carrick looks excellent young players and hopefully they get a chance aswell.
The futures does look bright and the WC must have been a massive experience for some of these players and hopefully we will see further progress.
I honestly think we can win Euro 2004, by then we will have a new goalie probably the same back four and most of the midfield would have stayed the same but up front i can see some one like Owen partnering some one else and not heskey
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