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"England v Macedonia"

So Gerrard will miss the game as well.

I hope we get a good result. Anyone else know who's out for it?

http://msn.skysports.com/ (SPACE)skysports/article/0,,7-1102549,00.html

he's not definately out yet. but he may be.

Beckham is out. Something on Sky Sports says he's out.

But yeah whoever said they wanted Beattie to start has a great chance. Beattie appealed to Sven to let him start and show what he can do and sven 'accepted the gauntlet' let's just see what happens.

I would love to see Beattie start he is a great player and i am clueless as to why he has not had a proper chance yet.

Scholes and Gerrard both out along with Sinclair, interesting to see who joins Beckham in midfield.
Lampard will probably get a start, not sure if Butt is fit ?

The last game with them was a right shambles from englands point of view and i expect more of the same in this one.

I'm more looking forward to Italy vs Wales.

Italy really need the win so be interesting to see if they actually play a game with a positive attacking state of mind.

There is a real lack of proven english goalscoreres in this country. If you look at other national sides they each have a large number 4 or 5+ world class strikers. Whereas in England our midfielders are probably better known around the world than our attack. Dont get me wrong, Owen is fantastic, but there is no-one else up to even a remotely similar standard to Owen on the international stage. Now your gonna say somethin about Beattie, well he isnt a national team player, he is a out and out domestic goalscorer, but he hasnt got that extra bit required for national team success. I feel England would do better playing a 4-5-1 formation instead, allowing us to get more of what we seemingly do best on the pitch, so more guys like Lampard and Cole can get their chance.

But whatever Sven does, England should, and I emphasise should heavily, walk to victory at least 3-0.

Ross

Im sure he knows already...

What i dont know is just how much power current England managers (post-hoddle) have got and how much say the FA actually have.

I'm saying 2-0 England, with Beattie scoring the winner. Why won't the manager EVER realise Heskey is a rubbish forward?

Ah, but we have to concede a goal, only Lichtenstien have failed to do that in the last year, I think.

Oh, and Turkey, but that was a high profile game, so the team actually played.

Im used to hearing excuses like 'weve had a long hard season already' or 'theres no easy games in Internation football anymore'

Ok so maybe International football is harder now than it was say 20 years ago but teams like England really should be beating teams like Macedonia without too many problems, at least if they expect to beat Brazil in World Cup QF they should.

All players should be fit right now so soon into a new campaign... if England fail to impress and win comfortably on Saturday then we plain and simple have got problems that would need a total overall from the roots up to the management and beyond (FA)

I do however expect England to win 0-2 and do so comfortably without many scares, that would be pleasing, very pleasing.

Isn't it Macedonia V England?

Anyway, no Scholes, no Gerrard.

I'm hoping for a Owen and Beattie starting line-up up front (dreaming, I know), but have resigned myself to seeing Rooney with Heskey on the bench.

This game will be a chance for Lampard to impress again in midfield, few will deny him a place after he harrowed Croatia so well.

Unfortunately, however, I expect this to be yet another "edge of your seat" england game, where our boys struggle to control the game, and possibly even trail until mid-to-late in the 2nd half.