Are we contenders or pretenders?

[Agent Red]

The group phase is over for us and the big games loom. It seems opinion is stacked in favour of an early exit for England but I don't agree. What say you?

[bracer028]

pretenders

this team is not cutting it.

subpar game against paraguay, subpar game against T&T, and a horrible game against sweden

maybe this is the team's full potential. maybe its not even subpar, it might be their best. who knows?

now that owen is injured, playing rooney and gerrard would be the best idea. rooney or lamps too. free up a midfield spot for carrick. bench beckham for lennon and maybe this team would win the world cup

[Alan_V]

The team are contender, without doubt. Now they need to stop playing like pretenders and prove it.

[When Hell Unfreezes]

Definitely contenders, we are almost in the quarters, playing total sh!t - it can only get better can't it................????.............:D

[M]

Without fully fit and in form Owen and Rooney, they are most definitely not contenders.

[When Hell Unfreezes]

Without fully fit and in form Owen and Rooney, they are most definitely not contenders.

Neither have contributed anything and we're in the quarters, they are surplus to requirements, although Looney still has the chance to prove himself..........

I think we might well see Walcott against Ecodor at some stage, as we didn't want to unleash him too soon - you are doomed...................:cool:

[Colm]

Pretenders with the way we're playing at the moment. :(

[lost]

I think it is pretty clear what we are, without going into clichés or ambiguous statements: England are basically waiting for a quarter final tie with Holland or Portugal, and if we win this we are facing Brazil. Win both of these and we will be seen as one of the top sides in the world, mess up either of these and we remain as underachieving failures.

[Danson's Magic Hands]

Cockenders

[glennaldo_sf]

Crouchenders

[newyorkastle]

if there was a way to get beckham on the bench.. england could win. it's like playing a man down for much of the run of play.

maybe it could be ameliorated by moving him inside as a passer... and sliding gerrard out to the right where i believe he's done fine for l'pool. that also separates gerrard and lampard a bit more so they aren't running up the same spots in the middle.

england might do well with a 4-1-4-1 having rooney up top alone and hargreaves as a sweeper. it's way too predictable when crouch is out there. the other side just watches the ball coming toward his head, beats him to it and thaen boots away

[celito]

England seems to lack a killer instinct at times. When you're defending a lead you have to be able to kill the game against good opposition. So many times they go ahead and they allow teams to comeback.

Here is the only way to win the WC for England, IMO. Remove Lampard (he is just cold right now) and play Gerrard in his position. Put somebody behind Gerrard to protect the midfield. Keep Rooney up front and hope he can keep improving his form. Take out Crouch for Walcott, because a team with Crouch can't win the WC (my opinion). Sven screwed himself up by bringing the boy, might as well gamble now. Keep Beckham on the right and replace him in the second half by Lennon when you need some extra spark.

[benwb]

Here is the only way to win the WC for England, IMO. Remove Lampard (he is just cold right now) and play Gerrard in his position. Take out Crouch for Walcott, because a team with Crouch can't win the WC (my opinion).No way. We are contenders but not if we drop Crouch and Lampard.

[glennaldo_sf]

I'm just not sure what Sven tells his players at halftime...

"you got it in the bag ... sit back, have a few pints, smoke a joint, and go out and take it easy..." ?????!!!!!

.. whatever it is... I've noticed a trend with England.. they play their hearts out in the first half and then somehow let their opponents completely take over in the second. We saw it last night against Sweden, we saw it against Paraguay last week, we also saw it 4 years ago against Sweden again and Brazil... in the first half England have played like contenders / in the second pretenders... If England can play the way they did in the first half last night - then I think they can beat anybody - but if they go into a shell like they did in the second - we may see Ecuador in the quarterfinals. It all depends on which England shows up.

[Danson's Magic Hands]

If England can play the way they did in the first half last night - then I think they can beat anybody - but if they go into a shell like they did in the second - we may see Ecuador in the quarterfinals. It all depends on which England shows up.
Well, like you say, they both will. One in the first half and one in the second.

[Colm]

I'm just not sure what Sven tells his players at halftime...

"you got it in the bag ... sit back, have a few pints, smoke a joint, and go out and take it easy..." ?????!!!!!

.. whatever it is... I've noticed a trend with England.. they play their hearts out in the first half and then somehow let their opponents completely take over in the second. We saw it last night against Sweden, we saw it against Paraguay last week, we also saw it 4 years ago against Sweden again and Brazil... in the first half England have played like contenders / in the second pretenders... If England can play the way they did in the first half last night - then I think they can beat anybody - but if they go into a shell like they did in the second - we may see Ecuador in the quarterfinals. It all depends on which England shows up.It'll be another shite preformance no doubt because Sven will just let them be crap in the 2nd half and sit back and defend. This isn't the group stage anymore. We have to step up now or we could be getting the early flight home.

[Agent Red]

I think it is pretty clear what we are, without going into clichés or ambiguous statements: England are basically waiting for a quarter final tie with Holland or Portugal, and if we win this we are facing Brazil. Win both of these and we will be seen as one of the top sides in the world, mess up either of these and we remain as underachieving failures.

I see what you're saying because you can't predict the run of play, the referee and other variables. But predicting the winner of a knockout competition has to be about the 4 basic attributes of ability, desire, tactics and performance. The 5th element of luck is beyond prediction. England have the ability, not many doubting that. The desire appears to have reached the heights of belief but tactics and performance are yet to be fulfilled. Some players like Gerrard and J.Cole have reached top performance and we need the likes of Rooney to do the same.Tactics are England's sticking point but we're still undefeated so perhaps we're not as short as it seems.

So therefore, in predicting the final four, I would select which teams have shown or are showing signs of reaching top levels. To me they are Spain, Argentina, Germany and England. True that any team can burst through but on evidence so far, we are in the top four.

I don't think it's possible for any team to maintain top level for all seven games. The winners usually peak for two or maybe three games if they're exceptional. Of the four, which have peaked and which shows signs of doing so?

[lost]

I have been going on about the impossibility of England going on some crazy 7 game winning run and taking the trophy for ages now. However, it is no longer some mystical huge number, it is just 4 games, if we beat Ecuador, it is down to three. Maybe, just maybe, to this squad, the idea of winning 3 tough games in a row may not be too impossible. I still doubt we will win, but the task does look a lot less daunting than it did 2 weeks ago. Also, agent red, do you not think that Brazil will be in the semis? I think the only chance of this is if Italy can some how deal with them, but the fact is that a)Italy may well not be in the next round and b) if they are in the next round, they will almost definitely be in top spot. So we are pretty much fuked.

[BridgeMonkee]

Problem is we have too many players who are not match fit or not on form - Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell, Beckham, Lampard, Owen, Rooneh - or played out of position - Carragher - or useless - Downing, Crouch, - or who have never played a game before - Theo.

We also have a manager who's half time pep talk is a downer and all the players come out depressed for the second half.

We need a little luck and we need Lampard and Rooney to suddenly become awesome along with Joe Cole and Gerrard. We need Lennon to replace Beckham after 60 mins and we need Theo to be better than Pele.

We could go all the way :D

[Agent Red]

I have been going on about the impossibility of England going on some crazy 7 game winning run and taking the trophy for ages now. However, it is no longer some mystical huge number, it is just 4 games, if we beat Ecuador, it is down to three. Maybe, just maybe, to this squad, the idea of winning 3 tough games in a row may not be too impossible. I still doubt we will win, but the task does look a lot less daunting than it did 2 weeks ago. Also, agent red, do you not think that Brazil will be in the semis? I think the only chance of this is if Italy can some how deal with them, but the fact is that a)Italy may well not be in the next round and b) if they are in the next round, they will almost definitely be in top spot. So we are pretty much fuked.

I didn't say Brazil because as yet they haven't shown much besides ability. On the criteria I gave, Spain look to have the measure of them in a potential quarter final but it's still only 2 games played each for them so not enough form to predict with. Besides, I fancy England to beat Brazil. I think the difference is mental and I see the right look in the England players' eyes.

Monkee, I wouldn't write off Lampard hitting form and also Walcott coming good. There's always a fairy tale and if he gets his chance I reckon he'll take it.