The Eng-er-land thread

England 3-0 Estonia.

Gareth Barry looking very decent.  Let's hope the days of Fat Frank are over for England.

Best goal today has to be the own goal.  World class trikers can't head the ball in to the bottom corner from outside the box.  We should sign that Estonian fella up.

Fat Frank got a very mixed reception when he came on 

Fat Frank got a very mixed reception when he came on 

he does like dolly mixures so maybe he enjoyed the mixed reactions, o and the own goal, what a finsh

Best bit of the game !!  Fat Frank getting booed 

Oh and well done Gareth Barry 

Fat Franks face when he was on the bench was a picture better get used to it fat boy.

Hmm. This is not right. I need a Wales thread..

Hmm. This is not right. I need a Wales thread..

That could go with the kneedle that there is in the Welsh camp after recent results 

Anyone at home and going to watch the England game? I'm only watching it to see how Gerrard gets on!! Let fat frank do all the work Gerrard. We want you back fresh!!

Anyone at home and going to watch the England game? I'm only watching it to see how Gerrard gets on!! Let fat frank do all the work Gerrard. We want you back fresh!!

Fat Frank been left on the bench again, Barry starts.

Sky went off this morning - paid and this minute back on all though was more worried about Saturday, I personally think it'll be a draw

Fat Frank been left on the bench again, Barry starts.

Probably a good thing. If fat frank was playing Gerrard would end up doing all the midfield graft.

I reckon a draw as well.

Yawn.

Watching it to pass the time?  Thought so.

Should we really waste our time on a team so unpassionate?  International break is becoming more of a distraction than ever.

John Terry injured again, anything new?  No?  I'm officially sick of our National team.  Watching a bunch of half arsed players who don't even show a hint of passion throughout.  And yes, I am including Gerrard in this.

So as you can see I'm not interested tonight.  I'm more bothered about our National Rugby team retaining the World Cup.

The only player who shown some optimism throughout the last few fixtures is  Gareth Barry.  Our players should learn from his attitude.

Rant over.

I thought you guys were playing tonight not now!!

Brilliant goal by Shrek though..

That could go with the kneedle that there is in the Welsh camp after recent results 

Um.. I am really not being a bi*ch, but, kneedle?

They think it's all over...

























It is now! 

England's Euro 2008 hopes are no longer in their own hands after they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Russia in Moscow.



All looked well for Steve McClaren's men after Wayne Rooney volleyed England ahead on 29 minutes.


Russia were then handed the lifeline they needed on 69 minutes when Rooney was penalised for a foul on Konstantin Zurianov and substitute Roman Pavluchenko stepped up to convert the penalty.


Pavluchenko was then the hero for his nation as grabbed the winner when he was first to react in the six-yard box as Paul Robinson blocked Alexei Berezutsky's long-range effort.


Russia are now only two points behind England with a game in hand. Croatia are already virtually through so if Russia can win in Israel next month, with only part-time Andorra to play in their final match, it is they who are likely to go on to the finals in Austria and Switzerland.

^^ the sky sports view^^

Um.. I am really not being a bi*ch, but, kneedle?

Just kidding. Don't worry about it.

I didn't see any highlowlights of the match, but all I keep reading and hearing about is Stevie's missed goal....does anyone have a link to it, so that i can see how bad it really was or are they just over exaggerating?

I suggest two main reasons why England played such an ugly way in Russia:
The first
Yr players were bribed. Not without thinking Russian TV workers showed Abromovitch before the game.
The second
Yr were intoxicated with anything in Russia that made them so tired or even exosted with so poor movement! I know about that old Russian tradition from history. Especially, Russians use it in relation to English when they need results!

You can trust and take those suggestions into account because we, Belarusian, know much about Russians and their way of doing things. A lot of jokes about Russians who can easily make foreigners drunk or intoxicate them.
Though I don’t know anything about if British are able to do the same. But England weren’t similar to themselves. Every one who I have spoken to, say it’s strange the way yr team looked yesterday.

Football history know similar situation. I heard the story  when Argentinians intoxicated Brazilian team having mixed smth in mineral water.

You can boldly believe one of the version is accurately right.

Today one person tells me English fans had luck that England  lost yesterday. Imagine what could happen if England had won. Many of yr compatriots who were in Russia yesterday wouldn’t come back in their full health. You may remember what Russians fans did when their team lost to Japan in group stage of World cup in 2002. Moscow was almost ruined in place where the match was shown live. And Japanese people living in Moscow were warned not to go out those days in danger to be killed or injured by locals. Now it’s known that it was a project of people taking high posts in Russian government. Mamma mia, what I am doing! I am telling you things that are forbidden to tell foreigners! Ts-s-s!No one must know about that!

 So Enfland saved yr compatriots by losing. You can say thank you to yr players!

So, in short, they were paid off, or to prevent a "diplomatic incident", they threw the match.

Sorry, but I'm going with the crap-official-plus-limp-wristed-goalie-cock-up theory.

Its probably better that we don't qualify as it may prevent another Euro 2000.  A complete embarassment!

How England have found themselves in this mess when you look at the other teams in the group is an absolute joke.

Clueless manager and players with no pride.

Hand on heart - I'd prefer them to go through if only cos it's a decent few nights out at the pub (and I quite enjoy when we mess up and somebody becomes a new national hate figure for a) missing a pen b) getting sent off c) getting injured).

However, these players, and their wags probably need bringing down a peg or two.

Right, its time to rant !

there was a time when i used to love watching england play football,

Im not sure if it was my naivety, youthful exuberance, the ten pints id just downed or the arrival of a certain mr gascoigne that made me think england could actually play football.

there were other bright lights that have graced the england team, mr owen bursting onto the scene, beckhams arrival and early england displays. (1998, 2000 etc)

but now im a bit older and have watched england and the beautiful game for many years i can quite clearly see the wider picture.

england as a country doesnt seem to be able to produce these world class players often enough and as a result we have teams that are technically inept.

we havent had a player who has technical skilll since paul gascoigne, can steve gerrard, frank lampard or gareth barry play keep ball, not a chance.

we are great at producing bullish bruising centre halves, forwards and central midfielders but never enough technically gifted players.

this is why we get outplayed by most of the south american teams and continentals and strugglle to break down teams like macedonia, russia, israel croatia etc etc.


we just cannot keep the bloody football !   and it s so f*ckin annoying to watch teams like croatia and portugal make us look utter crap which is just what we are sometimes.

hoof it long, get the big man on the end of it, ugly sh*te football. we love it.

why? cos we cant keep it, its our only option!

this will not change whilst foreigners rule the premiership and technical players are not nurtured and brought through.

look how good sven now looks with decent players as a coach!
plus how much would elano help the england midfield!


and this is why steve gerrard looks much better with alonso next to him to 'KEEP' the ball and keep the team ticking over !

ok rant over..