Live - Euro 2008 qualifying

[The Feedster]

From the BBC News Desk

Israel lead Russia to boost England's Euro 2008 qualifying hopes after Scotland suffer an agonising defeat to Italy.

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[Salty25]

I can't believe it, England actually are the luckiest team in Europe

 

[Topper]

I can't believe it, England actually are the luckiest team in Europe

I thought they still have to win their last game, don't they?

 

[Salty25]

England only have to draw their last game... against a Croatia team that has already qualified... at Wembley. If they don't qualify now they shouldn't bother entering for the 2010 World Cup qualifying!

 

[rolfw]

Well they didn't win and they are out. Credit to Croatia though, they are an excellent team.

 

[Yeshi]

Well they didn't win and they are out. Credit to Croatia though, they are an excellent team.

SO WRONG,

England played shit, Thats why they looked good.. England have in the past leathered the Croats was it 4 - goals cant remember of hand..

I put it down to the Manager.. I know your reply will be "always blame the manager" Wrong again.. I told everyone at the start "DONT GET RID OF SVEN" He was an excellant manager for england.. for them to get rid of him was sickening.. If sven was manager i believe we would qualify.

For those who insist im just blaming Mccrapen see this post

http://www.satellites.co.uk/satellite/584156-post5.html

Next manager for me would be my all time fav, not just because he was our savior at club level but he was very funny and a top bloke..

I bring the chosen one Jose Mourinho :-worship:-worship

 

[Analoguesat]

I take we lost - I lost interest when the Faroe Islands couldnt qualify

 

[rolfw]

Yes, England didn't play well and it was partially down to bad tactics/selection, but Croatia are a good team.

 

[Salty25]

Well they didn't win and they are out. Credit to Croatia though, they are an excellent team.

Couldn't agree more. With the exception of Crouch and a half-fit Beckham, that was probably the worst performance this decade. Terry and Rio were greatly missed. Gerrard and Lampard were shocking, and Bridge was just plain crap.

On reflection, dropping Beckham was the big mistake which caused the domino effect which led to the dropped points versus Macedonia and Israel, and which led to tonight. McClaren must be held to the majority of the blame, and Brian Barwick and the old cronies at the FA must be replaced by forward-looking people and ex-players (such as in Germany at the DF.

 

[jimbo]

If anything good comes out of this game it wil be McLaren sacked for sheer tactical incompetence and a re-think of the whole England setup from top down.

 

[RedDevil_UK]

well hes been sacked, no suprise there then.

Last night Beckham (when wally with the brolly decided to play him!) and Crouch was the only players with lions in heart and on shirt.... the rest had hearts of kittens!!!!

totally embarassing to watch for a passionate patriotic Englishman like myself.

2 lines of advice for the next Manager...

Gerrard + Lampard = lose again!!!
4-4-2

 

[T_G]

I am disgusted!!

Major blame for the guttless players, but the manager has to take a big portion of the blame for this game.
His big mistake was not playing David James in goal. Dropping Robinson was ok, but James would have had the experience, plus keep the defenders in position and make them less nervous than an international novice. He also plays with Campbell every week, so they know each other well. How many times did Carson play in Europe/Champions League/ Uefa Cup??? Obviously you can only gain experience by playing, but to throw him into the deep end for such an important game is criminal. Poor lad, I hope he recovers from it. he made a mistake but it isn't his fault. Secondly: Why did Mclaren not play Hargraves?? He has been excellent in the games he played for United, lots of experience. Lampard and Gerrard simply does not work, not enough holding power. End of.
Third: Why did he not play Wes Brown as center half? He might not be as good as Rio, but has a lot of big game experience.

I just can't believe that for such an important game Mclaren and Venables did not think to go for experience and "holding". Plonkers.

Maybe England should go for the Israeli coach, he managed to get a team of very average players to the same points tally as mighty England millionaires...At least his players seemed to fight until the end in a meaningless qualifier.

Disgusted!

 

[Salty25]

Maybe England should go for the Israeli coach, he managed to get a team of very average players to the same points tally as mighty England millionaires...At least his players seemed to fight until the end in a meaningless qualifier.

Very good point that few have picked up on.

 

[jimbo]

Major blame for the guttless players, but the manager has to take a big portion of the blame for this game.
His big mistake was not playing David James in goal. Dropping Robinson was ok, but James would have had the experience, plus keep the defenders in position and make them less nervous than an international novice. He also plays with Campbell every week, so they know each other well. How many times did Carson play in Europe/Champions League/ Uefa Cup??? Obviously you can only gain experience by playing, but to throw him into the deep end for such an important game is criminal. Poor lad, I hope he recovers from it. he made a mistake but it isn't his fault. Secondly: Why did Mclaren not play Hargraves?? He has been excellent in the games he played for United, lots of experience. Lampard and Gerrard simply does not work, not enough holding power. End of.
Third: Why did he not play Wes Brown as center half? He might not be as good as Rio, but has a lot of big game experience.

I just can't believe that for such an important game Mclaren and Venables did not think to go for experience and "holding". Plonkers.

As I said tactical incompetence.

 

[BGonaSTICK]

I'm with Jim on this one. Tactical nursery must have been shut when McClaren showed up for his coaching qualifications.

It's also had a knock-on effect for the World Cup seedings...

England will not be among the top seeds in the 2010 World Cup qualifying draw after their failure to reach Euro 2008. The defeat against Croatia has seen them drop to 12th place - and they have now been leap-frogged by Greece.
This means they are not in the top nine European countries in the draw when it is made in Durban on Sunday.

Bring on Capello.

 

[RedDevil_UK]

All modern time England managers have had the same problem....

no plan "B"

they start the game and even if its glaringly obvious its not working, they stick with the same tactics for 90mins...

nevermind plan "B", they should have plan A-F at least!!!

Against Russia we were dominant.. then Hiddink made changes as he could see it wasnt going to plan. then in a moment straight from question of sports "what happened next?" we lost!

Hiddink bragged before and after the game that we were tactically inept.

whats the point of playing crouch (who needs a decent service) then starting the worlds best crosser on the bench!

 

[jimbo]

whats the point of playing crouch (who needs a decent service) then starting the worlds best crosser on the bench!

Good point. John Motson thought it was 4-3-3 but not so it was 4-5-1. Although J Cole and Lampard can score goals they are NOT out and out strikers. England at home with one striker to take the ball, hold it up and score. The fact is Crouch did that as well as he could but in good teams strikers hunt in pairs.