It used to be a name that I thought was clever. Now it's one I don't like at all, but I'm not a fan of changing names, so I'm keeping it. In brief: I got suddenly sick of most US sports. I found I was really enjoying the World Cup, rooting for England without really thinking about it, and also found I liked the web chat people on English sites--much, much better than US counterparts. Then I thought I'd pick a team to back in the Prem so I'd have something to follow most of the time. I picked Southampton, then found they weren't in the Prem. My wife picked Spurs. I found myself pulling for Spurs more and more. The slump at the end of last year made me a confirmed Spurs fan. I have a weakness for stylish losers. But I can't help having a soft spot for Southampton, and my name refers to theirs, and the US and UK's, colors.
Did you not consider West Ham, this was historically their role in English football, although they have since lost the stylish bit.
England won but that was a stop start performance in the last 3rd...this is what happens when a team is changed for no real reason...Carroll is having a good tournament and him and Wellbeck were reading each other in the last game...but due to Rooney's inclusion i felt that Wellbeck's game was suffering. The goal was a tap in aided by 2 deflections...Italy dont give rubbish goals away much. not being a tit for the sake of it...just how i felt with regards the whole performance. well done England.
The papers will be creaming over Rooney now... but his general performance was awful. Not just saying that because I don't think he should have started, it just didn't contribute anything but the goal, and arguably the Ukraine defence contributed more than Rooney did for that.
Rooney is obviously a touch player, because he didn't have any. In fact he did a good impression of his dismal performance in South Africa. No doubt Roy will stick with him because he knows what he is capable of, but you begin to wonder if he will ever show it in an England shirt. The goal will of course excite the media but in reality all you can say is that at least he was in the right place to pop it in.
4 goals in 20 internationals - quite a record. Doesn't quite compare to Crouch does it? Yet Crouch doesn't get near the team because apparently he doesn't score against the "right opposition", which is one of the most ludicrous comments I'd heard when I started hearing that one, remembering a lot of the time England don't score against anybody. Somehow I don't think Rooney will trouble Spain as they're used to playing against similar-ish (but better) players. The thing they might have more trouble with is Carroll... goodness knows I don't like him, but for the sake of the team I think he'd be a better choice.
Difficult one for Hodgson, isn't it? I thought that Welbeck looked potentially very dangerous last night. He didn't get much service, or opportunity, but I think he's a genuinely good striker. I also think that Carroll could cause the Italians problems - so where doe that leave Rooney?
i think Hodgson will play Carroll and Rooney v Italy.There's no way he will leave Rooney out,if that was the case he wouldn't have started last night.Welbeck hold's the ball up well,but didn't look dangerous to me last night,but then no England player did
Crouch doesn't score against big teams, so they don't pick him against big teams, so he can't score against big teams. There's something incredibly circular about that argument.
or something very FA about it........2 many people have been given jobs in football that know **** all about it...thats from the idiots at the top to some players. i was watching the Graham Taylor documentary last night 'do i not like that' and one of the worst bits in it was when he went to have a meeting with the Fa in spain about a few matches and he was sat around a table full of a bunch of old twats who thought they were some footballing intellectuals..but they brought absolutely nothing revolutionary or eye opening to the table....giving the manager a diffrent angle and thus helping him... instead they were talking a load of bollocks about the image of the Fa.......'Gazza is behaving in a way that shows us in a light we dont want to be seen in' etc etc ....... no wonder we never ever get anywhere....and never will..snobby clueless idiots..and i bet it is exactly the same today and the most baffling thing is..as i scour the threads reading things about AVB..it seems like alot of the fans are just like that too..living in a box....and seem to have no leeway in their thought processes.....im glad Levy is not that way out and thats why i back him..even if he fails..as he lives and dies by his sword.
He scored against France when he replaced Carroll after the greasy Heskey had spent 88 minutes throwing his elbows around and giving away the ball. I can't remember whether 2MP scored against Argentina but he certainly had a good game against them a few years back.
He hasn't played since he scored against France, presumably because the old excuse didn't ring true any more! 19 starts, 22 goals. I'd be a little pissed off, if I were him.
Poor Crouch! there was even a time when fans booed him, England fans, because they felt having crouch in the team meant dour football, rather ironic considering no matter who England have, its dour!
Luke the last couple of games I have seen Rooney play for England he has not had even basic ball control, tactics do not account for that. Has he displayed such poor control in United games?
You argue he is great for ManU. That may be the case but surely a great player is great regardless of the team he is in. Ronaldo looks pretty good for Portugal and the rest of the Portgual team are somewhat "less so"!
Of the factors you mentioned, ldl, my pet one is confidence. People tend to underestimate how much confidence affects players of any sport. Doubt and fear make anyone crap. I remember watching Nadal in his first Wimbledon final. He'd been winning points with great forehand approach shots time after time. Then when he had one which would have put him a break up in the last set, you could see the nerves stop the racket from rolling over the ball for a split second, making him hit it long.
