World Cup 2014, Brazil.

Other players have taken them, when Rickie hasn't been on the pitch or in friendlies/shootouts. Lallana hasn't.

 

I don't remember a shootout when Lallana was on the pitch.

 

I'm pretty sure he was playing in the JPT game vs Norwich that ended 2-2 and went to pens. Can't remember if he took a pen or not though!

 

Had to look a little and the BBC sport website came up trumps, Adam did indeed take and score a pen that night. So as far as I know, his record of scoring from the penalty spot is just as good as Lamberts

 

The England squad at a charity dinner tonight before they head off for the training camp.

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Shaw, you cheeky bugger, blocking Lambert's face!

 

So, this is the state of the stadium which is hosting the first match of the World Cup...

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http://sports.ndtv.com/football/new...m-roof-wont-be-finished-for-tournament-opener

 

I wonder where these new stadia are going to get their safety certificates from..? You wouldn't catch me in one of them, even if I could afford to go.

 

Yes, I am afraid that always seems to be the way. I went to Germany 2006 and remember Dutch fans having to take their trousers off as they portrayed competitor sponsors, and in South Africa local people making trinkets to sell were arrested even though they had no comprehension of the copyright they were apparently breaching, while people were not able to take water into the stadium despite the 42 degrees but you could buy coke water in a cup at 2 euros a glass - I wonder if they will try similar in Qatar.

 

According to pundits, Southampton have the Midas Touch when it comes to providing players who can take penalties. So, to take advantage of this, if it comes to a penalty shootout, I would have the current Saints players in as a first 3 and OXO as number 4. Having gained the Saints penalty capability, he should be dependable. The rest can come in at any point. It wouldn't surprise me if we didn't score after the first 4 go in.

 

Nice to see the three academy lads together at the front. Shaw too cool to do his top button up

 

How do you feel England's chances are in this world cup ? I hope they do well but i think there are at least 6-8 teams better and that reflex in the rankings really, Take off your bias hat and rose tinted glasses and give your honest opinion on where you think England are and where they will finish in the W.Cup. I would love to see them get to the semi's but i dont think they will....i hope i am wrong...

 

The best teams don't always get to the later stages i.e. QF / SF / F. Remember England in 90 hardly pulled up any trees yet nearly got to the final (barring penalties) Italy in 94 got to the final without really looking that good.

So maybe we could have a re-run of 1990 and scrape through the group, get a very late winner a minute before penalties in the second round (when we had been outplayed.) Get 2 penalties in the quarter final and take the semi to penalties with all Saints and former Saints on the pitch at 120 minutes.

Then just maybe we will be in the final and we can hope for the best making new ground on foreign soil.

 

Either that or he's got a fat neck.

 

Mate, in all seriousness, we're 33/1 for a reason. And even there the bookies have shortened the price to allow for the "patriotic pound". We've got 2 hopes, and one of them's Bob. I'm seriously excited about seeing the three Saints lads on the world stage though; I'll be more gutted if none of em get on the pitch than I will be if England fail to get out of their group.

 

Agreed.

Bob hope and no hope.... and Bob Hope is dead.

 

Good memory!

 

The group is tricky, but after that it's a knock out tournament and as we all know anything can happen. That is what makes it so unpredictable and why the world tunes in. England are not great but if we played any nation in a 10 game series i'm confident we would beat them all at least once.
A bit of luck, a flash of genius, a favourable decision from the ref. So many world cup matches are decided by thin margins that i go into the tournament with a bit more than no hope.

 

You haven't been watching England for 30 years then?

 

We are capable of beating anyone on a one off occasion, so am hopeful of getting out of the group. I think we avoid the biggies in the next round, so I am hopeful we will get through that. To get that far would be an okay result, then bring our lads home unscathed but with enhanced reputations (but too massively expensive for anyone to consider buying).