England v. Portugal - pre-match chat

I think we should stop the defensive formation because it simply wont work against Portugal. Give Rooney support upfront but not by lanky Crouch by Lennon he would be perfect. Keep Carrick on and drop Lampard his playing crap.

Just read that no action will be taken against Figo for the headbutt.

So what's it gonna be? I've checked out who's available, who's on form and who their best team and formation will be and, if I read Big Phil correctly, I think he'll start with this line-up:



So I firmly believe we should provide an attacking counter in this:



Knowin' full well that the dopey Swede will do this:



What are we gonna do?

@ Sin: you're first alternative speaks of self-confidence and a forward-oriented game. Would be nice to see that.

I reckon he will start with same team as yesterday. I'd really love to see Lennon in from the start though to give them a winger to deal with as well as us looking after Ronaldo.

*topsy agrees with bluedave shocka*

yeah, would be nice to see Lennon in from the start
ditch Frankie as well, he's done nowt so far

And lightnin' fast Lennon would be up against old man Figo who is already on a yellow card. Beckham on the right will be an open book to Figo.

Nah! I'm sure he's continuing his Goal Identification lessons this week after a check-up at the opticians. Law of averages says that he has to get at least 1 in 50 on target, and time's up.

Like the ideas Sin, but obviously Walcott has more chance of playing for Portugal than England. Lampard has been very off but then it is hard to really funtion when all you really do is watch the long ball sail over your head towards Rooney or whoever is up front and then check back when the counter attack comes.

People at work are asking my why he hasn't had a fair go yet.

except get in Stevie G's way

The way I see it is that Portugal playin' their own game will give England more space. Which means that we have to use that to our advantage. They'll read and cut-out any 'long-ball' game easy-peasy. We need high accuracy passing ball build ups. We need the wingers workin' effectively. We HAVE to give Rooney support to be effective. Hargreaves is good at breakin' down attacks, so use him in his best role. Five in the midfield is key to matchin' Portugal's strengths.

Might also be entertaining to watch Ronaldo v. Joe Cole to see who does the fancy two-step nicer.

On paper, with an attackin' 3-5-2 we could actually show real flair and come away with a 3:0 win. Unlikely this is goin' through Sven Gormless Eriksson's mind at any point sadly.

I VOTE SIN FOR ENGLAND MANAGER!!!

I like your first team but it would leave us a little bit exposed at the back. I'd put in an extra defender who likes to get forward and drop Walcott. Gotta play Lennon from the start...but he won't. Lennon and Cole would give us the width. Hargreaves sweeps up and Lamps and Gerrard can take it in turns to hit shots over the bar. Perfect!

@tigress: I second the motion!

@ DJ - drop Walcott? Poor boy hasn't had a sniff of a game yet, has he? Sven must have thought he was good to bring him, so has got to let him play, surely?!

walcott hasn't had a game yet, cos most of the matches are being played WELL past his bedtime

@ Topsy okay, so he needs to ask his mum for a lift to training, and is only just old enough for his own adult passport, but still, he could be wonder boy and we're wasting him!!

@lucyk - I know what you're saying but throwing a kid into a situation like that and then run the risk of having him being slated the next day by the media? Could damage the kid's career. The Swede refused to play him against the dipshit teams in the first few games and basically closed the door on him in doing so. If you're too frightened to play him against T&T, what the hell chance is there of playing him against Portugal in a QF??!!! I mean come on, when I was 17 I couldn't even tie my own shoelaces! I'm still having trouble...

Walcott hasn't even played in the premiership let alone at International level, bit risky bringing him out now. Maybe Sven's saving him for the final.
It's Lennon I want to see playing against Portugal and erBreckham I want off.

But then why bring him in the squad... and maybe he has velcro fastening football boots!!

That's the golden question my dear!

Disagree. The Terry-Ferdinand-Ashley Cole combo with Hargreaves sweepin' gives us more options. Lennon, Gerrard and Joe Cole would have to track back. Lampard stays in the middle and the two strikers up front.


I disagree. Walcott's got everything to play for. A bit like Geoff Hurst in '66. And if his career is damaged, what do you care? Kid plays for The Arse.

Thank you My fee will be 50% what Sven got, but 200% the pick of the best crumpet at The FA.

@Sin - do you agree about my point that I can't tie my shoelaces yet?!! Can prove that to you

I'm just more of a realist. All this talk about Eriksson should do this or that is a waste of breath or typed words. Simple fact is the range of choices he MIGHT consider are very limited. We will be playing with a relatively defensive line-up - fact. He's a Serie A manager of old and nothing's gonna change that. All we can do is hope he gives us enough of a chance to compete against Portugal. Lennon and co would scare them to death but I fear they also scare Eriksson to death. Whatever the team is, I want us to beat that stupid prick Ricardo so I can see his face. Acting, timewasting gimp that he is.

Think it would be a grave mistake to take on Portugal with 3 at the back. They play with a lot of width, Ronaldo and Figo could cause havoc.

Would play 442 with Roon and Crouch up front. Possibly with Carrick and Gerrard as my central midfield pairing. I think it has shown time and again that Lampard and Gerrard are no good in the same team which is a shame for England.

he did in 2004 so I've no reason to think he won't this time around

Yeah but we sat back and invited them to attack. They were more than happy to and scored. We do the same again, guess what will happen? Do you see Ghana, Germany, Brazil etc etc defending leads like us with 10 men behind the ball? No. That crap doesn't work anymore and we're better than that.

Unfortunately, Eriksson appears to not have realised that yet

When did I say anything about your tying shoelaces?


No, I'm a realist too. I know full well that Eriksson won't play to the strengths of our squad, will play a disjointed, negative game where the players incoherently fumble about and then if we go 1:0 up will sit deep in defence on that lead.

Listen, I'm every bit an Englishman as you. Maybe more so if you know who I am. I'm just venting my frustration and opinion. It's my breath to waste, and I am fully aware that Eriksson don't listen to nobody. I believe he does have the choices available to make England win. I'm sure he won't take them and we'll be watchin' Wimbledon playin' again come Saturday.

Totally agreed. I've been saying that about Lampard and Gerrard for years.

And IMHO Lennon and Joe Cole would be charged with man-marking Ronaldo and Figo. Joe Cole and Ronaldo would be closely matched, but I sincerely believe that Lennon would run rings around Figo on pace.

I agree; Figo's not so fast on his feet these days whereas Lennon's like a bullet.

That's until Figo nuts him one.

Speaking of which, Fifa have let him off, so he's playing.

They're also appealing Deco's first yellow...which is beyond ridiculous.

Was just reading about that in Publico. Here's Sky's report on it.

Frankly the booking should stand, regardless of whether the ball had gone out of play - there's no reason for Deco to act like that.

Ho hum well let's see what Fifa say. In any case Ronaldo is fit to play he only has bruises!

Ho Hum... back to why I'd pick the team with a 3-5-2 formation: playing to our strengths.



The Portuguese strength is their midfield. That's why I'd go for a 5-man England midfield.

Again, Robinson is the best goalkeeper we've got. Terry is great as a defender at getting up the right wing for Chelsea, so why not for England? I'd also make him Captain because of his passion. If ever there was a Terry Butcher MkII then John Terry is that man. He's even got the Agincourt haircut and menacing stare.

Ferdinand has really come back on to form. He's better than Sol Campbell at the moment, and the man I'd give the central defensive role to. Ashley Cole has also suddenly hit form. He stays.

To those who say that a 3-man defence is a mistake I disagree. Owen Hargreaves' greatest strength is in cutting out the ball. In the sweeper role he becomes the 4th man in defence without being tied to field position. During attacks he is the spreader of the ball. Aaron Lennon and Joe Cole would be directly tasked with man-marking Figo and Ronaldo respectively. When defending, these two boys are superb at robbing the ball. They are also good at tracking back to cover for Terry and Ashley Cole.

Steven Gerrard's role would be the same as it is at Liverpool, roaming the forward defence, midfield and attack. This allows Frank Lampard to stay upfield as the central link player. Theo Walcott and Wayne Rooney would give any opposition a headache, so why not Portugal?

Detractors of Walcott can harp on that he hasn't had a game/hasn't got any experience. He ain't gonna get any either if some of you have your way. I'm convinced the boy knows what he's up to, and what the chance of a start will do for his career. I don't think he'll let us down either. All he really has to do is run his little legs off and drag defenders away. If he passes accurately, sets up play, dribbles through defences and, you never know, actually scores, it'll all be bonus, and he'll be the toast of England.

Alternatively, putting on Crouch from the off means we should be wearin' Wimbledon's old kit and bang the ball up in the air all the time. Don't get me wrong. I like Crouch. I just don't like the way Eriksson uses the long-ball game whenever he's on the pitch (actually, he doesn't have to even be on the bench for Eriksson to do that).

Let's play to the maximum of our strengths, and really give Portugal something to think about.

would be some crumb of comfort if one could believe SGE gave formation, format, tactics and style a fraction of the thought the posters on this thread have...

...and that's exactly why I should have a crack at all the totty at The FA mj davey.

Portugal have beaten England in their last 2 competitive matches (I think). Portugal have beaten Mexico and Holland in getting to the quarter finals - both teams ranked in the top 10 of FIFA's (admittedly questionable) rankings. England have scraped past Ecuador and Paraguay. Big Phil has won 11 straight World Cup matches and is widely acknowledged to be one of the best coaches in the world. Sven has won the a bottle of plonk at the bottle stall at his local village fete and plays a system which causes Frank Lampard to look like the 2nd worse player in the world,not the second best (Just an aside - who votes for these things - he's good but not that good). Portugal have Pauletta. England have Peter Crouch. Why are England favourite's for this match??

I did not think England were favourites for this match, I just think its a lot of English hope. Including myself, although I have tipped Portugal to win this 2-1 in the company sweepstake.

As for Lampard, well he has had more shots on goal than any other player at the world cup, and still has not scored, his scoring boots are definitely not with him.

I don't think the difference is the players for this one. I think Big Phil's superb tactics wipe the floor of Eriksson's dumb negativity every time. Fuckin' tabloids. He could have been our next manager.

@sin - you'd get my vote - provided I could be on the board interviewing the totty...

i would not caste England as Favs... far from it, personally rather be the Underdog here... But the problem is Portugal do not have a positive reputation and whilst England havn't shone by any stretch of the proverbial, we have been a better, more disciplined and controlled side... progress slow, but effective.

Yer on

Check your friendly neighbourhood bookmaker!

@hw3004

What the bookies say and what forms says is two different things!!!

Bookies are here to make money so since we are in England of course we will be favourites...

Just realised you may be talking about the bookies in Germany - na ja - point stand for here in Eastcote

Anybody know who the ref is for this game?

I know bookmakers need to be wary of the patriotic punter - just trying to highlight a decent betting opportunity here. Odds from Totesport:

90 mins: England Evs, Draw 2/1, Portugal 13/5
To qualify: England 8/15, Portugal 11/8

I'm sure if you shop around with some of the non UK based bookies you'll get a slightly different picture but due to the ease of arbitrage these days with bookies all over the world easily accessible through the internet the prices won't vary that much (looking at those oddss I'd be shocked if Portugal were favourites with any bookmaker).

Looks like Gary Neville is fit for this... back to 4-4-2.

(Taken from Sky.com)

Word is that C Ronaldo wants to move to Real Madrid. He sees it as a dream fulfilled to move there... I don't think Alex Ferguson will stand in his way too much.. I hear Man U was way over budget last year on handkerchiefs to mop up his tears...