Breaking News: Manchester City continue to ruin football.

[immense]

I love it how some people will criticise Capello for not thinking about partnerships and just playing the best players and when he plays a player who perhaps isn't the better option but will work better in the team, criticise him too.

[CHA!NGANG]

I love it how some people will criticise Capello for not thinking about partnerships and just playing the best players and when he plays a player who perhaps isn't the better option but will work better in the team, criticise him too.

To be honest, this is only the qualifiers. Lescott played solid, but he didn't do anything amazing. I'm sure Cahill would have done fine as well and he was the one who came on for Dawson in the last game.

Although, I didn't really mind Lescott starting, but I think Cahill deserved it more and he probably would have been just as good.

It's hard to think about partnerships because the English players are spread out between a lot of teams, whereas other NT's such as Spain have a majority Barca/Madrid team. Germany have a lot from Bayern and Werder Bremen. Brazil had a lot of players from Inter, especially in defence, e/t/c.

[immense]

Did you not see England get cut open by Bulgaria in the latter stages of the game. It was masked by the emphatic victory. We looked defensively solid against the Swiss who admittedly aren't a free-scoring side. However, against Bulgaria, they had at least two one-on-ones with Hart and he made some good stops. Nothing of the sort against Switzerland. Although, Hart looked a bit nervous at times, a few dropped catches.

[JackBuddy]

Did you not see England get cut open by Bulgaria in the latter stages of the game. It was masked by the emphatic victory. We looked defensively solid against the Swiss who admittedly aren't a free-scoring side. However, against Bulgaria, they had at least two one-on-ones with Hart and he made some good stops. Nothing of the sort against Switzerland. Although, Hart looked a bit nervous at times, a few dropped catches.

Glen Johnson. Seriously, against opposition that can actually score goals he is toilet for England.

[CHA!NGANG]

Did you not see England get cut open by Bulgaria in the latter stages of the game. It was masked by the emphatic victory. We looked defensively solid against the Swiss who admittedly aren't a free-scoring side. However, against Bulgaria, they had at least two one-on-ones with Hart and he made some good stops. Nothing of the sort against Switzerland. Although, Hart looked a bit nervous at times, a few dropped catches.

Yeah I know, the defence wasn't perfect against Bulgaria, but Bulgaria are a lot more attacking the the Swiss.

The Swiss are very well known for organisation and the defence, not really their attack. They just broke the record for the longest period of time without conceeding a goal in a WC.

[immense]

Glen Johnson is an awful defender, yes. I'm not sure we have a better alternative though. Brown? Neville probably won't be playing in two years. Richards has been a let down. Carragher is a ****. We have some central defenders who could play there but won't attack.

[JackBuddy]

Glen Johnson is an awful defender, yes. I'm not sure we have a better alternative though. Brown? Neville probably won't be playing in two years. Richards has been a let down. Carragher is a ****. We have some central defenders who could play there but won't attack.

Young or Richards. Not amazing but an improvement on Johnson IMO.

[CHA!NGANG]

Johnson is still young. Jack you criticise too much imo. Going forward he's fantastic. He's not awful at defending but he's not upto England standard, but if he can keep playing then he'll pick up things as he goes along. We have nobody better atm, so we have to make do.

[JackBuddy]

Johnson is still young. Jack you criticise too much imo. Going forward he's fantastic. He's not awful at defending but he's not upto England standard, but if he can keep playing then he'll pick up things as he goes along. We have nobody better atm, so we have to make do.

He should be a winger in that case. He doesn't get the balance between attack/defend right. He's only 3 years younger than Ashley Cole.

[CHA!NGANG]

He should be a winger in that case. He doesn't get the balance between attack/defend right. He's only 3 years younger than Ashley Cole.

It's more like 4, but to be honest we shouldn't be comparing him to Cole who is pure World class and the best LB in the world. He wont ever reach that level. But as long as he's a good, solid player, which in 2 years when the Euros start, he might be, he'll be a decent RB.

Our main problem is we have no proper DM. With a proper DM, Johnson can get away with attacking a bit more, but Barry doesn't cut it. Hargreaves probably wont kick a football for England again. Rodwell is a bit too young, but i'd love to see him brought in.

If we could somehow convert either Cahill, Dawson, Jagielka or Lescott into a DM for England, then that could work well. Don't see it happening though. I think Jagielka could do it well though.