Englands World Cup Group

So then...

England
Italy
Uruguay
Costa Rica

Thoughts?

 

We will still bottle it as usual

It's not a bad group though. Gotta say.

 

Three teams with not a whole lot between them in Italy, England, and Uruguay. Depending on who plays the best on their day, any two of those three will progress. Most likely I would say are Italy and Uruguay, as I think Italy are strongest team in the group and we already saw that England struggle against South American opposition.

 

Horrific draw. The only good I can see is the game in the amazon region is first up and against Italy. They are slow starters and play a very slow style which should suit us.

Uruguay I think will beat us. They are a big danger to all and one of five sides I can see winning it. Germany and Spain have hope, but the 3 big South American teams have to favourites in that climate. Uruguay can be a bit up and down though.

Costa Rica should not be underestimated either. Technically good and will cope comfortably in the climate. I couldn't see us coming home with many points being honest.

 

Looks like we're
cOsta Rica
Uruguay
iTaly

EDIT: That didn't work at all...

 

One point i predict

 

Tough group, but if we can nick a win vs Italy or Uruguay we should beat Costa Rica, and then we need to hope other results go our way.

If anyone interested I did a England squad thread on the World Cup page but it's about as busy as our trophy cabinet over there haha.

 

We'd stand a much better chance if one of our players broke that cheating twat Suarez's legs....around about April would be nice thus no time to recover.

 

Like Mexico '86, Wonder if Brazil '14 will forever be remembered as the teeth of tw@ world cup?

 

I think there's a genuine danger of England finishing bottom of that group!


However, I think Uruguay have a very very dodgy defence, while Italy are still quite old and rigid, so counter with pace (something we actually have players for) and we may stand a chance. It means dropping some of the usual contenders though...

Jay Rodriguez, Gabby Agbonlahor, Aaron Lennon etc need to get themselves into good form around March to get a look in.

 

Aye, the Hand of God still rankles to this day.

 

People being too pessimistic for me, will probably go out but could get through and get to the quarter final as Group C looks a poor one.

 

Some of the Sky Sports football pundits suggesting England should at least reach the Quarter-Finals. Wildly optimistic by my reckoning...

http://www1.skysports.com/FIFA-Worl...-with-italy-uruguay-and-costa-rica-in-group-d

Then again the fans' poll at the bottom seems a bit more realistic.

 

Bit of a younger look to Italy now to be fair but they seem reluctant to not have some older heads. They have retained an experienced spine in Pirlo, Buffon, De Rossi, Barzaghli but nothing wrong with that I suppose. Much will depend how they cope with the climate too. Good bunch of "right age" players now though. Abate, Bonnuci, Chiellini, Montilivo, Marchisio, Balotelli, Osvaldo, Insigne, Giovinco, El Shawary etc.

I'm not sure they have many superstars as such but they are a good unit. I imagine our game with them might be a drab 0-0

Uruguay defo have defensive issues. Looking to their forward line, it matches up with most in the world in terms of first team. Coates was the big answer there but I think he has done his cruciate and is unlikely to get a look in at Liverpool anyway. Problem is their defence won't get tested as we'll be knackered after a hard season, won't cope with heat, and everyone will moan about technical issues as we chase the ball round. Not that we are not behind but I always think its exaggerated by our conditioning. We'd need to be fresh to overcome our technical issues, we'll be the opposite

Costa Rica are no world beaters but they are the type to raise their game. In their qualifiers their best performances came in the biggest games against the USA and Mexico.

Honestly if we came home with zero points, I wouldn't be that shocked. We could go through but I'd struggle to be confident.

 

Pretty much hit the nail there Hacky. Looking at the list of "right age players" doesn't really worry me though, much like out team of Welbeck, Cleverly, Cahill etc isn't going to worry anyone. Balotelli the only potential great player among them, and he's more hit and miss than Ben Arfa. And more sulky. And not as sexy.

 

Why did Hodgson want our group game brought back to 9pm? They have brought it back to 11pm from 2am for TV here. I thought it would have been better at 2am as it would be 9pm there, unless my time conversion is **** tank. Surely its cooler in the evening? Hodgson wants to cook the players in favour of a few hours extra rest. Lunatic.

 

You have to play and beat good teams to get anywhere in the world cup.

 

Its not the group we are in nor the location and tough traveling schedules its the following that is the issue and the reason we will fail as per so here goes.

Joe hart
Smalling
Jagielka
jones
Milner
Walcott
Barry
Cleverely
Lambert
Rooney
Walcott

 

think englands knackered im afraid ..hope not like .but tough draw ..

 

Our defenders are just not good enough to deal with teams at the end of a long hard season. We have no top class centre backs. Add in we have no top class holding midfielder unless Gerrard drops deeper and we look fragile