From ITV's World Cup site, I think this is quite accurate tbh.

 

Are England simply overrated?

This World Cup has been one of the most exciting in living memory and we're not even out of the first group stage yet.

 

 

There have been some moments of individual brilliance from the likes of Tomas Rosicky, Philipp Lahm and Bakary Kone, and collective genius like the Argentinians' masterclass against Serbia & Montenegro and Spain's scintillating display against the Ukraine.

 

 

A pity then that England have been responsible for quite possibly the most boring two games of the tournament. We were all hoping that the creatively bankrupt performance against Paraguay was down to opening game nerves and Sven's usual pragmatism.

 

 

"At least we got the result," we all thought, "things will get better". That was until the steaming pile of dysentrous excrement that masqueraded as a performance against Trinidad & Tobago.

 

 

Suddenly the pre-tournament hype and hopes of success were shown up for exactly what they were - the deluded optimism of a nation clinging obstinately to outdated notions of its own importance and power.

 

 

There is the belief in England, both amongst the public and the press, that England have a divine right to win the World Cup. Just because we managed to win a couple of home games in '66 we should be a shoe-in every four years.

 

 

No wonder the rest of the world takes such delight in the inevitable failure of the national team. Not even the Brazilians are as cocky as the English and they have plenty of reasons to be self assured.

 

 

Let's be honest here people, England are a good cup side, nothing more. They're a quarter-final team at best and that is nothing to be ashamed of. Had FIFA's ranking system not been incredibly biased towards the richest footballing nations the English team may well have found themselves in a group with Holland, Argentina and the Ivory Coast.

 

 

Cue the England team exiting the World Cup with no goals or points scored. Now that would be embarrassing.

 

 

As it stands England are the Spurs of international football, trading on past glory and a couple of talented players to keep them mid-table while suffering delusions of grandeur.

 

 

I've heard all sorts of excuses offered by the England management and the press for the fact that England left their will to win in Baden-Baden. From the primary school tinged 'it was too hot mommy' to the frankly surreal 'there's plenty of cause for concern with England, but the good news is that the better the opposition, the more it will suit the style of England's most effective players. When England play better teams and the games open up, we should see Lampard and Gerrard growing in stature as they have the space to surge forward and to outrun the opposition.'

 

 

That last quote is from Andy Gray, the self styled 'best pundit in Britain'. Run that past me again Andy, I think I just suffered a brain-haemorrhage. The reason that England have been playing with the finesse and skill of a herd of pregnant lemmings is that their opposition is poor? So they should hammer Argentina 8-0 then as the South Americans are fantastic. This would be laughable if it wasn't so liable to cause hope amongst the mouthbreeders who form the biggest part of the English support.

 

 

Again we see that ridiculous English tendency to lay blame anywhere apart from at home. The delusion that the English have fantastic players who are just waiting to click into an all-conquering footballing machine is fostered by a media that overhypes any local player to the point of nausea.

 

 

England have one, yes one, truly world class player in Steven Gerrard. Frank Lampard may look good for Chelsea but he lacks the skill and creativity of the truly great players. David Beckham used to be a top winger but he's not at the peak of his game any more.

 

 

Michael Owen is over the hill, Peter Crouch may be a likeable fella but he's not a world class striker and as for Rio and John Terry well they remind me of nothing so much as Del and Rodney Trotter, only slightly less organised.

 

 

So England fans, it is time we grew up and faced the truth. The days when England were a top national team have gone the way of the empire, free-love and a government that serves the interests of its people.

 

 

Be glad when we reach the last sixteen and then relax as you watch some truly fantastic teams from the quarter finals onwards.

 

 

By Justin Zehmke

 

 

I'll sum this up in one word - No.

I can understand were they guy is coming from but Argentina, Spain etc don't have a plank for a coach.

 

England have easily one of the best squads in the tournament, but Sven's tactics are bull$h!t TBH. Every player in the regular starting XI would get into any team in the world.

 

We haven't performed brilliantley so far but that mayb be down to the group we have. England and Sweden were expected to walk the group thus reliveing the pressure of Paraguay and T&T menaing they both had nothing to lose. T&T raised there game against England, and I reckon they'll get stuffed against Paraguay simply because they could never but in another performance like they did against England.

 

 

 

 

 

^I agree with that. If England were to win the cup I'm 100% sure it would be DESPITE Sven rather than BECAUSE of Sven.

In a way we are because our footbal stars are all so tabloid friendly so perhaps get bigged up too much.

 

Also, we tend to mess up on the day :P

 

But I do genuinely believe that we have the talent to win it this year :D

Whoever wrote that article must have been drunk at the time

 

What is the point in peaking early ? England have done just enough so far and have plenty in reserve

England are utterly over-rated, look what happens when English players such as Beckham and Owen go over to play for the European teams, they get totally pissed on and put on the bench for half the bloody season. Utter blanks.... They may be big fish in their own particular little Premiership pond, but when British players get out into the European leagues they tend to be very small fish indeed....

Brazil have only got 2 goals in 2 games in this tournament so surely if England are overated so are Brazil

 

England have a number of players that would be in or very close to a World XI

 

Terry (definite would make a world XI)

Ferdinand (possibly)

Beckham (probably)

Ashley Cole (probably)

Gerrard (definitely would make a world XI)

Lampard (probably)

Rooney (probably)

 

England are utterly over-rated, look what happens when English players such as Beckham and Owen go over to play for the European teams, they get totally pissed on and put on the bench for half the bloody season. Utter blanks.... They may be big fish in their own particular little Premiership pond, but when British players get out into the European leagues they tend to be very small fish indeed....

 

That is slightly true. Beckham tends to play end in week out for Real Madrid whilst yeah Owen was a bench warmer but even when Owen was on good form the coach refused to play him, and he'd play the over-weight ronaldo instead. British players never tend to do well in the Premiership becuase there not puff's. The Spanish leagues are full of divers, and yeah the premiership is getting more and more of these players but it doesn't happen as often a sit does in Italy or in Spain.

England are utterly over-rated, look what happens when English players such as Beckham and Owen go over to play for the European teams, they get totally pissed on and put on the bench for half the bloody season. Utter blanks.... They may be big fish in their own particular little Premiership pond, but when British players get out into the European leagues they tend to be very small fish indeed....

 

What rot.

 

Who was Real Madrid Player of the Season last year?

 

Answer: David Beckham.

 

While for the third season running he managed more assists (31 this season) in La Liga than any other player - that's more than Riquelme & Ronaldinho managed. If you had been watching the World Cup or watching La Liga on Sky you would know the reason Real Madrid don't win anything is due to having two strikers who are past their best - Raul & Ronaldo, whilst possessing a non-existent defence. He also finished 4th in the Spanish La Liga Player of the Season.

That is slightly true. Beckham tends to play end in week out for Brazil whilst yeah Owen was a bench warmer but even when Owen was on good form the coach refused to play him, and he'd play the over-weight ronaldo instead. British players never tend to do well in the Premiership becuase there not puff's. The Spanish leagues are full of divers, and yeah the premiership is getting more and more of these players but it doesn't happen as often a sit does in Italy or in Spain.

 

 

I didn't realise Beckham played fro Brazil!

In response to Ozzy's post, it won't let me do long replies <_<

 

A world XI this lot? I doubt it Craig tbh -_- Beckham is a possibility and so is Gerrard, but there are far better midfielders thanLampard around.

 

Ash Cole hell no Terry would though I agree there, he's our strongest player (or Gerrard) I think ^_^ not sure about Rooney, maybe he would be good enough in a few years but there are certainly better strikers than him around.

England are utterly over-rated, look what happens when English players such as Beckham and Owen go over to play for the European teams, they get totally pissed on and put on the bench for half the bloody season. Utter blanks.... They may be big fish in their own particular little Premiership pond, but when British players get out into the European leagues they tend to be very small fish indeed....

Have you been watching a totally different David Beckham at Real Madrid then? :huh: He's been their bloody best player! As for Owen when he was there he had the most goals per game that season but at Real Madrid you won't player every game especially if you're a striker so any other team he would have probably got a around 20 goals. -_-

 

England are not overated in the slightest, we have the players that CAN win it but the problem is the tactic aren't that great and Sven seems to prefer to play the best eleven players rather than the eleven players that could play best as a team. For example Lampard and Gerrard shouldn't be playing TOGETHER in midfield as they're both attacking central midfield players and so one of them has to hold back and so it doesn't get the best of them, if any of them were to be dropped then I'd say Lampard as Gerrard is a much player imo and is always great in important matches and Carrick should be the #1 choice for an anchor role (yes he was c**p against Hungary but he should be given the chance) Also the long ball tactic doesn't work so well all the time of course and now Rooney's back we have someone who's capable of maybe getting the ball to Owen or Crouch on the ground as well as scoring them himself (Crouch's technique on the ground is a lot better than in the air, it's hard to believe but it IS true) and with Owen if we can get him fit then he should definitely start ahead of Crouch and like with Argentina he could come on later and have quite an affect on the game and of course the same with Lennon who I feel should maybe start with Beckham moved to right back again on Tuesday if Neville isn't back because Lennon can get past people which Beckham can't do and so he'll detract people from Beckham giving him room to get in some space to put a decent cross in! :cheer:

 

I think the way that we've managed to not play so well against a decent side and a not so decent side with good spirit shows how good we are as we've managed to still win those games despite that and so we should hopefully get better as the tournament goes on and fingers crossed we can go far and maybe even win it if we can keep ourselves together. :D

England ARE overrated and I for one,despite being born and bred an Englishman can't wait to see them knocked out in the quarters or semis.

England ARE overrated and I for one,despite being born and bred an Englishman can't wait to see them knocked out in the quarters or semis.

 

Yeah, preferably against Argentina.... :lol: :lol:

 

England have been incredibly lucky tbh, the group they're in is p*** easy... If they'd been in Group C and played in the mediocre way they did in their first two games in that group, they'd've been mashed by the Argies and the Dutch.....

 

And more than likely by Serbia or Ivory Coast as well......

Yeah, preferably against Argentina.... :lol: :lol:

 

England have been incredibly lucky tbh, the group they're in is p*** easy... If they'd been in Group C and played in the mediocre way they did in their first two games in that group, they'd've been mashed by the Argies and the Dutch.....

 

And more than likely by Serbia or Ivory Coast as well......

 

Yeah our group is failry easy compared to some, but Sweden are a decent side, Paraguay are one of the top South American sides and I think beat / drew with Brazil and Argentina in qualifying and T&T well they wanted to beat us so much because most of their players play in England.

 

We didn't have the group of death this year but we did in 2002, and Brazil are in a fairlyeasy group as well yet they are also extremley lucky as Australlia were maulling them yesterday for 30 mins.

In response to Ozzy's post, it won't let me do long replies <_<

 

A world XI this lot? I doubt it Craig tbh -_- Beckham is a possibility and so is Gerrard, but there are far better midfielders thanLampard around.

 

Ash Cole hell no Terry would though I agree there, he's our strongest player (or Gerrard) I think ^_^ not sure about Rooney, maybe he would be good enough in a few years but there are certainly better strikers than him around.

 

hmmm I think on club form Cole would get in, the only one who is maybe better than him at LB is Zambrotta of Italy and even then not far off

 

I think in a typical World XI squad of 11 players and 8 subs most of the ones I listed would get into the squad if not the side

yes.

 

 

 

'we' are under some illusion that 'we' are a good team...

 

there has been scant evidence for this presumption on the pitch.

 

we are guilty of being 'fan blind'... get real.... we are second rate..... pity.

yes.

'we' are under some illusion that 'we' are a good team...

 

there has been scant evidence for this presumption on the pitch.

 

we are guilty of being 'fan blind'... get real.... we are second rate..... pity.

 

With respect thats nonsense Rob

 

England have won their games 1-0 and 2-0, sound familiar ?? it should as BRAZIL have done the same, would you say Brazil are second rate and not good enough to win ? :unsure:

 

The first 2 games are meaningless reflection of ability or we might as well cancel the tournament and hand Argentina the trophy

 

I would be surprised if England don't make at least the semis

Personally I think that Germany, England, Portugal and Brazil are just easing themselves into the competition. They're all in fairly easy groups and haven't been spectacular yet. The teams that people are getting worked up about (Argentina, Holland, Spain and then Italy to a lesser extent...) may not have much more to give. Personally I've been pleased with England so far. We haven't looked amazing but we're pretty solid defensively and haven't conceded a goal yet. There's plenty more to come yet from the 4 teams I mentioned!!!