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England is playing not too well at the moment but it is utter stupidity and foolishness to attack Sven-Goran Eriksson in such a bad way. He and the players at this moment need full support of every English fan not constand criticism. Attacking Mr. Eriksson will only take away his mental energy from the game and then he will have to be busy to defend and justify himseld rather than focus on the match itself.
Football is a great passion not only in England alone but in the whole world.
For example, Bangladeshi national football team could never qualify for World
Cup or even Asian Cup but thousands of people in the country are now
of the participating
countries. I guess Mr. Erikkson has now more fans in Asia than UK.

Would you like to win the World Cup playing badly? What kind of question is that? Does anyone remember how badly France played during the knockout stages in 1998? Of course not, we only remember they won. Winning is the most important thing, not playing "beautiful football."

Terry Butcher wrote on this website earlier that it's a shame England didn't play attacking football like Mexico. Terry: Mexico played 4 games at the World Cup and lost 2 of them. They also drew 0-0 with Angola.

I'm sick and tired of the negativity of our media.

Good on you Sven, more of the same!

He must be totally fed up with people who know less than him telling him what to do - but only with the benefit of hindsight.

Most of the recent World Cup winners have started off with some unimpressive performances and peaked when it matters. There is nothing for Sven to apologise about, just keep winning and eventually the nay sayers will be singing his praises (and probably saying they agreed with Sven all along).

Form over the last few games means nothing in the next match. Just look at France v Spain as one of a million examples.

Mark Lawrenson's comments and forecasts are getting worse. In the quarter finals he comments extensively on the attributes of each team's skills and performance so far. And then he predicts England will win against Portugal. Oh really. And how do they win? They win on penalties. How does one go about analysing if one team or the other is better at taking and scoring from penalties? Mark, please just say, "I think it will go to penalties and I hope England win."

The problem with the English media is that Eriksson is constantly compared to some hypothetical "perfect" manager. The perfect manager does not exist, except in the minds of the English media. The perfect manager is passionate, but tactically astute. His teams play great football all the time, and win all the time. He is charismatic, but down to earth. He starts with the best 11 on the pitch, but knows when to make important substitutions. Obviously, compared to this perfect manager, Sven is a chump. In all my years following England, I don't think I have ever seen such open hostility to an England manager. Sven is constantly derided for lacking passion, but the previous manager, Kevin Keegan, was passionate, and an abject failure. So, if we decide against comparing Sven with the perfect manager, and just look at his acheivements, we see quite a different picture. He is a manager who has guided England to the last three major tournaments, finishing top in qualifying on every occasion. England remain the only European team to make the second round of both the WC 2002 and Euro 2004. In 2002 we narrowly lost to the eventual champions, and in 2004 we lost on penalties to the host nation. Not too shabby is it?

But the English press won't be silenced. According to them, England is possessed of a "golden generation" of players, whose only handicap is that they are mismanaged by Sven. But it was Sven who largely created this generation of players. Sven was brave enough to pick Ashley Cole when he'd only played a handful of games for Arsenal, for picking Wayne Rooney when every paper in England worried that maybe the Everton youngster should spend a few games playing for England U-21.

Football is essentially a soap opera, and this is especially true on the international stage. The press requires fresh blood (they chewed up Hoddle and Keegan in the space of three years) and more than anything else, Sven's sin is that he's still here. When he leaves, and England are left with Steve McLaren, the nostalgia for Eriksson will begin.

This comment by ex-Brazil star Leonardo in Simon Austin's column, admirably sums up England's problems:

"You can't blame this negative mentality on Eriksson, because I've seen England teams display it for a long time, long before Eriksson came on the scene.

"It could be because it's a long time since they won the World Cup. But they need to create that winning mentality.

"Brazil have it - they really believe in themselves and expect to win the World Cup every time."

England have indeed shown very little of the positive attitude that's needed for any team simply to progress in this competition, never mind to win it. There seems to be a total lack of chemistry, and perhaps the pundits were correct when they surmised that Lampard and Gerrard probably would not play well together.

I think that Sven is doing the right job so far in Germany. I think that it is stupid of people to bemoan his tactic changes and so on as you can't play one team the same way you play another you need to adjust the way you play according to who you are playing that is the right thing to do. I say well done Sven your doing a good job and i don't care how England win just that they do win that is the most important thing. So i say come on England get be hind the team and we have a great chance of winning it or at least putting on a good show. COME ON ENGLAND WE CAN DO IT!!!!!

I agree Josh. There was this overwhelming hype before the world cup from the English media that this was the year England would win it. A few 'negative' performances from the England team and they are slammed by the same media for not copying other teams. They have got the wins, they are in the next round, and they have a very good chance of beating Portugal. Cheer dont Jeer!

Look I am scottish an no one likes a bit of English bashing more than me... I would love a Scottish team that could get to the quarter finals never mind how they play... Sven has really turned around the England Team into a force that others are afraid of... leave them alone get behind the team instead of creating more pressure that the guys just dont need, talk about shooting yourself in the foot!!! beside I want England to win the world cup so Scotland can be the first team to beat them and claim to be the world champions... oh come on we all have dreams

When all is said and done, only one game in the World Cup [or any other tournament for that matter] will be remembered as the defining moment as to how good or bad a team is; the Final. What goes before is relatively speaking, irrelevant.

The one and only goal (pun intended) of any competitive sport is to win - if you do it in style then all the better and football is no different. No-one complains when Chelsea/Arsenal grind out a 1-0 win, infact the much used saying is that champions and great sides can get results when only playing an average game. England haven't played great football but unlike Spain/Holland etc etc are still in the tournament - grinding out results.
I think we are begining to tire of the huge negativity in the media over every trivial detail with England, whether this be a players foot injury, his girlfriends dressmaker or a playing formation. The sports media has been, like other media sections, a sports-opera for some time now, where the necessity to promote sensationalism, stir up non-stories and report on meanlingless drivel far outweighs those journalists who actually offer worthwhile comment and insight. I was in Germany for a few days during the group games and we met loads of fans from different countries - almost without exception their one gripe with England wasn't how we played or supported our team but it was our Media who reported on it.
It would be nice if we won the world cup, but it would also be great if we, for once, stopped the circus and utter schoolboy jounalism surrounding the England team - happily (but sadly) I know which is more likely to happen.

If I were in the England camp now I'd wonder what the hell was going on back home. I've never known such hostility and negativity from the media before. It feels like everyone is queueing up to stick the knife into Sven and are lining up their weapons before he has failed.
Everyone I speak to is sick to death of reading newspapers and hearing commentators slating an England team that is still in the World Cup.
IF we get knocked out and IF it's because we played badly, then is the time for analysis and vitriol. For God's sake support the team while we're winning!

As an Englishman I will take no satisfaction if England win the world cup playing this conservative, long ball rubbish. I've played and watched football for many years BECAUSE it is an exciting, skilfull and competitive game. When it's not these things it has no interest to me at all - the players should be embarrassed. Winning with style and skill is so much more satisfying and I would much rather watch a good football match with two talented teams going all out to win - whoever they are, Robert Peters

Anyone care to give odds on Saturdays game?

I'm really not too sure where I stand on this whole situation - on one hand i agree that the media are way over the top with their scrutiny but on the other hand - and you all have to admit this!!! - Sven does not exactly inspire confidence does he!!!!!!

I think any half decent manager/coach could have got that England team to the 1/4 finals!! and lets not even get started about MClaren!!!!!!!!!!!!

whats all this talk about not caring how we win ?
I care: I want us to not have to resort to nastiness, or cheating.
good or bad football, if we win fairly, I'm a happy chappy.

I've looked across a few of these blogs and everyone seems to be saying the same. I'm welsh but i'm all for the 'home countries' thing lets win the world cup and stop worrying about how we've won it. Pls media will you get the message. stop writing negative rubbish and lets here about some proper headlines, such as portugal getting stuffed 5-0. got a bit carried away i think

I am getting fed up with all this criticism of Sven and the England team by so called pundits. These same pundits have told us Argentina are unbeatable (do we still think that), France are inept, Ronaldo has lost it and should be dropped, Hargreaves is not up to it, and there are many other examples of them collectively getting it wrong. It is hard to get it right all the time but I believe Sven has a plan and is sticking to it, and rightly so. I was out in Germany on Sunday and it is good to know that even though there is constant moaning back home, the fans who have made the effort to travel to Germany, are there for one reason only and that is to support their team.

Regarding the tactics, I believe that England have deliberately been holding a lot back to avoid burnout in the incredibly hot conditions. Maybe, if England do go on and win this competition it might have something to do with not using too much in the early stages, unlike in tournaments before. As an example of this, England clearly took it easy in the 1st half on Sunday, and once the game was practically over in the last 20 minutes they took it easy again. This has brought critics but I feel it was deliberate especially considering the heat.

One good game and everyone will say we are World beaters (see France as an example, they were apparently rubbish but within 24 hours they are now considered good enough to maybe topple Brazil).

Come on England!

In responce to Robert Peters - I would be over the moon if England bored their way to a world cup!!! but I do agree about the Long ball - it aint easy on the eye and has to stop!!!! Paul Robinson - Lose the Iron boots and give it short!!!!

We are a country that supports, and relishes doing so, losers and nearly rans! When the likes of Germany, Man U, Chelsea, Sampras and Schumacher dominate(d) their respective sports we tend to turn against them and look to the underdog or "close but not quite" as our new found favourite.

England are now doing the opposite and have in fact developed that talent every sports team, man or woman seeks - the winning way when playing poorly. We can and will get better.

So lets support them until they lose not castigate them when they win. We will still do it and Portugal will play in a way allowing us to be more creative and counter attacking in the exciting manner we expect.
Rooney brace... 2-0 and onto Brazil for a Semi-Final clash!

What is this rubbish about "its okay if we play badly but win". No team has ever won the world cup playing badly so consistently. The point is that we've only got away with playing badly because of 2 reasons:

1) We haven't been tested by half-decent team yet. Wait till we play Brazil - remember last world cup when they were down to 10 men and we were still chasing shadows?

2) We've the best crop of players in 50 years - Even if we're not playing as a team, any individual is capable of producing a bit of brilliance at any time.

A great manager can turn a bunch of average players into a great team - just look at the Greek Manager in Euro 2004.

A rubbish manager can get a team full of world class players to look average - just look at Sven and England.

Not to sound particularly mystical, but the deep, brooding cynicism that permeates the soul of the Englishman just may be one of the reasons that England can't bring it together on the pitch. Try sending out some positive energy for a change, rather than moaning and whinging and picking apart every tiny little thing!!! Even if we win, I'm sure most of you will find something to complain about.

I object to the curse of gambling being brought up in this discussion. Does 'Matt' have no compassion for those afflicted by this terrible disease? For those entrapped in the downward spiral of compulsive gambling, to be reminded of their weak-willed ways at every turn is tantamount to torture.
PS I bet you take no notice of this message.....

The english and the french press now more about playing football than the players themselves or the coaches?? but they're not the one who sweat and eat their hearts out for their teams, they're the ones who grind faces in the dirt and it would seem that they're particulary good at it. All I would like to say is if you british or french and you're a journalist stand behind your country's team instead of always taking them down, they don't need it and neither do we.

Actually what you most need to win a World Cup is luck.

Look at all the teams playing great football and not winning (Portugal 66, Holland 74/78, Brazil & France 82/86, Brazil pre-final 98, Spain etc this time).

Also teams playing uninspiringly, or at least at the start and ending up winning (England 66, Italy 82, Germany 90, France 98 - remember Dugarry, Guiv'arch et al? Brazil 02)

England are in the last eight, 3 games away from....anything can happen (remember Istanbul?) All the teams left have roughly a 1 in 8 chance of winning, so whoever does will be lucky.

DW that would be a great point if it was what i was asking, but im not talking of gambling odds im taking of Englands chances and interested in peoples views on what success they will have, so thanks for the emotionally charged speech but lets stick to the footy!

The amount of negativity towards a progressing team is astounding.

Of course, it followss the British journo mentality of 'build em up, knock em down' we see all the time, but even so, it's quite disturbing.

Imagine if we'd been knocked out?!

It's the same with Beckham: celebrated, slated, delivers, celebrated with overtones of his imminent collapse!

Sven is justified in his outburst: one minute he has no Plan B, then, if he uses a plan B, he's criticised for changing the formation! Surely he's using the squad and formation as required, and taking in important factors such as player availability and match-fitness? It's worked.

Maybe it's not as exciting as it could be, but where are Spain, Holland etc? Waiting another 4 years for the chance to be where we are now with every chance of beating Portugal. (Thank god there's no Deco!!)

If I was in the England team, I'd feel very disappointed with the former players and press.

I have read more sense on this page in the last 10 minutes than I have come across in a thousand newspapers and dozens of hours of TV coverage over the past three weeks. The negativity towards the England team in our media, even from the broadsheet press, and from the man in the street has been quite staggering. As a nation we seem to luxuriate in our criticisms and the hounding of Sven has reached quite ludicrous proportions. The contradictions in the media are a nonsense. After the Ecuador match I heard Hansen laud Carrick's display but criticise Hargreaves. Minutes later, I heard Terry Butcher say that Carrick "wasn't at the races" but that Hargreaves had done well. The interviews conducted with the squad in Germany are aimed principally at catching them out or getting them to say something controversial, thereby knocking confidence further. Enough! World Cups are beautiful and rare things. Let's just enjoy the moment and rejoice in our success! Let's give the players and management a bit of respect and stop trying to undermine them at each and every turn. Sven is right: Mexico, Spain, Ghana, Czech Republic - they're all sitting at home wishing they were playing at the weekend.

I have read more sense on this page in the last 10 minutes than I have come across in a thousand newspapers and dozens of hours of TV coverage over the past three weeks. The negativity towards the England team in our media, even from the broadsheet press, and from the man in the street has been quite staggering. As a nation we seem to luxuriate in our criticisms and the hounding of Sven has reached quite ludicrous proportions. The contradictions in the media are a nonsense. After the Ecuador match I heard Hansen laud Carrick's display but criticise Hargreaves. Minutes later, I heard Terry Butcher say that Carrick "wasn't at the races" but that Hargreaves had done well. The interviews conducted with the squad in Germany are aimed principally at catching them out or getting them to say something controversial, thereby knocking confidence further. Enough! World Cups are beautiful and rare things. Let's just enjoy the moment and rejoice in our success! Let's give the players and management a bit of respect and stop trying to undermine them at each and every turn. Sven is right: Mexico, Spain, Ghana, Czech Republic - they're all sitting at home wishing they were playing at the weekend.

The English team need to read this blog to know how much they are appreciated and how much people believe in them. They need to believe themselves that they WILL win the World Cup. Brazil believe it, Germany are certainly getting around to believing it, France are dreaming the dream again ... but England, if you are listening, if you are reading: you can, and you will win this competition! You can beat them all, I have no doubt. None! Do not doubt yourselves! Go out there and win.

If Sven DOES run out of options (or he fancies switching back to 4-4-2), he could always play the team selector page at and see whether he has a winning plan.

Being Swedish myself, through my maternal grandfathers' third wifes' second cousin,I am naturally gifted with an insight into Seven Gordon Errikkssson's strategy for the remaining games of the World Cup.

Theo Walcott is to be left-back. (Left back at the hotel as security against the bill not being paid).

Owen Hargreaves is to be right-back. (Right back behind the goal), as stand-in water carrier.

Rio Ferdinand is to be centre-half, as half a Rio is better than none.

Seven is to ditch the 4-3-4, 4-4-2 and 4-5-1 formations in favour of a new one called the Christmas tree. the problem is that although it looks bright and sparkly, it only works for twelve days in the year!

Seven plans to start the game half an hour earlier so that we can be 10 goals up before the Portuguese get there.

A huge round of applause to an overwhelming proportion of the UK media for their, more often than not, brainless, incompetent, juvenile and downright shabby treatment of Sven-Goran Eriksson in particular, and the England team as a whole, ever since this World Cup got underway.

No fan can claim to have been thrilled by England鈥檚 performances, but every fan should be thrilled by the fact that we are in the quarter-finals with plenty of scope for improvement in performance. Not to mention the fact that Wayne Rooney is looking better and better, although Eriksson was positively and soundly derided by all and sundry for even including him in the squad in the first place. Admittedly, I can鈥檛 envisage why he included Walcott in the squad, but I personally would trust his judgement on all scores. Even if the lad only comes on for 10 minutes on Saturday, say, and sets up or grabs the winner, then his presence will have been worth it.

And just to remind all those doubters on Fleet Street, or in whatever holes they hide out in these days, how 鈥榖ad鈥� a manager Eriksson really is, have another look at his record in competitive matches: P37 W26 D08 L03 69:27.
37 games and a whopping 3 defeats. He must dread putting that on his CV! Incidentally, his overall record (P65 W40 D16 L10 128:61) would take an awful lot of beating by absolutely any other nation including Brazil, Argentina or France.

And talking of Argentina, everybody seems to have forgotten that glorious friendly just a few months ago where both teams put on a scintillating display. Who won, and how? We did, because we didn鈥檛 give up and the belief was there that the match was still up for grabs. Alright, so Owen is sadly sidelined, but Rooney, Gerard (Chgampions League and FA Cup finals, anyone?) and Joe Cole are just three players capable of turning things around if necessary in the final minutes. Against Uruguay they went on to show that it wasn鈥檛 just a flash in the pan.

I鈥檝e been living in Germany for over 20 years. One of the major benefits is not being faced by the pea-brained headlines favoured by the numerous representatives of the gutter press back in the UK. Compared to them, the German version 鈥楤ild鈥� is positively angelic. And nowhere else in the world would anybody from the press have even entertained the thought of ridiculing the national coach with something like that absolutely pathetic sheikh scam, which must have had all those cretins at the NOTW rolling around the floor, leaving the rest of us wondering whether they鈥檝e got more than two brain cells to rub together between them.

Well done, guys, you and your colleagues from just above you in the gutter stakes are doing England proud ... There are genuine reasons for believing that England can win this time around (see above), even if only because the team wants to ram it down your throats afterwards by saying nothing, smiling and holding up their medals, and refusing to have anything to do with you lot ever again. You will have deserved it.

It looks like the only people that complain about their own and criticize and hack down their stars more than Nigerians are the English! Maybe the colonial ties can explain that. As Mr. Mourinho would say, its the result that counts, not the performance. Arsenal (I am a long time Gunner, mind you) played 'beautiful' football so much, yet could hardly score away from Highbury and almost couldnt qualify for the Champions league! I want to suggest that England, and especially the English press should get behind their team and if they must criticize, do it more stylishly. I hope England wins but if they dont, its not only Mr. Eriksson that would have gotten it wrong.

My hope for the Portugal game is that in the 90+3 min, England are 1-0 up and with seconds to go, Portugal make a break on their left for goal. Beckham has no choice but to bring the player down and get his second yellow card; the subsequent free-kick is hit wide and the final whistle blows. This way, Sven will be able to pick Lennon for the semis, who, after getting one assist and one goal against Brazil, will keep Beckhan on the bench for the final against Argentina.

What is this myth of teams winning the world cup playing badly, or world cup winners starting badly but finishing strongly. Where did that idea come from?. How many teams who went on to win the world cup couldn鈥檛 pass the ball properly against the likes of Trinidad, or Ecuador It is not because England are playing poorly that they are being slated but because they are doing so against very weak opposition. England have struggled to play with any coherence against teams ranked in the 30鈥檚 and 40鈥檚 by FiFa.

Lets not fool ourselves that being in the world cup quarter finals proves that they are a great team that has simply mastered the habit of playing badly and still winning. To reach the quarters, right from the qualifying rounds, England have played Albania, Wales, N Ireland, Azerbaijan, Austria, Poland, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago and Ecuador 鈥� not one of them in the world top 20

To reach the same stage Argentina have played Holland, Serbia, Mexico and Ivory Coast

I am not English and can tell you honestly that most non English and non German people feel that the draws were rigged to give England and Germany (big footballing countries currently fielding average teams) easy routes to the latter stages, primarily to please powerful commercial interests, without whose backing there simply won鈥檛 be a world cup, thus whose silent wishes to have big European nations with big markets in the latter stages can鈥檛 be ignored.

Of course most fans are too polite and diplomatic to say this openly in the presence of supporters from these countries, the same way you wouldn鈥檛 tell a colleague in the office that his or her recent promotion owed more to the boss鈥檚 favour than their own merit.

One of the 'disadvantages' of coming from a rich and powerful country is that people rarely tell you their honest feelings about you to your face

But believe me the resentment of these two countries (although the Germans have at least made an effort on the field) runs deep amongst the rest of the footballing world. Their draws, not only in the qualifying and group stages and also their possible second round opponents were too easy to be true. Lightening simply doesn鈥檛 strike twice

That is why behind the fa莽ade of politeness and good humour most non English and Non German fans are rooting for Portugal and Argentina this weekend

sven is the most successful england manager of all time in competetive matches. i think he will deliver a final spot. i am only sad we did not tie him to the job as long as he wanted. ( i ask you steve "mickey bassett" mclaren!!).
make the most of this fantastic coach while we have him. we will miss him for a long long time.

bill blackpool

A lot of criticism arises from the lack of a penetrating build up through midfield to attack, especially on the flanks. This absence of a pattern of play is what everyone has seen from England so far, leading to criticism focused at times on Lampard and Gerrard, sometimes on Beckham, or on the single striker situation.

Against Trindad and Tobago, we suffered on the right with Beckham and Carragher as there was no pace and no one to challenge defenders and pull the defence wide (hence the introduction of Lennon created "a sensation"). On the left, we have found more penetration with the two Coles (Ashley Cole in particular now provides width and the ability to cross the ball from the byline). Against Ecuador, however, we again lost penetration in the last third of the field and meandered aimlessly forward (though Carrick was effective at providing a penetrating ball to more attacking midfield positions - the problem was we then went backwards to slow predictable build ups).

To overcome these shortcomings, we need more pace and penetration on the right flank, so that the team can attack on both left and right and penetrate through the middle (that is, the build up becomes less predictable and the opponent's defence gets stretched because they can no longer predict from where the danger will come). Who will provide this? Lennon? Neville? We will see. England's game will really start to flow once we can support a flexible pattern of play that allows penetration from left and right and then through the middle to Rooney, Gerrard, and Lampard, etc. Rooney will score once he finds some space!

A general note on 'mediocre performances ior gmaes'. Its largely a reflection of good defence breaking things down before they get dangerous. A good defensive side will win this thing (witness the strength of the French back four against Spain), IF they can create enough options in attack to keep their opponents guessing as to where the next threat is coming from, and so prevent the opposing team pressing forward (closing down space)so aggressively on whoever holds the ball.

England can WIN this thing if they can fix the lack of pace and penetration on the right flank...

You have 7 nations celebrating being in the quarter finals of the world cup,and one nation(england)whining like babies,the english are not used to winning they seem happier to lose and say we were unlucky,hand of god poor refs,etc,its just not cricket just to win they want to puff there chest out and say look we are better than you

Against equador lampard missed two great chances in the first half,if he had scored would we be a great team?or are we a bad team because he missed?
Listen up it takes a great player to change a game on his own,well done Beckham

Hi Kay Akande
There has been a lot of racism in this tournament but your entry beats the lot. You are totally out of the loop.
Fred

I think we need to get off the backs of the England players and coaching staff.

The English players and coach are the best we've had for years and the coach constant inane media analysis must be getting to our players.

The team may be lucky to be where they are or they may be doing just the minimum to get through.

The English players have collectively played more games this season than any other team.

Most of these media armchair critics have probably never kicked a ball in their life!

The media word is that England are playing in a boring style - Does anyone think Steve Gerrards' goals or Joe Cole's volleyed goal or Dave beck's free kicked goal were boring if so why don't you get your anoraks out and go back to train spotting!

Let's all for once get behind our team and coach ...properly!

The English press has always been and will always be nonsensical at best.
Anyways, I kind of know that England will get to the finals with Argentina and will only be beaten in the second period of extra time. It will be a free flowing game and a showcase of attacking prowess. 3-3 after normal time...a wonder goal for Argentina in the extra time...rememeber Maxi Rodriguez' goal againt Mexico?
And to keep you from wondering, I am neither South American nor European.

I too hope the England players see this page - with all the GENUINE opinions and messages of support from England fans everywhere. We all agree how appalling the British press has been. It's clear from the drivel they do focus on and print, that most journalists have no idea about the game of football anyway[probably because they're all a bunch of pansies!] Here in the US the American press has been very supportive of England, and I've met fans from Brazil, Argentina, Germany and Mexico who all think they are a team to be feared. I have been a bit surprised by some of Sven's decisions and have mixed feelings of England possibly winning the World Cup after 40 years, with a non-English manager - but if he can orchestrate it and the players can play it - then good for them! Let's remember - who else wanted the job after Keegan left?

Lads - when you pull on your England shirt to play the remaining matches, think back to when you were a kid and all you ever dreamed of was someday playing for England - knowing inside you had the talent to do so. Know that you inspire young boys all round the world every time you play. Go out onto the pitch with a smile on your face, feel the atmosphere, look and listen to all the England fans cheering you on and savour it! You've earned it because you've worked hard to get where you are, and there is no greater pride than being chosen to play for your country. GO ENGLAND - win the Cup! You can do it! And remember, all the true fans of the game are right behind you. As the Americans say "We've got your back"!

I too hope the England players see this page - with all the GENUINE opinions and messages of support from England fans everywhere. We all agree how appalling the British press has been. It's clear from the drivel they do focus on and print, that most journalists have no idea about the game of football anyway[probably because they're all a bunch of pansies!] Here in the US the American press has been very supportive of England, and I've met fans from Brazil, Argentina, Germany and Mexico who all think they are a team to be feared. I have been a bit surprised by some of Sven's decisions and have mixed feelings of England possibly winning the World Cup after 40 years, with a non-English manager - but if he can orchestrate it and the players can play it - then good for them! Let's remember - who else wanted the job after Keegan left?

Lads - when you pull on your England shirt to play the remaining matches, think back to when you were a kid and all you ever dreamed of was someday playing for England - knowing inside you had the talent to do so. Know that you inspire young boys all round the world every time you play. Go out onto the pitch with a smile on your face, feel the atmosphere, look and listen to all the England fans cheering you on and savour it! You've earned it because you've worked hard to get where you are, and there is no greater pride than being chosen to play for your country. GO ENGLAND - win the Cup! You can do it! And remember, all the true fans of the game are right behind you. As the Americans say "We've got your back"!

In the qualifying stages the aim is to qualify, we did that.
In the group stage the aim was to win the group to EARN the easier game for the next round, we did that.
In the next four games the aim is to win to move on, we have succeeded on the first leg, 3 to go.
If we win 1-0 against Portugal and play badly, it does not matter. The aim was to win and go through to play Brazil or France.
If we play one of those teams and get a lucky draw and win on penalties, who cares?
We will then be in the final where we can play beautiful football and win 2-0.
Football is unpredictable, tempered by individual performances on the day. Look at Ribery for France! By refereeing performances and the luck of the bounce.
The real point is that any of the last 8 teams can win so lets make our own luck by getting behind the team!

I've read all of these comments from fellow supporters and i think they're all bang on perfect. It is a relief for me to know that the true followers of England - us the fans, are not stupid enough to listen to this tripe that the press continue to shell out.

Quarter Finals - that means we're 1 of the top 8 countries in the world. Don't you think a 'congratulations, well done, keep it up we can do it' message would be much better off than a 'we haven't played well' message. Support tha lads for pitys sake.

COME ON ENGLAND - 2006 WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS.... I can feel it.

i do believe england are going out to a rampant portuguese team. england have too many overhyped players such as rooney, beckham,gerrard ,lampard etc

the portuguese have a game plan that will send the english packing and good riddance too!

i do believe england are going out to a rampant portuguese team. england have too many overhyped players such as rooney, beckham,gerrard ,lampard etc

the portuguese have a game plan that will send the english packing and good riddance too!

Hi Lolli Sesti

Let the best team win and let fair play prevail!

(FIFA referees please take note)

Cheers!

The only thing rampant about Portugal is the lack of discipline.

Rooney and Gerrard are the real deal. Portugal is a collection of has beens and petulant, erratic youngsters.

England all the way.

the team winnning the world cup is not necessarily the best team in the world as it really depends on the groups they are placed in and therefore i would prefer a round robin scenario where they all play each other and this will give us the best team in the world. all the south american teams played each other twice and the five best teams went on to play at the world cup and to be honest i can't see england winning the world cup as they are a team of over hyped players but then again....

Do you like bird-watching ... as well!

The last time Engand beat any of the footballing world's major powers (Brazil, Germany, Argentina, France, Italy or Holland) in the knockout stages of any major tournament was...er.... 1966.

Yes, they haven't managed it in 40 years! 4 decades, not even once. yet every World cup or european championship they style themselves amongst the favourites. How bizarre

By all rules of logic England's victory in 1966 was an abberation, a random fluctuation in 60 years of mediocrity at the international level. But rather than accept that its tecnically impoverished game needs to borrow a leaf from the more fluid, more sophisticated version played in the continent, south america and now Africa, the english persist in stubborn insularity, invariably serving up flat perfomances and stinking out major tournaments with pre-historic football.

Portugal should beat england, but even if by some miracle they don't England won't win the world cup. It is true that the best teams don't always win it, but mediocre ones rarely do.

Finally in response to Fred's accusations of racism. i am from Nigeria, which most Europeans call a corrupt country that doesn't mean they are racist - becos Nigeria is a corrupt country.

In the same vein saying England, a country steeped in the worship of unearned privilege and empty celebrity (the very antithesis of robustly meritocratic sport)is crap at Football, tennis, Athletics, Basket ball (but not strange games like cricket)is not racist, cannot be racist, becos it is a fact.

Or when last was the England trophy cabinet put to any use.

A footballing culture's technical excellence can be judged by the experts it produces. Where are the winning coaches, the Brains of the game fron England

Holland have their Hiddinks, Van Gaal's Cruyffs, Rijkard;s, Italy, Trapatoni, Lippi, Cappello, Sacchhi, France has Wenger, Jacquet, Lemmerre, Portugal Mourinho, Spain Benitez. If english football is that hot why hasn;t it produced coaches, experts and tacticians to match those i have just mentioned.

Why don't the portuguese or spanish come to England looking for coaches, why is it the other way round?
C'mon guys if you want ot get better, you need to start by admitting how bad you really are

The last time Engand beat any of the footballing world's major powers (Brazil, Germany, Argentina, France, Italy or Holland) in the knockout stages of any major tournament was...er.... 1966.

Yes, they haven't managed it in 40 years! 4 decades, not even once. yet every World cup or european championship they style themselves amongst the favourites. How bizarre

By all rules of logic England's victory in 1966 was an abberation, a random fluctuation in 60 years of mediocrity at the international level. But rather than accept that its tecnically impoverished game needs to borrow a leaf from the more fluid, more sophisticated version played in the continent, south america and now Africa, the english persist in stubborn insularity, invariably serving up flat perfomances and stinking out major tournaments with pre-historic football.

Portugal should beat england, but even if by some miracle they don't England won't win the world cup. It is true that the best teams don't always win it, but mediocre ones rarely do.

Finally in response to Fred's accusations of racism. i am from Nigeria, which most Europeans call a corrupt country that doesn't mean they are racist - becos Nigeria is a corrupt country.

In the same vein saying England, a country steeped in the worship of unearned privilege and empty celebrity (the very antithesis of robustly meritocratic sport)is crap at Football, tennis, Athletics, Basket ball (but not strange games like cricket)is not racist, cannot be racist, becos it is a fact.

Or when last was the England trophy cabinet put to any use.

A footballing culture's technical excellence can be judged by the experts it produces. Where are the winning coaches, the Brains of the game fron England

Holland have their Hiddinks, Van Gaal's Cruyffs, Rijkard;s, Italy, Trapatoni, Lippi, Cappello, Sacchhi, France has Wenger, Jacquet, Lemmerre, Portugal Mourinho, Spain Benitez. If english football is that hot why hasn;t it produced coaches, experts and tacticians to match those i have just mentioned.

Why don't the portuguese or spanish come to England looking for coaches, why is it the other way round?
C'mon guys if you want ot get better, you need to start by admitting how bad you really are

England has had an unfairly rough ride in the press - what's new? First half against Paraguay - excellent. Second half against Sweden - very good despite conceding two slightly lucky goals from the Swedish point of view - nobody is going to convince me that Allback meant that goal. Second half against Ecuador - the best tehnical display so far. We kept the ball well and dominated the game - why the hell is everybody being so negative?? England is a better team than Portugal, and has a far better disciplinary record.

Dream team: Robinson, Neville, Ferdinand, Terry, Ashley Cole,
Hargreaves (I'm a convert - he's really impressed me and he's the only candidate as a holding defensive midfield player, but I really wasn't sure about him at the start), Lennon, who's been brilliant(I'd actually drop Beckham - shock horror - maybe a sub), Gerrard, Lampard (he MUST score!), Joe Cole, and, of course, Rooney.

I've seen Walcott play - he's fantastic. If, God forbid, Rooney gets injured, how about him coming on? Eriksson's getting close to demob-happy - nothing to lose and he really could turn it around if we're struggling.

Comments, please!

I got a great idea! Let's bring back Graham Taylor!!!

C'mon. Sven knows what he's doing, and the team honestly like him.

No other country worries so much on both sides of any given coin. If he does this formation, we ask "why's he experimenting now?" But then he gets flak for the longest time for sticking with 4-4-2.

It's a squad game. Italy has changed from 4-3-1-2 with Totti in, to 4-3-3 with Del Piero, Gilardino and Toni up front. Figo (even though he really should be suspended) could very well take up the central playmaker role in Portugal's 4-2-3-1 formation, instead of Tiago. I don't see the Portuguese tying themselves in knots over this.

The players have to professional enough to handle all that comes at them, even different positioning.

Please,all you armchair football pundits,even the pros.just remember that England back in 1966 did not play particularly well,the press then were giving Sir Alf a hard time and they were writing off the team almost before the start.Why oh why does the media ALWAYS insist on rubbishing all of our sporting teams,have they some kind of complex?
Lets see and hear some national pride and support for a change!!!

Seems to me that everyone is FINALLY putting our horrendously hypotictical and self-serving media in their place - AND ABOUT TIME TOO! Good on ya Sven.

Josh is right about France. A fortunate golden goal to win 1-0 over Paraguay (remember them?) and a mind-numbing PK win (0-0 AET) against Italy got France into the semi's in 1998, where after they played two amazing games to win the Cup.

And all without a goal from a recognized striker!

Rooney surely will put a stamp on this World Cup shortly.

Hmmm good points here, i reckon everyone has been frustrated with some of the long ball rubbish weve played - we top the "failed long balls" chart by 50% margin. That is the root of the criticism. Its not Ray Houghton and Andy Townsend in the midfield, but real top quality. Thats why the hoofing is so mystifying, just a bit more passing required mixing long and short stuff........good luck lads!!!

If the England team did as much diving and play-acting as the other teams and if the refereeing was half as good as the Eurovision song contest, then I think England would stand a fair chance of reaching, at least, the next stage of the tournanent.

When did you last see David Beckham or Wayne Rooney or any other England player get marks of 9.5, 9.6, 9.7, 9.4, and 10.0 on a 50/50 ball.

FIFA have criticised England's style of play but this is surely hypocritical when they do not penalise diving and other play-acting. How many fouls did Paraguay players commit in the first 30 minutes of play against England? - Please FIFA - go back and count them all!

I think we can leave the selection to Sven but let's expect fair play and nil politics from FIFA's 'train spotters' (We know the trains run on time in Europe so train spotting in Europe must be a complete idiots game outside of the UK).

I agree there are some very encouraging comments from this blog. Sven has received a lot of criticism but now I think it is time that the players all stood up to be counted. With the 4-5-1 formation (hopefully with a fit Neville at right back and Hargreaves as the holding midielder)the likes of Gerrard, Lampard, Beckham and Rooney will all play well together at the same time and defeat Portugal. If a consistent level can be reached then there is no reason why they can't go and defeat Brazil and Argentina. Brazil as always are massively overrated and have a very weak defence and in recent history we have proven ourselves capable of beating Argentina.
I have been a bit dissapointed with Gerrards England career (there are many mitagating circumstances i.e. having to play the holding midfield role etc.) but it is really time he stood up to be counted like he does for Liverpool. With the 4-5-1 system he and Lampard have a real oppurtunity to boss games all the way to the final. Overall I think the system should suit England and can easily be changed during the game by bringing on Crouch and Lennon if more penetration is required. Sven's judgement in many areas has been proven to be correct, particularly for example with Owen Hargreaves who has played brilliantly in this tournament despite being mercilessly derided by the press and some England fans.
Now is the time for all the England players to stand up and take there chance. As Sven says there may not be such a good oppurtunity again for a very long time.

Mr Akande - enough with the conspiracy theories.

The draw was made by drawing teams from random pots. England could have met Germany in the second round - so much for 'planning' their routes to the final.

As for the routes themselves, Germany have Argentina in their quarter final, and are likely to meet Italy should they proceed. England, meanwhile, are set up to meet Brazil or France should they beat Portugal. These are hardly 'easy routes to the final'.

I just wish all of those who have nothing better to could put a sock in it and leave the rest of us to enjoy the rest of the tournament.

Go Germany!

If you could all cast your minds back to 2003?? remember the rugby lot? every game they played the nation was gripped in a way we never realised we could be gripped, but why? because we knew that we had a massive chance of lifting the trophy. The feeling is the same now and nerves will be on edge and so bums on the edge of seats...but we won that world cup and this one? our name is on the cup

If you could all cast your minds back to 2003?? remember the rugby lot? every game they played the nation was gripped in a way we never realised we could be gripped, but why? because we knew that we had a massive chance of lifting the trophy. The feeling is the same now and nerves will be on edge and so bums on the edge of seats...but we won that world cup and this one? our name is on the cup

this seems to be a very emotional subject, not only for english people but many people from other countries have a strong opinion on englands form and potential. I wonder if these same people are posting comments on sites dedicated to the other teams who remain in the quarter finals. lets be honest here. have england played well so far? no. Do engand have the potential to improve significantly? yes. The current england team contains some of the greatest players we have known for a long time, many of which are highly respected within their own clubs. lets just take a moment to reflect on how a knockout competition works, win you go through, lose you go home. It is irrelevant how you play. If a premiership season were to last 7 games would arsenal win by playing flamboyant football or would chelsea win by grinding results?. The point is we have a team that can only improve and yet despite playing poorly has still reached the final eight. Why do we criticise them, a world cup brings an intake of breath every second, every touch, flick pass is viewed and analysed and compared to perfection and if it doesnt match perfection it is ridiculed. pathetic. Play solid, play as a team. match your opponents and beat them with whatever means necessary. If england find one more gear they WIll win this tournament.who should we fear? who has been perfect up to now? Brazil? terrifying going forward but against mediocre opposition we see holes in their defence. Ukraine? give me a break. Portugal? not enough quality scolari can only do so much but i just dont see them beating england. Italy have stuggled throughout the tournament and will go out in the semis. France are coming on strong but the team is old and rely too much on henry who just does not perform for france. Argentina were shown to be suspect against mexico, MEXICO for gods sake pushed the supposedly mighty argentina to extra time. The only team we need to fear at this tournament is germany. A distinctly average group of players who are playing like a team, moreso than anyone else. lets hope we meet them. in the final. which we will win. A knockout tournament is all about form, potential and luck. Form for england will come (please frank, just hit the net once), potential we have in abundance and luck well, they do say sven is a lucky manager. We will beat portugal in normal time. We will meet and beat brazil in the semis and then we will expose a poor german side in the final. Have faith.
We have the best defence, arguably the best midfield and one of the most exciting forwards the game has ever seen. Englan will prevail.

I wish the England players all the best. They seem, mostly, a sensible and level-headed bunch of lads and they can play football - as they have proven with their clubs. To my mind, the fact that they are undeperforming in Germany is down to the management team - Eriksson and McLaren. Compared to the managers of the other big footballing nations, they are just not very good. McLaren's record is one League Cup and a 7th place but even Eriksson's doesn't really stand up to close scrutiny. Let us not be fooled by all the recent talk of flexibility and planning for each game - Germany, France, Brazil, Argentina, Italy, Portugal have not changed formation or personnel unless forced to. And can they please explain what exactly is the point of having Jenas in the squad? Eriksson and McLaren are making it up as they go along and if the England players win the World Cup it will be despite those two, not because of them.

Anyone out there parping on about "playing ugly", England's mediocre performances thus far, and Sven's "lack of gameplan" actually remember any previous World Cups?

How about 1990's final, a turgid drudge of a game with West Germany scraping a win? And how about France in '98 - grinding out wins in the group stages, or a last-gasp golden goal in the second round? And 1966 when Eng-er-land won - weren't they booed off the pitch on two occcasions in the early rounds?

I wish everyone would get a grip (and not Tord). If the English team get their hands on the trophy, the manner in which they won it will be forgotten about within a day's celebratory drinking, I kid you not. Nobody bangs on about the aforementioned crappy efforts by other national teams, do they? They won it - how they got there is a hazy memory which only ever comes into focus when watching one of those nonsense Sky One 'footy years' type programmes. "Ah," you all say as the memories flood back. "So they were rubbish at times."

Let's move on!

I'm sorry, there are still too many questions unanswered for me?

Is he trying to say that he has a different preffered system for each game? Is he trying to say that he has a different preffered starting line-up for each game? I simpy don't believe that. Do I even need to mention the decision to select Walcott?

I think the truth is that England are heading into the quraterfinals of the world cup and Sven still has not decided what his best formation is, who his best starting 11 are, and, he is still unable to get the best out of all the individuals in the team. How many england games have we seen in this World Cup where we have had more than 2 or 3 excellent individual perfromances? I can't think of any.

England won the Ecuador game on a Beckham freekick and until Rooney & (to a lesser extent)Gerrard raised their game in the second half england looked lifeless and devoid of imagination. Lets face it, Ecuador were neither adventurous nor potent in attack. Against better opposition, england's defence will be thoroughly tested and england will have to create and score much more than they have thus far.

Best of luck to England. IF they continue to play as they have and do go on to win the whole thing, I will be thrilled and will have no compliants. But as far as I'm concerned, Sven will deserve little of the credit. Him and McClaren are stumbling through the tournament with their formations and team selections. They're just lucky they have a group of World Class professionals at their disposal, and they're particularly lucky that they have Rooney.

Mike Thomas what absolute rubbish!! The whole point of the world cup is that people want to see the best teams and players perform and end up with a deserved winner that catches the imagination of the world. How absolutely blinkered and ignorant to try and claim that nobody cares about the standard of football. Maybe English people really are that desperate for some sort of success that they will be happy with winning a tournament whilst boring every specator to death. Thankfully I believe in my heart of hearts that this will not happen and they will be found out by an actual footballing side before they can rob the world cup of all of its glamour and passion. My god can you imagine a highlights dvd if England did win it?? Ha ha even English fans surely couldn't sit through that. While everyone deludes themselves with the belief that its always going to get beter the next match remember that England have been playing like this for YEARS with the one exception of the completely uncharacteristic show of flair in the 5-1 german rout!! It wil be a devastatingly sad day for football if England win footballs showpiece prize.

Anyone else finding Kay Akande's moronic drivel amusing?

Just me then?

CMON ENGLAND!!!

England are probably the only team who play so poorly and still think they can win.

By luck? Please... Gut feel? You got to be kidding me.

Sven still doesn't know his best team, or the best formation in adapting to the environment on the pitch.

Deplorable fitness levels. If they head to extra time against Portugal, don;t even give them a ghost of a chance.

A ball-less, brainless manager who won't use gems like Gerrard, Carrick and Lennon to the team's advantage.

A media and a nation that would rather see the team fail miserably to validate / vindicate their apparaisals of Sven and his hopeless 23.

Sad, sad England... truly the weakest of the 8. Good luck Sven, with your 5-5-0 formation...

Let me take that back - you've had enough luck already, and the time is nigh for a good hiding!

Mr Akande,
Thank you for your insights into FIFA corruption and theories on racism, I havn't read anything so amusing for years. Please continue giving us your unbiased opinoins on the English character and It's National sport.......Actually, no, don't.

I cant believe that people are already taking shots about Mclaren! Lay off him ffs. He hasnt done anything yet except show an amazing ability to shift gears in tournament football when it is required!

Give the guy a chance and no body mention that he only seems to perform well when he is behind :S

I think Sven and England play alot better against the better teams. If you ask me Beckham will pull something out of the bag if he needs to. He and Rooney will try there hardest to provide and score goals until we've won the World Cup 2006! And with people like Terry and A Cole in deffence we will always win. Have faith in them and they'll surprise you.

Journalists just love to ask loaded questions don't they ? The press must really learn to take a responsible attitude and stop publishing some of the sensationalist badly researched drivel commonplace in national newspapers. Phil Scolari turned down the England job specifically because of the fears about press intrusion into his private life. Journalists cite the freedom of the press as the means by which people are called to account. It is time someone now called the journalists to account.

Actually, I also think Kay Akande does have a point about England being perennial underachievers in international sport, but then so are Spain and a lot of other leading nations. The English only seem to perform out of their skins when their very survival is at stake. The problem is that most of our overpaid footballers have never got to that stage because they are built up by the media into believing they are better than they actually are and then knocked down when they fail to live up to the unrealistic aspirations set for them.

If England do beat Portugal and move on to the semi finals it certainly won't be because the UK press has helped them.

At last we have evidence of positive support for Team England, I've been fed up of all the criticism the team and Sven have been recieving since they arrived at this tournament.Even from the outset of the qualifying campaign the press have tried to undermine their confidence in their ability and their manager, but despite this constant carping and negativity look where they are - It's the world cup finals we should be supporting them all the way! I hope the team get the chance to see all these blogs and realise that whatever the press write about them they have the full support of the people that matter.
This is the best prepared squad we have ever had, Sven has the best record of any manager we've had (since last winning the world cup)- please "Press" get off their backs and let them get on with the job in hand!
"COME ON ENGLAND, COME ON ENGLAND, COME ON ENGLAND................."

It is nice to read posts openly deploring the state of the british media. Their negativity, which without doubt rubs off on the players, is something that needs to be adjusted before the next competition. And you know that if England do win the world cup, the media would say they never doubted sven or his boys, and were behind them 100%. If I was Sven, I would write an open letter, describing his experience over the last five years or so. English people need to be made aware of the effects the media have on the team; people in this post seem to have their heads screwed on, yet I don't think this is representative of the country as a whole. We cannot tolerate this anymore.

Secondly, about England's performance. So far we have played teams that have been worried about England and defended as if their lives depended on it, getting ten men behind the ball. Obviously this makes it hard to score and difficult to play the ball around. Against better opponents, we will be attacked. Portugal will push men up front, leaving gaps behind, which Gerrard, Lampard, Rooney, Cole and BEckham can exploit. We will have much more space against Portugal - and if we see Brazil in the semis, we have the players to exploit their defensive frailties - also we have the players to stop their superstars in their tracks.

Remember the Argentina game in November? Even though it was just a friendly, England played with heart, passion and belief against one of the best teams in the world. And they didn't exactly help us win either. We have got to where we are playing badly - yet we are here. Now is the time to put on an individual and collective performance and show the world just how good England is.

Rooney needs help up front - when he misses a cross there is noone behind him to collect it. When he makes a run there is noone running with him. Losing Owen was unfortunate, and I believe a severe blow to our chances. Lampard and Gerrard need to stand up and show they are world beaters, and nothing says this like a couple of goals.

Come on England, attack and score goals like we know you can do.

GregS, Post number 5 says 'England remain the only European team to make the second round of both the WC 2002 and Euro 2004.'

Err, no! Sweden and Denmark did too, if you check your figures. Yes, England are winning but let's not be hypocritical. All the commentators were going on about how the game of football would be a loser if a team like Switzerland would win and go through to the second round - wasn't it Mark Lawrenson? I am not sure. Anyway, who wants to see long balls and deflected or otherwise free kicks beat the fluent, stylish beautiful passing game played by Brazil, Argentina and many others? Winning ugly may be winning, but it ain't pretty and it ain't a certainty to beat 'proper' football. England have to have a revamp or they will be perennial QF and SF contestants.

I think everybody coaches and pundits should just keep the critism down for the town being and let all the England managers concentrate on their jobs. Remember too many cooks spoil the broth!

Yes i can see a plan and ive been saying it for a while.

Loosing owen was not ideal, but in order to beat brazil or argentina, england will need to play and be comfortable with a 4-5-1.

This is how most teams win their tough games against attacking opponents.

Look at arsenals FACup final win over Man Utd a few years ago - Wenger sacrificed his pretty football to get the result! Noone remembers except for us bitter united fans, but its true!!!

Chelsea play this way against tough opponents too. Its also how teams like bolton manage to grind out results against supposedly superior opponents.

England played it against weaker teams for practice - so now we know how to beat Brazil or Argentina and even portugal.

And if it doesnt work out,we go a goal down or need to attack more, all the England players are already familiar with the 442. We can bring crouch on and go for it.

So i think Sven knows what he has been doing, and at last we are finally comfortable playing in two different formations.

this is exactly what everyone who supports england wanted- a manager with passion. i think sven probably had it in him right from the start, but he has tried more often than not to shy away from cameras and the press when he didn't need to confront them. this time was different. he came out and gave us all a shock!

also, i have noticed that while people criticise the england team's poor performances, they are still winning. as an england fan i have been slightly disappointed that they seem to have lost a spark somewhere that they used to have, a flair in the team that's gone missing. but they are still winning- no-one can deny that. apart from the sweden match, how many goals have we conceded? there is a solid backline, meaning that one or two goals can win the matches for us. i'm sure sven has had them practicing defending set-pieces for the last week since sweden, but apart from that (and terry's howler of a header against ecuador) when has anyone been close enough to have a decent shot on goal against england?

thought so...

l am thrilled by all your comments. Opinion can sometimes be an ** and everybody has one.
Personally l think England have been disappointing in all their games so far and l don't see that changing much on Saturday. l am one of those who believe that its the winning that counts because you always have another chance to improve your performance.The game on saturday will be a 50/50 chance and l have the feeling that England might just get a bit luckier this time around. Although it has to said that l don't see this team beating brazil or even France in the semis.
The English are very passionate about their football and nobody can take that from them. Notably the English style of play is different from the Europeans, south Amercians and Africans and may not necessary be the most attractive.
What really amuses me is when people say England can up their performance after 4 games. That is rubbish we have seen the best of England and hopefully it will get them to semis.
Lets face it at the moment there are better teams doing very well out there and until England start playing with confidence and style and a performance to match...they should be happy as semi-finalist.

I don't agree with Kay Akande's argument about the draw for the World Cup being "rigged" in favour of England and Germany, but I think his comments in post number 55 are spot-on.

England have won the World Cup once, in 1966. Since then, they have reached the semi-finals once, in 1990, having overcome Belgium and Cameroon to get there, neither of whom are major footballing powers. And yet, as Kay quite rightly points out, every time England qualify for a major international tournament they are touted as favourites, even though their pedigree on the international stage is actually quite poor.

And it is a problem of tactics, systems and, most of all, style. England will not win this World Cup 鈥� even though players like Terry, Ferdinand, Beckham, Gerrard and Rooney are good enough to be world champions 鈥� because they just don't play good enough football. They can鈥檛. England produces 4-4-2 footballers for a 4-4-2 system. All the favourites except for England 鈥� if, indeed, they deserve to be considered favourites at all 鈥� play with defensive midfielders supporting inventive withdrawn attackers, which allows them to play fluid, expansive, attacking football. All this talk of "grinding out results" fails to acknowledge that, by playing fluid, expansive attacking football, results don't need to be ground out at all.

England want to play too quickly - "Premiership tempo", it is called - but the players aren't good enough for that. Whenever the ball reaches Beckham or Lampard or even Joe Cole, it stops. Pass, stop, look around. Pass, stop, look around. Look at Argentina, look at Brazil. Look at Germany! Movement, fluidity, ideas. Look at England. Give it to Beckham, and get in the box. Give it to Rooney, and hope he does something extraordinary.

English football needs to change, from the bottom to the top. No sooner has an English school-child expressed a passion for the game, than he is given a position, told he is a defender or a midfielder or a forward, shoved into a 4-4-2 and told to do his job. And that is why the national team only ever produces technically accomplished but imaginatively limited players like some of those currently flying the flag in Germany. The future is in Rooney and Lennon and, let us hope, Theo Walcott: players with pace, touch and, most of all, imagination.

England may have invented football, but the significant developments in terms of style and tactics since then have all been achieved by other nations. The 4-4-2, 'direct football', "winning ugly" 鈥� the 鈥楨nglish style鈥� doesn鈥檛 work! If England ever want to be successful on the world stage again, they need to adapt, and to learn from more accomplished teams. And the sooner the nation realises this, the better.

For goodness sake, forget the analysis! What happens is beyond our control. Just let the boys know we believe in them, whether they win or not!!!

I'm not English and I don't even support the English team, but I am constantly amazed at the attitude of the media towards the English team and its manager. Before every single major competition, like the WC, the English team are hyped beyond any realistic reflection of their current playing standard, and Sven Eriksson is derided no matter what he does. Then, when the tournament gets under way and the reality of the situation forces itself on the media, the anger towards the coach steps up a few notches. The 成人论坛 did this as well, I'm afraid.

No seems to judge the team by their actual play, which, while not flashy is at least solid. That is the reason, I think, that England has gotten as far as it has. The reason that the English team has scored relatively few goals is perhaps simply that they tend to have a slow build up, which makes them easy to counter.

You have players like (IMO) the extremely underrated Gerrard and bulldozers like Rooney who should do well given half a chance. But Beckham is the one who is always under huge expectations and gets criticised even when he scores a goal from a free kick that not many other teams could produce.

The English team deserve to win, and even if they do lose, they are still one of the world's best.

Having read alot of people's comments, I know I am a novice. But we all have our opinions....
Mine is that when I look at most of the other remaining teams, there appears to be 4-5 players who each know their place, know their formation and can actually run, pass and keep the ball. Nearly all the other teams seem to be able to attack on the break and be at our goal in a matter of seconds, creating scoring opportunities. We are capable of this but generally don't play in such fast paced and attacking style. I am told it is due to Sven adopting an italian model of defensive play. It is so painful watching England play this way, especially when they look so good when we are attacking with confidence. I remember the England - Germany game, 5 - 1 and it was their best football I have seen from England ever.
So, as someone else said above, 4,5,1 can work, but we should definitely go back to 4,4,2 if it isn't. I never understand Sven's substitutions and I really do feel that Sven is the biggest hurdle in us winning the world cup. I also actually believe our boys can win it despite him, so we should all get behind them and just believe they can do it. Belief from everyone will make the difference. I know our boys always manage to raise their game when it matters most, we can do it! COME ON ENGLAND!!

If England win the world cup they won't be the best team in the world, they'll be the luckiest team in the world. I personally hope England get beaten on Saturday just so I can see Linekar, Wright and Shearer close to tears live on national TV wondering how on earth they just got beaten. Oh dear....gets me every time!

Shane - re your reply to my comments at 71 above - you've completely missed the point, chummy. At no time did I "claim that nobody cares about the standard of football". The point I made - clearly, though obviously not enough for you, sunshine - is that people seem to forget that other national sides have won the World Cup while playing less than beautiful football, and if England win it then nobody will really care how they do it so why is everyone still banging on about their style of play?

And how blinkered and ignorant (to borrow your charming turn of phrase) of you to assume I am English and desperate for some sort of success even if it means boring people to death. Matey, I'm a proud Welshman who's trying to bring a little bit of objectivity and rationality to this overcooked argument.

And if you think the whole point of the World Cup is, to paraphrase your rant, for people to see the best players and teams perform and end up with a deserved winner that catches the imagination of the world... well, you're living in a dream world where rivers run with chocolate and the streets are paved with gold.

Get a grip - the point is WINNING. If England scrape through and lift the cup, nobody will care about how they did it a week after the tournament finishes. I'm not defending their style of play or saying this is a good thing - it's just a simple fact.

RE: Mike

You are unsuprisingly contradicting yourself all over the place. On the one hand you claim that you never insinuated that the style of play doesn't matter to people and then four lines later say 'if England win then nobody will really care how they do it'. Make your mind up 'chummy'.

The fact that I presume you are going to respond and say you mean this to refer to English people muddies the waters of your claim to be Welsh even further. 'Chummy'?? Let's face it your original post sounded like that of an Englishman trying to convince himself that the the national teams performances can be excused or defended in the context of them justifying the sides tag as potential world champions. If you are a proud welshman why are you standing up for one of the most vulgar murderous countries in history? With one of the worst sets of fans in world football, a national hubris that borders on the insane and a nauseating national anthem who the hell could possibly wish them well except someone born there?

As for your chocolate rivers waffle - what a horrible outlook on life you must have if you think someone is living in a fantasy land because they expect the world cup to throw up exciting passionate football as opposed to the turgid mechanical wins that you believe to be all important. The proof of the fact that people do care about how teams win it is the fact that all the world cup replays we see years and years later are the moments of magic - the Brazil's etc. Anyone remember all the horrible 0-0 draws?

I rememeber the 1990 final and thinking how tainted the German win was by the standard of football in the dirge of a final that I'd just seen. They were world champions in name but they hadn't caught the imagination or respect of anyone. You never really felt this was the best team in the world - worthy champions. How you play completely matters and will be remembered unless you are English and will take any sort of a win out of complete desperation at this stage.

Shane - "One of the most vulgar murderous countries in history"? "One of the worst sets of fans in world football"? "A national hubris that borders on the insane"? And "a nauseating national anthem"?

Good grief. This is about sport, fella, not setting fire to holiday homes in the Welsh Mountains.

Keep taking the meds. You're way too intense to keep up with.

Shane - phew, mate. Calm down. This blog page is about football, not a platform for a xenophobic rant.

"One of the most vulgar murderous countries in history"?!?!

Good grief... I think I'll leave you to it, pal.

'Send her victorious happy and glorious' ??? In what exactly - snakes and ladders? Nope as long as England not only keep the monarchy but also celebrate their murderous past I don't see any reason why this shouldn't be a valid reason to despise the history they still celebrate - and by proxy hope they get lashed in the world cup so we don't have to stomach their 'God save the queens' and nauseating nationalism on an even bigger scale.

And seriously do you think there are many people who would disagree with the assertion that England fans have been more hassle than anything else over the years? Violent drunks.

goodbye sven who i admired and respected as always when things go wrong its kick out the manager.....

good luck for the future ,and maybe we will meet again.