England look ropey against a team who have lost the last 5 out of 6 games. Superstar wages against a bunch of amateurs. Pathetic start.

So far, Angel (half time) I completely agree with you!

I gather all is NOT going to plan ? Cappello is Not so Fabio ?

A couple of snippets from the BBC reporting -

55 mins Commentary
What's wrong with these players tonight? Steven Gerrard, in acres of space on the right of the area, has three England players to pass to and finds the only covering Algerian. It's hard to believe such good players can do such bad things sometimes.

52 mins Commentary
Emile Heskey collects the ball down the England right, almost falls over trying to do a step-over and sends a cross behind for a goalkick. I'm honestly not making it up.

One goal and you'll all believe that they actually have a chance LOL !

Fabio should tell them to pass the ball to people wearing white, not green.

BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty -
"Time running short for England now - and even a late winner, should it arrive, must not be allowed to disguise the shortcomings of this wretched display. It is a struggle to recall the last time Wayne Rooney played as badly as this and England looked so jaded."

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While you are watching this rubbish you are missing a dream programme on BBC Four - Stevie Winwood !

Now there's a talent - Stevie Winwood.

Heskey was AWFUL.

As far as the World Cup goes, I like Germany. I don't like England.

Capello is a GREAT manager. Don't blame him for the players. Why were the players so poor? They take part in the most obscenely commercial league in the world, where they play far too many matches without a break and they're completely shagged out before the summer. On top of that, they're not very bright.

And they were all looking so OLD and puffy and out of shape; Lampard's body language when he took one shot at goal was the least fluid I've ever seen him. Their faces are all wrinkled and saggy. When they stand in line clutching their bollocks and the ball goes way past them, they look so BORED.

Prunella Minge wrote:
Capello is a GREAT manager. Don't blame him for the players. Why were the players so poor? .... On top of that, they're not very bright.

It's as I've believed for many years ... their is a clique mentality within the England team, once you are a "member" you feel as if you are there for life.

Michael Owen scored one good goal for England in 1998 (?) and was fixture in the team thereafter - even though he was constantly out of form and almost always injured !

It's the same with Rooney ... he hasn't scored in an International now for 6 (or is it 7?) games !

The team should be picked on CURRENT form and no one should be an "automatic" - but most of these feel they are. Rooney should be dropped and only return if and when his form improves significantly.

Above all, they should take a hint from Stevie Winwood .... "Keep On Running" ! LOL

England shouldn't have been as awful as they were, but there is a point here about priorities: greed drives the Premiership to grind good players into the ground. Gerrard for example, had a groin problem last SEPTEMBER. There was never time to let him rest and just recover, so he went on for the next eight months with injections and a few games off. Result? He's limped out of FOUR England training sessions since the season was over. With a groin strain. I'm sure you could produce a similar story for most of the players. They're shattered. It's just wrongheaded to aim for an exciting tournament after such a high pressure season these days. All European players suffer, to be fair, and some of them have been very good so far, but at least many of them have a mid-season break. We don't, of course, because audiences for TV games over Christmas are huge. If the English FA really want a successful England team, send them into tournaments fresh. But that won't happen, will it?

Post-Mortem on BBC tonight:

THE BOY LINACRE: These are good players for their clubs. Why do they play like this for England?

LEE DIXON: Well, that's the 64 dollar question.

Hang on...gah! I've only got two pound coins and a polo!

The comments by Rooney show just how much contempt the players have for their fans.

Many of these fans had saved hard for years to be able to afford the trip ... they paid their money ... and were treated to rubbish.

Perhaps the little fat bald one (Gazza 2 - in waiting?) should remember that ?