Germany have so far looked like potential champions - England have been poor.
Only if Rooney becomes inspired...

Ah, yes - the little fat bald one on whom we pin ALL our hopes !

How many games (as a failed "striker") before he is replaced ?

10 ?
20 ?
50 ?

It's Michael Owen all over again !

I think Rooney has been struggling with his fitness for the last few months. He has been coming back for short spells and getting injured again. His career could be like Gazzas where he will never fulfill his potential because of constant injury.

Germany look much more fluent, however they only scored one goal against Ghana and lost to Serbia. I think it could well go down to Penalties again. Englands record on penalites in major tournaments (played 7 won 1).

Cant see England winning it unless they get lucky - and that is sometimes what happens in Cup Games....

At least no one expects us to win this time. May make the team play without pressure from now on and give them a small chance.

Germany look fantastic.

Their styles are so similar I suspect it'll be much tighter than that. I think England have to get Gerrard in the middle, where he can get the passing going. Rooney and the other strikers have to be given the ball - that's the problem so far, they're not being given the service. It won't happen but I'd like to see Crouch get at least 45 minutes - he'd cause chaos in the German penalty area.

Germany looked like potential champions against a VERY poor Australian side.

However, they were abject against Serbia, and lost 1-0 (although Klose getting sent off didn't help).

Last night Germany were lucky to beat Ghana, who IMO were by far the better team.

Factor in the fact that England almost never fail to raise their game when playing the better teams in world football, then anything could happen.

Agree, although I'm not a huge football fan. What do you think of Capello JK? For me he seems uncomfortable in the glare of the media. Not a natural performer as he was trumpeted to be when he first took the job.

Not yet convinced by Capello but fingers crossed. Rooney at peak is magic. Stevie is excellent; Crouch can be terrific; several others, when on form (Lampard, Terry, Cole - both) are fine. Heskey a disaster - keep him out.

Capello is a fantastic manager and England are lucky to have him. He's won pretty much everything in the game and coached some of the biggest clubs in the world. His one problem with England is simply that all the players are English! He can't help that.

robbiex wrote:
He has been coming back for short spells and getting injured again.

Like I said ... Michael Owen all over again !

With the greatest respect Prunella I would have thought that speaking English would have been one of the top credentials for the position. If he's struggling with the language barrier than that is his and the FA's fault. If you take the England job expect the players to be English...in fact I'd almost guarantee it. For me Capello is struggling awfully. Almost to the point of embarrassment.

BBC last night for example...GABBY LOGAN: So the shackles have been smashed?
CAPELLO: Eh?
GABBY LOGAN: So England have much more freedom on the pitch?
CAPELLO: Yes. More...ermmm...Freedom

Oh dear.

Spot on JK. You really do know your football.

Heskey needs to be kept off the pitch. I would like to see Rooney on the left - Gerrard moved to midfield and Crouch brought on up front with Defoe. Someone would need to give way - Milner or Barry ? Probably Milner to accomadate Rooney in midfield. His pace is suspect because of injury but he is still a fantastic player and putting Crouch up front would cause the German defence all sorts of issues. I reckon Rooney can feed Crouch better than either Gerrard or Milner.

I feel more confident now after reading the posts/

The Fat Controller wrote:
For me Capello is struggling awfully. Almost to the point of embarrassment.

BBC last night for example...GABBY LOGAN: So the shackles have been smashed?
CAPELLO: Eh?
GABBY LOGAN: So England have much more freedom on the pitch?
CAPELLO: Yes. More...ermmm...Freedom

Oh dear.

Oh come on FC, he was being asked in the middle of a stadium full of vuvuzelas! And Capello got England playing more intelligent football during the qualifiers than they'd played in years. The horrible nerviness of English players at big tournaments has been evident for decades - it's not something any manager can just conjure away.

Owen's problems all came from one of the worst hamstring tears I've seen in football - he never got over it, and trying to compensate caused a whole series of related injuries that rendered him a walking sicknote. I think Rooney's okay physically - he's just tired, like his teammates - but mentally he's hopeless. If he doesn't get sent off he'll be sulking or playing out of position like some schoolkid in a playground kickabout.

Can't see Germany thrashing England, JK. There is no history of that. In major competitions since 1966, games between the two countries have almost always resulted in a draw after 90 minutes, and I fully expect the same outcome on Sunday. Germany will probably edge it after that, and of course, if it goes to penalties I will be switching off the TV to avoid witnessing the inevitable.

The thread is largely redundant in that neither side has the ability to beat Argentina in the following round, unless Messi is abducted by aliens, or perhaps injured to be more realistic.

On a brighter note, the final between Brazil and Argentina will be one of the finest games of football of all time.

Prunella Minge wrote:
Owen's problems all came from one of the worst hamstring tears I've seen in football - he never got over it, and trying to compensate caused a whole series of related injuries that rendered him a walking sicknote.

So who on earth was he a permanent member of the England team for an entire decade ?

On a brighter note, the final between Brazil and Argentina will be one of the finest games of football of all time.

Or one of the most violent!

The Fat Controller wrote:
With the greatest respect Prunella I would have thought that speaking English would have been one of the top credentials for the position.

It would be funny if it were not so disasterous !

A man who cannot speak English trying to educate various players who communicate in monosyllabic grunts !

Did you understand that Rooney ?

"Snort"

Anthony wrote:
the final between Brazil and Argentina will be one of the finest games of football of all time.

You seem to have forgotten both the Netherlands and Portugal, Anthony !

BOTH teams are consistent performers at major tournaments.

Bad news for England football fans ....

an octopus (which is apparently psychic !) has predicted a German win on Sunday ... and he had a near perfect "record" for picking winners (but unfortunately it's a German octopus !)

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/10420131.stm