England VS Wales thread

[itszamora]

A few journos on Sky this morning are putting forward the theory that Beckham knew that he was going to miss the game on Wednesday with his rib so 'used up' his booking and suspension deliberately.

I'd give the armband to Sol Campbell

Interesting, it would make sense as he clearly wasn't moving properly after the first challenge. Even so i don't think I'd have done it as making a challenge like that with a fractured rib is going to hurt. Perhaps that's why Sven left him on that extra couple of minutes - I would have taken him off at once as a precaution.

 

[The Laughing Bluebird]

I am hoping we get a win, and no stick from The Laughing Bluebird.

No danger of that. We were rubbish yet again. Thank God that the clueless Mark Hughes has his last game in charge on Wednesday. And you can guarantee we won't win that one either.

Never mind though, my hopes weren't high in the first place, and at least I backed Lampard to score first.....

 

[CHAPPERS]

LB - who do you want to take over??

I thought about lobbing a tenner of Lamps first scorer but I neglected to do so. Clown.

 

[The Laughing Bluebird]

I haven't really got a strong opinion on who should replace Hughes. But a tailor's dummy would do a better job than him. He picks players and systems to suit our opponents. The guy is a joke.

They are talking here about Ian Rush and John Toshack being amongst the main contenders, but I wouldn't fancy either of those to do a good job. Rush is only just starting out on the managerial trail at Chester and comes across as being as thick as two short planks, while Toshack is already hated by half of the team because of his outspoken criticism of Hughes and the players during the last couple of years.

Personally, I think Brian Flynn would do a decent job. Both Wrexham and Swansea were well organised and tactically sound during his spells with them. He won 66 caps and is well-respected within the Welsh game. He would also be likely to bring a decent backroom team with him. I reckon the FAW could do a lot worse than select him for the job, and he's already said that he's keen to have it.

(Lampard - I had a tenner on at 9/1, but was unlucky not to get some more back. I had £2-50 each on Lampard to score first coupled with England to win 3-0 and 4-0 at odds of 48/1 and 80/1. Close, but no cigar.)

 

[Uncle Buck]

Re: Re: England VS Wales thread

No danger of that. We were rubbish yet again. Thank God that the clueless Mark Hughes has his last game in charge on Wednesday. And you can guarantee we won't win that one either.

Never mind though, my hopes weren't high in the first place, and at least I backed Lampard to score first.....

I have to say yesterday the Welsh were dissapointing. I know they had injuries, but their game plan was a draw and the early goal screwed that and yet Hughes had no idea what to do. There were times when Rooney was on the ball that it was embarrasing, it was getting like a school game where you ask the best player to lay off a bit to give them a chance.

Was very impressed with Gabbidon (sp?), cannot see him in the Championship much longer. However Bellamy is a foul little shite, with him and Savage in the team, the opposition must get very wound up.

Owen will get the armband on Wednesday, he has been the vice captain for a while.

Also Defoe showed why he is not ready yesterday, too selfish and did not know when to play the ball. Would be inclined to go 4-4-2, with two of Hargreaves, Wright-Phillips and Joe Cole coming in.

All in all a good and well tempered day. A lot of England's burberry brigade out, but the police had it wrapped up. Some of Cardiffs less desirables were there, but they seemed to get held outside Piccadily until about 7pm and then put on the train back to Cardiff.

Oh and I missed the train home as it took over an hour and a half to get the Metro back, as they were hand writing the tickets to those that had not bought them before the game.

 

[The Laughing Bluebird]

Hughes is so tactically inept it's frightening. He showed yet again yesterday that he learned absolutely nothing from our failure to qualify for Portugal.

Hartson on his own up front? Davies at right back? Pembridge in midfield? Earnshaw on the wing?

Our only chance of any sort of result yesterday was to play 4-4-2 and to attempt to take the game to England. Instead, Hughes picked a side and a system which allowed England time and space to do what they wanted with the ball.

He did exactly the same in the home play-off against Russia. He hasn't got a clue.

 

[Biscuit]

Always the better side.

I thought the U -21's match was more entertaining.

'specially that blonde left back.. good wasn't he.

 

[The Laughing Bluebird]

I thought the English captain looked a good player. Plays for some Welsh club at the moment apparently.