Croatia v England

[Jimmy]

Hes retired?

Im lost... was it a joke I missed or soemthing.

read the post before mine which you quoted

[syston_fox]

FAT FRANK

Is it just a vendeta against Chelsea players in general because it wasnt long ago you were saying Joe Cole was never good enough for England!

I still think Lampard is a quality player and would rather have him in the squad then not!

[Jimmy]

Is it just a vendeta against Chelsea players in general because it wasnt long ago you were saying Joe Cole was never good enough for England!

I still think Lampard is a quality player and would rather have him in the squad then not!

no it's a vendetta against overrated crap that the London press insist we have to pick, including Rooney, if you were sat in the pub with me watching the game you'd see I'm forever shouting at the telly for him to get further up the field

as for Joe Cole he did well but he still isn't a winger

[syston_fox]

no it's a vendetta against overrated crap that the London press insist we have to pick

as for Joe Cole he did well but he still isn't a winger

[Tevez]

no it's a vendetta against overrated crap that the London press insist we have to pick, including Rooney, if you were sat in the pub with me watching the game you'd see I'm forever shouting at the telly for him to get further up the field

as for Joe Cole he did well but he still isn't a winger

give up mate.

WTF is Joe Cole if he isn't a winger? Sweeper?

[Jimmy]

give up mate.

WTF is Joe Cole if he isn't a winger? Sweeper?

attacking midfield, the perfect role for him would be a free role behind the strikers, he isn't a proper winger because he doesn't want to stay wide

[syston_fox]

attacking midfield, the perfect role for him would be a free role behind the strikers, he isn't a proper winger because he doesn't want to stay wide

Coming on for Downing against Andorra and scored two because he didn't stay wide.... (incidentally one of those goals was from a Lampard ball )

[BoneHead.]

Do you two just copy each other?

You tell me what's so humorous about:

A: Someone having Aids

B: Someone dying of Aids

Aint that what Mark Fowler from Eastenders had?

If so, Ross Kemp you should be ashamed of yourself, Mark was one of few good guys in Walford and someone you saw every day in the square.

He will be turning in his grave seeing comments like that!!

[Matt]

Good performance, I did question Walcott, and I certainly question Walcott and the England team first 20 minutes, but they both proved me wrong.

Still a few players who I make me wonder and tbh didn't even notice on the pitch, Barry and Lampard (Only noticed Fat Frank when he took freekicks, otherwise where was he?) to mention 2.

I'm not getting carried away yet, even though the papers and certain people will be saying "We've got the next world cup in the bag", blah blah blah, but good performance and a huge improvement. Got a slight bit more pride back.

[Milky]

Check out all the twats in these England match threads!!! woooohooooo! Woop! Woop!

Rooney was sensational. Waste of space? Fook off! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH woooooooooooooooo!!!

[Sparky]

haha fooking love it !!!!

Lampard , Rooney , Heskey and Theo were bloody terrific , these performances are rare from England so im gonna bloody enjoy it !!!!

A smile back on the face of English football

[C-man]

Rooney, Theo and Bruno

[Bert]

Everyone played their part tonight.

Solid at the back, we stopped Croatia playing and countered well in the first half when they were seeming to get a small grasp on the game.

I think Rooney shown why he gets played even when not playing very well, a key part in the first goal, two assists and a goal. He kept his head very well tonight as well. He worked hard, stuck to his task, and helped out defensively when he needed to tonight.

Barry was key tonight (and won't get the credit he deserves) which i think, counter created one of Lampards best games for England in the past few years. Barry did all the tidying up, which enabled Frank the space he loves and craves to do what he does best. Barry, made a lot of key passes, blocks, tackles and interceptions tonight. Frank was very unlucky to have a great goal rubbed off.

Heskey, Lead the line really well, had a good physical battle with Simunic, (who should've been sent off for some cynical fouls) made a lot of space for the other attackers around him.

Walcott, simply awesome, 3 great finishes, good wing play, and helped out in defence.

Very pleased with the overall display tonight, I just hope that the papers don't make out we're the best team in the world tomorrow.

[The Reverend]

I'll say one thing.

Fabio Capello.

He's been a success EVERYWHERE he's been. Why would he stop now?

[FilboFox]

Am slightly in shock... was thinking this would be a really tough and we'd probably lose considering the way we normally play! What a great result though... it's almost on a par with the 5-1 win against the Germans...

Let's hope that this is the start of a new England and that the old shitty performances are behind us... I'll not be holding my breath though...

ENGLAND!

[lildave3]

Am slightly in shock... was thinking this would be a really tough and we'd probably lose considering the way we normally play! What a great result though... it's almost on a par with the 5-1 win against the Germans...

Let's hope that this is the start of a new England and that the old shitty performances are behind us... I'll not be holding my breath though...

ENGLAND!

It's not.

[LeeCovFox]

It's not.

I agree that it isn't, but the Germany side we beat 5-1 were poorer than the Croatia side we defeated this evening.

[Bert]

It's not.

We just need the papers to claim we're the best in the world again now.

[Ultra]

Capello's gameplan was superb.

He spun a fantastic yarn in the days before this fixture, to the effect that England were short of confidence and would be content to leave Zagreb with a point.

In the event he picked a side of sufficient attacking intent to gladden many an ageing heart. And didn't it deliver!

The Croats completely lost the plot during the second half and were maybe lucky to escape with just one red card.

But this was one of those rare nights where England could have beaten ANY team in the world, so dominant were we during the second half. Walcott's hat-trick will take pride of place, but Rooney's performance was his best in an England shirt for years. Lampard wasn't far behind him, either.

Now the task must be to keep this form throughout the rest of the campaign.

If Capello manages that, then anything is possible.

[Ultra]

I agree that it isn't, but the Germany side we beat 5-1 were poorer than the Croatia side we defeated this evening.

Yeah, that's why they reached the World Cup Final a few months later..

[Bert]

I agree that it isn't, but the Germany side we beat 5-1 were poorer than the Croatia side we defeated this evening.

But that's irrelevant as Germany are the auld enemy and everyone knows our history with them and what not, that was a very historical night.

We've played and won well tonight, and stopped Croatia's good home record, but that's about it.

Capello's gameplan was superb.

He spun a fantastic yarn in the days before this fixture, to the effect that England were short of confidence and would be content to leave Zagreb with a point.

In the event he picked a side of sufficient attacking intent to gladden many an ageing heart. And didn't it deliver!

The Croats completely lost the plot during the second half and were maybe lucky to escape with just one red card.

But this was one of those rare nights where England could have beaten ANY team in the world, so dominant were we during the second half. Walcott's hat-trick will take pride of place, but Rooney's performance was his best in an England shirt for years. Lampard wasn't far behind him, either.

Now the task must be to keep this form throughout the rest of the campaign.

If Capello manages that, then anything is possible.

Well said Ultra.

[LeeCovFox]

Yeah, that's why they reached the World Cup Final a few months later..

Do you not remember their route to the final? In terms of ability they were poor in comparison to previous German sides. They still are. They haven't had a world class side since 1996. What the Germans have always had is an excellent mentality. The German side we beat were not world class. It is worth remembering that to reach the 2002 final they had to beat the mighty Ireland, Cameroon, Saudi Arabia, Paraguay, USA and South Korea. Fair play to them for negotiating the earlier rounds, but the moment they came up against a decent side in Brazil, they were outplayed.

[Bert]

Another thing - No team has ever beat England three times in a row. Croatia would've been the first if they had beaten us earlier.

[Bert]

Do you not remember their route to the final? In terms of ability they were poor in comparison to previous German sides. They still are. They haven't had a world class side since 1996. What the Germans have always had is an excellent mentality. The German side we beat were not world class. It is worth remembering that to reach the 2002 final they had to beat the mighty Ireland, Cameroon, Saudi Arabia, Paraguay, USA and South Korea. Fair play to them for negotiating the earlier rounds, but the moment they came up against a decent side in Brazil, they were outplayed.

Germany: Kahn, Worns, Linke, Nowotny, Boehme, Hamann, Rehmer, Ballack, Deisler, Jancker, Neuville.

Quite a few world class players there me thinks.

[LeeCovFox]

Germany: Kahn, Worns, Linke, Nowotny, Boehme, Hamann, Rehmer, Ballack, Deisler, Jancker, Neuville.

Quite a few world class players there me thinks.

Depends on your definition of world class. I accept Kahn and Ballack. And it really isn't about the individuals in the side. The current England side is superior to the German side you have looked up. Yet look how poorly we have performed over the years. Neither England nor Germany were world class in 2001. Just a year previously both were in the same Euro 2000 group. They both failed to qualify. Neither had progressed beyond the quarter final stage of a tournament since Euro 1996.