England Belarus - Match Thread.

[Uncle Albert]

Agreed, its the same opposition for all of the rest of the England team so anyone using it as an argument against Crouch is a fool.

Damn right.

I love Rooney as much as anyone for England but if it was Rooney who had this stat then everyone would be going crazy and dare say if it was Heskey with this stat then people wouldnt question the opposition.

Capello got it right in his interview after the match last night when he said Crouch is a great option for England because you can start him and he will get goals and he can come on the last 20 minutes of a game and will get involved - I wouldnt like to be a defender last 20 minutes of a game and you see England bring Crouch on, would scare the shit out of me.

[purpleronnie]

I agree, to get perhaps beckham and crouch on for the last half hour would give us a great advantage, beckhams crosses, crouch in the air...pretty good combination.

But heskey should start he opens the midfield up for us, thats why lampard and gerrard partnership works when heskey plays and it gives rooney lots of space to do what he does best.

I can see goals in the england team but the defence still worries me, especially against teams who are quick and run at defenders.

Anyone know where the draw for the groups takes place?

[Jimothy]

Anyone know where the draw for the groups takes place?

December the 4th.

[leicesterfox86]

Played Crouchy, no surprise to see him on the scoresheet.

It goes without saying doesn't it? Crouch plays and he scores. I presume that Capello can't take Heskey and Crouch to South Africa though, so a tough decision needs to be made. We have to remember that there is a long way to go before the tournament though so it could all be about which of them is in the better form at the time.

Good to have plenty of competition up front though. As for our chances of success in the World Cup overall, now the qualifying process is over, this football blog suggests that we are third favourites to win the whole thing. Not suprising about which two we are behind, but when was the last time we were this fancied going after the qualifying stage?