Well the draw is on soon (5.15 BBC 2 if you want to watch).

I'm more interested than i've ever been in the draw, maybe because i feel we do have a good chance of winning it. IMO it doesn't matter who we draw because if you have expectations of going on to win the WC then you'll have to play the best, lets face it QF/SF isn't good enough for an England fan. Don't get me wrong there will be a hard path and an easier path to progress but it's not the end of the world like the media will have us believe if it's the hard way all IMHO.

lets see what it brings.

Aaron

 

England V USA My first thought was that it will be a security nightmare and a serious target for Al Quaida.

Second thought was that it's not the best opening game but judging on their current form we should beat them.

 

Groups.

A
S.Africa
Mexico
Uruguay
France
-
B
Argentina
Nigeria
S.Korea
Greece
-
C
England
USA
Algeria
Slovenia
-
D
Germany
Australia
Serbia
Ghana
-
E
Netherlands
Denmark
Japan
Cameroon
-
F
Italy
Paraguay
NZ
Slovakia
-
G
Brazil
N.Korea
Ivory Coast
Portugal
-
H
Spain
Switzerland
Honduras
Chile

Aaron

 

Good bye usa

group D looks like a hard one

 

Good draw for England.Groups D & G look tough.

 

If we england qualify we meet Germany

 

only if they finish 2nd and we finish 1st and vice versa.

 

i will be supporting every team that comes up againt France lol....

 

we need to get rid of the "kind draw" mentality

if you want to be the best you need to beat the best – full stop

like our world cup winning rugby team – they WANTED to play Australia in the final, not fluke a kind draw that saw them meet Tonga in the final

we should want Brazil or Germany in the final – nothing less

that is the managers job, to give the players belief -- simple

 

 

And while we are at it – this penalty thing


I would make the whole team practice – beginning and end of each training session (as close to the actual competition atmosphere as possible)

I would have a set order of penalty takers – every time – no making it up at the end of the game

And I would go further – I would TELL each player where to hit the ball – too much pressure for them to have to work it out on the day

So when penalties are called – every player knows what the order is – and where they have to place the ball – simple – no pacing up and down, no frantic "me first -- eerr then you, err then Dave" -- thats sunday fvcking park stuff --- they should have done it 50 times in practice - same order same penalty -- just repeat on the night. simple

I just cant see why they don’t do it that way – why make it up at the end of 90 mins hard graft, why take the risk

 

I can't remember who the team was (I think it was a championship side) but last season the team in question asked all their home fans to stay in their seats in the stadium for 20 minutes after each game to allow the players to practises taking penalties in as close to a competitive environment as possible.

Not sure if it worked though

Darren

 

Yep I heard that one too – its probably impractical to have crowds etc

But you could go some way to replicating the scenario -- you know, after the session they all have to go into the semi circle – sit down, do the walk to the penalty spot
Etc etc – its not rocket science

I bet in previous years its all been treated as a joke, with the rest of the team lolling about on the six yard box chatting and laughing - pathetic

The point is to take all the pressure of the players through familiarity – not just on how to kick a ball, they should no how to do that!!!! – but the whole process – and I would have all the penalties pre planned

A bit like the "plays" in American football