I've happily defended Capello in the last couple of years because a lot of the problems he has to overcome with our football pre-date him, but when we took a whole 29 seconds to hoof it forward to Carroll tonight my initial thought was that John Beck could probably initiate a similar gameplan for a lot less of a salary.



I gave up when the hoof count hit ten just before the half hour.

Maybe I aren't open minded enough about his appointment but when you think about it it's hardly a surprise that an Italian who has never worked in England and still struggles with the language after a couple of years in the job struggles to motivate the team. Either way my interest in the national team is at an all time low. Still surprised I watched the last half hour of that.



Also how does a man who has scored 3 goals in 3 seasons in the Premiership worthy of a call up to the national squad? Incredible call up IMO.



Is the Spain-Portugal match on TV?

If a player needs motivating to play for their country then it's a lost cause anyway, you can't lay that at the managers door IMO. The players just aren't that good, and I think some of them need to realise that themselves, as do a lot of the press and fans.





I'm watching it on paddypower - 2-0 Portugal now, they look a different team to the one that went out of the World Cup with a whimper.

Capello's problem is still an inability to find a good balance within the midfield. The more I watch us, the more I feel he's trying to replicate Italy of '06, particularly when he used to play Gerrard on the left. Problem is, we don't have a Pirlo, a Gattuso, a Totti, a Camoranesi or a Toni (although Carroll could probably do that role quite well now). We've seen Fabio try a fair few midfielders out, but not a single one of them have the ability that Pirlo has to pass and dictate, also, we don't have a single ball winner with the tenacity and consistency of Gattuso or de Rossi. We have Hargreaves who isn't fit, but one player out of thousands is quite embarrassing.



Maybe if we get Wilshere in and try and shape the midfield around him, things will look better, but the need for at least one quality defensive midfielder is a standard requirement of every semi-decent side, yet we persist with Gareth bloody Barry, quite possibly the slowest midfielder in Europe.

Absolutely. Just glad we'll have Hart for many years to come. Lets hope he doesnt become injury prone.

Plenty of poor performances last night but I am dumbfounded as to why Barry gets picked for England or City, he is slow and can't pass. Would rather see Parker, Wilshere, Huddlestone or Carrick play there.

Carrick?





Ingerlund - the laughing stock of World Football since 1992.

Why 1992?

Maybe he's getting at the fact that the Premier League started in 92, foreigners etc etc

England = joke.

It's a friendly FFS.



England tried out a few new players (Henderson, Gibbs, Carroll, Bothroyd) whether through injury to incumbents or a desire to experiment.



Hardly the end of the world, although what it does demonstrate is the lack of depth that Capello has to call on. Don't have any stats, but I'd surprised if the PL didn't have one of the lowest percentages of players qualified to represent its national side in European football.

I dunno, San Marino haven't exactly excelled much in that time either.

Wednesday 12pm



"Blood the youngsters. That's what friendlys are for."



Wednesday 10pm



"Clueless Fabio. You threw those kids to the lions."

Capello can't win with the media, They have shouted for a while about trying young players and he did, they have shouted about Gerrard playing behind the striker and he did. The first thing they do is crucify him in the papers the next day when it does not work out.

Fully agree.



Cant really win to be honest.



That does seem to be the English mentality though, just to moan regarding the national squad at any opportunity.

1990 was the pinnacle in contemporary English football.



92 was a joke, 94 they couldn't even make the World Cup and 96 saw the start of jingoism and the "it's coming home" culture. Ever since it's been bitter disappointment after humiliation after bitter disappointment.



And it is funny as hell to watch.

Almost as funny as watching Sts in a grand final.

Capello can win. All he has to do is win football matches. At the World Cup he failed spectacularly to do that.



Having made a complete mess of the World Cup, he decides he's earned enough goodwill to bring in a 28 year old donkey from the Championship, along with a bunch of other kids who should be nowhere near an England first team.



England then get the runaround by a side who were even worse than us in the World Cup. The main difference though is their manager was rightfully turfed out after his dismal performance.



I just can't see why anyone wouldn't expect Capello to get a ****ing for what he's done.

Anybody know much about this Lindegaard we're trying to sign?

IIRC, it was already known (or at least being touted) going into the tournament that he was on his way, it wasn't just because of their poor showing. That kind of sealed it though.

After Fergie saying there is no value in the transfer market and then spending 10m on some guy hes only seen on youtube, Barcelona go and sign one of the best up and comming talents in the game for 3m!!! Id like to think we were at least interested!

Is he 'The Biggest Talent from Norway since Iversen'?

No. Lindegaard is the Danish keeper. We're also heavily linked with De Gea from Atletico.

Ha. You shown me! Sorry about that, I was reading about you signing an apparent Norwegian youth who was the dog's nuts.



I think you should get Diego Lopez from Villarreal, although I haven't watched him as much this year, but I used to think he was class (should still be unless he's had a horror season).

I know that he lost his place at Odense to Roy Carroll & that in itself is more than enough to concern me about the guy.