It was a fairly second string England team too, as I recall. Quite a lot of the champions league mob picked up sudden, strangely convenient five day injuries. As they often do for mid-season friendlies.


Kazakhstan gave England a good run for their money? Was that in the game England won 4-0, or the one England won 5-1? Agreed England didn't play well in either recent friendly but there has to be some significance in the fact they won both games and improved significantly in the second half of both games. It says something for Capello's ability to change England's performance on the fly, if anything at all. England are not world beaters and anyone who says they are needs a slap round the head but neither are they also rans like Honduras or Swizerland. Me, I expect them to make the quarters. Beyond that? Purely by luck, IMO.


I'm sorry but no. Both the 'other two' - assuming we mean Lennon and SWP - are established premiership players who have decent international experience (Lennon has 16 caps, SWP has 30). Johnson has played 12 games in the top division and has no international experience at all. I think Johnson is a cracking player - he practically beat Bolton on his own when we played City at Eastlands - but putting him on the pitch at a World Cup finals at this point in his career is going to do him more harm than good, IMO.


. You were the one who suggested signing him!

Jon

Very true.

I'm not sure why anyone ever places the same amount of importance on friendly performances as they do competitive matches. Half the time they use getting on for 6 substitutes and generally ad-hoc teams, how can they be reliable indicators?

Edit: England squad that faced Brazil:

* Ben Foster,
* Wes Brown,
* Wayne Bridge,
* Gareth Barry (Tom Huddlestone, 82),
* Matthew Upson,
* Joleon Lescott,
* Shaun Wright-Phillips (Peter Crouch, 82),
* Jermaine Jenas,
* Darren Bent (Jermain Defoe, 55),
* Wayne Rooney,
* James Milner (Ashley Young, 87)

I mean Foster isn't even 3rd choice GK. Friendlies are for experimenting, to make too much out of them is a bit silly.

SWP is not established. Johnson got the right wing position for himself and sent SWP to the bench. Maybe he is less experienced in EPL but he delivers time and time again, at least he did for the City. SWP is hit and miss. Lennon is established in EPL but still I think Johnson is a better player that Lennon. As you rightly say, not prove yet but I would rather gamble on Johnson that SWP.

The score was flattering for England in the home game against Kazakhstan, I have seen that game and I remember it well enough to know.

And it was Nick who mentioned signing Cole, but you suggested the Fabregas replacement, not him.

And yes, I think friendlies are important. Players were playing for their places and yet England has only scrapped those wins. Not good enough if you ask me. They should have been building their confidence before WC so when it comes to it there will be no doubt in their mind that they are good enough. I think those performances have done more damage that good to their confidence.

Ok, recent friendly results:

France drew 1-1 with Tunisia and won 2-1 against Costa Rica,
Spain won 3-2 against Saudi Arabia
Italy drew 0-0 with Cameroon back in March...

Friendly results are important my arse, they don't make me think that Spain or Italy are going to be lame ducks at the World Cup.

I don't consider France and Italy to be favourites to win it tbh. Especially France have been poor for years, they only scraped through to the WC. And Spain, well, I give you that one. But one result doesn't prove anything

Anyway, we'll see in two weeks how indicative England's form will prove.

But I think you cannot start playing well just by turning a switch from "Friendly" to "WC perfomance" position. Spain has won Euro's and didn't drop the level since then. I haven't seen Holland play but I have seen highlights and they are major favourites for me. Brazil has to be up there, Argentina might go either way after their poor qualifying campaign, Germans don't seem anything special at least on the paper.

England, I guess they improve but from lows of Euro 08 qualifying there was only the way up. But I just don't see it in them. I think they lack believe tbh. You have all these great players (EPL and CL level) but when it comes to playing for the country only Rooney keeps the same level of performances. The rest is pretty average when you actually look at what they do on the pitch. I hope I am wrong though...

I'm not really following you now, I thought you thought friendlies were important

I agree about Holland but, yes, they won 4-1 against Ghana but only managed 2-1 against Mexico a few weeks ago. Friendlies, really don't read too much into them.

I also agree about France, especially with their preparations lol, mountain biking and buggy racing don't seem the best things to do.

Italy, well I threw them in as their the current holders. Germany? Well, I don't think you can ever go by between cup performance, they tend to do quite well in the World Cup no matter the team that turns up.

Like I say, I don't think they'll win the thing, the world cup stats say no european team will, but I do think it'll be a good show for them.

That said, I'll just wait now for the 2-1 loss to the US

They are important, I don't remember indicating otherwise...

Very predictable team tbh. I'm glad Bent isnt going and Walcott. I've never been a fan of Heskey no matter what the stats say. I also think I'd have taken a risk on Johnson over SWP too.

Actually it looks like the biggest problem is going to be the new ball.

Everybody seems to agree that it's pretty crap, not just the useless sides looking for an excuse.

I reiterate, don't pay too much attention to friendlies:

World Cup holders Italy lost 2-1 to Mexico and Spain scraped a 1-0 win over South Korea...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8722236.stm I suppose this just about sums up Englands poor luck

Sorry, where are Wales

I think he's a liability anyway

Carragher's by far a better centre back these days anyway, rio has next to no pace and has thus lost the confidence on the ball that made him a calming influence in defence. No big deal

Good point imo

I agree with leeds_manc. Rio has lost his form so having Carragher there might actually be an improvement.
And Gerrard seems like a better captain anyway...