I expected an improvement on USA game but this was a brutal smack in the face. That was the worst performance I have seen for years. Ashley Cole, Lennon and Barry were decent. The rest of them were a disgrace.

And than it got worse: Fabio takes Lennon off and sends hopeless SWP on
But this takes the biscuit: Send Crouch on, stick him upfront and play Rooney on the left wing!!

Seriosly WTF!

Has Fabio lost his marbles? I am so angry right now. Why does he not bring Joe Cole on for left midfield? Surely he wouldn't be any worse than Gerrard in that position.

Why were Gerrand and Rooney both playing out of position? WTF?

Mind you all of them seemed to have lost the ability to pass.

On the plus side James played well.

Weirdly, if we get a good win against Slovenia we finish top. Mental.

On the basis of that game though we'll be coming home. Alone.

I honestly think Rooney should start the next game on the bench.

He has done nothing in an England shirt for a long time now.

Joe Cole and Defoe should both start.

And can someone please take Johnson off? He seemed to be giving away possession an awful lot!

You could say that about several of them.

It really is scraping the barrel when Crouch showed the most skill. Oh, then he couldn't find a team mate within 10 yards...

Mind you, at least David James knows how to keep hold of a ball.

Based on that performance, I agree. Mind you, I thought he looked out of sorts against the USA Yes, I know they tried to cut off his service and fouled him to oblivion, but on the few occasions he broke free he did nothing.

The thing is, I don't think Capello's balls are big enough to bench a Wayne Rooney during the World Cup, I don't care how hardline they all make him out to be. Thats the problem.

I was almost wishing for Algeria to score, so I could forget about watching the Slovenia match altogether. Because, I think Slovenia will take England apart, based on recent form. Sorry to be so defeatist and all that, but two poor quality draws against inferior opposition?

No doubt, someone is likely to gibber on about "slow start" and "building momentum" and other such optimistic nonsense. In which case, they should really stop abusing narcotics.

TBH I fully expect England to either get raped by Slovenia, or manage yet another boring draw. Either way we're going home with France.

Now when playing a team with a lone striker is it really necessary to have 4 at the back when you have a defensive midfielder in your team?

Gerrard must not play on the left, the whole structure goes to pot.

Rooney actually looked as though he wasn't 100% fit for the last 2 games.

Well, we just have to win. If we draw 2-2 and USA draw 0-0 apparently England and the USA then have to draw lots to see who goes through!

I know I'm not a follower of the game, but with all the saturation coverage, it's actually hard to avoid.

So, hopefully my only comment in this thread.

The England team looked like a bunch of middle-aged blokes having a Sunday kick-about. They really and literally looked completely out of their league. If they make it past Slovenia, they will be lucky.

I can't say I'm disappointed, because I don't actually care, but after all the media hype about how it was England's World Cup, well, you have to have a chuckle. I feel for the fans who've shelled out loads of money to get to SA and follow the team. Then again, they shouldn't be so disappointed if the team lets them down - they're in frickin' South Africa for a frickin' month! Have a good time, why don't you!

The media are always like that, it does my frakkin head in.

Realism never enters into it for them, we're either going to take over the world or be the worst team that's ever been near a football.

Ok Just my suggestion.

James. A Cole. J Terry. Dawson/Upson. Johnson. J Cole. Barry. Gerrard. Lampard. Milner/Lennon. Rooney

Why not play Rooney up front on his own like he is at Man U with Gerrard and Lamps central like at their teams? One striker yes but in Lampard and Gerrard we have 2 highly attacking midfielders that will effectively make it a 3 man strikeforce...

What do I know?

It has to be said, Rooney and Lampard's contribution to this world cup so far has been the sum total of sod all. I don't see why they are somehow sacrosanct. If you're in central midfield and you can't create or in fact find another England player with a forward pass, what exactly are you doing to justify your position in the team?

Last world cup Lampard had 25 shots and didn't score a single goal. I don't see this one being any different. We need two proper wide players playing, one defensive mid and possibly two forward mids in a 4-5-1 (which is in fact more like a 4-1-4-1). Given Lampard and Gerrard's lack of invention one of those forward midfielders should be Joe Cole. So one of Lampard and Gerrard has to go. Right now, that's Lampard. The only - and I do mean only - chance we have of beating Slovenia is to use the whole pitch. If we get bogged down playing in a narrow midfield battle we will lose because, painful as it may be to some, our midfielders (with the exception of Cole) are simply not technically competent enough to retain possession against a hard working and adept side, regardless of their position in the FIFA rankings.

quickie - WIlliam Hill's odds: England 2/5 to beat Slovenia, 11/4 to draw and 6/1 to lose.

Essentially, the bookies don't think we'll qualify.

The weather this morning sums up the mood of every English fan after yesterday’s game.

I have never been affected by a football match before last night; I was so angry, frustrated and pissed off by England’s lack of performance, imagination, ball control and inspiration. What the [LIFTED] is the manger doing about it? Sweet FA…..!!! Like for like substitutions? No hint of a tactical formation change? He needs to do better. Two teams have stopped us playing in the park what does that tell you? We need change and fast……..

The worst England game I have witnessed imo.

People are laughing at England today and we deserve all of it, I thought the French were bad but at least they showed a few signs of good football…… England played [LIFTED] last night and I hang my head in shame as an Englishman.