Wednesday Friendlies Thread

by Duty281 Wed 06 Feb 2013, 8:51 am

Malta v Northern Ireland (18:30)
England v Brazil (19:30)
Republic of Ireland v Poland (19:45)
Scotland v Estonia (19:45)
Wales v Austria (19:45)

Ashley Cole to get his 100th cap, Gordan Strachan's first game in charge as Scotland manager, and England to beat Brazil in the FA's 150th year. My prediction:

England 1-0 Brazil (Walcott)

by lorus59 Wed 06 Feb 2013, 2:12 pm

Duty, would you ever predict England to lose a game?

by Guest Wed 06 Feb 2013, 3:07 pm

Ronaldinho's 100th cap too, and I've yet to see mention of it anywhere. Now there's a guy who's been there and done it for his country!

Looking forward to the Belgium game later.

by GSC Wed 06 Feb 2013, 3:17 pm

Azzy Mahmood wrote:Ronaldinho's 100th cap too, and I've yet to see mention of it anywhere.

Tbf hes eaten most of them. He really gets ripped into in Balague's biography of Pep lol.

by Duty281 Wed 06 Feb 2013, 3:35 pm

lorus59 wrote:Duty, would you ever predict England to lose a game?

No.

by mystiroakey Wed 06 Feb 2013, 3:56 pm

Watching the under 21 game- england v sweden- Zaha and the rest are making them look like a conference team..

England are 2-0 but could be 5-0 up in 30 mins!

by mystiroakey Wed 06 Feb 2013, 4:19 pm

I know this isnbt the place for it. But this under 21 team are pretty skillfull.. I am seriously impresed

by Guest Wed 06 Feb 2013, 4:42 pm

Sweden's team was utterly dreadful though, I reckon I could have looked good against them last night. Far, far too easy for England, and I won't take anything from the performance because of how easy it was.

by mystiroakey Wed 06 Feb 2013, 4:44 pm

LOL i thought i was seeing it live!!

Nah i dont agree at all.

The lads played really well and outclassed a decent opposition.

The main thing to note is that our players can control the ball!!!

They look comfortable and although the swedes also do - Englandhave so much more variety..

Its something i have never really witnessed from english players.

Yeah i have seen us play well. But this sort of close control!! nope!

by Guest Wed 06 Feb 2013, 4:46 pm

Sweden weren't closing us down, they couldn't handle the combination of weather and pitch conditions, and our Championship level players could. Hardly a game to write home about, especially when you consider just how poor that Sweden team is.

by mystiroakey Wed 06 Feb 2013, 4:48 pm

did you not notice good control!!

by mystiroakey Wed 06 Feb 2013, 4:50 pm

England can never win at any level. Its allways about the other team..

jeas I am waiting on you saying oh its only a friendly and brazil didnt care when we beat brazil later on!

by **Crimey** Wed 06 Feb 2013, 4:56 pm

Azzy Mahmood wrote:Ronaldinho's 100th cap too, and I've yet to see mention of it anywhere.

To be fair it isn't his official 100th cap because it includes non-FIFA matches.

by Duty281 Wed 06 Feb 2013, 5:33 pm

Just for reference, this was the England that beat Albania 3-1 away on Cole's international debut on 28 March 2001.

Seaman, Gary Neville, Campbell, Ferdinand, Ashley Cole, Beckham, Butt, Scholes, McManaman, Owen, Andy Cole. Subs: Phil Neville, Martyn, Brown, Carragher, Heskey, Sheringham, Fowler.

by mystiroakey Wed 06 Feb 2013, 5:50 pm

thats a pretty awesome team actually!!

by Guest Wed 06 Feb 2013, 5:53 pm

Yep, that's a much better team than the team we'll be putting out tonight. Food for thought.

by Guest Wed 06 Feb 2013, 6:16 pm

On paper it looked an awesome side but in practice it was far from.

by Duty281 Wed 06 Feb 2013, 6:28 pm

England team for tonight:

Hart; Johnson, Cole, Cahill, Smalling, Gerrard, Walcott, Wilshere, Cleverley,Rooney, Welbeck.

Looks like Walcott won't get his wish of playing up front, although he may have to later on in the game with our dearth of strikers. Come on England!

by The Special Juan Wed 06 Feb 2013, 6:33 pm

Come on Neymar!! I'm not supporting England or Brazil, just Neymar.

(Plus a shout-out to Dante Bonfim Costa Santos on what I think is his debut for Brazil)

by mystiroakey Wed 06 Feb 2013, 7:52 pm

very tame penalty given there..

great save.. justice done..

by The Special Juan Wed 06 Feb 2013, 7:57 pm

Decent enough from Hart *cough* The save was good, the reaction was phenomenal.

by mystiroakey Wed 06 Feb 2013, 8:00 pm

Amazing play england..

Wilshire with one hell of a pass.

good atempt walcott and great finish roodog!

by The Special Juan Wed 06 Feb 2013, 8:02 pm

But back to booing him when he plays for Man Utd, eh England fans? (Not directed at anyone on here)

by GSC Wed 06 Feb 2013, 8:04 pm

A lot better than any previous performance under Roy so far. Fluid, ball players (and Gerrard) in midfield, Pace and ability up top. Welbecks crap but we'll see if STurridge continues improving.

by The Special Juan Wed 06 Feb 2013, 8:09 pm

It's not a vintage Ronaldinho performance....

by mystiroakey Wed 06 Feb 2013, 8:14 pm

very similar styles of play by both teams tbh..

from this performance(and trust i know he can do better) but id rather have nani than Neymar!

by Guest Wed 06 Feb 2013, 8:17 pm

The Special Juan wrote:It's not a vintage Ronaldinho performance....

They must be short of talent. He's been rotting for a few years now.

by The Special Juan Wed 06 Feb 2013, 8:24 pm

FreekShow wrote:
The Special Juan wrote:It's not a vintage Ronaldinho performance....

They must be short of talent. He's been rotting for a few years now.

I heard he was having some sort of comeback in Brazil so either he's having a poor game tonight or he's out of his depth these days against good teams (which sounds ridiculous considering the player he was).

by Duty281 Wed 06 Feb 2013, 8:25 pm

We need to haul Welbeck off, he's not at his best out wide. Aside from that fine, ball retention good (52% possession), and more shots as well than Brazil. We're going for a second as well, not just sitting back. Keep it up England!

by The Special Juan Wed 06 Feb 2013, 8:27 pm

Play Welbeck in his best position.

by GSC Wed 06 Feb 2013, 8:28 pm

The Special Juan wrote:Play Welbeck in his best position.

the bench?

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Wed 06 Feb 2013, 8:37 pm

Is The Ox not in the squad? Why is he not starting left flank?

by Fernando Wed 06 Feb 2013, 8:40 pm

Oh Gary Cahill picard

by The Special Juan Wed 06 Feb 2013, 8:42 pm

GSC wrote:
The Special Juan wrote:Play Welbeck in his best position.

the bench?

I'll give you that.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Wed 06 Feb 2013, 8:49 pm

How on earth was that not a penalty on Cahill?

by mystiroakey Wed 06 Feb 2013, 8:51 pm

what a goal..

!!

2/1

by Guest Wed 06 Feb 2013, 8:52 pm

In other news my new adopted nation Scotland (the birthplace of my mother) are leading Estonia 1-0. Happy days!

by NickisBHAFC Wed 06 Feb 2013, 8:53 pm

What a fantastic goal by Frank Lampard.

Also Wayne Rooney won me some much needed money Yahoo

2-1 going well so far!!!!

by mystiroakey Wed 06 Feb 2013, 8:56 pm

i went for walcot first nick!!!

by The Special Juan Wed 06 Feb 2013, 8:56 pm

Pffff I got up at the wrong time for something to eat Laugh

by Ent Wed 06 Feb 2013, 9:02 pm

Brazil basically have 10 men, Ronaldinho does nothing at all anymore.

England have been decent but you can see why Brazil are 18th in the world rankings, they are very poor.

by The Special Juan Wed 06 Feb 2013, 9:06 pm

Heard what Zlatan has said recently?

"I heard Beckham's decision and it made me think - who is most deserving of all of the money that I'm paid? The answer is Zlatan. The children of Paris are not leading Ligue 1 in goals this season. I am. I have 20 goals. The next best players have 12. If anything, the children of Paris should be giving me even more money for having the privilege of being in the same city as my incredible quality."

The only thing bigger than his ego is his nose.

by Ent Wed 06 Feb 2013, 9:08 pm

Genuine lol.

It's so funny I'm can't take it seriously.

by Guest Wed 06 Feb 2013, 9:10 pm

Ent wrote:Genuine lol.

It's so funny I'm can't take it seriously.

I was thinking that! What a ledge. Football needs such characters.

by GSC Wed 06 Feb 2013, 9:18 pm

I don't get the point of Milner out wide

by mystiroakey Wed 06 Feb 2013, 9:20 pm

Juan- your aving a laff right.

You serious?

by ShankyCricket Wed 06 Feb 2013, 9:20 pm

Now that Cole has got his 100th cap, hopefully we'll have our actual best left back Baines for the next match.

by ShankyCricket Wed 06 Feb 2013, 9:20 pm

GSC wrote:I don't get the point of Milner ~~out wide~~

by mystiroakey Wed 06 Feb 2013, 9:22 pm

england really relaxed in running this game down..

very impressed against this sort of danger.,.

Touching wood by the way!!

by Ent Wed 06 Feb 2013, 9:22 pm

GSC wrote:I don't get the point of Milner out wide

Works hard, keeps the door shut. Not much else.

Think England are worth their win (if they hold on), but Brazil were very poor - I don't think their domestic players can cut it, they can't seem to deal with the organisation, fitness and physicality of the European teams since the focus shifted to domestic players post Scolari's first run.

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