TheFranchise 0 Report post Posted October 3, 2005 Derby 1 Leicester 1 FM 2006 demo is now available. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deancoles 0 Report post Posted October 3, 2005 The Gold Demo's an improvment on the beta(as it should be) with the only major problem being the research done on us, Dave Cotterill in the U18's for example. Getting my FM 05 team together's going to be difficult, Frey,Bierofka,Guarin,Baptista,Robinho and Essien are all at new clubs. Edit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mb606/F2241581?thread=1154379 nice gem of a post among all the Fifa or Pro Evo? topics. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLAGIARISM! 0 Report post Posted October 7, 2005 We need two strikers. Jon-Paul McGovern's not fit yet and it's a shame Drew Talbot looks to have the sort of nagging back injury that'll always dog him, cos we could do with his supersubness right about now. Sturrock's doing his 'I'm looking at specific players but that'd be telling!' thing. Still, enjoyed the Chris Brunt Show against Coventry! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deancoles 0 Report post Posted October 8, 2005 Shame Cotterill didn't come on for Wales, would have been their 2nd youngest international ever. Edit: Just watched Egypt-Cameroon on Eurosport, 1-1 and Cameroon miss a last minute penalty which would have put them in the world cup. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLAGIARISM! 0 Report post Posted October 8, 2005 I miss James Quinn. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Damn You Helmsley Report post Posted October 8, 2005 Edit: Just watched Egypt-Cameroon on Eurosport <{POST_SNAPBACK}> You need a life, son. Seriously. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Decemberists 0 Report post Posted October 8, 2005 Edit: Just watched Egypt-Cameroon on Eurosport <{POST_SNAPBACK}> You need a life, son. Seriously. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> How anyone posting on a professional wrestling internet forum can say that to someone is beyond me Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Damn You Helmsley Report post Posted October 8, 2005 You win. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Damn You Helmsley Report post Posted October 8, 2005 I'm also a big fat hypocrite because I share quite an interest in African football. Well, not so much anymore. But around '96-'99 I was all about that stuff. By the time Senegal beat France in the World Cup, I was over it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheFranchise 0 Report post Posted October 8, 2005 England destroy Austria!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Er, yeah. Still, 3 points closer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Damn You Helmsley Report post Posted October 8, 2005 Maybe I'm exaggerating but I haven't noticed a change in England's style for years. To me they've always played for results, pure and simple. I know Keegan came in with his man of the people bravado but ultimately England still played turgid football. Sure, they've had some great matches and match winning performances every now and again, but never consistently. It only seems to be highlighted by the press now because it coincides with everyone being sick of Chelsea's domestic domination, how football is suddenly boring and because everyone hates Sven. I don't follow the fortunes of England too closely and I do think the guy is making an easy job needlessly difficult at times; but regardless of tactics, those players should be winning more comfortably against Austria. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLAGIARISM! 0 Report post Posted October 8, 2005 I don't agree with all the Anti-Svenness, as the first half performance was the fault of the players, but I will say he seems to struggle when under pressure, making changes that don't make sense etc. I definitely don't think we should sack him before the world cup, and I don't think any of the main candidates to replace him could take us much further than he could. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Damn You Helmsley Report post Posted October 8, 2005 I agree with what you said, Sven panics under pressure and enforces negative tactics. But considering the fairly inoffensive record he has in competition matches, the alternatives are much worse. Pearce, Allardyce and Curbishley would all be awful England managers. Heck, they'd probably struggle at bigger clubs in domestic football, let alone leading their country to the World Cup. All this "we need a big English bruiser to inspire our lads!" is bullshit hyperbole. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anorak 0 Report post Posted October 9, 2005 World Cup Qualifiers - Think these are all right. Few surprises in Africa. Argentina Brazil Paraguay Ecuador USA Mexico Costa Rica Croatia Poland England Italy Ukraine Portugal Holland Ivory Coast Ghana Togo Angola Tunisia Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kurt Angle Mark 0 Report post Posted October 9, 2005 World Cup Qualifiers - Think these are all right. Few surprises in Africa. Argentina Brazil Paraguay Ecuador USA Mexico Costa Rica Croatia Poland England Italy Ukraine Portugal Holland Ivory Coast Ghana Togo Angola Tunisia <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Germany Japan South Korea Iran Saudi Arabia Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anorak 0 Report post Posted October 10, 2005 No real surprises in Asia then. Saudi Arabia always seem to qualify. Why didn't a load of top sides go in for Van Der Vaart this summer? I've heard vague things about a dodgy op putting question marks over him but even if that's true I can't believe no better option than Hamburg came along to take a gamble when he's good enough to play for any top side in England, Spain or Italy. He's currently taking on Bayern Munich single handedly in Germany and is the best midfielder in Europe on current form. And he helped put England into the world cup on saturday. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deancoles 0 Report post Posted October 10, 2005 I'd guess he's got problems in his personal life added to his Injuries over the last 2 years, surprised a Tottenham or Middlesbrough didn't put a bid in given the price he was available for. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Damn You Helmsley Report post Posted October 10, 2005 van der Vaart suffered terribly at Ajax. He had to cope with a lot of intrusion regarding his private life. Opposition fans shouting anti-Semitic abuse about his then-girlfriend and now-wife, that's a hard pill to swallow. On the pitch he didn't deal with the pressures of being the Ajax captain very well and in general he's a very hot and cold player. He wants a quiet life. Him being at a club like Hamburg, as a playmaker, it's a good opportunity for him. He's only 22 so there's always the possibility of a big club coming in for him still. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Cucaracha 0 Report post Posted October 10, 2005 Anyone who doesn't agree with the anti-Sven campaigns only need read his comments after the game. If he really thinks England were "brilliant" then he's even more clueless than he seems. We were dreadful. For the fourth game running. No, England have never been a world class, flowing football kind of team. But I can't remember us ever being so bad. And it's crazy, because EVERYONE can see it except the manager. Except maybe Michael Owen. Only Brazil are better than England? All that cold Northern air much be affecting the wee lad's brain, way aye. As it stands, England don't stand a chance at the World Cup. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLAGIARISM! 0 Report post Posted October 11, 2005 I hope we shit Plymouth this week. Nice to have Sturrock's old clubs and we can't afford to lose against teams down there with us. And the Blades have their old friends at Molineux to deal with... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Damn You Helmsley Report post Posted October 11, 2005 Who did England play and beat prior to their recent downfall which led people to believe they could actually win the World Cup? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheFranchise 0 Report post Posted October 11, 2005 Germany in September 2001, is my guess. I think it's the fact we have players like Gerrard, Lampard, Owen, Rooney, etc, that people just assume we're going to. Nobody was saying we'd win it in 98. Poor old Heskey and David Batty, people just didn't believe in them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Damn You Helmsley Report post Posted October 11, 2005 Beating Germany 5-1 ultimately meant very little footballing wise because they got to the World Cup final and England didn't. Any optimism for England winning the World Cup faded during that France game at Euro 2004. The way they threw away victory that day says just as much as Sven bringing on Hargreaves against Portugal. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mystery Eskimo 0 Report post Posted October 11, 2005 I blame Sven, but the players just as much. Those 11 players against Austria should have been able to perform to a higher level regardless of who was on the touchline. Looking at the list of qualified countries, there's not too many I would be totally confident of England beating right now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLAGIARISM! 0 Report post Posted October 11, 2005 Our targeted striker appears to be from Willem II, where we got James Quinn from! He might be alright! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Cucaracha 0 Report post Posted October 11, 2005 I've just had a thought. Sven = Swedish. Swedish = ABBA ABBA = A-Ha A-Ha = Alan Partridge. Suddenly, it all makes sense. Two old, incompetent, inadvertantly amusing people who seem to screw up everything they do monumentally. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLAGIARISM! 0 Report post Posted October 11, 2005 Who do you want to see as England manager, just out of interest? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Cucaracha 0 Report post Posted October 12, 2005 They need someone who's going to kick the players up the arse and remind them what being an England player means. That's Sven's major problem. His tactics are suspect (not formation, but the way he's got England playing) and his substitutions baffling, but the lack of passion is what bothers me. He just sits on the bench motionless, win lose or draw. If you're Mourinho, it's cute. If not, don't bother. Not Big Sam, like everyone else is saying. Otherwise, we'd have Shilton in goal and Stanley Matthews on the left wing. Pearce might be a good choice in a few years. He's not anywhere near experienced enough, but he knows what being an England player's about. I don't think Allardyce and Pearce would be perfect choices, but they'd at least get England playing with more passion and playing 'the English way'. As far as who they can realistically get...to be honest, I don't know that there's an English manager out there who's ready and proven. I don't know. The only person coming to mind who's proven he can succeed and would be attainable at the end of the season would be Alex Ferguson, but he's Scottish. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anorak 0 Report post Posted October 12, 2005 van der Vaart suffered terribly at Ajax. He had to cope with a lot of intrusion regarding his private life. Opposition fans shouting anti-Semitic abuse about his then-girlfriend and now-wife, that's a hard pill to swallow. On the pitch he didn't deal with the pressures of being the Ajax captain very well and in general he's a very hot and cold player. He wants a quiet life. Him being at a club like Hamburg, as a playmaker, it's a good opportunity for him. He's only 22 so there's always the possibility of a big club coming in for him still. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I didn't know about any of that personal stuff, I guessed there had to be a little more to it considering what a hyped up player he was a couple of years ago. I also thought he was a year or two older as well. I came across anti-Semitism in Dutch football reading Simon Kuper's 'Ajax, The Dutch, The War' earlier this year so that part didn't totally shock me Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Damn You Helmsley Report post Posted October 12, 2005 His wife is hot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
