was asked on Saturday.
“It’s like deja vu all over again” I replied as England struggled their way to an embarrassing 0-0 with Macedonia Euro 2008 qualifier, yeah I know I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it cause it just fits so well.
Most of the usual suspects from the last 6 years and Sven’s number two for most of those insipid years and yet some thought there was going to be a change. That somehow some cliches, buzzwords and gurus were going to make all the difference.
One decent thing to come out of the game was Gerrard’s yellow card – christ how they bleated about that, he got the ball, yeah wild trademark lunge in touching the ball with more luck than judgement while hacking the guy down with the other leg, is there an international ref who won’t flash a yellow for that ? – his second of the campaign so out for the Croatia game. This must rate as one of Gerrard’s worst outings in an England shirt, though it has stiff competition from most of the other 50 odd games.
Alright the second decent thing to come out of it was Ledley King, who was the only England player worth the shirt. Of course like Euro 2004 when he performed so well in the opening game he’ll get the elbow, this time for Ferdinand to come in and have his slack moments.
OK there was three good things to come out of it – people are now questioning McClaren as England boss. They’re asking why is Sven still being paid £13,000 a day by the F.A. to bugger off out of it and it’s like he’s still in charge. Is Downing McClaren’s Beckham and with Gerrard out Lennon injured, Wright-Philips not playing for Chelsea and Pennant not international class will Beckham get a recall. Oh god it’s that bad and it’s a move I wouldn’t put past the grinning ginger twat.
So onto Croatia, amazing to think it’s only a couple of years against them at Euro 2004 Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard were outstanding, world class, it’s too much to ask them two to be back to that form by Wednesday against a country that hasn’t lost a game on home soil for over a decade.
Maybe we dodged a bullet when all Downing’s agent’s best efforts didn’t quite pay off in the summer…
Combined Chelsea/Ian Wright scummy specimen he may be, but Wright-Phillips has to be worth a bet at least until Lennon is back (apparently sooner than expected – huh, heard that one before…)
Certainly did, can see why the ginger one tried to flog him off to Wigan for £40,000 now. Though he has got worse the more he’s been under McClaren.
WP is the only one with any pace and that can beat anyone, I’d rather him in there with Walcott than most of the rest.