England debate

Have your say on England's 2-0 victory over Andorra

Last updated: 6th September 2008

Fabio Capello England Czech Republic International Friendly Football

Capello: Much to ponder

Also see

England have picked up three points in their opening World Cup qualifier after winning their first competitive international under Fabio Capello.

However, they were not convincing as they beat Andorra 2-0 and skysports.com wants to hear your views.

What did you make of Capello's selection decisions? Are England making any progress under the Italian?

Should we learn to be more patient or were the supporters right to jeer at times in the first half?

Which players stood out and who should be left out of the next match?

What are you predictions for the clash with Croatia? Can England qualify for the World Cup as group winners?

Join the debate using the form below.

Comments

David Jackson (Leicester City fan) says...

While I agree that slating the players won't actually help, I also think that the players couldnt care less what we fans think of them! They're nothing more than millionaire playboys that occasionally play football. Playing for England seems like an inconvenience to most of them. We may be getting the results for now (I think we'll lose to Croatia) but if we're lucky enough to make it to the world cup does anyone beleive we could beat Brazil,Argentina,Spain or Holland?? - No Chance..

Posted 21:28 9th September 2008

Rich Clarke says...

Unfortunately, when you have a bunch of players demanding the wages that they get paid each week, they put themselves is the firing line when they dont smash countries like Andorra all over the place. Whether its right or wrong, it happens. Fans question the English players loyalty to wearing the three lions because they continue to underachieve and have done so for a long time. We have so many top quality players that are consistantly brilliant when playing for there club side every week but just dont seem to be able to continue that when playing for England. We consider ourselves to be one of the elite in world football and rightly so, but I also think that premiership and champions league football has become so important that playing for England is no longer priority. Its sad to say but the proof is there for all to see! Our teams dominated the champions league last year and the core players of these clubs are English. Put them together in a natiomal shirt and we fail to qualify for a tournament after being drawn in a very mediocre group. This is why people question the players commitment. Nothing more Id love to see than England win the world cup but I just cant see it happening for long time in affraid!!

Posted 20:24 9th September 2008

M J (Manchester City fan) says...

It's time to shake things up and put in some hungry players, especially up front. Capello needs to stop tinkering like the last couple of managers have done. A front four of Cole, Agbonlahor, Walcott, and Wright-phillips would be so much more versatile than any other options we've tried. Richards has to be in the starting 11 to provide some energy from the rear and on set pieces. And in the middle, we need Hargreaves and Gerrard to drive things forward when healthy.

Posted 19:04 9th September 2008

Davie Soanes (Arsenal fan) says...

Can all the supporters thatat have nothing good to say just shut up! For god sakes this is our national side this is our team our country. We are all ment to have so much passion but all these doubters and get on here and slag our country off are a disgrace. Surely none of us could careless if we won every game 1-0 and were crowned world champions, because i know i couldn't. We are a great nation but somewhere along the lines some of you supporters lost that. So what we have a forgein manager but i tell you what weigh up Fabio Capello against any English manager and he wins hands down, he is defensive minded and builds teams that are good defensively, and i tell you what he out of anyone want be scared to drop and change players he has shown that with Michael Owen and i guarentee if Wayne Rooney does back his idea's up he will get his marching orders too. I am predicitng a 3-0 win tomorrow night. And i can't wait to see the forum afterwards because everyones attitude will have changed! cheers Davie

Posted 18:54 9th September 2008

Scott Williams (Cardiff City fan) says...

As a Welshman i find the sheer negativity put towards England by their own so called fans appalling. I watched the game against Andorra and there was no lack of passion, Andorra just defended very well and were clearly up for the match. England won for crying out loud! You wont be moaning about a lack of passion if you beat Croatia 1-0 after playing poorly. In fact winning while playing badly is a sign of a good team. I just don't understand how England 'fans' can come on here and criticize the team so harshly and yet still expect them to be motivated for the games, let alone win tournaments. How about you all be proper fans and back your country through the good and bad times, whether they win or lose, and show some loyalty for gods sake. Capello will get it right i'm sure. My team to face Croatia would be.. James, Brown, Ferdinand, Terry, A.Cole, Bentley, Lampard, Barry, J. Cole, Heskey, Rooney.

Posted 17:59 9th September 2008

Peyton Rowe (Liverpool fan) says...

As frustrating as the whole England situation is the question seems to be would we rather have a team that manages to get through & win games or that plays a thrilling style of football & loses every match? Of course we need to play better football & more consistant football but exciting does not necessarily mean better. Also I think it is very unfair to accuse the players of lacking passion because of their absurd wages, i don't think Capello is an idiot who would play the kind of player who doesn't give a damn. My view is to simply give the young up & comers a chance & dont stick to the same old team. I dont rate either Lampard or Rooney. Both shined in Euro 04 & then since then have been simply spectators. Maybe split the game between bentley & becks (always reliable for crossing a ball) & play Joe Cole & Steven Gerrard in their best positions for the full game as they are our best players by a million miles.

Posted 17:07 9th September 2008

Dave Richards (Arsenal fan) says...

I watched the game on Saturday & was amazed at the lack of passion in the squad. I was lucky to be able to watch my sons U14's play on Sunday in the NEHL & draw 5-5 in a game where both teams gave everything and could hardly walk off the pitch. This made me feel proud. Maybe the England team need to come and watch some of these grass roots matches being played by youngsters who worship the ground some of these guys walk on. They would then be ashamed to pull on the shirt and give anything less than 100%. I believe the problem we have now is that too many of our so called superstar footballers are overpaid & under achieving. Why do they have to be paid to play for their country? when surely pride should be enough. If they want paying don't play them!!! We must start to play with a team with in form players. Nobobdy will disagree that Rooney is world class, but at the moment he is playing nowhere near good enough. So dont play him. Some brave decisions have to be made in the future & some will always be controversial, but when you are being paid millions to do a job, tough sh-t. My Squad: James, Ferdinand, Richards, Terry, Cole/Bridge, Barry, Gerrrd, J. Cole/Young, Bentley/Walcott/, Defoe,Owen/Heskey/Agbonlahor. Come on England

Posted 15:56 9th September 2008

Alex Ballard (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

It's forums like this that don't help the England team. I know they get paid a hell of a lot of money, but i wouldn't like to play under this amazing amount of pressure we give them. We go away to a team who play 11 men behind the ball, and win easily. Until these so called 'fans' begin to back the players instead of add more pressure then we will not be a force.

Posted 14:52 9th September 2008

Ricky Bath (Manchester United fan) says...

I think the issue with England is our lack of Creative central midfielders. We dont have a player that can keep the ball moving. If you examine the Premier league top four all have midfielders that keep the ball moving. Scholes for Man Utd, Fabergras for Arsenal, Chelsea have numerous midfielders that do this. Lampard and Gerrad are great midfielders that make good attcking runs but we need someone who can supply them the ball. You just need to look at the spain side xavi, fabergras,alonso, inestia all good passers and always available to accept the ball. I cant see England getting any better untill we find this Midfielder. Bring back Paul Scholes !!!!

Posted 13:22 9th September 2008

Michael Drury (Manchester United fan) says...

Lets be honest the time has surely come for England to put in a great performance. The annoying thing is that if we did put in this kind of performance the papers would be telling us England will win the world cup and are the best. One game at a time and consistancy will get us there. We just need to be really hard to beat and start to understand that shutting out international teams is just as important as blowing them away with beautiful passing and moving. We need to be the hard, tough tackling England we used to be.

Posted 12:09 9th September 2008

Steph Hall (Manchester United fan) says...

I went to an England game a couple of years ago at Old Trafford and i have to say it was the most boring experience of my life and unfortunately the way England play now is not much different as we still have the same old players playing in the same positions! In my opinion we need to get real and realise we are not as good as we actually think we are and should get some of the under 21's in to show the so-called senior players how it's done!

Posted 12:08 9th September 2008

Simon Onions (Wolverhampton Wanderers fan) says...

Trying to install the Italian style of the game into a team who's always been encouraged to an attacking style of footie is just not going to work. It's not in our blood or nature.

Posted 11:36 9th September 2008

Ajinkya Deshpande (Manchester United fan) says...

Ashley Young is England's best winger.It is beyond me why he hasn't even been call up.I have never really liked the English team,but now they are a joke,a conundrum.I get a feeling they dread playing for their country.And the manager gave Terry the band so that his performances shouldn't suffer out of disappointment.What a sham!!! There is only so much ego that can play together.

Posted 10:10 9th September 2008

Phil Burbage (Manchester United fan) says...

After what I felt was a disappointing performance by Barry on Saturday I wonder if perhaps Beckham should be moved inside and do the covering role for England. His experience should allow him to easily do a job similar to that of Makelele but he can add his range of passing to a un-inspiring midfield creatively. This would also allow for either Bentley or Walcott to play down the right. I'm not a fan on Fat Lampard but he's the best we have at the moment in the attacking midfield role in the absence of Gerrard. However, Downing is distinctly average at best and if he wasn't left footed there is no way he would be in the team.

Posted 10:09 9th September 2008

James Smith (Peterborough United fan) says...

For me, it doesn't matter how well we play as long as we win. We won, that means I am 100% satisfied. England can put everyone in goal for all I care and I would still support them. Fabio Capello, the strategist, will guide us through the Croatia match with at least a point and will be criticized for not winning 4-0. That's the state of things today. The inaccurate comments copied and pasted straight from any England team debate: "Over paid prima-donnas" do not offer a valid arguement We have heard it all before and as proven by the players voices themselves, what has been said is not true. The reason they constantly disappoint is that people like you lot constantly barrage them with negativity so that in the end all of their confidence is drained. Wake up and support your country.

Posted 00:15 9th September 2008

Neil Bradshaw (wigan fan) says...

If any of you decide to take a moment and read down all the messages which have been posted thus far on this topic... seriously, is it any wonder that our great footballing nation, filled with players with the upmost quality and ability, run onto a pitch and look like a bunch of deers in the headlights of an oncoming collision with a truck containing nothing but criticism?? At half time Capello would have told them 'hey, im the manager, not the fans, ignore them. We have had most of the play and created a couple of chances so now I think we need more creativity so i'm going to throw J. Cole on for that'... and what happened?? 3 points? Indeed. All thats going to happen with those so called big time England fans who jeer the team off because they aren't thumping lesser teams such as Andorra 7-0, is make the players hate them. They won't celebrate near them nor take on thier views anymore. Simple as that. None of Capello's teams have ever hammered teams like we remember England doing 15 or so years ago in San Marino for example. His teams have always been patient, used the first half to work out their opponents and then change accordingly to win. Always. Thats why he has won so damn much. Have some faith in the man! If only we could just get behind the boys wearing those 3 lions and back all the decisions and performances, especially when we win, then confidence to play attractive football will come later on. We've tried for 42 years to play with passion and all out attacking mentalities, but it has never worked. Now we have to try something else that has been proven to work everywhere else in the world! Stop moaning. Please!

Posted 00:10 9th September 2008

Mark Coverdale (Hull City fan) says...

I think that we are over critical of our national team and have been for far too long. We expect the best but tell them they're the worst...is that going to help? I think not. We are long gone the days were we can go away in Europe and score 8-10 goals. I agree that we did not look convincing in the first half but we have 3 points from 3 and need to support our bays ahead of the Croatia game instead of telling them they will be thumped. If we get a draw in this away fixture we will be well on course for qualification. Let's support our team, no team ever won a competition without belief and positivity.

Posted 21:02 8th September 2008

Mike Burton-durham (Arsenal fan) says...

England did what was expected of them. I have given up on watching the full England squad play so called football. They have become a bunch of prima-donnas who expect to win matches without putting any effort in. It doesn't matter to most of them if they win or lose. They still get paid vast sums of money either way. Thank goodness Setanta have put us out of our misery and taken the away matches off of terrestrial telly. I would much rather watch the under 21's who play better football, put more effort in and have out performed the full squad over the past couple of years. They seem to be proud to play for their country whereas the full squad couldn't give two hoots. Fabio Capello has a big job on his hands and will also get paid whether England qualify or not. Ian Wright was the last person who was proud to represent his country. He refused payment and donated it to charity. I am another person who would rather watch a Premier League side than a bunch of overpaid, arrogant wasters who call themselves the England team!

Posted 17:46 8th September 2008

Jonathan Spiteri (Everton fan) says...

Give him time.He will deliver with England, and as long as the 3 points were taken against Andorra, we should all move on to the next game because there is a lot of unnecessary pressure on the players which is only going to harm the team than help.

Posted 14:28 8th September 2008

Richard Joseph (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

England again have shown no desire. It seems like 3 coaches on, there has bee little change in style or squad selection. Seriously, Venables and Hoddle's teams were better. Why don't the managers play more youth. I think they are so scared of losing that they keep selecting the "top dogs". What the team needs is some new blood like the A. Villa lads, Noble, Bentley, etc., and a coach that isn't afraid to attack teams.

Posted 14:25 8th September 2008

Page 1 of 3

Add Comment*

All fields are required

Are you a Sky Sports subscriber?

Character Count : 0/1950

Please tick here if you wish to receive emails relating to Sky Sports.com or any other companies, services or products related to Sky Sports.com

Please send me the weekly Sky Sportszine - exclusive content, features and competitions to my inbox every Friday.

*All fields required, your email address will be kept private