The England National Team

Quite a good game to watch what I managed to catch at work, some nice counter attacks in the first half from Poland. ITV commentators piss me off though, had a dig at Lewandowski and Poland saying he doesn't produce for Poland like he does for Dortmund because Dortmund are a better team. Could say that about any nation really.

In other news Townsend looked good again, very promising

Morrison being a dick? Say it isn't so!

Doesn't matter, you don't push a teammate in the face, technically it's a red-card offense.

But Lewandowski rarely produces for Poland, so they're not exactly lying, what would you want them to say? "Lewandowski is a brilliant player for both Poland and Dortmund, scores for fun for Poland", if he'd been scoring like he has at Dortmund throughout this qualifying, they'd probably have been at the WC too.

Stop being an idiot. The point I'm making is not that he's producing for Poland or anything like that, but that they tried to have a dig at them when same could be said about the England team

Oh I know, I wasn't saying Morrison wasn't being an idiot, but Zaha could have said something particularly cunty beforehand.

How do you know Zaha didn't say something to agitate him?

Aye, thought England looked excellent in the first half.

Sick of Welbeck though, good graft but nothing else.

Anyway, England were excellent yesterday going forward. Baring a fantastic season from people like Walcott, Lallana, Barkley (or even Wilshere) etc... that midfield and front 2 should be playing the first game in Rio. Hopefully Chris Smalling's usual uncertain performance at right back has reminded Hodgson that picking actual right backs rather than centre-backs who can play there sort of might be a good idea.

Oh and Baines is about 5x the player Cole currently is, would be farcical if Cole starts ahead of him on reputation alone.

Thats really harsh.

Welbeck does work hard, but he's a technically gifted player up there with the best England have produced in recent years. He's gangly and awkward and he has days like yesterday where he couldn't hit a cows arse with a banjo (him, Sturridge and Lewandowski could have had about 8 between them yesterday) but he's got all the ability in the world.

He probably hasn't shown it in these past two games, but he's a player that thrives with linking up with others so the compact way Poland and Montenegro set up probably wasn't ideal.

Bare in mind Sturridge has about a year on Welbeck and it's only really his move to Liverpool thats seen him become the player he is. Time's on Welbeck's side, really.

Anyway, England were excellent yesterday going forward. Baring a fantastic season from people like Walcott, Lallana, Barkley (or even Wilshere) etc... that midfield and front 2 should be playing the first game in Rio. Hopefully Chris Smalling's usual uncertain performance at right back has reminded Hodgson that picking actual right backs rather than centre-backs who can play there sort of might be a good idea.

Oh and Baines is about 5x the player Cole currently is, would be farcical if Cole starts ahead of him on reputation alone.

It's a bit premature considering that Townsend has only played two games for England. I think he's a superb player, and think he deserves a starting spot if he keeps up that sort of form all season, but it's entirely plausible that he falls out of the Tottenham side once Lennon returns and Lamela begins starting games for them. Walcott will be in the Arsenal first-team when he's fit and with Ozil, Cazorla and Ramsey behind him he could score tons this season. There's a long way to go before we can start saying how we should start in Rio.

Also, the midfield pairing of Gerrard and Carrick is a bit defensive - I'd like to see Wilshere alongside Gerrard if he goes on to have a good season. That said, if we're playing a better side than us Carrick is a more solid option. I don't want to see Lampard starting either way.

I completely agree with you about Baines though, he's just too good to leave out.

Sturridge may have played more Prem games than Wellbeck, but Wellbeck has much more experience at a higher level (champs league). Plus he has also played more than twice as many games for England. And if he's so technically gifted why can't the cunt ever control a ball closer than 2 feet away from himself? For me he's been fairly awful for England and is a prime example of a player only representing the country because of his club side, not because he's actually performed.

No one is really right about Welbeck. Man Utd fans way overrate him and everyone else underrates him.

Would quite like to see a space for Wilshere in this team really as part of the front 4, because at the moment we have an abundance of pace but a bit more guile and creativity might be more important when we actually play someone decent.

This. With every Manchester United player who isn't world class or doesn't make an immediate impact. I think it's a mix of a inferiority complex other fans feel towards Manchester United, and a lot of Man Utd fans trying to prove their not glory seekers.

Man Utd start playing Welbeck/Jones/Smalling/Rafael/Cleverly/Gibson/Carrick/De Gea/Fletcher

Non-Man Utd fans "He's not Manchester United quality"

Man Utd fans overcompensate - "Well, ACTUALLY his contribution is vital...."