Midweek Football Thread. *spoilers*

Make of it what you will. I don't quite understand why Holland's odds are so low in comparison to England. I also think that Spain are being underestimated and/or Brazil overestimated.

Holland are even more perennial underachievers than Spain. Brazil know how to win tourneys and have enough individual brilliance to carry them through games.
 
As for being the joint top ENGLISH scorer, doesn't really mean all that much when in those 5 years Defoe, Bent, heck even Crouch have only been bit part players for their teams. Crouch had his first full season this year, Defoe missed a lot of it injured and the rest playing for a crap team(s). Bent was dropped constantly and didn't have a full year, and Rooney managed to match them all, hardly something to be massively enthusiastic about in terms of raw numbers.

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Well I can go further, he has also consistently outscored the likes of Drogba, Adebayor, Anelka and RVP in all competitions (bar one freak season each for Drogba Adebarndoor and Anelka).

He really is rather good.
 
Interesting the responses towards England based on a preseason friendly vs one of the top teams in the world at their home stadium resulting in a 2-2 which was fairly controlled in the 2nd half with plenty more chances created than the Dutch attacking flair was able to.
You can absolutely ignore those negatives, as we all know how Rio is a world class defender and Barry would normally be better. It's a dip in sharpness and it comes with preseason territory.
Our keeper was actually not too bad. Wasn't tested so much as the Dutch were shooting pretty poorly, but he made a few stops and gave out decent balls.

Without question you field Rooney, but who he would work best with? Rooney being himself I think he works fine with anyone, it's just up to that person to perform. a lot of people knocking on that door now.
 
let's be honest, You didn't really think England would play any better, most of the players who are over-rated and only look good in the prem cus of the vast quality of foreign players around them.

We are a qtr/semi team at best, not winners.
 
I think you will be in for a surprise at how well they will play. Whether or not it is still cup winning stuff is something else, as on the day the opposition might have a screamer or a lot of (ref) luck etc. But compared to the past years I can only see positives in 2010 summer.
Most the holes I can think of could be pretty well sorted out by 10 months time - hopeful I know - but Foster might turn out to be as good as some say he is, Hargo might finally have a working pair of legs and dislodge Barry & be top class again, Beck's might play for Milan again and continue his form.
Just absolutely unsure about left wing and partner to Rooney.
 
Was a bit hacked off with Rio last night, not because he had a lapse in concentration and made a mistake (we expect that from time to time), but because he then stood around ball watching and made no real attempt to get back and put a block in. Anyone who has played football at any level will tell you that normally when you give away possession, you are busting a gut to get back. Not so Mr Ferdinand.
 
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