England's USA Tour.

[Doc Sark]

Who saw the England Z-team beat the USA on Saturday. I thought the whole thing was a bit of a farce to be honest. Neither team had their best team out, and it's just an excuse for Sven to hand out the formally revered and treasured England caps, like jelly beans, to anyone who happens to be English, and fit at the time. It's a joke.

Dawson, Carrick, James, Brown, Knight and Young, have done absolutely nothing to warrant winning a cap for their country. Ridiculous. Why did they not wait another week for the first team to become available and do it properly. No wonder the American general public can't get into football, if we send a bunch of B-list players to go and represent one of the worlds most famous footballing nations.

I'd like to think the team we play against Colombia tomorrow will be of a higher standard than the one on Saturday. Still, it does highlight the gulf in class between USA and England in terms of strength in depth. I think their best 11 would have hammered the 11 we put out on Saturday.

[gokufusionss1]

I concur.

[NM]

Yes the game on Saturday was abit of a joke. Most of the players who were on that pitch don't have a chance of getting into the World Cup squad. The only player who had a decent game imo was Joe Cole other than that we were terrible. The only reason we won was because of the USA's poor finishing.

And when will Sven learn that Wes Brown can't play in centeral defence to save this life?

[Doc Sark]

I doubt he ever will. He reminds me of Gerard Houllier. At first he was great and everyone loved him, then he developed an undiagnosable mental illness that I am calling tacticallyineptaphelia, that compels him to play perfectly good players at incorrect positions to fulfil some form of sick sexual pleasure. God only knows how he utilises poor Nancy in the bedroom.... :rolleyes2

[Cuchulainn]

It was more important than you think, imo. He was blooding the youth. I thought it was a decent game tbh. Richardson impressed in the first half. It was experimental and you should never underestimate how important experimental games can be. Against Colombia should be a full strength team though, judge England on that performance. England DO need a new first choice keeper though, and fast.

[Psychotic]

I doubt he ever will. He reminds me of Gerard Houllier. At first he was great and everyone loved him, then he developed an undiagnosable mental illness that I am calling tacticallyineptaphelia, that compels him to play perfectly good players at incorrect positions to fulfil some form of sick sexual pleasure. God only knows how he utilises poor Nancy in the bedroom.... :rolleyes2...:laugh: "sick sexual pleasure" I can just see Gerard Houllier yelling "OUI! I'll play Carragher at right back, oh-hoh-hoh-hoh! OUI! OUUUUUUUUI!"

Thanks for corrupting my mind, Doc. :)

Anyway, the good ol' Daily Mail had a feature relating to this, commenting on how some unlikely good England players were found from Summer games featuring the B-team, like Paul Scholes and Gary Neville. However, it did also point out the likes of Warren Barton and John Scales...

[Doc Sark]

I agree that Richardson impressed, but realistically, his first team opportunities are likely to be limited next season for Man Utd and his chances of actually making the World Cup squad are slim. The same can be said for nearly every player who played on Saturday. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for testing the youth, but two teams ranked in the FIFA top 10 should be putting on a display with their best elevens available. England caps mean nothing now, because nationality seems to be the only prerequisite for winning one.

I read that feature Psy. I hate the Daily Mail football coverage, Matt Lawton is an imbecile, but that article raised a good point. However, my arguement would be that those games were billed as England B fixtures, so in fairness, you knew what you were getting, these were supposedly England A fixtures, and the team should have been assembled accordingly.

[Kirobaito]

The sad part is that it was a joke to the English, because they were practically playing a JV squad. We, however, were not. Landon Donovan played, Eddie Johnson played, Claudio Reyna played, Brian McBride played, Eddie Pope played. I would have liked to have seen Tim Howard in goal instead of Kasey Keller, because chances are that's who will be in goal for the World Cup.

I'm a bit embarassed to be frank. I hope that Bruce Arena has these guys ready to play come Germany.

[tomamar04]

I thought it was FIFA law that all players can not pull out of internationals unless they have a very good reason.

[Doc Sark]

Well as some of the reasons included "My team just won trophy X, I'll be too hungover celebrating to play" it would appear that if that rule exists, it is one that is bent a lot.

I was disappointed not to see DaMarcus Beasley play in the USA game. I thought he was impressive at the World Cup. Was he injured?

[tomamar04]

Dunno, they may have rested him, as they have got World Cup qualification games coming up, and the USA's qualification to the world cup is not a probable as England's is.

[Doc Sark]

???? I'd say it's blatantly more probable. A couple of bad results for us means looking at the playoffs. The USA need only finish in the top 3 of a six team group to qualify. Seeing as the groups only major threats come from Costa Rica and Mexico, with Guatemala, Panama and Trinidad all far inferior, I would suggest that the USA qualifying for the World Cup on a regular basis is as certain as the sun rising in the morning, especially this year.

I accept that they have Costa Rica next, who are a decent side, and perhaps wanted to rest players but I don't think their chances of qualifying have ever come into question.

[tomamar04]

But we've only got N.Ireland, Wales away, and Austria and Poland at home. And the way England and Poland are dominating the group, whoever finishes second will get automatic qualification because the best runners up go through.

USA are 2nd in their group, with Mexico, and Costa Rica doing well also.

[Doc Sark]

Basically, if the USA don't qualify the world cup, I will start supporting Man Utd and convert to Buddhism. The chances of them not qualifying are so slim, Victoria Beckham is jealous of them.

[Kirobaito]

Yeah, I don't see any way that the USA won't qualify.

I suppose a possible reason that Beasley didn't play was that the MLS season is still going on. I don't know why he wouldn't play if McBride, Donovan, Johnson, etc. (those who play for MLS teams) played, but I suppose it's a possible reason. If he is injured, I certainly don't know about it.

[Doc Sark]

I suppose a possible reason that Beasley didn't play was that the MLS season is still going on. I don't know why he wouldn't play if McBride, Donovan, Johnson, etc. (those who play for MLS teams) played, but I suppose it's a possible reason. If he is injured, I certainly don't know about it.

Hang on...

McBride plays for Fulham, Donovan plays for Bayer Leverkusen and Beasley for PSV Eindhoven, all European teams, which is why it made no sense to see Beasley left out as the other two played. They all left the MLS at least a year ago.

[Kirobaito]

Donovan doesn't play for Bayer Leverkusen anymore. He was traded to the LA Galaxy a few months ago, in a deal that sent Carlos Ruiz to FC Dallas. The others were my mistake. I was, for some odd reason, under the impression that McBride still played for Columbus, and Beasley still played for LA. My mistake.

[Doc Sark]

I think Donovan needs to make his bloody mind up! Is he going to keep going back to the mediocrity of the MLS or actually stick it out in one of Europes big leagues. Is this the second or third time he's left Germany, I forget. He obviously just can't cope with the pressure, which is a shame, because I rate him as good striker.

[tomamar04]

England 3-2 Colombia. Good display from the attack, Owen, Crouch, Beckham, Jenas, Cole and Carrick played well.

Defence was a shambles, James was to blame for Colombia's first goal, Everyone was to blame for the 2nd goal.

Opinions...

[Doc Sark]

I don't think James was to blame for the first goal. No one picked up Yepes, the ball whizzed first past one defender, keeper couldn't reach it, and I think it was Zat Knight on the line who didn't keep it out. The whole defensive unit stood still and were to blame for that one.

Owen...what can I say. Form is temporary, class is permanent. He shoots a message to all the Owen-haters nearly every time he puts on an England shirt and he will go down in history as one of the greatest strikers that ever lived. And to think, he's only 25. Absolutely outstanding. You don't see a great many hat-tricks in International football, and that's two I've seen him score now.

I was impressed with Crouch, Carrick and Jenas. I thought Joe Cole was a bit quiet to be honest, he seemed to try and do too much when he got the ball and gave it away to often for my liking. As one of the more experienced Internationals in the squad I expected a lot better from him.

[Cuchulainn]

I thought England conducted themselves quite well against a very good, technically gifted Colombia. It was an entertaining game to watch & I was impressed by both sides passing.
Owen's finishing (despite being offside for the 1st) was top notch. Crouch did hyimself no harm with a decent performance, not outstanding, but decent. He could have done with more crosses to test the relative small height of the Colombian back 4.
Who impressed me most was Carrick & Jenas. Both have had an excellent tour.
For Colombia Yepes impressed at the back as usual & both Angel & Rey looked dangerous.
Over all, good match, solid performance & both teams did themselves no harm for neutrals like myself. Impressive passing football.

[NM]

The game against Columbia was alright in an attacking sense. Beckham and Owen were both exellent and showed what a difference two class players make to the team. Crouch did ok. He didn't really have many opportunities to get on the score sheet, and seemed alittle clumsy at time's giving the ball away. Overall though not a bad debut. The other 3 mindfield players also had a good game, especially Carrick who I think has a decent chance of making the world cup squad if he plays well for Tottenham next season.

The defense on the other hand was awful. But with Ferdinand, Terry, Upson, Carragher and King all missing from the squad what was to be expected. Glen Johnson is no good at defending when playing right back so what chance as he got in the centre! Knight didn't do to bad but he isn't going to be adding his name to the list above anytime soon.

[Doc Sark]

Glen Johnson is no good at defending when playing right back so what chance as he got in the centre!

You're so right! That's how desperate the situation was though!