France Stade de France, Paris 26 Mar 2008 0–1
Germany Olympiastadion, Berlin 19 November 2008 2–1
Spain Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville 11 February 2009 0–2
Netherlands Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam 12 August 2009 2–2
Brazil Khalifa International Stadium, Doha 14 November 2009 0–1
P5 W1 D1 L3. Not particularly impressive, albeit all away or on neutral territory.
Not only that, but we played the best two of those teams with line-ups that were a long way from our first 11. Of the other games, against the French Capello hadn´t been in charge very long, and we outplayed both the Germans and the Dutch.
Brazil and Spain also happen to be the best two sides in the world at the moment, having your second team lose to them is no shame.
To my mind, we lack a reliable goalkeeper, a second top-class centre back to partner Terry and a top-notch forward to complement Rooney who can score regularly himself. And we lack strength in depth in a number of areas, always vital when you're playing in a tournament of this nature.
My prediction is that we'll be out in the quarter finals again. I hope I'm wrong.
The key to any world cup campaign, for any team, is having your world class players fit. Any of the seeds can put out 11 footballers who are very good and capable of doing a job for a decent coach.
Strength in depth in tournaments is a myth, what you need is a shitload of luck with injuries. Nobodies reserves are gonna win them the tournament. Not even Brazil´s or Spain´s. If 2 of Iniesta, Xavi, Villa and Torres don´t make it on the plane, I don´t fancy Spain´s chances. Fuck knows where Brazil´s goals will come from if they don´t get to bring Luis Fabiano.
None of the winners of the previous 3 world cups had serious injury problems to contend, and all of them were able to field their best players for most of the tournament.
This, "strength in depth" wins tournaments is backed up by sod all reality. You need 8 good players, 3 exceptional players and for the last 3 to avoid getting their ankles sawn in half by some clumsy centre-half in May.
Fingers crossed Ferdinand gets back to the player he was last season. And that Rob Green can step up (someone has to, and they´re only going to do if they get a decent shot at it). But it´s not the end of the world if they don´t. Far more important that Gerrard and Rooney steer clear of the Roy Keanes and Tiny Taylors of this world...
(even based on the results above, we´re a fair shout for the semis. Outplayed 2 seeds, only lost to the top 2)
It's a bit wierd cos we've got tickets to games, but don't know who yet. It's team A1 v B2 etc - I think we have a 3 in 7 chance of getting England in Cape Town, or so my mate reckons. Either way, we're going cos we want to see other teams as well, but it would be wicked to get England too.
