Off Topic: England V Wales

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 02 Sep 2005, 17:57

Some dick head on the main forum was saying how crap Football (Soccer) is and it got me thinking it is England/Wales on Saturday so come on boys give us a prediction

StuJones, tonyevs, Owain, Wales etc will your boys do the biz or will England prevail?

I go for 3-1 England

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 02 Sep 2005, 18:09

I was going to start a thread like that.

I will be happy for 3-1 or even better 2-0. We are piss poor at the moment and going through a transition that I am not looking forward to.

This is the difference between the two teams.

England are sweating on the fitness of Steven Gerrard a player valued at around 30 million and a European Champion.

Wales are sweating on the fitness of Paul Parry who has only been playing league football for less than 2 years.

No disrespect to Parry who isn't actually too bad, but it shows the difference.

When you are a nation of only 3 millions and you lose Premiership regulars like Speed, Andy Johnson, Mark Pembridge, Robbie Savage (hopefully that will be resolved), Nathan Blake and a few others within months of each other - it is a big loss.

nickd · Post by **nickd** » 02 Sep 2005, 18:12

I dont think its a formality by any means. Giggs will be chomping at the bit I hope.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 02 Sep 2005, 18:18

nickd wrote:I dont think its a formality by any means. Giggs will be chomping at the bit I hope.

Yes, that is the one ray of light. Giggs needs a stormer, would have liked to have seen him play more times for Utd though. I hope he isn't showing the wear and tear - we need him at his best.

England's one weakness from what looks a daunting starting XI is Luke Young's experience. Giggs needs to welcome him to the big league.

Earnshaw needs a big game to get Bryan Robson to wake up also. He needs to show his pace against Carragher. I do fear though that Carragher and Rio will have a field day with Hartson - but Earnshaw might surprise them.

Never rated Koumas, but he needs a huge game also.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 02 Sep 2005, 18:28

Here's a gag I heard about the game.

David Beckham runs in early from training one afternoon and dashes to the bedroom to find Posh spread out on the bed naked, puffing and panting.

Becks asks her suspiciously "What are you doing?"

Posh stutters a reply "I'm - er, er.... I'm having a heart attack"

"Oh no" he cries in despair. "I'll call an ambulance".
He runs downstairs, picks up the phone and begins dialling 999. However, he is stopped in his tracks by a tearful Brooklyn. "What's the matter, son?" asks Becks.

"Uncle Giggsy is in the wardrobe with no clothes on, daddy" sniffles Brooklyn.

Infuriated by this, Beckham runs upstairs and kicks down the wardrobe door. Sure enough, the carpet-chested Welshman is stood there, starkers.

"You w@nker Giggsy" screams Becks. "My wife is right over there having a heart attack, and you're running around naked scaring the sh!t out of Brooklyn."

Rory McCloskey · Post by **Rory McCloskey** » 02 Sep 2005, 18:28

geez and i the dick?

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 02 Sep 2005, 18:39

Rory McCloskey wrote:geez and i the dick?

Don't be daft mate

Your the main man

Rory McCloskey · Post by **Rory McCloskey** » 02 Sep 2005, 18:41

i was only playin around, ive accepted americans dont like soccer

lvlarc · Post by **lvlarc** » 02 Sep 2005, 18:49

lmao good one stu

I'm feeling abit optimistic, WALES 1 - ENGLAND 1

Owain · Post by **Owain** » 02 Sep 2005, 19:06

I'm really looking forward to this game. Ever the optimist!
My head says we will lose; my heart says "Yes, we can do it!!!!!"

Wish Bellamy was playing, he may be a big-headed so and so but he sure can play.

If we win I'll be back on this thread tomorrow; if we lose there will be a deafening silence.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 02 Sep 2005, 19:46

If we win, I will not be on this thread tommorow (well not on it untill very late), I'll be out.

I would say getting rat arsed but I'll probably be the drive again.

tonyevs · Post by **tonyevs** » 02 Sep 2005, 21:24

Don`t know a thing about football

Us valley boys frown on the game

Mind you I know just as little about rugby nowadays

The hype that follows England and the celebrity status and money the internationals recieve this should be a breeze for them.

And after their last game England will be wanting to make a point, the rivalry that rugby has doesn`t really compare to football when these two teams play, possibly because the players from both sides are not normally from Wales

Our rugby had a boost recently, and it did need it because football was the only sport up untill then that we at least had a chance at.

And what about the Welsh posh+Becks....Henson and Church

You have to have a sense of humour to be Welsh

Owain · Post by **Owain** » 02 Sep 2005, 21:58

And what about the Welsh posh+Becks....Henson and Church
You have to have a sense of humour to be Welsh

You're so right.

Henson is pushing his credibility to the limit nowadays. I could accept that he takes pride in his appearance - even if he is supposed to be a rough, tough rugby boy. But, the other day he was pictured wearing an alice band. FFS what's that all about.

To paraphrase, "Us valley boys frown on that".

Gordon · Post by **Gordon** » 03 Sep 2005, 03:31

As the token Scot on this thread.

I would love to see the boyos trounce Ingurland.

However as a Glasgow Rangers supporter I am not impressed by Bellamy.

He was up here on loan to Celtic and I don't think he impressed anyone.

Hartson on the other hand is different. I still see him as a fat lazy barsteward but he has a gift for scoring goals and with Giggsy supplying the service they can be dangerous.

On paper England SHOULD win this, but they tend to have this prima donna attitude when playing the other home nations and stumble & shoot themselves in the foot.

If the English play with the lack of respect expected from them, then I can see Wales grabbing a 1-0 win or at worst a draw.

But if the English come to play football then yes expect 3 or 4-0.

It sticks in my throat to say this but on form they are one of the top 5 teams on the planet.

nickd · Post by **nickd** » 03 Sep 2005, 04:53

Bellamy is injured mate he wont be playing. Wales really miss him to be honest as he used to play out wide in a 4-5-1/4-3-3. That's our best formation by a long way, back when we were good that's how we played anyway! ;)

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 03 Sep 2005, 06:02

Its a blooming shame that Ben Thatcher didn't realise (or didn't want to realise) he had a bit a Welsh blood a few years ago. Can you imagine us going through the Euro qualifiers again with Speed in the middle of the park instead of left back (did an excellent job there but wasted his talents). Thatcher is a good player.

Giggs, Savage, Speed and Davies - with Bellamy and Hartson in the centre forward role would be quite a midfield and strike duo. Pembridge and Earnie on the bench.

Bard of Boxrec · Post by **Bard of Boxrec** » 03 Sep 2005, 09:11

WHY ISN'T IT ON TERRESTRIAL TV????!!!!! NOT EVEN HIGHLIGHTS????!!!

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 03 Sep 2005, 12:11

Well you didn't miss much, England dominated possession but the game was basically dull. Joe Cole 57th minute England won 1-0.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 03 Sep 2005, 14:04

Happy with the Welsh display, I think we are progressing under John Toshack even if his ego has cost us one our better players (Savage).

Not sure what Earnie has to do to get a starting place, but we fought well and competed okay. Last 10 minutes was impressive with Koumas looking like Maradona in that period. I'm not sure Toshack's selections is the best but he is getting the performance out of the boys and is playing a system that suits our lack of play. Unfortunately though with Hartson up front on his own we are always going to struggle to get chances, Rio handled him easily as it always happens when he steps up to the good international sides.

Proud of Giggs' effort, didn't get much supply but worked his socks off and I think was the Man of the match.

England really SHOULD win the world cup, its the best bunch of players they have had since 1966 and they will be in their prime next year. I honestly think though they should be looking for a new manager though cause 1-0 wins vs Wales with that squad isn't good enough.

lvlarc · Post by **lvlarc** » 03 Sep 2005, 14:32

Brazil will win the world cup, no doubt :P

Seamus · Post by **Seamus** » 03 Sep 2005, 18:15

You might be shocked by what Americans know about association football. When I was 17 I sometimes played 8 hours a day, and a couple of times in the early 80's I drank with Wolves former keeper Phil Parkes.

Max Molyneux · Post by **Max Molyneux** » 03 Sep 2005, 21:39

steve689 wrote:Well you didn't miss much, England dominated possession but the game was basically dull. Joe Cole 57th minute England won 1-0.

ENGLAND!

We always seem to qualify for theWorld Cup butit'srare when Scotland,Irlenad or Wales do.

JimmyJamJerusalem · Post by **JimmyJamJerusalem** » 04 Sep 2005, 03:21

I must say I was quite impressed by the our Welsh performance. Put England under plenty of pressure, and made them look quite scrappy in defence at times. With the stars England have a world cup win sounds likely on paper, but wont happen as long as I have a hole in my arse!!! DIE YOU ENGLISSSSSHHH DOGS

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 04 Sep 2005, 07:51

Seamus wrote:You might be shocked by what Americans know about association football. When I was 17 I sometimes played 8 hours a day, and a couple of times in the early 80's I drank with Wolves former keeper Phil Parkes.

Phil still lives in Wolverhampton, saw him walking under the subway recently, well my old man picked him out.

Remember once i was in a pub before the game and saw Robert Plant in the corner, he's a Wolves fan. It's still my claim to fame

Gordon · Post by **Gordon** » 05 Sep 2005, 06:49

Impressed with the Welsh result well done guys.

Even mroe impressed by Scotland holding the mighty Italy to a draw.

Walter Smith seems to have got the guys working together. Its been a long time coming.

There was nothing with that last manager (Berti Vogts) The team just didn't jell together, there was no harmony in the dressing room.

Some of the bigger named Scots refused to play under Vogts.

Good to see Walter has them singing out the same hymn book and if the result against Norway goes our way we might just make it to the Finals.