Terry's foot is ok and he may make the FA Cup final at the weekend.

Big Sam is staggered that Capello hasnt called up Paul Robinson - shame your opinion counts for fuck all you fat useless cunt

Not the World Cup but i can't be chewed to find the other thread.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/8682511.stm

Togo's AFCON 4 year ban has been lifted. Sensible decision really but speaks volumes about the people who run African football that this has gone this far.

Come on. Out with it man! Spit it out. Is there something on your mind

Ballack out of WC!

Cant say im sad to see the Germans weakened but not good for him and not good in general for good players not to be playing in a World Cup.

Fecking awful challenge by Boateng that caused it like.

It was, missed it originally but saw it on slo-mo, that's an argument for a ban surely? He could have broken Ballack's leg.

Definitely Hotts - its one of those challenges for me that more often than not only gets a booking because technically it doesnt look that bad initially - studs were not raised, he didnt jump in etc when realistically it is more deserving of a red card than some incidents that do get punished with a red due to the intent.

He was never ever gonna get the ball and just maliciously took him out from behind.

Im usually fairly critical of the footballing powers going too far in taking contact and tackling from the game but that is one kind of challenge for me that needs dealing with with straight reds.

As you say I think Ballack was pretty lucky to only suffer ligament damage.

Ballack is past it anyway. Not a huge loss for Germany.

He maybe getting on but hes still one of their better players.

Bit of World Cup nostalgia, just over 3 weeks to go \o/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/w...010/8672299.stm

There's no official world cup song this year so may as well bring back a few memories with this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uFWGALVF0Y

Coloccini not going to the world cup apparantly:

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2557/news/2...astles-fabrizio

Jonas' in though. The Argies must have some bloody good CBs is all I have to say.

Gutted for him although didnt think he would get in, Maradona is an idiot.

Tell us something we dont know

Have to agree though, I never thought he could realistically get into the 23 but to still manage to get amongst the 30 in the first place despite playing 2nd tier football for a year is some achievement.

Even more for Spidey but then again I guess we all knew he was firmly in Maradona's plans from day one.

I'm not convinced Coloccini is good enough, but from what I know about him so far, Maradona has been an awful manager so far despite being an Argentine legend. I don't think they have much chance of winning the World Cup, but if they do it will be down to Messi being incredible rather than Mardona's tactics.

Yeah slight understatement by myself about Maradona Yella

I am gutted for him that he didnt get in, always nice to see players from your club representing their country although in a selfish way its good that he will get a rest over the summer.

He had a rough first season as a lot of foreign players do and playing in a shite team low on confidence at a club in turmoil certainly didnt help but you could see glimpses of what he was capable of if you looked past the usual media overhyped criticism he got.

This season he has been fantastic and I know a lot of people will say its a poorer standard but you can only defend against whats against you. In a more solid team he has looked solid and composed and I think he will be a much improved player in the Prem next season compared to his first season there.

Agree with that. For me Championship player of the season and he was just class every game I saw him in. Truely a top international defender and will be just fine next year in the Premiership.

England V Mexico tonight. England team is:

Green
Johnson - Rio - King - Baines
Walcott - Carrick - Gerrard - Milner
Crouch - Rooney

Gigantic England flag mosaic all over Wembley, impressive

great game so far, mexico are passing well and have a lot of quality players, but we have taken our chances, also loving the giant flag

Impressed with our finishing but to me our defence is a worry, yes its not our first choice back 4 but its shows our strength in depth in that department doesnt seem as good as first thought.

Only caught the 2nd half as was playing 5 a side.

Everyone looked fairly solid apart from I thought Leighton Baines was shite.

Couple of disgraceful challenges from the Mexicans - since when do you only get booked for a professional foul just because its a friendly?

Slightly gutted that I had 3-1 and Crouch 1st goal

Defensively in the 1st half we were too nervy and at times, shocking. Rio Ferdinand still looked barely half fit and he only played the 1st half.

Going forward though it looks like we're a match for anyone, Yes its only Mexico but overall the attacking options we've got certainly bode well

Yeah I find that a bit odd. If anything that rule encourages more dangerous sliding tackles in the penalty area, when it should be the opposite.

Not the most convincing display, but pretty decent and a good win.

Thought King was really poor. Normally a big fan of him, but think he got a bit excited after his goal and he was letting them in all the time. He was playing LCB and Baines seemed to be following King's man as he was out of position, which effected Baines' performance.

Walcott is so frustraing but potenitally brilliant. Gerrard was so much better in the centre, with Milner out wide.

Agree with Johnson as MOM. He didn't go forward as much as normal, but when he did... that was a peach!

The DCM area is worrying. Carrick was pretty poor again and Huddlestone is the least agile footballer about and bottled diving into a few tackles which the likes of Parker and Hargreaves would have done.

I know he was resting the Chelsea boys, but didn't get why Joe Cole was one of those as he's only played half a season and hardly been a regular even then.

Think it's fair to say that Dawson, Warnock, SWP and Bent certainly won't be going.

I can understand slight leniency in friendlies but England were in on goal twice and the players were cynically taken out - friendly or no friendly its a red card.

Like you say that sort of shit encourages bad challenges really.

Can someone tell me how Capello can be considering taking crocked players like Ledley King and Gareth Barry to the World Cup?
I know he hasn't got too much to choose from, but surely fit second choices are better than injured first choices.

In other news, Ireland beat Paraguay 2-1. Ex-Drogheda United player Keith Fahey made his debut. Delighted for him.

Well if they are fit when he names his 23 I dont see the problem.

King came through the game the other night ok and has played a decent number of games for Spurs - its a manageable problem and considering he is likely to be a backup player in the world cup then its even less of an issue - i think hes generally good enough to take the small risk. Him with a dodgy knee is better than a fully fit Lescott etc.

As for Barry, Capello likes him and he does a steady job - dont see the issue in giving him a chance to prove his fitness, if hes not fit then he wont go i presume. Dont think hes keeping anyone out of the 30 that would really otherwise have been in with a realistic chance.

First game played at Soccer City last night, interrupted by a power cut to the same stadium that will host the opening ceremony in just 14 days time.

160,000 unsold tickets too.

I'm hoping this doesn't descend into a farce.

Get your money on the Germans. They won 24-0 this week.

Although I'm fairly sure they played a very shit team.

Racist

Haha, ssssh, don't say anything bad about South Africa....

Did you see how bad it was? There was no tv coverage of the 2nd half. I'm pretty sure that come the opening day, there are going to be a hell of a lot more tv people there using electricity than there was for a SA v Columbia friendly.

Nah didnt see it mate but its certainly worrying with the tournament so close.

Suppose playing games there prior to the tournament is acting as a bit of a test and they can hopefully iron things out prior to the kick off.

The world cup is not the first makor sporting event to be played in Southa Africa.

There has been a lot of international Cricket and Rugby played there over the years - IPL, Rugby World Cup, Lions tours, Cricket World Cup and the African Cup of Nations

Hopefully none of the African stadia will be completed as late and as over budget as Wembley

Yeah but the football world cup is a whole different ball game (literally) to those other events.

I sure it will all run smoothly and I hope it does - just wouldnt be suprised if it didnt

It was the first game in that stadium too, which is what concerns me, worrying that its first real test is just a fortnight from the first game.

Is it? No wonder I've always been so crap at cricket. The bloke throws the ball at me and I kick it away. Is that wrong?

Cricket's shite anyway.

Incorrect. Cricket > football.

wouldn't go that far, cricket is great but doesn't get near football in terms of excitement, winning the world cup is probably the greatest prize on earth.

It's an imperialist sport. And it's boring as fuck to watch (good craic to play I'll give you that, but only for an hour or so). No thanks..

Anyway, we beat Algeria 3-0. Quite comfortable. England should have no problems. Their defence is shite.

Capello has already named the team to play Japan tomorrow:

James
G.Johnson - Rio - Terry - A.Cole
Walcott - Huddlestone - Lampard - Lennon
Bent - Rooney

Not looking good at all for Joe Cole

I think this WC has come a little to late for j.cole, unlucky for him but there are better alternatives, good to see huddlestone and bent given a chance, and david james in goal means the no.1 is still up for grabs

Better alternatives?? Like who?

I think its a sad day for England if we cant fit Cole into a 23 man squad.

I don't think people realise how poor J.Cole has been since his injury. He's not a patch on what he was before his injury and this is proven that fucking Kalou gets in the Chelsea team ahead of him!!! Fact is Adam Johnson, Lennon, Milner, etc hav had much, much better seasons and are in better form going into the WC.

he's not played enough games to deserve a place ahead of, lennon, walcott, johnson, milner etc.

Hes a totally different player to all those mentioned and if you are talking about form and deserving a place then I find it highly amusing you mention Walcott

For me Cole just offers something different and is one of a few players that I would take irrespective of form due to the fact there is nobody else quite like him. Looking on the flip side of it too having not played that much football over the last few months could actually be an advantage.

Granted he hasnt really played for Chelsea much, hes found it difficult to get back in a team really performing well.

For me people (including the England manager) seem to use the old "form and fitness" excuse very selectively.

Milner seems to be a shoe in for the squad (and rightly so for me) because of his versatilty - Cole is just as versatile really, he can play in any of the attacking midfield positions.

Just dont think we need to take 4 or 5 out and out wingers, Cole just offers something different. Like I say I cant believe that we cant find room in the 23 for him.

If we are talking about not picking players down to lack of form and/or fitness then should we not be taking our captain??