rooney is supposed to start today

[Edited on June 20, 2006 at 1:52 PM. Reason : 29]

6/20/2006 1:52:15 PM

I'm really looking forward to the Rooney/Owen combination.

6/20/2006 2:01:59 PM

dont know that you will see the Rooney/Owen combination.. my guess is he's starting in Owen's place

6/20/2006 2:08:16 PM

Quote :

"Rooney in, Gerrard and Crouch out Paul Wilson in Baden-Baden Sunday June 18, 2006 The Observer The two Liverpool players who scored in England's World Cup victory over Trinidad & Tobago are likely to miss Tuesday's final group game against Sweden, with Peter Crouch making way for Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard standing down to avoid picking up a second yellow card that would put him out of the second round. Crouch, Gerrard and Lampard are all on cautions, and although there is an amnesty after the group stage, any second yellows on Tuesday would lead to a one-match ban. Rooney in, Gerrard and Crouch out Paul Wilson in Baden-Baden Sunday June 18, 2006 The Observer The two Liverpool players who scored in England's World Cup victory over Trinidad & Tobago are likely to miss Tuesday's final group game against Sweden, with Peter Crouch making way for Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard standing down to avoid picking up a second yellow card that would put him out of the second round. Crouch, Gerrard and Lampard are all on cautions, and although there is an amnesty after the group stage, any second yellows on Tuesday would lead to a one-match ban. Article continues -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 'If we had to win the game I would probably risk playing all three players,' Sven-Goran Eriksson explained. 'Because we are already qualified I can afford to leave one or two out, but not all three.' Lampard is likely to play, partly because Gerrard is the midfielder England can least afford to lose and partly because he is the one with most chance of attracting a caution. Michael Carrick or Owen Hargreaves will take his place in midfield, while Crouch reverts to his original role as substitute now that Rooney is fit again. Rooney is still not 100 per cent, which is why Eriksson needs to play him. Rooney and Michael Owen need minutes on the pitch, and with the qualification pressure off, England can take the risk of sending out two recovering strikers. 'Rooney looks fine, no reaction after the last match, and I'm thinking about playing him for 90 minutes,' Eriksson said. 'Or maybe just an hour, but he can start, that's the main thing. I will ask for opinions from doctors and physios before making a definite decision, but he has told me he is fit. Mind you, he has told me that for the last three weeks.' Eriksson says he is unconcerned about Owen's lack of impact so far, or his apparent unhappiness with the long-ball game England have been playing. Trinidad's coach, Leo Beenhakker, offered some free advice on that subject too, arguing England should make better use of their midfield, but Eriksson is having none of it. 'I would like to thank the Trinidad coach for the advice,' he said. 'But if you have Peter Crouch in your team you should try to use him. We are still one of the four or five teams that can win the World Cup. Nothing has changed. 'I know everyone is talking about Argentina, that [6-0 against Serbia & Montenegro] was probably the best match and the best team so far, but how did the opponents play? Argentina look in good shape very early, but Serbia & Montenegro had to win that match. Every game is different, and we too will play better football against teams who try to attack, though I can't promise we will pass the ball 24 times then score a goal. 'Brazil and Argentina are the best two teams in the world at keeping the ball, but that's not totally our way of playing football. Hardly anyone in Europe plays like that.' If Argentina are the team to avoid, England's best chance of avoiding them would be to top Group B, which they can do by avoiding defeat against Sweden. There would then be no way of the two teams meeting until the final. There are other advantages to winning the group too, regardless of what happens between Germany and Ecuador in Tuesday afternoon's game. England will know by the time they kick off which result will bring which second-round opponent, but Eriksson wants to win. 'There are a lot of advantages to winning the group,' Eriksson said. 'All the way along you then get an extra day before each round, until the final itself. And England have not beaten Sweden in 38 years. Before leaving this job, I would like to do something about that.' "

http://football.guardian.co.uk/worldcup2006/story/0,,1800379,00.html

6/20/2006 2:18:11 PM

When I break my foot again I'm going to England for treatment

6/20/2006 2:20:28 PM

that can't be good for England

6/20/2006 3:01:57 PM

WTF OWEN


DAMMIT SON OF A BITCH

PUT WALCOTT IN!!!

[Edited on June 20, 2006 at 3:09 PM. Reason : ]

6/20/2006 3:03:17 PM

michael owen is forever injured

6/20/2006 3:03:31 PM

What the fuck happened? I'm stuck watching the match tracker on Fox Sports.



Why did he put Crouch in? Put Walcott in, for God's sake.

6/20/2006 3:11:48 PM

owen hurt himself...i question putting crouch in


rooney looks like hes back to form early on

6/20/2006 3:13:01 PM

Eriksson really shouldn't risk Crouch like that. At least Rooney is on fire.

6/20/2006 3:14:09 PM

crouch is such a wiener, that ball was perfect to him...he jumped like 2 inches in the air

6/20/2006 3:16:01 PM

Crouch has got a yellow, and there's no reason to risk him getting another if Owen's hurt and Roo is on fire. Dumb move to put him in instead of Walcott, unless he plans on subbing him at the half.

6/20/2006 3:21:50 PM

I hate Crouch, goofy looking fucker

6/20/2006 3:23:26 PM

some guy called in to rome today saying how beckham was the best athlete in the world

6/20/2006 3:24:39 PM

wide open header, crouch = teh ghey


rooney is gonna score in this game

6/20/2006 3:25:07 PM

Go T&T!

6/20/2006 3:26:55 PM

I'm really worried about Owen now, England needs him in the next round.

6/20/2006 3:28:31 PM

Quote :

"Put Walcott in, for God's sake."

Walcott's nowhere near World Cup level right now.

6/20/2006 3:29:13 PM

Well, neither is Crouchy if he's missing easy headers.

6/20/2006 3:32:02 PM

Quote :

"Among users of our Player Rater, optimism is high that England can go all the way to the final. In a poll on Player Rater, 38% of those who responded say England will reach the final, though 16% believe Sven-Goran Eriksson's side will fall at the second round hurdle. Twenty four per cent say England will reach the quarter finals and 22% predict a semi-final exit. "

optimistic much?

6/20/2006 3:32:55 PM

if england wins they play ecuador?

goal of the world cup right there dagggggggggggggggggggggg

[Edited on June 20, 2006 at 3:33 PM. Reason : !]

6/20/2006 3:33:09 PM

^yes

holy shit that was a good goal

did anyone else see Crouch come up behind Cole and just grab him and pick him up?

[Edited on June 20, 2006 at 3:35 PM. Reason : ]

6/20/2006 3:33:48 PM

holy shit joe cole.

goal of the world cup. jesus

6/20/2006 3:34:50 PM

good god, where the hell did that come from???

joe cole...what a goal

6/20/2006 3:35:24 PM

little Joey


the English Pele

6/20/2006 3:35:59 PM

Damn.

Listen to that crowd sing.

6/20/2006 3:38:36 PM

ahaha crouch put a move on somebody

6/20/2006 3:40:38 PM

fuck crouch

i hope he gets snapped in half

6/20/2006 3:43:59 PM

Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit
für das deutsche Vaterland!
Danach lasst uns alle streben
brüderlich mit Herz und Hand!
Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit
sind des Glückes Unterpfand;
Blüh’ im Glanze dieses Glückes,
blühe, deutsches Vaterland!
Blüh’ im Glanze dieses Glückes,
blühe, deutsches Vaterland!

6/20/2006 3:47:37 PM

Lampard wasn't kidding when he said he was going to shoot at will.


England outshot Sweden 16 to 5.

[Edited on June 20, 2006 at 3:48 PM. Reason : Too bad he can't put the ball in the back of the net.]

6/20/2006 3:48:15 PM

^^im guessin this is what that says?

Agreement and right and liberty for the German native country! Afterwards let us all strive like brothers with heart and hand! Agreement and right and liberty are the luck pledge; Flower ' in the gloss of this luck, flower, German native country! Flower ' in the gloss of this luck, flower, German native country!

6/20/2006 3:48:58 PM

Has Jenas even touched the field in this World Cup?

6/20/2006 3:53:02 PM

i dont believe so

6/20/2006 3:55:51 PM

What a waste. Hargreaves is garbage.

6/20/2006 3:57:38 PM

another vote for goal of the cup so far from me... what a hit from Cole. Balboa said it should've been saved, whatever

6/20/2006 4:04:21 PM

Boom. 1-1.

6/20/2006 4:07:06 PM

nice answer from Sweden

6/20/2006 4:07:13 PM

wow, can England play defense on corners?

6/20/2006 4:11:19 PM

FUCK.

6/20/2006 4:13:07 PM

good lord, england is crap on these corners

6/20/2006 4:15:28 PM

holy shit, this is getting ridiculous

6/20/2006 4:15:40 PM

come on ENGLAND WTF PICK UP THE SLACK

6/20/2006 4:16:47 PM

sweden looking like the sweden they are supposed to be this half

6/20/2006 4:18:58 PM

Quote :

"little Joey the English Pele"

My little fantasy team is starting to pick it up. With Klose as captain, Joe Cole scoring a goal, and me deciding not to play Owen, things are turning around for DreamTeam06.

6/20/2006 4:23:28 PM

no cards yet... amazing for this world cup

^yeah, i started Klose, good for us

[Edited on June 20, 2006 at 4:24 PM. Reason : ehe]

6/20/2006 4:23:38 PM

what the hell... Gerrard?

6/20/2006 4:25:40 PM

what in the world is sven thinking...

6/20/2006 4:26:49 PM

^My thoughts exactly... Gerrard as a forward?

6/20/2006 4:27:06 PM

so let's sit the 2 guys with yellows to start the game... bring them on as subs, play Hargreaves over Jenas, what else?

6/20/2006 4:27:40 PM