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Yeah. Spain looked a bit shaky yesterday. Italy weren't that great either. Both got very nervy.
Do Spain really murder anyone (Ireland apart)? You're prob right that they'll win, but I think English physicality up front will trouble a Spanish defence which looks creaky and has really ridden its luck (the blatant penalty yday, the free header for Croatia, the mix-up that led to Balotelli having a one-on-one). It's possible.
Roy Hodgson has resisted the clamour to include Theo Walcott in his starting line-up for England’s final Euro 2012 group match against Ukraine this evening.
Walcott made a dramatic impact as a substitute in the 3-2 victory over Sweden on Friday, scoring England’s equaliser and setting up the winning goal for Danny Welbeck, but Hodgson has preferred the industry and tactical discipline of James Milner on the right-hand side as his team look for the result that will secure their place in the quarter-finals.
It is understood the only change to the starting line-up is Wayne Rooney, back from suspension, replacing Andy Carroll in attack. Welbeck will play alongside Rooney, his Manchester United team-mate, but both Carroll and Walcott have been assured that they could have big roles to play over the course of the evening.
Barring a late twist, England will line up in Donestk with a starting XI of: Joe Hart – Glen Johnson, John Terry, Joleon Lescott, Ashley Cole – James Milner, Steven Gerrard, Scott Parker, Ashley Young – Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck.
neither of them is the best international tournament footballer in the world right now, nor have they ever been, thusfar, as far as my memory serves me. Ronaldo is beginning to make a case for himself in this tournament, but do we think he has been the out and out best footballer so far? maybe a question worth thinking about once the quarter finals round has cleared.
I remember England Italy in the world cup qualifiers in the nineties but I don't think they've met in the finals of a tournament in my football-watching life time.
Maybe not but you could make a case for either of them being the best club players in the world and that's a significantly higher standard than international these days. Also, there are far more competitive (and other) games so it gives you a better chance to judge how good someone really is. So I think that it's reasonable to call them amongst the best players in the world."neither of them is the best international tournament footballer in the world right now, nor have they ever been, thusfar, as far as my memory serves me."
you could make a case for either of them being the best club players in the world
People don't tend to include goalkeepers in the lists of best players in the world, or haven't since Peter Schmiechel pretty much won the European Championship for Denmark. But I would go as far as to say Petr Cech is one of the best players in the world. He's been incredible for Chelsea since joining them. When you consider that a goalkeeping error is nearly always more costly and more conspicuous, he has made staggeringly few, and commands the area in a way that made it possible for Chelsea to beat Bayern, even though most of the game was played in Chelsea's box. So yeah, I'd put him alongside Ronaldo and Messi.