England and the World Cup

[tuckeratlarge]

First of all I would like to state here and now I am not a fan or follower of Football (Soccer my US friends) As I am an ex-Leeds United supporter from my youth. I no-longer bother with it, basically if it hasn't got an engine it isn't a real sport - notable exceptions being Womens Tennis and Beach Volleyball :whistle: )

Anyway my point. Wayne Rooney buggers his foot and everybody says England are now not going to win the world cup - as if they were going to with him - what about the other players. Owen can still score goals, as can Beckham and the others. Even the defenders can. So why so important to have Rooney?

Also, why do they pick the same 15 or so players every bleeding time? The F.A. states that in the premiership alone there are 40% English players. So...

If we say there are an average of 15 top-notch players per team, and 20 teams thats 300 players. 40% of 300 is 120. So we have 'at least' 120 English top-notch (they must be they play premiership footie) players to choose from. Surely with that talent pool they can come up with more than the usual suspects. And that doesn't even cover those players who choose to play overseas.

So from at least 130 odd players, England can no longer win because one player has a broken foot.

Discuss...

[Lingwo]

As you said you're not a follower so you wouldn't understand how essential Rooney is. Like Alan Hanson said with Rooney we had a great chance of winning it but now we only have a chance. With Rooney you know he will play at 100% and he is one of the best strikers England has, he also can defend well. The other england players are good but don't have the presence Rooney has on a pitch, he can make something out of nothing alot like Henry does. They both just bring a squad together.

Also we have the same kind of squad all the time because they're the best in the country at that time.

[Martyn]

You made some fair points. What you dont understand is that Rooney brings a lot more to England than most other players. Rooney is aggressive, strong, quick and pure firepower, a combination which most defenders on the opposite team find impossible to defend against.

At Euro 2004 Rooney was inspirational to England, leading from the front he is able to spring other players into life. It is important to have characters like Rooney on the pitch who can turn a match around in seconds. He does occassionally get a lot of stick for his attidude, espeically his aggresiveness but it is part of his game (and dont forget he was a boxing champion which probably fueled his aggression).

As for your second point about there being "at least 120 top notch players who can play for England", you must understand that if you want to win something you have to play your best players. As there are only 11 starting places for England there is no way there will be 120 players in the squad, their maybe 120 players in the National Pool but not in the squad.

You overestimate the ammount of world class talent who can play in a World Cup for their nation. If you imagine all the people in the UK who are eligible to play for England, there must be millions, but only eleven make it simply because they are the best. Similarly only 11 make it into the team out of those 120 you mentioned instead of using squad rotation. For example you would mostly always play Steven Gerrard rather than Jimmy Bullard, as you would play Ashley Cole above Leighton Baines, in the future that may change though.

Anyway, I am really looking forward to the World Cup this summer. The likes of Ronaldo, Kaka, Ronaldinho, Adriano all in one team is a great one! So many great matches to come :D

[Super8 and Tab]

Peter Crouch is ur only fit striker and we all know how much he sucks. But i think Owen will recover in time, where there is Owen there is hope.

if i was sven this would be my team'

-------------------Owen--------Defoe-----------

J.Cole----- Gerrard------L.King----------the kid from tottenham

A.Cole------Terry----------Dawson--------Ugly Neville

[Jambon]

Peter Crouch is ur only fit striker and we all know how much he sucks. But i think Owen will recover in time, where there is Owen there is hope.

if i was sven this would be my team'

-------------------Owen--------Defoe-----------

J.Cole----- Gerrard------L.King----------the kid from tottenham

A.Cole------Terry----------Dawson--------Ugly Neville

King over Lampard? Never.

Leave Defoe behind for Rooney and I'd gamble on Walcott too over Defoe.

My teeam:

Robinson

Neville Ferdinand Terry A.Cole

J.Cole Gerrad Lampard Beckham

Owen Walcott

Also, who's gonna win the Champions League tonight, can Arsenal do it?

Probably won't..

[Super8 and Tab]

King over Lampard? Never.

Leave Defoe behind for Rooney and I'd gamble on Walcott too over Defoe.

My teeam:

Robinson

Neville Ferdinand Terry A.Cole

J.Cole Gerrad Lampard Beckham

Owen Walcott

Also, who's gonna win the Champions League tonight, can Arsenal do it?

Probably won't..

i chose king over delfection king lampard so that king does all the defensive job and gerard is given a free role. anything lampard does gerrard does better.