The Round Ball Game

[AmpH]

Who will get to the semis / win and what are Englands chances ? Fair degree of unanimity here - usual suspects.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18091750

I like Chris Waddles' comments re when to judge Hodgson - some welcome common sense.

[AmpH]

Quarter finals? ........ aah, bless!

Check out Shearer's thoughts ......

[Beef Oven]

some welcome common sense.

and some don't

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Reaching the quarter-finals means we only need to win two out of the first three games. That should be possible, though I don't fancy our chances against France.

[Lateralthinking1]

I think Rio Ferdinand was left out to show who is boss rather than having the ongoing battle between players and managers. A big name had to be dropped for the fear of God to be put into them effectively and dropping any of the others was too risky. We have seen the predictable attempts at changing the decision. As it is, they are aware that they have to play to keep their places.

This could only have happened now. If they get knocked out very early, Hodgson can blame what he inherited. He also knows his position is safe and he can emphasise that it is the World Cup that matters. In my humble opinion, he's very canny.

Precisely because of this approach, I believe we have an outside chance. More than that, though, is needed for success. We will need to be as dull as ditchwater rather than flashy. We have the right man for that in charge. I wouldn't like to predict if we will get to the semi-final and play Germany but if we do I think the winners of that match will win the tournament.

[JohnSkelton]

Admittedly Fulham were a mess when Hodgson took over from sorry Lawrie Sanchez, but it took the best part of two months intensive work in training to sort things out and give us the chance of staying in the Premier League thing. He is good at getting a group of players organised and playing above themselves as a team, and his approach is methodical, cautious, and based on work rate not inspiration (he never took to Jimmy Bullard as a player for that reason. Taking to Jimmy Bullard as anything else would be a greater challenge ).

Don't know. I didn't see the friendly against Belgium ... oddly, when we reached the Europa final there were a couple of games where impulse took over from method (Basle away, Juventus home). Both were games where realistically we had no choice but to attack and pressure. Expect the midfield to protect the back four and England to 'defend from the front'. Still don't think they'll reach the knockout stage.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

hi JohnSkelton good to see you posting about your Fulham experiences ...

just watched Poland Greece ... not the best of games ...but i would really like to see the Czech team beat the Russkis

[EdgeleyRob]

just watched Poland Greece ... not the best of games ...

I thought it was quite a decent watch.Talk about game of 2 halves you, wouldn't have given Greece a prayer after the 1st half.
Hope the standard of refereeing gets better though.
Engerland to win it,if only so I can complete my wallchart which I always bin when we go out of a tournament.

[teamsaint]

I thought it was quite a decent watch.Talk about game of 2 halves you, wouldn't have given Greece a prayer after the 1st half.
Hope the standard of refereeing gets better though.
Engerland to win it,if only so I can complete my wallchart which I always bin when we go out of a tournament.

Somebody has loaned Webby from united, ER !!

[Beef Oven]

hi JohnSkelton good to see you posting about your Fulham experiences ...

just watched Poland Greece ... not the best of games ...

Ref had a good game though

[EdgeleyRob]

Somebody has loaned Webby from united, ER !!

He's playing in the Russia v Czech game.Wonder which side he's on.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

well so much for the Czech [1] team beating the Russkis [4] ... Russia look very formidable as an attacking team ... end to end game with a high level of skill ..great start to tournament i'd say ... Webb had a very good game imv

[Beef Oven]

well so much for the Czech [1] team beating the Russkis [4] ... Russia look very formidable as an attacking team ... end to end game with a high level of skill ..great start to tournament i'd say ... Webb had a very good game imv

Web wasn't as good as that Spanish bloke in the bankrupts versus plumbers game earlier today. What a joke!

[EdgeleyRob]

Webb had a very good game imv

He did to be fair.

[Lateralthinking1]

'Euro 2012: England humbled by Auschwitz pain and misery as Wayne Rooney vows it will never be forgotten'

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/england/9320837/Euro-2012-England-humbled-by-Auschwitz-pain-and-misery-as-Wayne-Rooney-vows-it-will-never-be-forgotten.html

The tone struck by Hodgson is light years from his predecessors. This visit makes sense not only politically but from the point of view of teamwork and his style is already looking almost revolutionary. Given many of the players' antics, there have been times when supporting England has felt like an obligation rather than a pleasure. This time success will be welcome on every level.