The football blog for fans of all clubs
Second half goals from Tomas Rosicky and Tomas Necid helped the Czech Republic win against Russia in a Euro 2016 warm-up friendly. Russia started brightly in Innsbruck and Aleksandr Kokorin’s sixth-minute strike from the edge of the box proved too strong for Petr Cech, who may have felt he could have done more to save […]
England headed to the 2014 World Cup on the back of a decent qualification campaign, and while expectations were at an all-time low, they were at least supposed to put up a fight and spring a surprise or two on Brazilian soil. However, the Three Lions ultimately endured a torrid tournament as they bowed out […]
After months of speculation, Roy Hodgson named his 23-man England squad for the World Cup in Brazil and preparations for the tournament can now begin in earnest this week with the first of three warm-up matches taking place against Peru at Wembley on Friday night before jetting off to Miami where they will face Ecuador […]
Goalkeepers Joe Hart His status as England’s number one is not currently under threat. Being dropped by City in November seems to have served as a wake-up call and he’s certainly become noticeably less error prone since then. Rob Green’s career was effectively destroyed by an error at the 2010 World Cup. He was […]
England have found their way into the 2014 World Cup in Brazil after beating Poland 2 – 0. Thanks to Hodgson’s excellent focus, paying attention to what’s happening today, rather than what happened in the past. Changing things up a little, Hodgson decided to start the United duo of Michael Carrick and Chris Smalling. It’s […]
Roy Hodgson may have been slightly concerned to see Jack Wilshere making the headlines over the last few days as the Arsenal midfielder made his views crystal clear about potential foreign born players pulling on the England shirt, but whilst all this was going on and filling up the column inches it has allowed Hodgson […]
“If you’ve lived in England for five years, for me, it doesn’t make you English. You shouldn’t play. It doesn’t mean you can play for that country. If I went to Spain and lived there for five years, I’m not going to play for Spain. For me an English player should play for England really.” […]
Brazil 2014. As World Cups go, it’s probably the one you don’t want to miss – either as a supporter or a player. The tournament is being billed as a “festival of football”, full of “colour” and set with the backdrop of a “carnival atmosphere”. One suspects that these are just some of the clichĂ©s […]
England head in to their crucial 2014 World Cup Qualifying matches against Moldova and Ukraine in September, buoyed by the fact that they have a squad containing strikers that have been in good form so far in the 2013-14 Barclays Premier League season. The Three Lions have named five recognised strikers in their squad, with […]
Bang! Egypt ruin England’s footballing summer as the U20s, like the U21s, go home at the group stage of an international tournament without managing to win a game. It’s a damning, bleak story say the press with England looking no closer to progress at any level. You can’t argue with it. Or can you? The […]
There was plenty of frustration from England fans after the U-21s were comfortably beaten by Norway in the UEFA Under-21 European Championship at the weekend. A lot of the anger was directed at Stuart Pearce, the manager, who often gives the impression of someone who doesn’t have a clue. In 2007, when Pearce first got […]
Some players just aren’t made for the English game, some of us aren’t as efficient as Germans at taking penalties, even fewer are capable of playing “tiki taka” football like the Spanish, but we all wish we grew up on a Brazilian beach and could dance through challenges. These are the stereotypes in football, I’m […]
Into his 17th year as a professional footballer, Rio Ferdinand still has the knack for a headline or two. The 34 year old centre-back has (unwittingly?) blown up the Twitterverse with a starring role in Riogate (the 2013 edition). Engulfing, for lack of a more descriptive adjective, 140 characters of opinion around the world, one […]
VIDEO: Ibrahimovic’s wonder goal vs England
I’ve always quite admired Leon Osman. Never spectacular but always diligent, a real team player. And whenever I’ve heard him interviewed I always thought he seemed a decent bloke and reasonably articulate. When he has ever lost his place for a time at Everton, he has always just got his head down, never complained and […]
Danny Rose was sent off for reacting to what appears to be racial abuse in England U21’s 1-0 victory against Serbia U21s. “I think there one or two racist incidents from the crowd, they’ve been reported to Uefa I believe by ourselves, and it’s in their hands now,” said U21 boss Stuart Pearce. “I’m very […]
Stadium: The National Stadium, Warsaw Kick-off: 8pm Team: Hart; Johnson, Jagielka, Lescott, Cole; Gerrard, Carrick; Milner, Rooney, Cleverley; Defoe.
Manchester United strikers Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck scored the opening four goals, before Arsenal’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain made it 5-0, to secure three points for England last night in their World Cup qualifier against San Marino.
The good ship England football team is in ‘there be dragons territory‘. The old certainties of the Golden Generation are being shredded – Terry is gone, Ferdinand is in the wilderness, Lampard is increasingly a side-lined figure. Gerrard, in the twilight of his international career, is finally playing where he’d like to play. The sad […]
David Platt scored four, with Carlton Palmer and Les Ferdinand making it 6-0. England went on to beat Turkey, Poland, draw with Holland at home, lose to Norway and Holland away, before beating San Marino 7-1 away. They finished 3rd in the group behind Holland and Norway and didn’t go to the World Cup in […]
