Let me extend my apologies to Roy Hodgson.

[Lazie]

Wha yuh say Lazie Italy a tremble ? ....lol.....Flatter to decieve.

1-1
3-2
1-0


Top of the zone ...lol ..Impressive ...Italy a fret.

X ... where did I say anything like that? All 16 teams first objective was to advance to the next round .... England achieved that objective .... give them their due bredren.

[Sir X]

Due ...dem get it ...dem scrape by...a ref was needed to rule out a goal , to give them a bly.

Italy awaits , they didnt need a ref ...hehe

[Paul Marin]

the fact is I think if Capello was the coach they would have been out already.

I am not talking about HL and Maudib. I am talking about X. You never see him make big post a call up mi name how England a go get 4-1 from France and how them a go burn and go seek game against Trinidad?

I am not looking for much more from England but under Capello they may have lose to France and even Sweden. Roy at least stabilised the team and his choices have worked out well for the team so far by starting Caroll and brining on Walcott and starting Rooney in this game. It will bring back some confidence to England.

Okay - I think differently. I believe Roy is very fortunate that France is a screwed up team and Italy -- who they face next -- is just as bad. Two teams struggling to find consistency. Anyway, X is X. He and I share the same passion for the greatest club in English football history, but we don't always agree on everything. We do agree though, that Roy is a joke but if they beat Italy and Germany, I will give him his due.

Now to be clear, I am one to give a manager a chance to prove himself. Roy just started the job, he may be great, but while he wouldn't have been my first choice I am not here to tear him down. We'll have to wait and see how well he does, but I ain't holding my breath. Either way, he has a tall order to match Capello who has the best stats of the last 6 England managers.

----------------Pld------Won------Draw------Lost------Win %
Capello------42------28-----------8----------6---------66.7
McClaren---18------9------------4-----------5---------50
Erikkson-----67------40-----------17---------10--------59.7
Keegan------18------7-------------7-----------4--------38.9
Hoddle------28------17------------6-----------5--------60.7
Venables----23------11-----------11----------1--------47.8

[Sir X]

England will not beat Italy....No way !..cant see Italy leaking goals , England is in Italy sphere of football...knock out defensive counter attacking tactical ball.

[Paul Marin]

England will not beat Italy....No way !..cant see Italy leaking goals , England is in Italy sphere of football...knock out defensive counter attacking tactical ball.

Under normal circumstances, that would be true, but the Italians are not playing consistently. It is anyone's game.

[Assasin]

who is ridiculos now? Since your 4-1 prediction I haven't seen you talk about it. It was your headline before the game.

You said England was going to crash and burn, they didn't so now people riduculos.

[Assasin]

I know you think differently but hard to address the point for point. I just think Capello come accross as been a little too rigid and put the players under more pressure than they really deserve.

[Paul Marin]

I know you think differently but hard to address the point for point. I just think Capello come accross as been a little too rigid and put the players under more pressure than they really deserve.

But with the exception of the WC2010 where they only had one loss to germany (and where one could argue that them get tief) - it worked!! England only lost 1 game in qualifying.

[Sir X]

Gerrard: We deserved Ukraine luck
ESPN staff
June 20, 2012« Hardy confirmed for Nottingham card | England takes risk by skipping Olympic trials »

Steven Gerrard said he was proud of the way England battled their way to a 1-0 victory over Ukraine © Getty Images
Enlarge
Related Links
News: Rooney: Everyone fears playing England
News: Shevchenko set to retire from international football
News: Hodgson: England have exceeded my expectations
Match report: Rooney sends England through to Italy clash
Steven Gerrard has said that England deserved the rub of the green in their 1-0 win over Ukraine on Tuesday, in which the host nation were denied a goal even though the ball appeared to have clearly crossed the line.

After Wayne Rooney had headed England into the lead Ukraine piled the pressure on and Marko Devic seemingly equalised for Oleh Blokhin's side when he lifted the ball over Joe Hart in the second half, only to see John Terry hook it away. Failed appeals from the Ukraine players to the referee followed as they were denied what replays showed should have been a levelling goal.

England captain Gerrard highlighted the fate of his team two years ago at the World Cup, where a Frank Lampard shot crossed the line but was not counted against Germany, and said that hard work and fight from England had been rewarded with a dose of good fortune.

"To be successful in these tournaments, because of the standard of teams involved, you need that bit of luck going with you," Gerrard said.

"Two years ago we didn't get that luck with Frank Lampard's goal, a big turning point in that game against Germany, and we ended up packing our bags and going home.

"Today the luck turned. But it just shows that, if you keep working hard and keep fighting, you earn that luck. We deserved it today."

He added: "This was a very difficult group. I have very good players next to me in that dressing room. Everything's going our way."

Blokhin was incredulous both when the goal was denied and after the game, and said: "We conceded a lucky goal. We were able to equalise, but they didn't give it to us.

"Then we also played a very good game. England just played on the counter-attack. In the second half, they had no opportunities. Their threat only came from a few set-pieces, but it was just not our day. We didn't have any luck.

"[Marko] Devic scored a goal and it wasn't allowed. I don't really know why."

[GazX]

Seeing how late the FA took to name a new manager, the numerous injuries to his squad and leaving the best English defender out of the squad plus the 2 game suspension for Rooney ... I wasn't expecting much from them. Worse their display against Belgium wasn't convincing.

Now they've finished on top of the group.

Clearly Hodgson has his plans and its working. Big up to you sir.

X ... insert apology below.

Not jus you, but im looking at the media/ press reports on RH.
Dem readi fi rip him down before him even play one match and tek the ******** out of him speech. Wan See wha dem garn seh now.

[Jangle]

I am willing to bet FD$1000.00 that England will beat Italy to prove that betting against Xcuse's predictions is very lucrative.

[Paul Marin]

I am willing to bet FD$1000.00 that England will beat Italy to prove that betting against Xcuse's predictions is very lucrative.

How much is a FD$ worth in real money? (i.e. not J$, Euros or US$, but Canadian $).

[Jangle]

Now dat's the FD$1mil question that will only be answered when I win.

[Paul Marin]

Now dat's the FD$1mil question that will only be answered when I win.

You should work for FIFA.

[Jangle]

My dream job. Burrell and JFF would be singing "A Yah so nice"