Views from the Sieve

Hmm... a draw we didn't want, playing in the rainforest in 99% humidity and a first game against Italy which won't be on until 2am GMT...

Suppose we never expected to win anyway

At least it's against another European team!

matt_drfc wrote:At least it's against another European team!

That's the way I'm looking at it..at least the humidity will be the same for both teams.

It's a pretty tough draw, but hopefully we'll at least give them a game out there.

Kick off time is shocking though..!! :-(

Best team in our group to face on that particular game. Hoping we get out there early to adapt to the conditions! I imagine all the pubs are applying for a licence so they can stay open late.

We'll win thst group. Draw with Italy, beat Uruguay and their 2 man team and smash Costa Rica.

My USA team in another group of death. Hoping to finally beat Ghana and then perhaps one pt v. Portugal or Germany will get us through.

The Swiss get their usual cushy draw...Tho Belgium's group might tie them for the softest.

When you qualify for the World Cup finals you've got to expect to be going at your best there is no easy game your up there playing with the top 32 teams in the world and to do well preparing and taking on board Englands 22 best is paramount important. Our overworked Premiership and lack of English stars running regularly in it doesn't help but the climax to us qualifying was how well we performed on the last couple of games when our backs were against the wall. The worse scenario in my opinion is to start off in that jungle taming the Italians to try and play them to a draw, in the past starting off like this and waiting for 'the less glamorous sides' later has destroyed us at previous World Cup finals so Hodgson
should go out and forget about worrying about the Italians high status and treat them to a bashing full stop. They need young talented boys in there to combat the heat so just hope he really picks his squad with that in mind. Draw could have been a lot worse. Look at the Holland/Spain group G.O.D or what?

It's not all doom & gloom as Italy are notoriously slow starters , Uruguay have 2 top class strikers & will be difficult, we need 1 win or 2 draws from the opening 2 games then beat Costa Rica. If we get through we could get Greece/Colombia but after that either Brazil/Spain/Holland, but all games are tough anyway.
Not sure I like all this kick off changing times to suit TV, may not help the team though.

Uruguays best defender can't get in the West Brom team. Definitely beatable.

Time to dig out this one again me thinks!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGO2QIEHwXw