The English team can claim a lot of on-field standouts, and is 10th in world cup results. They’re positioned with comparatively weak competitors including the Americans, Algerians and Slovenians. The English have routinely underperformed as shown in their performances at Euro 2004 and 2008 and World Cup 2006 but are expected to be group leaders this time around.
Similar to some of the other big teams, England have also appointed a new coach, Fabio Capello, in the hope of a better showing, this time around. Capello’s plays opened up Englands winning streak, placing wins in nine of their last ten games.
In the forward line, Wayne Rooney, Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch were particularly impressive while in midfield, Frant Lampard and Steven Gerrard. A detraction though is the number of injury-prone standouts on the team. After taking time off so her broken ankle could heal, Ashley Cole will be back. Ledley King is a defensive standout who happens to be prone to injury too. Another injury casualty is the celebrated Beckham whose future as a player has been jeopardized by a career threatening industry he suffered recently. Obviously, this World Cup will not feature Beckham.
Rio Ferdinand has taken over as captain from the sacked John Terry, however he has chosen to retain his predecessor as a player in the squad, a move that Beckham has praised.
The memory of their loss to the USA in the 1950 World Cup tugs at the English, even though they are projected to lead their group. Provided they can survive the quarter-final match against likely opponent France, they will then have to face Brazil in the semi-final.
Great Britain took the championship once in the late sixties, and its millions of fans are hoping for it to do so again, thus it needs to get into the semi finals.
Similar to some of the other big teams, England have also appointed a new coach, Fabio Capello, in the hope of a better showing, this time around. Capello’s plays opened up Englands winning streak, placing wins in nine of their last ten games.
In the forward line, Wayne Rooney, Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch were particularly impressive while in midfield, Frant Lampard and Steven Gerrard. A detraction though is the number of injury-prone standouts on the team. After taking time off so her broken ankle could heal, Ashley Cole will be back. Ledley King is a defensive standout who happens to be prone to injury too. Another injury casualty is the celebrated Beckham whose future as a player has been jeopardized by a career threatening industry he suffered recently. Obviously, this World Cup will not feature Beckham.
Rio Ferdinand has taken over as captain from the sacked John Terry, however he has chosen to retain his predecessor as a player in the squad, a move that Beckham has praised.
The memory of their loss to the USA in the 1950 World Cup tugs at the English, even though they are projected to lead their group. Provided they can survive the quarter-final match against likely opponent France, they will then have to face Brazil in the semi-final.
Great Britain took the championship once in the late sixties, and its millions of fans are hoping for it to do so again, thus it needs to get into the semi finals.
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