Fabio Capello’s first team selection has just been announced, and as half expected Michael Owen does not make the starting eleven.
Michael Owen - dropped by Fabio Capello
Wayne Rooney will start up front with Joe Cole just slightly behind him in what looks like a 4-1-4-1 formation.
Jermaine Jenas, the former Newcastle United midfielder and now playing well for Spurs, surprisingly starts his first game for England in a long time. It looks like Jermaine will play on the left side and David Bentley of Blackburn Rovers on the right. So Jenas is playing out of position, which never usually works very well for a natural central midfielder.
We never expected Jenas to start, but to be fair to the lad, he’s looked very good recently in the Tottenham side, since Ramos has become manager. He certainly played an excellent game last weekend against Manchester United, where he seemed to be everywhere.
This is Jenas first start since England played Colombia on their tour of the USA in May 2005. And the game also sees the first England start for David Bentley, who’s been in great form for Blackburn, and that will delight his manager Mark Hughes, who has been singing his praises recently.
Captain Steven Gerrard is in the center of midfield, alongside Aston Villa’s Gareth Barry and Matthew Upson, of West Ham, as expected, starts in the center of defense with Rio Ferdinand. How Matthew gets the starting place in front of Jonathan Woodgate is a mystery to us. Wes Brown is at right-back and Ashley Cole is at left-back. Frank Lampard is not available due to injury.
England:
James, Brown, Ferdinand, Upson, A.Cole, Bentley, Jenas, Gerrard, Barry, J.Cole, Rooney
The substitutes have not been announced but we expect Michael Owen will be on the bench.
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78 responses so far ↓
1 Tom_Toon // Feb 6, 2008 at 19:40
Barnetta is playing!
Hopefully with Inler, Behrami (probably at rb sadly) and Vonlanthen.
2 ToonKing // Feb 6, 2008 at 20:00
Yess, good news. He can’t get injured on the bench………hopefully………
3 ToonKing // Feb 6, 2008 at 20:21
Anybody watching Ireland - Brazil ??? Duff is playing on the right and i love how he’s cutting in with his left……but he can’t cross to save his life with his right foot…….
I would still like to see him play for us there instead of Jimmy.
4 Tom_Toon // Feb 6, 2008 at 20:26
Yes, most of us have been saying:
Duff-Emre-Barton-N’Zogbia
5 ToonKing // Feb 6, 2008 at 20:29
yep
my thoughts exactly
6 Sinead // Feb 6, 2008 at 20:35
OK..On the Irish game, Don Givens has decided to play Duff on the right and McGeady on the left, strange and they’re causing Brazil problems but Duff’s crosses aren’t great, 3 times he overcooked it, but then again he is on the right.
But now they’re keeping Shay very busy, the Brazilians that is.
7 Geordie Joe // Feb 6, 2008 at 20:41
Just watching England and I pray that we don’t end up with wes brown. He is shit.
8 UTD111 // Feb 6, 2008 at 20:42
Yup I’m watching the Republic ToonKing - I’ve been flicking over to see how the english are doing and they look Poo!! Don’t agree with your idea of Jimmy not playing on the right though…..
Pleased the italian chappie (whats his name again??) has dropped Owen, considering England usually send him back broken!
9 ToonKing // Feb 6, 2008 at 20:49
yep, i’m starting to like Chap-ello now that he left Owen out.
10 Tom_Toon // Feb 6, 2008 at 20:53
I bet the typical england fan will think their team is good againif they think they beat switzerland with 5 or 6 (most of the 11) of switzerlands first 11 out.
11 Sinead // Feb 6, 2008 at 20:53
Very smart Irish defending, Duff was flying, for a left footer he’s doing all right on the right, crosing dier though. But cause he’s playing on the he’s kinda forced to play in a bit and I like that.
12 Tom_Toon // Feb 6, 2008 at 20:55
Luca Toni is an absolute tit!
13 Geordie Joe // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:00
why tom?
14 ToonKing // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:00
Brazil look like conceding at every Republic counter, their defense is poo.
Duffer’s gonna score sooner or later…..
15 Tripp // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:00
Good. This will make Owen work even harder for us AND he won’t come back injured.
16 Tom_Toon // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:01
Cos he score against Portugal!
17 UTD111 // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:02
Good to see Duffer getting an extra game to sharpen him up for Saturday Sinead ;O)
18 Tom_Toon // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:04
Behrami and Vonlanthen on, lovely job.
19 UTD111 // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:06
Dear Mr Crapello
Thank you for leaving Mikey out of the team - maybe leave him out of the squad next time??
Keep dying your hair mate - cos it will definitely turn white managing that overrated lot - and the London press will be after you tomorrow BTW, honeymoon over. LOL
Yours Ever
UTD111
20 Geordie Joe // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:07
Rooney is absolutly stupid sometimes.
21 Sinead // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:09
ToonKing, hopefully. See like you’re watching the match right, Given communicates perfectly well with the back line and they talk as such, it’s different with the Newcastle back line, it’s not my imagination, he’s seems much better able to control the Irish defense then the Newcastle one. It might be the fact that everyone speaks English and there’s a leader in there.
22 ToonKing // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:10
….ugly and stupid…..
on the bright side, Duffer is killing the Latino’s….
23 UTD111 // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:11
Great save from Given :o)
24 Sinead // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:11
GRRR!! Duff faster then that, should have been 1-0 to us.
25 CJ // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:13
Rooney is getting fatter and fatter by the time we play Man U he would have popped.
26 UTD111 // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:13
Its the Damien Duff show LOL
27 Geordie Joe // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:13
Wales are beating norway 2 - zip
28 Sinead // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:14
ON TARGET, ON TARGET DALMNIT!!!!
29 ToonKing // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:15
i don’t know Sinead….Shay is worrying me lately tbh. He did come out very stupidly a couple of times today, which could be down to communication.
But more worrying is the fact that he seems two gears slower then previous years. he seems to move late and really needs to stretch to keep out not so dangerous shots, like now with the Baptista effort. it may just be me though……..
30 Geordie Joe // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:16
Robinho is quality, shame for ROI
31 ToonKing // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:16
Given should have saved that Robinho goal…… he was slow again imo………
……..he would have saved that a couple of years ago……….
32 UTD111 // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:17
Dont think he expected the defender to let it through his legs ToonK
33 CJ // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:17
I’m not watching the Ireland match but from you’s on here I see he’s obviously having a better game than he is doing for us. He’s been decent lately but in my opinion he is still shit and couldn’t lace the boot’s of Zog.
34 Geordie Joe // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:18
How Long before the hypocrytical southerners start booing england and capello then.
35 UTD111 // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:19
Have they not started yet Joe?? I’m surprised LOL
36 Keegan=God. // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:19
Atleast he’ll come back fit. He only ever gets injured for England not us. He gets targeted by the silly foriegners.
37 CJ // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:20
Given has never been in top form since that collision with harewood when he injured his chest and has anyone noticed since Paul barron came in as GK coach he has started to punch the ball to much and his kicking is getting even worse.
38 Sinead // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:22
Toonking tbh I haven’t noticed that, and like once he keeps them out I’m not to bothered, I tend not to read in to players preformances to much, because it just drives me mad, it changes idir games but the reliable ones are always the reliable ones it doesn’t matter how they do it. Like I said I never remember Shay having a bad game for Ireland. Ever and that’s a fair few games. Made a decent save there as well. I do think that Newcastle are spreading him a little thin though, I’d suggest a break or so but like with Harper there I don’t think he can afford it. So I don’t know.
Unlucky with the goal though..FFS.
1-0 to Brazil.
39 Geordie Joe // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:22
impossable his kicking couldn’t get any worse
40 UTD111 // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:24
Shay’s been dodgy for a while IMHO
41 Sinead // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:26
In fairness Carsley got in the way, when I say that he blocked Given’s few, through his Carsleys legs like ffs!! Good goal though. We were playing so well, everyone.
42 Geordie Joe // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:27
The bottom line is he is still one of the best keepers in the division so whats the point in piling the blame on him.
43 UTD111 // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:29
Agree we were playing well, and still are. Duff’s looking sharper with every game :o)
44 Sinead // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:29
He’s not been as good this season but that said he’s been good enough and he’s getting better. If I was him, I don’t know if I could have went back if I got injured like that, the way he did against West Ham, I know he says it’s part of the game like, but I don’t know.
I’m not in the mood for negativity just concentrate on the game. LOL!!
No point in worrying about something that you can’t change.
45 ToonKing // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:30
nobody’s denying that Geordie Joe.
everybody loves Shay…
46 ToonKing // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:34
let’s buy Robinho, he’s really good
47 Sinead // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:36
Geordie Joe
Because it’s easier to, why blame the entire team and it’s structure and question Keegan and instead blame Given.
And it’s not even that, it’s a mental thing you know, one person criticizes him here and everyone does. Not just Given, any player or even the manager. It’s what ye do, and it’s strange, I don’t know why ye do it so much, I notice it here, no where else really.
48 ToonUSA // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:38
This might be the fire MO needs to get into gear 3 and stake his clame in the team
49 Geordie Joe // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:41
what will it take to get him into 5th gear though toon USA
50 CJ // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:43
Owen will now know just how much the new England manager rates him and he might pull his finger out and start performing for the Toon and not just England.
51 ToonUSA // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:44
Well from the looks of things it seems he also lost his # 10 shirt to Stevi G as well so hey that might be what will put him in 4th
52 CJ // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:47
If i was KK i would start with Carroll cos Viduka is never fit, couldn’t do any worse than Shola and unlike Smith when he does bring the ball down it doesn’t just bounce off him and Carroll is great at bringing other’s into the game.
53 Mike // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:54
Hey at least he can’t pick up any knocks and will come back to NUFC Healthy!
54 UTD111 // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:54
Amazin - after the match I flicked over to the england game - and the ground was half empty!!!!
55 CJ // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:54
Anybody noticed Emre has done his usual trick by telling his agent to say he want’s to leave then the window closes and no- one want’s him he comes out and say’s how much he loves the club.
56 Mick G // Feb 6, 2008 at 21:59
Will EMO now be known as simply MO?
57 Tom_Toon // Feb 6, 2008 at 22:03
Fook that: Italy 3 - 1 Portugal
58 CJ // Feb 6, 2008 at 22:05
Tom Toon- What’s wrong with Italy beating Portugal there both latin shit holes.
59 ToonKing // Feb 6, 2008 at 22:06
Tom_Toon is half portuguese …………..
60 Sinead // Feb 6, 2008 at 22:09
Good game wasn’t it, unlucky lads, both Toon lads played well, they all did. The fun isn’t over yet more fun yet to come after the game though. Pity I didn’t get to go, last time it was brilliant. Brazilians using our bodhrans. Strange. LOL!!!!
Full Croker, half empty..Wembley?? half empty, yere so much harder to please though, I know we’ve different expectations yere’s would be higher then ours like (even though our team, with the right person in charge) could become a hell of a lot better, I actually think we’ve a better team now, but we’ll never get to prove that because we’re never drawn against each other which isn’t a bad thing and there’s never any friendlies between us and we all know why that is, scary night.
But anyway when we lost in 2002 in the WC in penalties the lads returned to a massive parade, celebrations, parties, hell when we drew against Germany before the Spain game we celebrated for weeks. Now when England lost and came home am I wrong in saying that there was no massive celebration.
Now maybe we just like celebrating but I don’t know, maybe it is cause ye’ve high expectations but ye should cheer up. Like a half empty stadium in a friendly, it’s one thing in a match where are desperatley bad and are loosing but one ye won, why not stay, celebrate, hell celebrate with the other fans.
61 JP from The Rock of Gibraltar // Feb 6, 2008 at 22:10
Wes Brown is shit i have been saying it all along. He was England’s weakest link. I will pray tonight that Newcastle never sign him, what a waste of money that would be. Bentley was awesome and we should offer bucket loads of cash to bring him to St James’. That guy will get even better, anyone miss Beckham?..I certainly didn’t. Also Gareth Barry had another good game and as I have said before we should fight for his signature too.
62 Tom_Toon // Feb 6, 2008 at 22:18
latin shit holes!?! Educated comment there :l
63 Punk Skunk // Feb 6, 2008 at 22:25
Aye, don’t say shit like that man cj, we do have fans/players from all over the world bro’!..EZ!..
64 Tom_Toon // Feb 6, 2008 at 22:27
….
65 Tom_Toon // Feb 6, 2008 at 22:28
Born, bred and living in England just with Portuguese ties and gives me a great excuse to support their national team
Call myself english though
66 CJ // Feb 6, 2008 at 22:29
I have just been listening to Jenas talk on sky and i hate to say it i have just noticed he has a bit off a Geordie accent from his time up here.
Sorry there Tom Tooniarno
67 Tom_Toon // Feb 6, 2008 at 22:47
Tom Toonaldo
ToonKing what is your opinion on Ciprian Marica?
68 Leo* // Feb 6, 2008 at 22:47
why is michael owen is known as EMO i will never know
ofcourse unless someone tells me
69 Tom_Toon // Feb 6, 2008 at 22:48
he slits his wrists!
70 CJ // Feb 6, 2008 at 22:57
Has anyone noticed on the first page on this site
Fulham web, zog may leave newcastle.
There’s more chance of us signing bin Laden than Zog going to Fulham.
71 JP from The Rock of Gibraltar // Feb 7, 2008 at 0:19
I hope N’Zogbia never leaves as he is class! He has to be one of our best players and he is only 21. We should do whatever it takes to keep players of his caliber at Newcastle always. If I am not mistaken it was Shearer who convinced the board at the time to fight for his signature. If this was a Shearer signing just imagine what the future could hold for us if or when he becomes manager. I would love it for Shearer to have a scouting or coaching role at the club.
72 CJ // Feb 7, 2008 at 0:39
JP- In my opinion Zog is the most talented player at the club.
73 Leo* // Feb 7, 2008 at 1:08
anyone know anything about this loan transfer window that opens on friday?
what is it for?
can any team make loan moves then?
or just emergency?
74 broon ale // Feb 7, 2008 at 9:03
i dont see Owen being on the bench as a snub by capello. In fact i think there is nothing in it at all. He has already said he knows allot about Owen, therefore a meaningless friendly against the swiss is an ideal chance to have a look at the likes of Ashley Young and bentley and not someone you have already seen. Unlike past england managers where they have called the likes of Phil and Gary neville up for friendlys instead of giving people like gareth Barry a chance. Anyways,, on with our lives.
75 thelongshanks // Feb 7, 2008 at 9:07
EMO (ENGLAND’S MICHEAL OWEN),I was at the ireland game yesterday and duff was excellent.The brazilians couldnt take the ball of him and at one stage there were bout 3 or 4 around him and he kept the ball and got free for the pass.He is def coming back to his best.Just have to focus on keeping nzogbia now.
76 Bill F // Feb 7, 2008 at 10:17
Leo no one seems to want to answer you, I am not sure as these rules seem to change like the English weather. But I think loans can be done at any time.
77 Leo* // Feb 7, 2008 at 10:32
i did get that impression Bill, i must smell haha
78 Graeme // Feb 7, 2008 at 10:39
Lets be honest. The simple fact is, Owen hasnt been playing well enough to deserve a starting place for England.
It may well be that its not 100% his fault, given our midfield, but him not playing - so what?
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