It would be a tragedy seeing Russia qualify. I still belive Isreal has a better chance.

Don`t forget you bet, Kurt...

I've got it saved. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

England squad to face Israel and Russia

Goalkeepers:
Paul Robinson (Tottenham)
David James (Portsmouth)
Scott Carson (Aston Villa)

Defenders:
Micah Richards (Man City)
Wes Brown (Man United)
Rio Ferdinand (Man United)
John Terry (Chelsea)
Ashley Cole (Chelsea)
Sol Campbell (Portsmouth)
Phil Neville (Everton)
Nicky Shorey (Reading)

Midfielders:
David Bentley (Blackburn)
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
Joe Cole (Chelsea)
Shaun Wright-Phillips (Chelsea)
Michael Carrick (Man United)
Gareth Barry (Aston Villa)
Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough)
Owen Hargeaves (Man United)
Ashley Young (Aston Villa)

Strikers:
Alan Smith (Newcastle)
Michael Owen (Newcastle)
Peter Crouch (Liverpool)
Andy Johnson (Everton)
Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)

Three Villa players in the England squad!? Congratulations to Ashley Young on his first call-up. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

This post has been edited by kurtsimonw: Aug 31 2007, 12:37 PM

Lampard is also out (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

He is missing the Villa game for certain ( (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) ) but they don't know the full extent, they haven't gone in a fret on SSN, so I'd assume hardly anything's wrong with him.

2 are friendlies (with many key players missing and the ones playing not fit), the france game well the game went frances way when they got that offside goal in the first minute and it wasnt called off (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) , faroe islands well it was still a win (italy have always been like this, they're never amazing against small sides). in the end we are 2nd in a our group. if we dont get at least 3-4 pts from our next two games then i'll worry.

lol i dont see how everyone thinks italy wont qualify. it's when it gets tough that they pull thru.

It's exactly the same with England!

"Haha, England won't qualify for the World Cup!"

A month later we beat germany 5-1 in Munich. And once again we're suddenly crap again, we've played 7 games FIVE AWAY. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

But I really don't think Italy will qualify. Their defense isn't what it used to be, they haven't got the Vieri/Del Piero type guy up front they've had for the last decade. I hope they prove me wrong and get in, but I don't see it myself.

This post has been edited by kurtsimonw: Aug 31 2007, 06:02 PM

ya thats it, once you start playing those home games it'll be much easier.

afterall italy did beat scotland and ukraine so they can do it again.

In my opinion all these people complain about England being in the media all the time and it's them who put them there! Why are England, and Italy, being picked on? Portugal, Spain and Holland are all in a bad way in qualifying.

Because we are England and Italy are World champs, people seem to have the need to criticise them. England have kept 6 cleen sheets in 7 games, and have 4 home games to come, with only 1 away from home! Considering we've barely played any home games, if we win our game in hand, we're in a qualifying position, I see no worries.

As for Italy, there's will be alot closer. They have two away games and 3 home games. They have to play away to Scotland and Ukraine. They can not afford to lose either, and I don't even think two draws will be enough. I think it will be very difficult for Italy to qualify. They still have France to play and, as I said, their two qualification rivals away from home. It should make for good tv for the neutrals. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

Here are Italy's call ups:

Portieri: Abbiati (Atletico Madrid), Amelia (Livorno), Buffon (Juventus)
Difensori: Barzagli (Palermo), F Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Chiellini (Juventus), Gamberini (Fiorentina), Grosso (Lyon), Oddo (Milan), Panucci (Roma), Zambrotta (Barcelona)
Centrocampisti: Ambrosini (Milan), Aquilani (Roma), Camoranesi (Juventus), De Rossi (Roma), Foggia (Cagliari), Gattuso (Milan), Perrotta (Roma), Pirlo (Milan)
Attacanti: Del Piero (Juventus), Di Natale (Udinese), F Inzaghi (Milan), C Lucarelli (Shakhtar Donetsk), Quagliarella (Udinese), Toni (Bayern Munich).

Injury crisis or not, Italy have the privilege to still field a very strong XI!

it's a lil difficult to predict all the players that will be called up. i havent liked the 4-3-3 and it hasnt worked that well so i would expect something more compact like the 4-4-2 against france.

i'm assuming cannavaro will be fit cuz he only called up 3 CBs

toni was called up too so i'm assuming he's fit

midfield is a lil tough to call cuz pirlo and gattuso or one of the two will probably be tired after 3 games in 8 days

i have a feeling that aquilani will start cuz of his great form

oddo-cannavaro-barzagli-zambrotta

aquilani-gattuso-pirlo-perrota

quaglirella(SS)-toni


i'd like to see the following midfield->

gattuso-pirlo-de rossi

-------aquilani

This post has been edited by bigmacmtl: Sep 3 2007, 02:30 AM

Chiellini can play CB. Zebra or not, I think he may get the nod. He's good. I agree about Aquilani starting. The midfield is a bit of a tossup, as are the strikers if Toni isn't 100%. It'll be interesting to see whether Donadoni can come up with something that works. I hope he does.

Who're Italy actually playing in the next ten days?

Away to France and Ukraine?