Go on then: England vs Croatia

[Kenneth]

I can see people are desperate to dicuss this crucial qualifying game.

Who should McClown start?

Carson or Robinson? - Carson for me.

Beckham to start? - I would.

1 or 2 strikers?

Predicted line up?

Not all at once, form an orderly queue please

[Rich]

I don't think I'll even bother watching the game, such is my apathy for the England team.

[Shaggy]

Carson in goal.

Midfield of:

Beckham
Lampard
Barry
Gerrard
J. Cole

Crouch up front on his own.

[Joe King]

Carson in goal.

Midfield of:

Beckham
Lampard
Barry
Gerrard
J. Cole

Crouch up front on his own.

Yep, papers are suggesting that will happen because Croatia lethal with the counter

[Reece]

Carson in goal.

Midfield of:

Beckham
Lampard
Barry
Gerrard
J. Cole

Crouch up front on his own.

Yeah I'd go for that too.

MAYBE swap SWP for Beckham, assuming he is fit. I'm a Beckham fan, but not sure what he has really done recently to warrant a starting place (in fact he has hardly played at all full stop recently), and he appears to be getting picked on reputation rather than form. SWP has played well recently for the chavs and England.

[JohnDoe]

I want Croatia to win for the comedy value of it all.

[Shaggy]

Yep, papers are suggesting that will happen because Croatia lethal with the counter

Are they? Makes sense.

You can’t start someone like Defoe or Bent in a game like this and they might as well play to their strengths. Pack the midfield, make themselves solid but with plenty of attacking possibilities. The presence of Barry will enable Gerrard, Cole and Lampard to support Crouch quickly.

[Joe King]

Are they? Makes sense.

You can’t start someone like Defoe or Bent in a game like this and they might as well play to their strengths. Pack the midfield, make themselves solid but with plenty of attacking possibilities. The presence of Barry will enable Gerrard, Cole and Lampard to support Crouch quickly.

Yep all has been said today. Crouch has hinted in the papers that he gets more goals from crosses which can only mean Beckham is going to swing them in.

With that midfield, I think Lampard and Gerrard will be making similar movement. It might get a bit congested in the middle. The wings aren't no good either with Beckham being immobile- Richards has to overlap as much as possible

[AFII]

I don't care as long as Gerrard don't play. He should report in with a mystical bug and be ok on Thursday.

[Kenneth]

Carson in goal.

Midfield of:

Beckham
Lampard
Barry
Gerrard
J. Cole

Crouch up front on his own.

As long as Cole and Beckham stay out wide, that should be pretty good. There aren't many ways Croatia will score, but playing Robinson is probably one of them so Carson must start.

[fah-q]

4-2-3-1

Midfield of Barry and Hargreaves (if fit) as DM's

Beckham, Gerrard and Cole/Lumpard as attacking midfielders

Crouchinho upfront on his own.

[thesilverfoxlfc]

England to win no doubt about it

[PTP]

i am expecting a typical dull england affair - 1-1 or maybe we will just scrap a 2-1 win and the papers will rave about how we are now going to take over the galaxy.

scrappy goal early on for croatia - england to equalise from a long distance strike from either gerrard or lampard or maybe a beckham free kick just before half time.

A dire 2nd half with neither time pushing for the win, maybe england will pinch it 10 mins from time with a crouch overhead kick

[Shaggy]

i am expecting a typical dull england affair - 1-1 or maybe we will just scrap a 2-1 win and the papers will rave about how we are now going to take over the galaxy.

scrappy goal early on for croatia - england to equalise from a long distance strike from either gerrard or lampard or maybe a beckham free kick just before half time.

A dire 2nd half with neither time pushing for the win, maybe england will pinch it 10 mins from time with a crouch overhead kick

I'd love to see another one of those.

I don’t cheer England goals anymore – I used to – except for when it’s one of our lads. I cheered when SG won the game on his own in Andorra (although until then I’d been pissing myself), I cheered when Crouchie nodded the winner in Austria and I’d LOVE to see Crouch score another goal for England tonight. Every goal he scores for England (and to a lesser extent for Liverpool) is a big two-fingered salute to those who mock him.

[JRG]

NFI England? Boring and for southerners who support Gillingham and such like.