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Last edited by EwarWoo; 08-08-12, 09:04 PM. -
I ruined a family get-together and meal by defending my right to hate Roy Hodgson.
I'm glad this snippet of information wasn't available to be thrown at me.Comment
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Eh?
England up to third in Fifa world rankings
England have risen to their best ever position in the Fifa world rankings.
Roy Hodgson's side have moved to third above Uruguay, whose 2011 Copa America victory has lost value in Fifa's system used to determine rankings.
Wales moved up one place into 37th, Scotland arrested their slide from the last rankings to reach 46th, while Northern Ireland went up one to 101st.
The Republic of Ireland, who lost all three group matches at Euro 2012, stayed in 26th.
England progressed to the knockout stage of Euro 2012 after they topped their group, but were unable to end their 16-year wait to reach the last four of a major competition as they lost on penalties to Italy at the quarter-final stage.
The Fifa world rankings are compiled every month, with ranking points accumulated according to results, the importance of the matches played and the strength of opposing teams.
World and European champions Spain have retained a comfortable lead at the top ahead of Euro 2012 semi-finalists Germany.
Five-times world champions Brazil, who do not have to qualify for the 2014 World Cup as hosts, continued their fall and have reached a record low of 13th.
The decline is due to the fact that they have played fewer top-level matches in 2012 than some of the other leading nations, and despite reaching the final at London 2012, their ranking will not receive a major boost in September as the Olympics is not a points-scoring competition.
Fifa world rankings - top 20
1. Spain 2. Germany 3. England 4. Uruguay 5. Portugal 6. Italy 7. Argentina 8. Netherlands 9. Croatia 10. Denmark 11. Russia 12. Greece 13. Brazil 14. France 15. Chile 16. Ivory Coast 17. Sweden 18. Mexico 19. Czech Republic 20. Ecuador
Selected others: 26. Republic of Ireland 37. Wales 46. Scotland 101. Northern IrelandModifying post.Comment
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Mighty England 3rd
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He might as well just retire now - this is the best thing he'll achieve.Hello mert.Comment
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You just know Hodgson will work this into a press conferenceComment
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3rd in the Fifa Wankings as Woy would say!
JURGEN KLOPP - LIVERPOOL MANAGER
YNWA
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Any points system that puts England ahead of Italy, Argentina and Brazil is quite clearly flawed. **** me, do these people even watch football?K ris90210Comment
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Yes, as an excuse for drawing away with Liechenstein.
"We're not number 1 in the world so we can't be expected to win away from home against solid oppoenents ranked in the top 150 teams in the world. Anyone that does expect doesnt have realised expectations of the 3rd best team in the world"Football without Origi is nothingComment
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John Terry to be left out of England's friendly against Italy
John Terry will be among the players Roy Hodgson leaves out when the England manager begins his preparations for the 2014 World Cup by selecting an experimental and largely inexperienced squad for next week's friendly against Italy.
Terry will be joined by Ashley Cole, Glen Johnson and Joleon Lescott among the notable absentees when Hodgson announces his squadon Friday to face the team that knocked out England in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals.
Frank Lampard's inclusion for the game in Berne next Wednesday, after missing out on the tournament because of injury, confirms that it will not be an entirely youthful squad, but Hodgson wants to use the match to have a look at some new players rather than relying on the old guard.
There are likely to be call-ups for Tom Cleverley, Ryan Bertrand and Daniel Sturridge, despite their involvement in Great Britain's Olympics squad, while Micah Richards will get a clear indication of how Hodgson views him after declining to go on the standby list for the summer tournament in Poland and Ukraine.
Hodgson's options in defence are depleted because Chris Smalling is injured whereas Phil Jones has returned from Manchester United's pre-season trip to Norway to undergo tests on a back problem. Richards is eager to return to the international scene but might be unavailable anyway because of an ankle injury he suffered during Team GB's game against South Korea at the weekend. He has not been able to train since and is almost certainly out of the Community Shield against Chelsea on Sunday.
Hodgson, who has also been considering leaving out Stewart Downing, is trying to strike a balance between having a new-look team, bringing in people who are likely to be involved in 2014, while retaining a core of more experienced players considering the strength of the opposition and important games in the next two months.
England begin their World Cup qualifying programme against Moldova and Ukraine in September, with San Marino and Poland to come in October, so there is a reluctance on his part to go to even greater lengths of experimentation. The game, to be staged at the Stade de Suisse, is taking place on a notoriously controversial date in the international football calendar and Hodgson, with his assistant Ray Lewington, has contacted several Premier League managers over the last two weeks to discuss what is now an annual problem.
Hodgson is aware from his own experiences about the frustrations for a Premier League manager to lose key players so close to the start of a new season, but he is also mindful that all but one of England's rivals when it comes to reaching the next World Cup have midweek games to start planning for the first round of qualifying matches.Comment
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Hodgson announces England squad for Italy friendly.
Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), Jack Butland (Birmingham City), John Ruddy (Norwich City).
Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Ryan Bertrand (Chelsea), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Steven Caulker (Tottenham Hotspur), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur).
Midfielders: Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Jake Livermore (Tottenham Hotspur), James Milner (Manchester City), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Jack Rodwell (Everton), Ashley Young (Manchester United).
Forwards: Andy Carroll (Liverpool), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur), Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea), Theo Walcott (Arsenal).Comment
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Feels dirty to say it. But I think the doddering old cunt has done the right thing with his squad choicesComment
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