Thought I'd start a football blog, we might keep this going until 2010.....England doing well....did not see the match or even the goals....I'd like Michael owen back in the squad though....and I think Peter Crouch would make a very good substitute...remember against Argentina in Geneva a few years ago....with Michael Owen and some very good movements on and off the ball...they caused havoc.....did see Scotland's missed chance....that could be very costly losing those 2 points !.

Chrisof course Rooney is more important to the National team.that is a no brainerhe commands huge respect from the very best players in the Worldand he is high profile throughout the World because of Man Utds success arguably the biggest club side in the World.that was not the question you asked meI stand by Defoe being the best Goalscorer England have.I believe Harry has gone on record as saying as muchRooney is a superb player.but I bet he is a nightmare to managewhatever shape a manager tries to createRooney will run everywhereif he is asked to play on the last defenders shoulderyou will see him in midfieldif he is not getting the ballits not unusual to see him in the left back position coming to get it he is a law unto himself .if he is on a yellow cardyou can lip read him telling the ref. to fu*k offbut he is our best playerand if Fergie cant tame him? still remember that stunning goal against Arsenal at Goodison in 2002

Aye but the thing is Tab if you asked Fergie was he worried about as you put it taming him ? you would get short shrift, up to last weekend when Man U destroyed Arsenal, United were mediocre but still managed to get the results and that was down to the performances of Rooney. To say Defoe would be capable of eminating that is questionable. Ask the Mancs they have the privalage of watching Rooney every week! I sincereley hope Defoe continues to progress as a striker as that can only be good for England, but to compare him to Rooney on any level just isn't a question! :o))

Edit - I'm old enough to remember watching Alan Ball, he was the ultimate midfield dynomo, he was part of what was called on the blue side of the Mersey the holy trinity Ball, Kendal and Harvey. Rooney is head and shoulders above him in my humble opinion cause he is even hungrier, now for an Evertonian to say that is not easy trust me! Sadly I'm also old enough to remember the 'Golden Vision' Alex Young, but I digress forgive me :o)

hit by the bad weather.

Baylis - Wrong thread mate, go do your ramping elsewhere :o)))

Chrisyour statement but to compare him to Rooney on any level just isn't a question!my humble opinion is Defoe is fasterand dramatically so from a standing start turns quickershifts his body weight better needs very little backliftand so shoots a split second quicker than anyoneDefoe is also more disciplined with his teams tactics they are both equally effective with both feetand have the same heading abilityRooney is strongerand tackles much betterRooney has played most of his career with a team that scores a lot of goalsand very rarely losesDefoe has never played for a top four team.so his clubs over the years have scored far less goalsGoal ratios would probably favour Rooneybut they also favour Crouch in an England shirt?
Now for his temperament:-
The United forward's luck might actually run out if Uefa decide to act retrospectively on the first-half spat with Aalborg midfielder Kasper Risgard that left the Dane with Rooney's boot in his chest. French referee Laurent Duhamel missed that act of brutality, but the television cameras can be a powerful witness and Rooney will grimace as much as Risgard when he sees the replay.

Wayne Rooney revealed once again that his temperament is not one that can be tamed last night as he threw down a boot in anger at his substitution in Manchester United's 1-0 Group C victory at Besiktas

WAYNE Rooney has escaped further punishment from the FA following his red card at Fulham and will serve just a one-match suspension. However, the 23-year-old was sweating on referee Phil Dowd's report. Rooney reacted to the sending off by punching a corner flag

Ten men in a World Cup match is not a position England can afford to be in.as Beckham can verifyRooney is self winding.those clever Italians etc. will test him big time. He is our best playerbut not our best Goalscorer Just my opinion?

tabasco - I guess we will both have to agree to disagree, either way the futures looking bright :o)

Future is looking bright ChrisExcept for a few womenwho are not aware that Terrys All Gold is a chocolate.

Terry dropped as England Captain.

Rio Ferdinand named Captain.Gerrard Vice Captain

Evidently Terry is a paid columnist of the Sun.that makes sense! It could be the first time the paper is worth reading.

Tabasco -didn't know he was a paid columnist (as I don't read the Sun), but am aware hes taking up acting in

Other Footballers Wives

Those England players need to get their act together.....the world cup is nearly upon us....shame about John Terry....I thought he was a good captain....but if you start messing around with other players girlfriends and are in the public eye like he is..........Rooney might be captain one day but being a forward and captain is a difficult balance to make. England are very lucky to have 2 super strikers (not at their peak yet)....just hope Defoe doesn't start missing sitters again (regardless of Tabasco ramping).....England could be on the verge of greatness because on paper the team looks fantastic to me.

Paper tigers.


Real pussies like Tabby.






8-)

Who are Wales playing again Fred? Oh yeah sorry they didn't qualify did they:o) Don't worry we'll send you a postcard!

Ive been called worse

Euro draws later today.....after the end of the world cup, I shall re-edit the title.

Euro 2012 qualifying draw:

GROUP A: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Belgium, Austria, Turkey, Germany

GROUP B: Andorra, Armenia, Macedonia, Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, Russia

GROUP C: Faroe Islands, Estonia, Slovenia, NORTHERN IRELAND, Serbia, Italy

GROUP D: Luxembourg, Albania, Belarus, Bosnia, Romania, France

GROUP E: San Marino, Moldova, Hungary, Finland, Sweden, Netherlands

GROUP F: Malta, Georgia, Latvia, Israel, Greece, Croatia

GROUP G: Montenegro, WALES, Bulgaria, Switzerland, ENGLAND

GROUP H: Iceland, Cyprus, Norway, Denmark, Portugal

GROUP I: Liechtenstein, Lithuania, SCOTLAND, Czech Republic, Spain

happy with our draw......us against czechs who are a fading force for second place and play off spot....happy to have to got Spain as they are great to watch.....would have loved england though.

a few nice away trips in it for me.

i see England got their usual draw (nowt to do with tv money?)

England
Liliput
narnia
loompaland
wales

Don't worry Treb you'll get England after coming 2nd in your Group if they (Scots) don't screw it up! :o)