Tag Archives: England

England seek home comforts

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There will be those who believe that England have already secured their place in next year’s European Championships but there is still work to be done when local rivals Wales travel to Wembley on Tuesday night (England v Wales – totesport).

Fabio Capello’s men had been locked on 13 points at the top of Group G going into Friday night’s matches with England able to open up a lead after cruising to a 3-0 win, while Montenegro suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat in Cardiff.

The Three Lions are now three points clear of Montenegro with two games to go but they will not be able to confirm their place at Euro 2012, regardless of whether they win or not on Tuesday.

There are one or two injury concerns for Capello but only amongst the squad players as Leighton Baines has picked up a problem and has been ruled out, following on from Sunday’s withdrawals of Darren Bent and Micah Richards.

No replacements have been called up so Capello could well stick with the side that triumphed in Sofia, although there will be a question mark in midfield.

England stalwart Frank Lampard was surprisingly left on the bench against Bulgaria but may be recalled given the fact that Gareth Barry and Scott Parker are both one yellow card away from being suspended for next month’s crunch clash against Montenegro.

England would need a point in that game if they were to match the feat in Cardiff and beat Wales (England 1/7, Draw 7/1, Wales 16/1 Match Betting) after goals from Lampard and Bent secured a 2-0 win (11/2 Repeat Scoreline).

There was plenty on show on Friday to suggest that England will create enough chances to claim the three points, albeit against a poor Bulgaria side, and Wayne Rooney may well prove hard to stop after ending his year-long drought in the national jersey with two goals (Rooney 11/2 to score two or more).

The attacking trio of Ashley Young (3/2 Anytime Scorer), Theo Walcott (3/2) and Stewart Downing (9/4) also carried plenty of threat for the Three Lions and it is sure to be tough going for Gary Speed’s men when they have not got the ball.

The Dragons have endured a difficult time under his leadership but the 2-1 win over Montenegro can only boost the squad’s confidence ahead of the derby clash, and they would love nothing more than springing a 16/1 surprise.

Craig Bellamy and David Vaughan are both missing through suspension but Gareth Bale (9/2 Anytime Scorer), who was sidelined for the earlier fixture in Cardiff, was sensational against Montenegro and will be a real thorn in England’s side.

Whether that is enough is open to question but England have endured some difficulties at Wembley, since an opening 4-0 over Bulgaria last September.

In four games since then, they have been held by Montenegro and Switzerland in the group, as well as Ghana in a friendly, while France took the spoils last November.

The home side should have the ammunition and the tools to pick up the three points but with England, anything is possible.

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Impressive England well on course

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England enjoyed a perfect night on Friday as a fine performance gave them a 3-0 victory over Bulgaria and, coupled with Wales’ unexpected victory over Montenegro, Fabio Capello’s side now look well on course to qualify for Euro 2012 as Group G winners (England 1/33).

The manner in which the Three Lions disposed of Bulgaria will have thrilled Capello and fans alike with a ruthless attacking display making a mockery of pre-match fears that it was going to be a tricky evening for the men in black.

Ashley Young, Wayne Rooney, Stewart Downing and Theo Walcott all enjoyed themselves against an albeit poor Bulgaria defence as England tore their opponents to shreds at times in Sofia.

Rooney and Young picked up where they had left off for Manchester United so far this season, while the pace of Downing and Walcott, often swapping wings to outfox Bulgaria further, caused problems all evening.

Capello had sprung somewhat of a surprise leaving international stalwart Frank Lampard on the bench and going instead with Scott Parker and Gareth Barry in the centre of midfield. It was a decision that paid off, however, as the duo pulled the strings and dictated the game.

Add to this the positive impact Adam Johnson and James Milner had when they came on, too, and suddenly England had a young, hungry side looking every bit like one capable of going on to win Euro 2012 – should they qualify of course.

It’s tempting to say that appears a foregone conclusion now, but there still remains two difficult games to come in the group – starting with Wales at Wembley on Tuesday.

England should have too much for Gary Speed’s side, especially now Craig Bellamy and David Vaughan are suspended after being booked in their impressive win over Montenegro (10/1 to win Group G), and another victory over their local rivals will leave Capello’s men on the brink of qualification.

Then comes the final match in Montenegro, which will be a tough game. Although that’s what many were predicting before the Bulgaria showdown.

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England focus on Group G summit

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With the transfer merry-go-round put on the back-burner for another three months or so, the players can now get their minds back on football and the immediate focus is on the international scene with vital Euro 2012 qualifiers coming up on Friday as England (1/8 Group G Winner) look to maintain their position at the top of their group.

The Three Lions are currently level on points with Montenegro but have a superior goal difference and will be confident of taking maximum points from their trip to Bulgaria (Bulgaria 6/1, Draw 3/1, England 1/2 Match Betting).

Scott Parker has seemingly safe-guarded his future in the national set-up after leaving Championship side West Ham for Tottenham, while another summer transfer target, Gary Cahill, has to now accept that his immediate chances of European football remain with England as he will be staying at Bolton.

England opened their European qualifying campaign last September with a 4-0 success over Friday’s opposition but there are sure to be those who still feel that Capello’s men can be hit and miss.

The 4-0 scoreline may well have been different in the reverse fixture had Stanislav Angelov not missed a one-on-one chance against Joe Hart on the hour before England went straight down the other end to make it 2-0.

Jermain Defoe (6/1 First Goalscorer) scored a hat-trick at Wembley in that win but has struggled with form and injury since, and has yet to open his Premier League account this term – although Spurs have only played two games.

Andy Carroll has yet to score in the Premier League for Liverpool this season (11/0 Anytime Scorer) while England are without Darren Bent, who has pulled out with an injury.

Wayne Rooney sticks out like a sore thumb in the goalscoring markets after a fantastic start to Manchester United’s title defence with five goals in three games – but that is reflected in the betting as he is an 8/11 anytime scorer and 3/1 First or Last.

It may well be worth taking a chance on the bigger prices, depending on how Capello sets up the side, and Ashley Young is in top form following his move to Old Trafford and can be backed at 7/1 to get on the scoresheet.

Bulgaria still have a chance of making it to Euro 2012 but, lying six points behind the group leaders and losing to both earlier in the campaign, they need some big results in their last three games.

After losing those first two games, they have gone unbeaten under new boss Lothar Matthaus but two have been draws, while they have yet to score at home in the campaign.

Their record against England is poor as well as they are yet to taste victory in nine games, losing five, although they have only lost one of three previous games in Sofia.

Ivelin Popov has scored Bulgaria’s only two goals in qualifying to date in the 1-0 win over Wales and the 1-1 draw in Montenegro and is worthy of consideration at 10/1 to open the scoring for those who spy a shock.

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England to roar against Azerbaijan

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After a disappointing campaign at this summer’s European Championships, Stuart Pearce’s England Under-21 side are back in action on Thursday facing what could be a tricky tie against an unfancied Azerbaijan team (England under-21 1/12 to beat Azerbaijan).

Pearce’s team were seen as one of the favourites for the title in Denmark but crashed out in the group stages after a string of disappointing results. Many expected the former Manchester City boss to walk following his side’s failure but he has been installed for another four years and will see the next European Championships in Israeli in 2013 as his perfect shot at redemption.

However, they have to qualify first and face a group that on paper seems simple but could provide a few slip-ups.

The first game against the former Soviet Republic should be a straightforward task and both players and staff will be expecting an easy win to get their campaign off to the perfect start at Vicarage Road.

One plus point for Pearce is despite losing the likes of Phil Jones and Danny Welbeck to the senior side, he still has a number of talented youngsters at his disposal and will no doubt be fielding an extremely strong side.

The man charged with replacing Welbeck’s goals is likely to be Aston Villa forward Nathan Delfouneso (11/4 first goalscorer), who has been tipped to have a breakthrough year this season at both club and international level this term. Delfouneso made his debut for Villa as a 16-year-old and has shown impressive maturity in recent years, meaning Pearce will be looking for the forward to establish himself in the side as he plans for 2013.

Anther player to look out for is Everton midfielder Ross Barkley (8/1 first goalscorer). The Toffees youngster has made the most of the injury problems at Goodison Park and established himself in the club’s midfield and will be hoping his form can help him earn selection for his first cap at under-21 level.

However, Azerbaijan (25/1 to beat England) will also be looking for a strong performance and look out for striker Cihan Ozkara (16/1 first goalscorer), who has so far scored two goals in his two appearances for the side and could be the man to unlock the young lions defence.

The Azerbaijanis’ other big star could well be Barkley’s Everton team-mate Araz Abdullayev, who has the vision and stamina to trouble any defence and will be looking for a strong showing. The midfielder is yet to make his debut for the Everton first team but is highly regarded at the club and will be looking to make his mark on the game.

Unfortunately, despite Azerbaijan’s likely enthusiasm, they shouldn’t trouble England and the match should be a rather straightforward test for Pearce’s youngsters. They should pull off a comfortable win in Watford.

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England daring to dream of glory

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England’s women have negotiated a tricky group to make it through to the last eight of the World Cup and are on offer with totesport at 18/1 to win the competition. But just how far can Hope Powell’s side now go in the tournament?

In the end, the Lionesses, as they are known, finished top of Group B and seem to building momentum nicely as the tournament prepares to usher in the knockout stage over the weekend.

The 2-0 win over a highly-regarded Japan side on Tuesday was impressive with England, after surviving a bit of early pressure, going on to dominate pretty much all over the pitch. The win was richly-deserved in the end and will have made the likes of quarter-final opponents France (14/1 – Outright), favourites Germany (10/11) and the always-impressive USA (7/2) take note.

Kelly Smith remains England’s main attacking threat but it will have been the performances of some of the other unsung members of her side that Powell will have been pleased with most on Tuesday.

Ellen White announced her arrival at the competition with a stunning goal – lobbing the Japan keeper from outside the area – while Rachel Yankey came off the bench to seal the win with a well-taken second and those two were among several stand-out performers in the game. Sophie Bradley, meanwhile, was immense at the back and Jess Clarke had also done well in the first 45 minutes before being replaced.

Rachel Unitt is another experienced member of the squad and she, too, was outstanding as England held Japan at bay while creating plenty of chances going forward themselves.

Powell had made a few risky changes to her side for the final group game, most notably resting skipper Faye White, but her game plan was carried out to perfection by her players and they now can approach Saturday’s game against France with confidence.

It will be another tough test for England against a team ranked seventh in the world – England are currently 10th – but one they are capable of passing, especially if they play like they did on Tuesday. The last two matches between the sides have ended in entertaining 2-2 draws so it is likely to be tight in Leverkusen.

If England can come out on top, cynics would then say a semi-final place will be as good as it gets with either Brazil (4/1) or Sweden (18/1) set to stand in their way, but the belief and spirit in Powell’s squad appears to be very high so an extended run in the competition cannot be ruled out now.

Most tournament winners build momentum as the competition progresses and England, after a slow start, look to be doing just that.

Another performance at the level of the Japan victory should be enough to see off France but they will have to raise their game further if they are to  stand a chance of getting into the final.

Then it could be the small matter of hosts Germany, who beat England comfortably in the final of the European Championships two years ago, to see off to claim the ultimate glory.

That’s the stuff of dreams for England’s women – as they know that would be the toughest of all tests – but Powell and co, following Tuesday’s win, are now daring to dream.

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Smith aiming for England progress

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England’s women will qualify for the last eight of the World Cup in Germany if they can avoid defeat against Japan on Tuesday (England 21/10, Japan 23/20, the draw 2/1 – match prices) and, while they have progressed steadily in the tournament so far, they know a possible last-eight clash against the mighty hosts is on the horizon so a victory in Augsburg is vital.

England kicked off the tournament with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Mexico before they chalked up their first win on Friday – coming from behind to beat New Zealand 2-1.

That result, coupled with Japan’s 4-0 win over Mexico, means the winner of Tuesday’s showdown will end up topping the group and therefore probably avoid a knock-out clash against hosts Germany in the last eight.

So it’s no surprise to hear star striker Kelly Smith insisting they are going all out for a win in their final group game (England to win 2-1 – 9/1 – Correct Score).

The two sides played out an entertaining 2-2 draw in the World Cup four years ago – with England denied by a late equaliser after Smith had scored twice – and the 32-year-old says they will not settle for a draw against Japan despite it being enough to ensure progress.

“We are going for a win, we don’t normally set out to draw the game,” she said. “We really want to get three points and top the group.”

Germany are the powerhouse of women’s international football, having won the last two World Cups and three European Championships. Only America have come close to stopping their domination in recent years and England found out to their cost just how good the Germans are on their day when they lost 6-2 to them in the European final two years ago.

France are likely to lie in wait next should the Lionesses top Group B, however, and the two sides are very evenly matched with the last two games between the nations ending in 2-2 draws.

Smith knows this could be her last shot at World Cup glory as she will be 36 when the next tournament comes around so she is desperate to avoid going home early from Germany.

“You have to grab the opportunity with both hands whether you are 21 or my age, you might not play in the World Cup again, you might not qualify,” she said.

So if Smith, who has scored 43 goals in 106 appearances for her country, can inspire England to a win over Japan to avoid Germany in the quarters, then England may just sense they can make it at least into the semi-final before they can maybe start dreaming of even more glory this summer.

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England prepared for classy Spain

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Stuart Pearce claims his young lions (England 23/10 in Match Betting) are fully prepared and confident ahead of their opening Group B clash with tournament favourites Spain (Evens) in the European Under-21 Championships tomorrow.

The coach is without full internationals Jack Wilshere, Andy Carroll and Kieran Gibbs, but still believes he has enough talent at his disposal to trouble the Spanish who, like England, didn’t win their qualifying group.

England defeated Spain 2-0 at the same stage two years ago in Sweden but, although they made the final of that tournament, lost 4-0 to a Mesut Ozil-inspired Germany which provided several members of the World Cup semi-finalists’ senior squad a year later.

Without Gibbs, who picked up an injury in the final warm-up match against Norway this week, Pearce must promote his only other left-back Ryan Bertrand into a back four which may also include captain Michael Mancienne and future Manchester United pairing Phil Jones and Chris Smalling.

England are arguably more potent in attack than two years ago with both Danny Sturridge and Danny Welbeck having scored goals while on loan at Premier League clubs last season, but Spain look classier in midfield with Barcelona’s highly-rated Thiago Alcantara the star of their 1-1 friendly draw with Russia on the eve of the finals.

However, Spain’s failure to beat both Belarus and Russia in their warm-up matches will give England confidence as Pearce sets up to play on the counter-attack with the pace of Sturridge and Welbeck.

And England (9/4 in Group B Outright Winner), despite last winning the Under-21 tournament back in 1984, have had the better of Spain (5/4) in five of their eight previous meetings, drawing once and losing twice.

In Group B’s other fixture on Sunday Ukraine face the Czech Republic in a match which will evoke memories of these nations’ meetiing at the Euro Under-17 finals four years ago, with a lot of the same players involved.

Lukas Marecek put the Czechs 1-0 up in Italy but Ukraine responded with four Dmytro Korkishko goals, including a 12-minute hat-trick before half-time. Miroslav Stepanek pulled one back before Serhiy Shevchuk made it 5-2 before the final whistle.

The Czechs were the only team to remain undefeated through qualifying – winning nine games and drawing one. Top scorer Tomas Pekhart grabbed nine goals in qualifying while Libor Kozak scored three.

They also have plenty of creative midfield options – Liberec’s Borek Dockal and Sigma’s Tomas Horava will be on many scouts’ lists while Kaiserslautern’s Jan Moravek may be the best of those already playing outside the country (Czech Republic 7/2 in Group B Outright Winner).

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England to slay the Dragons?

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England’s Euro 2012 qualifying campaign hit the buffers with a goalless draw against Montenegro last time out, with Fabio Capello’s men currently in second place in the Group G table. Can they bounce back at the first attempt and take the points against Wales on Saturday? (England 2/5 to beat Wales).

The pressure has been on Capello and his England squad ever since their woeful showing at the World Cup last summer, which culminated in the 4-1 drubbing to Germany in the last 16.

Sweeping changes were promised but, while a few new faces have appeared, it is the players that failed so miserably in South Africa who have been given the task of qualifying for the next big tournament.

Victories over Bulgaria and Switzerland seemed to suggest that all was rosy once again in the camp but the 0-0 draw with the Balkan side put the pressure right back on the Three Lions (England 1/6 to win Group G).

As ever with the England team, events off the pitch have dominated the headlines with John Terry’s reinstatement as captain threatening to overshadow the entire match.

But, having received the backing of the squad, it will be full steam ahead to try and beat the Welsh this weekend (England 9/1 to win Euro 2012).

England will be without the injured Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard but the players that Capello has at his disposal should be good enough to win this match, with Wales devoid of the one player who England would have feared, after Gareth Bale’s withdrawal from the Dragons’ squad due to injury.

England have been buoyed by the return to form of Wayne Rooney and will look to the Manchester United man for goals in Cardiff, while Darren Bent will want to add to the goal he scored against Denmark if given the nod at the Millennium Stadium.

England have a good record against Wales, having beaten them twice in qualification for the 2006 World Cup, and they have had no trouble in scoring goals in recent matches, with seven in two qualification matches before the Montenegro stalemate.

They have scored at least one goal in each of their last 13 games, apart from against Montenegro and Algeria, and it is hard to see Wales keeping them out for the entire 90 minutes with the attacking threat throughout the side.

Aaron Ramsey has been handed the captain’s armband for the home side and much will be expected of Arsenal’s 20-year-old star, while veteran Craig Bellamy will always be a threat up front, but the loss of Bale will have been a real body blow to Gary Speed’s squad ahead of the fixture.

The Spurs man has proved himself on the biggest stage this season and will have surely been a handful for England’s back four in the Welsh capital.

Despite having lost all three qualifiers, the new boss knows that derby games can throw up strange results and, roared on by what will be a vociferous crowd, he will hope to take at least a point from Saturday’s encounter.

However England are tipped to win this one comfortably and emulate their rugby union counterparts who kicked off their successful Six Nations campaign by beating Wales on their own patch.

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Can England do the double?

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It could be a double European celebration for English teams this season, with five teams still battling for Champions League and Europa League glory. Could there be a double Premier League celebration come May?

Champions League

Although the English dominance may have waned slightly in recent years, with no winner since 2008, the strength of the Premier League is there for all to see. Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal have all shown in patches that they are capable of mounting a challenge for Europe’s top prize.

United (15/2 to win 2010-11 Champions League) look the most likely of the quartet to reach the Wembley showpiece and should progress to the quarter finals after a goalless draw in Marseille in their last-16 first-leg encounter.

Chelsea (9/2 Outright Market) seem almost certain to progress as well after an impressive 2-0 away win in Copenhagen, with this competition now their only target. This is the trophy Roman Abramovich craves and a victory at Wembley on May 28 seems the only thing that can save Carlo Ancelotti’s job.

Spurs (1/4 to qualify for quarter finals) look a decent outside bet to win the trophy in their debut Champions League campaign, having shown they are more than capable of posing a threat to anyone over two legs. The lack of European experience in the Spurs backline may cause problems later in the tournament though.

Arsenal (8/1 to win in Nou Camp) have every chance of lifting the trophy for the first time… if they can hold off Barcelona. It looks unlikely though, despite Arsenal holding a 2-1 advantage from the first leg. Expect the blow of an early European exit putting pay to the Gunners’ hopes of silverware this season.

Europa League

Manchester City look to have all the credentials to be a success in Europe this season, but the dwindling confidence in the camp is a concern. Roberto Mancini’s squad have made light work of reaching the last 16 of the Europa League, but face a tricky test against Dynamo Kiev.

Having struggled to come to terms with the Premier League, Edin Dzeko will be a key player if City (4/11 to get past Kiev) are to reach the final in Dublin on May 18 as he has plenty of European experience behind him.

Liverpool (11/2 Europa League Outright) could make it an all-England final, draw permitting, with solid defensive performances the cornerstone of their progression to the last 16. A lack of goals is the only concern for the Reds, who will face Portuguese side Braga in the next round.

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Who deserves an England chance?

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Bet on EnglandEngland may be out of the reckoning as far as hosting a World Cup is concerned, but the Three Lions have players coming through to replace the old guard when needed by Fabio Capello and whoever replaces the Italian after Euro 2012 (England 9/1 – Euro 2012 Outright).

Joe Hart seems nailed on to be England’s number one for years, but injury and form could dictate otherwise. Furthermore, there is always the threat that Manchester City could recruit someone like Spain star Iker Casillas one day. After all, money talks, so nothing can be taken for granted.

But who is waiting in the wings should the same fate befall Hart as Shay Given? Well, Scott Loach has been in and around the squad and is more likely to represent the future than the likes of Rob Green, who has won just 11 caps at the age of 30.

The Hornets’ financial restrictions are well known but in Loach they have a keeper who is more than playing his part as the Vicarage Road outfit keep pace with the chasing pack just outside the play-off places (Watford 20/1 – To Win Promotion).

Another youngster catching the eye in the Championship is QPR’s on-loan defender Kyle Walker, who has played in both full-back positions for the leaders since arriving on loan from Tottenham Hotspur.

Walker has Alan Hutton and Vedran Corluka ahead of him in the pecking order at White Hart Lane and is really benefitting from his time spent under the watchful eye of Rs chief Neil Warnock – so much so that the Loftus Road faithful are calling for the club’s minted owners to make his permanent signing a priority in January (QPR 4/5f – Championship Outright).

At the heart of defence, John Terry and Rio Ferdinand should be coming to their respective peaks but instead, injuries appear to have caught up with them. Furthermore, the Chelsea captain turns 30 tomorrow and, never the quickest, he is only going one way.

Behind them the likes of Joleon Lescott, Phil Jagielka and Michael Dawson have also had their own injury problems and good club-men as they are, surely 21-year-old Gary Cahill should get the nod as he continues to prove Martin O’Neill wrong for selling him to Bolton when he was manager of Aston Villa.

Wanderers are flying under Owen Coyle and while the former Burnley chief appears to have the Midas touch, Cahill’s form is a big reason why the Reebok Stadium outfit continue to confound their doubters by flying high in sixth place, having lost just three Premier League games this term (Bolton 7/1 – Top Six Finish).

Like Ferdinand and Terry, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard – as experienced as they are – have also completed more pre-seasons than they have in front of them so England need to be looking to the next crop in the engine room.

Theo Walcott, Aaron Lennon, James Milner, Ashley Young and Adam Johnson can provide breath-taking pace down the flanks for years to come, but who is putting their hand up to put their foot in when the going gets tough?

Sunderland captain Lee Cattermole needs to curb his swashbuckling tendencies but he is not the first relatively inexperienced player to be too rash in the tackle and, at the age of 22, should get a chance ahead of the likes of 30-year-old Scott Parker (Black Cats 22/1 – Relegation).

Aston Villa’s Marc Albrighton is also worth a mention in dispatches although England’s strength on the flanks means he is facing an uphill battle (Villa 5/1 – To Beat Liverpool at Anfield tonight).

Finally, Wayne Rooney is sure to prove – yet again – the old adage that form is temporary, class is permanent, while Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch have never let England down over the years.

Andy Carroll deserves another chance to impress and certainly has support over his inclusion, which will happen, but injuries could decimate England’s options so who else is in the mix?

Well, it’s easy to forget Sunderland star Darren Bent only turned 26 earlier this year and for a player with the goalscoring record he can boast, the former Ipswich youngster’s seven caps are not enough. This is something which should be rectified immediately (Bent 10/1 – Premiership Top Goalscorer).

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