At what point......

[SpaceCruiser]

We're not going to beat Argentina either if you ask me.

Diego Maradona doesn't seem to be a managerial genius, they struggled to qualify, remember.

[Stranded]

But they are there - and tournament football over 4 weeks is a lot different to a 2 year qualifying league.

[SpaceCruiser]

Fair point, but we'll see what happens.

[NR_Royal]

Argentina to win it. You heard it here first.

I would love to have Messi, Tevez, Aguero, Di Maria, Higuain and Milito in my team.

[The Surgeon of Crowthorne]

As usual we'll go out to the first decent side we meet, which could be as early as the second round if we fail to win our group, or for some reason Germany don't win theirs.

[Big Foot]

Semi finals

[Focher]

Argentina to win it. You heard it here first.

I would love to have Messi, Tevez, Aguero, Di Maria, Higuain and Milito in my team.

id also love to have Zanetti, Cambiasso, and Gabriel Milito in my squad, but that prick Maradona decided not to take them.

Argentina= Absolutely no chance

[Ian Royal]

Should be quarters. We aren't great, but should still win our group, which means we should still have enough to get through the first knock out stage. We're not good enough to really challenge though so I can't see us getting into the last four.

[From Despair To Where?]

England are the Everton of international football. Can see off the minnows with relative ease, have a decent shout against sides of equal status but will struggle to get into the last 4 unless one of the big boys seriously oxf*rd up.

Win the group and the Quarters are a reasonable expectation unless Germany oxf*rd up and come runners up in their group in which case an exit in the last 16 is on the cards.

Best case scenario is a semi final appearence, should the luck of the draw favour England (i.e France oxf*rd up and don't make the quarters), whereupon England will be shown up by a more technically proficient team.

England's biggest problem is a lack of quality throughout the team and an over reliance on 1 or 2 players to pull out a performance. Spain have that quality, Brazil have that quality, Argentina have that quality IF they can overcome Maradona's ineptitude as a coach, Netherlands have that quality, France still have enough big name players who can turn a game on their own, Germany's whole is bigger than the sum of the parts and they have the big tournament temprement.

I can't see past Brazil to win it though. Spain don't carry the tag of favourites well, Argentina can go from the sublime to the ridiculous in a matter of minutes, the Dutch don't have the temprement, I don't think France have the legs, and the Germans don't quite have the quality to go all the way.

Dunga's team can be quite workman like, they can grind out results in a very un Brazilian fashion but they still have the quality and flair to turn a game.

[Gordons Cumming]

Very good post. Spot on.

[PlasticRoyale]

Apart from the sweeping generalisations and the fact that it's blx....

[soggy biscuit]

Argentina > England

[From Despair To Where?]

Apart from the sweeping generalisations and the fact that it's blx....

Ok. At least I've offered an opinion. Care to share yours?

[SLAMMED]

Final on penalties.

[leww_rfc]

They'll win it .. on penalties.

[boycey]

As usual we'll go out to the first decent side we meet, which could be as early as the second round if we fail to win our group, or for some reason Germany don't win theirs.

We would have the beating of the Germans.
Would rather them than Ghana in the 2nd round.
Dont think the aussies will make it through.

We'll make the semis after beating a toothless aging French team in the 1/4's.

Man of the tournament for England - Michael Johnson.
The gazza of 2010.

[leww_rfc]

Who's Michael Johnson?

[boycey]

Who's Michael Johnson?

good point well made.
Adam , Adam , Adam.

[Compo's Hat]

1/4's

Someone said that if we win the group we're likely to meet France and then Brazil?

Writing's on the wall.

Win the group

last 16 - Oz
Q/F - France
Semi - Brazil (lose)
3rd place - Argentina

So Argentina beat Germany in the quarter final when both teams had 50%

[Skyline]

Norway have a habit of beating Brazil, all England would have to do would be to adopt the Norwegian/Greek/Wimbledon'esque tactics.
Stay back compactly, fight for every ball, then counter attack like crazy once the brazilians overextend themselves on their attack = ENGLAND WIN

Think I might've spotted the flaw in your plan there Ideal