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Old 20-06-2010, 06:12 AM   #64 (permalink)
BoyBrumby
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Burgey View Post
I wonder though, if the thought that England has some divine right to proclaim teams like Algeria as demosntrably inferiror is no small part of the problem.

Gerard expressed a similar view when he came off, his mindset basically just assuming the notion of Algeria being competitive is anathema.

Think that attitude from a pro is crap frankly. If that's the way they think then no wonder they played so listlessly, without any passion.

Seemed they were just waiting for someone else to make it fall into place.
I wasn't suggesting we should automatically sweep teams like Algeria aside, but if one looks at any accepted measurement of the net ability/worth of an international side (recent results, rankings, players' domestic performances) then I reckon it's fair to say Algeria are demonstrably inferior. From memory they'd lost 6 of their last 7 games before they played us.

There is something wrong tho, whether it's fear or failure, hubris, techincal ineptitude, fatigue or a combo thereof. Capello needs to crack heads; bloke's a proven winner wherever he's been so his ability isn't in doubt. Same can't be said of the players.
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