Rooney should not have started against Italy

[felarey]

I don't get this talk of Rooney not being fit. That's pure bullocks. What did you expect him to do, go get the ball from Pirlo and take on the defence himself? In the first 10 to 15 mins when England balled, did you not see Rooney being a threat? The Italians crowded out the midfield with the extra man often stepping in from defence. Rooney was probably the best striker on the pitch yesterday and the only one that looked like he could score. AROtelli was useless and tucked deeply in Terry's pocket all 2nd half. Cassano was wasteful or woeful, your pick. Welbeck could not get the link up play going and Caroll was rubbish (easily the worst striker in the game). England had a game plan and they did not lose the match.

Enough useless Italians on the pitch too other than Pirlo that was exceptional.

[ROSSIKE]

I don't get this talk of Rooney not being fit. That's pure bullocks. What did you expect him to do, go get the ball from Pirlo and take on the offense himself? In the first 10 to 15 mins when England balled, did you not see Rooney being a threat? The Italians crowded out the midfield with the extra man often stepping in from defence. Rooney was probably the best striker on the pitch yesterday and the only one that looked like he could score. AROtelli was useless and tucked deeply in Terry's pocket all 2nd half. Cassano was wasteful or woeful, your pick. Welbeck could not get the link up play going and Caroll was rubbish (easily the worst striker in the game). England had a game plan and they did not lose the match.

Enough useless Italians on the pitch too other than Pirlo that was exceptional.

You're talking total rubbish. Rooney was completely USELESS in the game from the 1st minute to the last. No threat whatsoever from him. If a Nigerian striker was so useless playing for SE you'd crucify him, but because you've swallowed English media koolaid and hype, you cannot tell your left from your right.

[Skylolo]

I don't get this talk of Rooney not being fit. That's pure bullocks. What did you expect him to do, go get the ball from Pirlo and take on the defence himself? In the first 10 to 15 mins when England balled, did you not see Rooney being a threat? The Italians crowded out the midfield with the extra man often stepping in from defence. Rooney was probably the best striker on the pitch yesterday and the only one that looked like he could score. AROtelli was useless and tucked deeply in Terry's pocket all 2nd half. Cassano was wasteful or woeful, your pick. Welbeck could not get the link up play going and Caroll was rubbish (easily the worst striker in the game). England had a game plan and they did not lose the match.

Enough useless Italians on the pitch too other than Pirlo that was exceptional.

You must have watched a different game bro...

[felarey]

I don't get this talk of Rooney not being fit. That's pure bullocks. What did you expect him to do, go get the ball from Pirlo and take on the offense himself? In the first 10 to 15 mins when England balled, did you not see Rooney being a threat? The Italians crowded out the midfield with the extra man often stepping in from defence. Rooney was probably the best striker on the pitch yesterday and the only one that looked like he could score. AROtelli was useless and tucked deeply in Terry's pocket all 2nd half. Cassano was wasteful or woeful, your pick. Welbeck could not get the link up play going and Caroll was rubbish (easily the worst striker in the game). England had a game plan and they did not lose the match.

Enough useless Italians on the pitch too other than Pirlo that was exceptional.

You're talking total rubbish. Rooney was completely USELESS in the game from the 1st minute to the last. No threat whatsoever from him. If a Nigerian striker was so useless playing for SE you'd crucify him, but because you've swallowed English media koolaid and hype, you cannot tell your left from your right.

I take it that you didn't watch the game right I guess if he weren't English plus the darling of the English to boot, you would have said otherwise. When a team can't keep possession and string passes together, talkless it not even being their strategy, what's the striker to do? Go and play midfield or string passes with himself? Rooney was the best striker on the pitch. I can't fail to notice the political leanings that have crept into football discussions on here. This is what we've reduced the discussions to. The level of Rossike to come and exhibit his complex issues.

[metalalloy]

I don't get this talk of Rooney not being fit. That's pure bullocks. What did you expect him to do, go get the ball from Pirlo and take on the offense himself? In the first 10 to 15 mins when England balled, did you not see Rooney being a threat? The Italians crowded out the midfield with the extra man often stepping in from defence. Rooney was probably the best striker on the pitch yesterday and the only one that looked like he could score. AROtelli was useless and tucked deeply in Terry's pocket all 2nd half. Cassano was wasteful or woeful, your pick. Welbeck could not get the link up play going and Caroll was rubbish (easily the worst striker in the game). England had a game plan and they did not lose the match.

Enough useless Italians on the pitch too other than Pirlo that was exceptional.

You're talking total rubbish. Rooney was completely USELESS in the game from the 1st minute to the last. No threat whatsoever from him. If a Nigerian striker was so useless playing for SE you'd crucify him, but because you've swallowed English media koolaid and hype, you cannot tell your left from your right.

Not true. He had a bicycle kick in the box that he hit too high off his boot, he had the diving header that he hit over the bar and he also set up Welbeck with a back heel that Welbeck scuffed.

he had a poor game by his standard but you can not say he was no threat whatsoever.

[felarey]

I don't get this talk of Rooney not being fit. That's pure bullocks. What did you expect him to do, go get the ball from Pirlo and take on the defence himself? In the first 10 to 15 mins when England balled, did you not see Rooney being a threat? The Italians crowded out the midfield with the extra man often stepping in from defence. Rooney was probably the best striker on the pitch yesterday and the only one that looked like he could score. AROtelli was useless and tucked deeply in Terry's pocket all 2nd half. Cassano was wasteful or woeful, your pick. Welbeck could not get the link up play going and Caroll was rubbish (easily the worst striker in the game). England had a game plan and they did not lose the match.

Enough useless Italians on the pitch too other than Pirlo that was exceptional.

You must have watched a different game bro...

Tell me who played better than Rooney, it wasn't a strikers game. Walcott suffered too as he couldn't get into the game cos they were chasing the ball so much. You can't just say Walcott was not fit without considering how the game went. To properly rate a player, you have to consider his overall influence on and off the ball.

[Skylolo]

I don't get this talk of Rooney not being fit. That's pure bullocks. What did you expect him to do, go get the ball from Pirlo and take on the defence himself? In the first 10 to 15 mins when England balled, did you not see Rooney being a threat? The Italians crowded out the midfield with the extra man often stepping in from defence. Rooney was probably the best striker on the pitch yesterday and the only one that looked like he could score. AROtelli was useless and tucked deeply in Terry's pocket all 2nd half. Cassano was wasteful or woeful, your pick. Welbeck could not get the link up play going and Caroll was rubbish (easily the worst striker in the game). England had a game plan and they did not lose the match.

Enough useless Italians on the pitch too other than Pirlo that was exceptional.

You must have watched a different game bro...

Tell me who played better than Rooney, it wasn't a strikers game.

At this level, we expect better...I was shocked to see Rooney turning the ball over just like the other useless Englishmen...Young, Milner, Parker etc etc. One would have thought as the best player in the team and as a World class player he would have tried to get on the ball, bring some composure and Initiate some plays. Zlatan did this throughout the tournament for a Sweden side that is not as talented as England...

A pattern has emerged, Rooney never performs in big tournaments now.

[okjazz]

The England manager will NOT risk leaving Rooney on the bench at this point and expect to keep his job if England looses. The media will crucify him. The same applied to Alan Shearer back in the day. There were times when Andy Cole would have been a better option.

[Coach]

Fit Wilshere...and so the circus begins, good player 'yes', saviour of English football 'no'. Rest assured, Jack Wilshere will be the next Scott Parker.

Wilshere won't be the next Pirlo but not a chance in hell he is the next Scott Parker.

Have said many times, Coach knows nothing about football..

Children, turn off your games consoles and open your eyes.

January 2011,
Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere is a better technical player than former Chelsea player Claude Makelele, according to England manager Fabio Capello. The England boss is set to give Wilshere a starting role as a holding midfielder in the friendly with Denmark on February 9. Capello sees Wilshere playing in a position which Claude Makelele, currently with Paris St Germain, filled for France, Chelsea and Real Madrid.

Capello may have gone, but not without sowing that seed. Hodgson will eventually switch to the 4-2-3-1, a glorified 4-4-2, and rest assured, Wilshere will be nowhere near the hole. He may be given a little more licence to get forward, but nowhere near the freedom afforded Pirlo, Ozil et al.

@Skylo, one can only laugh at your remark. Theres a big difference between club football and that for your country, the philosophies are divergent. It will take a miracle for Wilshere to be used in advanced role, he'll be another box to box midfielder come 2014, if the English have their way.