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England cruises in injury-free tune-up

DefoeEnglandGetty

By AVI CREDITOR

Wayne Rooney, Joe Cole and Jermain Defoe each netted goals as England silenced Platinum Stars, a South African club team, 3-0 at Moruleng Stadium.

Fabio Capello took a risk by playing projected World Cup starters, especially in light of all of the recent injuries that have dented other nations' World Cup hopes. Capello was rewarded with an injury-free performance, as the Three Lions didn't suffer any setbacks in their final match before facing the United States on Saturday. 

Defoe opened the scoring in the third minute, and Cole and Rooney scored in the second half to cap the victory. Cole was the only England player to play all 90 minutes. Rooney came on at the half as part of 10 substitutions.

Joe Hart and Robert Green split time in goal, but were hardly tested.

What are your thoughts about England's final match before the World Cup? Share your predictions/hopes/thoughts ahead of Saturday's match below.

Comments

  1. Reports from their training camp, suggests that Fabio was extremely pissed off that they underperformed in the game which lead to him not showing up at halftime and speak to the team. I’m like our chances against england.

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  2. I think its funny that you Yanks think getting a result against England on Saturday is likely. Seriously,reality check. Your part time MLS league. Borntein in your squad? Jozy Altidore, who your counting on for goals, scores one in the Premier league in 20 games. What a threat. Respect to Clint, quality player. However, Gooch? Not played this year? Give me a break. Your having a laugh.

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  3. Brooklyn FC – As you referred to the victory by 3 goals as “3 points” I suggest you get off the bandwagon and back to your sofa watching hours of baseball and keep you pathetic opinions on a real sport to yourself. England will win. Just.

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  4. I support everyone’s right to explore the full breadth of their hopes and fears as the biggun approaches. Sadsacks would be missed here just as much as y’all with yer pixie dust. Together we form a ruddy great tree falling in the forest, where no one can hear us.

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  5. this was just a thought experiment folks. bease does start and plays 45 for a very specific task, disrupt and card Rooney.

    My thought for Bease is his speed and his internationl experience. He doesn’t need to pick rooneys pocket, just harry him and keep him from finding space and time. He’s the only one on the team that I think has the skill set and mentality to do it other than Donovan, and we need LD elsewhere.

    I only reluctantly left Junior on the bench because I needed room and i still think rightly or wrongly some ref if going to very quick to red card him, and see it happening in this match more than anywhere else, whereas Edu might be a little more savvy to it due to his time in Scotland. I think Bradley has rightfully earned his starting role for his work ethic and skill, but given the fact that I have designated one player to mark Rooney it changes things a bit.

    and no I don’t think Senior would do this in the slightest. he’s never employed a man marking strategy before and I doubt he’d do it now. Brads lineup is what we’ll most likely see.

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  6. derek- unlike the confed cup, we don’t have three matches to hit our stride, the need to get it right out of the gate, much like the epic draw against argentina last year. that was for the ages.

    i fully believe that on any given day this team can beat anyone in the world, but they simply need to fire on all cylinders to make it happen

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  7. England have been terrible lately, although these are just friendlies, I’ve talked to a few English fans and they aren’t sure they’ll win. Far from it

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  8. Dude u have beas starting and on the bench which one is it?

    Why do people insist on stuff that Bob will never do…. we need to try and make up rosters with in Bob’s ideas Thus the following two are very possible

    Jozy Buddle
    Demps Edu Bradley Landy
    Boca Gooch Demerit Dolo
    Howard

    Jozy Findley
    Demps Edu Bradley Landy
    Boca Gooch Demerit Dolo
    Howard

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  9. Exactly
    I expect negativity from people that just tune in every 4 years for the world cup not people that watch the team every time they play….. we r massively improved from a few years ago but these world cup fans wouldnt know that cause last they saw us play was against Ghana

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  10. exactly these dudes are so blinded by their hatred for bob that they cant see that he actually starts the right people at the right time….. he may give borny lots of burn but when it really matters he knows what he is doing

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  11. Mister Jay in Charlotte i’ve on SBI since nearly the beginning and I can tell that a lot of these negative dudes are new to the site… great for Ives, the traffic makes the advertisers pay more money but bad for us the sensible lovers of the nats that cant stand these Bigsoccer.com rejects

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  12. Key thing is Donovan and whoever else is the speedy striker (Finley?) keeping England’s left & right fullbacks in defensive roles. If Cole and the right back can’t support England’s attack because they’re busy watching the U.S. flanks, then Bradley & the other midfielder can concentrate on limiting Gerrard & Lampard. Rooney, Lampard, and Gerrard will still get their shots, but if we them far enough away, or at angles, Howard is up to the task.

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  13. That’s heartbreaking if they think that, but it’s not true. A vociferous few (on the internet, naturally) get off on criticism, it is who they are. But I think (hope?) there are plenty of us that believe. I know cynicism can be a defense mechanism (for the non-trolls), but it’s a weak cop-out and I’d rather err on the side of optimism.

    And considering recent history — of success after endless doubts and questioning of the team and its coaching — I’d say being positive about our chances is a far more reasonable position.

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  14. phil, i’m assuming this is what you want, not what is likely to happen, because everyone in the world knows that Bradley, Jr. will be slotted to play the full 90.

    With that said, I like the Torres/Edu midfield, although it’s hard to keep Bradley off the field. As for Beasley marking Rooney….? when did Beasley turn into some defensive stalwart. I’m confused.

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  15. I think Bradley’s mentality going into this will be similar to the Spain game. With that in mind, i think he goes with Altidore/Findley or Buddle/Findley if Jozy isn’t ready. We need Findley’s pace to keep England honest.

    If our forwards can put chances away, I can see us pulling off at least a tie. Rooney is most likely going to get his, so it will be up to the boys to play without fear and take their chances when they come.

    I would like to see a few more shots outside the 18 from our midfielders, especially early. Stealing an early goal would be HUGE.

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  16. I thought this was really bizarre given his red card in ’06. My immediate thought was that Rooney is frustrated and does not like what he has been seeing on the training ground and in their frendlies. Elite players can get very ticked off when they think that their team is not mentally ready to perform. Unlike some of the other personalities on England, I don’t see Rooney taking anything for granted against the US. I wonder if this was his way of firing the team up without stepping on Capello’s toes.

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  17. USA players have to be excited at the prospect of facing gimpy Ledley King and relatively slow Carragher. We could get a 4-3 game given each team’s defensive problems…

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  18. My ideal starting 11 against England:
    Altidore – Buddle
    Donovan – Edu – Bradley – Dempsey
    Bocanegra – Goodson – Demerit – Cherundolo

    Donovan and Dempsey can switch as they see fit through out the game. Bring on Torres for Edu and Gomez/Findley for Buddle/Altidore if we are down. Bring in Holden/Beasley for Buddle/Altidore and put Dempsey up top if we are up.

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