Archive for U.K Chat A U.K General CHAT FORUM,For the people of the United kingdom, X-pats and friends
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lil eva
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England v BelarusFabio Capello has warned England they must repeat the performance which overwhelmed Croatia in Zagreb if they are to maintain their 100 per cent start to their World Cup qualifying group against Belarus on Wednesday evening.
England will be looking to make a slice of history by winning the opening four games of a qualifying campaign in the World Cup for the first time.
The Italian said: "Belarus is one very important game. I have spoken with the players and said this is very important because we have to wait nearly six months for the next qualifier and we need a positive result.
"If we win today, we will be very happy because we will have taken 12 points from four games - and you can do no more. That is very important.
"We played a very strong game against Croatia, the sort you need to play when you are away, which was important for the confidence and the mind of the players.
"We were quick and put good pressure on the players with the ball. This will be crucial again.
"Today will be another very important game and we must put in the same sort of performance.
Capello admitted: "I have seen Belarus play three games and they are a very good team. They drew with Argentina and Germany and only were beaten by an injury-time penalty against the Ukraine.
"It will be a very tough game. People sometimes look at the names of the teams we get drawn against like Kazakhstan and Belarus and think 'it will be an easy three points' but that is not so. Easy games do not exist."
Wayne Bridge is poised to start a competitive game for his country for the first time since the ill-fated Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia at Wembley 11 months ago in place of the injured Ashley Cole.
Capello, who will again be without crocked skipper John Terry, said: "Ashley is a very important player for us. I think Cole and John Terry are both very important players for us.
"But their replacements will be good tomorrow. I am 100 per cent sure of that. With Bridge, if I choose and I put someone in my squad, it is because I think they are the best players, the best left-backs.
Capello is clearly become tired of having to deal with the Frank Lampard-Steven Gerrard issue at every media conference after the duo were reunited for the 5-1 weekend win over Kazakhstan.
He said: "If I put Gerrard in, I get asked 'why don't I play Lampard?' If I play Lampard, I get asked 'why don't I play Gerrard?'
I think they can play together but I don't like talk about one or two players - always."
The England boss is confident the fans who travel to Minsk will be fully behind the team after criticising the booing of Cole after his costly mistake against Kazakhstan.
He said: "I am sure the English fans here tomorrow will be good. Always when we play away, they support us and we hope at the end of the game, they will be happy."
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Josie-lufc
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Belarus 1 England 1 HT
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Josie-lufc
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Belarus 1 England 2
Gerrard & Rooney
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Josie-lufc
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Belarus 1 England 3
Rooney
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Josie-lufc
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Final Score
Belarus 1 England 3
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Bravo
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Glad someone got to see it 
Bloody Setanta faced Arse candles 
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Josie-lufc
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I watched it on the computer on Justin TV 
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chimp
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I missed it cos of footy training - and 18 others did too - what a good turn out considering the circumstances
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