england v germany it is then

I also think the Germany is a fantastic place to visit. I think the animosity is still there from time to time especially when the jingoistic headlines hit the Sun's front pages. But I think it's getting there in terms of respect. As for the Dutch, well they don't like the Germans at all. But unlike them we weren't occupied for 5 years.

Embarrasingly poor.
Slow, unimaginative, and lacking every in aspect you would expect of a competent international side. It could have easily been a 6 or 7 route against and Germany are only a fair to good side and will not win it.
Cappello should fall on his sword for this whole dire campaign in interview he even says we played well. Something has to change at grass roots level if we are to avoid further embarrsing performances like this.
Where were our 100k plus a week stars of the premier league? They should all take a long hard look at themselves after this.
Having said all that the disallowed goal was an utter disgrace particularly at this level.

If one good thing comes out of the game this afternoon, it will the introduction of technology that will determine whether the ball has crossed the line and long sighted glasses for all officials. It would have taken the ref under 30 seconds to get the answer to did the ball go over the line.

It would have been interesting if we'd started the second half at 2-each though.

I agree with your opinion of the performance Pete, but if the grass roots need looking at then the manager of the national side falling on his sword is pretty futile as you have by your own submission admitted that he does not have the players with which to compete with at World Cup level. Anyway, the grass roots have been receiving the most intense examination and as Sir Treveor Brooking stated only this week (and I for one thoroughly agree with him) we have NOTHING much to look forward to until the kids who are 11 years old right now become the "New Generation" ......................so that's THREE World Cups away I'm afraid.

You saw today with your own eyes that so called superstars fell away like chocolate soldiers: Johnson ~ embarrassment, Terry ~ Upson ~ Ashley Cole ~ defending at Sunday League level and as for making excuses about the likes of Terry having some excuse because he was asked to play "right sided" what the hell are we banging on to nine year olds about familiarising themselves to playing in ALL areas of the pitch and in different positions (let alone defence) so that they are relaxed and comfortable wherever they find themselves during phases of the game? It's Chris Todd at Wembley all over again isn't it?

Gerrard can't play out of his comfort zone and continually makes terrible decisions under duress, Lampard at 32 has NEVER been any good at this exalted level.

That's what we have paid top dollar to bring in a top world coach to come and work with. It's like taking a Paignton Beach donkey to Henry Cecil and then firing him for not winning the Derby with it.

Capello didn't have to work with such technically deficient plodders at AC Milan, Real Madrid and Juventus did he!

I said all along that our only genuine world class player was Wayne Rooney but he has been simply embarrassing throughout the tournament and we are as far behind genuine world class performers as that Wembley side that got humiliated by the Hungarians (who never won a world Cup by the way) in the fifties...........................it's that bad and it's that serious. Far more serious than only looking at the individual who is managing the national team.

Stop being fooled by the Terrys and the Upsons of this world and believing that such players are fit for purpose in a World Cup Finals campaign. Stop accepting the appalling unprofessionalism of the Terrys (again!) and Ashley Coles of this world and putting them up as "typical professional footballers" ~ they are not, they are appalling individuals; and stop paying lip service to the clubs at the top of our Premiership who have no interest in the England team at all and certainly provide no service whatsoever to the national interest in providing a production line of English footballers in the same way that the German clubs do so for their nation.

No, nobody knows. I think most German players and supporters would've reached for the Luger at half time if they had gone in at 2-2. I just hope that we don't use this as an excuse to mask an awful performance that shows why we are and will continue just to make up the numbers at international level. It's worrying to see just how far we've slipped behind. The thing is that I don't think we'll ever catch up.

Trying to get this lot holding a shape and team pattern must be like playing chess with marbles instead of the normal pieces and on a sloping table to boot!