England- World Cup Win

#52946 Ory1997 : I suggest you play a midfield with a strong deffensive ability and a reasonable passing skill. If you've got Spain's midfield blocked the only trouble you'll be facing are from corner kicks. All of Spain's strikers have a 60-70/100 rating in pace and speed so they can't really out run your deffenders unless your deffenders are very slow.

Thanks mate!! I'll try it out. Would you suggest having Scott Parker and Michael Carrick in the middle?

Well done on getting to the finals! Good luck but Spain will be tough opposition!

#52951 edam22 : Well done on getting to the finals! Good luck but Spain will be tough opposition!

Thanks!! Hoping they will not be as good as Fabregas is out.

SI use Shawcross but Henderson? His stats in my game is that of a semi-skilled winger that can't run fast. Every time I play Henderson he fails to deliver crosses, the best thing he can do is be create one-twos for other players.

yeah he doesnt have the greatest of stats straight away but he gets to be a good player when he's used constantly, i use him in my liverpool squad and hes in my england squad, he gets the odd goal, a few assists, and is often the most accurate passer in my matches... Of course everybody plays a different game dont they? not everybody is going to have henderson become a good player because no doubt after a while hes sold so he doesnt get the quality of football as he would if he stays at Liverpool, im just saying that because he is an integral part of my liverpool and england squad, with the right training and the right role he can be a good player

#52954 1650 Yo : SI use Shawcross but Henderson? His stats in my game is that of a semi-skilled winger that can't run fast. Every time I play Henderson he fails to deliver crosses, the best thing he can do is be create one-twos for other players.

yeah he doesnt have the greatest of stats straight away but he gets to be a good player when he's used constantly, i use him in my liverpool squad and hes in my england squad, he gets the odd goal, a few assists, and is often the most accurate passer in my matches... Of course everybody plays a different game dont they? not everybody is going to have henderson become a good player because no doubt after a while hes sold so he doesnt get the quality of football as he would if he stays at Liverpool, im just saying that because he is an integral part of my liverpool and england squad, with the right training and the right role he can be a good player

Yeh, I just picked the strongest squad I had. Might look at him for the future though!

and this is a really strange one but trust me, James Tomkins for Future aswell, not as a starter CB but as a sub, im 6 years into the game and terry and ferdy have retired so i have smalling shawcross jones and tomkins, hes also on my Crawley team and he's a beast there, and no doubt people will say "course hes beast at crawley" but Crawley finished 5th in the Premier league last year above Chelsea aswell so dont underestimate him lol

#52961 1650 Yo : and this is a really strange one but trust me, James Tomkins for Future aswell, not as a starter CB but as a sub, im 6 years into the game and terry and ferdy have retired so i have smalling shawcross jones and tomkins, hes also on my Crawley team and he's a beast there, and no doubt people will say "course hes beast at crawley" but Crawley finished 5th in the Premier league last year above Chelsea aswell so dont underestimate him lol

Thanks I'll consider using him in the future.

England's 92nd Minute Winner

England 2-1 Spain

Gerard Pique
Wayne Rooney
Steven Gerrard
Wayne Rooney

Line Up:(4-2-2-2) Joe Hart, Glen Johnson, Phil Jagielka, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Michael Carrick, Frank Lampard, Ashley Young, Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney, Bobby Zamora.

England's Steven Gerrard scored an 90+2 minute winner to win the European Championship 2012. Spain got off to a good start but England fought back to make it 1-1. Things looked to be heading to extra-time before Gerrard hit home to win the game. Manager John Smith has been in charge for less than 12 months and has already won England's first piece of silverware since 1966. He says: "It is an absolute dream to come here and win a major tournament after just 1 year!!"

Next up for England are the World Cup 2014 Qualifiers.

I'm also in charge of England, however I find it hard. Can't get Rooney to perform consistently and a regen from my Swansea team which I bought from ManUtd is the only one actually scoring. Qualified easily to World Cup 2016, but I can't find out how to make my team perform against the likes of the biggest national teams like Belgium, Brazil, Italy or France. Even lost to Ghana in a friendly. Basically I've lost all friendlies and won most competitive ones, except a unlucky defeat against Denmark in the qualifier.
Rooney is of course the single most important player, while Futcher(my regen) would be considered someone who could score important goals. Oxlade Chamberlain, Young, Sturridge and Wickham is playing horrible when given the chance in my team although they're playing superb in the league.

And it's not looking too good for the future... Can't find a single talent who is anywhere near the abilities to replace the likes of Terry, Lescott, Baines and Lampard when they retire. And I'm scouting. Alot. My Swansea have won the PL the last years with an average age varying between 20 and 22(!) However, Only 2 of the players in the A-team are English and they both struggle to get playing-time!

Most worrying is that even though I like regens better than I like "real players", I only have those two from my Swansea team, while nations like Brazil, Italy, Belgium now has 4-5 top players that are regens. Nothing good coming up for me.. Just hoping that changes in March.

@Vanjari
Calm down and relax. There are a few English talents who would be world class, so the most effective way would be to make your own. However if you do want to buy and can spend a lot here are people that could be world class: Kyle Walker, Jack Wilshire, Martin Kelly, Jack Rodwell and Tom Cleverley. If you don't want or can't spend a lot try theses: Raheem Sterling, Craig Dawson, Steven Caulker, Joe Lewis. The guys I just listed are in my in England squad and playing well(although I had to kick Tomkins and Caulker out due to assloads of recent injuries leading to deteriorating skills). However the easiest and cheapest way to make a great English team is by getting them out of your youth academy and another method is to:
1. First scout all English players aged 16-20 in the npower championship, npower league 1 and npower league 2.
2. Find players who gets a lot of game time, desireably in the first team.
3. Decide whether or not they are up to your standards.
4. Buy them, cost may vary from 50k-3million depending which league the youngster plays in.
5. Train the players and enjoy the result.

In my England game 4 of my senior players original came from npower championship, npower league 1 and npower league 2. 2 of them came from Wycombe (great club for producing youngsters, new youth crops are sometimes already better than starting 11, so they get lots of game time, improves a lot)

#52968 Ory1997 : Calm down and relax.

Couldn't have put it better myself!! I might try some of the players you listed and some of the techniques you suggested!!!

I've been in charge of england but though results and performances have been great, i still have yet to win anything.

England First In World Rankings

John Smith has lead England to 1st in the FIFA World Rankings for the first time ever. Their previous best was 4th in December 1997.

John Smith's next game is with the Great Britain Under-23s against Uruguay in a friendly before the Olympics. Here is his squad:

Goalkeepers: Ben Amos, Jason Steele

Defenders: Leighton Baines, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Kyle Walker, James Tomkins

Midfielders: Ashley Young, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey, Gareth Bale, Jack Rodwell, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Tom Cleverley

Strikers: Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck, Daniel Sturridge, Theo Walcott

I had Joe Hart, Baines and Rooney as my 3 over 23 players but good squad

Britain Win First Ever Game

Uruguay Under-23s 2-5 Great Britain Under-23s

Theo Walcott (2)
Gareth Bale (2)
Wayne Rooney
Edison Cavani (2)
Theo Walcott

Line Up:(4-2-2-2) Jason Steele, Kyle Walker, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Leighton Baines, Aaron Ramsey, Jack Rodwell, Ashley Young, Gareth Bale, Wayne Rooney, Theo Walcott

Great Britain won their first ever match with a 5-2 win over a classy Uruguay. Luis Suarez, Edison Cavani and Martin Silva all starred but struggled to contain the burst of British attack. They will now look ahead to the Olympics.