Is a similar game to Algeria, but a goalmouth melee will somehow bounce into the goal off a Slovenian defender.

Then, hopefully, things will get better in the next game(s).

... "Come On England!" World Cup poster up in my office this morning.

England are therefore doomed.

that we're going to France it right up. England have been riding a wave of hubris for years, and we have a lot of foreign friends waiting to revel in the schadenfreude of pointing to our FIFA 8th in the world ranking as we crash out at the group stage.

I mean, 8th in the world: How did that happen?

between confidence and uncertainty.

I do think we need a tactical re-alignment with Cole in a 5 man midfield and Gerrard behind Rooney. I worry about Upson/Terry in defence and still have my doubts about David James.

I'm confident. No, I'm not. Yes...No...Oh heck

but, in the usual absence of the Wales team in these doo-dahs, I count myself among the near-traitorous band of nefarious Celts who always support England. It's been slightly more difficult this time because this team is arguably the most unpleasant and self-serving bunch of bastards ever selected. Half of me wants to see them roundly stuffed for this- and for refusing to go to Robben Island ( preferring to play golf instead )- but I'm pretty sure that they'll pull through. 2-1 I'd say. Lampard and Rooney. But there'll be a controversial sending-off somewhere along the line. Someone like Crouch, for elbowing in the box.

Slovenia are no slouches though. In fact they're a more technically gifted and cohesive unit than England on the basis of what I've seen so far.

My prediction is we'll win but in a manner that doesn't give anyone any satisfaction, really.

Current indications are that Defoe will simply replace Heskey so no 5 man midfield (the formation that seems to be the players', fans', country's and everyone else's choice but not Capello's). I've also got a queasy feeling that he might start with SWP.

1-1 ...all starts off well with goal for Defoe but Terry/Upson/James confusion gifts Slovenia an equaliser to be followed by 40 mins or so of Brazil 2002 ineptitude.

Good to see Argentian playing well....should go out in the next round to Mexico.

England will come flying out of the traps, all guns blazing, metaphors mixed and goal-scoring boots primed and working. The Cole's Joe and Ashley, the latter bombing forward like a man possessed, lay on chance upon chance for Rooney and Crouch who each net twice in the first half hour, despite the Slovenian keeper performing heroics to keep the score down. Then - and this is where it gets a bit surrealistic - Fat Frankie puts an absolute belter on target and makes it 5 at half time. Meantime, the Slovenians never give up but Upson plays a blinder in defence, not letting them so much as sniff an opportunity, and James in goal starts doing handstands to stave off the boredom. England take their foot off the throttle in the early second half but Rooney wants that hat trick and gets it. Defoe comes on for Crouch and gets the 7th. A nation rejoices and our status as WC favourites, at least in our own minds, is restored.

Then we lose 2-nil in the last 16, with Terry red carded and Rooney in the mother of all strops.

Rooney, Defoe and a Lampard penalty.

There's a certain combination of drawn results today where egual goal difference would result in "lots" being drawn to see who goes through out of England and the USA.

Ask yourself... Do I feel lucky?

Part of me thinks England will win 2-0 today, but there's another part of me who believes that Harry Redknapp will be England manager before the summer is out.

Slovenia score an own goal.

... we can conclude that the pertinent phrase is "we don't know" ...

through all the stuff that has been rehearsed on this site over the last ten days or so, no dominant narrative has arisen that can convince people of a credible future pathway - consequently there are several pathways

dreadful and exit
dreadful and scrape through
decent but too late and exit
decent and scrape through
players wake up, score seven goals, discover higgs boson, cure cancer etc, win world cup, gerrard and david cameron skip together down the yellow brick road

through all the uncertainty, i'd bet on either of two outcomes

1. england are a last eight team so should scrape past the slovs, win a last 16 game against serbia or ghana, then get roundly gubbed by ar-hen-teena in the quarters ... since the WC went to 32 teams in 1986, england have qualified six times out of seven, always got out of the group, then been KOd by argentina ('86, '98), west germany ('90), brazil ('02) and portugal ('06) ... QED

2. alternatively, since the expectation is "can we win the world cup?"and the reality is generally "last eight", there will also come a point when engerlund screw up a world cup finals quite royally and exit from the group stage, so why not now?

PS: a side with four points, that won their final game against a "big team", a side that failed to qualify for the KO stages on goal difference even though a whole bunch of other sides will qualify with just four points, a side with the weight of national expectation on their shoulders that failed gloriously at the last ... south africa are now officially the new scotland

I have dual feelings about this. Half of me wants England to progress cos I love the build up, the analysis, watching the games with my kids. The other side of me wants an almighty defeat, with Fabio getting slated (and refusing to resign) and the players who are so adorable (SG, FL, JT, AC) getting the mother of all criticism.

Actually I think England will win 2-1 but play just about OK (like v USA) - Terry to score from a corner, then Glen Johnson, then a Slovenia reply and a tense finish. They will then beat Serbia on pens and lose to Uruguay (the eventual winners).

Regards,

Leo's brother Sooth.

Can’t see the current group leaders being beaten by a third placed team. Based on previous performances, England are lacking the spark, magic and cohesive pitch-shifting to come away with a convincing win

I'm predicting a draw or loss, but hoping for a win.

Perhaps this could act as an inspirational anthem.

England will win 1-0. Defoe to score. Come second in group to USA.

Wha?

...thankfully. I predicted 1-1 with the only small crumb of comfort being that I'm not French