Posted by Martin Sanders on 25th June 2010

Forget pens! James insists England are out to beat Germany in 90 minutes

It's in my hands: David James is counting down to the clash with Germany

England stopper David James says that England will go out to beat Germany in 90 minutes as will do all they can to avoide a shootout.

England and Germany go head-to-head in the 1st knockout stages of the World Cup this Sunday in Bloemfontein and many England fans fearing another shootout.

The last shootout was in 1996 at the Euros in England, and the last World Cup meeting in 1990, England lost them both and are hoping this weekends game does not go that far.

David James has today been taking the players press confrence at the England HQ in South Africa and had this to say:

‘The intention for us is to win the game in 90 minutes,’ he said. ‘If it requires extra time and then if it goes to penalties, there’s an opportunity for Germany to miss so we’re ready.

‘Germany are a decent outfit but we’ve got the confidence of having gone to Berlin a couple of years ago and beaten them 2-1.’

‘We’ve had videos on the three sides we’ve played already,’ he said. ‘I was hoping Slovenia might have had a penalty in the last minute and I’d get a chance to save it.’

6 years ago at the European Championships Jamo was between the sticks during the Portugal - England game when the quarter-final ended in a shoot-out but James says he intends to be better prepared this time around.

‘The key issue we have is the homework,’ he stressed. ‘In Euro 2004, when we played Portugal, we didn’t have the access to the information that perhaps we should have done with regards to likely takers.

‘Realistically in a shoot-out you’re going to face at least five outfield players and we’ll do our homework on as many as possible. That will be done, but we’re not going into the match with the intention of winning on penalties.’

‘I’m delighted for England as a nation that we’ve got a chance to play Germany,’ he said. ‘It gives everyone at home the opportunity to enjoy a great football match and what will hopefully be a good win against Germany.

‘If you look at the potential road to the final, the idea of beating Germany is romantic – and it’s an achievable goal,’ he said. ‘And it will bring on another match which will have its own historical significance.’

‘It’s another football match,’ he said. ‘Obviously there’ll be a lot of external references and whatever else, historical references. But for us it’s a game against a decent outfit – one we have to win to progress.

‘Our preparation is for a squad of 23 players and whatever they’ve got to offer in strengths and weaknesses.

‘We can’t do anything about what happened (in the group stage). ‘We look back at the America game and the performance of Tim Howard which prevented a win.

‘Algeria are very difficult to score against, and then we did what we needed to against Slovenia on Wednesday.’

James got handed the number one jersey but never started in first game v the USA as Rob Green got the nod over James, we all know what went on to happen. ‘When the squad was announced and the numbers issued it was more of numerical thing than a suggestion of the first XI,’ said the oldest player at the finals.

‘True to Mr Capello’s previous selection process, he must have gauged something in training and felt Robert was the right goalkeeper to start with. I’m happy with that.

‘I’m part of a squad. This World Cup isn’t about David James – it’s about England being successful. I trained as well as I could, got the chance to go back in and I’m happy.’

Sources:

Daily Mail online

BBC Sport

Skysports.com

The Sun online