You could try some handicap bets for the matches against Paraguay and Trindad & Tobago while a second round elimination bet could also be a wise, if not painful, investment. On paper they have perhaps the best squad they have ever had at the manager's disposal but for all the individual talent, the players often fail to gel effectively as a team.

England to be eliminated in the second round @ 12/5. However, should they come up against Germany in the second round that may be the end of their World Cup adventure. The side could do with his genius play and sheer brute force and give the faithful supporters something to cheer about in what could now be a short stint in the Finals. While this could be the best squad of players England have ever had they cannot be trusted with your betting money.

England will breeze through the group stage with comfortable victories over Paraguay and Trinidad & Tobago before an inevitable draw against Sweden in the final game. The favourite stage of elimination odds-wise is the second round at 12/5, with quarter final elimination at 4/1 and the semi-finals at 9/2. Why should this World Cup be any different? It's not 1966 any more, after all. They always go a goal ahead but then lose their bottle and put everybody behind the ball for the remainder of the game in hope of clinging on to what they have got. They may be able to qualify with ease through mediocre qualifying groups in which they are almost always top seeds, but the plain fact is they cannot perform on the big stage.

England have been dealt a further blow with the news that Wayne Rooney may also miss the finals. Sometimes it works, such as against coffee paper cup Argentina in the last World Cup, but more often it doesn't, namely the defeat to Brazil in the next round and later France and Portugal in Euro 2004.

This is because England under Sven Goran Eriksson are just far too predictable.

When it matters the most, England follow the same pattern time and time again.

England are the best in the world at flattering to deceive, well, apart from Spain. Arguably two of the best central midfielders in the world in Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard don't appear to be able to play together while there is also the timeless problem of the absence of a natural left-sided player to deal with.

Recommended Bet:
Don't believe what you read in the papers and get swept up in patriotic bets.

For all the media playing up England's chances, the bookmakers are far more conservative.
Group B Disposable paper cup

We've seen it all before and do the tabloids genuinely believe this is England's best chance of success"? What, again? Another year, another major tournament England are expected to win, yet they always bow out with a whimper