Former Australia opener Justin Langer has called the negative press surrounding the current side 'staggering' and believes England could be in line for more Ashes heartache if they take the hosts lightly.
Langer, who played 105 Tests for the Baggy Greens, had his fair share of Ashes success in his playing days and retired after helping secure the famous 5-0 whitewash in 2006/07.
He is currently Australia's batting coach and believes the current crop, who have been on poor form as a side in recent months, are not to be underestimated.
"I remember this time four years ago the Australian team was getting written off, we were getting called Dad's Army and had no chance of beating this brilliant England side - and we know the result of last time."
"There is plenty of talk going on but at the end of the day when Simon Katich and Shane Watson, or Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss, walk out to bat all this talk counts for absolutely nothing. It will be who has got the steeliest mind and the best technique and the biggest stomach for the contest."
"If you look at the records of the players who are going to play the Test match in five days' time they're pretty good, probably better than the England batsmen in Test cricket and first-class cricket," said Langer.
"As you know the old saying goes - form is temporary and class is permanent."
"I wouldn't be writing off those guys, they've played a lot of cricket. You go down the list - Simon Katich, Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey and Marcus North have played an enormous amount of first-class cricket and a lot of Test cricket and their records are impeccable."
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