Best England Side

16 replies · 1,448 views
about 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Best England Side
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about 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
impressive number crunching

interesting how close it is to some recent selections and not a bad side (not sure about Kitson)

i suppose it indicates the players that McLaren was picking out of habit/loyalty/stuborness

then again experience has to be factored in alongside form (players coming back from injury might take longer to reclaim a spot than in  'real life')




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about 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Kitson might be an option with a full, injury-free season under his belt. From what I've seen of Glen Johnson this season he can't be too far away from a recall. I'd have Crouch on the bench and Gabriel Agbonlahor starting upfront with Rooney. And Joe Cole? Can't leave England's best player of the last two years out. He'd be in for Ashley Young, with the Villa winger on the bench.
Two of the subs more than raised my eyebrows. Marcus Bent? Of Wigan? He's hardly Premiership class, let alone international material. If you meant Darren Bent of Spurs, well he's pretty much played (or not played) his way out of England reckoning this season. And David James? I'd have Carson as back-up, with young Joe Hart as number 3.
And finally, no mention of Michael Owen? Probably a good thing, as he really is The New Darren Anderton...
TheJam2008-01-23 08:03:09
Nix, Leyton Orient and Alloa Athletic supporting schmuck.

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about 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
tigers wrote:
impressive number crunching

interesting how close it is to some recent selections and not a bad side (not sure about Kitson)

i suppose it indicates the players that McLaren was picking out of habit/loyalty/stuborness

then again experience has to be factored in alongside form (players coming back from injury might take longer to reclaim a spot than in  'real life')


 
I've been saying for a while now that it is harder to get out of the England squad than to get in. McLaren and Sven before him picked players who always got picked, regardless of how they were playing. It seemed to depend a lot on which club you played for.
I'm thinking of Lampard, the two Nevilles, Jermaine Defoe, Wes Friggin' Brown, Paul Robinson etc. All of these players lost form or got injured (In Brown's case he never had any form to lose, AND was perennially injured) but were still there or thereabouts
Nix, Leyton Orient and Alloa Athletic supporting schmuck.

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about 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
You forgot Titus Bramble.

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about 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
maybe in about 2 years time, and wheres the spurs players
.

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about 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
DarthRich wrote:
maybe in about 2 years time, and wheres the spurs players


I was joking when I mentioned Bramble. Unfortunately I think you're serious.

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about 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Arsenal wrote:
DarthRich wrote:
maybe in about 2 years time, and wheres the spurs players


I was joking when I mentioned Bramble. Unfortunately I think you're serious.
 
na. i was talking about phils england team
.

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about 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
DarthRich wrote:
Arsenal wrote:
DarthRich wrote:
maybe in about 2 years time, and wheres the spurs players


I was joking when I mentioned Bramble. Unfortunately I think you're serious.
 
na. i was talking about phils england team
 
The absence of spurs players wasn't lost on me. .. .  But hey, the numbers gave the results. If I'd chosen the side based on emotion then I'd have put the entire eligible spurs squad in there!
phil_style2008-01-23 23:59:29
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about 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Jenas?

Three for me, and two for them.

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about 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
cant understand why theres no arse players there   
.

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about 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
DarthRich wrote:
cant understand why theres no arse players there   


You expect us to have players from a side that can't even qualify for Euro 2008?

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about 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Arsenal wrote:
DarthRich wrote:
cant understand why theres no arse players there   


You expect us to have players from a side that can't even qualify for Euro 2008?


no i think what he means is where are the english players in arsenal to be picked
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about 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
also my thoughts would be, is aaron lennon around? hes got to be close for selection?
also as much as i hate Chelsea scum, Joe cole is a pretty good player to not pick
and once VDS retires watch out for Foster
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about 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
muso wrote:
Arsenal wrote:
DarthRich wrote:
cant understand why theres no arse players there   


You expect us to have players from a side that can't even qualify for Euro 2008?


no i think what he means is where are the english players in arsenal to be picked


Thanks genius. My point is Arsenal only want quality players, of which there are next to none of English origin.

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about 18 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Arsenal wrote:
muso wrote:
Arsenal wrote:
DarthRich wrote:
cant understand why theres no arse players there   


You expect us to have players from a side that can't even qualify for Euro 2008?


no i think what he means is where are the english players in arsenal to be picked


Thanks genius. My point is Arsenal only want quality players, of which there are next to none of English origin.
 
yeah, i find that really hard to argue with, but i also wonder if wenger struggles to understand english players or vice versa
.

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