England national side
England national side
So what's the verdict on here with the problems with England? My
own view is - aside from having a coach that should never have got
the job - there are a core of players there who have never
performed for England but still get selected without question.
I'm talking here of the likes of Gary Neville (and his brother
whenever he gets called up, which isn't that often anymore), Rio
Ferdinand, Paul Robinson, Jermaine Jenas (surely one of the worst
players to ever pull the shirt over his head, yeah, I know, Brian
Deane, Geoff Thomas, Nick Pickering, Andy "Forty-five minutes"
Gray, David White, Michael Ricketts etc etc, but Jenas is up there
with this lot IMHO), and Frank Lampard especially. I've seen
players this season that have surely been worth a look-at (Shorey
and Sidwell at Reading, Lescott at Everton, Agbonlahor at Villa,
Dawson at Spurs, Baines at Wigan, Bentley at Blackburn) but it
seems to me to be such a closed shop.
Also, sack McLaen and appoint Coppell - who'd jump at the
chance and has a couple of decades of managerial nous to call on,
unlike the greenhorn McClown - or Wenger, who'll be out of the
Emirates at the end of this contract next season.
Comments?
I think Lampard is over rated (good but not great), he always plays
no question for england when others have played better in middle,
he may score many goals but he does very little else. His passing
can be good but is often not and gives possession away cheaply, he
is a horrible timer of the tackle, also he comes in with hard fouls
that deserve cards when he gets fustrated.
Don't think Jenas is the worst player to pull on England top, plus he is still young. can't be that bad if he has 15 caps to his name.
Right back has always been a problem and there aren't many challenges for Gary's spot.
Young players you mentioned some have only really come good this year. Agbonlahor on started playing regularly this season, Dawson's had an average year. I like Bentley and Lescott though
Team ATM - Kind of 4-5-1 or 4-3-2-1 (AC Milan Christmas tree) but without Neville pushing up as much and Lennon and Rooney have Kaka''s free role.
Robinson - G Neville, R. Ferdinand, Terry, A. Cole, - Hargreaves, Gerrard, Carrick - Lennon, Rooney - Crouch.
SUBS: Carson, Carragher, Lescott, Bridge, Downing, Lampard, D. Bent
Don't think Jenas is the worst player to pull on England top, plus he is still young. can't be that bad if he has 15 caps to his name.
Right back has always been a problem and there aren't many challenges for Gary's spot.
Young players you mentioned some have only really come good this year. Agbonlahor on started playing regularly this season, Dawson's had an average year. I like Bentley and Lescott though
Team ATM - Kind of 4-5-1 or 4-3-2-1 (AC Milan Christmas tree) but without Neville pushing up as much and Lennon and Rooney have Kaka''s free role.
Robinson - G Neville, R. Ferdinand, Terry, A. Cole, - Hargreaves, Gerrard, Carrick - Lennon, Rooney - Crouch.
SUBS: Carson, Carragher, Lescott, Bridge, Downing, Lampard, D. Bent
Another player I like the look of is Fulham's right back Liam
Rosenior. There has got to be an alternative to Gary Neville, and
he could be worth a look.
Che Nev is the best right back in England by a stretch. I think
England should stick to what they know 4-4-2.
Robinson
G.Neville
Ferdinand
Terry
A. Cole
Lennon
Hargreaves
Gerard
J.Cole
Johnson
Rooney
Che Nev is the best right back in England by a stretch. I think
England should stick to what they know 4-4-2.
Robinson
G.Neville
Ferdinand
Terry
A. Cole
Lennon
Hargreaves
Gerard
J.Cole
Johnson
Rooney
Thats the kinda lineup i would like to see them play. But he
will put Fat Frank in for his quality deflections
.
.
Englands main problem is in mid-field with the balance
of gerrard and lampard as they both need the ball to be able to
pefrom at their best and who really wants to see Steven gerrard in
the midfield holding role???
if i was manager i would play a 4-4-1-1
if i was manager i would play a 4-4-1-1
robinson
carragher terry ferdinand woodgate
leenon gerrard hargraves j.cole
rooney
crouch
carragher terry ferdinand woodgate
leenon gerrard hargraves j.cole
rooney
crouch
SUBS:
carson
beckham
lampard
a.cole
carrick
campbell!?
johnson
what you reckon???
carson
beckham
lampard
a.cole
carrick
campbell!?
johnson
what you reckon???
Why so many picking Owen Hargreaves?
Total crap.
39 appearances for England and 0 goals.
I expect the goalkeeper to have a record like that,not a
midfield player.
Che Nev is the best right back in England by a stretch. I think
England should stick to what they know 4-4-2.
Robinson
G.Neville
Ferdinand
Terry
A. Cole
Lennon
Hargreaves
Gerard
J.Cole
Johnson
Rooney
Yeah, but a line-up similar to this has been to two big
tournaments now and only made the quarters. Time for
changes.
Robinson
Rosenior Terry
Lescott Shorey
Lennon
Gerrard Hargreaves J. Cole
Rooney Agbonlahor
SUBS; Foster, Crouch, Dawson, Taylor, Bentley
I think you need a player like Owen Hargreaves to carry the
water if you want to get the best out of Gerrard. I know he's not
scored for England, but he's not there for that, he's there to hold
shape, which he's very good at.
I also think that Joe Cole could quite easily switch to the
middle if you wanted a more attacking line-up with Matt Taylor
coming in at left half and Hargreaves dropping to the bench and
gerrard playing a bit deeper. Another alternative through the
middle could be Kevin Nolan (who will probably follow Fat Sam to
Newcastle).
Why so many picking Owen Hargreaves?
Total crap.
39 appearances for England and 0 goals.
I expect the goalkeeper to have a record like that,not a
midfield player.
He was a revelation in the World Cup last year - best English
performer by a mile. Picking on his goalscoring record is
like having a pop at Peter Beardsley for not scoring enough when he
was helping Lineker to all those goals - it's about the team, not
the individuals.
The problem with the English team, is the English game.
It's part and parcel of the game that everything is played hard and
fast - whenever clubs slow down, the fans get upset, which
apparently reflects back onto the team, leads to fear of failure,
and ultimately to a speeding up of the game in order to appease the
fans. From a league point of view, it makes ours the most
entertaining in the world, from a international point of view, it
doesn't help.
david james should play keeper, hes been doing well for portmounth
Yeah he's had a great season at Pompey, and a great career, but he
has been found out time and time again at international level. He's
a great Premiership keeper, he's just not quite capable of the next
step up. Shame really, but the game is and has been full
of players who have been great players at club level and then out
of sorts whenever representing their country. Think Clive Allen,
Ian Wright, Malcolm MacDonald for England, Alan Hansen and Eddie
Gray for Scotland etc etc.
Doesn't explain the exception to the rule that is David Healy
though, does it? Quite the opposite, internationally one of the
world's best strikers, but at club level...
Why so many picking Owen Hargreaves?
Total crap.
39 appearances for England and 0 goals.
I expect the goalkeeper to have a record like that,not a
midfield player.
The problem with the English team, is the English game.
It's part and parcel of the game that everything is played hard and
fast - whenever clubs slow down, the fans get upset, which
apparently reflects back onto the team, leads to fear of failure,
and ultimately to a speeding up of the game in order to appease the
fans. From a league point of view, it makes ours the most
entertaining in the world, from a international point of view, it
doesn't help.
Agree completely, well put. It's always struck me as weird
that England feel they have to slow down the player's natural game
when they hit the international stage, when maybe they should try
and maintain the high tempo methods the players are used to at club
level.
It's tended to have been the British players that have
relied on speed that have failed when they've gone to European
clubs too. The likes of Ian Rush, Michael Owen - even back to Jimmy
Greaves, who wasn't so quick over 50 metres but lightning over 5 -
have been failures abroad whereas the successful exports, John
Charles, Joe Jordan, Liam Brady, even Wilkins and Hoddle, have been
players who played the game at a slower pace.
I think both Rush and Owen could've done well abroad if they were
given a better chance. Well, Rush didn't want to be there even
though he scored about 10 goals in 30 games (which is a good
return). Owen played well when he was given a chance but wasn't
wanted by the then coach, he was kept out because Raul was
captain (that really was the only reason that season he was
incredibly poor, of course hes playing much better now). Then
Newcastle came in with a ridiculous bid and snapped him up (excuse
the pun).
I think both Rush and Owen could've done well abroad if they were
given a better chance. Well, Rush didn't want to be there even
though he scored about 10 goals in 30 games (which is a good
return). Owen played well when he was given a chance but wasn't
wanted by the then coach, he was kept out because Raul was
captain (that really was the only reason that season he was
incredibly poor, of course hes playing much better now). Then
Newcastle came in with a ridiculous bid and snapped him up (excuse
the pun).
I think neither was properly given a chance because in order
to accomodate their styles (i.e. use their pace) it would have
meant too many changes to the overall team pattern. Both were
bought (and Jimmy Greaves too) as a result of their reputations
rather than the coaches sitting down and thinking "how can we fit
them in?". This was certainly the case with Owen, who was
bought right smack in the middle of the Galacticos thingee.
The England national team is perhaps only second to Spain as the
biggest underachievers at Major international tournaments.
Oh yeah agree totally. 1 WC win and that was at home in a
tournament - if we're honest - that was planned and run to
give them the best possible chance of victory, even down to the
semi being relocated to Wembley. I guess that's the host nation's
prerogative.