KaKa

We look absolutely class!

Honestly, if we manage to play bad football with that setup, then Pardew is infinitely worse than we thought.

I think we'll play really attractive stuff today. Hopefully the result is good as well.

Absolutely delighted!

Pardew is exempt of criticism today, no matter what happens.

Unless of course Sissoko is on the wing!

Sholas used up his goals on international duty.

If Pardew picks the right players and the right formation, he won't even have to coach them.

Just sit back and watch the inevitable poetry in motion.

Even if we did then lose, it would be such a beautiful performance and exciting game, that no one would even make a fuss.

We'd all be looking forward to the lineup staying together and continuing to build on the progress.

And then next game Pardew would promptly insert Taylor, Tiote and Jonas back in for more defensive 'stability', and ruin everything like he always does.

Nope. Remy in for Shola, Cabaye for Marveaux and that's it. No brainers surely?

 

This what it will be, I reckon. What formation it'll be, is anyone's guess.

 

Any of the resident French experts familiar with Remy's defensive capabilities? Is he more Marveaux than Gouffran, or the other way round?

 

From what I saw at QPR he'll track back if told but not much and he's certainly not much cop at it.

 

Hmm. Probably 4-4-2 with Sissoko shoehorned onto the wing then.

This.

Sissoko right and Ben Arfa left.

Remy and Cisse up top.

Cabaye alongside Tiote, who will be straight back in, disgustingly enough.

Love the way this guy has just vanished into thin air. Shameless.

Kemen 10M

Probably turned out Joe had one too many zeroes on the cheque.

Might be one of those where they make the star players look amazing, and the less heralded players are straight off some hideous template.

Officially a parody of himself. Laughable.

Its a strange one with Cisse, play him wider rather than central and he suffers, play him central or as part of a front two and he seems to suffer.

I am convinced central in a front three is the only way he will be anywhere near decent, he needs the other two players to occupy the defenders. He used to have much better movement and timing than he is showing now.

 

Debu----MYM-------Colo-------Sant

 

---Cabs------Moussa-------Anita

 

----Benny----Cisse-----Remy

This team is so obvious it all but guarantees that Pardew will never play it.

Cacapa and Rozenhal 

Unbelievable that this was our centre back pairing under Allardyce of all people.

I mean, you really couldn't get a softer pairing.

So it has been done before? Did it not work then?

 

The midfield needs Carrick to dictate play from deep, as Gerrard isn't quite doing a good enough job of it tbh.

 

One out of Gerrard, Wilshere and Lampard has to sit.

 

Think Wilshere can afford to be brought along a bit slower tbh, before they ruin him too.

 

Who've 'they' ruined?

I was talking about the combination of bad managers and the media.

Constantly build up England's talented players, by giving them way too much responsibility and praise too early, before tearing them down.

There was a story they turned down pep for Roy as they wanted an English manager. Mental.

Yeah, I saw that. It was in the weekend's Independent.

Apparently intermediaries got in touch saying Pep was interested, as he felt he could improve England's play.

They never followed it up or even acknowledge the approach. Dude got blanked! 

For Hodgson ...

So it has been done before? Did it not work then?

The midfield needs Carrick to dictate play from deep, as Gerrard isn't quite doing a good enough job of it tbh.

One out of Gerrard, Wilshere and Lampard has to sit.

Think Wilshere can afford to be brought along a bit slower tbh, before they ruin him too.

No way 

Incredibly bad.

Utaka had his way with him also if I remember correctly. It was astonishing.

Have England ever tried a midfield three of Carrick, Lampard and Gerrard?

With Gerrard and Lamparad given the freedom to get forward and do what they essentially do best?

Then just letting Carrick distribute from the back as he does it better than any other English player at the moment.

Bramble was s***, but for me he is still behind Boumsong, Ramage, Cacapa and maybe Huntington. Probably on par with Williamson.

Cacapa 

Man, who was that dude. So frail and weak.

That debut (?) where he got manhandled by some tonk Portsmouth striker at home.

Hideous.

Couldn't even manage any goals in this either?! Awful.

I'm aware that far worse footballers will be in it, but the thought of Shola Ameobi playing in a World Cup

Not even remotely funny. Really down about this whole thing.

The guy is running football for me at the moment.

So if we are just looking at club careers for one moment.

Are the Lampard supporters then saying Lampard is a better midfielder than Scholes? Due to him having more goals and assists?

Goals from midfield are an invaluable commodity, and Lampard's ability to provide these is quite astonishing.

However, a midfielder that can keep possession, dictate a game, and orchestrate attacking move after attacking move is absolute gold dust.

For me personally, if I had to pick either to build a team around I would go with Pirlo.

I do appreciate Lampard's brilliance though, but I can't help but feel he is ultimately more reliant on the kind of players around him, as well as the setup he is placed in.

Could this Shola Ameobi story get any worse.

Now he's ruining the Super Eagles experience for me!

This is despicable.

Scotty where you born in 1966?

 

The England strikers I grew up with are Lineker, Shearer, Sheringham, Owen & Rooney.

 

I don't see the parallels with Carroll and Lambert if there's none with Sturridge and co. apart from one thing...

 

I'd just like to see us with a different form of striker for a while.Doesn't mean we have to play 4-4-2 or long ball.

 

We've never had a Carroll type CF. Shearer is similar is some respects (ability in the air,strength),Heskey was....well Heskey. Crouch just fouls everyone,can't think of any others although i'm probably missing someone obvious.

 

Maybe I've caught the Lambert train too early but him and Carroll up front would be better (imo) than Sturridge and Welbeck.

 

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