KaKa

Only because we were already in a mess and chasing the game though. What on earth are you on about? We're playing 4-3-3 now and it's shocking.

I don't know about you guys but we absolutely have to play a 4-3-3 for me. I hate the way we look so vulnerable defensively when we have played this way (4-4-2). It's going to be especially hard for us to play well away from home in a 4-4-2.

Butt should have gone off for Faye ... Butt is disturbingly bad.

4-3-3 baby! It's what Sam knows. We'll definitely win this now.

Nicky Butt is killing us right now ... adversely affecting the whole team.

Have never thought enough of them to write them off early, mate. I'd written them off before the start. Their deluded supporters believe they have the best 4 strikers in the country, they believe it's not a matter of getting into the top 4, it's that they're dead certs to finish higher than 4th. They're better than Arsenal and Liverpool, according to some of their supporters I heard on national radio just before the start of the season. I wonder if reality is setting in yet..... Apparently not HTL

I've written no one off, but I am going to enjoy this to the utmost because I can't stand their arrogance, and the whole top four talk over the summer absolutely did my head in. Didn't show enough respect to other teams around them who were obviously improving. They should have downplayed all that talk, but instead lapped it up. Bad move. I must say too, it is going to be very hard to bounce back from this as their players have absolutely no character and it's going to be difficult for them to put together the consistant string of wins necessary, to get back into challenging for Europe.

By the way how funny is it that Darren Bent has actually come in and ruined their attack by spoiling the chemistry and balance. All the strikers are all obviously uneasy now and totally unsure of themselves. £16 million ... how many goals have their strikers scored in total anyway? Absolute disaster. Awesome!

Can someone change the thread title please! Arsenal doing the bumming now Top four my arse. Better than Arsenal my arse. I knew it all along. Still a bunch of weak, yellow bellied cowards with no mental strength or character and I love it!

and keiran richardson at left wing, as he played so well against the USA and columbia. point being, two games against s*** opposition hasn't solved england's problems or formed a settled team. Bingo . Woopdeedoo England played well against the likes of Israel and Russia (at home may i add), dosent mean much tbh. Heskey played well again but do you really trust him to perform like this against the bigger nations? i certainly dont. One thing i would be delighted about though is not having to see fat boy Frank on the pitch on a regular basis. Silly post. It does mean a lot actually, considering a team with all the "better players" looked awful against the likes of Andorra and Macedonia!!! Conveniently forgotten that have you? Oh yeah, and by the way I hope now you appreciate that Barry is a 100 times better than Jenas, who will be getting nowhere near the England squad again the damned fraud. Last time you were on here you were claiming Barry was strictly a left back or some rubbish.

Dean Ashton would be awesome alongside Owen. He's got a bit of Heskey in him, as well as a bit of Viduka. Owen and Ashton would work wonderfully well I would imagine. Would probably be available for the right proce too.

Aye, because he struggles in the Premier League, like. at international level. can't see anything in barry that makes me think he can play for England. england have enough players with average technique and don't need any more of the scott parker, lee bowyer, gareth barry brigade. Carrick's in a different league to him, i'm afraid, and he is run of the mill at international level. Frankly, you're talking bollocks. Germany alone have proved that you don't need to have 11 Maradona's on the pitch to progress in World Cups and Euros. Even the german midfielders have movement, control and short passing that puts our lads to shame. i think barry is your typical english midfielder who only looks good playing at a helter skelter pace. so a good player for an O'Neill team. you've got to assess players on the international stage by a different set of criteria and i don't think barry has an ounce of what you need. english fans are always mystified at how players who are average in the premiership can look so good at international level, but it is a different style of game. just cos a player looks good/bad in the domestic league doesn't mean it will translate onto a different stage. fair enough, looks like i was wrong about Barry. not convinced he'll do long-term tho, israel and russia arenn't exactly stellar opposition, and likewise, i wouldn't want Heskey in the team based on the last two games. at the moment i think hargreaves and carrick are better but barry should certainly be in the squad. Carrick has done absolutely nothing in the international stage when given a chance and has been rather average for Man U too. No way Carrick is better than Barry has been.

Yep, agree. Based on form, Barry (along with Owen and Heskey) should be the first names on the teamsheet. Hargreaves has been excellent the last couple of years to be fair, but I guess it has to be either Barry or Hargreaves as both play the holding role.

Good shout. Once you accept the fact he isn't really a goalscorer you begin to appreciate all the other things he does. If he is surrounded by other players who can score goals, he creates opportunities for them with his flick ons and his ability to hold the ball up and lay it on to others.

To think Jenas was being picked ahead of Barry all these years ... Not only has Barry displaced Jenas he's also displaced Carrick!

Dude chill out ... how am I having a dig? It was funny that's all! Sheesh! I was just thinking if Sam was ever having any ideas that Owen could possibly play right side of a front three, then that dribble attempt would have put an end to those plans.

Owen's dribbling

Heskey and Viduka swap in January? :parky:

Always liked Barry. Always thought he had the all around skills to be a great midfielder. Finally O'Neil starts playing him there and he is proving himself as a quality central midfielder. Excellent player. He is the reason the ball is being played to feet the majority of the time. Just watch jis passes, always forward passes along the ground.

The end of Steven Carr. Also, should be useful when Beye leaves for the African nations cup in January.

When I look at Taylor's future I see at the most a Mathew Upson type talent, rather than a John Terry.

The man is class. Two assists today. I'm really happy he is finally being played in central midfield as he can really showcase all of his abilities from this position. The single most underated England player. When you think Jenas has been picked ahead of him for the last few years you really have to wonder what is going on.

Goodness ... considering Owen is considered to be one of the best finishers in the world, his lack of a left foot is startling to say the least. Should have hit it with his left foot after making a bit of space for himself, instead he tries to play Cole in when he has the whole goal staring at him.

Even more interesting that his dad mentioned Gerrard and Carragher now isn't it, with Liverpool supposedly on the prowl. Didn't someone start a thread about this supposed interest from Liverpool in the summer.

Rafa alerted to Taylor new contract rejection By Scott Wilson LIVERPOOL boss Rafael Benitez has been placed on red alert after Newcastle centre-half Steven Taylor turned down the offer of a new five-year contract at St James' Park. Taylor, who is the most successful player to have emerged from Newcastle's Academy in the best part of a decade, was in Montenegro last night captaining England Under-21s. But, in his absence, his father and representative, Alf, confirmed the defender had rejected an offer that was described as "disappointing". The news has been greeted with interest at Anfield, where Benitez has long coveted arguably the most promising young centre-half in the English game. And while the Liverpool manager opted not to make a formal offer for Taylor's services during the summer transfer window, sources on Merseyside suggest he will attempt to sign the North-Easterner if the current impasse is not resolved by January 1. With Sami Hyypia approaching retirement, Benitez is understood to regard Taylor as an ideal back-up to his preferred defensive partnership of Jamie Carragher and Daniel Agger. Taylor's current Magpies contract runs to 2009 but, after making 44 senior starts last season, the 21-year-old is looking to secure an improved deal. James Milner and Charles N'Zogbia have both re-negotiated pre-existing deals recently, and Taylor had been hoping to follow suit. But while he insists he has no intention of leaving Newcastle, he is clearly frustrated at the club's unwillingness to meet his demands. "I only hope they are not trying to force Steven out," said his father, Alf. "He loves Newcastle United and it is the only club he wants to play for, but he is most disappointed at what they are offering." Taylor is currently one of the lowest-paid first-team players on Newcastle's books. While summer signing Abdoulaye Faye is understood to be earning around £30,000-a-week after completing a summer move from Bolton, Taylor is believed to be commanding less than a third of that figure despite earning a call-up to Steve McClaren's senior England squad last month. "Fans seeing the likes of Albert Luque and Jean-Alain Boumsong coming into the club with massive wages must think Steven is on big bucks, but that is not the case," added Taylor senior. "He is not playing for Newcastle for the money, but because he loves football and the club. "But having said that, it is a short career and the financial aspect is still important. "Fortunately, while he is disappointed, Steven has never - nor ever will - let it affect his performance on the field. "He is a local lad who only wants to play for his local team. "But perhaps that is why his contract offer is not in the same category as those players who are coming in from all over the place. "Yet I do not see this being a problem at Liverpool with Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher." Taylor was not the only Newcastle player on Under-21 duty last night, as Charles N'Zogbia was making his bow for France's junior side against Wales in Grenoble. The versatile left-footer has been rewarded with a lucrative deal after his impressive start to the new season and, while France are hardly short of talent on the international stage, he is already eyeing a promotion to Raymond Domenech's senior squad.