England

[Shak]

A no brainer to drop England's best player for the past year?

 

Lampard is the one that needs dropped from England's midfield, everyone can see it except McLaren.

 

Eriksson couldn't see it either. 

 

I'd agree that Lampard should be dropped in favour of Gerrard in the middle, my point was merely that Carrick starting ahead of Hargreaves seemed a logical choice to me, given that Lampard was never likely to be dropped.

 

Hargreaves has been very good no doubt, but he excels in the tougher games where England need a scrapper in the middle of the field. Kind of like Parker at Newcastle.

 

I definitely agree that Lampard is the bigger issue though, surely McClaren has to at least try puting Gerrard in the middle alongside Hargreaves/Carrick.

[Dave]

Lampard is a fantastic player in the system Chelsea play.

 

Is he really, though?

 

More often than not he'll be invisible for a game then pop up with a really jammy, deflected shot that will go in.  You never see Lampard control the midfield and play a blinding game.

 

 

 

Alright then, he's a fantastic player for the Chelsea system.

[Nate]

A no brainer to drop England's best player for the past year?

 

Lampard is the one that needs dropped from England's midfield, everyone can see it except McLaren.

 

Hargreaves was rather surplus to requirements, with Israel posing no attacking threat whatsoever. I would have probaly dropped Lampard and played them both.

 

In the long term, i'd like to see England adopt a 4-3-3 formation:

 

Foster

G.Neville Woodgate Terry A.Cole

Hargreaves

Gerrard J.Cole

Lennon Owen Rooney

 

Not much width in midfield, but Neville & Cole aren't exactly shy in getting forward.

[Guest Geordiecunny]

Mourinho- gotta be

[OzzieMandias]

Rat negotiates departure from sinking ship:

 

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2043703,00.html

[Guest Rafa]

s**** performance against a joke of a team. Carragher at left back is embarassing and lampard in the team is disgraceful. Thought Gerrard, lennon and Terry were the only players who performed somewhat reasonably tbh. Another thing, i know Hargreaves is a very talented player but the amount of times he gave the ball away yesterday was a joke.

 

 

Carragher embarrassing? He was one of only a couple players who actually played alright and could walk away from the game without being ashamed. 

 

 

I'm sure if Ingerlund had stuck an overrated Spurs central defender at full back, then we would have had reason to complain

[Dave]

I'm not one to stick up for kingdawson, but i'm sure he's referring to the fact we played an out and out centre-half there instead of a proper left-back?

[Guest Rafa]

I'm not one to stick up for kingdawson, but i'm sure he's referring to the fact we played an out and out centre-half there instead of a proper left-back?

 

doesn't make much sense though, being as a player playing out of position was actually one of the few assured players out there! There was nothing wrong with playing him there, that was actually one of the few decisions Second Choice Steve got right. What is embarrassing is players who are meant to be the cream of the crop, like Gerrard, Rooney and Lampard, not doing it at international level time after time after time.

 

 

[Northern Monkey]

Downing coming on in the 85th minute with Dyer sat on the bench = N'Zogbia coming on in the 85th minute with Milner sat on the bench...

 

Downing on the left is a better bet than Dyer, in fairness. But he needed more time, clearly.

[Guest kingdawson]

I'm not one to stick up for kingdawson, but i'm sure he's referring to the fact we played an out and out centre-half there instead of a proper left-back?

 

Thanks for clearing that up,. Didnt think anyone was dim enough not to understand what i was trying to say .

 

 

[Guest kingdawson]

I'm not one to stick up for kingdawson, but i'm sure he's referring to the fact we played an out and out centre-half there instead of a proper left-back?

 

doesn't make much sense though, being as a player playing out of position was actually one of the few assured players out there! There was nothing wrong with playing him there, that was actually one of the few decisions Second Choice Steve got right. What is embarrassing is players who are meant to be the cream of the crop, like Gerrard, Rooney and Lampard, not doing it at international level time after time after time.

 

 

 

 

 

You must have been watching a totally different game. Carragher was poor tbh and was out performed by p.neville.

[Wullie]

Downing coming on in the 85th minute with Dyer sat on the bench = N'Zogbia coming on in the 85th minute with Milner sat on the bench...

 

Downing on the left is a better bet than Dyer, in fairness. But he needed more time, clearly.

 

Sorry, was referring to the situation in Alkmaar with Roeder. Downing and Dyer are both players who can make you a goal, but they got a total of 5 minutes between them.

[Guest king harry]

I'm not one to stick up for kingdawson, but i'm sure he's referring to the fact we played an out and out centre-half there instead of a proper left-back?

 

doesn't make much sense though, being as a player playing out of position was actually one of the few assured players out there! There was nothing wrong with playing him there, that was actually one of the few decisions Second Choice Steve got right. What is embarrassing is players who are meant to be the cream of the crop, like Gerrard, Rooney and Lampard, not doing it at international level time after time after time.

 

 

 

 

 

You must have been watching a totally different game. Carragher was poor tbh and was out performed by p.neville.

 

Thought he had a decent game, got forward well, and came closer to scorong than any other English player.

[Guest duffyg]

p.neville was apalling.Got skinned by tamuza(sp) 4 or 5 times.

[Guest Alan Shearer 9]

-----------------Ameobi---------Owen

------------------------Rooney

 

Joe Cole----------------------------------Gerrard

---------------------Hargreaves

 

Bridge-------Ferdinand--Woodgate------G.Neville

------------------------James

 

We need to start playing something like that, except replace Shola with another striker. Can't have players like Johnson who aren't international class playing

[Keefaz]

I would love to see England play Ameobi just once for a chuckle. What harm can it do? No other bugger can score.

[Guest eyeball_tickler]

I would love to see England play Ameobi just once for a chuckle. What harm can it do? No other bugger can score.

 

he almost did get called up for the game at SJP a few years back. luckily, he got injured a few days before the match.

[Northern Monkey]

-----------------Ameobi---------Owen

------------------------Rooney

 

Joe Cole----------------------------------Gerrard

---------------------Hargreaves

 

Bridge-------Ferdinand--Woodgate------G.Neville

------------------------James

 

We need to start playing something like that, except replace Shola with another striker. Can't have players like Johnson who aren't international class playing

 

Yet you have David James in. Odd.

[Dave]

On the radio this morning about dropping Hargreaves and playing Gerrard and Lampard together in the centre. Are these managers fucking blind or what?

 

Also, Terry Butcher predicted us to win "seven or eight-nil". Fuck off man.

[Offshore]

On the radio this morning about dropping Hargreaves and playing Gerrard and Lampard together in the centre. Are these managers f****** blind or what?

 

Also, Terry Butcher predicted us to win "seven or eight-nil". f*** off man.

 

Unfortunately we probably will, with Lampard and Gerard both playing and scoring a couple each and this will vindicate (for the papers and pundits - Hanson) why they should both play in the same side.

[Guest brewer]

According to SkySports it could be Hargreaves or Lampard

[Nate]

Shearer backs Rooney to find form.

 

Alan Shearer feels England's Euro 2008 qualifier against Andorra is the perfect game for Wayne Rooney to rediscover his goalscoring form.

 

The Manchester United striker, 21, has not scored a competitive goal at international level since Euro 2004.

 

Former England striker Shearer told BBC Sport: "It is not happening for Wayne for England at the moment.

 

"But Andorra is an ideal opportunity for him to get among the goals. He just needs one and the rest will follow."

 

Rooney drew a blank in Saturday's 0-0 draw against Israel and has now gone 15 competitive games without scoring for his country.

 

But Shearer, who went through his own goal famine for England when he failed to score in 12 friendlies in the build-up to Euro 96, believes he will come good.

 

"Wayne is not playing well and the England manager Steve McClaren is not getting the best out of him at the moment," he added.

 

"We are not seeing the same performances for England as we are for Manchester United but I still wouldn't doubt his quality.

 

"He will be as frustrated as anyone that he is not playing well but I think quality comes through in the end.

 

"I know better than most what it is like to go through that at international level. You don't doubt yourself and I am sure he will have confidence in his ability but it is just a frustrating time.

 

"And it is not just a question of England only playing well if Wayne plays well. There is more to it than that.

 

"There are a few players who are not showing the form for their country that they have been for their club."

 

It is not only Rooney who is struggling in front of goal for England. McClaren's men have found the net just once in their last five games.

 

Everton's Andy Johnson partnered Rooney in Tel Aviv but Shearer believes he or Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe are suitable foils up front.

 

"Andy worked very hard on Saturday and he worked the channels well," Shearer added.

 

"I am sure he will have been disappointed not to score with the one chance he had - sometimes you only get one chance - and I hope he gets another opportunity on Wednesday because I am sure he will have more chances then than he did in Israel.

 

"Like Andy, Jermain has got his own qualities and both of them can score goals but neither of them have done it on a regular basis at international level.

 

"Whoever starts on Wednesday, it will be a chance for one of them to get a goal or two.

 

"The whole team will be looking to improve their scoring record but you cannot go there and say we need to get at least five or six goals. We are looking for a decent performance and some goals and then we will see what happens."

 

England are third in Group E behind Croatia and Russia after a stuttering start to their qualification campaign but Shearer believes they can still book their place in the finals in Switzerland and Austria.

 

"The run-in to this group will decide who qualifies," he explained.

 

"Having four of our last five games at home will hopefully turn things round for us.

 

"Wembley is going to be exciting for our players going there but it is going to be exciting for the other teams too. I hope it works for us rather than against us.

 

"But I still think we will make it. I am confident that we will qualify."

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/6500745.stm

[Dave]

Shearer said that before the last game. Rooney was dogshit.

[Nate]

...and Lampard is out with a fractured wrist.

[TêteDeMaure]

Hard to imagine the european championships without Italy,Spain or England.