The England Squad

MisterAnarchy

p_larkin99 wrote:

Beckham, despite what he has achieved, is still such an underrated player
and Joe cole must be a very tricky player for any defender to play against, his goal against Utd for chelsea was absolute class!

Defnce is rock solid, cant think of many better defences than this one...don't agree with you on the keepers Robinson is class and it's unlikely he will need to be replaced!

Beckham has been very poor for Real Madrid the last few months.
He is a valuable player when playing out wide but will he play there for England ?

Joe Cole's goal against Man Utd highlighted what a poor defender Ferdinand is.
The guy ran past Cole.
It was a nice turn but no more.
His goal was the result of shockingly poor defending rather that great skill.

The English team is lop sided and lacks balance.

Paul Tergat

Royale with Cheese wrote:

I suppose so. Afterwards Wenger was complaining about Chelsea wrecking the transfer market, I think it was mainly because of that deal. But everyone I talk about football with thought the same thing as me, that what has happened would happen. Could he have just said he had no interest in going to Chelsea before the bidding war started? I'm guessing Liverpool and United would have been interested in his signature as well. What Chelsea paid for him was stupid money that nobody else was going to pay.

Totally agree, just about everyone was sayin well will he be in the first team? it was never going to be guaranteed but from his point of view he was getting more money, he is a London boy after all and he had the chance of instant success. Just think if he had been given a run in the team and played brilliantly, then he would have definitely been in the squad!

MrJoeSoap

Royale with Cheese wrote:

I suppose so. Afterwards Wenger was complaining about Chelsea wrecking the transfer market, I think it was mainly because of that deal. But everyone I talk about football with thought the same thing as me, that what has happened would happen. Could he have just said he had no interest in going to Chelsea before the bidding war started? I'm guessing Liverpool and United would have been interested in his signature as well. What Chelsea paid for him was stupid money that nobody else was going to pay.

Ah Wenger and his rose-tinted glasses. Chelsea can outbid us so they have ruined the transfer market.

I don't see him moaning about spending £12m on a 16 year old.

p.pete

Keeper - Strong first choice, will go pear-shaped if anyone else is needed

Defence - Should be strong

Midfield - Potential to be excellent, potential to be a mismatch of skills. Sven's hardly gotten it right yet so I don't expect him to for the world cup

Forwards - Laughable

Standbys - One or two should be in the squad proper

PHB

I absolutely can't ****ing believe it, this is an absolute ****ing joke, the guy is a bloody idiot for picking Walcott.
He can't break into the Arsenal squad up front, despite them playing a bunch of teenagers.

Darren Bent has scored 18 premiership goals this season, and he isn't picked.

Sven should be ashamed of himself, absolute pandering to the media or to other managers, the guy deserves never to manage again after this selection, just absolute crap.

Don't compare this to Johnson, he is playing championship football and has had a poor season. Bent has been top class in the premiership for the entire season, he should be there ahead of some next wonder kid crap.

I think this is without a doubt a clear indication that Sven is going 4-3-3.
4 strikers is not enough for a world cup squad, especially when one is injured and one is a player who hasn't played a premiership game yet. Crouch in there suggests he wants another option.
Owen is going to play the lone front man.

It means that England will probably do much better now, and I expect them to be firm favorites, but it is completely and utterly inspite of this ****e ****e manager. Can't stand him, mistake after mistake after mistake.

jobonar

p.pete wrote:

Keeper - Strong first choice, will go pear-shaped if anyone else is needed

Defence - Should be strong

Midfield - Potential to be excellent, potential to be a mismatch of skills. Sven's hardly gotten it right yet so I don't expect him to for the world cup

Forwards - Laughable

Standbys - One or two should be in the squad proper

spot on!

mchurl

Still cant believe Bent isnt in the squad. He was the top English scorer in the premiership was he not? But maybe Sven knows something we all dont?

Paul Tergat

MisterAnarchy wrote:

Beckham has been very poor for Real Madrid the last few months.
He is a valuable player when playing out wide but will he play there for England ?

Joe Cole's goal against Man Utd highlighted what a poor defender Ferdinand is.
The guy ran past Cole.
It was a nice turn but no more.
His goal was the result of shockingly poor defending rather that great skill.

The English team is lop sided and lacks balance.

In a Real team that hasn't been on fire he has been one of their best!

he will definitely play wide on the right for England, but coming off the wing now and again wanting the ball i guess.

Rio and JT complement each other perfectly, Terry is the solid centre back with Rio being the ball player in the back line...can't find faults in our defence!

You don't rate Joe Cole then? You don't think he can potentially turn a game with one moment of genius (the type of thing than can win a tight world cup game!)

I partially agree with the balance thing but thats why i like the fact wehave 2 real wingers in the squad....downing and lennon, if played, will hug the touch line and go at the full back before putting quality in the box, we have options if plan A isn't workin in midfield...again it's just the forwards that's a concern.

Roddy23

Walcott hasn't had any injury other than perhaps a little knock here and there.

He had an injury to his shoulder, and this was the reason why he hasn't played for Arsenal yet. In all fairness if he does go, and it does work out, Eriksson will be hailed as some sort of miracle man. Hopefully it wont come to that.

MisterAnarchy

p.pete wrote:

Keeper - Strong first choice, will go pear-shaped if anyone else is needed

Defence - Should be strong

Midfield - Potential to be excellent, potential to be a mismatch of skills. Sven's hardly gotten it right yet so I don't expect him to for the world cup

Forwards - Laughable

Standbys - One or two should be in the squad proper

Very well summed up.

Paul Tergat

PHB wrote:

I think this is without a doubt a clear indication that Sven is going 4-3-3.
4 strikers is not enough for a world cup squad, especially when one is injured and one is a player who hasn't played a premiership game yet. Crouch in there suggests he wants another option.
Owen is going to play the lone front man.

It means that England will probably do much better now, and I expect them to be firm favorites, but it is completely and utterly inspite of this ****e ****e manager. Can't stand him, mistake after mistake after mistake.

It does look like 4-3-3, or more like the 4-5-1 with attacking wide players, which may suit us.

Firm favourites?

jobonar

It'll be a great gamble if it pays off but as every1 says Bent should at the very very least be on the stand-by list if not on the plane with them! gonna be interesting to see the reaction to all this in the papers tommorow!

tred

MrJoeSoap wrote:

Ah Wenger and his rose-tinted glasses. Chelsea can outbid us so they have ruined the transfer market.

I don't see him moaning about spending £12m on a 16 year old.

They havent payed out 12M, its a structured payment based on performance. He chose Arsenal over united liverpool and chelsea to further his career. Looks like its paying off. If he was with chelsea Mourinho would have had him cutting the grass with SWP. I think when united coughed up the big fee from Rooney everyone was turning their eyes to the heavens. I saw rooney playing a youth cup final when he was 15 and he looked a class above the rest. I have seen Walcott playing and allthough hes a different type of player he looks world class as well.

Paul Tergat

Roddy23 wrote:

He had an injury to his shoulder, and this was the reason why he hasn't played for Arsenal yet. In all fairness if he does go, and it does work out, Eriksson will be hailed as some sort of miracle man. Hopefully it wont come to that.

I don't care if he's seen as a miracle man as long as we do well.

Paul Tergat

jobonar wrote:

It'll be a great gamble if it pays off but as every1 says Bent should at the very very least be on the stand-by list if not on the plane with them! gonna be interesting to see the reaction to all this in the papers tommorow!

He'll be slaughtered for sure!

jobonar

p_larkin99 wrote:

He'll be slaughtered for sure!

o he'll be hung drawn and quartered but then if he does well he'll be a god again!! the way football goes!

there'll be a few angry comments from managers in the papers tommorow too!

thy'll be a good read!

Mossy Monk

great to see Theo Walcott is going to the World Cup but i really cannot see why he should be going. the mind boggles

Paul Tergat

I wonder what impact McClaren will have as the incoming manager...it was interesting to hear the players saying that he does a lot of the coaching on the training pitch anyways, will he have a big hand in picking the team/tactics?

jobonar

p_larkin99 wrote:

I wonder what impact McClaren will have as the incoming manager...it was interesting to hear the players saying that he does a lot of the coaching on the training pitch anyways, will he have a big hand in picking the team/tactics?

i think downings inclusion shows the impact he already has!

BaZmO*

MisterAnarchy wrote:

What does World Class mean ? :rolleyes:
I hear that expression creeping in alot over the last few months ?
World Class ?
Class of how many ? 20,50,100,500 ??
He is a solid keeper but prone to making a few mistakes.
The English team is solid but thats not enough to win a World Cup,nowhere near it.

We can all do that. :rolleyes: See? Not that difficult.
You nitpick at my comments about him being World Class but yet it's ok for you to say that "There are some players in that squad that are nowhere near international standard" :rolleyes:

And a big :rolleyes: at you moaning about team selection yet you don't offer any alternatives. :rolleyes: See? Not that difficult!

Jivin Turkey

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/8642/worldcupsquad10si.jpg

BaZmO*

Jivin Turkey wrote:

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/8642/worldcupsquad10si.jpg

Guy:Incognito

tred wrote:

king is injured....afaik....

But Campbell is crazy.

psi wrote:

Scott Carson in the reserve list???!?!

In fairness Carson is the England U21 keeper and rightly so. He's been great for them, he also gets a couple op games for Liverpool. I think he's a good keeper.

Also, he hit me with the ball warmign up before the Chelsea game at anfield, and appologised.:)

Jimboo_Jones

..crazy like a fox?

snickerpuss

Some weird choices in there. Was really expecting to see darren bent and i don't know what he was thinking re:the forwards.

Guy:Incognito

p_larkin99 wrote:

Someone had made their mind up already...i disagree with the squad on paper comment, we have some of the best players in the world - Gerrard and Lampard are 2 of the best midfielders in the world at the moment with the form they have

Beckham, despite what he has achieved, is still such an underrated player and Joe cole must be a very tricky player for any defender to play against, his goal against Utd for chelsea was absolute class!

Whiel a midfield of Cole , Lampard, Gerrard and Beckham is good on paper, it will be found wanting against the top level of teams as there is absolutly no cover for the defence. It's basically a 4 man defence and 6 man attack. I reckon your much better with a 5:5 by dropping gerrard/lampard and playign a holdign player.

I dont like ericsson as I believe he's a "pick the best 11 players" merchant instead of picking the best team. Which is unfortunate because England have the potential to be a very good team with the right manager. Would'nt mind haveing a few world cup winners at anfield come next season (maybe 4 and possible 5 if one of the keepers got injured. )

mike65

I find the armchair management views here quite funny.

I actualy think this could be a stroke of genius. Rooney wont be playing so add in Defoe for him, Walcott is forth choice but if all the hype is correct could be the man for an inspired substitution if something different is needed against tired defenders. The midfield is exellent as is the defence with the proviso that Campbell is clearly not first choice.

My starting 11 (including Beckham as I know he will be picked no matter what!)

---

Robinson
Neville--Terry--Ferdinand--Cole

---

Carrick
Beckham----Lampard----Cole

---

Gerrard

---

Owen

Subs - Lennon, Crouch, Carragher, James, Hargreaves, Defoe

Mike.

Johnny_the_fox

I would have dropped Hargreaves and opted for another striker. Because if worst comes to worst Carragher and could play the a sitting role.

eirebhoy

PHB wrote:

Don't compare this to Johnson, he is playing championship football and has had a poor season.

He scored 17 goals even though he missed pretty much all of September, October and November through injury. imo Johnson is without doubt better than Bent. I'm actually quite suprised Johnson scored so many as he seemed to be always injured.

Paul Tergat

Stekelly wrote:

by dropping gerrard/lampard

So which one of the 2 of the VERY BEST midfielders in the world do you drop??

The only solution, as i suggested before, is to play a 4-5-1, with both playing and carrick holding

WhiteWashMan

Johnny_the_fox wrote:

I would have dropped Hargreaves and opted for another striker. Because if worst comes to worst Carragher and could play the a sitting role.

actually, id drop hargreaves for lennon.

apart from that, great squad if you want to play 4 - 5 - 1.

dont agree with the inclusion of walcott. bitterly disappointed king wont be there. i would have said he has more hope of playing than either rooney or owen at the moment, and id certqinly prefer to have him over campbell or ferdinand on this seasons performances.

i still fail to see what crouch brings to any game, apart from elbos and legs. i just dont see it.

as the exlusion of bent is boarding on criminal. i think svensould be arrested for crimes against football should he fail to win the world cup.

on the other hand, i have drawn england in the work draw, and at a 5er a pop, im definately rooting for them.

actually, id probably be shouting for then anyway.

but leaving bent out?
thats a paddlin.....

WhiteWashMan

p_larkin99 wrote:

So which one of the 2 of the VERY BEST midfielders in the world do you drop??

The only solution, as i suggested before, is to play a 4-5-1, with both playing and carrick holding

downing and lennon flying down the wings.

now theres an attacking midfield!

Jivin Turkey

WhiteWashMan wrote:

i still fail to see what crouch brings to any game, apart from elbos and legs. i just dont see it.

Well you have obviously failed to see him at all this year then.

I can see Crouch starting on his own up front for England (should Owen or Rooney not get up to fitness) and doing brilliantly for them. He will bring out the best in Englands best available players (Lampard and Gerrard), in fact the more I think about it the more I think I'm going to wager on one of those two for top scorer e/w.

Pepe LeFrits

Without Rooney, England don't have the players for a 4-4-2 imo. I think Sven agrees, which is why he's selected the squad he has. As I outlined in the other thread, I think it's an excellent squad for a 4-5-1 setup.

Pepe LeFrits

PHB wrote:

I absolutely can't ****ing believe it, this is an absolute ****ing joke, the guy is a bloody idiot for picking Walcott.
He can't break into the Arsenal squad up front, despite them playing a bunch of teenagers.

Thierry Henry is a teenager? Cos that's who he'd have to oust to get into the Arsenal team at the moment.

Sven can't win with some people. If he selects the biggest names, he's accused of picking based on reputation. If he picks the squad that everyone calls for, then he's accused of picking the team the media want and incapable of making the tough decisions. If he makes the tough decisions, then he's an idiot.

WhiteWashMan

Jivin Turkey wrote:

Well you have obviously failed to see him at all this year then.

I can see Crouch starting on his own up front for England (should Owen or Rooney not get up to fitness) and doing brilliantly for them. He will bring out the best in Englands best available players (Lampard and Gerrard), in fact the more I think about it the more I think I'm going to wager on one of those two for top scorer e/w.

wish i had your crystal ball...

homerjay2005

i really did think that england had a chance until i saw the squad. it is terrible and somebody else is bound to get injured before the wc, i just know it. cambell, cole, owen, aint played in months, downing an walcott unproven, rooney doubtful, a donkey as manger, does not look good for them. the only plus side for them i can see is that maybe walcott could be a total surprise and be a sensation like owen in 98 and roonry in 2004.

Jivin Turkey

WhiteWashMan wrote:

wish i had your crystal ball...

It is quite useful from time to time.

But I'll be sure to greet any predictions you make in the future with such a mature and insightful response.

Paul Tergat

Pepe LeFrits wrote:

Sven can't win with some people. If he selects the biggest names, he's accused of picking based on reputation. If he picks the squad that everyone calls for, then he's accused of picking the team the media want and incapable of making the tough decisions. If he makes the tough decisions, then he's an idiot.

He'll never win with the English press, i just think in this instance you don't leave out either bent/defoe

i really hope crouch doesnt feature in the world cup, he suits the way liverpool play but i don't like the thought of the national team looking to hoof the ball up to a target man, not the way we play football...we have a creative midfield capable of feeding strikers like owen/rooney/bent/defoe etc without the need for playing long ball to crouch football.

Walcott may yet prove to be a big hit so just lets see what happens... he may be a big stage player. like he said he has gambled.

MisterAnarchy

Eriksson has never seen Arsenal's young striker play a game - except on videotape - and has barely spoken a word to him.

Walcott, 17, has not even made his debut for the Gunners and has never played a Premiership game.

But Eriksson is ready to make him England's youngest international footballer because is convinced he can handle the pressure and terrify defenders with his pace.

Why not recruit some of the British Athletics team while you are at it Sven,if pace is what you need

KdjaCL

Pepe LeFrits wrote:

Without Rooney, England don't have the players for a 4-4-2 imo. I think Sven agrees, which is why he's selected the squad he has. As I outlined in the other thread, I think it's an excellent squad for a 4-5-1 setup.

Its the world cup, you dont set out a stall and stick with it. You change formation mid game, you have to play vs the best players and managers int he world.

Jesus if anyone watches a video of Crouch England are buggered just force him back to the half way line hes useless there. Owen and Rooney have skill and guile and win a game or change when the game needs too Crouch just does his thing which has been proved over a million years big players winning headers at the halfway line is about as effective as wet toilet roll.

England will be pushed back like that if they play Crouch and a long ball tactic. With the others they can play ball and attack other teams.


kdjac

Pepe LeFrits

KdjaC wrote:

Its the world cup, you dont set out a stall and stick with it. You change formation mid game, you have to play vs the best players and managers int he world.

Jesus if anyone watches a video of Crouch England are buggered just force him back to the half way line hes useless there. Owen and Rooney have skill and guile and win a game or change when the game needs too Crouch just does his thing which has been proved over a million years big players winning headers at the halfway line is about as effective as wet toilet roll.

England will be pushed back like that if they play Crouch and a long ball tactic. With the others they can play ball and attack other teams.

kdjac

Eh, yeah, that's why they've got Owen and Walcott there too to offer something different...

They should play to their strengths, without Rooney that's Gerrard and Lampard, so 4-5-1 with them doing what they do best.

KdjaCL

Pepe LeFrits wrote:

Eh, yeah, that's why they've got Owen and Walcott there too to offer something different...

They should play to their strengths, without Rooney that's Gerrard and Lampard, so 4-5-1 with them doing what they do best.

Owen doesnt play in a 4 5 1 hes the striker and not very good up front on his own, he would play off Crouch but that would be hoofing it at Crouch tactic. Crouch is a one trick pony just like Quinn/ Cascarino for us, hes there to come on late in a game and win headers.

Walcott imo is another reason im looking forward to the world cup, hes 17 and everyone knows 17 year olds and World cups go hand in hand. But i doubt Sven have the balls to play him.

kdjac

OTliddy

4-5-1 is England's best option. They say you should fit the players to the formation, but England's situation up front is riduclulous. If England reacg the semis, Rooney could prove a very potent weapon(even an un-match-fit Rooney is a good player) as they could surprise the opposition-play him up front/supporting/free role etc

Paul Tergat

KdjaC wrote:

Crouch is a one trick pony just like Quinn/ Cascarino for us

Spot on

KdjaC wrote:

Walcott imo is another reason im looking forward to the world cup, hes 17 and everyone knows 17 year olds and World cups go hand in hand. But i doubt Sven have the balls to play him.

kdjac

We may have to! with 20 mins to go in say the quarter finals he may be worth sticking on and running at the opposition, rather than play long ball to giraffe

KdjaCL

p_larkin99 wrote:

We may have to! with 20 mins to go in say the quarter finals he may be worth sticking on and running at the opposition, rather than play long ball to giraffe

For Beckham so as not to lose shape . But its a footballing team who win not teams with players like Crouch and tyactics to suit them.


kdjac

Paul Tergat

KdjaC wrote:

For Beckham so as not to lose shape . But its a footballing team who win not teams with players like Crouch and tyactics to suit them.


kdjac

In fairness its not always about playin joga bonito, look at the way Greece won the Euro's...i don't regard them as a "footballing team"

mike65

This Crouch=hoofing stuff is nonsense, if the critics on this thread actually watched Liverpool you'd know it. Just cos he's tall it does'nt mean he is Cascarino, Crouch has a first touch!

Mike.

Paul Tergat

I think the reason Erikson will take Crouch is that he offer, as Sven has said, "something different"....leading to the theory that with him on we will be pumping long balls up to him.

This is not the way England ought to play football with the talented players that we have!

WhiteWashMan

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=367434&cc=5739

well, there goes any respect i had for the fella...
never even seen the fella play or train!