posted Oct 10, 2007

The team suggest above...

Robinson

Richards, Ferdinand, Campbell, A Cole

SWP, Gerrard, Barry, J Cole

Rooney & Owen

...looks a good call. Terry shouldn't be risked and Rooney and Owen need to work together again as they are ultimately our best strikers.

They need a refresher course in playing with each other.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Oct 10, 2007

FiN, thats your opinion, for the Estonia game my Granny would've been good enough, but she's 6 foot under so may struggle for fitness. I've always considered Crouch an impact off the bench type player, but in all honesty, what's the option, starting with Owen, I wouldn't risk that..... Maybe Bent or Defoe, but they can't get into a poor form Spurs side, Ashton is crocked again, as for Heskey, the same applies, and you could say he wouldn't necessarily fit the bill alongside Rooney anyway. So beyond trying someone untested, I think my knowledge of Steve McClaren's thinking, right or wrong, may actually be a little closer to the point than your gibe.....

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Oct 10, 2007

The goalkeeper issue is a strange one. The lack of English form goalkeepers is worrying. As a Newcastle fan, it has always surprised me that Steve Harper has stayed with us so long. At the start of this season he was on terrific form and had it not been for the return of Shay Given (or if he'd been first choice at another club) he would surely be at least in the England squad, if not indeed starting.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Oct 10, 2007

I think my knowledge of Steve McClaren's thinking, right or wrong, may actually be a little closer to the point than your gibe

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm fully confident that McClaren would pick Crouch and Rooney if he felt Owen wasn't fit enough to start. I thouhg you were saying who you would want to play. McClaren won't be resting J Cole and Lampard is almost gauranteed to start if we are going on what McClaren would do.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Oct 10, 2007

>>But to make suggestions that Gerrard can't play on the right is, I think wrong.

maybe he could, but the reality is that for Liverpool, the only time he's really been on the right is on a graphic just prior to kickoff. If he is shown there, there's almost always 2 DMs that he drifts inside in front of. And before you say it, it's not a lack of discipline, it's what he's been asked to do.



Anyway, if forced to bet on the lineup

-------Robbo
Richards-Rio-Terry-AshCole
SWP-Gerrard-Lampard-JCole
-----Rooney-Owen

I'm not happy about it at all but you might as well accept it.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Oct 10, 2007

Hey! if I was England manager I would've gone for alot more young blood than he's picking my friend, but then again, I'd have been blasted, as would most people for trying to rebuild when we're supposed to have 4 or 5 world class players who deserve to win the world cup, not to mention every single friendly and game of scrabble.
Until people realise that England will always compete, regardless which eleven are out there, but never win anything due to ego's, lack of luck and everyone else outside of England hating us, we'll always be unhappy with whatever happens and whoever plays, no matter who picks the side.
IMO, the whole thing needs a good old heavehoe, bring in 8 or 9 of the U21 group who are showing plenty of promise, and just keep those who are up there in the world ranking stakes, and sacrafise a tournament or two......

Bertie Vogts may've been lambasted, but look at what Scotland are achieving now!!!

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Oct 10, 2007

>>The lack of English form goalkeepers is worrying.

I find the failure of McLaren to recognise form keepers more worrying.

Green, carson and Foster (last season) have all been in 'form'.

Pigheaded sticking to favourites by an inept manager is more the problem, not the keepers available.

IMO.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Oct 10, 2007

MrBlueBurns:

I always read your name MrBlue-'Buns' and get an image of a guy sat on a Iceberg. But anyway, enough about ar-es.

"to make suggestions that Gerrard can't play on the right is, I think wrong."

He can of course play on the right, and does so with fair success, but it doesn't make the best of him, offers no width, and isn't a natural winger. It would be far better to play a true winger, and have him central. Width is such an important factor internationally.


"Lampard doesn't get in Rooney's way any more than Rooney get's in Lampard's way."

Er, Rooney IS the support striker. He is supposed to be there. Lampard is supposed to be in midfield behind Rooney.


Agree on your Barry analysis, although in the last two games he was equally if not more involved in forward play than Gerrard. Two traditional CM's instead of all this 'holding' and 'attacking' midfielder nonsense is a far more effective way of playing, just harder to come by two good all-rounders to spread the load. In Gerrard and Barry, we have the promise.


"Joe Cole can play on the right. But he must stick out there and not keep coming inside and losing the ball."

Oh, sorry - I wasn't suggesting Cole play on the right, I was saying that with Cole on the left and GERRARD on the right, there is no width at all. Completely agree with your Cole analysis.


"Perhaps you would care to remind me who scored the most goals in the World Cup 2006 qualifying campaign?"

Frank Lampard. That was in 2004/5. It's 2007 now mate. Lineker used to score a lot of goals too. Let's stick him upfront with Rooney.


Flingywingy:

"To be fair putting in any out and out ACM/SS in that posiiton woudl ruin the balance"

Tis true - again, two CM's instead of an AM/DM situation is always better for a support striker situation.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Oct 10, 2007

I'd love to see JCole on the right. I think he's better right or centre/right and he's right footed. He's got an excellent cross but always has to switch feet or cut inside when on the left. It wouldn't be as much a problem if he'd actually pass to an overlapping AshCole but he never, ever does. It's mystifying as they play for the same team and should've figured it out by now.

but only if we had a better option on the left.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Oct 10, 2007

Maybe we should play Lampard in goal, he can't do much worse than Robbo - lol.

Seriously though, I think Lampard should be warming the bench during both matches... preferably one of those in Hyde Park !

add comment | complain about this comment