posted Sep 12, 2008

Why change a winning team, a winning formation and a winning pattern of play?

Did you watch the Croatia game? England played like a decent imaginative team for the first team in ages. Apart from bringing in Green for James we must give the new rejuvenated a chance to England continue.

That means no Gerrard for now and definitely no Beckham.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Sep 12, 2008

comment by corzellian (U9314173)

posted 2 Minutes Ago


Why change a winning team, a winning formation and a winning pattern of play?

Did you watch the Croatia game? England played like a decent imaginative team for the first team in ages. Apart from bringing in Green for James we must give the new rejuvenated a chance to England continue.

That means no Gerrard for now and definitely no Beckham.

__________________________

I have to agree with you, except I would bring in Hart not Green.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Sep 12, 2008

Lets see. I bet you 6 camels and a dingo he is back. The stats speak for themselves, not one game against 10 men (for most of the game)
I di indeed watch the game, and enjoyed it, but dont let over enthusiasm mask the facts. The stats dont lie, as Man utd fans tell me every year

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Sep 12, 2008

I think Gerrard will be very lucky to make the team now. The Lampard and Barry partnership was fantastic! It showed passion, balance, hard working and full of movement on and off the ball. Very good understanding and some very good technical passing. Lampard's goal was world class and should have stood. Gerrard might be able to score the odd well hard shot but never a skillful, individual goal like Lampard can.

Lampard and Barry with Gerrard on the bench for me.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Sep 13, 2008

comment by Chelsea logic (U2465407)
posted 15 Hours Ago

I think Gerrard will be very lucky to make the team now. The Lampard and Barry partnership was fantastic! It showed passion, balance, hard working and full of movement on and off the ball. Very good understanding and some very good technical passing. Lampard's goal was world class and should have stood. Gerrard might be able to score the odd well hard shot but never a skillful, individual goal like Lampard can.

Lampard and Barry with Gerrard on the bench for me.

--------------------
You can see why you are called Chelsea Logic

I am a Liverpool Fan, but on Internationals, Im an England Fan and support all the English lads.

Although Lamps had a better game than recently, and he does have the quality, even the commentators in the first half pointed out that the midfield 2 were too deep, and not dominating the match.

There were spells of bad passing by both Lamps & Barry, but also spells of good work, and I felt the goal scored by Lampard was Vgood, shame about it not counting.

I still believe that under correct management, both Gerrard & Lamps can play together.
We had 2yrs of management under the Clown man, which nearly killed off English football altogether, and before that, Lamps & Gerrard did perform well together in Euro 2004.

Even Mourinho wanted Gerrard at CFC with Lamps, so he believed that they could play together.

The good news is that if we can carry this sort of form, and have some of the younger lads coming through from the under 21's etc.
Then things are starting to turn around and were are starting to get back on track.

Cappello has shown his managerial strengths, and having the team together for 10 days showed what the FA & clubs must do moving forward(release the players).

We were far from perfect, but the confidence is growing, the subs played well and showed we have strength in depth, this is a good headache for a real manager like Cappello, and McClown is showing exactly what he was about, talking in a Dutch accent in interveiws etc - good job they are a forgiving nation.

C'Mon the Boys

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Sep 13, 2008

Everyone's got their opinion but at the end of the day it's all down to what Capello thinks the best balance it, and I don't think we should question him.

Personally, I'd go for something like...

------------James----------
Brown-----Rio---Terry---Cole
----------Hargreaves-------
Walcott----Gerrard-----Cole
------Rooney-----Heskey----

Subs: Richards, Woodgate, Beckham, SWP, Owen, Lampard/Carrick

Hargreaves would give Gerrard the freedom to roam. Rooney wouldn't drop deep and would link up with Walcott, switching positions. Heskey can bring all of them into the game, with Cole being a good crosser.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Sep 13, 2008

portlandbill,

Don't get me wrong, I actually rate Gerrard as a player. He can bring his own strengths to a game. Gerrard wears his heart on the sleeve and can drive like a panther. Sometimes I feel he tries too hard which is why he is susceptible to making too many basic mistakes.

I prefer Gerrard playing either on the right of midfield or as a support striker which for Liverpool he has always looked better. However, Rooney's sudden form and Walcott's discovery has proved a problem for Gerrard's versatility of being asked to play in other positions. Many would agree with me here, honest Liverpool fans too that Gerrard's best position is not centre midfield. Here he rarely dictates a game and in the restricted role he struggles to score goals and create any. Gerrard's most productive season came when he played right midfield and occasional support striker. That is evident and to play centre midfield a player needs discipline and positional awareness which is vital. This is why Lampard and Barry complimented each other. They formed a very good understanding and covered each other which was something Gerrard has always been criticised for. The team looked better balanced with Lampard and Barry and they didn't feel the need to keep hitting 40 yard Hollywood balls whenever they could. For once England used the width of the pitch and made room for Rooney to operate just behind Heskey. All this was major factors to how England for a change played so bloody well. If Gerrard had played with Barry in the centre I fear we would have lost this balance and shape and 40 yard balls would have been used more often. It didn't work before and it won't work again. We need composure and competent players in midfield, players with discipline and not on a one man mission to be the saviour of the team.

Now Gerrard has the capability to produce a bit of magic and I will not deny that. However, for this reason I would opt to use him as an impact substitute, especially if we are in need of some extra drive or change if things aren't working. Gerrard will still have a part to play but not in a centre midfield position. That should be covered by disciplined players.

This is what I suggest;

Defensive midfield should be covered by Barry or Hargreaves (Who I rate higher than Barry although Barry has staked a claim to fulfill the holding role again).

In the other central position we need a more creative player who is disciplined to keep position and mix up defensive duties. Lampard is a must for me with possibly Carrick playing understudy.

Now wide positions should be covered by the following in priority order. J.Cole, Walcott, Gerrard, Bently, Beckham and maybe a call up for Young with Downing on the fringes.

Support striker role should be Rooney's although Gerrard can stake a claim to play here too, especially in Rooney's absence.

So there we are.....my team and I think Capello's team will look like this.


......................James

Brown.........Rio...........JT.........A.Cole

..........Hargreaves/Barry

.........................Lampard

Walcott/Gerrard..................J.Cole/Young

......................Rooney/Gerrard

................Heskey/Owen


In attack I would like to see Heskey more because he brings the midfield into play more although crouch for me has rarely let England down. I am not a big fan of Defoe. However, Owen should still be in the squad also.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Sep 13, 2008

Chelsea Logic still doing the same arguements as the last 2 years


I have to say though, I agree. But I think gerrard and lampard are completely different players and suited to different games.

Lampard is a much cleverer player, we looked like we could actually keep the ball ticking around the midfield waiting for the opening rather than trying to force it (which is what Gerrard does). If you watch Barca they can operate a midfield perfectly.

Well, I don't know about this season but generally speaking.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Sep 13, 2008

my main criticism of gerrard is that he gives the ball away far to easily. he has lots of qualities, but in the later stages of comps against better teams, england always end up looking like a pub team, mainly because they can't keep the ball and end up wacking long balls in the hope that something will happen, gerrard is part of this problem i think. in the premiership, possession is not so crucial, so all that stands out is gerrard's energy, great shot, drive and the odd wonder pass. but against more sophisticated teams he gives the ball away cheaply trying hollywood passes.
if lampard played well the other night(i only highlights), he deserves a chance to continue in the team, which should mean gerrard on the bench. lampard or gerrard with hargreaves, carrick or barry.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Sep 22, 2009

I still enjoyed this a bit more than the Wembley game.

Although it's funny reading some of the comments saying this was a one off.

add comment | complain about this comment