Cashley only Arsenal player on England squad; Becks left off

[DougG_ATL]

Cashley's in, Sol's gone (from AFC and England) and Theo is sent to Under-21 duty. If the transfer happens, there will officially be no Arsenal contingent on the England team.

THEN, McClaren's dumped David Beckham in favor of the likes of Shaun Whiny-Phillips, Darren Bent and Michael Dawson (F**k Spuds).

English posters - how can you be happy with what McDonkey's doing here, especially leaving Beckham off? He scored the lone goal vs. Ecuador and had two key assists. Is this solely a response to the media pressure?

In the words of Radiohead, "We hope that you choke..."

[Schu419]

I kinda think Beckham is useless. Sure, hes great on free kicks and crosses, but its almost like the entire team was suited for his ability. And you can't base a national team, particularly a should-be power like England, off of one player. With Becks in they lost all mobility and dynamic capability down his side. They need to play winger-type game with Rooney and someone else in the middle, considering they generally arent super skilled, and wont be playing Brazilian type football much. Beckham hurt it.

[total_football]

I genuinely feel sorry for the England squad: they named someone who is "proud, hardworking and full of leadership qualities" but otherwise a lumbering, over-rated lead-footed player as captain AND they have hired someone in the manager position who will give the word "turnip" a new lease on life....

[Rick B]

English posters - how can you be happy with what McDonkey's doing here, especially leaving Beckham off? He scored the lone goal vs. Ecuador and had two key assists. Is this solely a response to the media pressure?

In the words of Radiohead, "We hope that you choke..."

Well I know I don't speak for the majority of English posters, but to me there isn't another player whom he could pick in the England Squad from Arsenal. As for the rest of it, did I ever mention I couldn't give a rats arse about how England did? I didn't? Oh - I couldn't care less about Beckhams departure apart from the fact that finally we might get less of that bunch of idiotic Footballers Wives in the papers with Posh Spice out of the limelight.........

[DougG_ATL]

I kinda think Beckham is useless. Sure, hes great on free kicks and crosses, but its almost like the entire team was suited for his ability. And you can't base a national team, particularly a should-be power like England, off of one player. With Becks in they lost all mobility and dynamic capability down his side. They need to play winger-type game with Rooney and someone else in the middle, considering they generally arent super skilled, and wont be playing Brazilian type football much. Beckham hurt it.

Useless? Crouch and Gerrard both got their goals fed to them by Beckham, Beckham scored on a free kick against Ecuador and another free kick screwed up Paraguay to cause an own goal. Rooney was of little impact when he returned, Crouch looked like a giraffe most of the time and it wasn't Beckham bricking PKs against Portugal.

I think McClaren made the decision to offset the media interest in DB.

[billyho96]

With Becks in they lost all mobility and dynamic capability down his side. .


When did the England side have this?

The last major tournament before Becks they didn't even qualify for....WC1994. Fact is, England is a small country and really only around the bottom half of the top ten in the world on a good day.

Only reason people think (non English people) England should be so good is that their domestic league is so strong, but that is more to do with money than Englishmen.

[ToBeAGooner]

Useless? Crouch and Gerrard both got their goals fed to them by Beckham, Beckham scored on a free kick against Ecuador and another free kick screwed up Paraguay to cause an own goal. Rooney was of little impact when he returned, Crouch looked like a giraffe most of the time and it wasn't Beckham bricking PKs against Portugal.

I think McClaren made the decision to offset the media interest in DB.

Alot of people like to rip Beckham, it seems to be the fashionable thing to do the past year or so, but without Becks effort in the WC, I honestly dont think England even manage to score a goal.

[DougG_ATL]

Only reason people think (non English people) England should be so good is that their domestic league is so strong, but that is more to do with money than Englishmen.

Great point, Billy. The Premiership wouldn't be filled with non-English players if there were enough qualified English players to fill the league up.

[WJMarx]

...Only reason people think ... England should be so good is that their domestic league is so strong, but that is more to do with money than Englishmen.

Truer words were never spoken! Almost all of the great players in EPL are not English. England was badly exposed in Germany as a bunch of very ordinary players to the dismay and disbelief of England fans. However, Ashley Cole did stand out.

[antifan]

Why didn't you just call this thread "No Arsenal Player in the England Squad"?

[ToBeAGooner]

Why didn't you just call this thread "No Arsenal Player in the England Squad"?


Good call!

I dont care if we dont have a player in the bottomless pit of mediocrity commonly known as the English national team.

[vanGobbel redded]

Finally "Becks" is out...how that mediocre player ever became the ENgland captain i will never understand. It had nothing to with football thats for sure

[i404]

Finally "Becks" is out...how that mediocre player ever became the ENgland captain i will never understand. It had nothing to with football thats for sure

truth at last :D

with the homo and sven gone from the squad, I might actually wish England luck in some matches.

[red&bluearmy[cpfc]]

Terry is a great center-back (he wouldn't be Chelsea's number 1 otherwise) and was probably selected because he will have a clear viewpoint of the game away from most of the action. He wouldn't be Chelsea captain if he couldn't inspire confidence in the team and should do well.

The problem with Becks is that he is too one dimensional. While this may have been fine when he was at the top of his game he isn't good enough now. The team lacked balance and with Lennon and Cole on the wings they should have more options. England get everything and more from the likes of Gerrard and Lampard so Beckham simply isn't required. The decision was correct on the part of the manager and Beckham should have to fight for his place in the squad.

Although McClaren isn't the most tactically brilliant he should provide some better and more free-flowing exciting football (remember the Uefa Cup run). We shouldn't forget that Terry Venables is available to lend his expertise as assistant manager.