http://www.thefa.com/England/SeniorTeam/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2007/11/EngCro_Squad.htm Robinson, Carson, James, P Neville, Campbell, Richards, Brown, Lescott, Shorey, Bridge, A Cole, Beckham, Wright-Phillips, Bentley, Gerrard, Lampard, Hargreaves, Barry, J Cole, Downing, Young, Smith, Crouch, Defoe, Owen No Terry, no Ferdinand, no Rooney......... Beckham recalled. He must have been fantastic in that friendly against FC Hollywood. At least the Lescott at left back (wherever the hell he was supposed to be playing) experiment will end. The defence as a whole doesn't look good. 3 left backs? 4 if you include mong the younger. 5 if you include Lescott....... No doubt Beckham, Lampard, Gerrard and Hargreaves will be shoehorned into a plodding midfield. Not expecting much out of the Croatia game. Rooney out for 4 weeks
the croatia game wont count for shiit unless israel get a result. even if israel pull off a result we then have to beat a croatia team that rarely ever loses.
And with this squad I cannot see us beating Croatia even if Israel do us a favour. Hopefully the FA has a meeting planned for 8am on the 22nd.
The FA have forgiven managers who bungled in tournaments. but if they stoop low enough to forgive a manager who fails to reach a tournie then its time to throw in the towel. everyone knew mcClown was no good.
If missing 2008 means getting a coach who has a single working braincell ,i will just have to take it on the chin.
This takes the biscuit for me. Neville I can just about live with, but not a player who is either a striker who doesn't score or a midfielder who contributes nothing but yellow cards.
It boggles the mind how someone can pick a player who doesn't even start for the mid-table medicoraty that is Newcastle
Based on form, I'd play: -------------------------CARSON------------------------- ------------------RICHARDS----CAMPBELL----------------- -BROWN------------------------------------------SHOREY- --------------------------BARRY-------------------------- -WRIGHT-PHILLIPS--------------------------------J. COLE- -------------------------LAMPARD------------------------ -----------------CROUCH--------OWEN-------------------
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/soccer/11/10/bc.soc.mcclaren.beckham.ap/index.html mcSven needs someone to take the heat off him . who better than beckham could take the attention off mcClown? thats why he has been called up despite barely kicking a ball for the last 3 months.
I fail to see much point in playing austria. They are terrible team. MCclown can get the hype going with big win against them, which would be dangerous if croatia game would still be "alive". Who picks these friendlies anyways? Isn't there more challenging team not playing at that date?
To not start Robert Green on the form he is in now, over that donkey Robinson is almost criminal. To not even have him in the squad, I dont know what to say unbeliveable. Also how about looking to the future, give a chance to some of the younger guys, some of these so called "more expirienced" players dont even look like they give a damn anymore. Drop them replace them, make them wake up a bit fight for their place. No doubt Gary Neville will just stroll back into right back and Mclown will to to afraid to say otherwise. Play Bentley on the right he been fantastic for blackburn this season, give him a chance stop bringing back some of these failures from the Sven era (Im looking at you phill Neville) Beckham will probably start, fresh from playing those charity games..... I feel like im watching Sven_V2, a small part of me is glad that we didnt qualify, we are an average team right now with a shit manager. The rest of the world realises it, except some fools in this country seem to think otherwise. Hopefully this is the point where more people realise this sack the lump that is the manager, and get someone in who has new ideas and not keep bringing back some of these washed up hasbeens that are in the squad right now. We need to look forward not back! Sorry was going to just moan about how Green didn't make it to the squad ending up doing a bit of a rant.
Austria is an OK team. But you also have to factor in that 2008 is hosted in Austria/Switzerland. When the game was arranged it was probably a good idea.
I totally agree with you. Green should be involed Robinson should be axed. as for the has-beens i would clear the lot, James, Campbell, Beckham. They don't belong in an international set up. The Champions League has become Number one for The Gerrards, Lampards, Terry, Cole (A&J) and Ferdinands dispite the recent farcical results, 7-1, 7-0, 8-0. Its a Joke. I hope this friendly is used wisely, by that i mean to give young talented, hungry, international class players a chance. Starting XI should be Green, Richards, Lescott, Brown, Bridge Bentley, Hargreaves, Lampard, Young/Downing Owen, Crouch This is a more competative team and one with more form. Gerrard has been average for liverpool, Lampard has been on fire. as has Bentley, Young, Lescott and Green. i can't wait for ashton to get fit and in the team as he can actually finish.
Ferdinand is suspended I think What exactly does Darren Bent have to do to get a look 2 goals 3 assist this year in just over 4 games worth of minutes ahead of Defoe on his Club team, 33 goals in 77 League appearences, 8 goals in 14 u21 appearences... ----Carson/Green-- Gerrard---Sol--Lescott---Bridge SWp----Barry---Lamp---Young ------Cole------------------------- -------Owen----
you raise a good point, i would have him feature, the future of england invilves him and ashton in my eyes two quality players that have everything you could want a front two to offer, ofcourse there is the constant problem of how do you fir rooney in. i do however disagree that gerrard should play right back and hargreaves not feature, but i think J.Cole has lost his flare which is shame.
I can't believe some of the lineups I'm seeing. Do you understand what's at stake if Israel defeats Russia?
Gerrard at right back is my favourite. Along with the other one that has Shorey and Brown as the fullbacks.
Tis indeed daft but one thing we all realise that the team that has played so far has got us into a right mess so us who influence nothing are just playing around with the little talent on offer and are left asking why the youth has not been given a chance and how the "golden Age" of players have failed once again. We enjoy to cast the Experienced players aside as they are up thier own ass and its only when they get beyond the age of thirty they begin to worry about clocking up the caps and entering the record books, yes Mr. Beckham im looking at you.
Well I knew Steviee Geeeraard had to be the line up somewhere because he is the greatest player ever to walk the earth but nonetheless somehow he has been absolute crap in midfield the last couple of games and not very good in the ones before that...and Rafa has put him at rb a couple of times and he did very well...did not realize Micah was healthy again so he goes to rb and Gerrard to the bench perhaps Now I know the Russia match was all Lamps fault despite the fact he did not play until the last few minutes but he and Barry are the best pairing to get goals I think... Hargreaves has not rounded into form and Barry is a better passer especially attacking passer and Croatia is a game that needs to be won not drawn in the event it matters. Also why SWP plays, a bit inconnsistet and not always the top of the football iq class but we need his speed to spread the attack and track back, last match for Chelsea he was probably CFC's motm again, and he was especially good at tracking back. Posh is too slow and too undisciplaned to stay wide and has played too little of late, and we don't have any attackers that are tall enough or good enough with their heads on this squad to use Beck's strengths, but he can come in in the 2nd for his freekicks and crossing as Plan C Given who McSven chose to bring up front I think I 'd put J Cole in a free role behind the striker and let Young take his spot on the Left and let them interchange a bit. I would have brougt Bent seen how he and Owen did against Austria and then if looked promising gone with Bent and Owen with J Cole back on left. As to the center with Rio and JT out you are forced to make do so Sol for experiance and probably Lesscott or perhaps Micah but then you need a rb, and with Neville hurt so back we come to Stevie Geeraaard