Parker and Carrick only have a handful caps,a nd have only really proven themselves in the EPL. I don't think that consitutes international class. Linderoth has proven himself at the highest level, and the same goes for Paredes. It would also be very unfair to put them in considering they are not regulars for England. Well thats your opinion. Outside of england players like King, Ferdinand and Carragher are not rated as highly as they are by the english media. Gammara is a very experienced defender who has played in many leagues (including the Italian and Spanish league). He's very highly regarded on the continent. He led Paraguay to the final of the olympics and was very impressive i the last 2 WC's (named in the all-star team in 98). His from has been very good this season while players like Ferdinand, Woodgate and Campbell have been patchy. Yes but Ljunberg can play down the left. I think your overexagerating how bad Ljunberg has been - he hasnt been that bad. Width is important because in the formation proposed, there are 3 players in central midifeld, and having your wingers cut in would mean the centre would get very crowded.
Actually I stand corrected. Owen Hargreaves should start as DM ahead of Linderoth. As for Ferdinand, maybe it's my personal dislike of him (although I am a Man Utd fan), but I wouldn't trust the guy and Campbell is too rusty. On the other hand, Mellberg has always impressed me positively. I am actually surprised at how I could have forgotten Hargreaves, he is an excellent player and a very good option at DM for England. PS: and no, Gamarra is definitely not in my all-star team plans, were I be a manager. Let's think of a 23 Squad formed from the players in Group B: Goalkeepers: 01. Paul ROBINSON 12. Anders ISAKSSON 22. Justo VILLAR 02. Gary NEVILLE 03. Ashley COLE 05. Rio FERDINAND 06. John TERRY 13. Wayne BRIDGE 14. Alexander ÖSTLUND 15. Olof MELLBERG 16. Marvin ANDREWS 04. Steven GERRARD 07. David BECKHAM 08. Frank LAMPARD 11. Joe COLE 17. Owen HARGREAVES 18. Fredrik LJUNGBERG 19. Tobias LINDEROTH 20. Christian WILHELMSSON 09. Wayne ROONEY 10. Zlatan IBRAHIMOVIC 21. Michael OWEN 23. Henrik LARSSON
You obviously don't know what you're talking about. Östlund just got sold from Feyenoord to Southampton, he won't be getting close to an all-star team, in fact he is slowly playing his way out of the swedish team.
And you obviously don't know what you are talking about if you think our coach will not pick him for the World Cup squad. After the World Cup, who knows, but he will be in Germany.
Did you watched the preliminares? Zlatan scored 8 goals, Ljungberg scored 7... How many did the attackers in enland's side score? Rooney? Owen? Lampard? Beckham? And how come that no defensive player in a team that only have 4 goals agains is ranked before one single defencive player in a team that have 5 goals against. I mean that there isn't eleven players from england that would get into Sweden's side
One can only hope a new RB will reveal himself in the upcoming friendlies, given how Östlundh utter shite.
This is irrelevant, by the same standards Pauleta and Borgetti should be the best in the world. I agree that Ibrahimovic is a very good striker, in the top 5 in Europe now, it's just that I don't agree with your argument about the preliminaries. England simply doesn't score that much, it's the tactic of Eriksson (ironically, a Swede). On the other hand, Sweden lost its two most important matches (with Croatia), while England defeated Poland twice and lost only once, to Northern Ireland, due mainly to lack of motivation.
I think it's more important to see the players performances in their national team then in their club team since they are not playing with their club team in Germany. Good tactic not to score much Swedens lost against Croatia at home was their first though game and they lost on the only chance Croatia produced, then Sweden had a goal wrongfully disallowed. The game against Croatia away they lost due to lack of motivation, they where in practice already in Germany.
don`t be suprised with the performance of t&t i`m not expecting anything magical but they are going to be a good team and they will score goals.
My all star team is actually only swedish and english players, maybe because i know these teams the best, but also because i feel that swedish and english players have the same mentality and would work well together. This is a hard working team, thats why for example Ljungberg is prefered to Cole. In the premiership you can sometimes rely on pure talent, but in a world cup you only compete with the best players in the world, no Everton defenders, just pure class. Thats why you will have to have a hard working team, that is well balanced. This is my 11, who I think would be the best team, not the best individual players. Isaksson Edman Terry Ferdinand Cole Linderoth Beckham Ljungberg Lampard Zlatan Rooney I think that Isaksson is the next supergoalie, he will be amazing this summer. Terry and Ferdinand is better than Mellberg and Lukic. Linderoth is extremely underrated, especially by english supporters after his session in the premiership. He´s the reason why swedens defense is one of the best in the world during the last 5 years or so. Ljungberg and Beckham is hard working, with great skill. Beckham is playing as a winger again in Real, and that makes him the right wing. They are also both better defensively than for example Cole. Lampard is better than Gerrard as an off midfielder, and with Linderoth as his def midfielder he will get the kind of space and time he gets with makelele in chelsea, he and Gerrard competes too much for the same area when they both play. Zlatan and Rooney are two of the best attackers in the world, Owen is not as god as he has been, overrated in his mid 20´s, kinda sad. I don´t see why rooney and zlatan couldn´t play well together, i think they would be amazing.
This is it though, was too locked to the 4-4-2 formation, this is probably the best team possible, no one could stand against the offensive power. Isaksson (goalie) Ferdinand Terry Mellberg (3 central defenders) Linderoth (def mid) Beckham (wing) Lampard (cm) Gerrard (cm) Ljungberg (wing) Zlatan (forward) Rooney (forward) Only problem is that I have to leave A. Cole outside the team with this lineup, but you win some you lose some. 3-5-2 is interesting. I would like to have S. Cruz as a reserve attacker, but if I´m not mistaken he´s injured.
I'm a swede myself and you other swedes are just crazy to suggest that Mellberg, Edman and Zlatan should start ahead of some of their rivals in the english team. Mellberg and Edman just lack the skills and Zlatan has been crap this whole season. Ljungberg and Isaksson might be able to make it.
Robinson Neville Ferdinand Terry A.Cole Beckham Lampard Gerrard J.Cole Ibrahimovic Rooney subs Larsson, Ljunberg, Mellberg, Isaksson, Owen Think the team would be the England starting team (assuming Rooney was fit) bar one, which would be Ibrahimovic. Dont think Sweden have the quality players they once had. If they get Poland in second round they could get to 1/4s.