The England National team thread

[cfdemarco]

Capello is a fool for not taking Walcott. I would take him ahead of Milner and Heskey, probably Barry also. Walcott's elite speed alone should have been enough to get him on the team.

Also, why in the world do teams take 3 keepers? There is basically zero chance you are going to need 3 keepers. I would've dropped a keeper for sure.

 

[yoyo913]

I think it's a rule requirement. It sort of makes sense too. If you injure 1 goalie and only have 1 left you would be pretty nervous as a manager. It's better to play a midfielder as a defender than an outfield player as a goalie.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Capello is a fool for not taking Walcott. I would take him ahead of Milner and Heskey, probably Barry also. Walcott's elite speed alone should have been enough to get him on the team.

Also, why in the world do teams take 3 keepers? There is basically zero chance you are going to need 3 keepers. I would've dropped a keeper for sure.

Bull****. Lennon is blazing fast too, and he can at least do something with the ball on his feet. And you would seriously take ******* Walcott ahead of Milner and Barry? That's idiotic. If anyone, the guy you take him ahead of is SWP (I actually have no idea how he made the team).

 

[cfdemarco]

Bull****. Lennon is blazing fast too, and he can at least do something with the ball on his feet. And you would seriously take ******* Walcott ahead of Milner and Barry? That's idiotic. If anyone, the guy you take him ahead of is SWP (I actually have no idea how he made the team).

Barry should've been left off for the simple fact that he's hurt.

I would've taken Bent, Adam Johnson and Walcott ahead of Heskey, Milner and Barry.

SWP, similar to Walcott, I'd take him for his speed alone. Look at who you have to play in the group, none of those 3 teams could deal with SWP, Lennon or Walcott based on their speed alone.

But whatever...honestly I don't think any of these fringe players matter, the core group should be good enough. If England wins the group, which they will have absolutely zero excuse not to, they shouldn't really be tested until the semi-final when they'll run into either Brazil or Holland.

 

[1966+2006]

I would have taken Johnson instead of SWP.
Am really looking forward to this tournament. I don't think we'll do particularly well (probably QF) but it should be good all the same.

 

[Pogba4Now]

you'd take Walcott ahead of Milner? Are you kidding me? Walcott has nothing other than speed. NOTHING at all. He just runs with the ball and lose it. I would've still taken Walcott or A. Johnson ahead of SWP, but not ahead of Milner. Milner has been great this season and Walcott has been **** the whole year.

 

[cfdemarco]

you'd take Walcott ahead of Milner? Are you kidding me? Walcott has nothing other than speed. NOTHING at all.

Haha...you don't wind up being a player on one of the best teams in the best league in the world by just having speed...if that were the case then I'd be playing for Arsenal too because I have elite speed.

Out of curiosity...would you want Milner on the wing, or in the middle? What would your starting midfield look like, for that matter?

 

[Mandieta6]

I would've taken Bent, Adam Johnson and Walcott ahead of Heskey, Milner and Barry.

That's retarded. Striker for striker is understandable. But you want to take out a holding mid (your only good one) and your most versatile player out for 2 wingers? And the only thing they have going for them is that one of them is left-footed, and the other is fast. Lennon and SWP are fast and Johnson is inexperienced.


Would you like to play with 1 centreback and 9 forwards?

To answer your above post, Milner would be on the bench as a back-up to both positions, as well as the full-backs in extreme cases. He wouldn't be a starter. And that's exactly why Walcott is there. He's an average footballer who is extremely fast. He can have a good match here and there, but he's not actually good at anything. He's not a good finisher, crosser, passer, header, or dribbler. His vision and understanding of the game is by no means exceptional.

 

[Pogba4Now]

Haha...you don't wind up being a player on one of the best teams in the best league in the world by just having speed...if that were the case then I'd be playing for Arsenal too because I have elite speed.

Out of curiosity...would you want Milner on the wing, or in the middle? What would your starting midfield look like, for that matter?

How many times did Walcott "wind up" defences? He did occasionally e.g against Barcelona. But other than that he's been utter crap. Believe me, he's been horribly off form this season. Milner is not as fast and flashy as Walcott but he has the end product most of the time. Thats the most important.

I'd keep Milner as a backup for the left/right midfield. No point playing him in the middle as you have 2 super class attacking midfielders (Gerrard, Lampard). Milner is not a holding midfielder either, so I think he should only be a backup for the wings. Reserve the middle for Gerrard or Lampard paired with a holding midfielder (Carrick/Barry)

In a 4-4-2 formation, my midfield would probably be:

Gerrard - Lampard - Barry - Lennon.

in a 4-5-1:
------------------Rooney---------------------
----------------------------------------------
Milner/SWP-----------------------------Lennon
-------------Gerrard---Lampard---------------
-------------------Barry----------------------

 

[cfdemarco]

Barry's effectiveness has to be in question though, due to the injury.

 

[Pogba4Now]

Thats true. Carrick has been **** as well this season. If only Hargreaves was fit.

 

[mnj2x]

How the hell did carrick get in? I mean based on merit..he shouldnt be there.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

The FA just extended Capello through 2012? What if they go out in the Group Stages? I know it's unlikely, but extending him based on nothing is retarded.

 

[1966+2006]

The FA just extended Capello through 2012? What if they go out in the Group Stages? I know it's unlikely, but extending him based on nothing is retarded.

They didn't exactly extend it. They removed a clause stating that both parties could terminate the contract after the WC amid speculation that Inter want him as their new manager.

How the hell did carrick get in? I mean based on merit..he shouldnt be there.

Though we do need backup for Barry. And I'd rather see Carrick there than Huddlestone and Parker.

 

[1966+2006]

I think it's a rule requirement. It sort of makes sense too. If you injure 1 goalie and only have 1 left you would be pretty nervous as a manager. It's better to play a midfielder as a defender than an outfield player as a goalie.

It most certainly is a rule
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/792257/ce/uk/?cc=5739&ver=global

 

[Help?]

Looks like Ferdinand is gone

 

[Pogba4Now]

England is out.

 

[pede54]

Good job it happened now and not 10 minutes into the first game. At least it's still early enough to be able to replace him in the squad. Dawson is flying out to S.Africa tonight I believe.

It is a shame for Rio, but put Carragher next to JT and the situation is solved, perhaps even improved. Carra plays there in central defence. That is his position and he's pretty good at it too.

We could have done without Rio's injury for sure, but it's hardly the end of our World Cup. There's a lot of over reaction over the issue.

What will be will be.

 

[yoyo913]

If you had to choose a position where you had the most depth it would probably be CB.

 

[pede54]

That's right we have adequate cover for the CB positions, and seeing as Rio hasn't exactly been in his best form for quite a while, those covering players can be just as effective as Rio could be.

Maybe even more so, considering Rio's back problem hasn't completely gone away as yet. I was already worried that Rio might not actually last the distance because of his back. At least I don't need to worry about that now I guess.

It's still a shame for Rio though. He was really looking forward to this.