December 8, 201113 yr To be honest there aren't many in form England players at the moment The United players were all pretty impressive at the start of the season, but have all fallen off since. Jones and Smalling are too inexperienced to be starting anywhere in defence at the Euros
April 18, 201213 yr Author Hmm, makes the midfield more difficult but if Lampard's playing like he did tonight he could do an adequate job alongside Parker. Any talk of him not even making the squad is lunacy. The centre forward issue is a bit more concerning given I can't see them doing the pragmatic thing and sticking Crouch up there. A team like this might actually be quite dangerous, swap Young for Sturridge if necessary. Hart Richards-Cahill-Terry-Cole Parker-Lampard Walcott-Gerrard-Young Crouch
April 18, 201213 yr The only thing good about Lampard is his set play. I don't think we're very good, pretty average tbh. I still have no idea how England are going to play, need to get the manager in fast or else this tournament will be a catastrophe. I think if we play 4-2-3-1 then Welbeck would be best suited up top. Need a player with pace, who can hold the ball up and is a good finisher. Not many players can do all three. Just think England are a bit screwed really.
April 19, 201213 yr Author The only thing good about Lampard is his set play. I don't think we're very good, pretty average tbh. I still have no idea how England are going to play, need to get the manager in fast or else this tournament will be a catastrophe. I think if we play 4-2-3-1 then Welbeck would be best suited up top. Need a player with pace, who can hold the ball up and is a good finisher. Not many players can do all three. Just think England are a bit screwed really. We are quite average, oddly the player I was least certain about in that team was Gerrard. I'm really not convinced of his ability to dictate a game any more. Lampard was fantastic last night when asked to drop back beside Mikel and play an interception game, hence me putting him in the starting lineup.
April 19, 201213 yr We are quite average, oddly the player I was least certain about in that team was Gerrard. I'm really not convinced of his ability to dictate a game any more. Lampard was fantastic last night when asked to drop back beside Mikel and play an interception game, hence me putting him in the starting lineup. Gerrard can't dictate play anymore, and he has never been very good at it. If he's going to play then it needs to be as an AM or as a second striker. His problem is he just doesn't (understandably) want to get injured again. He only really properly shows up for the big names now. He's realised that putting his laces through the ball all the time is not going to do his groin/hamstring any good, so he goes for accuracy instead of power these days.
April 19, 201213 yr For the first time in a long time (possibly ever) I'd have no qualms with Michael Carrick starting for England.
April 20, 201213 yr Squad qualms put aside, we need to hire a manager pronto if we want to stand any chance of getting out of the groups IMO. Frankly, I think France are being underestimated by just about everybody; a team who are unbeaten under Laurent Blanc and continue to grow stronger; and Ukraine will be very difficult to beat on their own patch. We need to get a man into the job who can start giving us a chance, leaving everyone involved in limbo so close to the tournament is doing nobody any favours.
April 20, 201213 yr France are probably being underestimated because even they think they're wank. I was reading last month that there's virtually no faith in the national team by anyone in France. Even considering their record the expectancy there is to be battling for 2nd behind England.
April 20, 201213 yr France are probably being underestimated because even they think they're wank. I was reading last month that there's virtually no faith in the national team by anyone in France. Even considering their record the expectancy there is to be battling for 2nd behind England. I'm the same with the English team. I don't think we have the players to control games. And being less than 2 months away from the tournament without a manager is quite frankly, absolutely atrocious management from the FA. Every Tom, Dick and Harry knows they want Redknapp. Announcing it now might just save their season instead of waiting till May.
April 21, 201213 yr Author I'm beginning to think that they've had him confirmed for months, but were waiting to announce it until Spurs hit a good run of form so it looked like a better appointment. And, well, that's not really gone to plan...
April 21, 201213 yr I'm beginning to think that they've had him confirmed for months, but were waiting to announce it until Spurs hit a good run of form so it looked like a better appointment. And, well, that's not really gone to plan... We'll be shit with him anyway. The guy has no clue about tactics when his team need to win. Yet again, his team are behind so he thinks throwing a striker on and going 4-4-2 will be the answer. Absolutely clueless.
April 24, 201213 yr I just tried to pick a 23 man squad and struggled. We really are light in the forward options aren't we ?
April 24, 201213 yr In the early part of the season I said we had attacking riches that we've not seen for well over a decade. For one reason or another they've all petered out quite badly. Sturridge and Carroll have got nowhere near the level it looked like they would/could, Bent isn't likely to be fit, and if he is he won't have played for months, Defoe doesn't do that well for Spurs, certainly not as well as he used to, Crouch is hit and miss, Zamora seems to have declined considerably over the season.... The fact that Grant Holt is being seriously discussed as going is quite laughable really. What's worse is that it's not easy to come up with a case against him.
April 24, 201213 yr I just tried to pick a 23 man squad and struggled. We really are light in the forward options aren't we ? I know i have said this before but surely if we have few forward options then maybe now is the time to try people like Jay bothroyd, mackie and even, cant believe im saying this grant holt. Also why dont they blook into the championship as there are players there like rickie lambert who given a chance of the manager taking a risk could pay off. We as a country have been famous for chucking our kids in at the deep end and moaning when it goes wrong, surely now would be the time to find these unfound superstars.
April 24, 201213 yr I know i have said this before but surely if we have few forward options then maybe now is the time to try people like Jay bothroyd, mackie and even, cant believe im saying this grant holt. Also why dont they blook into the championship as there are players there like rickie lambert who given a chance of the manager taking a risk could pay off. We as a country have been famous for chucking our kids in at the deep end and moaning when it goes wrong, surely now would be the time to find these unfound superstars. Because a European Championship is the wrong time to take gambles. That's what friendlies are there for. And why don't managers often take punts on Championship players? Because the gulf in class is so superior. A lot of Premier League English players struggle to make an impact in international football, never mind some Championship journeymen. We'll take Sturridge, Welbeck, Rooney, maybe one of Crouch/Carroll and probably Defoe.
April 25, 201213 yr Because a European Championship is the wrong time to take gambles. That's what friendlies are there for. And why don't managers often take punts on Championship players? Because the gulf in class is so superior. A lot of Premier League English players struggle to make an impact in international football, never mind some Championship journeymen. We'll take Sturridge, Welbeck, Rooney, maybe one of Crouch/Carroll and probably Defoe. Wrong time to take gambles? Other countries include them in their squads as they are unknown and oppositions dont know much about them, if we continue like this, then what are we gonna do when rooney and co retire, magic up some replacements? Also im sorry but you are wrong as seeing championship strikers all season, some of them are probably better than sturridge and defoe on their day.
April 25, 201213 yr Author if we continue like this, then what are we gonna do when rooney and co retire, magic up some replacements? No, we give them a chance in friendlies and qualifiers.
April 25, 201213 yr Wrong time to take gambles? Other countries include them in their squads as they are unknown and oppositions dont know much about them, if we continue like this, then what are we gonna do when rooney and co retire, magic up some replacements? Also im sorry but you are wrong as seeing championship strikers all season, some of them are probably better than sturridge and defoe on their day. No other teams take gambles, at least not the proportion you're talking about. Would Spain take a punt on a player whose 27 with no experience bar the 2nd tier of Spanish football? Would they bollocks. How many teams have won major championships by using players as a surprise? I can't think of one. They win major tournaments by playing to their strengths. They're a bit more blessed and fortunate than English teams that the top tier teams have second teams in the lower leagues. But still, it shows desperation. What are we going to do when Rooney etc. retire? Surely that is one of the most absurd statements to make. What did we do when Scholes, Seaman, Shearer, Sheringham retire etc. we found new players who were brought up through their respective players. I don't believe I'm wrong either, there are some good players in the Championship, but international class? Not a chance. Younger players definitely perhaps, but not 30 year old journeymen. In England a good striker for us is someone who scores goals. That's just the beginning of being a top class striker these days, especially if we want to play 4-2-3-1. There's so much more to it than scoring goals, just people are so blind to see it.
April 25, 201213 yr My Euro side: Hart Johnson--Richards--Cahill--A.Cole Lampard--Milner Gerrard Walcott--Rooney--Young Wow. We have an horrendous team. Germany to win it- hopefully... maybe England could get Italy/Croatia in the QF's and have a slight chance- but even then I would rank us as underdogs. In the group I think we'll finish 2nd- but if we continue our recent tournament form- then we could easily be at 3rd or 4th. The Ukrainians are strong and beat us 1-0 in 2009- with their fans you can tell they have a good chance. We traditionally don't do well against the Swedes and they have a dangerous side- but I think we can win if we are at our best. And France, well they have looked superb for at least a year now and I can't look past them to beat us (again!).
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