Hands up who thinks Sven selecting Theo Walcott for the 2006 World Cup Squad was a stupid decision now?

 

:D

 

That was the best England performance since Germany 1-5 England in 2001. :w00t:

Of course it was. It was an awful decision to take him to the World Cup. It was always obvious he was going to be a great player but it was also blindingly obvious that it wasn't then, and picking somone who'd never played any Premiership football and two far from unfit strikers in your four was certainly NOT a wise decision. If Sven had have been more sensible in his selection I don't think we'd have gone out when we did.

Of course it was. It was an awful decision to take him to the World Cup. It was always obvious he was going to be a great player but it was also blindingly obvious that it wasn't then, and picking somone who'd never played any Premiership football and two far from unfit strikers in your four was certainly NOT a wise decision. If Sven had have been more sensible in his selection I don't think we'd have gone out when we did.

 

Rubbish.

 

Why did England take an 18 year Bobby Charlton to the 1958 World Cup and an 19 year old Rio Ferdinand to the 1998 World Cup and never play them? Why did Argentina select a 17 year Diego Maradona to the 1978 World Cup and never play him?

 

Answer for the experience, that would be of great benefit in the future.

 

After all at this 2008 Olympics Team GB has positively discriminated in favour of selecting younger athletes ahead of better older athletes to blood them and give them experience ahead of the 2012 Olympics.

 

Whilst lastly after just 29 club appearances for a then second tier team why did Brazil select an uncapped 17 year old Pele for the 1958 World Cup? At the time it was for the same reasons as above, but injuries in that tournament befell two Brazilian strikers ahead of him in the pecking order, so he was thrown into the cauldron of World Cup football becoming the younger player then to play & score in World Cup history with the winning goal in the Quarter Final, a hattrick in the Semi Final & two goals in the Final which Brazil won.

 

If Sven Goran Eriksson (who's Mexico are cruising towards qualification for the 2010 WC) made an error it was not having the confidence to play him in the 2006 World Cup because back then with his pace and his outstanding performances for England Under 18s & Under 21s he was already a better player than Defoe will ever be.

 

But did any of those other managers take only FOUR strikers of which TWO were not fit? Taking someone for experience is fine as long as you can afford to, it was always obvious that we couldn't without either a 5th striker or fit strikers. Combined it was one of the most ludicrous selections I've ever known.

 

Aragones could've taken an extremely highly rated 17 year old to this summers European Championships. But instead he took four proven strikers and they won it!

Edited September 11, 200816 yr by RabbitFurCoat

England squad to face Kazakhstan and Belarus:

 

Goalkeepers: James (Portsmouth), Green (West Ham), Carson (West Brom)

 

Defenders: Brown (Manchester United), Johnson (Portsmouth), Terry (Chelsea), Ferdinand (Manchester United), Lescott (Everton), Upson (West Ham), A Cole (Chelsea), Bridge (Chelsea)

 

Midfielders: Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy), Walcott (Arsenal), Barry (Aston Villa), Jenas (Tottenham), Lampard (Chelsea), Gerrard (Liverpool), Downing (Middlesbrough), Wright-Phillips (Manchester City)

 

Forwards: Heskey (Wigan), Crouch (Portsmouth), Rooney (Manchester United), Defoe (Portsmouth)

 

So what do we think? I see why Owen is not in there when you consider there are four very different strikers in there and Defoe has been playing better lately but I'm suprised there is no Ashley Young in there with the absence of Joe Cole so I presume Jenas may play on the left after doing so well against Croatia or it may be Cole and Bridge on the left! Pleased about Wright-Phillips and Crouch's call-ups, well deserved! I'd probably start Lampard over Gerrard though myself after how good he was against Croatia.

No suprises really. Owen's not done much really apart from score the odd tap-in, and Defoe's been better than him this season and then Heskey and Crouch offer something unique. Pleased about SWP. Not sure what sort of team he'll play for the games, just so long as we win I don't care...

I'd probably start Lampard over Gerrard though myself after how good he was against Croatia.

Most definitelty. With the form Lampard has been in for Chelsea this season and after deciding to miss country rather than club games to have an operation I'll be very disappointed if Gerrard doesn't have to earn his place in the team back and starts on the bench on Saturday.

 

It should be the same XI that played against Croatia bar Joe Cole who's injured. His place should go to Jenas who performed well on the left when replacing Cole in that game.

Most definitelty. With the form Lampard has been in for Chelsea this season and after deciding to miss country rather than club games to have an operation I'll be very disappointed if Gerrard doesn't have to earn his place in the team back and starts on the bench on Saturday.

 

It should be the same XI that played against Croatia bar Joe Cole who's injured. His place should go to Jenas who performed well on the left when replacing Cole in that game.

 

Aa an England fan, I think playing Lampard ahead of Gerrard would be a mistake.

 

As a Liverpool fan, knowing how red hot on fire Stevie G is at the moment for his club then I'll be delighted.

I have Gerrard doesn't play for England tbh. Lampard's been on fire and, club >>> country any day of the week.

Most definitelty. With the form Lampard has been in for Chelsea this season and after deciding to miss country rather than club games to have an operation I'll be very disappointed if Gerrard doesn't have to earn his place in the team back and starts on the bench on Saturday.

Exactly! If he wants to play he's gonna have to earn his place back by playing well for Liverpool, performing in training and showing his commitment to the cause is just as big as it is for Liverpool! (Which I'm sure it is but I wasn't happy with how he timed his operation) Also with the people that are complaining about Owen's omission from the squad because he's a proven international are basically going about the thinking that made us (on top of having McClown as the manager) not qualify for the Euros! The players need to EARN their place and should be selected on how they'd fit into the team and NOT THEIR REPUTATION. That and the fact that people don't remember how well Jenas did on the left in the last game make me worry about short memories of some of our fans. :unsure:

 

Even I as a Man United fan was thinking maybe Rooney should be dropped before his fantastic performance in the last game. Anyway if Owen can keep some consitant form then having the likes of him, Gerrard or Lampard and Crouch on the bench will be vital in the coming months.

Keeping players on their toes is the best option really. He should stick with the team that beat Croatia 4-1 regardless. To be fair to Gerrard, as a Liverpool fan I thought the timing of his opertaion was great. :lol: But you can't really blame the guy tbh. I mean, it can't be nice when you're a central midfielder to be played pretty much wherever, like the left hand side for example. Complete waste of Gerrard. People always moan about why Gerrard doesn't reproduce the form for England and I think it's because he considers his club before his country. I know it's difficult to undertstand, but a lot of scousers consider themselves scouse, and not English so they don't give a damn about the England team. But still, if you want the best of Gerrard you need to play him in central midfield.

 

But anyway, Barry and Lampard were fantastic against Croatia so they should stay. Hopefully Heskey and Rooney will start too.

I think the main problem is Gerrard is too adaptable. It's clear he can't play with Lampard but he'd be more suited to either flank than Lampard therefore it's him that gets played there.

I think the main problem is Gerrard is too adaptable. It's clear he can't play with Lampard but he'd be more suited to either flank than Lampard therefore it's him that gets played there.

 

Yeah exactly. He could pretty much do a respectable job in every position bar keeper imo. Anyway the papers seem to think Gerrard and Lampard will be starting together come Saturday...

KAZAHKSTAN IS THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD

ALL OTHER COUNTRIES ARE RUN BY LITTLE GIRLS

 

:hic:

 

We've been poor tonight, saved by the Kazahks inability to defend set pieces... but it's now 2-1 LOL

It's embarassig tbh. a team of our suposed quality being held back by a nation ranked below Bermuda and New Calodonia :rolleyes:

Some England fans are such c**ts. No wonder everyone hates us.

 

Kazahstan were good. They impressed me, and it should have been like, 2-1 to England if it wasn't for their keeper.

Whatever the England team was smoking after half time I want some. 5 goals in the secoond half certainly lifted the game up

I think the most important result yesterday was Ukraine and Croatia drawing 0-0. I'm really glad that game was a draw. Ukraine are good and are underrated I feel, they were always going to be up there yet if you listen the media you'd think there were only two teams in the group with a chance of qualifying.

 

5-1 was flattering, but we took chances. We will need to improve though having said that no other team in Europe scored more than 3 yesterday so we must be doing something right. I don't think anything has been worked out with Lampard/Gerrard, neither were particularly inspring but Gerrard was abysmal in the first half, about the worst I've seen him play. The switch at half time showed we do need to play 442 and none of this 433/451 rubbish. Lampard and Gerrard should be alright against teams like Kazakstan, though against the better countries I'd bring in Barry or Hargreaves to hold.

After all at this 2008 Olympics Team GB has positively discriminated in favour of selecting younger athletes ahead of better older athletes to blood them and give them experience ahead of the 2012 Olympics.

 

Athens 2004 - 9 golds, from a total of 30.

Beijing 2008 - 19 golds, from a total of 47.

 

Bearing this in mind, it seems like the younger ones were better than the "better older" ones.

What an acemazing Gerrard goal :D That's one way to banish critics <3

What an acemazing Gerrard goal :D That's one way to banish critics <3

 

I'm only listening to it on 5 Live, but this is exactly why Gerrard SHOULD play. He's twice the player Lampard is. I've been him play countless of times for Liverpool where he plays $h!te, but he can bring something out of nothing. And he's playing on the left. Stupid really.

Early days but Belarus are playing England entirely off the park.

 

Lampard is useless; Theo Walcott keeps giving the ball away ...................................... and it is 1-1.