He's grand when he can take his 20 plus shots a game a Chelsea beacuse he has players to win the ball back and give it to him to have another effort. Alas it doesn't work like this with England.Originally Posted by jockser
20 shots (a game) that sail over the bar....god he is useless isnt he! must be so frustrating to play with him
anyone hear the conentators on english tv lastnight speak with great pride of how their frankie had had more shots in the tournament than ANYONE else, completely blinkered it seems to the fact that he hasnt troubled the keeper at any point with all these wonderfull shots
heh heh, gotta laught at em.
Last edited by CraftyToePoke; 21/06/2006 at 9:45 AM.
What I found astonishing was the lack of emotion on the English bench when England scored. Sammy Lee celebrated ok but McLaren barely got off his ar*e and just whispered something in Sven's ear, who had managed to stand up but not even smile. Very strange.
Sweden reminded me of us. Two or three excellent players and the rest good professionals who give their all and make it hard to beat them. It shows how far you can get with organisation, grit and determination. They'll give the Germans a run for their money.
Beckam was so anonymous it was unbelievable. Should they not move him in to the middle for the creative spark needed there ? Certainly not the man who destroyed Greece almost single handedly a few years ago.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
Beckham cannot play in the middle, he hasn't the legs nor the ability to.
You're probably right but he certainly hasn't got the legs out wide.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
No he hasn't, but he won't be dropped no matter what happens.
Who does but he was tiring and he's not long back from injury so do you really think, or does he himself, that he would've lasted the whole ninety minutes?
And also people seem to forget that he's still only 20. Of course he's going to sulk. But as a professional he should be mature enough to deal with it.
Threads merged.
Last edited by superfrank; 21/06/2006 at 10:38 AM.
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Erikkson's judgement day is almost here. If he is serious about progressing rather than trying to please, media, players, sponsors etc. etc. he has got to pick the best team from the players he has available to do the job, (i.e winning!)
Up front, there is no choice, has to be Crouch and Rooney.
At the back, Ashley Cole is a must, as are Terry and Ferdinand (if he is not fit Campbell). At right back he must make a choice.
His real dilemma is in midfield. Joe Cole is a cert to play on left, he must play Steven Gerrard. If he wants to have any chance of breaking up stronger oppositions midfield play he must play a holding play, Hargreaves (who was excellent in that role last night) or Carrick. This leaves one place for either Beckham or Lampard. Beckham's delivery, especially of dead balls, is second to none, but he does little else. On balance Lampard will contribute more, certainly in work rate if the going gets though, which you expect it to do in the later stages so he would be my choice.
This would leave Beckham out, unless he decided to slot him in at right back. There was some euphoria about Beckham's display at right back when he moved there against T&T, I think I could done as well myself, with all due respect to opposition. He was found wanting last night and certainly was the cause of Sweden's first goal. I think putting Beckham in at right back will only be an option if it meant replacing Carragher, who is a defender but not a natural right back. If Gary Neville is fit, he will play.
Is Sven courageous enough to drop Beckham. If he has any aspirations of winning this thing he must.
Honest! I am not a secret Tim nor a closet Sham - I really am a Seagull.
When the going gets tough Lampard is off having a cup of tea!
Crouch and Rooney will not work together. England will do one of two things:
A.Pump the long ball up to Crouch. This will not work because Rooney will have dropped deep and he will not be in the areas where Owen would usually be to win the loose balls.
B. Give the ball to Rooney. This is their usual plan and Rooney then terrorises defenses by running towards them. More often the not he either shoots or plays a through ball through to Owen. However the through ball will not work with Crouch as he does not have the pace.
Based on this I think that England have to either start with Walcott or play 4-3-3, with Lennon and Cole supporting Rooney, similar to Chelsea's formation.
Would all this nonsense about Beckham ever end. He is an excellent player and just because he is not one of the best players in the world anymore does not mean he is no use now. His performances this season for Real Madrid were excellent- this was in a team that was failing to fire on all cylinders. He is crucial to England. He is a key figure not just because of his dead ball delivery. You think Lampard would be better on the right? He is an over-rated player. Don't get me wrong, he is an excellent player, but he is not fit to clean the boots of Gerrard, Ronaldinho, Riquelme etc. Lampard would be lost on the right wing.
Beckham is England's best option at RM. Lennon's crossing did not cause T&T any problems.
If this was in Sven's mind, why did he not try it last night when Owen got injured? Could have easily been adapted by bringing on Lennon or Walcott when Owen went off.
BTW, think you are wrong about Beckham. He looks great against poor opposition when it does not matter, but in the real important games he goes missing. e.g v Brazil WC 2002 and v Portugal Euro 2004. Did he look like a world class player last night?
Honest! I am not a secret Tim nor a closet Sham - I really am a Seagull.
He didn't go missing in the game against Greece a few years back which England needed to win if memory serves me correctly to qualify. He put in a fantastic performance that day which contrasts starkly with the recent perfomances.
Nevertheless, they're in the last 16 and must have a good chance against Ecuador to get in to the last 8 and, as they say in football, anything can happen from there.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
Rooney up front on his own with Beckham and Cole pushing on down the wings and Lampard, Gerard and Hargreaves in the middle is what will happen I'd say. I'd have that Lennon chap instead of Beckham as I think he'd be more effective in that role but that won't happen. England's midfield has been poor enough creatively so far so maybe more of them will help.
I seem to remember him being awful and then scoring the free kick.
We're not arrogant, we're just better.
The only problem with that is that Cole does not push down the wing- he cuts inside and crowds the midfield, which would be more crowded with five there.Rooney up front on his own with Beckham and Cole pushing on down the wings and Lampard, Gerard and Hargreaves in the middle is what will happen I'd say. I'd have that Lennon chap instead of Beckham as I think he'd be more effective in that role but that won't happen. England's midfield has been poor enough creatively so far so maybe more of them will help.
The 2-2 game at Old Trafford. My memory of that game was that the Greeks dominated the first half and led 1-0 at half-time. Sherringham came on and equalised, then Greece took the lead again. It was only in the last 15 minutes or so that Beckham emerged and scored from a last gasp free kick. Good last quarter for Beckham, but hardly fantastic.
Last edited by Superhoops; 21/06/2006 at 2:37 PM.
Honest! I am not a secret Tim nor a closet Sham - I really am a Seagull.
It still proves that Beckham doesn't go missing in big games, which you said he did.
i read it as meaning exactly that. Being missing for 3/4's of the game is still going missing. Doesn't exactly show him as world class for England as you were saying
Hit enough Frees and one will go in, that doesn't mean you're helping your team out. Beckham was largely anonymous that day bar the free, which is all anyone seems to remember of it.
Oh, he went missing in that game big time for the first 70/75 minutes and at a time when he was being hailed a world superstar. The point I was making was that he has a tendency not to generally impose himself in big games. In fact he hasn't done so at all in recent games and IMO is being picked on reputation and sentiment rather than on performance. Sure, Beckham has the ability to dominate any game, but it is a long time since (and seldom against top class opposition) he has done so. Yet I suppose if he does f**k all else and scores the winner from a free against Ecuador, his inclusion would be justified.
People used to say the same about Ian Harte!
Honest! I am not a secret Tim nor a closet Sham - I really am a Seagull.
I never said he was world class for England. I said he was good enough and he is their best option on the right.
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