Group D Discussion - Ukraine, Sweden, France, England

[Jarquis]

The Ox will be the revelation of this tournament.

 

[Cevno]

Well, M'vila has apparently picked up a injury for France against Serbia.

Was in tears on the bench.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

The Ox will be the revelation of this tournament.

Won't play apart from the odd 10 minute cameo.

 

[grecian]

Won't play apart from the odd 10 minute cameo.

Well the way our midfielders are dropping like flies he could start every game. Wouldn't be displeased if he did, giving the other options.

 

[cpr]

I get what Scaly is saying about Downings delivery, he puts decent balls into the box which you'd expect a predatory striker to send goalwards - a Rooney, a Drogba etc.

Problem is he's been firing it at a half asleep Carroll all year.

If Liverpool had a decent striker all year (not against Suarez here, he isn't the 6 yard predator type, he needs a partner), I reckon Downing might've had 5 more assists easily. Just a shame that would take him up to the still crap total of 5.


Still, least he's got a big target to hit them to in the shape of Andy Car..... ****

 

[Furball]

Your traditional penalty box striker has all but disappeared from the very top level though. The three top strikers in the world (Messi, Ronaldo, van Persie) all started their careers as wingers.

 

[Scaly piscine]

I get what Scaly is saying about Downings delivery, he puts decent balls into the box which you'd expect a predatory striker to send goalwards - a Rooney, a Drogba etc.

Problem is he's been firing it at a half asleep Carroll all year.

If Liverpool had a decent striker all year (not against Suarez here, he isn't the 6 yard predator type, he needs a partner), I reckon Downing might've had 5 more assists easily. Just a shame that would take him up to the still crap total of 5.


Still, least he's got a big target to hit them to in the shape of Andy Car..... ****

KKK went with the strategy of playing Downing and Carroll together as little as was possible. He mostly substituted one for the other.

 

[Cevno]

Euro 2012: Michael Carrick rethinks England career after Roy Hodgson's appointment - Telegraph

 

[sledger]

Whilst I'd prefer him over Henderson, and comfortably so, I don't at all like this "not now, maybe next time" attitude that a couple of players seem to have adopted in respect of international call ups. If you're not good enough to get a regular call up then take it on the chin and either grin and bear it or make yourself permanently ineligible. Shouldn't allow oiks who've previously refused to play to come crawling out of the woodwork and say they want to participate again when the situation is more favourable to them.

 

[grecian]

I get what Scaly is saying about Downings delivery, he puts decent balls into the box which you'd expect a predatory striker to send goalwards - a Rooney, a Drogba etc.

Problem is he's been firing it at a half asleep Carroll all year.

If Liverpool had a decent striker all year (not against Suarez here, he isn't the 6 yard predator type, he needs a partner), I reckon Downing might've had 5 more assists easily. Just a shame that would take him up to the still crap total of 5.


Still, least he's got a big target to hit them to in the shape of Andy Car..... ****

Yeah, but it's such a limited ask for an International player, get the ball in the right areas, stay on the wing and track back. It's what you ask and expect from a lower division player, and that's him at his mythical best.

 

[sledger]

Yeah, it's a skill set you'd expect of to find in someone playing in that position at more or less any level.
If Downing actually excelled in this regard then he would be alright, but he really doesn't, and any good fullbacks at the top level aren't going to be troubled by him. So many times you see him get forced out wide, and his cross fails to clear the first man. Rubbish.

 

[Uppercut]

Your traditional penalty box striker has all but disappeared from the very top level though. The three top strikers in the world (Messi, Ronaldo, van Persie) all started their careers as wingers.

Hmm they've disappeared from the best club teams but they're still sometimes useful at international level. Guys like Klose, Baros etc.

 

[sledger]

Reckon they'd always be useful if you could find one that was good enough tbh.

 

[Pothas]

Only if they contribute to general play which someone like Klose actually does, it's a striker like Van Nistelrooy who is a truy dying breed but there is still a role for a proper front to goal striker, Falcao being the best current example.

The old fashioned target man is still somewhat useful at international level as well, if Carroll actually brings his half decent version of himself to the tornament he could useful in an ugly sort of way.

 

[social]

Despite being very ordinary in the CL final, Bayern's Gomez generally contributes very little other than goals

 

[Pothas]

So Cahill out now and yet another bloody Liverpool player called up.

 

[GIMH]

Don't understand why Micah Richards wasn't at least next in line

Means Jones and Jagielka are the backups centre halves then.

Cahill a big loss but at the same time Lescott a more than capable replacement IMO

Reminds me of the 02 WC with all these injuries

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Why call up yet another Victimpool player?

What has Micah Richards done wrong?

 

[Furball]

Either Richards has ****ed Woy's missus or he's plannung an elaborate troll on Liverpool fans.

 

[BoyBrumby]

This is where Woy's made a massive rod for his back.

There's no way on God's earth Kelly is a better centre half than Rio, but obviously with Captain Racist in the squad Ferdinand isn't going to be called up.

Mind you, Terry's supposed to have a dodgy hamstring that might yet rule him out, so you never know.