*Official* English Football Season 2006-07

[marc71178]

I am just looking at options ahead of Euro 2008, i know he hasn't impressed that much at the international level, but he has great ability just needs to produce it regularly i wont mind seeing him in the England squad.

Any player who doesn't play regular first team football shouldn't be near an International squad.

I just mentioned it Carrick & Parker, what you think they are rubbish?

Well holding midfielders tend to have to stick their foot in and tackle once in a while...

I heard people mentioning he has been a prolific goal-scorer for England at various youth-levels somehwere.

Sure it was Ashton?

 

[roseboy64]

I just mentioned it Carrick & Parker, what you think they are rubbish?

They're not holding midfielders. They just play deep.

 

[marc71178]

Anyway they finally have a proper winger or wide midfield player on the left and then they go and play Gerrard on the right, well allegedly it was Gerrard on the right...

Can't do much when the best option to start isn't in the squad.

Gerrard does play the role a lot for Liverpool apparently, but needs to learn that if he is playing there, he needs to stay there and not drift around.

 

[marc71178]

Why do you still have this obsession with players cutting in? It's completely unnecessary unless there are few defenders back (such as the second goal on the counter attack). We've got a guy who's 6' 7 or whatever up front and you'd prefer players coming inside and trying to walk the ball in past a congested defense. If ever the KISS principle applied it has to be with this England team.

Yet you're in favour of dropping the best crosser of the ball in the world - kind of negates that idea...

 

[marc71178]

If Joe Cole is fit he should only start ahead of someone else. England are a better *team* with Downing on the left, he might not be as good as Joe Cole, but we should be picking the best team not just the best 11 players in England and ignore everything else. The vegetable already tried to do this and it did not work.

If Joe Cole is fit, he starts on left wing because he's been England's best player for the majority of the last couple of seasons.

 

[Scaly piscine]

If Joe Cole is fit, he starts on left wing because he's been England's best player for the majority of the last couple of seasons.

He's the kind of player that looks good and when he scores or sets up a goal it's usually involved some very good play, but for me he far too often looks good but doesn't actually do anything - he doesn't get the ball into the box when he should (seems to be allergic to crosses), he doesn't track back, he doesn't stay wide in an attack, he just doesn't seem to do the simple things. You've got players like Lennon who have a purpose about their play and tries to beat a player so he can get a cross in or get behind a defense. Joe Cole hardly seems to do that, he'd rather cut inside, try and beat 3-4 players, beat 2-3 of them then get tackled and then the commentators will say how brilliant a run it was.

Regardless he's undoubtedly a good player, but I don't think he's been that brilliant over the past couple of years. He's had a few good games and few good flashes and then there's just nothing after that.

As far as I'm concerned Lennon would be my choice for the right wing, Beckham is only a good crosser of the ball these days if you give him half an hour to tee the ball up and don't get near him. Nowadays everyone knows if you keep tight to him and stay on his right side he'll just end up going backwards because he has no left foot and doesn't take anyone on.

 

[Matteh]

Lennon > Beckham.

Lennon's a good enough crosser + he'll actually take people on. It's a whole new dimension to England's right side that they don't get with Beckham.

 

[aussie]

Any player who doesn't play regular first team football shouldn't be near an International squad.

If that was totally true, blokes like Joe Cole, Kirkland, Foster wouldn't have had a chance for England initially.

Well holding midfielders tend to have to stick their foot in and tackle once in a while...?

Dont they?, i have seen many times Carrick & Parker tackling for Newcastle & the spurs before, they just don't do it as often as Hargreaves or as effective as him.

Sure it was Ashton?

Yea it was the day when McClaren announced the squad i heard someone comparing to Sheringham & saying how he has been prolific at all levels he has played in.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Lennon > Beckham.

Lennon's a good enough crosser + he'll actually take people on. It's a whole new dimension to England's right side that they don't get with Beckham.

That's pretty much the size of it. I think by the end of this season we'll be seeing Lennon-Gerrard-Hargreaves-J Cole across England's midfield - I'm tipping Lampard for a poor season in Chelsea colours. Stunted by Ballack's presence alongside him in midfield, he'll fail to deliver the goals he has produced in the last couple of seasons and lose his England place because of it.

While we're on the subject, I'd put money on Pompey's Gary O'Neil making his England debut this season, and I wouldn't be too surprised if Matt Taylor makes it in there as well at some stage. O'Neil is the closest thing we have outside our current squad to a genuine number 10, and Taylor is improving all the time.

 

[marc71178]

Lennon > Beckham.

Lennon's a good enough crosser + he'll actually take people on. It's a whole new dimension to England's right side that they don't get with Beckham.

I would have Lennon on the bench to bring on for half an hour at the end of the game against a tiring defence with his pace (which is exactly how he's been "successful" for England so far)

However for that to work he needs to be playing right midfield so he can run at the full back, not as the right sided member of a 4-3-3.

 

[marc71178]

If that was totally true, blokes like Joe Cole, Kirkland, Foster wouldn't have had a chance for England initially.

Wasn't Joe Cole playing at West Ham every game when he was called up, or is that not regular enough for you?

Kirkland's previous call ups have all been when he was playing 1st choice for Liverpool.

And last time I checked Foster has been playing regularly for Watford (and he was only really called up as about 6th or 7th choice anyway)

Dont they?, i have seen many times Carrick & Parker tackling for Newcastle & the spurs before, they just don't do it as often as Hargreaves or as effective as him.

The second part being exactly what my point is - they don't get stuck in properly, hence cannot be considered holding players.

Especially Carrick, if he were such a good holding midfielder, why is Taggart now trying to buy someone like Senna or Hargreaves to play the holding role?

 

[GIMH]

Gerrard on the right >>> Lennnon > Beckham

 

[aussie]

Wasn't Joe Cole playing at West Ham every game when he was called up, or is that not regular enough for you?

Kirkland's previous call ups have all been when he was playing 1st choice for Liverpool.

And last time I checked Foster has been playing regularly for Watford (and he was only really called up as about 6th or 7th choice anyway)

Yea your right yo, they were playing regulary for their clubs, i'd give you the SWP thing..

The second part being exactly what my point is - they don't get stuck in properly, hence cannot be considered holding players.

Especially Carrick, if he were such a good holding midfielder, why is Taggart now trying to buy someone like Senna or Hargreaves to play the holding role?

I think Fergie is trying to get Senna so as to have more options in mid-field along with Carrick, not because he doesn't consider Carrick a holding player, although i do agree with your description of it.

 

[aussie]

Gerrard on the right >>> Lennnon > Beckham

Gerrard>>>Lennon>Beckham>Pennant, to complete the full list of options we have on the right these days.

 

[aussie]

That's pretty much the size of it. I think by the end of this season we'll be seeing Lennon-Gerrard-Hargreaves-J Cole across England's midfield - I'm tipping Lampard for a poor season in Chelsea colours. Stunted by Ballack's presence alongside him in midfield, he'll fail to deliver the goals he has produced in the last couple of seasons and lose his England place because of it.

For England & Lampard's sake i hope that doesn't happen, i would think once Lampard gets back to his best & Gerrard plays well on the right like how he does for the reds that will be best. Lennon for me is the perfect man to come on in the last 15-20 mins & run down the wing at a tired defense.

While we're on the subject, I'd put money on Pompey's Gary O'Neil making his England debut this season, and I wouldn't be too surprised if Matt Taylor makes it in there as well at some stage. O'Neil is the closest thing we have outside our current squad to a genuine number 10, and Taylor is improving all the time.

Yea O'Neil should get a shot along with Nolan, Reo-coker, Barton also. Taylor is a good all round left-sided player no doubt wont mind seeing him in England colours along the left wing as back-up to Cole & Downing.

 

[Craig]

Well what a complete and utter waste of time that was.

It was only Beckham not being there that made it any different from Sven's regime, yet I bet the press will talk about the start of a golden era.

I thought you didn't about friendlies?

 

[Craig]

If Joe Cole is fit he should only start ahead of someone else. England are a better *team* with Downing on the left, he might not be as good as Joe Cole, but we should be picking the best team not just the best 11 players in England and ignore everything else. The vegetable already tried to do this and it did not work.

Admit it: Your a closet Middlesborough fan or a member of the Stewart Downing fan club

Anyway Liverpool have agreed a feew with Feyenoord for striker Dirk Kuyt. So I guess Cisse definatly won't be coming back once his holiday in France is over.

 

[bugssy]

Admit it: Your a closet Middlesborough fan or a member of the Stewart Downing fan club

Anyway Liverpool have agreed a feew with Feyenoord for striker Dirk Kuyt. So I guess Cisse definatly won't be coming back once his holiday in France is over.

fair dinkum. dirk kuyt is coming to liverpool. good hopefully crouch gets put on the back burner....

 

[Craig]

Hak how good is Chinedu Ogbuke?

 

[marc71178]

I think Fergie is trying to get Senna so as to have more options in mid-field along with Carrick, not because he doesn't consider Carrick a holding player, although i do agree with your description of it.

Right, so he's looking to spend £13m on someone as backup holding midfield then?