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England 2-0 Usa
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
So what did you guys think?
Sure it wasn't the most exciting game, and we were playing against a very mediocre american side, with possibly one of our strongest sides...but still, I think it was a pretty good performance from our lads for a change!
I'm a massive John Terry fan, so I was chuffed to see him grab a goal, espescially after his penalty miss for Chelsea, and it was great to finally see Gerrard play for his country like he plays for Liverpool! His goal was immense! There was some great play between Rooney and Gerrard for alot of the match!
I was also glad to see Bentley played, although I would have liked to have seen a bit more of Joe Cole.
I suggest a 3-4-3 line up, Woodgate or Richards, Terry and Ferdinand in defence, Joe Cole, Rooney and Owen up front (although obviously Owen couldn't play today).
Sure it wasn't the most exciting game, and we were playing against a very mediocre american side, with possibly one of our strongest sides...but still, I think it was a pretty good performance from our lads for a change!
I'm a massive John Terry fan, so I was chuffed to see him grab a goal, espescially after his penalty miss for Chelsea, and it was great to finally see Gerrard play for his country like he plays for Liverpool! His goal was immense! There was some great play between Rooney and Gerrard for alot of the match!
I was also glad to see Bentley played, although I would have liked to have seen a bit more of Joe Cole.
I suggest a 3-4-3 line up, Woodgate or Richards, Terry and Ferdinand in defence, Joe Cole, Rooney and Owen up front (although obviously Owen couldn't play today).
Post edited by JustV on
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Comments
would like to have seen Walcott and Young (not sure whether they were on the bench) get some action.
I think a 3-4-3 would be a disaster. Every defender in England plays with 4 at the back at club level, so to get them to switch to a 3 at the back system for England would be a waste of time imo.
I reckon the back 4 picks itself, and whoever happens to be fit at the time, they should be pretty solid. Then you have to play Rooney if he's fit, and you have to play him in his best position, which is in the hole behind a quick striker. Someone like Crouch or Ashton should only ever be on the team sheet if Rooney isn't playing. Owen, Defoe, Bent, Agbonlahor should be the players that partner Rooney, because they're the sort of player that will give him room to work. After that, you have to have Gerrard, because he always links up so well with Rooney, and his best position is central midfield, so that's where he needs to play. He was good on the left tonight, but let's get serious, there's no way you'd pick him there in place of an on form Joe Cole. And since you've got Gerrard, you need a ball winner to sit back, hold his position, break up opponents play, and play a simple game, which is Hargreaves, Barry or Carrick. Lampard should be competing with Gerrard for the attacking midfielder position. I actually think that Lampard would be the better option if Rooney isn't fit, because he's the sort of midfielder that's best running on to knockdowns and hold up player from a big target man. And then the wingers. They need to be quick, able to take players on, and provide willing runners for the likes of Rooney and Gerrard, and give them options.
So basically:
James
Brown----Ferdinand----Terry----A Cole
Hargreaves
Gerrard
Bentley
J Cole
Rooney
Defoe
And substitute any of these players for their equivalent player types.
?? You serious?? Gerrard was one of the only players creating a cutting edge going forward, him and Rooney linking up was our only real threat and the only reason they could do that so well was because he was coming inside from the left. Agreed Beckham hasn't taken a man on for years, I can't remember when he ever did take a man on, that is not his game, it never has being and just cos he's old now he's not going to start, you can't argue with the service he provides though! I think Bentleys for the future but Beckham did a lot more in 45mins than Bentley did, too many tricks "trying" to take a man on but can't remember him succeeding at that once.
Why do you need a target in the box just cos he's cutting back in?? I prefer the ball on the ground, played into Rooneys feet in the hole!
Yes defoe can attack balls being whipped in but the main reason he is included in this team is to get in behind the defence with his pace, not to get on the end of crosses.
Right next bit...... Think it showed tonight that Gerrard can play on the left for England, he was the outstanding performer last night so to say he shouldn't play there is just ridiculous. Still don't think Lampard should be in the team.
You're going with the idea that it HAS to be a 4 man midfield with 2 wingers, an attacking midfielder and a defensive midfielder, this doesn't have to be the case and hardly any of the players play that way at club level.
When Barry came on we looked a lot better and it created more space for Gerrard and Rooney to operate, I'd look at having Barry and Hargreaves in the centre, they can both play football, they work hard and don't give much away. This then allows Gerrard to roam and link up with Rooney in the hole like they did excellently last night. This also lets Ashley Cole fill in the void on the left further up the field and provide some width.
Oh and you go on about width but J.Cole cuts in from the right 9 times out of 10.
I'd maybe try J.Cole on the right.
Anyway, thought once the first goal went in we played ok, Defoe didn't take his chance but thought apart from his finishing did ok, I'd still be tempted to get Owen up there with Rooney if he prooves his fitness and sharpness. Beckham did enough for me in the 45mins but think its times to look at another starter cos doubt Becks will be about for the world cup. Lampard pretty poor I thought.
With a full squad to pick for, if I had to choose this would be my starting 11, it would only be experimental but this is what I would try:
James
Ferdinand..........Terry
Richards.................................................A.Cole
Hargreaves........Barry
J.Cole.....................................................Gerrard
Rooney
Owen
I don't. I think Wes Brown is shit.
Beckham can do two things as a provider. Great balls up to a target man, or great balls over the top to a quick striker. The latter only works against a team that's going to come forward and attack us, and that's not the USA. And the former doesn't work with 2 strikers with a combined height of Peter Crouch. And even then, it's not as if Bentley can't knock a ball across the pitch fairly easily anyway, or indeed most other players in the squad nowadays. Name one thing he did all match that didn't involve a set piece.
I never said it has to be that formation at all. I just happen to think that that's the best formation based on the players we have, particularly against a team like the USA that are just going to sit back. And to say that Gerrard was the outstanding performer means nothing. He was the outstanding performer in a team that created about 3 chances against one of the worst international teams I've seen in ages. What does that tell you? It tells you that the system didn't work because the only decent player on the pitch was someone playing out of position, and even he didn't set the world alight. How you could claim anything about that performance was outstanding is beyond me.
Well you and I must have different standards of excellence, because I saw an okay performance against a crap team. To me, it's inevitable that Gerrard in that position would come unstuck against a better team where you need a bit more endeavour.
But the difference is that he can go past the fullback. Ronaldinho, Kaka, Messi and Ronaldo all come inside a lot two, but they all have the technical ability and/or pace to essentially do whatever they want in that position. Defending against Gerrard is easy because you know what he's gonna do; either cut inside, or feed the runs of others. Cole does all of this, but can also take a player on on this inside or outside. Are you seriously claiming that Gerrard's performance the other night even came close to what we've seen from Cole in the past against far better opposition? What did he actually create in all honesty, because I can't remember many chances from the team overall, never mind ones created by Gerrard in particular? You do realise that our systems are pretty much identical? The only difference is that I have an extra attacking threat in the midfield (who is equally capable of sitting back and breaking up play if the situation demands it), and imo stronger wingers into the bargain.
Compared to who?
Neville - injured.
Richards - injured.
Johnson - really!?
My morning butty just come, i will carrry on when I get chance
Didn't see the match the other night as I was at a party, so can't comment on Gerrard on the left, but it doesn't seem like the best solution to me, solely because he never plays there normally.
I can't believe Carrick doesn't make the England squad. He's England's best passer and possession footballer, and he can't get a game.
Gerrard isn't a skillful enough player to be playing a free role. He's best in the centre where he can best influence the game with his good passing and vision, and make the occasional bursting run past the strikers or do a little one-two with Rooney. In the Premier League, England have 5 of the top 7 assisting players in the Premier League.
Ashley Young with 17
Wayne Rooney with 13
David Bentley with 11
Steven Gerrard with 11
Gareth Barry with 10
(Joe Cole was injured for a lot of the season, obviously)
And we are perfectly capable of including all of those in the same starting 11 in exactly the positions they play for their clubs week in week out, while retaining an excellent shape to the team. Now I'm not saying that that's necessarily something you have to do, but the point is that we have an excellent creative player that plays pretty much every position on the pitch, so we're beyond having to play players in positions that aren't their strongest. And Ashley Young plays exactly the role you're touting for Gerrard at his club, and does a much better job of it than any other English player in that role. 17 assists and 8 goals in the league alone. You can't argue that he's ahead of Gerrard in the queue to play a free role on the left.
Like what? If this was an important match, Beckham wouldn't have started..fact.