The England thread

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

When you've got Michael Owen, Jermaine Defoe and Wayne Rooney you don't have 1 up front, kick Sven out and get someone English, Stuart Pearce, Steve McClaren, William Shakespeare, Francis Drake, I don't fucking care, just get that monkheaded foreigner out.

[John Stones' Paint Trophy]

I'd mark for Allardyce as the next manager.

But I completely agree with Defoe and Rooney up front, maybe Owen for the World Cup depending on how he does at Newcastle this season.

Is Beckham playing as a Holding Player? If so, Scott Parker is much better for that role. Play Beckham on the right wing, Gerrard and Lampard in the centre and Cole or Wright-Phillips on the left.

Phil Neville should play at right-back but only for this game as someone said, he's gonna know all about Giggs.

[FLiam]

I really wouldn't mark for Allardyce being manager, I don't want him anywhere near the England job, ever.

It would be worse than having Sven, even more long balls and long throws, like, all the time.

[lazy_arse]

McClaren would be the obvious choice as he has worked with the squad for a while now and I like his style.

I never quite got the Curbishley love. I think he's an ok manager, but I wouldn't have him manage England.

[John Stones' Paint Trophy]

I've never got the McClaren love

Stuart Pearce would be good but he's not experienced enough yet. This is his first full season in management.

[fineintent]

Steve McClaren is balls, he's spent millions and achieved very little (the League Cup is largely insignificant...) Bring back Bobby Robson. But there are few English managers getting big jobs, so it's hard to tell if they're any good.

Sven's problem is that he has no real character to speak of, and little belief in his own set of players. Get Mourinho or something. Or Kammy.

[Different Cloud]

THERE'S ONLY ONE KENNY MILLER!

Scotland 1 - Italy 0

Edited September 3, 2005 by Viper

[lanky316]

Nice header, made me appeciate Robbo's save even more seeing that goal!

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

BASTARDS!

Scotland are up for it, and well for some reason we (Italy) are trying to pass it into the fucking net, fools. Bring Del Piero on for christ sake.

[fineintent]

Wahey, go anemic England. Beckham showed a superb range of passing, Young was impressive and Robinson made a superb stop, but the negatives far outweight the positives. Rooney was wasted, Joe Cole missed a string of easy chances (and scored via deflection), Hargreaves being brought on ahead of Carrick, Richardson playing a competitive game for England and, overall, we played pretty badly. Granted, we never had to step out of 2nd gear, but you'd expect more from one of the World Cup's "favourites".

[Colly]

Or Kammy.

←

[Dan]

Or Kammy.

←

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!!!!!!!!!!!

←

You two need to die.

Chris Kamara is a cunt. From Yorkshire.

[Colly]

Chris Kamara is from Middlesbrough, which contrary to popular opinion is actually not a small town in Yorkshire.

[NobBe Nobbs]

I concur whoeheartedly with whoever it was who said they hated the 4-5-1. Last season, we played it for most of the year and had some of the most boring games I've seen in all my years of football. Against Southampton, near the end, we ended up chanting 'Boring', and it pained me to join in.

[fineintent]

I think Chelsea use it quite well, and are extremely watchable, because they have players like Duff, Robben and SWP to put on the flanks, who are some of the paciest players in the Premiership. Drogba and Crespo also suit the formation, being strong out and out strikers, rather than Rooney who is the link to the midfield.

I doubt we'll ever use the 4-5-1 again, with Owen back. I do wonder if England will start to play like Man Utd, with Rooney floating, Owen working as RVN and Wright-Phillips taking Ronaldo's role. That takes Cole out of the team as well, so it might be worth a venture. My main gripe with Saturday was that Rooney was misused, so maybe that'd correct it, and it'd give us a really explosive front 3. One of the positives was that Beckham proved he's still very useful, and I'm all for taking him off the wings.

As for tonight, I'll say 2-0/2-1 ish.

Edited September 7, 2005 by fineintent

[Lineker]

England v Argentina

International Friendly

Stade de Geneve, Switzerland

Saturday 12 November 2005, 4.45pm (5.45pm local time)

Sven-Goran Eriksson has made four new faces to his England squad for the friendly match against Argentina in Geneva on 12 November.

David James and Michael Carrick return to the squad having missed the double-header against Austria and Poland whilst Wayne Bridge has the chance of a first cap since playing against Spain last November.

Paul Konchesky of West Ham United made his England debut at Upton Park against Australia in February 2003 and, with Ashley Cole missing through injury, is the second left-back included in the squad.

Charlton Athletic's Luke Young retains his place in the squad and has the chance to add to his haul of caps after playing in six of England's last seven matches.

England's great strength in depth in the centre back position is shown once again as Sol Campbell, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Tottenham's Ledley King provide a strong quartet even though Jamie Carragher and Jonathan Woodgate are injured.

After Sven spoke so positively about him during the week, an ill-timed injury picked up during Sunday evening's match against Real Zaragoza is particularly unwanted for Woodgate, who last played for England against Sweden in March 2004.

In midfield, Sven has brought Carrick - one of five Spurs players included - back in to the squad along with captain David Beckham and Chelsea trio Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Alan Smith, so outstanding in Manchester United's 1-0 victory over the Premiership champions on Sunday evening, is rewarded with a place in the squad.

With Darren Bent in the U21s squad to play France on Friday, only four strikers have been chosen to take on Argentina.

Wayne Rooney, another United man who impressed against Chelsea is one of them, the others being Newcastle United's Michael Owen, Peter Crouch of Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur's Jermain Defoe.

As well as Ashley Cole, Carragher and Woodgate, those players unavailable for selection due to injury include Gary Neville, Owen Hargreaves and Chris Kirkland.

Sol Campbell Arsenal

Luke Young Charlton Athletic

Wayne Bridge Chelsea

Shaun Wright-Phillips Chelsea

Joe Cole Chelsea

Frank Lampard Chelsea

John Terry Chelsea

Phil Neville Everton

Peter Crouch Liverpool

Steven Gerrard Liverpool

David James Manchester City

Wayne Rooney Manchester United

Rio Ferdinand Manchester United

Alan Smith Manchester United

Michael Owen Newcastle United

Robert Green Norwich City

David Beckham Real Madrid

Michael Carrick Tottenham Hotspur

Paul Robinson Tottenham Hotspur

Jermain Defoe Tottenham Hotspur

Jermaine Jenas Tottenham Hotspur

Ledley King Tottenham Hotspur

Paul Konchesky West Ham United

[The LBTN Express]

I would have liked to have seen Bent given a chance for this, but Sven opts for the goal less Crouch.

And Phil f'n Neville?

[fourstarfizzle]

Ah well, I know who I'm putting money on to win this match, good ol Argen...

[Colly]

This may sound bias, but no Scott Parker again makes me cry. Phil Neville...

Nice to see Wayne Bridge back, Konchesky as backup I'd imagine. Lots of Spurs.

[Liam]

Lack of Zat Knight, horrible really.....