World Cup 2010

[Langdale Wolf]

What are people making of Holland's chances? Just had a look at their squad and I recognise a few names and that's about it.

[Cardboard Box City]

Nasri, Viera and Benzema were left out of the French initial 30

[st dan]

Nasri, Viera and Benzema were left out of the French initial 30

[Langdale Wolf]

Just wait and we will probably drop Joe Cole one of the best prefomers of the last cup & Bent a 20+ goal striker.

[Cardboard Box City]

The difference of course being that Joe Cole and Darren Bent are not two of our best players.

[ampersand]

What are people making of Holland's chances? Just had a look at their squad and I recognise a few names and that's about it.

[eFestivals]

Just wait and we will probably drop Joe Cole one of the best prefomers of the last cup

Individual skills-wise, yes. The effect his movements have on the rest of the team? Defo not.

If he plays each match of the WC for England, watch him:-

- cause England to lose at least one goal they'd have otherwise had thru him being offside.

- continually make the box too crowded for those who are meant to be up-front to be able to find the space to do their job of scoring. Each time he comes inside (and he always comes inside) just watch Rooney have to go out wide to find some space, thus losing Rooney a goal-scoring opportunity e might have otherwise had.

Playing Cole along with Lumpad and Gerrard will be the most massive of tactical errors, because of the above. There's perhaps more reason to play him if (say) King was played as a proper holding midfielder, as that causes less crowding up-front.

[Cardboard Box City]

Johnson will only be 'an option', he wont be the solution to anything.

[Cardboard Box City]

England's warm up games are against Mexico a week on Monday and then against Japan in Austria on the Sunday after that

[eFestivals]

Doubt Gerrad & Cole would be in the same team. There's better options in attacking CM so he'll be used on the wings, but with the pace of Lennon & Walcott on the right means he'll be used as cover for the left which is Gerrard postion so won't play unless Gerrad doesn't or possibly Lampard doesn't and Gerrad is switched inside.

What will happen imo is the friendlies will be used to decide if Johnson or Cole is the better option for the left and Johnson coming up on top as Fab ain't a fan already.

But I agree with using Cole if we had a holding cm, not sure why Fab never tried to use a 4-5-1 seeing as we have only got one great striker and it would fit Lampard & Gerrad without compromise.

Eh?

Midfield is likely to be Lennon/Theo, Lumpard, Gerrard, Cole/Milner.

Johnson? Glenn Johnson? On the left?

[Tugger2k]

bloody hell, you get a 4 day bout of food poisoning and 15 pages of world cup action appear

its going to take a while to wade through all the opinions posted in here but for now i have just 1 question.

surely, if theres any justice in the world, if theres a semblance of sense left on this planet, if this forum wants to remain at the top of its game, for the sake of all sensible conversation.........

surely, the sweatys can have their own f**king thread?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!

[Tugger2k]

Off to Cape Town on the 9th.. Watching 3 games... Can't wait

[eFestivals]

Adam Johnson.

Nah, midfiled has always been Lennon/Walcott on the right Barry & Lampard in the middle and Gerrad on the left.

Adam Johnson won't make the final squad.

And Barry is crocked. He might not make it either.

[Tugger2k]

Adam Johnson won't make the final squad.

And Barry is crocked. He might not make it either.

[Tugger2k]

What the hell are you doing letting Mrs LW have any control over the telly. Just you wait until I tell Tugger

Edited May 13, 2010 by Tugger2k

[eFestivals]

but Don Fabio has shown a preference for a holding midfielder which suggests to me that gerrard, for all that he's had a terrible season, will start on the left. you never know, just getting away from liverpool for a bit might do a bit for his confidence and therefore his performance.

I don't think he's shown that preference, I think he's merely shown a preference for trying to get something worthwhile out of Lumpard and Gerrard.

If you cast your memory back, Barry only got to play in the first place cos of injuries, not to try anything different. The result was performances that made him hard to drop, so Pat shuffled things around to accommodate him along with the Lump and Gerrard.

However, Barry's games for England lately have been at a lower standard, he's had a poor season, and he's currently crocked. He'll go providing he's fit again, but he's gonna be 2nd choice; Milner will get played before him.

agree that johnson probably wont make the 23 but a lot will depend upon perfomances in the 2 friendlies

I reckon the friendlies will be used to rule people out, but won't get to rule any newbies in.

[eFestivals]

it'll mean another defensive midfielder instead.

Pat hasn't gone with a defensive midfielder yet, and isn't going to start now.

Barry hasn't been played as a defensive midfielder, he's merely a midfielder whose game is a more defensive one than the likes of Gerrard and Lumpard.

[Tugger2k]

Pat hasn't gone with a defensive midfielder yet, and isn't going to start now.

Barry hasn't been played as a defensive midfielder, he's merely a midfielder whose game is a more defensive one than the likes of Gerrard and Lumpard.

[StevenHooper]

My moneys on Holland, apart from the dodgy defence there top notch.

[-pogo-]

Peter Crouch.

[eFestivals]

and the fact that hes learnt that he cant play gerrard and fatso in the middle.

just as it never stopped sven it's not going to stop Pat either. He's got no different ideas.

i think if barrys crocked then parker is a cert to go, and to start.

He'd probably go but he won't start.

Pat is no more adventurous than Sven.

The only thing he has over Sven is better nouce for substitutions - Pat normally manages to improve the team, while Sven's never ever did.

no way will milner start, especially in the middle, he's far more likely to be used as a sub for gerrard or fatso imo

I agree that Milner won't get played in the middle - which is precisely why Gerrard and Lump will be played there if Barry doesn't go/play.

[ampersand]

My moneys on Holland, apart from the dodgy defence there top notch.

[-pogo-]

C'mon ref! That wasn't a foul!

[The Nal]

Pat is no more adventurous than Sven.

[eFestivals]

@ this whole "Pat" thing.

Separated at birth!

Postman Pat

Postman Pat

(and Stuart Pearce)

I think you underestimate the man Neil. His track record is incredible, for clubs granted, but hes one of the most respected managers ever. The Italians know how to win a world cup with an average team. And Englands team aint average.

England's team *IS* average. The players as individuals perhaps aren't, but as a team they are.

Performances have been no better than under Sven, no matter how much the results might flatter them.

Same players, same tactics, same performances. Yeah, we'll win.