loz Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 So after the under achievement of Saturday we now look forward to playing Andorra in Barcelona. Surely a 3 pointer if ever there was one (and this should be the first 3 of at least 15 consecutive points for England) So for all our criticism of England and McLaren who would you play as the starting 11 (bearing in mind the squad we have- no point picking people not in the squad). Mine would be: ...........................Robinson................. ......................Rio...............JT........... Gerrard........................................Cole ........................Carrick........................ ..Lennon..............Lamps...............Barry ........................Rooney.................... ........................Johnson.................... Thus giving us two right footed players on the right hand side and two left footed players on the left hand side. Both gerrard and Cole to be given the freedom to get forward and support Lennon and Barry respectively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butch Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 My team would be: Robinson Neville Ferdinand Terry A.Cole Hargreaves Gerrard Lampard Lennon Crouch Rooney Cheers, Butch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loz Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 Personally I would rather go with width on both flanks to stretch the Andorra defence anf also to try and persuade our defence and deeper playing midfielders to stop playing 'hoof the ball' This is also my reason for not playing Crouch as as soon as he plays we adopt route one football. In addition I think Johnson played well against Israel and desreves to keep his place in the team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjd Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 He is under increasing pressure to drop Lampard or Gerrard (with Lamps the favorite) , however im not sure if he will in this game as the result is a given and will not be a proper gauge. In fact, as its McClaren, expect anything. i go. P.Robinson C.Riggot S.Parnaby L.Cattermole P.Neville J.Morrison M.Christie S.Downing (Capt) T.Nugent T.Mooney C.Church Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glory55 Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 It dont matter what players take the field. England seem to be cursed! Andorra are a pub team and MaClaren needs a seriously convincing result! Or else........thats got to be it!! The media are already sharpening the knives for him,so it cant be long until he is out of a job. The media are too influencial in England!! And the FA are weak!!!! But one question....... .... Where the f**k does Terry Venables figure in all this??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loz Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 I heard a rumour that lamps may be out 'injured' - hmmmm As far as I can see El tel is barely on speaking terms with McLaren and is keeping very quiet because: a) He isn't prepared to take the blame for McLaren's decisions and tactics B) He wants McLaren's job (and he can have it as far as I am concerned) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliott Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 I'd go for: Robinson Richards, Woodgate, Terry, A.Cole Gerrard, Carrick, Lampard, Lennon Rooney, Defoe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 ......................Rio...............JT...........Gerrard........................................Cole Can I just clarify that you would play Stephens at right full? [spoil]You're clearly mad[/spoil] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TT Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 I'm English, and I am finding it diffcult to care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glory55 Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 B) He wants McLaren's job Spot on!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliott Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 Fighting talk from the Captain Good to hear JT! Kick their arse's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loz Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 ......................Rio...............JT........... Gerrard........................................Cole Can I just clarify that you would play Stephens at right full? [spoil]You're clearly mad[/spoil] Just the same way Chelsea have played Essien at right back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maksimov Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 Didn't Sven play Stevie Me at rightback sometime(s)...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 Just the same way Chelsea have played Essien at right back Yes but Essien is a proper footballer with a brain and all. [spoil]You're being compared to Sven, you know[/spoil] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliott Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 Didn't Sven play Stevie Me at rightback sometime(s)...? Against the Argies in a 'friendly', and against Sweden in the World Cup. It's because Gerrard came through the Liverpool youth academy as a right full back, originally. He actually does a farkin good job there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 He actually does a farkin good job there. That was before he started believing his own publicity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliott Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 He actually does a farkin good job there. That was before he started believing his own publicity. Not really. He generally plays very well in that position. The England game versus Argentina, and Liverpool vs Milan are fine examples, it's just that it takes a manager with alot of bottle for him to pick him there, as the media outcry would go something like: ''THE BEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD!? BEING WASTED AT RIGHT BACK!?'' Obviously Loz has larger cojones than Stevey Mac. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loz Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 As Elliott says Gerrard has played at right back for England and Liverpool before and he has done so to good effect. We are playing Andorra, population negative, if we haven't the confidence to start this game with attack minded players on the flanks then we are are even more of a national disgrace then any of us thought we were already. We should be playing a fairly high back line with Carrick providing defensive cover in front of it. The two 'full backs' then pivot around Carrick meaning we always have sound support on the flank that is in possession. IN addition this frees up Lampard to get further forward so that he isn't picking up the ball within our own half and being far too far behind the strikers. or we could go with the McLaren approach and put Carragher at right back and defend on our own 18 yard line! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maksimov Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 ''THE BEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD!? BEING WASTED AT RIGHT BACK!?'' Ronaldinho at right back? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliott Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 According to all the press this morning, Mclaren is going to go with: .......................ROBINSON......................... RICHARDS.....TERRY.....FERDINAND.....COLE LENNON......LAMPS.....GERRARD......DOWNING ................ .ROONEY.....JOHNSON................. I can understand him dropping the holding midfielder, and wanting to go for width, but Downing? Whats wrong with Dyer and Lennon? To me, Downing is a very very average player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loz Posted March 28, 2007 Author Share Posted March 28, 2007 Downing is a horribly poor player but marginally in McLaren's defence is that at least he is a left sided player with a elft foot. Lennon and Dyer aren't and therefore having either of them on the left flank would just mean they kept cutting inside a lot and squeezing the middle of the park. Personally I would rather have seen Barry playing on the left hand side than Downing but I am at least happy to see that it is a left footed player. Great to see Hargreaves dropped and also probably a good thing to see us opt for an orthodox 4-4-2 - it isn't the prettiest or most intelligent football in the world but in all honesty with the players we have at our disposal it is the formation that makes most sense for us just now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliott Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Downing is a horribly poor player but marginally in McLaren's defence is that at least he is a left sided player with a elft foot. Lennon and Dyer aren't and therefore having either of them on the left flank would just mean they kept cutting inside a lot and squeezing the middle of the park. Personally I would rather have seen Barry playing on the left hand side than Downing but I am at least happy to see that it is a left footed player. Great to see Hargreaves dropped and also probably a good thing to see us opt for an orthodox 4-4-2 - it isn't the prettiest or most intelligent football in the world but in all honesty with the players we have at our disposal it is the formation that makes most sense for us just now. I suppose Loz, it depends on whether you would rather opt for a natural, but average left footer: Downing, or someone with real pace and skill: Dyer. I would prefer to see Lennon and Dyer alternate wings. Downing offers very little, and Barry strikes me as a full back more than anything? It's a real shame that SWP was'nt included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midlandblue Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Have to agree with Loz, a left footed player should be prefered on the left. If he stays wide left , the least downing will do is pull the right full back out towards him leaving more space for the central midfielders to exploit in the heart of the defence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loz Posted March 28, 2007 Author Share Posted March 28, 2007 And this is Andorra - if we can't under estimate them then who can we under estimate!! Downing may be well beloe quality international standard but he should be good enough to stretch the Andorra defence! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliott Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 And this is Andorra - if we can't under estimate them then who can we under estimate!! Downing may be well beloe quality international standard but he should be good enough to stretch the Andorra defence! Well Loz, you would hope so... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts