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Eng-er-lund 1 Japan 1
Japan deserved to win it in the end after a pretty average performance by England. After going 1-0 up England gave the ball away very easily and conceded.
Defence looks a worry and so does the defensive midfield area which the likes of Alex found loads of space, Beckham and co were pretty poor, no running back to help out the defence and pretty much unbalanced.
Bring it on France.
Japan deserved to win it in the end after a pretty average performance by England. After going 1-0 up England gave the ball away very easily and conceded.
Defence looks a worry and so does the defensive midfield area which the likes of Alex found loads of space, Beckham and co were pretty poor, no running back to help out the defence and pretty much unbalanced.
Bring it on France.
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AfroJoe wrote:
He could go with a flat 4-man midfield, with Beckham on
> the right, Lampard and Gerrard in the centre
That would be good if Beckham actually stayed out on the bloody right where he is meant to be, the amount of times he kept drifting into the middle and doing absolutely nothing was numerous. Fergie had the same problem with him when he was at United.
Becks needs to realise he's not a central midfielder no matter how much he wants to be and the only decent thing he's good at is crossing, so get your poncy, tattoed, wife cheating ass over there you muppet. :-D
He could go with a flat 4-man midfield, with Beckham on
> the right, Lampard and Gerrard in the centre
That would be good if Beckham actually stayed out on the bloody right where he is meant to be, the amount of times he kept drifting into the middle and doing absolutely nothing was numerous. Fergie had the same problem with him when he was at United.
Becks needs to realise he's not a central midfielder no matter how much he wants to be and the only decent thing he's good at is crossing, so get your poncy, tattoed, wife cheating ass over there you muppet. :-D
I'm quite glad actually that the match turned out like it did because now i don't have to read a paper to be told we're suddenly going to win the whole tournament and trounce France 20-0.
It's finally given the english public a little healthy dose of reality and made us wake up to the fact that we aren't the powerhouse of football we kid ourselves to be but instead we're a very average team and the only way we're getting to the Euro 2004 final is if 14 other teams suddenly drop out with a mysterious illness.
However some respect has to be shown to Japan. This isn't the same nation you could have walked over in a footie match about 20 years ago, they're now a very well organised, skillful group of players where much credit has to go to Zico. I missed the first 35 minutes so don't know if he was played and substituted early but they didn't even have Nakata, arguably their best player and they still managed to run rings around us for the 70 odd minutes i saw. The goal was an amazing piece of team passing and i bet if it was Arsenal who had done that the commentators would be reaching near orgasm in excitement about it. Although saying that Beckham should have intercepted either one of the 2 final passes.
Where the sense was in playing Lampard, an attacking midfielder in the holding role and Gerrard, a defensive midfielder out on the left i don't know, the roles should have been swapped because as good as he is Lampard is not a defensive player really if Sven faces the truth. It left a big gap at the back, which Japan exploited often. Now imagine if that was Zidane presented with that gift, England won't be staying in the match very long with his precise passing.
Much more needed for the tournament, and quick.
It's finally given the english public a little healthy dose of reality and made us wake up to the fact that we aren't the powerhouse of football we kid ourselves to be but instead we're a very average team and the only way we're getting to the Euro 2004 final is if 14 other teams suddenly drop out with a mysterious illness.
However some respect has to be shown to Japan. This isn't the same nation you could have walked over in a footie match about 20 years ago, they're now a very well organised, skillful group of players where much credit has to go to Zico. I missed the first 35 minutes so don't know if he was played and substituted early but they didn't even have Nakata, arguably their best player and they still managed to run rings around us for the 70 odd minutes i saw. The goal was an amazing piece of team passing and i bet if it was Arsenal who had done that the commentators would be reaching near orgasm in excitement about it. Although saying that Beckham should have intercepted either one of the 2 final passes.
Where the sense was in playing Lampard, an attacking midfielder in the holding role and Gerrard, a defensive midfielder out on the left i don't know, the roles should have been swapped because as good as he is Lampard is not a defensive player really if Sven faces the truth. It left a big gap at the back, which Japan exploited often. Now imagine if that was Zidane presented with that gift, England won't be staying in the match very long with his precise passing.
Much more needed for the tournament, and quick.
After yesterday's performance, I really would drop Paul Scholes. If Sven insists on playing the diamond formation, and refuses to call up Alan Thompson (completely ignoring the fact that he's your best left-sided player), then this is the formation I'd use in this situation. I'd have Beckham on the right, naturally, and then Lampard in attacking midfield. Defensive midfield would have to be Butt, because despite him not having played much this season, he is the best there. Then on the left would be Gerrard. Now I know he isn't a left-footed player naturally, but he's world class and is competent enough to handle playing there, as he showed last night.
Alternatively, Sven could get rid of the tactic that I don't really see working for him in the first place, and ditch Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt. He could go with a flat 4-man midfield, with Beckham on the right, Lampard and Gerrard in the centre (I'm sure both of them are able enough not to push up when the other is, so as not to completely take apart the midfield), and then maybe even Joe Cole out wide left. Now I know you might laugh here, but I honestly believe Joe Cole would do better out of the left than any of these other central players. If it means leaving out Paul Scholes, so be it - on last night's performance, he deserves to be left out.
Alternatively, Sven could get rid of the tactic that I don't really see working for him in the first place, and ditch Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt. He could go with a flat 4-man midfield, with Beckham on the right, Lampard and Gerrard in the centre (I'm sure both of them are able enough not to push up when the other is, so as not to completely take apart the midfield), and then maybe even Joe Cole out wide left. Now I know you might laugh here, but I honestly believe Joe Cole would do better out of the left than any of these other central players. If it means leaving out Paul Scholes, so be it - on last night's performance, he deserves to be left out.
Right, being Scottish makes the next few weeks painful, but.....
Why the hell haven't England got Alan Thomson in the squad??
Easily the best naturally left sided English player going and they just wont give him a chance. Thomson on th left, Gerrard, Scholes and Butt in the middle with Beckham on the right.
England's best 5 player midfield. They could then play one up and 4 at the back to be defensive or go two up and three at the back to be attacking.
The back four were attrocious against Japan anyway, all 4 just ran towards the middle so having a back three wouldn't lose much shape anyway.
Why the hell haven't England got Alan Thomson in the squad??
Easily the best naturally left sided English player going and they just wont give him a chance. Thomson on th left, Gerrard, Scholes and Butt in the middle with Beckham on the right.
England's best 5 player midfield. They could then play one up and 4 at the back to be defensive or go two up and three at the back to be attacking.
The back four were attrocious against Japan anyway, all 4 just ran towards the middle so having a back three wouldn't lose much shape anyway.
I'd drop Scholes and play Gerrard and Butt in the middle with Beckham on the right. As neither Barry or Thompson (England's two left footed midfielders) are not included in the squad, for reasons unknown, I would be tempted to stick Ashley Cole on the left wing and Bridge behind him. That way Terry and Bridge could be side by side and Campbell could assist Neville in his duties against Zidane or Pires (whoever turns up on the left flank).
Rooney has to play as he's the only one in the squad apart from J Cole who has talent.
Rooney has to play as he's the only one in the squad apart from J Cole who has talent.
Fantastic game! :D And I love the way in which the media have finally begun to wake-up and realise that we aren't all-that-great this morning; if only in a minor sense! :P :D
If that is how we're going to play against France in 2-weeks' time, like everyone's already said; Zidane and Henry ALONE are gonna have a very grand day out! :P
Does he really think playing a defensive-midfidler on the left-wing is really gonna solve all our problems?!? Where's the sense in that - especialy when he's right-footed! What's wrong with Wayne Bridge, if you're gonna simply IGNORE Alan Thompson and try to HIDE from this problem that NEEDS to be sorted, once and for all!
As much as you love the attention from fans and the public for playing their 'Heroes', just because you have Frank Lampard, Paul Scholes, David Beckham and Steven Gerrard in your squad doesn't mean you HAVE to play them ALL at the same time! ...You're in-charge, you un-caring ego-tistic meathead!!
Get over Wayne Rooney! He's nothing special, he's not our `Theirry Henry´. And neither's David Beckham! If we're gonna get anywhere this month, we're gonna have to stop playing EVERY ball through our Captain!
There are 9 other outfield players in that team, y'know...!
And this diamond thing... It's more than just a mere 'coincidence' that haven't WON a game in months now while playing in this way at the same time...!
If I were in-charge for the game against France, for starters, I'd go straight to the 4-4-2 formation, with Paul Scholes playing in that "supporting role" behind lone-striker Michael Owen. Playing with a diamond, Zidane is only gonna run rings round our stranded defenders!
At least with this, you've got 2 central-midfielders in the right place, and Paul Scholes can always drop-back to track any runs from Vieira.
Gerard in the centre, definitley. With, either Lampard or Butt.
Beckham on the right (Kieron Dyer in waiting) with Wayne Bridge to add his defensive qualities to the left-hand-side - something we clearly haven't had in games where Gerrard and co. have been 'free to wonder'.
The way Eriksson plays though... Not only is it ALWAYS the same, but it's just like how I used to play Championship Manager, before the games became too-much for my PC...
Going forward, I must admit, we do look very good. We do stand the chance of scoring goals, we can create some very nice chances too.
Yet, when it comes to defending, no consideration appears to have been given what-so-ever.
"That's why I have the 4 at back infront of the 'keeper. If I just click on 'Defensive' now and..." It's just not good enough. He hasn't thought things through. Credit to Ashley Hole last night (for the very first time!), but when ALL-FOUR of our midfielders were upfront, we got caught-out by their counter-attacks.
They were "only Japan" aswell. Had it been France or someone, the game woudld've been over long-before the hour-mark! Take nothing away from Zico's side though - they were very smooth and tidy indeed. A superb goal of real international quality, and they should've had the spot-kick from Scholes' lunge on the half-time break anyway.
I'm glad to see some people are beginning to see a little more sense now - if anything, at least the match was good for one thing.
Bye-bye, England!! :D
If that is how we're going to play against France in 2-weeks' time, like everyone's already said; Zidane and Henry ALONE are gonna have a very grand day out! :P
Does he really think playing a defensive-midfidler on the left-wing is really gonna solve all our problems?!? Where's the sense in that - especialy when he's right-footed! What's wrong with Wayne Bridge, if you're gonna simply IGNORE Alan Thompson and try to HIDE from this problem that NEEDS to be sorted, once and for all!
As much as you love the attention from fans and the public for playing their 'Heroes', just because you have Frank Lampard, Paul Scholes, David Beckham and Steven Gerrard in your squad doesn't mean you HAVE to play them ALL at the same time! ...You're in-charge, you un-caring ego-tistic meathead!!
Get over Wayne Rooney! He's nothing special, he's not our `Theirry Henry´. And neither's David Beckham! If we're gonna get anywhere this month, we're gonna have to stop playing EVERY ball through our Captain!
There are 9 other outfield players in that team, y'know...!
And this diamond thing... It's more than just a mere 'coincidence' that haven't WON a game in months now while playing in this way at the same time...!
If I were in-charge for the game against France, for starters, I'd go straight to the 4-4-2 formation, with Paul Scholes playing in that "supporting role" behind lone-striker Michael Owen. Playing with a diamond, Zidane is only gonna run rings round our stranded defenders!
At least with this, you've got 2 central-midfielders in the right place, and Paul Scholes can always drop-back to track any runs from Vieira.
Gerard in the centre, definitley. With, either Lampard or Butt.
Beckham on the right (Kieron Dyer in waiting) with Wayne Bridge to add his defensive qualities to the left-hand-side - something we clearly haven't had in games where Gerrard and co. have been 'free to wonder'.
The way Eriksson plays though... Not only is it ALWAYS the same, but it's just like how I used to play Championship Manager, before the games became too-much for my PC...
Going forward, I must admit, we do look very good. We do stand the chance of scoring goals, we can create some very nice chances too.
Yet, when it comes to defending, no consideration appears to have been given what-so-ever.
"That's why I have the 4 at back infront of the 'keeper. If I just click on 'Defensive' now and..." It's just not good enough. He hasn't thought things through. Credit to Ashley Hole last night (for the very first time!), but when ALL-FOUR of our midfielders were upfront, we got caught-out by their counter-attacks.
They were "only Japan" aswell. Had it been France or someone, the game woudld've been over long-before the hour-mark! Take nothing away from Zico's side though - they were very smooth and tidy indeed. A superb goal of real international quality, and they should've had the spot-kick from Scholes' lunge on the half-time break anyway.
I'm glad to see some people are beginning to see a little more sense now - if anything, at least the match was good for one thing.
Bye-bye, England!! :D
england suck
the foot has spoken
the foot has spoken
James did well?
I blame him for the goal. He didn't even go to ground to try stop it. Keepers are supposed to have quick reactions too therefore it should deffinately have not gone through his legs. He did make a few good saves after that though.
I blame him for the goal. He didn't even go to ground to try stop it. Keepers are supposed to have quick reactions too therefore it should deffinately have not gone through his legs. He did make a few good saves after that though.
<< <<©H®I§>> >> wrote:
> And people said we had a good chance of winning . . . yeah right . . .
> we can't even win Japan for heaven's sake;
Here one go, one meaningless friendly and suddenly it's knee-jerk reaction time.
"Were wubbiush!!1 Sven is a idgit!!"
Why the hell is fashionable to knock Sven and England in general? Damn media.....
> And people said we had a good chance of winning . . . yeah right . . .
> we can't even win Japan for heaven's sake;
Here one go, one meaningless friendly and suddenly it's knee-jerk reaction time.
"Were wubbiush!!1 Sven is a idgit!!"
Why the hell is fashionable to knock Sven and England in general? Damn media.....
our guys were pretty tired looking tonight and i would say that you can only really judge our performances under sven when we're in a compo, because he does his best work then, chet.
we looked shabby in defence. on the plus side cole, james, lampard did well. i think a bit of rest would be our best training plan at the moment.
we looked shabby in defence. on the plus side cole, james, lampard did well. i think a bit of rest would be our best training plan at the moment.
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