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This is taken from the Sunday Mirror's 'Euro 2004' pull-out, from the last Sunday just gone. I am posting it here because it strongly echoes some of my views and, although we are now into the quarter-finals, I still feel there are points here to be considered.
Star-struck Sven should axe Becks
And misfiring Owen
"I'm really worried for Sven-Goran Eriksson, because I fear he's suffering from a virus that is plaguing the European Championship - it's called "Big-Name Playeritis".
"The England manager is certainly strong in his beliefs and very loyal to his players - the fact he took Emile Heskey to Portugal over Alan Smith says it all.
"But will he have the balls to do the decent thing and 'rest' David Beckham and Michael Owen for tommorow's night match against Croatia? I hope so... Because he needs to.
"Beckham has been lacklustre. Everything normally goes through him, but that just hasn't been the case.
"He's looked very ordinary, and the effects of a long, hard season on and off the field have clearly taken their toll on the England captain.
"If Eriksson did give Becks the rest he clearly needs, he should be looking to start with Kieron Dyer or Owen Hargreaves.
"I feel Dyer's electrifying pace and accuracy on crosses would give him the edge over his Bayern Munich rival.
"As for Owen, he has done nothing in the last two games and you have to say Darius Vassel should start tommorow.
"Vassel created Wayne Rooney's second goal against Switzerland out of nothing.
"He looks fast, fit and very sharp. Owen doesn't. He looks like someone who hasn't seen Champions' League football for 2 years (which of course he hasn't).
"Eriksson would do England a big favour by starting with Beckham and Owen on the bench, but I'm afraid he may be another bout of 'BNP'.
"Jacques Santini of France, Spain's Inaki Saez and Luis Felipe Scolari of Portugal have all been hit with the virus.
"Marcel Desailly has been a liabillity, and how much longer France can continue carrying him I don't know. The Chelsea man and French captain has-been just made mistake after mistake... It will cost them!
"As for Spain, why on Earth Saez continues to play Raul I just don't know.
"The Real Madrid marksman has been living off his reputation for far too long, and Spain cannot afford the luxury of having a striker who missed three-or-four sitters per game.
"OK, Saez might get lynched by the Spanish press, but had Raul stuck away half the chances he's missed they wouldn't need a result against Portugal today.
"Portugal were in the same boat as the old BNP fever struck there in the first game with Rui Costa stumbling along and Deco, one of the most outstanding players in Europe this season sitting on the bench.
"The simple fact is that managers not having the courage to drop their "stars" has meant there is no outstanding team in the competition and the title is up for grabs.
"England are in with as good a chance as any, but Eriksson must stop trying to play Paul Scholes on the left. It just doesn't work.
"What would suit them better is to bring in Wayne Bridge at left-back and move Ashley Cole up to left-midfield.
"Come on Sven, you know it makes sense!"
~Gerry Armstrong
----------
So, what do you make of all this?
I know this was written days ago and that things have changed a fair bit since then, but he does make some valuable points - I mean, just look at what did happen to Spain, after all.
Could the same fate come to England tommorow night if Eriksson doesn't find a cure?
Or, are you sitting on the other side of the fence as one of minority in favour of Beckham and Owen starting every game, no matter what (...all THREE of you!)?
Whether tommorw night's starting-eleven remains exactly the same as it has been for time now or not, one of Eriksson's biggest problems is still rushing players back into his team after injury when they've barely had 5 minutes to recover and only 75% fit.
He did it with John Terry the other night and our defence was a mess.
He did it with Beckham a couple of years ago, and look what happened there.
It doesn't matter who they are, so long as they're fit-enough to last 90 minutes.
That's one, there's two... Three strikes, and we're out?
Star-struck Sven should axe Becks
And misfiring Owen
"I'm really worried for Sven-Goran Eriksson, because I fear he's suffering from a virus that is plaguing the European Championship - it's called "Big-Name Playeritis".
"The England manager is certainly strong in his beliefs and very loyal to his players - the fact he took Emile Heskey to Portugal over Alan Smith says it all.
"But will he have the balls to do the decent thing and 'rest' David Beckham and Michael Owen for tommorow's night match against Croatia? I hope so... Because he needs to.
"Beckham has been lacklustre. Everything normally goes through him, but that just hasn't been the case.
"He's looked very ordinary, and the effects of a long, hard season on and off the field have clearly taken their toll on the England captain.
"If Eriksson did give Becks the rest he clearly needs, he should be looking to start with Kieron Dyer or Owen Hargreaves.
"I feel Dyer's electrifying pace and accuracy on crosses would give him the edge over his Bayern Munich rival.
"As for Owen, he has done nothing in the last two games and you have to say Darius Vassel should start tommorow.
"Vassel created Wayne Rooney's second goal against Switzerland out of nothing.
"He looks fast, fit and very sharp. Owen doesn't. He looks like someone who hasn't seen Champions' League football for 2 years (which of course he hasn't).
"Eriksson would do England a big favour by starting with Beckham and Owen on the bench, but I'm afraid he may be another bout of 'BNP'.
"Jacques Santini of France, Spain's Inaki Saez and Luis Felipe Scolari of Portugal have all been hit with the virus.
"Marcel Desailly has been a liabillity, and how much longer France can continue carrying him I don't know. The Chelsea man and French captain has-been just made mistake after mistake... It will cost them!
"As for Spain, why on Earth Saez continues to play Raul I just don't know.
"The Real Madrid marksman has been living off his reputation for far too long, and Spain cannot afford the luxury of having a striker who missed three-or-four sitters per game.
"OK, Saez might get lynched by the Spanish press, but had Raul stuck away half the chances he's missed they wouldn't need a result against Portugal today.
"Portugal were in the same boat as the old BNP fever struck there in the first game with Rui Costa stumbling along and Deco, one of the most outstanding players in Europe this season sitting on the bench.
"The simple fact is that managers not having the courage to drop their "stars" has meant there is no outstanding team in the competition and the title is up for grabs.
"England are in with as good a chance as any, but Eriksson must stop trying to play Paul Scholes on the left. It just doesn't work.
"What would suit them better is to bring in Wayne Bridge at left-back and move Ashley Cole up to left-midfield.
"Come on Sven, you know it makes sense!"
~Gerry Armstrong
----------
So, what do you make of all this?
I know this was written days ago and that things have changed a fair bit since then, but he does make some valuable points - I mean, just look at what did happen to Spain, after all.
Could the same fate come to England tommorow night if Eriksson doesn't find a cure?
Or, are you sitting on the other side of the fence as one of minority in favour of Beckham and Owen starting every game, no matter what (...all THREE of you!)?
Whether tommorw night's starting-eleven remains exactly the same as it has been for time now or not, one of Eriksson's biggest problems is still rushing players back into his team after injury when they've barely had 5 minutes to recover and only 75% fit.
He did it with John Terry the other night and our defence was a mess.
He did it with Beckham a couple of years ago, and look what happened there.
It doesn't matter who they are, so long as they're fit-enough to last 90 minutes.
That's one, there's two... Three strikes, and we're out?
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I'd play with the same team purely because you should never change a winning team.
Beckham isn't playing too well, but who would replace him. He links up well with Gary Neville. Not playing Beckham could ruin the game for Gary Neville who had an outstanding game against the Swiss.
Owen seems to be getting better each match, even though he hasn't scored yet. He just needs a bit of confidence. Vassell looks great when coming on, but I can't see Owen doing the same as Vassell when he come on as sub.
Beckham isn't playing too well, but who would replace him. He links up well with Gary Neville. Not playing Beckham could ruin the game for Gary Neville who had an outstanding game against the Swiss.
Owen seems to be getting better each match, even though he hasn't scored yet. He just needs a bit of confidence. Vassell looks great when coming on, but I can't see Owen doing the same as Vassell when he come on as sub.
What? Joe Cole's INCREDIBLE.
Watch the Leeds game.
Amazing.
Watch the Leeds game.
Amazing.
English_Bloke wrote:
> I thought Joe Cole was going to solve our left wing problem, but given
> the fact that he's just a bench warmer at his club, he doesn't get
> the chances to develop.
It's a shame he's not become as good as most people, including me, thought he could. If we had two skillful players in the same team, Rooney and Cole, we'd be able to hold our heads high...
Euro 2004 is there for the taking though. France have been poor, Italy and Spain are out, Portugal look average, so do Holland and Germany who'll win tonight and probably get to the semis to play England) and the only team who look much cop, the Czech Republic, have a tricky game against Denmark to negotiate before a possible semi against France.
We just need to become more resolute at the back and Owen needs to be more of a threat, which I think he will.
> I thought Joe Cole was going to solve our left wing problem, but given
> the fact that he's just a bench warmer at his club, he doesn't get
> the chances to develop.
It's a shame he's not become as good as most people, including me, thought he could. If we had two skillful players in the same team, Rooney and Cole, we'd be able to hold our heads high...
Euro 2004 is there for the taking though. France have been poor, Italy and Spain are out, Portugal look average, so do Holland and Germany who'll win tonight and probably get to the semis to play England) and the only team who look much cop, the Czech Republic, have a tricky game against Denmark to negotiate before a possible semi against France.
We just need to become more resolute at the back and Owen needs to be more of a threat, which I think he will.
English_Bloke wrote:
> I thought Joe Cole was going to solve our left wing problem, but given
> the fact that he's just a bench warmer at his club, he doesn't get
> the chances to develop.
Hah. He started quite a lot of games this season due to Duff's injury. I wouldn't quite call him a bench warmer.
> I thought Joe Cole was going to solve our left wing problem, but given
> the fact that he's just a bench warmer at his club, he doesn't get
> the chances to develop.
Hah. He started quite a lot of games this season due to Duff's injury. I wouldn't quite call him a bench warmer.
thats coz chelski have more money than sense let alone brains... wait that little sense makes...
I thought Joe Cole was going to solve our left wing problem, but given the fact that he's just a bench warmer at his club, he doesn't get the chances to develop.
Silent Scope wrote:
> England need a proper left winger .. somebody like Pires
Nah we already have one diver in Ashley Cole, we dont need another.... ;)
> England need a proper left winger .. somebody like Pires
Nah we already have one diver in Ashley Cole, we dont need another.... ;)
Ashley cole should start, excellent against france.
He was responsible for both croatian goals (second was a team effort with ledders)
good player anyway, should keep going as he has done nothing to warrant losing his place.
Gotta be dyer or cole on left mid if we aren't using a left footy.
He was responsible for both croatian goals (second was a team effort with ledders)
good player anyway, should keep going as he has done nothing to warrant losing his place.
Gotta be dyer or cole on left mid if we aren't using a left footy.
It shouldn't be someone who can simply "come on", it should be someone who will START in our team as the No.11!
Ashley Cole has been praised for doing well the other night (going forwards and back again so well), but such a task should not be asked of anyone; trying to fill the boots of two different positions at one time.
Ashley Cole has been praised for doing well the other night (going forwards and back again so well), but such a task should not be asked of anyone; trying to fill the boots of two different positions at one time.
England need a proper left winger .. somebody like Pires even and someone else who can come on if it's 2-1 or something so that Ashley can get proper help on the left when he needs it.
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