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"England's Left-Side"

For as many years as I can remember (going back into the early 90's) every England manager has been troubled by who to call-up and play out-wide on the left of midfield. We've seen the likes of Anderton and Barmby played out there under the likes of Venables and Hoddle, and for some strange reason Steve McManaman seemed to simply dissapear off the face of the Earth! Kevin Keegan couldn't solve-it, and Sven-Goran Eriksson has brought-in some new names like Owen Hargreaves (who has done OK), while he's also tried playing a few of the England 'regulars' out-there, including Kieron Dyer, Emile Heskey, and now even Paul Scholes!
But no matter who's in-charge, no matter how good they are at club-level. this problem STILL has yet to have been resolved.

The other 3 spaces across the middle are currently occupied and won't be appearing vacant anytime soon.

England may have done considerabley-well in Japan and South Korea this year under certain 'circumstances', but in-order to win the World Cup - just like Brazil did - you're going to need a team full of hard-working individuals who can all work together as a solid and dominant force.
But without an established or even consistant left-winger anymore, England just are not ready to triumph in the World Cup final as-of today.

So what on Earth is going-on here??
We've had plenty of players - way-more than enough - who have come-in and tried to establish themselves out on the left-flank, but not even one of them has seemed to have come-in, done a good job, and remained there for longer than a 3 or 4 games.
Well, that applies to recent years anyway.

Steve McManaman seems to be perhaps the one player who has shone in that position for England in recent-years. Only problem is that he has seen very-little First-Team Football at the Bernabeau with Réal compared to his days at Anfield infront of The Kop. And this hasn't helped to impress the England bosses one bit.
During his prime in the England team he was outstanding. He showed very-little fear in the biggest of games and was never afraid to take players on down the left-wing and to try-out new passes and movements that often seemed to bring Ian Wright and Alan Shearer more goals to add to their Tallys.
But ever since he dissapeared in the homeland of Raul, everything in England has gone downhill for him, while his Bank Account began to overflow with money.

Even under the reign of the 'great' Sven-Goran Eriksson we are still without a first-choice number 11, or, to be more precise... a left-winger.
He may have vast-experience from European Football, and he may have had some 'fun' with a few girls here and there, but not even he can pick the next McManaman we are all waiting to see burst onto the scene.

In the Slovakia game England were a mess - especially on the left of midfield.
Following-on from a bizzare idea that Sir Alex Ferguson has come-up with, Eriksson had decided to start the game with an England line-up where Paul Scholes was starting out-wide on the left while Nicky Butt took his place in the center.
He may have played quite well there only ONCE before, but he didnt't look like the same 'Scholesy' who once hit 3 past Poland in one match. He looked like he didn't know what on Earth he was doing, opting to come into the center - even more-so than Beckham does. This didn't work and-so England failed, even if we did manage to scrape all 3 points.

But why Paul Scholes?? Why not Owen Hargreaves who was on the bench?
The Bayern starlet has played on the wings several times for England during the last few months and to me he has looked impressive on almost every occasion. He's also managed to earn a regular place in the Bayern Munich side, and he didn't half play a big part in Bayern's Champions' League campaign last season.
So surely he's perfect for the job? Even if he is a little young.
We know Scholes can't do it!

Why on Earth doesn't he give Heskey a chance there??
Not only has he got the pace but he's got great physical strenght too.
I never thought he did that badly against Mexico, he just wanted to score.
Surely he should be given more of a chance? He isn't prodicing the goods upfront.
Or what about Kieron Dyer? Or even Mr. Sicknote himself, Darren Anderton??
Both experienced and consistant wide-players.

I honestly don't know who is the right-man to choose at this point in time, but I know from experience that it has to be someone who is entirely comfortable in that position, someone with a natural left-foot who isn't going to back-off of the likes of Thuram as he slots to ball straight through his legs and races-off with the ball.
So many have come-along, shown promise, and suddenly frozen-out completely when the next 23-man squad is announced.
Whatever happened to Lee Hendrie? As I remember correctly he had an incredible England debut - and he came very-close to scoring on the night too!
He was still quite young then. But still he has only 1 Cap to his name.

Unless this can be solved England will never lift the World Cup again!

And do you know what the worst part of all this is?
Have a look at some of the names that could've been:
Ryan Giggs - Man United (he chose Wales)
Harry Kewell - Leeds United (he chose Australia)
And even Damien Duff (or so i've heard...) who chose the Republic.

Now that's painfull! :S
But it'll only get worse untill this problem has been resolved.
I'm begining to dread the Macedonia game now...

I thought Wayne Bridge did quite well last night, especially when he and Ashley Cole were linking-up and over-laping each-other during the attacks.
This could be our best system yet - unless of course we DO find a naturally left-footed winger who is good-enough.

I still think the left-sided midfield player HAS to be left-footed.
You saw how well it worked last-night; Bridge could just send the ball in first-time, rather than having to turn and set it up for his right foot like Dyer or anyone else would have to, giving the defence time to close us down.

hmm

If we played with wing backs we would have A.cole or Bridge down the left, Dyer or Beckham on the right, Gerrard, Scholes and Cole in Midfield etc.

No need to find a left footed midfielder...

Now, Steve Macmanaman is a good player, but he has never produced the goods in an england shirt. It is this reason, and not his current lack of first team football, that keeps him out of the england squad.

I don't think he's ever completed a pass in an england game, he plays THAT badly.

Also did anyone notice how poor woodgate was against Slovakia? how Ugo didn't start with Southgate is beyond me. I think Sol is back form injury so hopefully he'll replace Woodgate -- I dont rate him and he showed he is not ready for international football yet.

Sinclair withdrew because of injury. I don't think Heskey is the answer because he doesn't get down the wing to cross the ball and he's not the best blessed footballer weve seen, I think Hargreaves can do the business down the left temporarily or they can put Ashely Cole on the wing and Bridge at left back. However there's no doubting that the main people for that role are Dyer and Sinclair. Theres no need to worry for the macedonia (sp?) game, did you see the conditions in Slovakia? terrible and the midfield was not balanced with Scholes playing out wide, Sven has said that himself, so expect him to start in centre of mid.

Why do you guys hate Hargreaves so-much??

He's never really done that badly for England.
And have you ever seen him play for Bayern Munich?


And whatever happened to Trevor Sinclair?
I remember him having a blinding game against Argentina, but then he just seemed to dissapear completely - just like McManaman....

I don't know much but I do know Hargreaves is crap.

:-D

Yes, I am starting to dread the Macedonia game slightly, after that shakey performance against Slovakia on Saturday which we should have and would've lost if it wasn't for a lot of luck!

You saw how it was in that game, we were a mess.
It wasn't untill Paul Scholes was moved into the center of the midfield that we stated to look more 'composed' in the midfield alone.
But even if we do start-of with Beckham, Gerrard, Scholes and another across the middle, our backline is still a mess, and Owen is proving to be as-good-as everyone says he is infront of goal!

Kieron Dyer would be a good choice because of his pace, but he is used to the central are right-sided positions rather than being out on the left.
And besides, he's injured for tommorow night anyway.

I still think we can win, we just have to play well together.
But I don't see how that performance in Slovakia will have had any good effect on anyone other than Michael Owen.

But if we don't get this left-side situation sorted then we aren't going to get anywhere! Dyer may be the perfect choice, and so may Hargreaves... But for some reason, Eriksson isn't giving them the chances they deserve.
Barmby's been on good form for Leeds this season, who says he's past-it?
Only problem is that he's been playing more centrally rather than out-wide.

You're dreading the Macedonia game?

Gerrard, Scholes, Beckham, Owen.

Anyways, I think Dyer is the answer. He's been injured, and in the one full game he played he was off form. So give him another chance. Heskey has gone on record, like Scholes, saying he doesn't like playing on the left. Anderton is past his best, Barmby ditto, and Hargreaves is more of a fullback than winger. Dyer can offer pace, something the midfield lacks terribly.

Stick him in.