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The defensive side of the game is absolutely ridiculous. Starting from the moment they lose the ball, due to crappy final pass, or mediocre midfielding, they can't get it back until someone has made a scuffed cross or taken a shot. Their utter inability to cut out passing play will soon enough be picked up on by a team able to move the ball about well, and england will get flogged like wet dogs.
Jesus Christ, Macedonia looked like Holland reborn on Saturday, with me eventually mentally praying that certain players of theirs weren't passed to, because their every touch created problems.
It's time England learned to keep the ball in midfield better, pass better, and by God learn to win it in midfield, and not rely on the defenders always being in just the right position to save the day.
I mean, England are ranked 8th in the world, making them one of the elite footballing nations. Macedonia are 87th. Below Estonia, below Guatemala, Haiti and Cyprus. Do you think people should be concerned if England have to play Haiti? They shouldn't, but I've no doubt they likely would do.
No more hoofing from midfield, no more slack passing and giving the ball away every third pass, no more poor closing down and allowing the opposition to pass it about as though playing a pub team and no more fanciful defending leading to elementary errors.
It's about time England started playing like the team they are SUPPOSED to be, one of the finest in world football.
Jesus Christ, Macedonia looked like Holland reborn on Saturday, with me eventually mentally praying that certain players of theirs weren't passed to, because their every touch created problems.
It's time England learned to keep the ball in midfield better, pass better, and by God learn to win it in midfield, and not rely on the defenders always being in just the right position to save the day.
I mean, England are ranked 8th in the world, making them one of the elite footballing nations. Macedonia are 87th. Below Estonia, below Guatemala, Haiti and Cyprus. Do you think people should be concerned if England have to play Haiti? They shouldn't, but I've no doubt they likely would do.
No more hoofing from midfield, no more slack passing and giving the ball away every third pass, no more poor closing down and allowing the opposition to pass it about as though playing a pub team and no more fanciful defending leading to elementary errors.
It's about time England started playing like the team they are SUPPOSED to be, one of the finest in world football.
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I agree with that.
Firstly about Trevor Sinclair:
Why try to fix something that's not broken?
In the World Cup he gave us great balance on the left hand side, but was immediatly dropped after and has rarely been picked whilst also picking up a brief injury, but he's fully fit now yet overlooked once again because of the narrow formation Sven like to play.
The main reason for this is because he is trying to fit too many midfielders into the team, something which Fergie seems to try and do at times rather than play a balanced 4 across the middle.
At the moment Scholes has start a few games on the left of midfield for United which is silly and I beleive Sven is trying to do something similar because he can't play everyone in there which means people like Sinclair are removed from the frontline.
Neville and Cole as 'wing backs' does not work because for a start Cole is decent going forward but not the best defensive player, if he gets caught going forward then he finds it difficult getting back and G.Neville is prone to giving the ball away at times which leaves the central defenders and possibly Nicky Butt hurrying across to try and stop wingers, but of course this exposes the central area.
Why not just stick to a 4-4-2, similar to the World Cup - which worked?
Firstly about Trevor Sinclair:
Why try to fix something that's not broken?
In the World Cup he gave us great balance on the left hand side, but was immediatly dropped after and has rarely been picked whilst also picking up a brief injury, but he's fully fit now yet overlooked once again because of the narrow formation Sven like to play.
The main reason for this is because he is trying to fit too many midfielders into the team, something which Fergie seems to try and do at times rather than play a balanced 4 across the middle.
At the moment Scholes has start a few games on the left of midfield for United which is silly and I beleive Sven is trying to do something similar because he can't play everyone in there which means people like Sinclair are removed from the frontline.
Neville and Cole as 'wing backs' does not work because for a start Cole is decent going forward but not the best defensive player, if he gets caught going forward then he finds it difficult getting back and G.Neville is prone to giving the ball away at times which leaves the central defenders and possibly Nicky Butt hurrying across to try and stop wingers, but of course this exposes the central area.
Why not just stick to a 4-4-2, similar to the World Cup - which worked?
I believe this problem with England's defense and "over-exposure" is, again, down to the fact that Sven-Goran Eriksson - just like every-other England manager in recent-years - is still unable to actually try and "solve" the long-running left-side-of-midfield problem.
Instead of giving one-player (like Trevor Sinclair, for example) a decent run of games on the left-wing, he'll try and play our midfield all 'narrow' and diamond-shaped, with Nicky Butt and Frank Lampard joining Beckham and Gerrard in the centre - and not a left-footer amongst them!
This, in turn, forces both Ashley Cole and Gray Neville, from their full-back positions, to push-forward and support our attack in the wide-positions our midfield should be filling - and not the defence.
And then we lose the ball! And all of a sudden, the opposition - no matter who it may be - are looking strong on the counter-attack; out-numbering our 2 centre-backs and the goalkeeper, just because everyone else has HAD to push-forward, previously!
But, if he likes to play things narrowly, and is also happy with Cole and Neville coming forwards, why on Earth doesn't he play a 5-3-2 wing-back system then?
Yes, I know Glenn Hoddle used it a lot (back in his day...), but when you think about the players he persists in selecting for his 23-man squads, this really could be our best option, if he's gonna ignore an obvious probelem.
Ashley Cole could play down the left, with maybe Gary Neville on the right. They would have the job or pushing-forward and running-back, which they seem to do quite well now, anyway.
But if and when we do lose the ball, and are hit on the counter, at least we'd have THREE centre-backs and a 'keeper there; soon to be joined by the 2 wing-backs and maybe a central-midfielder (if we're THAT lucky!).
What's more, David Beckham would finally get to play in a central role, just like everyone has always said he should. Sure, we may miss HIS crossing-abillity from the wide-right positions, but at least now he'll have more "control" on the game, as Captain; and it's not like too many of our recent goals have come from crosses out-wide, anyway.
Those headers Owen's scored... Gerrard and Beckham have been much closer to the 18-yard box's `D´ when the balls go in, if you ask me!
And Frank Lampard wouldn't 'have' to be forced out-wide - problem solved! :)
Instead of giving one-player (like Trevor Sinclair, for example) a decent run of games on the left-wing, he'll try and play our midfield all 'narrow' and diamond-shaped, with Nicky Butt and Frank Lampard joining Beckham and Gerrard in the centre - and not a left-footer amongst them!
This, in turn, forces both Ashley Cole and Gray Neville, from their full-back positions, to push-forward and support our attack in the wide-positions our midfield should be filling - and not the defence.
And then we lose the ball! And all of a sudden, the opposition - no matter who it may be - are looking strong on the counter-attack; out-numbering our 2 centre-backs and the goalkeeper, just because everyone else has HAD to push-forward, previously!
But, if he likes to play things narrowly, and is also happy with Cole and Neville coming forwards, why on Earth doesn't he play a 5-3-2 wing-back system then?
Yes, I know Glenn Hoddle used it a lot (back in his day...), but when you think about the players he persists in selecting for his 23-man squads, this really could be our best option, if he's gonna ignore an obvious probelem.
Ashley Cole could play down the left, with maybe Gary Neville on the right. They would have the job or pushing-forward and running-back, which they seem to do quite well now, anyway.
But if and when we do lose the ball, and are hit on the counter, at least we'd have THREE centre-backs and a 'keeper there; soon to be joined by the 2 wing-backs and maybe a central-midfielder (if we're THAT lucky!).
What's more, David Beckham would finally get to play in a central role, just like everyone has always said he should. Sure, we may miss HIS crossing-abillity from the wide-right positions, but at least now he'll have more "control" on the game, as Captain; and it's not like too many of our recent goals have come from crosses out-wide, anyway.
Those headers Owen's scored... Gerrard and Beckham have been much closer to the 18-yard box's `D´ when the balls go in, if you ask me!
And Frank Lampard wouldn't 'have' to be forced out-wide - problem solved! :)
Good
5-1 --- Germany
1-0 --- Argentina
3-0 --- Denmark
2-0 --- Turkey
Bad
0-0 --- Nigeria
2-2 --- Macedonia
5-1 --- Germany
1-0 --- Argentina
3-0 --- Denmark
2-0 --- Turkey
Bad
0-0 --- Nigeria
2-2 --- Macedonia
except brazil and um.... every other good team.
We should beat Turkey as we always do good against the better teams.
I think we will put in a quality performance against Turkey. Everyone will have a specific role to play in nullfying the Turkish flair. That's the way England like it; remember the Argentina game, or the game several years ago against the Italians. A disciplined performance shall ensure a draw and perhaps even a win. Rooney and Owen will be dangerous on the counter attack.
I predict England to get destroyed in the first half agaisnt Turkey. But if Turkey dont take thier chances in the first half England should pull through.
Somebody had to play well. I think Rooney and Gerrard were the only two that earned their caps last night.
2-0 .. but it was going to happen now they are praising Rooney for playing well against a team with a Bank Clerk who plays for his country part time!
cole and dyer do that 2, but don't fall over and could score and have better passing ranges!
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