England v France

[theeaglehunter]

Hopes and Aspirations for tonights encounter...

Personally i'm sitting waiting for what will inevitably be a boring game of football with few goals and lots of backwards passing, but I just can't keep myself away from the telly, hoping that England will turn in a sterling peformance and turn the french over on their patch just like the rugby team did earlier.

 

[GB72]

Well it is nearly half time and your original summation of the game seems accurate. Rooney is never a lone striker.

 

[StuartD]

Beating the French on their own patch is easy

Beating Georgia (currently getting gubbed by NI) on the other hand is not

 

[theeaglehunter]

yup GB72 I agree entirely playing him on his own is silly, never mind though, we'll bring Crouch on second half and start pumping it long in a truely attractive style of football.

On the otherhand replacing Beckham with Walcott wouldn't be a bad idea, put some pace on the wing and eliminate the need for Wes Brown (who is crap) to overlap Becks everytime, because goldenballs no longer has it in him to beat a man, before cocking up a seemingly lucrative England counter attack.

As for Calamity James, the phrase no mans land comes to mind.

Oh how I love watching England.

 

[MVP]

Rooney is not a lone striker because ; NO ONE gives him the ball hence he gets frustrated and finds himself further down the pitch looking for it!

Wes Brown cannot attack for [****] and shouldnt go past the halfway line!

there isnt enough pace out there!


Despite all the talk of becks being past it he has been as as good as anyone else out there!



bring out the pace! the like s of walcott will give england a few more options out there!

Owen is playing two deep he should swap places with crouch as crouch seems to be playing further up the pitch!

 

[GB72]

Has been another boring England game. Do not think I have really enjoyed an England football match since the game against Holland in Euro 96 (except maybe the 1-5 humbling of Germany)

 

[MVP]

Owen is past it.. He may have his flash of brilliance once a month but thats not good enough at the level we are looking for. Nows the time to give walcot or similar the time to shine

 

[MVP]

Whats your views on gerrard??

 

[theeaglehunter]

In short he is a great player, played in the wrong posistion tonight, yet tried hard and showed commitment but was never really going to be a threat.

 

[medwayjon]

Stewart Downing? Ha ha ha ha ha, what a complete waste of oxygen.

Tonights performance was crap as crap can be, cannot be arsed to go back over it as my laptop isn't in need of a good hiding.

 

[theeaglehunter]

I agree entirely about Downing, and to think spurs bid £10m for him, thank god that was rejected, would have been a worse buy than Mr. Bent for a mere £16.5m

 

[medwayjon]

People in the pub were shouting for Walcott! Why, all he does in run around looking like a rabbit caught in the headlights, makes no significant contribution and falls over a lot. He gets knocked off the ball with a well directed fart even. He is useless, the most overrated player around at the moment.

Gerrard, good player as a whole but he is also a greedy so and so. He like Lampard wastes so many chances.

I think that MVP is right about Owen. An ex-pro mate of mine who's career was ended through a knee injury in the 90's is adamant that Owen has "gone" mentally now and is there for the money and thats it. I think that this guy is right, he plays in such a negative way now I hink he is terrified that he is going to get crocked again.

David James, He is going to be murdered again which is a shame. James is a top quality keeper but the problem is that you simply cannot afford to make a mistake in goal. I think he was caught in 2 minds when he came out, he should have came out sideways rather than upright. I hope he doesn't get crucified in the press.

Ashley Cole, I hate to see naughties in football but he is the one player I love to see get kicked all over the pitch. In my eyes he is overrated and a jumped up little [****] who is a disgrace to the game.

Beckham, a living legend in my eyes. He is a great footballer in my eyes, excellent delivery and the ability still to change a game in a flash. Also, years ago I met him and what a lovely bloke, really nice, his wife however was an arrogant bitch and I was glad to see her leave my shop.

 

[Parmo]

I didnt watch it as I knew what to expect, a dull uninspiring game where England lack any ideas and a weak keeper.

It doesn't matter what coach they have, England will not qual for the WC on performances like that, and with only two yes two friendlies before the WC Quals I doubt much will change.

I think that MVP is right about Owen. An ex-pro mate of mine who's career was ended through a knee injury in the 90's is adamant that Owen has "gone" mentally now and is there for the money and thats it. I think that this guy is right, he plays in such a negative way now I hink he is terrified that he is going to get crocked again.

I agree, he lost his game whilst still at Liverpool and as an act of desperation at Real scored a few, but its time for England to drop all these pre Madonna's and go for younger players like Billy Sharp, Ashley Young and Bentley and many more.

Beckham has lost everything in his game except crossing and free kicks, and for me that shouldn't constitute a place in the first team, Lumpard is overrated and just can not play when he isn't "top dog" in the team, Gerrard hasn't preformed for England in a while (prob the best out of the lot). The only people from the usual squad that should remain are:-

Terry
Richards
Rio
Gerrard
Barry
Rooney
Bentley
J Cole

The rest should be replaced by younger more passionate players.

 

[StuartD]

eliminate the need for Wes Brown (who is crap) to overlap Becks everytime, because goldenballs no longer has it in him to beat a man.

Yes I think your right about beckham/brown. Trouble is England ditched Beckham after the World Cup for this exact reason. There is nobody in the middle of the park for England that can unlock a defence and as a result they have become far to reliant on Beckham to deliver a killer set piece/cross. By taking Beckham out the team you remove the best attacking outlet in the side. You can replace him with someone who can beat a defender but can deliver f*** all, which happened in the Euro qualifiers.

England need to find somebody to play through the middle, alongside the more workmanlike Gerrard or Lampard, who can put their foot on the ball and play a killer pass.

Thats a neutral Scots opinion on last night

 

[Parmo]

There is nobody in the middle of the park for England that can unlock a defence

J Cole in the middle! Problem sorted. Whilst at it, I would play Rooney on the left and go back to the old target man striker with a pacey one alongside.

 

[toonarmy]

For all you knocking Owen, tell me who in England you would rather a decent chance fell to?

His international strike rate is first class, particularly against the best teams.

And as for ex-pro mates and their opinions - aye, cos footballers are right smart and clever aren't they?

 

[Parmo]

Toon, Martins is a far better player at almost half the cost for Toon. Owen is has been player and everyone knows it, he peaked as a teenager and once the fame went to his head he lost it like many in that squad. As a Boro fan the same thing has happended to Downing, thats why I am not fussed if we sell him or not.

I would rather have had Defoe up front with a target man, last time we pl;ayed Heskey we played the best football I have seen them play in many years.

 

[toonarmy]

Martins has better pace and eccentricity, but he has the first touch of donkey.

Personally, Owen's attitude has stunk for us but when all is said and done, there still aren't any better goal scorers in England. Yes, he's lost some pace but give him the chances and he will score (Blackburn game excluded of course!)

 

[medwayjon]

I would rather a chance fall to crouch than Owen. Rooney isn't looking in great nick at the moment either.

I think that Rooney's statistics are flattered by the fact that he is playing in such a strong side. I think in an average side he would not do half as much.

 

[MVP]

JERMAINE BECKFORD!!!!!!!!