[johnscarlet]

Just to keep things organised , slightly

[DJT75]

Didn't realise how they were seeding next years tournament until yesterday & the importance of topping this group. If we don't we'll be in the 3rd tier of seeds.

Apparently the Top seeds will consist of Austria, Switzerland, Greece & one other expected to be France. Madness isn't it unless you get France! Imagine having France, + Italy or Germany in your group? The 4th team at this rate could be Spain, Portugal, Holland or Czech Rep - we'd get stuffed in all 3 games!

MrLucky will no doubt get Austria, Sweden & Turkey & still balls it up....

Need a big performance Wednesday & due to recent form, I'm recalling Lampard! My team to send them home.

..........Carson
Richards....Brown...Campbell...Bridge/Cole (either will do)
Gerrard.....Barry....Lampard....J.Cole
.........Crouch... Defoe

No point in playing Crouch on his own, it's worthless. Maybe Gerrard up there with him but not on his own..

[danaldinho7]

..........James
Richards....Brown...Campbell...Bridge (either will do)
Gerrard.....Beckham....Lampard....J.Cole
.........Crouch... Defoe

reall dunno who to play upfront lol

[DJT75]

Originally Posted by danaldinho7

..........James
Richards....Brown...Campbell...Bridge (either will do)
Gerrard.....Beckham....Lampard....J.Cole
.........Crouch... Defoe

reall dunno who to play upfront lol

Beckham in the middle? Ahead of Barry or Hargreaves?

[Simon_143]

I would go for something like:-


...........................Carson................. .........
.................................................. ............
Richards.........Brown..........Campbell.......Col e
.................................................. ............
..........................Hargreaves.............. .......
.................................................. ............
Wright-Phillips.........Lampard..................Cole
.................................................. ............
............................Gerrard............... .........
.................................................. ............
............................Crouch................ .........

Subs Beckham, Bent, Defoe, Lescott, Barry, Neville , James.

[Sicknote10]

Rumours we're going with:
......................Robinson.................... ...
Nev or Brown...Richards...Campbell...Bridge
Beckham.......Gerrard.....Lampard......Barry
.......................Cole....................... .....
.....................Crouch....................... ...

Please no!

I'd prefer a midfield of SWP, Gerrard, Barry/Hargreaves, Lampard, Young
Then have Bent upfront who actually knows how to play as a lone striker

[DJT75]

Originally Posted by Sicknote10

Rumours we're going with:
......................Robinson.................... ...
Nev or Brown...Richards...Campbell...Bridge
Beckham.......Gerrard.....Lampard......Barry
.......................Cole....................... .....
.....................Crouch....................... ...

Please no!

I'd prefer a midfield of SWP, Gerrard, Barry/Hargreaves, Lampard, Young
Then have Bent upfront who actually knows how to play as a lone striker

Rumour of 4-1-4-1 too.

..............Hargreaves
...Gerrard....Barry....Lampard...Cole
.................Crouch

I don't really have a problem with that as Crouch would have loads of support, but surely we should just stick 4-4-2 seeing as everyone except Frank plays that way normally

[danaldinho7]

Originally Posted by DJT75

Beckham in the middle? Ahead of Barry or Hargreaves?

Hargreeves isn't match fit and I'dpersonally rather have Becks on the pitch over Barry and it allows Becks and Gerrard to rotate whilst on the pitch

[Floodedstatue]

I'd go with:

...........................Carson................. ..........
.................................................. .............
Richards.........Terry..........Campbell.......Bri dge
.................................................. .............
..........................Hargreaves.............. ........
.................................................. .............
Wright-Phillips.........Lampard..................Cole
.................................................. .............
............................Gerrard............... ..........
.................................................. .............
............................Crouch................ ..........

HOWEVER...I predict:

a.) Robinson will be recalled :erk:
b.) Beckham will play for his "experience" :doubleerk: - not counting the fact that he's jet-lagged, out of practice and played crap the other night

[DJT75]

Originally Posted by danaldinho7

Hargreeves isn't match fit and I'dpersonally rather have Becks on the pitch over Barry and it allows Becks and Gerrard to rotate whilst on the pitch

Beckham isn't match fit either & if the previous 4 games are anything to go by, Gareth Barry should be the 1st name on the starting 11 sheet.

[overkill]

Originally Posted by DJT75

Beckham isn't match fit either & if the previous 4 games are anything to go by, Gareth Barry should be the 1st name on the starting 11 sheet.

Exactly. Barry and Gerrard are working well as a partnership, so why break up something that's working?

I don't know why people are getting so worried tbh? Croatia, at Wembley, with nothing to play for apart from 'seeding'. If they can't win that game, and comfortably, well....................

[DJT75]

Originally Posted by overkill

Exactly. Barry and Gerrard are working well as a partnership, so why break up something that's working?

I don't know why people are getting so worried tbh? Croatia, at Wembley, with nothing to play for apart from 'seeding'. If they can't win that game, and comfortably, well....................

Nothing to play for = Greece once upon a time

[Simon_143]

Originally Posted by overkill

Exactly. Barry and Gerrard are working well as a partnership, so why break up something that's working?

Because we have a muppet in charge who still thinks that Lampard and Gerrard can play well together

Originally Posted by overkill

I don't know why people are getting so worried tbh? Croatia, at Wembley, with nothing to play for apart from 'seeding'. If they can't win that game, and comfortably, well....................

Well this is McClaren's England and he hasn't exactly given us any reason to be confident so far

[mooperman]

"Crouch happy to take on lone role"... - BBC Sport Link


a hint of Wednesdays formation perhaps.....

[Nebby]

I'd go with...

Robinson

Brown / Richards / Campbell / Cole

Gerrard / Lampard / Hargreaves / Cole

Crouch / Defoe

[overkill]

Originally Posted by DJT75

Nothing to play for = Greece once upon a time

Gooooooooooooooooooood point! However, lightening rarely strikes twice. Does it? Nor are Croatia, Greece 2002, winners, in two years of that game, of the EC.

@simon_143, well, Sven thought they could play together as well, and to be fair, originally they did. I don't rate Mctotallycrap either but surely even he can't make a pigs ear of this one? Can he?

[danaldinho7]

Originally Posted by DJT75

Beckham isn't match fit either & if the previous 4 games are anything to go by, Gareth Barry should be the 1st name on the starting 11 sheet.

Becks has played like 4/5 games since his injury

[Steven]

I was going to say a hatful of ML games and Austria do not count, but then looking at "Premier"ship players in an England shirt recently, I'll leave it

[danaldinho7]

besides say we're 3-2 down 93rd minute and we get a freekick 30 yards out - who would you kill your wives and children to be on the pitch?

[kopchoir]

Originally Posted by Floodedstatue

I'd go with:

...........................Carson................. ..........
.................................................. .............
Richards.........Terry..........Campbell.......Bri dge
.................................................. .............
..........................Hargreaves.............. ........
.................................................. .............
Wright-Phillips.........Lampard..................Cole
.................................................. .............
............................Gerrard............... ..........
.................................................. .............
............................Crouch................ ..........

HOWEVER...I predict:

i like your team especailly on the wings only i would play barry instead of fat frank it wont happen but on a footballing note i cant fault your team selection
kop

[johnscarlet]

He cannot drop Barry ! The bloke has been superb in the middle of the park for England and in fairness I think Macca has realised that . I don't think we should go with Crouch but my main concern is in the centre of defence.
However , if fit, Mika and SWR on the right , Cole and Cole on the left , StevieG and Barry in the middle. Robinson in goal , a chance to banish his demons and possibly rescue his international career and restore confidence in himself . Which just leaves centre of defence and centre forwards. Campbell and Lescott and who knows up front

john

[Nebby]

Originally Posted by johnscarlet

Robinson in goal , a chance to banish his demons and possibly rescue his international career and restore confidence in himself

Only four goals conceeded in 11 qualifying matches, one of which was an absolute fluke, and another a penalty. That's two goals conceeded from open play, and yet you're talking about the guy having to "rescue his international career".

Conceeding goals has not been our problem. Scoring them has.

[johnscarlet]

Originally Posted by Nebby

Only four goals conceeded in 11 qualifying matches, one of which was an absolute fluke, and another a penalty. That's two goals conceeded from open play, and yet you're talking about the guy having to "rescue his international career".

Conceeding goals has not been our problem. Scoring them has.

Its only because of the lack of confidence he has, since the fluke, which is plain to see . Maybe playing against Croatia , which is where it deserted him if we are honest, will be a turning point for him . If he has a good game against the Croats , he will actually believe he is a good keeper , rather than just think it.

[Nebby]

Originally Posted by johnscarlet

Its only because of the lack of confidence he has, since the fluke, which is plain to see.

Plain to see, is it? I don't recall him making too many mistakes after the Croatia match...but I do remember a further six clean sheets.

[Winchy]

The starting line up will most likely be:

Robinson
Richards - Campbell - Lescott - Bridge/A.Cole
Beckham - Gerrard - Lampard - J.Cole
Crouch - Defoe

Apart from the midfield it doesn't look great!

Anyway, I have my tickets to the game and will be there to cheer England to the European Champs hopefully

[city fan]

My two penneth-

Carson

Richards Terry Campbell Bridge

Wright-Phillips Gerrard Barry Cole

Crouch Defoe

I would certainly not play Beckham. He's shot, cannot get back to defend unlike SWP. Why take the risk. Leave him on the bench, in case he's needed in an emergency.

Barry and not Lampard for me. He's more defensive instincts, matches well with Gerrard.

If Terry not fit, bring Richards to centre and put Brown right back.

[johnscarlet]

Originally Posted by Nebby

Plain to see, is it? I don't recall him making too many mistakes after the Croatia match...but I do remember a further six clean sheets.

Germany and Russia are 2 that spring to mind

[DJT75]

Originally Posted by danaldinho7

besides say we're 3-2 down 93rd minute and we get a freekick 30 yards out - who would you kill your wives and children to be on the pitch?

If it meant killing them, it would have to be me on the pitch. Becks on the bench. If we're in trouble & need to push for set pieces bring him on, but we can't carry the unfit duffer for 90mins against this lot, they'll rip us to pieces with pace..

Originally Posted by johnscarlet

Germany and Russia are 2 that spring to mind

Exactly. 99% of Spurs fans are sick to death of him so how can he be Englands #1?

Besides - it pushes Carson's value up that little bit more too

[Nebby]

Originally Posted by johnscarlet

Germany and Russia are 2 that spring to mind

The second goal against Germany was a screamer that any 'keeper would have struggled to save, so I guess you're talking about the first.

So, are you seriously suggesting that Schnieder was shooting and didn't miss hit that cross??? It was a fluke...and Robinson did bloody well to claw it out from under the bar. Why no blame against Terry who just stood still when the ball dropped?

As for the second against Russia. The stick he took for that goal was way over the top. His positioning was spot on.

[Winchy]

Robinson wasn't at fault for the Germany first goal, if you watch it you will see he got a touch onto the ball and it unfortunatly hit the bar and landed at the Germans feet whilst Terry was watching and Shorey had failed to already clear the ball properly, it was just extremelly unlucky.

For the Russia goal he could have done better but then again you always back your defenders to back you up in them situations and it was comical defending again.


Lets look at another fact, England have conceded the 3rd least amount of goals in the European Championship Qualifiers only behind France and Holland. So why is a change of goalkeepers the call? If we can't beat Israel or Macedonia and struggle to a 1-0 win against Andorra surely it's the attackers that should be criticised?