Can this team win the world cup?

[Icy Gull]

Could that team win it?

Bring in Neville, Cole and a proper manager in place of Young, Bridge and dear old Sven, then YES.

Thought Young had done quite well, seeing as he is so inexperienced

 

[Easy 10]

Changed your tune I see, it won't last I promise you

Well I've been hugely encouraged that Sven was FORCED into playing a holding m/f against the Poles, and how fluent we looked as a direct result of that. Now if Sven sticks with that, then yes, despite SGE, with the players we've got I think we may genuinely have a chance.

But my fear is that he will revert back to his "tried and trusted", in which case no, we won't have a cat in Hells chance of winning it. Svens got the tools at his disposal - I think thats certainly been the case for 2 or 3 years now - but as always, its going to boil down to how effectively he deploys them.

 

[Gritt23]

So Gerrard is on the left they think.........

Wouldn't surprise me in the least.

In Sven's list of best friends Gerrard is above Joe Cole, so faced with the necessity of playing a holding midfielder - coz even Sven can't ignore that changed the whole side last time - then he has to crowbar his Scouse buddy in there somewhere.

Square pegs and round holes means absolutely nothing to Sven. You play your mates, simple as that.

 

[Gritt23]

Thought Young had done quite well, seeing as he is so inexperienced

He did okay, and I would definitely be playing him in tomorrow's game. Experience against a side like Argentina is precisely what he needs, and precisely what the friendlies should be getting used for.

But as it stands right now, I'd strongly favour Gary Neville over Luke Young. A few good performances from Luke against good opposition and that may change.

 

[Trufflehound]

Holland are a bit like Spain though arn't they - perennial underachievers at tournaments. They seem to have all the ingredients to be successful, but somehow always manage to nouse it up.

Very much like England actually.

The Dutch problem is that they are all a bunch of prima donnas. Individually brilliant, but they don't always gel as a team.

There is also a national trait that no decision on anything can ever be taken until it has been discussed ad nauseam first in a true democratic fashion. This usually leads to massive arguments and in-fighting over whether the manager or the players should select the team, resulting in hissy-fits all round and a total self-destruction of a squad that on paper should be a shoo-in for the final...

Causing great hilarity to those of us foreigners who live there, it has to be said.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

In Sven's list of best friends Gerrard is above Joe Cole, so faced with the necessity of playing a holding midfielder - coz even Sven can't ignore that changed the whole side last time - then he has to crowbar his Scouse buddy in there somewhere.

It's either that, or the FACT that Gerrard is ten times the player Joe Cole is

 

[Marshy]

It's either that, or the FACT that Gerrard is ten times the player Joe Cole is

We all know hes a better player....but a better left sided player ?
At lest Cole plays there for his Club.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

occasionally

 

[Easy 10]

It's either that, or the FACT that Gerrard is ten times the player Joe Cole is

But not on the left.

Thats the whole issue. Gerrard IS an immensely talented player, but you can't just pick the Most Talented XI, throw them together and expect it all to work. I would rather see Cole on the left than Gerrard. Its still not ideal, but I think Cole has performed as well as anyone else down that side, and he DOES stay involved in the game and create problems for the opposition from there.

One of the problems with having Gerrard AND Beckham in the same team, is that they both look for the Hollywood Balls all the time - the 50-60 yard passes all over the shop. We don't need 2 players doing it, and I still think Beckham is too good to leave out of the team. So for me, that means there just isn't room for Gerrard in that midfield.

 

[robbied69]

Got a major chance. However, I think the team is better suited to a 3-5-2, which would probably mean dropping Beckham. But we know Sven won't.

 

[The British National Party]

We won't win the world cup because of two people, 'Sven's Eriksson' and 'beckham'.

Thought we played as a team against Poland, if Beckham had been playing it would of been 40 yard passes by passing the midfield and taken everything. It was so refreshing seeing other players playing as a unit and a team instead of one person trying to take all the glory, different team players taken corners, free kicks, it mixed it up, Beckham takes everything and it's so predicable.

We've no chance!

 

[Gritt23]

I've been trying to post for ages,but I can't take my eyes away from Oceanic's avatar for long enough.

Now I finally have, I've completly forgotten what I was going to post anyway.

 

[Pavilionaire]

So it would appear Gerrard has been earmarked for that left-hand side role, with King holding.

I think it is worth a try, Gerrard is a disciplined player who should be able to do a good job.

Anyone who says Owen was only a Real reserve - the same can be said of Crespo at Chelsea. Both World Class players.

 

[Marshy]

please can we have a wide player who is capable of going past a defender and holding his position instead of drifting into the middle of the park and getting in the way of everyone else...

Surely its not too much too ask.

SWP is the man for that, but until he starts playing more regular football at Chelsea its a brave man too put him in at present.
In my opinion his performance was one of the main reasons behind our peformance against Poland.

 

[Gritt23]

please can we have a wide player who is capable of going past a defender and holding his position instead of drifting into the middle of the park and getting in the way of everyone else...

Surely its not too much too ask.

SWP is the man for that, but until he starts playing more regular football at Chelsea its a brave man too put him in at present.
In my opinion his performance was one of the main reasons behind our peformance against Poland.

Absolutely right. It would take a brave man to do it, but I would, I think SWP offers us so much that Beckham doesn't.

 

[Simster]

Anyone who says Owen was only a Real reserve - the same can be said of Crespo at Chelsea. Both World Class players.

Or that crap Henry of Juventus.

You're right Pav, Owen IS world class.

 

[Marshy]

Im still of the opinion that Gerrard and Lampard can play together centrally.

Im a believe that its the wide players we play that cause the trouble and for people to say they cannot play together.

Id like to see it with SWP on the right and Cole on the left.

As much as i like Beckham as a player and he is top class, he dosent hold his position and on top of that we really need a player who can carry the ball and go past people, that has to come from wide positions.