Englands defence

[algie]

We got the result we wanted, won the group, and good performances from Joe Cole and Owen Hargreaves which suprised me. Things can only get better.

f*** me.Changed your medication recently grandad.Carefull it might rub off onto some others on here

 

[goldstone]

Laughable

You all told me we had a really solid defence, it was like watching the Albion last season.

Have to agree 100%.

Two soft goals ... the second one was the kind you see a pub team give away. Pathetic.

They hit the bar twice.

Gerrard cleared off the line.

Defence was awful. Albion were better last season.

 

[BensGrandad]

f*** me.Changed your medication recently grandad.Carefull it might rub off onto some others on here

You must say it as you see it as I always do.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Englands defence

1-0 up and England come out of the second half do what they ALWAYS do. Sit back and let them attack us.

We can never push on for a bigger result. Even when we went 2-1 up the midfield relaxed.

We are just like France, cannot deliver on the bigger stage. Although, we are better than France.

I think this is all down to Sven, for a plus point.

you do realise that france won the world cup and European cup in successive tournaments?
I agree that Sven must be held at least partly responsible for our perpetual poorer second halfs.

 

[Easy 10]

You appear to have missed out your usual paragraph about Sven's latest tactical blunder/ ridiculous selection/ failure to change the match in our favour. Are you feeling alright this evening old boy?

I don't think he got anything wrong tonight though. The starting lineup was far more balanced (although I'd still pick Carrick over Hargreaves as he has a far better range of passing). But Svens hand was forced by the catastrophic injury to Owen (oh boy, is that squad selection coming home to roost now), and then Rio being forced off.

I don't think it was a case of sitting back in the 2nd half - the Swedes had nothing to lose and just flew at us. Our passing deteriorated, the subs didn't help (Rooney HAD to go off, despite his tantrum), and in the end we nearly won it but for a f***-up by Terry.

No matter, I'm encouraged by that display. IF he doesn't revert to the 4-4-2 Lampard/Gerrard, then there is a lot more to come from this team.

 

[Marshy]

Im sorry but im still extremely concerned, i really dont know what happens at half time in the dressing room !

The injury to Owen really shows what a shocking squad selection was made.

Im trying to be positive as yes we won the group and didnt lose, but all the usual problems remain.

At least Sven is now forced into playing a holding midfielder and giving Lampard and Gerrard more freedom to push on.

Beckham was awful, Campbell was very shaky when he came on, and Crouch....dont get me started.

Joe cole was terrific, Gerrard too when he came on, and Rooney was very dangerous, as long as we have him we have a chance.

Thankfully we have players like Rooney, Lampard, Gerrard, Cole and Beckham who can win us games when the team isnt performing.

 

[Easy 10]

Who knows what Sven will do now? I would imagine his hand is forced, ie formation. He will probably go with a 4-5-1 from here on. I think Rooney is our best option if we are to play one up front. He has the strength and pace to pull it off, AND it means Sven doesn't have to make a decision over dropping Lampard or Gerrard. By leaving Crouch out, Sven can keep all his favourites happy, and maintain the formation we are so obviously crying out for.

Agreed. It might just have fallen into his lap, as it did with Bobby Robson in 86' when we lost Robson through injury and Wilkins through suspension. We find a new pattern of play which brings a freshness to the team.

God help us if Rooney breaks down though. No sign of it yet (touch wood), but the entire campaign now hinges completely and utterly on his fitness, more than ever before. We are now "down to the bones".

 

[London Irish]

2nd half the Swedes really came out of the traps and put us on the back foot. The passing deteriorated, the defending from set pieces was bloody terrifying, and we ran out of steam.

That's the worrying element though - if as side is steaming towards you, then that should give you the opportunity to pass through them and punish them on the counterattack. For a long time it didn't happen - but I guess it did in the end with the Gerrard goal.

A genuine head-scratching performance, the positives slightly outweighing the negatives. Where it leaves the team, who knows.

Hargreaves did well, but probably not well enough to oust Lampard.

Crouch did OK but not well enough to wonder about the usefulness of England sticking to a 4-4-2 that unbalances their midfield when the plain fact is I don't think Enlgland have two good enough strikers who can hurt top teams, one yes, but not two.

 

[London Irish]

we already have other great passers of the ball.

I really doubt this. I think England have a fine crop of goal-scoring, attacking midfielders but I don't see them as "great" passers by the standards set by the last 16 or last 8 of the World Cup - and this will hurt England sooner or later.

I agree with what you say about the 4-5-1 though, it remains the best way to minimise this weakness and accentuate the strengths of the attacking midfielders.

 

[zefarelly]

Re: Re: Englands defence

Defence was awful. Albion were better last season.

f*** me, I just had a bottle and a half of wine . . . .and I can clearly see your nuts


it was shyte, but not that bad !


Cole 6
Terry 8
Ferdinand 4
Carragher 4
Campbell 7

IMO at least

 

[Roger Mellie]

I really doubt this. I think England have a fine crop of goal-scoring, attacking midfielders but I don't see them as "great" passers by the standards set by the last 16 or last 8 of the World Cup - and this will hurt England sooner or later.

I agree with what you say about the 4-5-1 though, it remains the best way to minimise this weakness and accentuate the strengths of the attacking midfielders.

Areyou saying gerrard and beckham aren't world class passers? You've lost it

 

[JJ McClure]

With Terry and Ferdinand in place I thought the England defence did a really good job. They looked solid and unflustered and were dealing well with most of the balls into the box.
The first goal was partly down to Beckham letting his man get infront of him and party but to having a gooner midget on the line.
The second goal was down to Sol Campbell (Gooner) acting like a donkey and Ashley Cole (did I mention he's a gooner) wandering away from the post he was meant to be guarding.
In short, we looked fine until Arsenal went and cocked in up.

 

[Brovion]

Well I thought it was quite good, we played well against a team who historically have always been stronger than us. Yes it was another 'game of two halfs' and that 2nd Swedish equaliser was no less than they deserved, but overall not a bad England performance.

I think we're definitely on a par with teams like Ecuador and Mexico, so with a bit of luck we could blag a quarter-final spot.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

With Terry and Ferdinand in place I thought the England defence did a really good job. They looked solid and unflustered and were dealing well with most of the balls into the box.
The first goal was partly down to Beckham letting his man get infront of him and party but to having a gooner midget on the line.
The second goal was down to Sol Campbell (Gooner) acting like a donkey and Ashley Cole (did I mention he's a gooner) wandering away from the post he was meant to be guarding.
In short, we looked fine until Arsenal went and cocked in up.

Cole really is not match fit.

Miss Neville badly

 

[Marshy]

we all know Sven should now change to a 4-5-1


But i will lay money he goes 4-4-2 with Rooney and Crouch up top.

 

[graz126]

1st half we played really well. second half we played really shite. simple as that. despite what some people on here seem to think, owen will be a massive loss for england. i know he has not played brilliant in the tournament but i do believe his performances would have improved playing alongside rooney. when crouch was playing our tactics did not suit owen. rooney plays more through the middle thus not isolating owen like the long ball tactics with crouch do. also we only have 3 strikers left now. unless gerrard gets moved up to striker, then that would solve the pairing in center midfield as we could then put in a ball winning midfielder like hargreaves, who has supposedly played really well for bayern. or maybe even carrick.

 

[graz126]

we all know Sven should now change to a 4-5-1


But i will lay money he goes 4-4-2 with Rooney and Crouch up top.

agree with both comments.
i said at the start of the tournament whilst rooney was out we should have played 4.5.1.