Gerrard

[Uncle Buck]

Classic comedy!

Why?

Gerrard has more to his game than Lampard, hence he often plays out of position, as he can do a job there. Try Gerrard as the attacking midfielder and you might just be surprised. Try watching the players than just relying on stats.

 

[Easy 10]

Simple solution is drop Lampard and play Gerrard and Carrick in the middle. Lampard plays well as the forward of the 2 central midfielders, however there is more to Gerrard's game than there is to Lampards, just look at the Steven Gerrard that played in the European Cup Final, if he is allowed to do that for England he will be awesome.

Sorry, but I can't see how Lampard can possibly be sacrificed in the team. I wouldn't drop Gerrard lightly, he IS a fantastic player. But Lampard absolutely guarantees you goals from midfield. Its a really, really tough call, but I think Lamps just gives that dynamism and constant threat we need. He's the closest thing we've had to Paul Scholes at his best.

There's few players I'd like more arriving on the edge of the box to a ball thats been laid off.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Why?

Gerrard has more to his game than Lampard, hence he often plays out of position, as he can do a job there. Try Gerrard as the attacking midfielder and you might just be surprised. Try watching the players than just relying on stats.

Dont fforget this is coming from someone who thinks mcghee can do no wrong - he doesnt know much about tactics

 

[Easy 10]

Gerrards also got a bit of a fetish for pinging the 60-70 yard passes all over the shop, and we already have a fella on the right who likes doing that. We don't need two of them doing it.

 

[Del Boy]

No-one is saying Gerrard is a rubbish player. He's not - he's quite clearly class.

BUT - you cannot sacrifice the shape of the team to accomodate him. The England midfield clearl functions far better with a holding midfielder, which means SOMEONE has to be dropped.

Beckham ? No, I think he has to play. His range of passing and the quality he delivers from the flanks, as well as dead balls, is crucial.

Lampard ? A no brainer. Midfielders who score regularly are absolute gold-dust. He really is undroppable.

Joe Cole ? With Englands "problem left side" I think he is by far the best option there. He's always involved, and has those quick feet to get round people and always provides a threat.

We HAVE to have someone out of King/Carrick/Hargreaves anchoring things in midfield to release the rest of the midfield to do their thing and damage the opposition. I'm sorry, but good player that he is, I think Gerrard is an over-indulgence that the team simply cannot afford.

Its called a TOUGH CALL, Eriksson. And one you'll HAVE to make.

Because of this, I agree completley with Easy10.

I agree Gerrard is awesome, but for the sake of the whole team he has to be benched. Unless he can discipline himself enough to play in the holding role which a player of his calibre should be able to, but it would mean sacrificeing himself for the good of the team.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Sorry, but I can't see how Lampard can possibly be sacrificed in the team. I wouldn't drop Gerrard lightly, he IS a fantastic player. But Lampard absolutely guarantees you goals from midfield. Its a really, really tough call, but I think Lamps just gives that dynamism and constant threat we need. He's the closest thing we've had to Paul Scholes at his best.

There's few players I'd like more arriving on the edge of the box to a ball thats been laid off.

I agree that dropping a midfielder that scores goals is a tough call, but Gerrard has more to his game and his goal scoring record for England is not shabby. To be honest it is a nice position to be in when you are talking about whether players of the ability of Gerrard should be dropped.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Because of this, I agree completley with Easy10.

I agree Gerrard is awesome, but for the sake of the whole team he has to be benched. Unless he can discipline himself enough to play in the holding role which a player of his calibre should be able to, but it would mean sacrificeing himself for the good of the team.

But in Carrick you have a player that can do that holding role better than anyone and that then allows Gerrard to play his natural game.

However the fact that Carrick did not get a run out yesterday suggests that he is not in the picture at present.

 

[Easy 10]

Agreed Uncle B. It certainly is a nice problem.

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

No-one is saying Gerrard is a rubbish player. He's not - he's quite clearly class.

BUT - you cannot sacrifice the shape of the team to accomodate him. The England midfield clearl functions far better with a holding midfielder, which means SOMEONE has to be dropped.

Beckham ? No, I think he has to play. His range of passing and the quality he delivers from the flanks, as well as dead balls, is crucial.

Lampard ? A no brainer. Midfielders who score regularly are absolute gold-dust. He really is undroppable.

Joe Cole ? With Englands "problem left side" I think he is by far the best option there. He's always involved, and has those quick feet to get round people and always provides a threat.

We HAVE to have someone out of King/Carrick/Hargreaves anchoring things in midfield to release the rest of the midfield to do their thing and damage the opposition. I'm sorry, but good player that he is, I think Gerrard is an over-indulgence that the team simply cannot afford.

Its called a TOUGH CALL, Eriksson. And one you'll HAVE to make.

Agree totally. I'd be quite happy with either Lampard or Gerrard, but if we seriously want to do well in Germany, one should have to start from the bench.

 

[Del Boy]

Agreed Uncle B. It certainly is a nice problem.

Definately, but sven lets hope Sven is brave enough to drop a superstar if needed for the sake of the team!

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

Gerrard played well last night I thought, more so when we switched to the 4-4-2, just goes to show maybe him and Lampard CAN work, King looked a bit shaky.

 

[London Calling]

Amen.

 

[Silent Bob]

Gerrards also got a bit of a fetish for pinging the 60-70 yard passes all over the shop, and we already have a fella on the right who likes doing that. We don't need two of them doing it.

And Beckham's at least go to players who play for the same team as him.

 

[Easy 10]

Definately, but sven lets hope Sven is brave enough to drop a superstar if needed for the sake of the team!

And therein lies the very hub of the problem - we will stand or fall next summer depending on whether Eriksson is prepared to make that Big Decision.

And as we already know (judging by the David James example), it really does take Sven an awfully long time to make those crucial big decisions.

 

[Silent Bob]

David James example? He was quick enough to axe Seaman and James.

 

[enigma]

I agree that dropping a midfielder that scores goals is a tough call, but Gerrard has more to his game and his goal scoring record for England is not shabby. To be honest it is a nice position to be in when you are talking about whether players of the ability of Gerrard should be dropped.

It is indeed. It just worries me slightly that Eriksson hasnt quite decided on which centre back pairing and midfield to use yet. In some senses its good, as you have to be flexible and it shows the wealth of options, but at the same time you would have thought he might know by now.

 

[Uncle Buck]

And therein lies the very hub of the problem - we will stand or fall next summer depending on whether Eriksson is prepared to make that Big Decision.

And as we already know (judging by the David James example), it really does take Sven an awfully long time to make those crucial big decisions.

David James is an odd one. For all his faults, we are not blessed with keepers and if Carson is the next one, then we have really issues. James was playing 2 years ago because there was nobody else. Robinson was still very raw and playing in a struggling Leeds side, Kirkland was and is always injured and Green, again was raw and I suspect not good enough and Martyn would not come back unless he got to play. James was and is almost in by default as we lack any depth in the keeping position.

 

[Easy 10]

David James example? He was quick enough to axe Seaman and James.

Sven never axed Seaman. Seaman announced his retirement.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Sven never axed Seaman. Seaman announced his retirement.

Sven axed Seaman after the Macedonia game. When Seaman was left out of the squads for Leichenstein and Turkey he then called it a day.

 

[El Presidente]

I see a fair bit of the Maine Road Comedians and James is a better keeper than people give him credit for.

At present he probably is the SECOND best keeper that England have. Kirkland has an injury record that makes Ben Roberts seem like an ever present.