Jamie Carragher to start for England...... in MIDFIELD?

[blockhseagull]

Also the over rating of Carrick on NSC is getting out of hand. he is a decent player who plays a few nice balls from deep, nothing else. I certainly haven't seen any evidence of him running games and he isn't that great as a marker or tackler, he just happens to be very disciplined at holding his position.

Well there are alot of spurs lovers on here, they must be the ones that want Defoe to go to the world cup also

 

[Napper]

I know its only a message board but FFS can we stop slagging everything Sven does off just before the tournament. He's got a decent record in competative matches and his whole reign has been geared up for this world cup, if he fuks it up then lets publically hang him but lets give him the benefit of his experience as a manager to see where it takes us.

This head hunt by a few is ridiculous

 

[Les Biehn]

Well there are alot of spurs lovers on here, they must be the ones that want Defoe to go to the world cup also

Very true, still I would have liked to have at least one of him or Bent in the squad.

 

[blockhseagull]

I know its only a message board but FFS can we stop slagging everything Sven does off just before the tournament. He's got a decent record in competative matches and his whole reign has been geared up for this world cup, if he fuks it up then lets publically hang him but lets give him the benefit of his experience as a manager to see where it takes us.

This head hunt by a few is ridiculous

Indeed, especially for a decision that isn't that crazy to be honest.

 

[Les Biehn]

I know its only a message board but FFS can we stop slagging everything Sven does off just before the tournament. He's got a decent record in competative matches and his whole reign has been geared up for this world cup, if he fuks it up then lets publically hang him but lets give him the benefit of his experience as a manager to see where it takes us.

This head hunt by a few is ridiculous

I was unhappy with choices in his initial squad and voiced my disdain, but if he makes the right decisions, like I feel he has done with carragher, then I will praise him for it. Well done Sven.

 

[blockhseagull]

Very true, still I would have liked to have at least one of him or Bent in the squad.

Yeah i would have taken bent instead of Walcott to be honest, although Walcott is amazingly quick apart from speed i don't think he offers anything that Aarron Lennon doesn't, especiallt as Sven has mentioned playing Lennon as a forward in the last 20 mins or so of games.

Would have taken Bent as although didn't look great v Uruguay, offers a different option to Defoe who is very greedy and would not work as a pairing with Owen

 

[Sid James]

I was quite looking forward to seeing Carrick play there with the proper team to see what he could do. I also think that Hargreaves would do a good job there as well and I do agree with the point of view that says we should have seen this tried months ago.

That said if you look at 1986 and 1990 they were both cases of late changes ( forced and unforced ) that worked out well.

 

[jonny.rainbow]

I don't know why this is considered such a bizarre move.

Carragher played Defensive Midfield for the Liverpool Youth Team.
He also made his league debut in that position for the first team and won over 20 under 21 caps, also in that position.

The main difference I can see with him and Carrick is that Carragher is an out and out defender and won't have a natural inclination to get forward.

 

[Rusthall Seagull]

Indeed, especially for a decision that isn't that crazy to be honest.

It's not so much the decision that is crazy...it's the very fact that he picked Jenas, Carrick and Hargreaves for that very role but still chooses Carragher!

I have no problem with the experiment (remember Robson in 1990), but why oh why, take up 3 places in the squad with players he obviously doesn't consider good enough?

We are so desperately short of striking options in the squad it is frightening!

 

[Les Biehn]

Yeah i would have taken bent instead of Walcott to be honest, although Walcott is amazingly quick apart from speed i don't think he offers anything that Aarron Lennon doesn't, especiallt as Sven has mentioned playing Lennon as a forward in the last 20 mins or so of games.

Would have taken Bent as although didn't look great v Uruguay, offers a different option to Defoe who is very greedy and would not work as a pairing with Owen

Also people seem to be judging Bent on 1 performance. I can see people's reservations about him but he has had a fantastic season and it's unfair to judge him as a one hit wonder.

 

[blockhseagull]

It's not so much the decision that is crazy...it's the very fact that he picked Jenas, Carrick and Hargreaves for that very role but still chooses Carragher!

I have no problem with the experiment (remember Robson in 1990), but why oh why, take up 3 places in the squad with players he obviously doesn't consider good enough?

We are so desperately short of striking options in the squad it is frightening!

Did he not pick them as just general cover for our central midfield postions, would not describe Jenas as a holding midfielder.

Agree with the striker problems though

 

[Rusthall Seagull]

Did he not pick them as just general cover for our central midfield postions, would not describe Jenas as a holding midfielder.

Agree with the striker problems though

The problem is, he did pick them as MIDFIELDERS....it just smacks of incompentence that we are going into a Major tournament with only two real strikers.....

 

[blockhseagull]

The problem is, he did pick them as MIDFIELDERS....it just smacks of incompentence that we are going into a Major tournament with only two real strikers.....

Although both Gerrard and Lamps scored more goals than any of our strikers this season !!!

 

[Silent Bob]

Well there are alot of spurs lovers on here, they must be the ones that want Defoe to go to the world cup also

Nah, Defoe's bollocks. Carrick is quality however, the closest thing we have to an English Pirlo or Alonso, but he's better defensively than these two.

He didn't have a good game against Belarus, but he's still a better choice than Carragher in holding midfield.

 

[Marshy]

He picked i assume Hargreaves as cover for the holding midfield role, a position he plays for Bayern Munch and then plays him at right back...

Then picks Carragher who covers centre half or right back i assumed and gives him a game as holding midfield......

Please Please please just play people in there proper natural position, its not difficult to work out.

Why are Carrick and Hargreaves both in the squad if they arent covering this position.....

 

[blockhseagull]

As cover for the rest of our midfield ?

 

[Silent Bob]

As cover for the rest of our midfield ?

But if you're going to play central defenders there over them why even take them? Their confidence must be rock bottom right now.

 

[Napper]

yes we are short in attack but those on standby wouldnt do much in the world cup imo and we'd have passengers on board

 

[blockhseagull]

But if you're going to play central defenders there over them why even take them? Their confidence must be rock bottom right now.

Probably, but i think Sven wants to play a defender in that role, somebody to win the ball...pass it simple and protect the back four.

 

[Knotty]

I know its only a message board but FFS can we stop slagging everything Sven does off just before the tournament. He's got a decent record in competative matches and his whole reign has been geared up for this world cup, if he fuks it up then lets publically hang him but lets give him the benefit of his experience as a manager to see where it takes us.

This head hunt by a few is ridiculous

One of the few level-headed posts on the subject.

Some people on here would disagree with Sven if he said 2+2=4.
And I think that some are secretly hoping we fail just to prove they are right.

And there are a few who are in the wrong job - they should be top football coaches because they seem to know so much about individual players, tactics etc.

We qualified top of our group. How much better did we need to to do? OK we had a shocker against N. Ireland. Sven gets all the blame for that. I believe (but I don't know because I wasn't present at training and team talks like some NSC posters seem to have been) that he was partly to blame but so were the players.

It can never be all one person's fault. If we fail in the World Cup, some will blame Sven entirely. If we win it they will say it was the players and nothing to do with Sven. You can't have it both ways.

Please stop this boring and repetitive petty whinging about anything an everything, and get behind the team.

If we do badly in Germany, you will have your time.