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

[Marshy]

If lampard or Gerrard get injured you will find Beckham central and Lennon on the right so i dont buy it.

Basically having hargreaves and carrick in the squad is a waste of time.

Even if Carragher has the game of his life tonight, it wont change my opinion or his....that he shouldnt be playing there.

 

[Silent Bob]

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.

But that's what a HOLDING midfielder does. Why does he feel the need to keep putting central defenders there?

 

[Les Biehn]

I just think that with a midfield full of attacking players Sven has decided to play with effectively 5 at the back, Carragher operating as a sweeper in front of the back 4 rather than behind. With Lampard, Gerrard, Beckham and Cole he has rightly gone with someone who has no attacking inclination what so ever, allowing them even more freedom to play their game. However it does make you wonder why he didn't pick an extra striker and defender ahead of say Jenas and Hargreaves/Carrick/Walcott.

 

[Easy 10]

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

We already knew that only taking 4 strikers would severely limit our options - specially as one is seriously crocked, one has played about an hour in the last 5 months, one of them has never played a top flight game in his life and the other is Crouch.

To have only left himself a choice of Johnson and Defoe as backup to that is like some kind of a sick joke. The injuries arn't Erikssons fault, but he was tasked with making contingencies and covering for it, which he has dismally failed to do. Sven has utterly f***ed this World Cup for us good and proper - if Owen limps off at any point in the next few weeks, the full horror of this squad selection will suddenly become very apparent.

 

[blockhseagull]

But that's what a HOLDING midfielder does. Why does he feel the need to keep putting central defenders there?

But a HOLDING midfielder, normally plays in a midfield four and does still get forward.

This is effectively a defending role and will involve no attacking, hence he has picked a defender.

I do however wholeheartedly agree that if this was in his thinking why we are going overloaded with central midfielders is confusing, maybe could have left at least Jenas at home and taken another striker in his place.

 

[Sid James]

We already knew that only taking 4 strikers would severely limit our options - specially as one is seriously crocked, one has played about an hour in the last 5 months, one of them has never played a top flight game in his life and the other is Crouch.

To have only left himself a choice of Johnson and Defoe as backup to that is like some kind of a sick joke. The injuries arn't Erikssons fault, but he was tasked with making contingencies and covering for it, which he has dismally failed to do. Sven has utterly f***ed this World Cup for us good and proper - if Owen limps off at any point in the next few weeks, the full horror of this squad selection will suddenly become very apparent.

Easy, if Owen limps off to add to the Rooney injury then there is f*** all he could, would, will do to make the slightest difference to our chances of winning the world cup.

 

[blockhseagull]

We already knew that only taking 4 strikers would severely limit our options - specially as one is seriously crocked, one has played about an hour in the last 5 months, one of them has never played a top flight game in his life and the other is Crouch.

To have only left himself a choice of Johnson and Defoe as backup to that is like some kind of a sick joke. The injuries arn't Erikssons fault, but he was tasked with making contingencies and covering for it, which he has dismally failed to do. Sven has utterly f***ed this World Cup for us good and proper - if Owen limps off at any point in the next few weeks, the full horror of this squad selection will suddenly become very apparent.

While i agree with 99% of that, who have we got as back up for Rooney and Owen ?

In my opinion only Crouch is a contender as he offers something very different..... Bent maybe in time, but not yet and after that there are none good enough for international football yet. I understand he has to make contingencies but he can't manufacture footballers that are there !!!!

 

[Easy 10]

Easy, if Owen limps off to add to the Rooney injury then there is f*** all he could, would, will do to make the slightest difference to our chances of winning the world cup.

Certainly not with what we're now left with.
But you can't tell me he's given us the best possible alternative with what he's gone with. He'd rather play Gerrard or Lennon as a striker than take the Premierships leading english goalscorer as backup for christs sake.

 

[Silent Bob]

But a HOLDING midfielder, normally plays in a midfield four and does still get forward.

This is effectively a defending role and will involve no attacking, hence he has picked a defender.

Like Makalele? Edmilson? Senna? Gilberto? Gattuso? Just because it's a defensive MIDFIELD role doesn't mean a defender should play it.

I do however wholeheartedly agree that if this was in his thinking why we are going overloaded with central midfielders is confusing, maybe could have left at least Jenas at home and taken another striker in his place.

Indeed, I've maintained for a long time we should be taking 5 strikers, even before Rooney's injury.

 

[blockhseagull]

Like Makalele? Edmilson? Senna? Gilberto? Gattuso? Just because it's a defensive MIDFIELD role doesn't mean a defender should play it.

Carrick isn't one of those though, inexperienced and Sven will want someone to sit, which he doesn't always do

 

[Sid James]

Certainly not with what we're now left with.
But you can't tell me he's given us the best possible alternative with what he's gone with. He'd rather play Gerrard or Lennon as a striker than take the Premierships leading english goalscorer as backup for christs sake.

After Owen, Rooney and Crouch I have seen Defoe, Bent, Ashton, Beattie, Johnson, Harewood amongst the many alternatives listed on this board. This tells me there is no standout alternative and yet you imply that it is clearcut. I would agree that another striker should go ( probably Defoe at the expense of Jenas ) but neither of them would get near my team so why get so het up about it.

 

[keaton]

I think it's ridicolous to not give Hargreaves, who's much better defensively than Carrick, the opportunity in his proper position after he's had a great season

 

[Napper]

After Owen, Rooney and Crouch I have seen Defoe, Bent, Ashton, Beattie, Johnson, Harewood amongst the many alternatives listed on this board. This tells me there is no standout alternative and yet you imply that it is clearcut. I would agree that another striker should go ( probably Defoe at the expense of Jenas ) but neither of them would get near my team so why get so het up about it.

pretty much what I think, it's easy of course as it gives another avenue to knock Sven. No doubt if we took one of the above and they cam on and missed a sitter then this board would crash in the clamour to slag sven off first

 

[Uncle Buck]

Its frightening, it really is.
Add in the fact that Owen felt a "tweak" yesterday and pulled out of training, and it becomes apparent just how dreadfully exposed Eriksson has left this squad. We're overloaded with midfielders, balatantly not enough cover for the stikers, and he's trying a defender in midfield role tonight.

Shambles.

But then we are light on strikers as the options are not there.

What is the point of taking Defoe or Bent when the management do not rate them and they are unlikely to make any impact.

 

[Les Biehn]

I still don't get this whole thing about Bent. Great season in the Prem, one debut that could be put down to nerves and suddenly hes a right off. He needed to go, simple as.

 

[Uncle Buck]

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.

He had a good start to the season, but struggled to score when against the better teams and defenders in the Premiership.

 

[blockhseagull]

He had a good start to the season, but struggled to score when against the better teams and defenders in the Premiership.

To be fair was decent till after xmas, but problem being is every january Charlton are normally safe and pretty much stop playing

 

[Uncle Buck]

To be fair was decent till after xmas, but problem being is every january Charlton are normally safe and pretty much stop playing

True, but then he came up a league and defenders did not know about him, second half of the season they worked him out?

 

[Rich Suvner]

if you take hargreaves due to his great season as holding midfielder and he ends up behind carragher and carrick in his favoured position he shouldn't be in squad. simple.

 

[blockhseagull]

True, but then he came up a league and defenders did not know about him, second half of the season they worked him out?

Yeah maybe could be right.