Sven Sven Sven Goran Eriksson.....

[El Presidente]

Gerrard is a fantastic player, if you see him marauding for Liverpool he is a wonderful sight. BUT.........in nearly 40 matches for England he has impressed in only a handful.

I would go for the other Huyton hero.......step forward Joey Barton

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

I'd go:

Robinson

Cole
King
Campbell
Neville

Carrick

Cole
Lampard
Beckham

Rooney
Owen


With it being Gerrard's responsibility to win his place back.

Realistically, King isn't going to start at the back, though.

 

[WATFORD zero]

As i see it, you can easily play with gerrard, lampard and carrick as a holding player, but this means putting two wide players in and one up front a la chelsea.

Owen can't play the single striker role, so that would leave rooooney as the sole striker.

However, what sven will do is play beckham, gerrard, lampard, cole in the early games and replace cole with carrick/king, when we play an Argentina, Brazil, France etc

FACT

so everyone can now stop debating it

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

We want the best players for the position.

Upfront the lineup is likely Rooney and Owen, with Crouch. Wright-Philips, Darius Vassell, and Defoe in reserve.

Alongside Gerrard and Lampard will be Beckham and Joe Cole. JC is known for being a decent back-tackler occasionally. Smith looks like good back-up for the middle, nowadays he plays in the old Nicky Butt role. The transition to defence requires that the midfielders drop back, or are ready to bring the ball out of defence. Our full-backs should be able to close up strongly, and although no-one is a superman and can stop every attack alone, they 'should' be able to work well as a team.

Personally I like Ledley King over Mills, Campbell over Ferdinand. Terry over Young, Robinson over James.
Woodgate I wouldn't comment on, not having seen him play in years.

One thing I really wish we had on the team, is a Ryan Giggs or a John Arne Riise style of left-sider.
Andy Cole is still playing fine football - I don't see why he shouldn't still be considered. Jason Roberts looks good for Wigan, Beattie from Everton too.
I believe Hargreaves has been tried enough to know he's not good enough to play for England. Jermaine Pennant does look better as an option to me. Ashley Cole is still in the frame, not a shoe-in.

I disagree with Hargreeves, how many times have you seen him play more than 20 mins?

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

Why all the calls for King to play that role? He said himself he doesn't even want to play there and he got well and truly found out playing against Argentina. Carrick is a much better option or even - dare I say it - Hargreaves. He'd be absolutely perfect in that position, soaking up balls and passing them back out and is a good man marker. But no, because he plays in Germany and no one here ever sees him play aside from the odd 5 minute cameo stuck on the left wing that makes him crap apparently.

I still don't like the look of Joe Cole playing left midfield either. Sure he's in amazing form for Chelski - but as a right winger.

 

[enigma]

The question was, "Name any team that uses or has used a similar central mid pairing and done well". Keane & Ince were two very similar players - maybe I read your question wrong?

Fair enough. I meant similar as in two playmakers, but I can see why you answered how you did.

 

[enigma]

Agree with you Danny. Hargreaves must be doing somkething rright to be at Bayern.

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

I guess the only way we could play Gerrard and Lampard is a 5 man midfield?

Alternatively play the diamond and rotate them throughout the game between the "diamond point" and the left side I suppose.

 

[enigma]

I guess the only way we could play Gerrard and Lampard is a 5 man midfield?

Alternatively play the diamond and rotate them throughout the game between the "diamond point" and the left side I suppose.

Agreed, I'm surprised he has never tried a 3-5-2 given the strength of our centre backs and the lack of options at left wing. The only issue would be who starts at right wing back, probably Becks but harsh on G.Nev who is an England stalwart.

I think Gerrard or Lampard could do a decent job on the left. Other right footed players like Pires or Nedved play well on the left so why cant Gerrard or Lampard?

 

[NMH]

I disagree with Hargreeves, how many times have you seen him play more than 20 mins?

Well, in the England framework, few can possibly have seen more than 20 mins.

That's enough for me though mate, thanks. I've seen nothing to impress me that there's a point to playing him for England. Downing should get a look in before him imo, and I say that knowing that he's not a great choice either. Milner was impressive for Villa today too.

Hargreaves was hurried into the England squad to make sure he wouldn't play for Germany's national team, and then played several times afterwards to dispel any rumour that it was the only reason. He impresses for his German side, but some two years+ in the England side hasn't seen fruition of that potential.

Anyway, if he impressed as much in training with the England squad, he'd get more than 20 minutes!

 

[NMH]

(cue someone who thinks he's played brilliant in his England cameos, and that I must be watching a different game or some crap like that)

 

[SussexSpur]

Carrick is a better passer than Parker but Parker is a better tackler, so Parker gets the nod for me out of those two.

Am a big fan of Parker the player (if not quite the person), and can't understand what Sven has against him...
But Carrick wins out on both counts, for me. He may not be an obvious get-stuck-in kind of a tackler, but I've seldom seen a player so effective at dispossessing other players simply by mopping the ball off them - without having to lunge in or even come close to doing so.
He has been in simply stunning form this season, pulling all the strings for Spurs. He's impeccably tidy, very seldom gets booked or concedes a foul, even more rarely gives away the ball, can spray immaculate 50-yard passes linking defence and attack in one seamless move, and also clears more corners with important, pressure-defying headers than you'd expect of your usual fancy-dan midfield maestro.
Just needs to be a bit more consistent with his own corner-taking, and score a few more goals, to be truly world class, but reckon he'd stroll into most national sides and is well worth a run-out or several ahead of the World Cup, at the very least.

Just to recap, I think Michael Carrick might just, possibly, maybe, perhaps, be able to do a job...

 

[fatboy]

You cannot leave Lampard or Gerrard out.

But we need a holding midfielder.

So we must find a way of accomodating them.

As we have no wingers maybe it is time for 3-5-2 and bye bye Beckham.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

You cannot leave Lampard or Gerrard out.

But we need a holding midfielder.

So we must find a way of accomodating them.

As we have no wingers maybe it is time for 3-5-2 and bye bye Beckham.

I've been saying 3-5-2 for ages, but it's not going to happen is it. Shame though. If we had a manager capable of trying the 3-5-2 formation we could go with:

Robinson,
Terry, Ferdinand, Campbell

Beckham, Lampard, Carrick, Gerrard, A.Cole

Rooney, Owen

That's a class team

 

[fatboy]

I've been saying 3-5-2 for ages, but it's not going to happen is it. Shame though. If we had a manager capable of trying the 3-5-2 formation we could go with:

Robinson,
Terry, Ferdinand, Campbell

Beckham, Lampard, Carrick, Gerrard, A.Cole

Rooney, Owen

That's a class team

Agree entirely as it stops the problem of having to choose two from three at the back, solves the left midfield problem, enables Gerrard and Lampard to play their natural game, allows Ashley Cole to get forward and means Beckham will have to stay on the right and not drift inside.

 

[SussexSpur]

Yes, would at least like to see 3-5-2 given a go - God knows Sven has tinkered enough in friendlies, to very little purpose, might as well at least try...

Robbo
Carragher Terry King
Carrick
Beckham Lampard Gerrard A.Cole
Rooney Owen

But otherwise, would push Gerrard onto the left, where at least he will work harder and more versatile-ly (sorry about that), with Ashley Cole the type of left-back who can comfortably push forward and attack when judged correct, if Gerrard tucks in and Carrick mops up.

Robbo
G.Neville Terry King/Ferdinand A.Cole
Beckham Carrick Lampard Gerrard
Rooney Owen


Voila!

Easy, innit...?

Well, £4million easy, anyway...

 

[fatboy]

Carrick and King cannot both play!

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Carrick and King cannot both play!

Why?

 

[fatboy]

I would say that Terry Campbell and Ferdinand are ahead of King at the back and I wouldn't use them both in midfield.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I would say that Terry Campbell and Ferdinand are ahead of King at the back and I wouldn't use them both in midfield.

Ferdinand has been average this season.