Wayne Bridge - Lost on the left wing??

[CHAPPERS]

Apart from a cross and the shot he had in the second half I found it infuriating watching Wayne last night. He gave the ball away far too easily and refused to use his right foot at all when he cut inside.

I would feel much more comfortable with Ashley Cole on the wing as he seems much more willing to get round the back of the defenders, Bridge hasn't the turn of pace that Cole does or the level of skill. However, would this affect the dangerous overlapping the two of them have got going on or do you think Bridge could play the overlapping leftback posistion as well as Cole does?


(The thread title would make a good title for a book about a failed left winger innit)

 

[Robbo]

I thought he did alright chappers. As he does not normally play there, i would expect him to improve with every game he playsin that position.

And there's no doubt that Cole and Bridge have a great understanding.

Saying that, maybe Sven should try Cole on the wing and Bridge at left back. Who's to say this won't work better?

 

[JJ McClure]

Cole and Bridge both kept getting down the wing and then turning back inside onto their wrong foot rather than crossing. What's the point in finally deciding to play two left footers on the left wing and then neither of them wanting to cross the ball.

 

[Easy 10]

I thought Bridge got better as the game went on, and he was combining quite effectively with Cole, although I'd agree they should swap roles, with Bridge at LB and Cole in front of him. I think its definately a partnership worth persevering with anyway, as England managed to maintain their shape far better with two naturally left-sided players down that flank. Far better than trying to get by with a Scholes/Dyer/Whoever playing out of position there.

 

[REDLAND]

I thought the signs looked good from last night, its still early days though, but its promising !!!

 

[The Large One]

No, no, no, Chappers.

For a start, what game were you watching last night? Bridge was excellent on the wing. To put both Bridge and Cole on the left is a complete no-brainer. The only reason is hasn’t been done before was to accommodate Paul Scholes. Most of our attacking options both against Austria and Poland came from the left hand side.

Secondly, if you put Bridge at left-back, he would be much more reluctant to go forward, and so Ashley Cole would have little or no support on the left. Let Cole go overlapping and Bridge covering if necessary. It works much better than Beckham and Neville, their equivalents on the right.

 

[Marc]

I thought Bridge had a great game, he put in plenty of decent crosses right into the heart of the box, had a great shot well saved by Dudek too. The problem is that Cole was a LB but due to his Arsenal habits of attack-attack-attack he kept getting lost upfront leaving Bridge looking like he was lost...but he ended up having to cover for Cole when he got the urge to run forward for no reason at all....which he done ALOT!

Cole needs to learn to stay at LB and only overlap/run forward when its really needed, not every 5mins like he does week in week out for Arsenal.

Personally I think Bridge is now a better crosser of the ball than Beckham, last night and on sat Becks had trouble beating the first defender...and thats simply not good enough.

 

[Dancin Ninja BHA]

No, no, no, Chappers.

For a start, what game were you watching last night? Bridge was excellent on the wing. To put both Bridge and Cole on the left is a complete no-brainer.

Totally agree

Thought Bridge was very solid, got forward alot, secure in knowledge that Cole was covering behind him.

Strange that you saw the game so differently Mr Chapman.....

 

[Wilts]

I like the way that Bridge and Cole can overlap and link up so well.... they can swap places and get back in line straight away.

Keep them both in... I'm all for it

 

[REDLAND]

Personally I think Bridge is now a better crosser of the ball than Beckham, last night and on sat Becks had trouble beating the first defender...and thats simply not good enough.

Beckham looked in some discomfort last night, Ive had brused ribs countless times and it hurts just walking I'll let him off for last night !!!

 

[CHAPPERS]

No, no, no, Chappers.

For a start, what game were you watching last night? .

England vs Poland and snippets of the Welsh.

Good to see people disagreeing with me, maybe it was just me, that's why aI asked the question. I see your point about the support that would be lacking with Cole on the wing, Bridge would probably be to scared to go forward.

He should still use his right foot more though.

 

[cheeseroll]

While it seemed as though Beckham was having problems getting crosses in past the first defender this was pretty much the same for Bridge and the others too.
Obviously with us having the smallest attack pairing in international football it would have been senseless to pump in high crosses. As it was we got both goals from playing to feet in the danger area.

 

[Set of Tracksuits]

Obviously with us having the smallest attack pairing in international football

With the exception of Scotland-nil who have the huge James McFadden and Paul Dickov upfront!

I thought it worked fairly well last night, the general fear before the game that they would "get in each other's way" didn't really seem to happen. I'd stilll like to know exactly what Gareth Barry has done to prevent him from at least being selected in the squad though. Think he's had a decent start to the season at Villa this year.

 

[CHAPPERS]

I'd stilll like to know exactly what Gareth Barry has done to prevent him from at least being selected in the squad though. Think he's had a decent start to the season at Villa this year.

One of the mysteries of football.

Saw him in an interview the other week, he said he'd more or lees given up hope of ever playing for England again and doesn't even look at the squads when they are released. We'vebeen crying out for a left sided player for years and there has been one playing top level football for two years playing consistently well and he's been cruelly ignored.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

hes a great crosser of the ball aswell and no slouch either. almost scored aswell last night and if he and cole continue to link up well i believe we will turn from having the weakest left side in the world to one of the most formaidable ones.

 

[SK1NT]

i think its the one of the only good decisions sven has made! They are both very good at pushing forward and attacking and then very very solid defnding the left, and if one of them falls out of position as cole sometimes does, bridge is the perfect fill in!

 

[saltash seagull]

i thought bridgey had a good game and put some great balls in to the box

 

[Marshy]

I thought Bridge had a decent game also and we should stick with it for a bit, Cole has said he dosent want to play left midfield, so i doubt he will be forced into it.

 

[El Presidente]

i think its the one of the only good decisions sven has made!

Here's a few more

1. Making Rooney first choice striker during Euro 2004

2. Giving Defoe his competitive debut last night

3. Teaching Ulrika to blow spunkbubbles out of her nose

4. Encouraging Lampard to get forward and score on a regular basis.

5. Dropping Heskey from the squad.

 

[Set of Tracksuits]

3. Teaching Ulrika to blow spunkbubbles out of her nose

I like that.