Poe
17 years ago
2 weeks ago
3,675
Aye Lallana is nowhere near fit enough to play a full game in that heat.
Deano
17 years ago
1 month ago
1,380
My ideal starting 11 against Italy:

Hart
Johnson - Jagielka - Cahill - Baines
Lampard - Gerrard
Barkley
Lallana/Sterling - Sturridge - Rooney

I'd just go for it, with a bang straight away. They would not expect it. Gerrard and Lampard have not got the legs anymore, they can sit back with the discipline and experience they possess and ping the ball about, clean up behind Barkley and let him do the running and attacking. Torn between Lallana and Sterling on the wing, think I'm swaying towards Sterling though. It'd never be this though, but it'd be nice to see going up against Italy not scared off them and willing to attack.
Poe
17 years ago
2 weeks ago
3,675
Wilshere instead of Lampard and I'd agree with that if you were taking an attacking approach.

I think we need Welbeck or Milner in there to do the running for people like Rooney/Gerrard who won't be able to go for the full 90 in that heat/humidity.
VP.
13 years ago
1 week ago
25,271
Lampard was terrible against Ecuador, couldn't run at all. Wilshere was also shite but at least showed a big improvement against Honduras.
Based Jorge
10 years ago
3 years ago
1,399
LOOOOL Lampard?!

He's shit, Gareth Barry should've gone but neither of them should start.
King Luis
17 years ago
1 month ago
3,111
Pithy tactical insight as ever from Jorge
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
I thought this quote from Van Gaal last night was interesting.

I said before we could beat Spain because they always want to attack. Spain always want to dominate.

"I wanted that also for 20 years. But you can't always attack. You must look at the players you have."


I think people going for all these gung ho line ups would do well to remember that. I don't think we're good enough at keeping the ball to try and play on the front foot, what we do have is a reasonably solid back line (would anyone else be tempted by Jones over Johnson at right back? Johnson's better going forward, but Jones would give more solidity) and in the likes of Sterling, Welbeck, Sturridge and Chamberlain we have pace to burn on the break.
Telegram Sam
15 years ago
5 months ago
5,082
Premium
I don't have that much of an issue with who Roy starts with as long as guys like Sterling, Wilshere and Barkley get a chance to impress with twenty or so minutes to go. Subs can decide this game.
Shola
15 years ago
5 years ago
2,708
*IMAGINE IF MOYES SAID THAT*
SpinSwimScream
14 years ago
36 minutes ago
1,598
Aye subs will be crucial in the heat of this World Cup. The likes Sterling and Barkley coming on late and using their pace against tired teams could well be very effective
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
*IMAGINE IF MOYES SAID THAT*


Moyes would have probably said it after a 0-0 draw against Cardiff, not a 5-1 win against the World Champions.
Sam
17 years ago
1 year ago
5,092
Harry Redknapp says he dealt with players at Tottenham who tried to avoid England duty.

"When full internationals came around, two or three players didn't want to go and play for England," Redknapp said.

"They'd come to me 10 days before the game and say: 'Gaffer, get me out of the game. I don't want to play in it.'


You didn't get the job, Harry. Get over it.
Splash The Cash On Matt Le Tiss
13 years ago
1 year ago
55
You didn't get the job, Harry. Get over it.


I'm just an ordinary bloke - I didn't know it was odd for a dog to have a bank account.
Sam
17 years ago
1 year ago
5,092
Gerrard asked him to name and shame the players, Redknapp said no:

“I understand Steven’s concern but I don’t want to get into naming names because it wouldn’t be fair to the players."

So why did he tell the story in the first place? Does anybody like Harry Redknapp? I despise him.
Sam
17 years ago
1 year ago
5,092
I also despise Ian Wright:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bq4PIfDCIAAl9WD.jpg
Eric Portapotty
14 years ago
1 week ago
3,322
What's the context? Because for him to go with this topic there must've been a backstory of some sort.
alilane4
15 years ago
8 years ago
252
I've been saying for a while now that it's club over country, even in our fans!
Slashman X
17 years ago
4 months ago
6,000
Premium
Didn't 'Arry actually say that one lad didn't want to join the England squad because his wife was close to giving birth? (2 weeks before due date or something). That's an entirely understandable reason to not want to travel and play in a meaningless friendly. Also narrows it down to most likely being Crouchy
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
I find Steven Gerrards faux outrage on the matter particularly annoying. I'm certain he's as guilty of the convenient international midweek friendly 'niggle' that happens not to effect club appearances as anyone be that Peter Crouch, Aaron Lennon, or Kyle Walker or anyone else.

The fact is 90% of international football is absolutely pointless, why would any player be particularly enthused about a 2 day round trip to Barcelona in January to put 6 past Andorra (who to call them a club side is offensive to perfectly decent clubs) and then get pilloried for not scoring 20 all whilst Andorra try to kick 10 shades of shit out of you?

I'm sure playing for England is something most players want to do, but the simple fact of the matter is that its an absolutely toxic environment where you simply can not win as a player, I can understand why players might want to avoid that at times.
Slashman X
17 years ago
4 months ago
6,000
Premium
Also, his bestie Carra refused to play for England for ages
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Exactly, and he isn't the first and won't be the last.

It's very easy for a privileged player like Gerrard, who will always play for England when he's fit, to preach about playing for your country. It's a lot harder for the likes of Carragher, or Carrick, or Fraser Forster who have, or will, rack up thousands of air miles to sit and watch England play from the bench to sit there and talk about how 'privileged' they feel to waste their time completely unpaid because of some 19th century notion of nationalism and patriotism.
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
England need a huge shake up once their participation at the World Cup ends. Starting with Hodgson first, then pretty much everyone else in the squad who is 30+ moving on. Since they're most likely not going to be involved in Euro 2016 or WC 2018, as there is little point in holding onto players within this age bracket as anything more than depth/last resorts when those tournaments require player selections. The FA need to look at finding a manager who has a good man management style but can also hold their own in a tactical sense, something Hodgson lacks. From there, it's time for some of the younger players who've been in and around the mix the last few years to step up to the plate and show their worth. There is going to be a multitude of spots for the picking which you would hope drive the desire for those on the fringes to be motivated to claim.

Will be interesting to see what unfolds.
Poe
17 years ago
2 weeks ago
3,675
Hodgson isn't a bad manager.
.verse
12 years ago
3 months ago
871
Hodgson isn't a bad manager.

He's a good man manger, average when it comes to tactical aspects, as proven a number of times in the past. Even now, his approach has been purely to play through Gerrard in the middle and have him move the ball wide so that Sterling/Welbeck can run at the fullbacks. It's all based on trying to exploit the pace upfront but the way it's being done wouldn't cause many teams a lot of problems.

Even when you go over his win percentage over the last 14 years of his career, it's quite subpar in general.
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Hodgson isn't a bad manager.


He's not a bad manager but he's certainly not a good one.
Alois
12 years ago
7 years ago
10
Hodgson isn't a bad manager.


He got Blackburn relegated, he's a shitheap imo.
Sam
17 years ago
1 year ago
5,092
Even the mighty Brian Kidd couldn't repair the damage Hodgson did at Blackburn.

Hodgson is a good manager, he should definitely carry on with England.
BR.
17 years ago
2 years ago
1,896
He got Blackburn relegated, he's a shitheap imo.


He left in about November that season, we were looking dire yep and a certain group of players (reportedly led by Tim Sherwood) turned against him but Brian Kidd came in and more than finished the job off.

Worth noting that in his only full season here, we came 6th and were actually in the top 2 until January.

Not that any of this is really relevant, it was the best part of 20 years ago and he's done enough elsewhere in his long career all over the world that proves he's a good manager.
George14brfc
12 years ago
3 years ago
3,912
I agree with BR, I think he is a decent manager!
Crane
14 years ago
3 weeks ago
2,432
Premium
The point about him not being great tactically is right though.

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