England team for first euro qualifier v Bulgaria

[sparky79]

Hart

G.Johnson J.Terry P.Jagielka A.Cole

J.Rodwell

A.Johnson A.Young

S.Gerrard

T.Walcott W.Rooney

Subs from: B.Zamora, J.Defoe, K.Gibbs, G.Cahill, F.Lampard, J.Cole, B Foster, J.Milner, M.Richards, T.Huddlestone, A.Lennon

Jagielka, Rodwell, Young, Johnson and Walcott add loads of pace through the spine of the side. Carragher, Barry, Lampard and Heskey should be the first players who fall on their swords after the world cup. Walcott should be moved into the middle to maximise his goal threat he's a finisher not a winger. Two wingers (Johnson and Young) who can swap at will adds a real balance to the side which we haven't had for years. Maintaining Terry, Gerrard, Rooney and Cole gives us some continuity and experience - although i think that both Terry and Cole will have been usurped by players like Cahill and Gibbs (both of whom will be playing for Arsenal) by the time 2012 comes around.

 

[bocadillo]

Friday 3rd September, if you're wondering.

 

[sparky79]

Average age of 25 as opposed to over 29 for the team getting panned by Germany at the world cup.

 

[Graz]

Rodwell is no where near ready I don't think.

Hart
G.Johnson, Tery, Jagielka, Cole
A.Johnson, Gerrard, Barry, Lampard, Young
Rooney


I want their to be someone other than than Lampard and Barry, but don't think there is anyone (at least that's ready yet)... maybe Milner could play in there (who I was tempted by instead of Adam Johnson) or Wilshere...

 

[sparky79]

for me, symbolically, you've got to leave out Lampard and only play him if gerrard isn't working during a particular game. they both play attacking central midfield - same problem for over 6 years.

 

[jb5000]

The solution is Carrick, the best english passer or the ball playing today. The deep passer is becoming much more important at the highest level, while Barry hasn't performed for Man City for a year - he should be dropped.

The team should line up in the formation they finished the match against Hungary in, allowing Gerrard the space to do what he does best for Liverpool (and Lampard should only be used as a sub for this position) and line up something like this:

Hart

G Johnson-Ferdinand-Jagielka-Cole

Carrick--Milner

Walcott----Gerrard----A Johnson

Rooney
​

Subs: Smithies, Cahill, Gibbs, Rodwell, Young, Lampard, Zamora

 

[foggyhorse]

Be nice if those sub-human scumbags John Terry and Ashley Cole were nowhere near the team ever again.

 

[FryattFox]

Be nice if those sub-human scumbags John Terry and Ashley Cole were nowhere near the team ever again.

Yeah, let's drop our best left-back and probably our best central defender. Great foundations for the team.

 

[DesertFox]

The solution is Carrick, the best english passer or the ball playing today. The deep passer is becoming much more important at the highest level, while Barry hasn't performed for Man City for a year - he should be dropped.

Whereas Carrick hasn't performed... well, ever, really. He's yet to pin down a first team spot at Man Utd, despite his only real competition (Hargreaves) being injured for the best part of two years. Utd often play with no holding midfielder rather than rely on Carrick. Massive waste of space as far as I'm concerned and I much prefer Rodwell, even at this stage in his career.

 

[jb5000]

Whereas Carrick hasn't performed... well, ever, really. He's yet to pin down a first team spot at Man Utd, despite his only real competition (Hargreaves) being injured for the best part of two years. Utd often play with no holding midfielder rather than rely on Carrick. Massive waste of space as far as I'm concerned and I much prefer Rodwell, even at this stage in his career.

That's all a bit of a myth really. Carrick has played more than 40 games every season he's been at Man Utd. The concept of the holding midfielder as a tough tackler (the Makelele role) is all ready dieing out in favour of the deep seated playmaker (Andrea Pirlo is a great example) at the top. That is why Carrick is important to Man Utd, and why England need someone like that. Rodwell does look good, but at this point he needs to work on his passing game an awful lot, or he risks being evolved out of a future in the game.

 

[spionfox]

The solution is Carrick

Flipping heck. If the answer is 'Carrick' I dread to think what the question was.

 

[jb5000]

Flipping heck. If the answer is 'Carrick' I dread to think what the question was.

Excuse me. Feel free to continue with the Gerrard and Lampard experiment instead.

 

[Dour]

Yeah, let's drop our best left-back and probably our best central defender. Great foundations for the team.

Terry is increasingly a liability.

 

[Hazzman]

Terry is increasingly a liability.

Always average with a bit of bottle but after his antics during the World Cup. I'd have told him to **** off.

Cahill and Jagielka

 

[Scarby]

Glen Johnson was fantastic either.

 

[pork pie fox]

Glen Johnson was fantastic either.

eh?

 

[Scarby]

eh?

my bad 'wasn't'

 

[pork pie fox]

my bad 'wasn't'

I assumed that's what you meant, just wanted to make sure

I agree though, I actually went to the game (got some tickets from the FA) and I thought he was ok but didn't exactly stand out.

To be honest, the best player on the pitch IMO in the 1st half was Ashley Cole. Some may disagree with me but, as is often said on here, you see a different game on TV to watching it live and he was England's best defender and also made the most intelligent runs going forward.

I won't comment on the rest (mostly as I can't be arsed at the mo) but will say that given that the Gerrard-Lampard-Barry set up failed so miserably for us before, what makes Capello think it will work now? I was very disappointed to see all 3 start the match.

 

[Scarby]

I assumed that's what you meant, just wanted to make sure

I agree though, I actually went to the game (got some tickets from the FA) and I thought he was ok but didn't exactly stand out.

To be honest, the best player on the pitch IMO in the 1st half was Ashley Cole. Some may disagree with me but, as is often said on here, you see a different game on TV to watching it live and he was England's best defender and also made the most intelligent runs going forward.

I won't comment on the rest (mostly as I can't be arsed at the mo) but will say that given that the Gerrard-Lampard-Barry set up failed so miserably for us before, what makes Capello think it will work now? I was very disappointed to see all 3 start the match.

A. Cole - as much as i want him to fail and be rubbish he seems to be always consistant.

Ash and Joe on the left is the way forward, with Walcott on the right

 

[MHS]

Subs: Smithies

Alex Smithies? Really?