Jamie Carragher

McClaren out

dont like the guy, sorry, totally the wrong appointment. backed himself into a corner on 2 things in particular:

1. Dropped Beckham in a display of 'strength' not based on form (erm, Lampard?) or replacements (erm Wright Phillips?)
2. He quickly distanced himself from the decision to take Walcott, and now where does he go, back peddle? "Erm, I've changed my mind, he's good enough."

3 qualifiers in and he's already faced with a must win game.

 

We do indeed.

8-1 with Ladbrokes not to get 100 caps.</p>

He hasn't got an earthly of making 100.</p>

Huddlestone and/or Reo-Coker will be replacing him shortly.</p>

Frank has had his couple of seasons in the sun , he should go back to the average Joe he was for the first 8 years of his career.</p>

 

RE: haha - he's always there

nope.

 

I know him but not his name unfortunately, but he went to holgate school, i know someone who does ..

know his name, try find out

 

RE: We do indeed.

It seems insane that at one point there was a debate going on about who was better Lampard or Gerrard. Gerrard has gone up another gear since then and Lampard has really dropped off the pace altogether.

 

Walking was the problem with Beckham,

whilst he could run all day , he just couldnt do it very quickly.</p>

We dont have many players who thrive on the long diagonal ball either.</p>

Set piece delivery has gone down the pan though.</p>

Frankie Lamps has been atrocious so far.</p>

 

I cant wait for us to play the 3-5-2 McClaren employed to such effect at Middlesboro.

He has been so lucky he hasnt had to make a decision yet.</p>

Oh and bringing El Tel back was a sacking offence in my opinion, yesterdays man , with yesterdays tactics.</p>

 

Beckhams fitness

After some of the displays earlier in his career where he dragged the rest of the england team around in certain games i agree he now looks a bit leggy in games. Yes he has lost a yard of pace but his crossing and set pieces are second to none. He is the sort of player we are crying out for tonight in Zagreb where we will be up against it. Mclaren has shot himself in the foot with that decision and i think it will be his undoing.</p>

 

If we ever win the World Cup again it will be despite the F.A. not because of them

The F.A. are a shambles. To think about the money we paid Ericksson is painful, and he was a below par international manager with an excellent squad of players.

The way the F.A. set about replacing Sven was then completely embarressing. Even offering the same kind of money they had previously pissed up the wall they made their move at totally the wrong time and effectively made it impossible politically for their target to make a deal.

Then after not getting their first choice, or their second, they came back to a third choice (very publically) because he was all they could get - and what has McClaren won? Like most other England managers - nothing at all. There is nothing to commend this middle of the road, huff and puff manager. Knee jerk, panic reactionary appointment. Couldn't wait for the right man to come along. Now we're stuck with McClaren until a reasonable amount of time passes, we finish in the quarter finals for the next couple of tournaments, and something embarressing in his private life allows him to be sacked.

 

RE: Beckhams fitness

Certainly has the potential to return to haunt him.

That being said, he could have done it differently and not burnt his bridges.

Beckham needed to be dropped, and needs to pick up some fitness and some focus, but class is permanent, and Beckham wouldn't be the first player to go away, get his head together and come back for an indian summer. Effectively, McClaren has been stupid enough to forget that.

 

Agreed

For me the like of SWP and Lennon have potential to become very good players but will they ever be at the level Beckham has played at, i doubt it.
Like you said class is permanent and Mclaren has made a major error in how he dealt with Beckham and for what its worth Campbell as well.

 

RE: Agreed

Certainly the case with Campbell who has obviously been through a hard time, but will come back.

As for SWP, and Lennon - well we need to use Lennon now, because, like all wingers who rely heavily on extreme pace to scare defences - he'll probably go past his best earlier that others (certainly earlier than Beckham) when he inevitably loses a yard of pace. I think that going to Chelski was a bad move for SWP who now has to revive his career and remind us what all the fuss was about.

I can't see how having Beckham at least on the bench isn't better than having no Beckham at all.

 

RE: As you're an England afficianado

Not Crouch's fault at all, but it's the mentaility of playing a 6'7" freak. We played the same when we started relying on Ashley Ward. It's inevitable that if you have big guy up front who can hold the ball up butlacks pace and mobility, the ball goes long.

Decent enough player, but not international class. Found out against Macedonia who, let's face it, don't have the best centre backs in the world.

I'd agree with Owen, but will he ever be the same? Walcott should at least be on the bench and blooded in senior games. No point waiting for another European quarter-final exit before deciding we need to build for the future, but then doing the usual "but we can't put pressure on new players at this stage so we'll stick with the same players who failed in the last 4 campaigns."

Use the Euro Championships as we would friendlies. The goal has to be the World Cup, so get the youngsters ready at playing at this level.

 

RE: "Get about the field and the simple ball"

Do you take up a place for someone who is essentially a dead ball specialist (and an increasingly more erratic one at that)? Besides, he's in his 30s and won't be around for the next World Cup.

 

RE: "Get about the field and the simple ball"

But were not trying to qualify for the next world cup, were trying to qualify for the european championships. Its all right saying we need to give young players a chance now so they will be good for the world cup but surely you shouldnt drop better players to give them there chance especially in games like tonights.
Tonight we need an experienced side not a team with kids in who will be easily imtimidated.

 

Lampard wont be in the next World Cup but he is still hogging a place.

 

RE: "Get about the field and the simple ball"

That's my whole argument mate - I don't think we should be worrying about the European Championships. They're the League Cup of international football. We should be looking at the next World Cup and using these games and the finals - if we get there - to get the younger players acclimatised to the international arena.

 

As someone mentioned , McClaren seemed to diss Walcott

when he became manager.</p>

Brought back the talent that is Defoe. </p>

 

RE: Lampard wont be in the next World Cup but he is still hogging a place.

Lampard will only be 30 next World Cup. Any omission of him will be based on the fact that he's really not as good as is made out, not age.

 

He isnt,

Reo-Coker and Huddlestone look like they have far more to offer than Frank.</p>

Although young its time Jenas was dispensed with as well.</p>

I agree with you on Crouch, he is useful as on off the bench player if we need to resort to humping it up the park.</p>

However to get the best out of Rooney, if thats how the team is to be built, then we need some pace up front to create space for the Roonster to work in. </p>