A few hours after the match, the TV still quivering after I picked it up ready to launch it out of the window still plugged in, I reflect in a Zen-like manner.... I think all the flak that Sven is taking is shortsighted. It's pretty obvious that 4-4-2 is the preferred formation for the team but if you go to the World Cup with only one formation the opposition can set their stall accordingly. Sven probably gambled on a different formation thinking that the last two matches, given the points in the bag were worth a punt. He scraped a win in one and lost the next. 4-5-1 is pretty popular at the mo, don't Chelsea play it? As for the team I thought they played well in patches, played far too slow, were arrogant towards the opposition, not enough respect, too easy a game in their heads, It was strange to see Tony R flinging the ball about desperately, late on and some of the outfield players strolling around playing ten yard passes. Individual Players Beckham - best player on the park for me, Alan Hansen is no mug Owen - doesn't look fit but still got to where it mattered, needs matches Lampard/Gerrard - Tweedledum/Tweedledee, Had their food been spiked with mogadon or what? Robinson - Fine, might have stopped the goal at his most inspired but not his fault. Young - A fit Neville for the World Cup please Rooney - what is inside is head is anybodys guess, if your playing for your country you are playing for your country whether you are right back, centre forward or on the left. Fantastic footballer, horrible man to me. Ferdinand - Predator Hairstyle has gone to his head, not a patch on his Jap World Cup exploits at the mo. Money has ruined him. Ashley Cole - ok but woeful crossing at critical times Carragher - didn't spot much apart from a horrid shot at the end Wright-Phillips Ploughed a lone furrow, not much wrong apart from a lack of touch where it mattered. Subs Joe Cole - stepovers just over the halfway line at 89 mins won't win the match, ok at times Defoe - not enough time to tell Hargreaves - ditto but looked a yard off the pace. To me no point in negative criticism, after all, first loss in a play-off under Sven, had to happen sometime, strange with such a great (potentially anyway) squad. It seems we only pick up as a team under must win matches or against good squads, I personally lay the blame against the players, they aren't fools. They are a good squad who played very poor against a poor team who played out of their skins. It happens. To me its like Sunderland licking Chelsea. Now, Sven, back to 4-4-2, or 4-4-1-1 (Rooney behind Owen/Defoe), Put Beckham at right with a promise to put WPhillips on later. Rockets up everyones (except Tony Robs) arses.
Sven out yet again i'm repeating the same message. we have the best english talent for decades but sven has ruined it. someone explain why: gerrard plays **** for england lampard plays **** for england he pays rooney out of position when he is the best young talent in europe our defence can deal with the aerial ball when terry, ferdo, and carragher are dominant in the air for their clubs he sees joe cole as an easy target to drop yet he's scored 4 goals in 8 games - better than owen, rooney etc he takes wright-phillips off he continually sticks by the biggest 1 trick pony ever to captain enland when he is clearly not up to it. 10 game crap, 2 ok (not excellent despite idiotic punditry). so he does a long pass? jee fecking wizz. he doesn't do it in their 3rd!!! he takes the ball off our centre backs at the edge of our goddamn area!!! no wonder maclaren was playing hell that we were playing so deep!!! sven out!!! massive waste of english talent by a swedish numpty who has no idea and can't motivate. worst thing is we can't sack him as he'll nigh on bankrupt the FA. please don't anyone reckon beckham was excellent - please watch the game instead of listening to the ***** who do the commentary. they will not slate the england captain regardless and just want to lick his arse. he has been average the last 2 games and pure ***** the previous 10.
Chelsea play 4-3-2-1. And their players are interested in winning. And their manager has natural talent as a manager. Close enough though.
agree wholeheartedly the formation didn't work. scrap it. learn from it. realistically sven is not going to go. financially - he can't be sacked. i doubt very much he will walk away from the job. the team playing 4-4-2 has at times looked excellent. it didn't help last night having a petulant Wayne Rooney playing on the left wing. a fantastic talent no doubt, but who the f'uck does he think he is? he should have been sent off yesterday which woudl have jepordised englands chances of qualification. for me, Beckham was OK yesterday, not a worldbeater like he can be but the best player on the pitch by some way. gerrard and lampard were abysmal. really, really abysmal. all this rubbish about beckham playing out of position? he played very well for one of the best clubs in the world in that same position last year - he can play in both positions to a decent standard. players like gerrard and lampard will hide behind sven today , as will rooney - they must shoulder the blame as well. the formation didnt work, i doubt it will be used again - but whatever formation we played we should have beaten N.Ireland but the players were arrogant and lazy. N.Ireland were excellent - hungry and working for each other. there's no excuse for abject and despondent displays at international level - the players should motivate themselves - they are playing for their country. Rooney needs to curb his attitude if not it will be beckham situation v argentina mark 2 and he could single handedly lose us our chance of winning the world cup, not Sven. Back to 4-4-2 and two displays to the best of every mans abilities and we will qualify. Poland and Austria are no mugs but we should have the quality to beat them and get back on track.
