The players managing England

[Hitesh]

Watching yesterdays shocking display it made me realise how much an influence the effect Beckham has on the team. the system was made around him and it made the two best midfielders in England and possibly the world surpluss to requierments!

I was very disappointed because it is obvious that Beckham had influenced Sven into the system just so that he would get a game. Beckham realises that he cant compete against Gerrard and Lampard and with Wright Phillips comming in he feels threatened!

Having this system makes gerrard and lampard look rubish but they could play the way they like to play. Stick both of them in the middle of a 4-4-2 system then it will be quality. And Beckham will then have to fight for his position on the right. I beleive that it should be Cole on the left, Gerrard and Lampard in the middle then SWP on the right. Rooney and Owen up front with Rooney just behind Owen so he can act as the 5th midfielder or come and collect the ball for the wingers! IT makes sense!!! Beckham hasnt been playing well at all for England and the onyl reason he did ok yesterday because the system was made around him, but he was the ONLY player playing well, and SWP did ok because he was the main recipient of Beckhams balls!

So in the next game Sven should manage the team but i think he loves Beckham too much and will do what he wants. I feel sorry for Gerrard and Lampard and its not good for English football. We have one of the best teams in the world but cant gel because of one individual!

[Thracian]

There's a lot in what you say and I quite agree that Beckham appears to have has contrived the situation.

However you reduce the teams options in two important ways:

a) You take away the outstanding passing and dead ball kicking of Beckham - not to mention his energy and appetite for the ball.

b) There is no aerial presence in England's attack and so many balls into the box are in the air, both from corners, from free kicks and from general play.

In most circumstances - and especially with the talent available - you don't need both Lampard and Gerrard, fabulous players though they both are.

What England miss most, and have done for a while is Emile Heskey. That guy is the most under-rated footballer - not only in attack but in defence as well.

A would certainly play your 4-4-2 but with Heskey and Owen up front (unless there's a better all-round big front man you can think of) plus SWP, Beckham, Lampard and Cole as the midfield four.

Gerrard and Rooney would just have to make do with the bench but this team would win matches and would probably have beaten Northern Ireland with proper motivation. I wouldn't be unhappy with Rooney in Lampard's place but, overall, I think the balance is best served with Lampard.

[BartonFox]

Doesn't matter who you select England are not that good. So many of the players are vastly over rated and have inflated ego's that it is game over for this current England squad.

The last 2 games have demonstrated exactly what I have always thought since the Greece game in 2001. The FA marketing machine run the first XI. In no other country would David Beckham or Michael Owen still be in the team, but seeing as all their advertsiing and promotion centre round them they must play at all costs.

In last summers Euro championships Portugal were not scred to haul off Figo when he was playing poorly, England kept on their 'prized assets'.

The fact that Eriksson saw fit to criticise Frank Lampard when he has never had a go at Beckham will have divided that dressing room right down the middle. Rooney last night showed why he'll never scale the heights the media have predicted, any normal person gets frustrated but most people can handle it. Mind you telling Beckham and Ferdinand to "**** off" is probably the smartest thing he has ever done.

[Thracian]

Doesn't matter who you select England are not that good. So many of the players are vastly over rated and have inflated ego's that it is game over for this current England squad.

The last 2 games have demonstrated exactly what I have always thought since the Greece game in 2001. The FA marketing machine run the first XI. In no other country would David Beckham or Michael Owen still be in the team, but seeing as all their advertsiing and promotion centre round them they must play at all costs.

In last summers Euro championships Portugal were not scred to haul off Figo when he was playing poorly, England kept on their 'prized assets'.

The fact that Eriksson saw fit to criticise Frank Lampard when he has never had a go at Beckham will have divided that dressing room right down the middle. Rooney last night showed why he'll never scale the heights the media have predicted, any normal person gets frustrated but most people can handle it. Mind you telling Beckham and Ferdinand to "**** off" is probably the smartest thing he has ever done.

Can't see where you're coming from. Beckham may have got his promotional machine wrapped right round his own neck but he's won every honour going and was probably the best player on show for England over the last two matches. It's just that he should stick to playing (where he's told) and keep his mouith shut except in a motivational sense. He never talks much sense anyway so his yap won't be missed.

Ferdinand? Well I've never had the highest opinion of him as a defender but the same goes for Neville as a defensive full-back yet everyone else rates him as brilliant so I'm probably wrong.

As for Rooney, he acts like a moron, has behaved off the field like a moron but he can play football and it is totally unfair to judge him when his manager is daft enough to play him in a totally unsuitable position. The manager, furthermore, is well aware that Rooney is mentally volatile so why play him in a way that's likely to isolate and upset him in the first place? As man-management it's imbecilic.

I'd love a Wayne Rooney in my team. Focus that volatility and he'd run through a brick wall for you. Just behind Heskey/Owen would do fine. Spend 10 minutes talking to him on his own, explaining precisely what you want of him and how/why you want it expressed and he would be the best ally you'd ever get.

That Sven can't/won't do this is a measure of his ineptitude in my view. Great managers (Bill Shankly, Sir Alex, MON, Morinho) are that because, like great military commanders they have the ability to get the most tempestous, egotistical people to believe in what they say, to believe in themselves and to play as if their lives depend on it.

Genius demands appreciation, that's the truth of it, not a bit part in some f.....g sidestreet.

[rossporterlc]

we were poor, beckham is a class act though, his distribution is second to none

[Hitesh]

we were poor, beckham is a class act though, his distribution is second to none

but only when the system suits him or when he can play the way he likes to play.

[rossporterlc]

but only when the system suits him or when he can play the way he likes to play.

hmmm i dunno, did alright on the right at man u, noodlrooy is missing his serive, he got that guy who dances all day at the moment

[Jay]

I have to agree with Hitesh on this one!!!

YES Beckham played some good long balls BUT it meant that 3 of the best players in the world were taken out of the game in Gerrard, Rooney and Lampard just so he can play in the centre.

The job of a holding midfielder is not to play long balls, the pefect example is Makalele who sits infront of the defence wins the ball and then plays it about 6ft with a simple ball to other players to start the attack. Carrick played really well for England in this role in the USA this summer

He can't tackle and he can't head the ball either BIG problems for a holding midfielder.

I think part of the problem is that he has played in Spain for so long that his game has slowed down and he can no longer play at the same level as the rest of the team.

at the end of the day Beckham hasn't had a good game for England since 2001 against Greece

[Thracian]

And how good have Gerrard and Lampard been lately?

Beckham didn't play three world class players out of position, did he?

It is just daft to contemplate playing both Gerrard and Lampard together in the current England team (of the two Lampard is more disciplined) and I'm not even sure I wouldn't prefer Heskey/Rooney up front to Heskey/Owen.

Whatever, at world level we need Heskey because he's got talent, he's a threat and he takes so much weight off other people and in so many places. On top of that he needs marking.

To my mind the most potent attack would be:

Wright-Phillips, Lampard, Beckham, Cole;

Heskey/Crouch, Rooney/Owen.

Rooney could slot in the hole behind Heskey and Owen would find more space with Heskey taking attention.

There would be plenty of movement, a capable aerial let-out, width and shooting power. Properly fired up how the hell could that attack fail to score against, and beat, the likes of Northern Ireland?

[breadandcheese]

And how good have Gerrard and Lampard been lately?

Beckham didn't play three world class players out of position, did he?

It is just daft to contemplate playing both Gerrard and Lampard together in the current England team (of the two Lampard is more disciplined) and I'm not even sure I wouldn't prefer Heskey/Rooney up front to Heskey/Owen.

Whatever, at world level we need Heskey because he's got talent, he's a threat and he takes so much weight off other people and in so many places. On top of that he needs marking.

To my mind the most potent attack would be:

Wright-Phillips, Lampard, Beckham, Cole;

Heskey/Crouch, Rooney/Owen.

Rooney could slot in the hole behind Heskey and Owen would find more space with Heskey taking attention.

There would be plenty of movement, a capable aerial let-out, width and shooting power. Properly fired up how the hell could that attack fail to score against, and beat, the likes of Northern Ireland?

Thrac,

I always appreciate your honest and forthright views. Especially, because I agree with so many of them.

I have long hated the way Heskey has been presented as some donkey by the media and by ex-professionals who should know better. Sadly, it seems we, here in Leicester, are the only ones to appreciate how much he adds to a team, doing all the unglamourous donkey work that others leave. He is the ultimate team player and is probably one of the biggest factors as to why Owen did so well at Liverpool and for England. Without somebody doing all the hardwork for Owen, dragging defenders, holding them off, running into the channels, etc, Owen is a different and worse player.

However, big Emile, being fairly reserved, is not interested in being selfish and demanding to be a star in a team. He is a true professional and team player. I hope Sven is big enough to overlook his one mistake against France in 2004, rather than continue to make him a scapegoat for it. Sadly, it is not in Sven's nature as he would rather blame others rather than a) himself or b) his untouchables (Beckham, Owen, etc)

[Thracian]

Kind words breadandcheese. And you're spot on. Because Emile's not self-orientated he really is under-rated. The man's immense and I look forward to the day we can afford to have him back. He'll make a decent centre-half when he loses his edge and raw speed as a forward. In fact he may make a better centre-half cos you'd never call him a prolific striker for all his outstanding and too-often unappreciated qualities.