So, how do we fix it?

[marbelladave]

Just ressurrect Alf Ramsey and the 1966 squad and you'll definitely win.

That's Sir Alf Ramsey to you!...

Actually all we need to do is to 'resurrect' his most important principle, and I quote...

"I do not always pick the best players, I pick the best team."

It was our woeful performance as a team that was most worrying on Saturday.

[Criggers]

I could live with the Gerrard/Rooney suggestion that seems to crop up. But someone needs to sort out our man Frank then. It just seems that no matter where you play lamps and gerrard and the team they still end up in each others way, making similar runs etc. Other than that they seem to concentrate so hard on not being each other way neither of them has an impact.

One thing that still amazes me is that all this talk of Barry coming back, who to drop etc, i cannot believe for a second the impressive Scott Parker was left out - who could have been this years Hargreaves - but Carrick is in the squad who I doubt will get more than 10 minutes in a game.

[Smudge]

I thought I'd compare the international appearances to goals scored by three teams by position. You can draw your own conclusions. if any, but what stood out to me was that both Italy and Germany leave the scoring to the forwards, and the defenders to defend. All of the teams have the same number of midfielders in the squads yet we are limited to four strikers (aka professional goalscorers) at the expense of an extra defender. 75% of Germany's goals from the current squad have come from the forwards.

[FoxyPV]

On appearances Crouch looks like the most threatening player there and I didn't realise Schwiensteiger had scored so many.

Ashley Cole has scored more goals than Heskey play him up front.

[Fox You Forest]

Ashley Cole has scored more goals than Heskey

That can't be right surely, I can't remember him scoring apart from in a shoot out or two.

[Sparky]

That table is wrong, Ashley Cole has not scored 10. Both Cole's in that table are Joe Cole's stats

[Smudge]

That table is wrong, Ashley Cole has not scored 10. Both Cole's in that table are Joe Cole's stats

Very good you spotted the deliberate mistake.

[dandannieldanok]

Earlier on ITV Gabriel Clarke asked Fabio Capello what England needed to do to beat Algeria.........he answered with a smile "we need to score". Someone should show him this, then he may realise Emile Heskey is not, and will never be, the answer.

[Joe.]

Doesn't sound much like Joe Cole's going to get a look-in for Friday judging by what Capello said earlier, he wasn't mentioned at all. Almost definitely going to be Gerrard on the left by the sounds of things.

[maddog]

Just play shit and win ugly.

Win without playing well.

Thats the trick to winning this thing.

[maddog]

I thought I'd compare the international appearances to goals scored by three teams by position. You can draw your own conclusions. if any, but what stood out to me was that both Italy and Germany leave the scoring to the forwards, and the defenders to defend. All of the teams have the same number of midfielders in the squads yet we are limited to four strikers (aka professional goalscorers) at the expense of an extra defender. 75% of Germany's goals from the current squad have come from the forwards.

Didn't realise Lampard had 20 international goals, how many of them have come in world cups or euros

[Smudge]

Didn't realise Lampard had 20 international goals, how many of them have come in world cups or euros

[Criggers]

Lampard doesn't score at major tournaments... He had more shots than anyone in 2006 but didn't bag a goal.

Shows what I know about Rooney/Defoe, they're possibly starting together tomorrow night

[marbelladave]

Lampard doesn't score at major tournaments... He had more shots than anyone in 2006 but didn't bag a goal.

Shows what I know about Rooney/Defoe, they're possibly starting together tomorrow night

That plus Gerrard (not) on the left...

Are we really really going to piss it away like this?

[James.]

That plus Gerrard (not) on the left...

Are we really really going to piss it away like this?

Gerrard was (not) on the left when we beat Croatia 5-1. A game you refer to as the last time we played well.

[marbelladave]

Gerrard was (not) on the left when we beat Croatia 5-1. A game you refer to as the last time we played well.

Agreed.

I mentioned this in another thread, essentially we peaked in that game and have steadily fallen off that standard over the nine months since.

Were we in the form that we showed at that time, then I would not be worried, but sadly that is not the case! Players are crocked, out of form or in the case of Rooney and Lampard (going on their performance the other night) possibly burnt out.

Yes I know we are only one game into the tournament so there is time for us to improve and (surprise) I really hope we do.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Hart

Johnson Dawson Terry A.Cole

Lennon Lampard Barry J.Cole

Gerrard

Rooney

[marbelladave]

Hart

Johnson Dawson Terry A.Cole

Lennon Lampard Barry J.Cole

Gerrard

Rooney

Generally seems to be 'the peoples choice' which is one reason I suspect Capello will not go down that route.

Reading the runes, I think we will see Capello playing safe and going for...

Green

Johnson - Carragher - Terry - Cole

Lennon - Lampard - Barry - Gerrard

Heskey - Rooney

Not my choice, but what I think we will get.

[Tilley]

I think we'll get something similar to that too Dave, not that it is what I want.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Green

Johnson - Carragher - Terry - Cole

Lennon - Lampard - Barry - Gerrard

Heskey - Rooney

Not my choice, but what I think we will get.

Think that'll be what turns out tomorrow, yeah, although there has been one or two hints dropped that someone else could partner Rooney. Harsh as that would be on Heskey, easily one of our better players on Saturday, we need to stick a few past Algeria.

Think Gerrard's wasted on the left though, him just behind Rooney, with Joe Cole on the left would be a much more potent attacking threat than Rooney + another, leaving one of the most influential players in the team in Gerrard out of position.

*And Jamier Carragher is dogshit.

[marbelladave]

Think that'll be what turns out tomorrow, yeah, although there has been one or two hints dropped that someone else could partner Rooney. Harsh as that would be on Heskey, easily one of our better players on Saturday, we need to stick a few past Algeria.

Think Gerrard's wasted on the left though, him just behind Rooney, with Joe Cole on the left would be a much more potent attacking threat than Rooney + another, leaving one of the most influential players in the team in Gerrard out of position.

*And Jamier Carragher is dogshit.

The media are all agog at the idea (from interviews? training?) that Defoe might start alongside Rooney.

No big man so maybe the hoof will get errr.....the hoof.

Hope so anyway.

Gerrard on the left is hopeless, particularly if you expect him to do anything in that position. He will, as always, come inside and support the strikers just as he did in qualification, Cashley provides the attacking threat in wide positions and Barry covers behind both.

It kind of works but is not exactly pretty.

[dandannieldanok]

I'll be annoyed if Heskey plays, nobody wants him (except for a few sentimentalists) and for good reason.

[Mikey]

I'll be annoyed if Heskey plays, nobody wants him (except for a few sentimentalists) and for good reason.

[Tilley]

First choice would be Gerrard behind Rooney, if not then Crouch or Defoe with Rooney.

[dandannieldanok]

What's so boring, countless polls have been put out on the internet over the past week and they all show Heskey is a distant 3rd choice in people's preferred player to partner Rooney.