England v Denmark

[Dan]

To be honest you have to give credit to Brendan Rodgers, as he's certainly got the best out of the england players there! Rodgers to replace Hodgson after the world cup 

 

If he was English I'd be doing anything to get him in charge. Quality manager. Wouldn't complain if we appointed him but not a fan of foreign international managers.

[Leicesterpool]

Or maybe Sturridge, the top english goalscorer this season instead of shunting him out wide to accommodate Rooney most of the match.

Sturridge upfront with Rodriguez would be interesting. But Hodgson is obsessed in playing him upfront with Welbeck or Rooney and it's proved we don't score enough with them partnerships! 

[Dan]

I think the only reason why Hodgson picks Rooney is purely down to the fact we've got limited choice in strikers! yet Rodriguez whose scored the same amount as Rooney couldn't even get on the pitch. I think it's time to look at starting Rodriguez and Lambert up front.  

 

Hodgson picks Rooney because he's the highest reputation striker we have and it takes bollocks to drop him.

 

I'm not even saying Rooney should never play for us again but I cannot stand the way he's seemingly undroppable when he has this many 'meh' games.

[Leicesterpool]

Hodgson picks Rooney because he's the highest reputation striker we have and it takes bollocks to drop him.

 

I'm not even saying Rooney should never play for us again but I cannot stand the way he's seemingly undroppable when he has this many 'meh' games.

Agree 100%, also every time Hodgson picks Rooney aswell he's always starting! he's never had to spend the whole match on the bench like other strikers!

[Guest MattP]

The press can take the blame for Rooney's inclusion.

 

Any manager who ever dropped the golden boy/star player doesnt just get criticised by all the press but will be personally insulted and never have a job again in football after they have finished with them, Turnip Taylor was never forgiven for subbing Lineker, Hoddle was abused for not taking Gazza.

 

Even when every other manager in World football was chaning to a three man midfield and could see a midfielder three of Lampard, Gerrard and Scholes would have suited is perfect we couldnt budge from 4-4-2 as Beckham would have to go and Sven knew the press would massacre him for it.

 

edie (I take that back, Sven did actually probably think Bowyer/Butt and Gerrard was a better midfielder pairing than a trio of Lampard, Gerrard and Scholes.

[Bert]

Struggle to take anyone serious that thinks Rooney is "shit".

Have a word.

[Dan]

Is it wrong of me to think Sturridge is better?

[Haydos]

Struggle to take anyone serious that thinks Rooney is "shit".

Have a word.

 

He's playing with shit. He's obviously a great player but he takes on too many roles for Utd and Engalnd because of the lack of quality. Just look at how he got on when Tevez and Ronaldo were at Utd, they were destructive and so is he when he plays in a team of players who want to attack at pace.

[Bert]

Is it wrong of me to think Sturridge is better?

On current form, certainly not.

[Bert]

He's playing with shit. He's obviously a great player but he takes on too many roles for Utd and Engalnd because of the lack of quality. Just look at how he got on when Tevez and Ronaldo were at Utd, they were destructive and so is he when he plays in a team of players who want to attack at pace.

Yeah I agree.

Hopefully a good few weeks working with Sturridge in the summer and they'll do well with each other.

[Dan]

He's playing with shit. He's obviously a great player but he takes on too many roles for Utd and Engalnd because of the lack of quality. Just look at how he got on when Tevez and Ronaldo were at Utd, they were destructive and so is he when he plays in a team of players who want to attack at pace.

 

We need to do that for England because for once, we actually have the tools. Sturridge is a quality pacey striker and Sterling, whilst I don't think he was MOTM yesterday, is impressing me from what I see of him.

 

On current form, certainly not.

 

Still think Rooney is wasted as like a second striker. Would like to see Sturridge and Rooney playing as a proper partnership.

[purpleronnie]

The press can take the blame for Rooney's inclusion.

 

Any manager who ever dropped the golden boy/star player doesnt just get criticised by all the press but will be personally insulted and never have a job again in football after they have finished with them, Turnip Taylor was never forgiven for subbing Lineker, Hoddle was abused for not taking Gazza.

 

Even when every other manager in World football was chaning to a three man midfield and could see a midfielder three of Lampard, Gerrard and Scholes would have suited is perfect we couldnt budge from 4-4-2 as Beckham would have to go and Sven knew the press would massacre him for it.

 

edie (I take that back, Sven did actually probably think Bowyer/Butt and Gerrard was a better midfielder pairing than a trio of Lampard, Gerrard and Scholes.

Here here.

[Haydos]

I'd be very interested to see a game with Rooney starting in CM with Sterling, Sturridge and Llalana/Walcott ahead.

[Bert]

Rooney and Gerrard central midfield would be delightful!

[eye666]

Few thoughts on England after last night:

 

Haven't seen any mention of Shaw yet but I thought he looked decent when he came on, especially going forward. Considering he's not playing, Cole shouldn't be on the plane - Baines first choice for the WC with Shaw as back-up for experience in the squad. He looks like he's got 100+ caps in him (as also mentioned by someone on 5live over the weekend).

 

Have to agree with others about Flannegan - he looks quality when I've seen him, and yet again last night thought Johnson was turd. Think Flannegan should get a chance, especially in pre-WC friendlies. How Johnson still gets an England call-up is beyond me - the number of times he loses the ball every game is staggering.

 

Wilshire looks awful and don't see what he offers the team at all - seems to be played as he's rated by the FIFA fanboys. Would rather see Lallana in there starting, with Barkley as the sub option. I also think the Ox flatters to deceive and needs more game time for the Arse before being called up. Would like to see Noble given an opportunity in the middle (at least as a squad player) - can break up play, puts tackles in, decent passer and can take a penalty... Can't argue with Henderson being in there on form at the moment - can only hope he gets used to playing for England and grows in to the role.

 

Smalling is never a Premier League player, let alone an England starter. Would much rather see Davies, Caulker or Moore   in there than that clogger. Still think long term Jones will be one of the CB's, providing he starts playing there for United (and can keep fit).

 

Welbeck coming on as a sub over J-Rod is a joke. When fit, I actually think I'd rather see Austin in the squad than Welbeck - he's like Bambi on ice and. There's nothing more depressing as an England fan than watching a striker coming on to play left-wing as well like we always seem to do - even Sturridge got shunted out there last night, and he's our top striker at the moment.

 

Again controversial to some I'm sure, but I'd rather see someone like Adam Johnson on the left (who actually has a left-foot unlike every player we've played on the left in the past 20 years - still bitter Guppy didn't play more for England...). I'm also a fan of Milner every time he plays and think he's unlucky in that he can play several positions and gets used as the utility man.

[LC/FC]

Quick opinion.

England still play too reactive against teams.

Until the youngsters came on we we always on the back foot waiting for things to happen. Soon as the subs came on we were more proactive and started to attack more often.

The old guard needs to go and the new lot needs to take action.

[ScouseFox]

The "old guard" have gone. Gerrard played last night because he's clearly our best central midfielder and our captain, the only other was Cole and he played half a game, mainly because he needs game time if he's to go to Brazil. 

 

Can we please give up blaming the old guard for our inept performances because most of them probably didn't even watch the game last night, let alone have anything to do with the outcome. 

[LC/FC]

As you said, Gerrard, Cole, Johnson, Rooney and Lampard on the bench. Ruminations of wanting Terry back in the squad.

Rooney's been in the England team for 10 years now. Shit for about 6-7 of them.

[ScouseFox]

Rooney isn't old and if he pulls his finger out is our best player by miles. No idea why he rarely does. Johnson isn't massively old either and wouldn't be playing if Kyle Walker was fit and I personally don't even see that as a positive change because Walker is dogshite. 

 

Lampard didn't feature and Terry has retired. 

 

As previously said Gerrard is our best player and captain, why would we drop him just because he played as part of the infamous "old guard"? 

 

Last night's team (and subs)...

 

Hart - 26 yrs old, 39 caps

 

Johnson - 29 yrs old, 50 caps

Cahill - 28 yrs old, 23 caps

Smalling - 24 yrs old, 10  caps 

Cole - 33 yrs old, 107 caps (replaced by Shaw - 18 yrs old, 1st cap)

 

Gerrard - 33 yrs old, 109 caps

Hendo - 23 yrs old, 8 caps (replaced by the Ox - 20 yrs old, 14 caps)

Wilshere - 22 yrs old, 15 caps (replaced by Lallana - 25 yrs old, 3 caps)

 

Rooney - 28 yrs old, 89 caps (replaced by Welbeck - 23 yrs, 21 caps)

Sturridge - 24 yrs old, 10 caps (replaced by Milner - 28 yrs old, 45 caps)

Sterling - 19 yrs old, 2 caps (replaced by Townsend - 22 yrs old, 5 caps)

 

So of the 16 players who featured, 2 were over 30 (one being our captain), only 3 had more than 50 caps (one being our captain) and 6 had less than 10 caps. The old guard is a myth. 

[LC/FC]

I'm not trying to say 'old guard' as in all old fogeys ala the previous Italy team but the fact that England still play through the old guard. Many times it was Rooney and Gerrard who were the focal point of the attack. Rooney has been turd recently and any shots he took last night went skyward.

Gerrard, as fantastic as he was last night is supposed to be the deep lying midfield shield but at times still went up ahead of Wilshere and a lot of the attacks were him spraying crossfield balls to Sturridge or Stirling. Wilshere in particular looked like he wanted to pass to Gerrard at every opportunity rather than making an attacking play. It was when we finally put Shaw and Lallana on that England had some attacking impitous down the flanks to put some crosses in and that's where we were most dangerous.

[Dan]

Rooney in centre mid is not the answer.

 

Hart

Johnson - Cahill - Jagielka - Baines

Gerrard - Henderson

Sterling ------------------ Lallana

Rooney - Sturridge

 

At least we'd give the opposition something to actually worry about.

[ScouseFox]

Rooney in centre mid is not the answer.

 

Hart

Johnson - Cahill - Jagielka - Baines

Gerrard - Henderson

Sterling ------------------ Lallana

Rooney - Sturridge

 

At least we'd give the opposition something to actually worry about.

 

Rooney in behind Sturridge and that might work. 

[Dan]

Rooney in behind Sturridge and that might work. 

 

Nah, that was the difference. Get Rooney playing where he was actually an exciting player playing to his strengths.

 

He's too limited behind a striker for me.

 

Even if teams do go at England, they will be wary about us having an attack like that. Sod playing defensively. You could get away with it when you had the likes of Terry in the side but our defence now is awful. Play to our strengths.

[ScouseFox]

Nah, that was the difference. Get Rooney playing where he was actually an exciting player playing to his strengths.

 

He's too limited behind a striker for me.

 

Even if teams do go at England, they will be wary about us having an attack like that. Sod playing defensively. You could get away with it when you had the likes of Terry in the side but our defence now is awful. Play to our strengths.

 

But he rarely plays up front for United and every time he does for England he looks shite. 

 

Usually cos he's isolated to be fair so with another striker he might stand more of a chance, but equally it could be detrimental to Sturridge's performances and he is the best English player on current form so we should be playing to his strengths. 

 

It's tough, Rooney is clearly a quality player but just isn't showing it for England. Could blame himself, the system, the tactics, the other players around him, who knows, but something has to change otherwise he should be dropped because his performances aren't good enough. 

[Dan]

But he rarely plays up front for United and every time he does for England he looks shite. 

 

Usually cos he's isolated to be fair so with another striker he might stand more of a chance, but equally it could be detrimental to Sturridge's performances and he is the best English player on current form so we should be playing to his strengths. 

 

It's tough, Rooney is clearly a quality player but just isn't showing it for England. Could blame himself, the system, the tactics, the other players around him, who knows, but something has to change otherwise he should be dropped because his performances aren't good enough. 

 

Play to both of their strengths. Get it up to them quickly and do the damage we're capable of doing. There is no point in England trying to play Spain or Germany's type of football when we haven't got the tools to do so. Someone nailed it in this thread - worry someone with our own style rather than a very watered down version of someone else's. At the minute, we have no style what so ever.

 

Alternatively, drop Rooney completely, put Wilshere or Carrick in for him in a midfield trio, have Lallana cutting in on the left and Sterling playing on the right with Sturridge up front.