Baptista_8 Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Big time. We have no-one who keeps the ball and keeps it ticking over and I'm generally worried how thin/average our centre midfield looks. AOC I'm sure would be great there but I'd prefer his pace and directness from the wings. Thoughts? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
skybluedave Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Shame Jack Wilshere died Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
William Hall Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 England will struggle. I'm looking forward to it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lathund Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 In the Swedish central midfield you'll find a 36 year old Anders Svensson. You might as well not even bother showing up to the midfield battle. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astafjevs Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 England's options were lacking before the injuries anyway. Barry is a waste of space at international level, so the team is better off. City should look to replace him too. England don't have the right type of midfielders. They need more Wilsheres, less Barrys. 2014 might be interesting because Wilshere (you hope) will be fit and have had two more years of top level football, plus someone like Cleverley might have joined him. He looked talented in the games I saw him in at the start of the season. Plus any others that have emerged in that time that fit the bill. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Riccardo Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 You guys have Andy 'Ball-Horse' Carroll upfront and you are more worried about your midfield? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razzler Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 The problem is the emerging talent needs opportunities. Wilshere will get a chance but how much of a chance will Cleverley get, perhaps more now but there are other players that may see their chance diminish, Sturridge and McEachran (remember him?) The FA have zero power to implement any changes that require quotas on English players as they stupidly handing over everything to the Premier League. In spite of all these things we are a football loving country and we do produce decent players but the problem is they will not get the chance to develop as they should and that will go round and round and round until the end of time unless something is changed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainPlanet Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Henderson is actually fantastic at ball retention. He can't tackle, cross, shoot or play a killer ball, but he is good at keep ball. He's like Nicky Butt without the tackling. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabio MVP Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 England needs Carrick to be back. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Stuart Wilson Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Englands youth don't look to hot coming through, looking at this England squad compared to 10 years ago you can see they are a poorer team over the park. Guys like McEarchran not getting the chance to develop because of the club he is at, will end up a Danny Murphy type if he stays at Chelsea then he can come play for Scotland mwahahawha.... Crazy Scholes or Carrick were not taken tbh, continental type players you need in international tournaments. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanNUFC Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Crazy Scholes or Carrick were not taken tbh, continental type players you need in international tournaments. I agree about Carrick but Scholes is too old and we need to build around the future really. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SI Staff Ter Posted June 1, 2012 SI Staff Share Posted June 1, 2012 I agree about Carrick but Scholes is too old and we need to build around the future really. Wouldn't say Scholes is too old. He could still do a good job if he has someone with a lot of energy to do a lot of the donkey work. England squad is looking very weak but they might click together as a team. You never know. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Stuart Wilson Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I would agree with Ter, could have stuck him in with two runners in Gerrard, Parker/Henderson and let him pull the strings. I think it would have given them their best chance to progress this year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Adam Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 All Henderson does is keep the ball. I think a HELL of a lot of people are writing him off far too early. He's a fantastic player. Sure he's not everybodies pick to go to the Euro's but quite frankly I'd rather a young, fit, determined to impress Henderson go than a slow, unfit, happy to pick up his £80k a week for the rest of his career Gareth Barry to go. Liverpool were rubbish for the second half of the season, granted. This doesn't make Henderson rubbish as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeesterCat Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 England needs Carrick to be back. He must be kicking himself for not wanting to be a 'bit-part player' in the squad. He'd probably be starting every game now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabio MVP Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 He must be kicking himself for not wanting to be a 'bit-part player' in the squad. He'd probably be starting every game now. According to the papers he is thinking of coming back. http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/What-The-Papers-Say/2012/May/papers-michael-carrick-ready-for-england-recall.aspx Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCIAG Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Guys like McEarchran not getting the chance to develop because of the club he is at, He also didn't get a chance at Swansea, I suppose he might next season if they don't get Gylfi and Di Matteo will loan him again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Stuart Wilson Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 If he can't even be trusted in a team like Swansea who by that time were not threatened by relegation then how is he going to progress to be an England international, same can be said for quite a few young England players now they just don't seem to have the guys breaking through now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baptista_8 Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 Makes me laugh when people criticise Barry He's awesome ffs Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baptista_8 Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 If Henderson is good at ball retention (not seen a lot of him) then I'd be happy for him to start alongside Parker. The thought of Gerrard playing CM giving the ball away so much makes me cringe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Adam Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Makes me laugh when people criticise Barry He's awesome ffs Wasn't criticising Barry as much as I was bigging up Henderson. I think Barry is awesome for Man City - was questioning his ability at international level, especially given the long season he has had. He'll be shattered. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootador Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 All the Barry rage Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Adam Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 If he can't even be trusted in a team like Swansea who by that time were not threatened by relegation then how is he going to progress to be an England international, same can be said for quite a few young England players now they just don't seem to have the guys breaking through now. This did make a bit concerned as well. Everybody seems to big up McEachran but he couldn't get into that Swansea side who play a style of football that suits him down to the ground. Hopefully he breaks through this year and gets a run of games for a team. Would love him at Sunderland. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baptista_8 Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 Wasn't criticising Barry as much as I was bigging up Henderson.I think Barry is awesome for Man City - was questioning his ability at international level, especially given the long season he has had. He'll be shattered. Yeah fair enough, to be fair I hadn't read your comment when I replied. Was responding to Astafjevs Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Philip Rolfe Posted June 1, 2012 Administrators Share Posted June 1, 2012 McEachran not getting into Swansea's team was more because he'd have had to replace Leon Britton and Britton's a better player than him. No slight on Josh, he's a good player, but people will forget that until he starts playing again, and instead claim that he's not going to break through. Ryan Bertrand starts a handful of games and people swing their opinions on him because he's in current attention. That's about the only difference. Same for Cleverley at the start of last season and for Oxlade-Chamberlain over the course of it. All about perception here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGartz Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I think we should have called up Leon Britton tbh, keeps the ball well, neet and tidy etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brett.spurs Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Carrick Scholes Lennon Wilshere A.Johnson I'd take that over whatever mess Roy can put together. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainPlanet Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Regarding the future, England u21s have 4 Arsenal central midfielders, 2 Liverpool and 1 Chelsea. There must be something promising about those players futures for them to be on fairly decent contracts at those clubs surely? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggressive minor Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I would have done anything to get Scholes in that squad. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebs Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Agree with Minor here...with Carrick alongside...we look terrible in the centre of midfield for creativity. If we had something on the wings that would inspire confidence then putting in the solid centre midfielders wouldn't have been bad...but we don't. Think we won't make it out the group to be fair...and also think we could play some of the worst football in the tournament...although, as ever, I hope not! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebs Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I think we should have called up Leon Britton tbh, keeps the ball well, neet and tidy etc. Heard this off a mate today so great shout, hadn't htought of it myself, but definitely should have been considered. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Adam Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Carrick Scholes Lennon Wilshere A.Johnson I'd take that over whatever mess Roy can put together. 2 of those are retired from international football and one is injured mind. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astafjevs Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Makes me laugh when people criticise Barry He's awesome ffs But he isn't. He's not good enough for international football. Players like Barry continuously getting rated that highly are the reason England win nothing - sub-standard guys who get dominated by the first good opponent they encounter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCIAG Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I suppose you are basing that on Barry's one encounter with Oezil? He did well for Man City against good opponents at United, Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal, all of whom are as good as most international sides. I just think it is really lazy to slag him off because he isn't a big name like Gerrard or Lampard, but he has so much more awareness than Gerrard in particular. Nobody thinks he is on the level of Wilshire but we are so much better with a defensive minded midfielder, be that Parker or Barry or Hargreaves (lulz). Carrick hasn't really had the same effect but I think he could do now. A midfield three of Scholes-Carrick-Parker would have been my first choice given our injury woes, at least until Rooney was fit, but I think Barry would do fine with the right partner. It's just the right partner probably isn't Gerrard, and it might be too soon for Jones, Chamberlain or Henderson. We're only taking one recognised central midfielder... eurgh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainPlanet Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I know being at a big name club doesn't guarantee you're any good, but surely it's hard to really slag off players like Barry, Lampard, Gerrard as not being good enough when they're all playing for top clubs, on top contracts and have been important players in helping those teams win silverware this season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddidiodion Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I agree about Carrick but Scholes is too old and we need to build around the future really. This would be true if all our viable young midfielders weren't dead. I don't have a problem with Barry in a midfield 3 (or next to Yaya Toure who is basically 2 people anyway) but in a midfield 2? Not for me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_oc16 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 You can replace 'midfield' in the title with any other position, just that with the injuries the midfield is particularly exposed atm. It is a worry because injuries seem to be a problem every tournament and players like Lampard, Gerrard and Parker are going to need to be replaced for or post 2014 so we need to get players to replace them playing regularly in this WC campaign. But Cleverley, Wilshere and Rodwell who are possibly three of the brightest midfield prospects are already having playing time curtailed by injuries when they were getting opportunities in the league. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainPlanet Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Give Frimpong a call up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razzler Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 I would have done anything to get Scholes in that squad. 3 games 4 days apart though. I don't think Gerrard will be completing 90 mins in all of those let alone grandpa Scholes We needed Scholes/Gerrard/Lampard but not as a midfield just to come on for each other and equal one player across the group games Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razzler Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 A midfield three of Scholes-Carrick-Parker would have been my first choice given our injury woes, at least until Rooney was fit, but I think Barry would do fine with the right partner. It's just the right partner probably isn't Gerrard, and it might be too soon for Jones, Chamberlain or Henderson. We're only taking one recognised central midfielder... eurgh. Unfortunately Uncle Roy doesn't like a midfield 3. I expect Parker will get the Barry treatment after this tournament, midfield 2 with Gerrard tearing about everywhere is going to leave Parker looking a right mug Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggressive minor Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 3 games 4 days apart though. I don't think Gerrard will be completing 90 mins in all of those let alone grandpa Scholes We needed Scholes/Gerrard/Lampard but not as a midfield just to come on for each other and equal one player across the group games You don't have to start Scholes...30 mins of him every match would have been bloody fantastic. Or 90 mins of Carrick even...but that has been discussed to death (and you're wrong Razzler ) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razzler Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Carrick's made his decision and can go feck off, he's nowhere near good enough to make any demands so even if the entire midfield was injured he can stay home. The fact that Gary Neville is there means he could 'reach out' quite easily I would imagine but hasn't makes me think Hogdson thinks the same. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggressive minor Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 And to think once upon a time we had Gerrard, Scholes, Lampard, Hargreaves, Carrick all in their 20s........ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razzler Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 ... and we still played 4-4-2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggressive minor Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Went 4-5-1 in 06....although that mug took Theo and two strikers with injury issues + Crouchie. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggressive minor Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Shame we weren't in euro 2008, could have had most of the midfield from the 08 CL winning team (most of the team in fact, presuming Scholes could have been talked out of retirement)...... Brown, Rio, Scholes, Carrick, Hargreaves, Rooney....then Lampard, Cole and Terry played in the final too. Gerrard at this peak then. I know the 'golden generation' got hyped up, but they should have achieved more and I wonder where the blame lies? the players? managers? media? burnout from our demanding league? Probably a combination of all.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razzler Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Yeah we messed up big time for '08, it seemed harder to not get there. We were leading Russia over there too and then conceeded 2 goals quickly (as usual) and then still had bites at the cherry after that with Russia messing up against Israel. All we needed to do was draw with Croatia and then we collapsed to 2-0 down, ffs. Just a mess. Such a feeling of doom around England at that time. We do seem to pick up these injuries from the league program, the fact that the league doesn't bow down to internationals and don't care about national football. I do love the Xmas/New Year program but a break would be beneficial but if I see teams flying to China or Qatar to play high profile friendlies they can feck right off and we know that is exactly what would happen. Fine line too, penalty defeats as usual, even one victory and that's a semi instead of a 1/4 which is like a massive leap in psychology for the players, I reckon. 1/4 finals seems sort of meh but a semi is so close. I maintain Euro 2004 was the best chance to win something in recent years. We had a great, attacking team and I was absolutely fuming when we lost to France in that opening game. Leading, missed a pen ... conceed 2 goals. That sent us off on a different path and I know Greece knocked out France but I'd have rather played them than Portugal and that was a cracking game too ... we were even ahead in the freaking shoot out against them in that :/ It's the hope that hurts Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainPlanet Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 We were screwed out of that Portugal game by rubbish officials Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheer Class Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Im suprised Joe Cole wasnt given the nod over Henderson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bell Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 It doesn't help that Hodgson tactics do not consider ball rentention as a necessity. That's the real problem. What you are seeing here is what happened at Liverpool. Deep lying defenders and not too much commitment to attack, a willingness to let the opposition have possession, whilst trying to maintain defensive discipline, being shot shy and creating very few chances. I thought the team sent out yesterday was quite a strong line-up. As for ball retention Gerrard and Barry are good at it, Henderson is actually excellent at and posted some ridiculously high pass completion stats last season Really the midfielders we have would be suited to a 4-5-1 formation, with Parker and Henderson holding and Gerrard playing in support of a striker. That's far to complicated for Hodgson and his rigid 4-4-2 philosophy though and we will continue to attempt to grind out 1-0 wins. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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