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2013/2014 Soccer/Football Thread
- Thread starter reyscarface
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Just read that Roy is apparently on about testing more players again for the next friendly against Denmark... Surely by then we should put the best XI out so we can have a final test run? If we're still trying to see who is international standard and who isn't by March then I don't think it bodes very well.
On that note, this is what XI I'd go for:
--------------Hart---------------
Johnson---Cahill---Jagielka---Cole
--------------Jones--------------
----------Gerrard--Carrick--------
Sturridge-----------------Walcott
-------------Rooney-------------
Playing 4-4-2 at international level is suicide, especially with how static our midfield can be (I know Roy likes to pretend it's a 4-2-3-1 but going by last night it was a 4-4-2 and Rooney/Sturridge kept getting in each others way).
At full-back I think Walker just relies on his pace too often, at a WC he's gonna be responsible for us conceding. Johnson isn't miles ahead but he has better defensive awareness and more consistent end product. Cole/Baines is a straight swap depending on who we're playing, Cole if it's someone good, Baines if it's someone parking the bus. If Jones puts a shift in like he did vs Ronaldo and Bale last season and against Arsenal a few weeks ago then he's a match for anyone and can compliment the passing ranges of Gerrard and Carrick. Carrick is massively underused for England and his passing retention is great for international level.
Sturridge has to be pushed out wide because again, playing 2 up top is silly. As well as this, the idea of Sturridge and Walcott both cutting inside is pretty exciting. Townsend is a decent backup but he goes for the piledriver too often for me, his scores/assists for Spurs this season when he's had so many shots per game is woeful. And finally Rooney is the only option up top really, Lambert and Defoe are decent enough as 2nd and 3rd options, but if Rooney keeps up this form he's the first name on the sheet.
Maybe a case of tl;dr but I've been trying to get my opinions across on Twitter and this is currently my only place to have some sort of proper discussion ha
On that note, this is what XI I'd go for:
--------------Hart---------------
Johnson---Cahill---Jagielka---Cole
--------------Jones--------------
----------Gerrard--Carrick--------
Sturridge-----------------Walcott
-------------Rooney-------------
Playing 4-4-2 at international level is suicide, especially with how static our midfield can be (I know Roy likes to pretend it's a 4-2-3-1 but going by last night it was a 4-4-2 and Rooney/Sturridge kept getting in each others way).
At full-back I think Walker just relies on his pace too often, at a WC he's gonna be responsible for us conceding. Johnson isn't miles ahead but he has better defensive awareness and more consistent end product. Cole/Baines is a straight swap depending on who we're playing, Cole if it's someone good, Baines if it's someone parking the bus. If Jones puts a shift in like he did vs Ronaldo and Bale last season and against Arsenal a few weeks ago then he's a match for anyone and can compliment the passing ranges of Gerrard and Carrick. Carrick is massively underused for England and his passing retention is great for international level.
Sturridge has to be pushed out wide because again, playing 2 up top is silly. As well as this, the idea of Sturridge and Walcott both cutting inside is pretty exciting. Townsend is a decent backup but he goes for the piledriver too often for me, his scores/assists for Spurs this season when he's had so many shots per game is woeful. And finally Rooney is the only option up top really, Lambert and Defoe are decent enough as 2nd and 3rd options, but if Rooney keeps up this form he's the first name on the sheet.
Maybe a case of tl;dr but I've been trying to get my opinions across on Twitter and this is currently my only place to have some sort of proper discussion ha
I think that's probably the best line up for England atm. However if Cole continues to play poor then i would definable put Baines in. (Chelsea are already looking for his replacement in the spanish and german leagues).
Townsend will probably be their "super sub".
I think it should be Carrick or Wilshere. Carrick is injured atm while Wilshere is struggling to get into the 1st team so you will have to wait until the end of the season.
England does really have a no. 6 do they, so i guess jones to protect the back four would be the next best thing.
England still don't have the kind of quality to to be a 2nd tier team at this World cup.
Townsend will probably be their "super sub".
I think it should be Carrick or Wilshere. Carrick is injured atm while Wilshere is struggling to get into the 1st team so you will have to wait until the end of the season.
England does really have a no. 6 do they, so i guess jones to protect the back four would be the next best thing.
England still don't have the kind of quality to to be a 2nd tier team at this World cup.
Sakho scored 2 goals for France... O_o the start of a beautiful new SAS partnership at Merseyside...?
England's best XI is so hard to say, there's just nothing to inspire confidence. I'll take a pop and I'm not just trying to be controversial I actually feel these are our best players lol, but yeah feel free to rip it apart:
England's best XI is so hard to say, there's just nothing to inspire confidence. I'll take a pop and I'm not just trying to be controversial I actually feel these are our best players lol, but yeah feel free to rip it apart:
Hart;
Richards, Jones, Cahill, Cole;
Carrick;
Ox-Chamberlain, Gerrard, Wilshere, Lallana;
Rooney.
I'd probably stick Carrick and Gerrard together for experience and keeping a cool head under pressure with Wilshere to add bite and silky skillz (if he ever finds form) and the front three could have anyone really but I feel like Ox is one of our most naturally talented and hard working wingers and Lallana has done very well in the last 2 years and is the captain of Southampton so he must be used to responsibility and helping the team out defensively. The defence is an absolute shambles though, we have no top quality so I put in Jones in the vain hope that he starts getting games for Utd and fulfils some of the potential he showed in spades. Cahill is only in there cos he plays at a top team, it could be Jags or or anyone really... Richards though is a player I really like, he's my favourite right back in the league and I wish he gets playing time now he's come back from injury. Hart could be Foster, all depends on form, while Cole is Cole, I think he has the experience to deal with top wingers, I don't care if he doesn't attack. But yeah no one has stood out and anyone could probably be in there and it would look just as bad!Richards, Jones, Cahill, Cole;
Carrick;
Ox-Chamberlain, Gerrard, Wilshere, Lallana;
Rooney.
Just tried that twice...Germany were in both groups xD (along with Ecuador and Honduras first time, Ivory Coast and South Korea the next).
On a separate note, I have a bad feeling Roy Hodgson will cherry pick from the U21s to take a younger player or two to the World Cup. Tournament experience is good, but part of me reckons a group of U21 players should be brought through so they are familiar with some of the faces in the squad - I can imagine being a young lad in a group of far more senior players that they don't necessarily know could be quite a unnerving experience.
Also, speaking of the U21s, some of our young players need to get out of the mindset that once they've played in the Senior side, the U21s side is no longer worthy of their presence (if the comments of Stuart Pearce are to be believed with Jones and Oxlade-Chamberlain). With U21 European Championships every 2 years, it's a vital source of international tournament experience - something I feel players like Jack Wilshere and Phil Jones (for instance) could really do with. In fact, both Wilshere and Jones are eligible to play in the U21 Euro's in 2015 (just).
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could have been in the U21 squad in the summer - but no, off he went to a friendly match in Brazil (scored a great goal I'll admit). Stuart Pearce summed it up pretty well before the 2013 U21 tournament - "I believe the key to our senior team being successful lies in what goes on from the age of 21 downwards, what experience of tournaments and winning they’re getting. Then they know what it’s like to win together and they take that with them into the seniors. I think we’re missing a bit of a trick by not doing it. In my mind, that’s what’s going to unlock us being successful at the top end."
^ How can our best young players get that opportunity if they're being dragged up to the Senior side without the benefit of winning in tournaments?
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@nli: jagielka >>>>>>>>>>>> jones and johnson >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Richards
personally id say england should be doing a lot of rotation depending on opposition... against "better" teams, id go:
---------------Hart------------------
johnson, Jagielka, Cahill, Cole----
----------Jones, Carrick------------
Walcott, Gerrard/rooney, Lallana-
------------Sturridge----------------
but against "worse" teams who you can expect to sit back, i'd go:
----------------Hart-----------------
johnson, Jagielka, Cahill, Baines--
---------Wilshere, Carrick----------
-----Walcott, Gerrard, Lallana-----
------------- Rooney----------------
the first gives better overall defense and counter attack, but the second gives a better passing attack, and should be able to break down teams playing defensively much more successfully.... also i really don't like the rb position and would seriously consider introducing someone else to shake things up, possibly clyne who seems to be putting in good work for southampton
---------------Hart------------------
johnson, Jagielka, Cahill, Cole----
----------Jones, Carrick------------
Walcott, Gerrard/rooney, Lallana-
------------Sturridge----------------
but against "worse" teams who you can expect to sit back, i'd go:
----------------Hart-----------------
johnson, Jagielka, Cahill, Baines--
---------Wilshere, Carrick----------
-----Walcott, Gerrard, Lallana-----
------------- Rooney----------------
the first gives better overall defense and counter attack, but the second gives a better passing attack, and should be able to break down teams playing defensively much more successfully.... also i really don't like the rb position and would seriously consider introducing someone else to shake things up, possibly clyne who seems to be putting in good work for southampton
Enrique probably out for the season
I knew we should have kept Downing as a squad player. I would have loved to see him play as a left wing back in a 3-5-2 formation
I knew we should have kept Downing as a squad player. I would have loved to see him play as a left wing back in a 3-5-2 formation
That's what Cissoko's for!
Also I doubt the Courtois story, Mourinho would not do that unless he wants to lose his keeper forever. He's done some stupid things but that would be too much.
Also I doubt the Courtois story, Mourinho would not do that unless he wants to lose his keeper forever. He's done some stupid things but that would be too much.
I don't get why this is news to anyone. Courtois is a world class keeper(top 5 this season) and would want he to come back to chelsea next season and replace the aging Cech. Plus the fact that Barcelona is involved adds another layer to this, which I think irritated Mourinho to make those ultimatums(granted if they are true).
Hopefully he can convince Courtois to play for us next season.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25052981
In a way, he has a point - but Mourinho lost credibility when he claimed that was a penalty against West Brom (honestly reckon he and the ref were the only ones who thought that on the day)...
Oh well, there are more important things than listening to Mourinho blabber like he's off his meds. 12:15 - Sheff Wed v Huddersfield. Come on you Terriers :) (I'm probably the only fan of a Championship club on here... D:)
In a way, he has a point - but Mourinho lost credibility when he claimed that was a penalty against West Brom (honestly reckon he and the ref were the only ones who thought that on the day)...
Oh well, there are more important things than listening to Mourinho blabber like he's off his meds. 12:15 - Sheff Wed v Huddersfield. Come on you Terriers :) (I'm probably the only fan of a Championship club on here... D:)
or Gibbs who has been playing well so far this season.
I think it should be emphasized that Cole(along with ivanovic) have been poor.
I think it should be emphasized that Cole(along with ivanovic) have been poor.
RADICAL predictions
Everton 2-3 Liverpool
Arsenal 2-1 Southampton
Fulham 2-2 Swansea
Hull 1-2 Crystal Palace
Newcastle 1-1 Norwich
Stoke 2-0 Sunderland
West Ham 0-1 Chelsea
Man City 3-0 Tottenham
Cardiff 0-2 Man Utd
West Brom 0-0 Aston Villa
Also my fantasy team this week. Any suggestions?
GK: McGregor
Def: C.Davies, Huth, Sagna
Mid: Oscar, Walcott, Toure, Cabaye
Fwd: Suarez, Remy, Negredo
I want to hold on to Suarez because he'll cost a ton next week if I sell him
Everton 2-3 Liverpool
Arsenal 2-1 Southampton
Fulham 2-2 Swansea
Hull 1-2 Crystal Palace
Newcastle 1-1 Norwich
Stoke 2-0 Sunderland
West Ham 0-1 Chelsea
Man City 3-0 Tottenham
Cardiff 0-2 Man Utd
West Brom 0-0 Aston Villa
Also my fantasy team this week. Any suggestions?
GK: McGregor
Def: C.Davies, Huth, Sagna
Mid: Oscar, Walcott, Toure, Cabaye
Fwd: Suarez, Remy, Negredo
I want to hold on to Suarez because he'll cost a ton next week if I sell him
Extremely disappointed not to get all 3 points against a clearly inferior opposition. Two of the main reasons why we didn't win:
1) Mirrallas not getting sent off. A clear red card when he recklessly kicked Suarez on the knee. He also could have been given a second yellow card on several occasions but as usual Phil Dowd bottles.
2) What hurts the most is that even if the referee made a terrible decision, it was in our hands. Allen missed the easiest opportunity of the match. We missed a lot of chances but it was Allen's that stands out the most.
MOTM: Flannagan or Mignolet. Or Dowd I guess. That's the name on most people's name atm.
1) Mirrallas not getting sent off. A clear red card when he recklessly kicked Suarez on the knee. He also could have been given a second yellow card on several occasions but as usual Phil Dowd bottles.
2) What hurts the most is that even if the referee made a terrible decision, it was in our hands. Allen missed the easiest opportunity of the match. We missed a lot of chances but it was Allen's that stands out the most.
MOTM: Flannagan or Mignolet. Or Dowd I guess. That's the name on most people's name atm.
or this lad called Lukaku
he scored two goals but he was pretty bad overall sorry. reminded me of Andy carroll.
not even everton's best player on the night. That should be Mirallas, even though he shouldn't have been on the pitch. Can't believe that Wes Brown has been sent off for Sunderland for his challenge and Mirallas hasn't. Something has to change
Disgusting that more people aren't trying to protect Luis Suarez from talentless players that make up their lack of skill with aggression.
The EPL needs Luis Suarez. We are falling behind the other leagues. We need to make sure that the best player in the league is not targeted this way.
whoa let me put some context to the top one... suarez came sliding in very aggressively at the sideline, and mirallas tried to jump over him, you cant complain when saurez makes an aggressive play and gets hit by an opponent trying to avoid getting crushed... the hit to his knee unquestionably should have been a red card though, there's no debate there.
I think giroud just got the ball. http://i.imgur.com/IEgCn3f.gif of the incident.
I think in the end the game was really comfortable. Good win.
Zors, I'm guessing it was exactly because Suarez was involved that the guy got away with it
I think in the end the game was really comfortable. Good win.
Zors, I'm guessing it was exactly because Suarez was involved that the guy got away with it
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