LATEST ENGLAND SQUAD ANNOUNCEDAZURRI

kas wrote:Problem is England's good strikers like Owen, Heskey, and Ashton

Well, Owen and Heskey has been their best partnership in recent years. Nothing else works too well.

Why can't we just make a team with English defence and Dutch offence....might result in a decent team, together we still don't have as much inhabitants as Germany so it's clearly fair

Roger
Which is probably we have to move to if the wingers are of this quality.
But a Christmas tree is actually a very hard formation to play and will need alot of tactical coaching.

------------------ST------------------

-------------SS/AM-------------SS/AM

----------CM/AM/DM---CM/DLP/DM-------CM/AM/DM


a 4231 is a better formation for England imo

-----------------ST-----------------

-------SS/AM-------SS----------SS/AM

------------DM/DLP----------DM/DLP

More defined roles and we can fill that very easily.

But formations are secondary , firstly decide how to play 2ndly decided the roles , the runs , the movement etc etc.

DS wrote: a 4231 is a better formation for England imo

I can see where you're coming from. But we've been trying to play this kind of formation and the problem has resulted from (imo) the fact that J Cole, Rooney, Lampard and (when he's playing) Gerrard all want to occupy the same sort of space in front of the penalty box, resulting in them constantly running in to one another. Rather than have 3 players trying to occupy that space the Christmas tree cuts it to 2. Cole and Rooney then both have the option to pull wide or play through the centre. And I think that a midfield trio of Barry, Carrick and Hargreaves should be able to retain the ball and break down opposition attacks through the middle. Barry has also played LB and Hargreaves RB so they should be able to pull wide and shield the fullbacks if necessary.

So if you want to drop Lampard and Gerrard in a Christmas tree you can also drop them in a 4231 Ashley Young in a 4231 will naturally go out wide because its his nature as a wing forward left side to add to add because he's left footed.

A Gerrard Lampard in a Christmas tree will do the same thing they will be ambitious and will try to get into the action resulting the same situation.

faster hitting EPL Christmas tree with deformed growth from bottom right side.

-------------------------James----------------------------

---Gerrard--------Ferdinand-------Terry-------Cole----

--------Hargreaves-----Lampard--------Barry---------

---------------J. Cole--------------A Young/Rooney----

---------------------------Heskey------------------------

still ain't enough goals in there. although there isn't much that can be done about that

The-Frank-Tavern wrote:still ain't enough goals in there. although there isn't much that can be done about that

Midfield sorted, Gerrard sorted out by Capello is a goal scoring threat, Lampard has space to run sorted, Rooney/ Young different players creative change sorted, J.Cole plays club position sorted. Heskey up front is our best player until someone come along.

Gerrard's not going to score goals from RB...and in reality, do you really think he will play behind Hargreaves

He just said he wants to play CM.

Sounds like England fans are in for another night of thrills on Wednesday:

England winger Joe Cole admitted Fabio Capello's side will put the emphasis on defence in Wednesday's clash with Croatia in Zagreb.

The last match in the Croatian capital saw England lose 2-0 and Cole revealed Capello intends to make his team "hard to break down".

"Once you go a goal down, its so hard so we need to get off to a good start and get in their faces, shut them down," Cole said.

"We have to play with a passion like England should do but not be naive and throw players forward.

"We're working on being strong and hard to break down and we have got the players to do that.

"Without wanting to sound negative, a draw would put us in the driving seat but we'll go out there to try to win the game."

http://football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_4117286,00.html

How the hell would a draw put England in the driving seat ?!

Because we are away from home and have a much better chance to beat them at Wembley. I think most people would happily take 4 points against Croatia.

Most people would not "assume" an easy home win against Croatia

No one has.

Parks lives wrote:Because we are away from home and have a much better chance to beat them at Wembley. I think most people would happily take 4 points against Croatia.

I'd take 2, be pleased with 3 and delighted with 4.

Axeslammer wrote:How the hell would a draw put England in the driving seat ?!

A away draw against Croatia will be very good for england, and will give them slight advantage.

Bilic has been mouthing off how confident he is of Croatia winning this group, and how predictable England are.

My question is this: are Croatia the new England?

Lets remember that they didnt do any better in Euro 2008 than england did in Euro 2004, hell they didn't even make WC 2006, yet all of a sudden they're starting to become extremely cocky.

I really like Croatia, but I'm starting to get a feeling that there is a hype beginning to build around them.

3-0 at home to Kazakstan in their first game is hardly earth shattering stuff.

I feel that as such massive underdogs now both in Croatia, england and internationally, this is the best position we can be in. So cheers Slaven

Otto's Olympic Dream wrote:Bilic has been mouthing off how confident he is of Croatia winning this group, and how predictable England are.

My question is this: are Croatia the new England?

Lets remember that they didnt do any better in Euro 2008 than england did in Euro 2004, hell they didn't even make WC 2006, yet all of a sudden they're starting to become extremely cocky.

I really like Croatia, but I'm starting to get a feeling that there is a hype beginning to build around them.

2-0 at home to Kazakstan in their first game is hardly brilliant.

I feel that as such massive underdogs now both in Croatia, england and internationally, this is the best position we can be in. So cheers Slaven

Was actually 3-0.

And Kazakhstan are better than Andorra no doubt

Another thing is England defense is extremely hard to break down in normal conditions it wont be like a walk in the park for Croatia even if they they are that better.

Anyway predictions anyone ?

1-1.

Croatia from a penalty, we'll score from a set peice.

Well heard Modric saying the other day he thinks Croatia are severley weakend without Eduardo.

I'll go for 1-1

Good point by TRWP/OOD...Bilic is the new Owen, after the latter's comments last year about Croatia, which Bilic himself said really motivated his team.

Ray Parlour wrote:

Otto's Olympic Dream wrote:Bilic has been mouthing off how confident he is of Croatia winning this group, and how predictable England are.

My question is this: are Croatia the new England?

Lets remember that they didnt do any better in Euro 2008 than england did in Euro 2004, hell they didn't even make WC 2006, yet all of a sudden they're starting to become extremely cocky.

I really like Croatia, but I'm starting to get a feeling that there is a hype beginning to build around them.

2-0 at home to Kazakstan in their first game is hardly brilliant.

I feel that as such massive underdogs now both in Croatia, england and internationally, this is the best position we can be in. So cheers Slaven

Was actually 3-0.

And Kazakhstan are better than Andorra no doubt

Yes, maybe so, but they were playing Borat's men at home. Also, Andorra are a bunch of hatchet men determined to play with 10 men behind the ball - I put it to you that Russia only managed to beat Andorra last season 1-0 under similar circumstances.

Whilst no way am I suggesting we're anything but average at the moment, I do feel we've become the worst side EVER in people's opinions, whilst Croatia are now suddenly the new Brazil.

To be honest, that suits me fine - I prefer us to go into these games minus the hype, with plenty of doom and gloom

On the discussion about downing and walcott on the previous pages. For me walcott was pretty successful in the beginning in getting in behind and pulling the ball back from the by-line. It is a good tactic against a team with 10 men behind the ball all the time and strikers have a good chance to score from those positions not with height but with good movement. On the other side I think probably downing had the same instructions, faster than he looks, but being a decent crosser he favoured crossing it early instead. Here I think he didn't follow capello's instructions, hence his removal.

I didn't realise defoe was playing. If he is supposed to make clever runs he didn't do it or the andorans were organised enough to deal with it, so capello decided to try muscle instead with heskey and a change of formation, that's why he was shouting at cole and rooney becasue they weren't playing where he told them. Cole scored because he was playing where capello told him to play. The manager didn;t get everything right, but the players did a lot of basic things wrong, like passing.

Parks lives wrote:No one has.

You're the one mentioning four points...

bluenine wrote:

Axeslammer wrote:How the hell would a draw put England in the driving seat ?!

A away draw against Croatia will be very good for england, and will give them slight advantage.

It makes sure they're not out of it, that's something completely different than being "in the driving seat"...at least in my book it is.

Then again : in my book there might just be a couple of Croatians that could make the English team. Shows how deluded I am

Axeslammer wrote:

bluenine wrote:

Axeslammer wrote:How the hell would a draw put England in the driving seat ?!

A away draw against Croatia will be very good for england, and will give them slight advantage.

It makes sure they're not out of it, that's something completely different than being "in the driving seat"...at least in my book it is.

Then again : in my book there might just be a couple of Croatians that could make the English team. Shows how deluded I am

Well the annoying thing is that most of us don't doubt this at all. Yet still, even now, when the perception of English football is at a major low amongst the fans, we STILL get called out for arrogance and hype, based on a few quotes here and there picked up in the media.

Otto's Olympic Dream wrote:

Axeslammer wrote:

bluenine wrote:

Axeslammer wrote:How the hell would a draw put England in the driving seat ?!

A away draw against Croatia will be very good for england, and will give them slight advantage.

It makes sure they're not out of it, that's something completely different than being "in the driving seat"...at least in my book it is.

Then again : in my book there might just be a couple of Croatians that could make the English team. Shows how deluded I am

Well the annoying thing is that most of us don't doubt this at all. Yet still, even now, when the perception of English football is at a major low amongst the fans, we STILL get called out for arrogance and hype, based on a few quotes here and there picked up in the media.

Who has been calling you arrogant? the england fans on this board havent been arrogant really because i gues they have eyes.
i think it is mostly the media(pundits,commentators etc.) that give the bad image.
allthough i cants say too well i do think there has been a slight chance in tone after you missed the euros but you can tell me better?

Regarding the formation why hasnt Ashley Young been giving a chance? wasnt he the highest assister last season?
Also i dont really believe when people say that England simply arent good enough. its all about getting players to work together. i mean Croatia looked very good at times in the Euros but they arent exactly filled with stars.