beckham back for england

[corporate whore]

RenegadeDog's right - you should play for England if you're in form, not just because you showed some form a couple of years back

*cough* Lampard*cough*

ON that basis, Backham should be in the squad, but in the team? Not for me.

Joe Cole may be a window-licking jamook, but he's Ingurland's most effective midfielder. I'd play him on the right.

Would like to add my support to the posters who compare SteveMcLaren'sTeeth to the male genitalia - he sure is.

 

[ZAMB]

You can smell the desperation over this, a couple of matches in and he hasn't got a clue.

Perhaps England should have nabbed Lawrie Sanchez before he left us for Fulham? He is the UK's most successful international manager, after all, and I bet Fulham are paying him a small fraction of what McClaren gets. Or maybe he couldn't win for you with a team of premiership primadonnas - it ain't what he's used to.

 

[mrkikiet]

beckham has been absolutely class for madrid recently. He's also more in 'match form' than any other member of the england squad.
joe Cole ahead of beckham on the right would be an absolute joke.

 

[gabi]

I must've missed it - when exactly was beckham out of form? he was dropped by madrid because of internal politics, and dropped by that bank manager from middlesbrough coz he wanted to show how big his balls were...

not once during that time was beckham playing badly. hargreaves narrowly pipped him to being englands best player at the world cup.

 

[stavros]

Same applies in the Premiership, for their 18m Utd have got a slow moving player who can't tackle and fades on the biggest stage.

So teams win the league with crap players in the engine room? In Gerrard, Lennon, Rooney, Owen and perhaps Cole, England have players who can do the spectacular seat-filling stuff. Carrick does what is necessary and won't always go for the 60 yarder if there's a better, shorter ball to be played to a nearby team-mate. He's not a headline writer no, but he's damn effective.

 

[William of Walworth]

I thought Aaron Lennon was injured anyway?

Mixed feelings about this Beckham move ...

 

[jjlewenzo]

beckham has been absolutely class for madrid recently. He's also more in 'match form' than any other member of the england squad.
joe Cole ahead of beckham on the right would be an absolute joke.

Anyone who accualy watches football rather than just talks bollocks about it would agree with the good man - Beckham's fucking right on it just now that makes it easy.

 

[Genghis Cohen]

So teams win the league with crap players in the engine room?

The men from blackburn, they say; yes.

(nb, carrick probably isn't 'shit' but he only gets in the team based on who he plays for, same with that foster, if he were still at watford or wherever he'd not get a look in.)

 

[stavros]

I agree that a player's club does seem to have an influence. Carrick does seem to get a lot more of a look in since moving up north for instance. It also took a long time for Eriksson to drop James, ex of Liverpool, plus would Walcott have even got mentioned had he not had that much publicised move to "a big club"? Scott Parker never gets mentioned either, although whilst a good player I agree he wouldn't be a first choice.

 

[mrkikiet]

Scott Parker never gets mentioned either, although whilst a good player I agree he wouldn't be a first choice.

THere's a reason for that, which is that scott parker has been absolute toilet this season for Newcastle. Nicky Butt, remember him? deserves more of a place in the England squad.

And exactly how Dyer is still there or thereabouts makes you wonder exactly what Mclaren bases his decisions on.

 

[stavros]

To broaden the point of judgement to beyond Englishmen, whenever the best goalkeeper in the league is discussed, it always seems to be Van Der Sar or Cech, sometimes Lehmann thrown in there too. I, for one, would always pick Shay Given ahead of that trio, but Titus Bramble rather than John Terry in front of you rather wrecks your stats.

 

[ZAMB]

And exactly how Dyer is still there or thereabouts makes you wonder exactly what Mclaren bases his decisions on.

I think that he bases his decisions mostly on personal favoritism and the size/prestige of club played for. I wasn't at all impressed by Owen in that 'B' game, and Crouch should be picked ahead of him just on the basis of recent England form.

For England, Crouch has five goals this season - all of which came at the start of McClaren's reign and it was he more than anyone who ensured the England manager that comfortable start before the nightmare began against Croatia in October. Crouch scored those five in McClaren's first three games in charge despite the new manager originally planning to drop him in favour of Dean Ashton who subsequently broke his ankle before the Greece game last August.

After two against Greece, Crouch scored another two against Andorra and the winner against Macedonia - and in terms of Group E that away victory in Skopje could yet prove crucial. But the reward for Crouch has been playing in the shadow XI in training while the manager McClaren picks Michael Owen and Alan Smith in his place. The same Smith who has scored only one goal for England and publicly confronted McClaren when he was dropped during the America summer tour in 2005.

http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/internationals/article2594087.ece

On Beckham, this is from the Indy's report of the first day of training

And so to the training game. Beckham was not handed one of the dreaded bibs, instead he was in the first team alongside Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Joe Cole in midfield. Just like old times: four attackers and no one with a clue how to defend. Again he played it simple, at least until he saw Michael Owen break down the left with seconds left. No more restraint: he hit a lofted 40-yard ball straight to the striker, who cut it back for Smith to score the winning goal.

http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/internationals/article2591481.ece

At least, in Madrid, the manager had the guts to admit he'd been wrong to leave Beckham out. According to the press, bringing him back saved his job. It would be ironic if McClaren also managed to salvage his job by bringing Beckham back - although I would be surprised if there is ever any apology from him.

 

[mrkikiet]

to be fair to Mclaren he didn't go round saying quite the same things that the Real Madrid board and managers were about Beckham. His was a more impled criticism and a desperate need to look 'strong' when everyone knows he isn't.

Shay Given isn't the best golakeeper in the league because although he is a very good shot stopper he doesn't command his area or boss teh defence effectively. Can you imagine Bramble repeatedly making mistakes if Schmiechel had been all over him every time he did?

 

[kained&able]

i DON'T SEE THE POINT IF HE IS JOINING A MICKY MOUSE LEAGUE IN A MONTHS TIME.

THAT BEING SAID WITH LENNON OUT WE ARE ONLY REALLY LEFT WITH WRIGHT-PHILLIPS AS AN OPTION, WHICH ISN'T A GOOD ONE.

SO BECKHAM BACK FOR NOW BUT I REALLY DON'T WANT TO SEE HIM IN THE NEXT SQUAD.

edit i just about agree with stavros regarding given as well. he has been about the best keepr in the premier league for a fair few years. cech just hasn't had enough time yet, van der saar is getting old now and moved to a big club to late and lehman is a bit shit to be quite honest.

cRRICK ONLY GETS IN THE SIDE COS HES AT MANURE? IM FAIRLY SURE HE HAD A FEW CAPS WHEN HE WAS AT SPURS AND POSSIBLY EVEN A COUPLE AT WEST HAM. cARRICK HOWEVER ISN'T A HOLDING MIDFIELD PLAYER AND WE HAVE A FEW BETTER CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS THEN HIM.

Dave

 

[ZAMB]

THAT BEING SAID WITH LENNON OUT WE ARE ONLY REALLY LEFT WITH WRIGHT-PHILLIPS AS AN OPTION, WHICH ISN'T A GOOD ONE.

I'd take SWP before Lennon any time.

As for the Mickey mouse league comment - people don't become any less talented when they start playing for a lower league, do they?

 

[Balbi]

Everyone's wanking like fuck over Nicky Shorey

Matty Taylor has fucking twonked Shorey over the last four season, having the prem experience and all

Shame about his injury, he'll never bloody get picked until he leaves Pompey

McClaren is a coooooont

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

I disagree about SWP being the only cover for Lennon. Bentley is also a great player.

 

[kained&able]

I'd take SWP before Lennon any time.

As for the Mickey mouse league comment - people don't become any less talented when they start playing for a lower league, do they?

not less talented but if your playing agaisnt better players you keep your sharpness and remember how to get by decent defenders rather then people who couldn't make the grade at baseball or whatever. i doubt his crossing and deadballs wil suffer but everything else will as he just wont need to put in as much effort to fool inferior players.

bentley is a ggood option down the right i have been very impressed with him in the prem this season and for the under 21s. not quite ready for the full squad yet though, hopefully he will be by the next time we have to announce a squad.

and lennon is twice the player swp has ever been.


dave

 

[heartof gold]

you cant blame him he is worried about his job and the team performance. Lets see whether it was worth it?

 

[Genghis Cohen]

bentley is a ggood option down the right i have been very impressed with him in the prem this season and for the under 21s. not quite ready for the full squad yet though, hopefully he will be by the next time we have to announce a squad.

and lennon is twice the player swp has ever been.


dave

Admittedly I don't follow english football anymore, what with it being one step up from professional wrestling on the credibility scale, but hasn't lennon been struggling to play on the right at club level ?

Something that evades me, and I'll freely admit I've only seen him in Europe is why Pennant isn't in the squad, probably would have been MotM in the CL final if not for the fact it was the same fella who scored both goals, was probably MotM in the second leg semi (though Makelele was immense in ET,) he's got his faults (particularly limited in the type of crosses he can deliver and he always seems to slow down play rather than speed it up) but if theres space for enormously average players like dyer and jenas then there's surely room for him.

 

[stavros]

cRRICK ONLY GETS IN THE SIDE COS HES AT MANURE? IM FAIRLY SURE HE HAD A FEW CAPS WHEN HE WAS AT SPURS AND POSSIBLY EVEN A COUPLE AT WEST HAM. cARRICK HOWEVER ISN'T A HOLDING MIDFIELD PLAYER AND WE HAVE A FEW BETTER CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS THEN HIM.

It depends on your definition of a holding midfielder. Carrick may not be a Roy Keane figure, but he has very few peers when it comes to orchestrating from deep. An immensely clever and subtle player.

 

[kained&able]

HOLDING MIDFIELDER HAS TO BE ABLE TO TACKLE WELL THOUGH. CARRICK CAN'T. HES MORE OF AN ALONSO TYPE INNIT. QUARTER BACKING THE ATTACK ALTHOUGH HES PLAYING FURTHER FOWARD FOR MANURE AND LOOKING MUCH BETTER FOR IT.

And yeah lennon has been a bit shit on the right for spurs this season, hoping that will change soon though, hes been better then swp though who did fuck all again. I would have pennent, lennon and swp in any squad over dyer and jenas.

The one i think should be there though is milner. not sure if he should be left or right but if its left then cole can switch wings and they can roatate around anyway. i love milner.


dave

 

[stavros]

HOLDING MIDFIELDER HAS TO BE ABLE TO TACKLE WELL THOUGH. CARRICK CAN'T. HES MORE OF AN ALONSO TYPE INNIT. QUARTER BACKING THE ATTACK ALTHOUGH HES PLAYING FURTHER FOWARD FOR MANURE AND LOOKING MUCH BETTER FOR IT.

I like him in the deep-lying position. Italy proved it works on the international stage last summer with Pirlo accompanied by Gattusso, and last night demonstrated to me that we should try playing Gerrard as the tackler and Carrick as the orchestrator. I think both are disciplined enough to work together without leaving holes, as occurs with Gerrard with Lampard.

 

[kained&able]

yeah i would have no problem with that. but gerrad would be doing a lot of carricks work for him.

At the moment my prefered midfield for england would have carrick and gerrad in the centre it has to be said. hargreevs coming in when we need some real steel. Carrick is starting to learn how to tackle and shoot now he is at manure.



dave

 

[stavros]

I have been a big fan of Carrick for a few years, but will concede that tackiling is not his forte. What he can do however is intercept loose balls and distribute them quickly and effectively, and not necessarily the high ball which doesn't immediately suit our somewhat short strike force. he can find a runner like Lennon or Owen very well though.