My team if everyone fit : Robinson : Neville, Ferdinand, Woodgate, Bridge : Beckham, Gerard, Scholes or Jenas, Barry : Owen, Rooney.
Bench from : Jenas or Scholes, Smith, Southgate, Lampard, Dyer, Vassell, Terry, J. Cole, A Cole, Beattie, Kirkland, Murphy, Defoe.
No David James. No Campbell. I can't think of a third keeper who should be there. The U-21 keepers are either reserves (Bywater) or Div. 1 (Murray) so who else is there? The only other regular English premiership keepers are Hoult (not for long) and Richard Wright.
― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 2 April 2003 06:15 (twenty-one years ago) link
― chris (chris), Wednesday, 2 April 2003 06:19 (twenty-one years ago) link
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Wednesday, 2 April 2003 07:48 (twenty-one years ago) link
I though Rooney showed real poise and flair when he got the ball in the Liechenstein box and let it run onto his left foot before shooting. Pity the second defender blocked it cos he hit it well. I'd play him.
― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 2 April 2003 08:17 (twenty-one years ago) link
Agree on the first point - Erickson clearly isn't getting the best out of Scholes. The comparison with his performances last year (for United) is interesting. It took him a while to settle into a new role further forward (god knows why, it's not like he hadn't played there before - when he broke into the team it was as a mini ginger Cantona), and now he feels he has to stay further back for England, making his performances more confused. You could make an argument that change initially inhibits Scholes, that he needs his manager to more clearly define his role. (btw, I should point out I didn't see Saturday's game, so I'm relying on reports as to how he played.)
You asked me to speculate about buying Veron. I don't think he was bought as a 'replacment' for Scholes - he was bought to add to the strength of the squad. I don't think Ferguson had settled on an ideal first XI in his mind when he bought him (and how often do you have a chance to field that nowadays anyway with injuries, suspensions etc?). I think it was a case of wanting to add Veron's stengths to the team rather than any deficiencies of specific players.
Your point comparing Scholes and Ljungberg seems a little nonsensical. Scholes makes 'effective' runs into the box because he often scores from that position (whether it looks 'scripted' to you or not), as does Ljungberg. Scholes also scores a lot of goals from hanging back outside the box and getting on the end of knockdowns/clearances/deflections. His scoring record (equally strong in internationals, albeit not recently, and in European games) suggests he often gets the balance right.
― James Ball (James Ball), Wednesday, 2 April 2003 09:11 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 2 April 2003 09:13 (twenty-one years ago) link
we shall see...
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Wednesday, 2 April 2003 09:32 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 2 April 2003 09:53 (twenty-one years ago) link
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Wednesday, 2 April 2003 20:30 (twenty-one years ago) link
nevilleneville colebridgeterry campbellsouthgatecarragher
lampardgerrardbeckhamscholesdyerhargreavescolebutt
rooneyowendefoeheskey
this may well be the squad for 2004. other contenders: vassel, king, jenas, brown, smith, mills, johnson + many more who i can't remember. injuries = kirkland, woodgate. susp = ferdinand.
who would u pick? who am i forgetting?
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 11:54 (twenty years ago) link
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 11:57 (twenty years ago) link
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 11:59 (twenty years ago) link
― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 12:00 (twenty years ago) link
(jesus would be good, actually. He's a good shot stopper.)
― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 12:01 (twenty years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 12:02 (twenty years ago) link
u can always drop one of those midfielders :-) Which of those two do you think WILL go steve? defoe played well under the careful watch of mr. gripp at the weekend. my money is on he.
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 12:03 (twenty years ago) link
― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 12:14 (twenty years ago) link
RobinsonJamesMartyn (playing better than Walker despite his age)
G NevilleA ColeBridgeTerry CampbellSouthgateMills
LampardGerrardBeckhamScholesBarry (criminally overlooked so far and can play left midfield or leftback if called upon)Parker (more versatile than Hargreaves and generally better IMO)ColeButt
RooneyOwenDefoeHeskey
I might put Phil Neville in to play in central midfield but not at fullback, but I reckon there's enough cover there.
― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 12:21 (twenty years ago) link
― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 12:23 (twenty years ago) link
my guess:
james
g.nevilleterrycampbella.cole
beckslampardscholesgerrard (strong hints that he will be used narrow on the left, did a great job there home to turkey, but may be a mistake)
rooneyowen
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 12:33 (twenty years ago) link
probably about right there weasel, although i'd prolly go for bridge over cole (cole to solve the left-wing problem?)
― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 12:39 (twenty years ago) link
nevillesouthgatecolecampbellneville bridgeterry carragher
rooneygerrardscholesbeckhamlampardparkerhargreavesbutt
beattieowendefoevassell
ken's crazy 11
Robinson neville campbell cole gerrardbeckham rooney Lampard Scholes Beattie Owen
neville campbell cole
gerrardbeckham rooney Lampard Scholes
Beattie Owen
― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 12:44 (twenty years ago) link
― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 12:46 (twenty years ago) link
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 12:47 (twenty years ago) link
Neville Campbell Terry Bridge
Gerrard and Lampard in central midfield, Beckham right, Barry left in a straight 4-4-2, or Beckham-Gerrard-Lampard-Scholes in the diamond, with Gerrard on the left.
Rooney and Owen upfront
― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 12:48 (twenty years ago) link
― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 12:48 (twenty years ago) link
haha you were expecting different?
― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 12:51 (twenty years ago) link
james, robinson, martyn
g.neville, p. neville, terry, campbell, southgate, bridge, cole
beckham, dyer, scholes, lampard, gerrard, hargreaves, barry, butt
heskey, rooney, owen, defoe
final place = fite between vassel and parker
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 12:57 (twenty years ago) link
James, Robinson, Walker, G Neville, Terry, Campbell, Cole, Bridge, Mills, Southgate, Upson, Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard, Hargreaves, Dyer, Scholes, Butt, Owen, Heskey, Rooney, Vassell
― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 13:00 (twenty years ago) link
i forgot about upson. he has been in a few squads, and with woodie and ferdy absent, tou never know...
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 13:02 (twenty years ago) link
― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 13:15 (twenty years ago) link
Zak Knight [Southgate is not going to recover intime]Gareth Barry [can play at Left Back, Left Midfield or even Central Defence]
― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 13:30 (twenty years ago) link
― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 13:31 (twenty years ago) link
― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 13:32 (twenty years ago) link
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 13:33 (twenty years ago) link
― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 13:33 (twenty years ago) link
― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 13:35 (twenty years ago) link
― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 13:38 (twenty years ago) link
11 [+ 5 Subs] his so called strongest team optionsplay against 11 [+ 5 subs] next top 16 selected
You would learn a lot more about players stengths/weaknesses from such a game than a so called friendly.
― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 13:46 (twenty years ago) link
― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 13:49 (twenty years ago) link
What year did England scrap B squads?
― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 13:53 (twenty years ago) link
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Tuesday, 11 May 2004 13:56 (twenty years ago) link
Phil Neville is in - Why !also ...Gareth Southgate Wes Brown Ledley King Jamie Carragher
Gareth Barry is better, versatile, and physically fit - than all of the above
― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 17 May 2004 12:07 (twenty years ago) link
GOALKEEPERS David James Paul Robinson Ian Walker
DEFENDERS John Terry Sol Campbell Gary Neville Ashley Cole Wayne Bridge Phil Neville Gareth Southgate Wes Brown Ledley King Jamie Carragher
MIDFIELDERS David Beckham Nicky Butt Steven Gerrard Paul Scholes Scott Parker Owen Hargreaves Kieron Dyer Frank Lampard
STRIKERS Michael Owen Emile Heskey Wayne Rooney Darius Vassell Jermain Defoe
― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 17 May 2004 12:09 (twenty years ago) link
ENGLAND PROFILES
DEFENDERS Wayne Bridge Sol Campbell Jamie Carragher Ashley Cole Ledley King Gary Neville Phil Neville John Terry
MIDFIELDERS David Beckham Nicky Butt Joe Cole Kieron Dyer Steven Gerrard Owen Hargreaves Frank Lampard Paul Scholes
STRIKERS Emile Heskey Michael Owen Wayne Rooney Darius Vassell
― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 17 May 2004 12:10 (twenty years ago) link
Phil Neville is in because he can play in three different positions on the pitch, even if he's only really any good in central midfield. I'm surprised to see Southgate in there, but Matthew Upson, how your stock has plummeted.
Yay Scotty Parker! Go there! Now someone break Owen Hargreaves' leg so Parker can go to Portugal.
― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 17 May 2004 12:12 (twenty years ago) link
― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 17 May 2004 12:13 (twenty years ago) link
i have seen toshack's punditry on irish tv, so i can confirm that he is a moron
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 12 November 2004 19:01 (nineteen years ago) link
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Wednesday, 9 February 2005 23:58 (nineteen years ago) link
May 17th 2005 Sven calls Zat Knight into the England squad
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4548587.stm
ha who needs Sven to spot players !
― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 15:23 (nineteen years ago) link
― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 15:26 (nineteen years ago) link
― $V£N! (blueski), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 15:31 (nineteen years ago) link
― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 15:32 (nineteen years ago) link
― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 16:54 (nineteen years ago) link
Just like Shaun Derry, eh Martian?
It must be a great honour knowing you're the best English centreback that isn't Rio Ferdinand, Sol Campbell, John Terry, Jonathan Woodgate, Ledley King, Wes Brown, Jamie Carragher, Matthew Upson or Michael 'five games for Spurs' Dawson.
― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 18:42 (nineteen years ago) link
― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 17 May 2005 19:41 (nineteen years ago) link