The England Thread

[steds]

Except the World Cup

And pride. To lose all three games would be a right kick in the balls.

 

[aussie]

3-5-2 would only work with 3 centre halves, and Neville isn't good enough for the RWB spot IMO.

oh yes your right,its 3 centre halves i was viewing it differently in my mind just now. But still lets say in the next couple of years or the next WC couldn't the team work with 3 centre halves at the back, with options around Terry, Cole, Ferdinand, King, Brown etc? Since i really think that formation could make England look very strong in future with the amount of talent in the sqaud in mid-filed & defense.

 

[marc71178]

Cole? Brown? King?

Could just about get away with Terry and Carragher flanking Rio - at least covers for his lapses.

But still don't have a RWB as Comrade Gary isn't the right sort of player.

 

[Matteh]

what about 2 wide attacking midfielders and then either:
x-x-x across the middle
or
x-x
x

Just pointing out more options with the placement of players in the 3-5-2 system.

 

[aussie]

Cole? Brown? King?

Could just about get away with Terry and Carragher flanking Rio - at least covers for his lapses.

But still don't have a RWB as Comrade Gary isn't the right sort of player.

In the future with Brown & King along with Ferdinand, Carragher & Terry would be options as central defenders since Campbell is likely to decline sinc ehe is already 32, plus even though Cole generally plays on the left he just looks a natural defender and i think he could adapt to playing as a centre half:

With Neville i'm not talking currently i'm more looking at the future with him likely to lose his place in the next 2 years & the mid-field having so much talent probably Young or Carragher playing the RWB position:

This is the kind of line-up i was thinking about for the 3-5-2 system that England could have in the next 2 years to the 2010 WC.


-----------------Young--------------------------Terry-----------------------------------A Cole------------------------

----------------------------------------------------Carrick--------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------Gerrard------------------------------------------------------------------Downing------------------------

-------------------------------------Lampard------------------------J Cole------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------Owen------------------------------Rooney---------------------------------------------

 

[roseboy64]

Really would be better to have Gerrard in the middle though with either Lennon or Cole on the wing. Also, Carragher would be a better fit for this system.

 

[Matteh]

Can't help feel that team will leak a few goals without a goalkeeper

 

[Neil Pickup]

You cannot play football with one defender.

 

[Matteh]

I think Aussie is trying to sort out the midfield mess that is England - trying to get the right balance.
Personally i'm advocating the 4-5-1 system with a Rooneyless England

 

[roseboy64]

You cannot play football with one defender.

I'm thinking he means to have all three defenders staying back.

 

[DJellett]

Despite his obvious skill, why is their such a beat up with England needing to change their entire plans after Rooney's injury? Surely there is an appropriate replacement...

 

[marc71178]

what about 2 wide attacking midfielders and then either:
x-x-x across the middle
or
x-x
x

Just pointing out more options with the placement of players in the 3-5-2 system.

That leaves the flanks very exposed to opposition wingers - if you play 3 at the back you need wing backs really.

 

[marc71178]

even though Cole generally plays on the left he just looks a natural defender and i think he could adapt to playing as a centre half:

One thing he doesn't look is a natural defender.

There are plenty of better left sided defenders in the world IMO, even England have 1.

 

[marc71178]

Despite his obvious skill, why is their such a beat up with England needing to change their entire plans after Rooney's injury? Surely there is an appropriate replacement...

In all honesty there's probably only 2 other players in the world who could replace him - but one's French and one's Brazilian.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Despite his obvious skill, why is their such a beat up with England needing to change their entire plans after Rooney's injury? Surely there is an appropriate replacement...

Not really, or at least not one with even vaguely comparable ability. He's the one England player that absolutely every other manager coverts.

As for the sans-Rooney XI I have a suspicion that we might see a return to the much-missed "Christmas tree" (4-3-2-1) formation we're all such fans of!

----------------------------------------------Robinson---------------------------------------------------

G Neville-----------------------Terry------------------------Ferdinand--------------------A Cole

Beckham-----------------------------------Carrick------------------------------------------Gerrard

----------------------------------------Lampard--------------J Cole-------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------Owen--------------------------------------------------------

 

[aussie]

Really would be better to have Gerrard in the middle though with either Lennon or Cole on the wing. Also, Carragher would be a better fit for this system.

well i put Gerrard on the left with the idea if that happens the problems that he & Lampard tends to have would stop, but really if they both do play in the middle having Lennon on the right Cole or Downing on the left looks much stronger.

Carragher presently may be the best fit as a RWB in this system but we never know how Young could go in a couple years.

Also i hope between now & the next WC England could get another good enough striker since the gap between Owen, Rooney & the rest is really shocking

 

[aussie]

One thing he doesn't look is a natural defender.

There are plenty of better left sided defenders in the world IMO, even England have 1.

well i think he does, he has pace to topple defenders & get England out of trouble quickly, he is good enough in the air & tackles well, he may not be superb defensively but its good enough from what i've seen, so for me i dont think he would make a bad option as a left sided defender for England in a 3-5-2 system.

 

[marc71178]

well i put Gerrard on the left with the idea if that happens the problems that he & Lampard tends to have would stop, but really if they both do play in the middle having Lennon on the right Cole or Downing on the left looks much stronger.

I'd have thought you'd need stronger defensive players if you've got those 2 in the middle, not weaker!

Carragher presently may be the best fit as a RWB in this system but we never know how Young could go in a couple years.

Carragher is most definitely not a RWB at all, and I can't see that Young will develop into one.

 

[marc71178]

well i think he does, he has pace to topple defenders & get England out of trouble quickly, he is good enough in the air & tackles well, he may not be superb defensively but its good enough from what i've seen, so for me i dont think he would make a bad option as a left sided defender for England in a 3-5-2 system.

Except you then lose his main asset, going forward.

 

[aussie]

fair enough Marc, maybe the 3-5-2 system wont work so well in the future.