***Official*** Road to World Cup 2014

[Pothas]

Ikki can make as many long posts as he likes but the idea of Parker over Carrick is hilarious.

Carrick and Gerrard seems reasonable enough to me, hopefully with Wilshere if he finds his fitness and form, or Rooney of course.

Lampard remains a decent option from the bench.

Agree with the basic point that a change in combination in midfield is going to make England a great passing side, that is obviously not the case but think that is the best option.

 

[sledger]

Ikki can make as many long posts as he likes but the idea of Parker over Carrick is hilarious.

Yeah. Got a definite sense of "too long, didn't read" over the last page or so.

 

[Uppercut]

If Sturridge can make the leap to International level then Rooney behind Sturridge could work.

I love this idea of a "leap" to international level. It's very noticeably of a much lower standard than high-level club football. I remember Lambert being praised for "making the step up" after getting a goal against Scotland, as if scoring past Allan McGregor suddenly becomes 100x more difficult when he's wearing a different shirt.

 

[sledger]

Even better was the debate as to whether he would be capable enough to lead the forward line against the mighty Moldova.

 

[MW1304]

Tbf facing teams like Ukraine and Poland is totally different to club football, not to mention playing with a different squad as well. It may not be a giant leap up in quality but it is certainly a leap of sorts.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Well, leap or not, Richard looked out of his depth versus the Ukraine.

Did his best, but it's one of those "bricks without straw" scenarios. He's a good target man, but on his own: nah.

 

[Uppercut]

Yeah a lot of players struggle because their country uses them in an unfamiliar role and Lambert the other night was another example of that.

He's a target man in the sense that he's good at knocking down little chips into the box. He's not a Drogba-type who you can hoof the ball out of defence at and expect to regularly come away with possession.

 

[Ikki]

Well, leap or not, Richard looked out of his depth versus the Ukraine.

Did his best, but it's one of those "bricks without straw" scenarios. He's a good target man, but on his own: nah.

It's also pretty hard when your manager has decided he doesn't really want to attack. Lambert isn't a first XI player, but I think it's a bit harsh to use the game against him.

 

[Cevno]

Tbf facing teams like Ukraine and Poland is totally different to club football, not to mention playing with a different squad as well. It may not be a giant leap up in quality but it is certainly a leap of sorts.

Indeed. Plus if England are moving forward surely they ought to be planning for facing stronger teams in the Euros than Moldova.

Someone like Ashley Young is a good example of a player who was dominating for 2 seasons at a mid table Prem club but really looked out of his depth when taking the leap to the next level at a Major International tournament.

 

[sledger]

Ashley Young has never dominated anything.

 

[Cevno]

Well, dominating maybe going too far depending on where you set the bar but he was definitely very good for Villa for 2/3 years and even performed well for England against some small teams.

Sturridge hasn't even performed consistently for that long yet. Though the signs look promising he is still to be tested at a higher level.

 

[Furball]

I love this idea of a "leap" to international level. It's very noticeably of a much lower standard than high-level club football. I remember Lambert being praised for "making the step up" after getting a goal against Scotland, as if scoring past Allan McGregor suddenly becomes 100x more difficult when he's wearing a different shirt.

How many English players regularly play high level club football?

A top 4 squad looks like:

Hart

Jones
Ferdinand
A. Cole
Cahill
Terry
Gibbs
Lescott
Richards

Carrick
Wilshere
Oxlade-Chamberlain
Lampard

Young
Milner
Walcott

Welbeck
Rooney

I've probably missed a couple of players, but that's a pretty thin squad even before we consider the fact that Terry and Ferdinand have retired, Richards and Lescott aren't regulars and Milner and Young are garbage.

 

[sledger]

Lescott is garbage as well.

 

[Furball]

As is Hart.

 

[Uppercut]

Also Cleverley, and Gerrard and Barry played at the top level for years. I might be missing your point, that seems like the vast majority of the squad to me. Of the starting XI with everyone fit the only players that haven't already played a lot at a higher level are Jagielka+Johnson.

Obvz some of those players are among the ****test players at big clubs but that's besides the point. They're still making a step down when they play at international level.

 

[BoyBrumby]

In all seriousness, it was one of the most blatantly bent decisions (allegedly, etc) in sporting administration either.

Shows the utter folly of having the vote for two tournaments simultaneously. Of ****ing course there'll be horse-trading, back-scratching and nob-twisting. & what greases the wheels better than oil (or oil money, to be exact)?

I could take our bid losing to Russia, who are a proper, serious footballing country; but Qatar? Nah, **** off. IIRC Australia was on of the 2022 options? How is a sandbucket with no stadia and roughly the same temperature as the surface of the sun a better bet? I mean, seriously?

Quite happy the Aussies haven't got it, they have their own "football", and quite frankly they're welcome to it. Anyway I fully intend to have drank myself to death by then, so can't say I'm bothered really.

Well they aren't taking it lying down, yer crims:

Oz to sue over 2022.

When the other contenders were the US and South Korea it really is a complete mind-**** that Qatar got the nod. I mean, seriously? Come on...

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Well they aren't taking it lying down, yer crims:

Oz to sue over 2022.

Presumably it would have been ok to move the World Cup to non-AFL time.

All options were dreadful for football.

 

[social]

Presumably it would have been ok to move the World Cup to non-AFL time.

All options were dreadful for football.

Aside from Qatar, all of the countries would put on a good show and it would be in no way dreadful for football

Heard the same bull**** pre 2002 and 2010 and look how they turned out

If anything, there is far more risk of a debacle in Brazil 2014 than with Oz, US, japan or Korea

 

[cpr]

Can't say USA would be a fine choice after the debacle that was the 94 opening ceremony. Diana Ross ffs, takes penalties like an Englishman.

 

[wpdavid]

Wilshere out and Townsend playing on the right apparently.

Cole's injury may not be the worst thing ever, as Baines offers far more going forward, which you'd expect to be important tonight, especially with the ongoing absence of any left-sided midfielder.

And the weather's foul in these parts, which reminds me of our goalie messing up in similar conditions against Croatia a few years back, especially with Hart's regular pratfalls.