Fair few questions I think actually. Do we stick with Parker and Gerrard in the middle? Should we rest Cole and/or Terry? Should Rooney come straight in to the team, and if he does, is it Liverpool's Carroll or United's Welbeck? Desperately close to a loaded question that one.
In my opinion, the team should be,
Hart
Johnson Terry Lescott Baines
Parker Gerrard
Walcott Rooney Young
Welbeck
You can't go messing with the 2 centre halfs at this point. We have to get something. If it's 2-0 to England at some point, fair enough give Terry a rest. But building a partnership there is crucial to our hopes of doing well at this tournament.
Ashley Cole I think has had a good 2 games, but Leighton Baines is also a very good player. I think Roy can afford to give Ashley a rest, and challenge Leighton to give him a headache for who should start in the left-back position in the knockout rounds, while having a word in Cole's ear and telling him that on his day, he's the best in the world, so prove it in training before our next game.
As for Gerrard and Parker, I would like to give both the game off, but Gerrard is crucial to us in this competition. Made 2 goals with his delivery and is much more naturally talented going forward than any other central midfielder we have in the squad. As for Parker, I know he's not the most technical player in the side, and he gets made fun of a fair bit, but in my opinion, Scott Parker deserves this. He deserves to play every minute of every game from now on. His job is to fight and scrap in the middle of the park, to protect our back 4 as best he can and to make sure the team never give up. He hasn't been at his best the last two games, but he's been good. And I think that with every game he plays, he'll get better and better for us.
I've also taken out James Milner for Theo Walcott. I think that at this point in his career, Theo Walcott is a much better super-sub than starter, but he's played brilliantly at times this year for Arsenal. James Milner just isn't good enough to be an England starter if we want to progress as a footballing nation. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is a real talent, but imo, he's not ready, and the main reason he's there is because he's going to go to the next 6 major tournaments if he continues to progress at even half the rate he has done over the last year.
Ashley Young wasn't very good last night, but he is the best English wide player, technically very capable, and there's no one close to him for the left flank. I know Stuart Downing is an option, as is Oxlade-Chamberlain, but they aren't as good as Young in any aspects in my opinion.
Also, Wayne Rooney should start. But he's never had to prove his worth in and England shirt this much since Euro 2004. Of course he's goingto come in in place of Andy Carroll as well, which is a shame, because Carroll doesn't deserve to lose his place. How hard is it to remember than when Andy Carroll was made the most expensive ever English player, he was half a month past his 22nd birthday. He was a kid. A really big, strong kid, but a kid. And he's a man now, all the &£@€!!! he's been put through will have made him one, and even though he's a Liverpool player, I couldn't be happier for him honestly now that he seems to be getting through it and proving his worth. I don't want to encourage a Welbeck vs Carroll thread, but I will say that it's better to have a partnership that is proven to be devastatingly effective up front for England than one that only might be. I've got an opinion on who I think is the better of the two and why, but that is for another debate like I said. So yeah, Welbeck and Rooney.
So yeah, my 2 pence. Enjoy.
England 11 vs Ukraine?
posted on 16/6/12
Well i maybe in the vast minority (smallest ja606 minority) but i think Downing is a better left winger than young and if the trend of the right wingers tucking into midfield continues without cole overlapping (seems to have lost that pace to bomb forward though tbh so too johnson). Despite his assist numbers (which remain hilarious) he probably may be the best crosser on this team.
Well all that above was stated theoretically though. In reality, Downing has not played on the left wing for club for over a yr. His poor form (some liverpool fans will say lack of luck) cannot be denied. If rooney is starting with welbeck, then the best way to make rooneys addition go smoothly (and people are assuming the return will be seamless, i am not so sure) is to have him on.
Many have said you cannot bench him for 2 bad games which is true in a way, but when you could be out in 3 games and someone plays poorly in 2 it is a good reason to remove him.
I say start young and if he messes up again then get in downing or milner depending on the situation.
posted on 16/6/12
@comment by Redasarabiantomatoes
good post
posted on 16/6/12
--------------------Hart--------------
Johnson----Terry--Lescott---A.Cole
------------Gerrard---Jones------------
--Walcott------Rooney-------A.Young--
------------------Welbeck-------------------
Gerrard off early in second half for Henderson/Milner depending on score at the time
Barring any unexpected results, we will almost certianly be playing Spain in the next round
Parker and Gerrard have looked knackered midway through the second half of our games so far for whatever reason and let's face it, if we are to contain Spain, our midfielders will need to be fully charged
posted on 16/6/12
i really hope cole pulls his finger out
he's really not himself
posted on 16/6/12
Why are people thinking Parker can't play ?
Has he been ruled out or something ?
No time for experimenting in next game
posted on 16/6/12
Parker's 30 odd, he has played almost evry game for Sprus this season, he came into the tournament with a slight knock, his role is to run aroud like a headless chicken and get himself in the faces of oppoentns, he's going to burn out if he plays every 4 days.
Considering we only need a draw against a decent but not great Ukraine, we should rest him. It's not like he's that good anyway
We'll need him in top condition vs Spain.
posted on 16/6/12
Good post, agree with most of what you said. I'd keep the defence the same, they weren't great by any stretch against the Swedes but the best we have so c'est la vie!
Midfield Parker and Gerrard, only concern is Parkers fitness, he's looked sluggish and a bit off the pace, think Henderson could do a job, but wouldn't chance it.
Wingers I'd stick with Milner and Young. Think Milner has had some harsh criticism, admittedly he's not been great but has worked hard and done his job with minimum fuss. Young has been the biggest disappointment for me, expected a lot more but I would give him this game to perform, if he doesn't (and we get through) ten drop him. Theo and Ox are best as impact subs.
Up front is where it gets interesting. People arguing for Welbeck vs Carroll are missing the point, both have done well but are very different players. Welbeck makes intelligent runs hoping to be released and plays high up the pitch, whereas Carroll drops much deeper and holds the ball up, looking to release others. Rooney can play these roles better than the other two, but the question is which role do we want him to fill. For what it's worth I think Rooney is most effective playing just off the striker and roaming so I'd start with Welbeck.
posted on 17/6/12
Hold on a minute, if England lose we go out of the competition so no one should be "rested" that's for teams who have already qualified, Carroll will make way for Rooney and Milner will start, he's there to give cover/help out Glen Johnson, Theo doesn't track back, so if he played England would have to drop Johnson, or, we'll get murdered down our right, no tinkering please!
posted on 17/6/12
Nice thread OP. But in saying that, now is not the time to be resting players. Not to mention resting the best left back England has. We need one point and we need to give ourselves the best possible chance of getting it. No time for tinkering.
As for the rest of your team, i'd agree hands down. But the Cole rested part - not a chance mate!
posted on 17/6/12
there is a reason you take a squad and that is to allow yourself to rotate a little, all the top premier league teams do it. The problem is that there is no strength in depth with this squad which means rotation equals weakening the team. No way though can you win the tournament using 14 or 15 players only.