The Ultimate England Thread

Dead man-a-walking.

With Beckham crocked and watching the games in the early morning in his Bel-Air Mansion next to his swimming pool overlooking the Santa Monica Mountains, McClueless has been rather clued up and picked some pace, dynamism and fresh succulent blood to devour and spit out when it goes hideously wrong like Phil Neville's head.

Goalkeepers:

Robinson (Tottenham)
James (Portsmouth)
Carson (Aston Villa)

Defenders:

Richards (Man City)
P Neville (Everton)
Ferdinand (Man Utd)
Terry (Chelsea)
Campbell (Portsmouth)
A Cole (Chelsea)
Shorey (Reading)
Brown (Man Utd)

Midfielders:

Barry (Aston Villa)
Wright-Phillips (Chelsea)
Bentley (Blackburn)
Gerrard (Liverpool)
Hargreaves (Man Utd)
Lampard (Chelsea)
Carrick (Man Utd)
Downing (Middlesbrough)
J Cole (Chelsea)

Forwards:

Owen (Newcastle)
Crouch (Liverpool)
Smith (Newcastle)
Johnson (Everton)
Defoe (Tottenham)
A Young (Aston Villa).

Firstly, please no Crouch. It might help when Dudu Awate flaps at crosses, but without Beckham its a waste playing him. Let's attack their lack of pace at the back and get our forwards running at them. Start Defoe, give Hargreaves some freedom to some damage and let Gerrard bomb through the midfield and dominate the centre of the park. Stick with Robbo, he needs confidence and not a kick in the teeth after one game - he's still better than Carson and James. SWP or Bentley on the right, Cole on the left = winning formula.

Let's go;

Robbo

Richards----JT----Rio----A.Cole/Shorey (fitness wise)

Hargreaves

SWP/Bentley-----Gerrard-------Cole

Defoe----Owen

6 points in 2 games. No question. Otherwise he can start writing out his P45.

Reply 1

gaijin

OP

1

8th September:

Russia vs Macedonia
England vs Israel
Croatia vs Estonia

12th September:

Andorra vs Croatia
Macedonia vs Estonia
England vs Russia

Standings:

Croatia - 7 - 17
Israel - 8 - 17
-----------------
Russia - 7 - 15
England - 7 - 14
Macedonia - 7 - 7
Estonia - 8 - 3
Andorra - 8 - 0

Looking at the remaining games, Russia could slip up at home to Macedonia and most definitely in Israel on the final day. This could open it up, provided that Croatia win the group, which they should do, given their remaining games.

Anything less that a win against Israel and we will struggle to qualify. Tie-breakers are head to head.

Reply 2

ManUtdFanDean

We will win so hes not getting sacked

Reply 3

filastini

14

No Crouch? Definitely not worth reading.

In short, Crouch doesn't only score when Beckham is playing. He scored many many goals when Beckham wasn't even in the team. And he's England's on form striker.

I think you're more clueless than McClaren. :smile:

Reply 4

DJR

Confident we'll get 6 from 6, even with the injuries. If we can't beat Israel and Russia with a few injuries then we really need to look at ourselves.

Going to the Israel game, annoyed at all the players geting injures :frown:

Reply 5

Ronaldo VII

2

37927

No Crouch? Definitely not worth reading.

In short, Crouch doesn't only score when Beckham is playing. He scored many many goals when Beckham wasn't even in the team. And he's England's on form striker.

I think you're more clueless than McClaren. :smile:

Isn't Crouch suspended for the 1st game?

Reply 6

johnboy91

I was thinking that. That's why McClaren left him out against Germany?

Reply 7

Ronaldo VII

2

johnboy91

I was thinking that. That's why McClaren left him out against Germany?

Exactly.

Reply 8

Tut.exe

14

I still dont see why the manager has to be British when they desperately want to raise a cup.

Reply 9

filastini

14

Ronaldo VII

Isn't Crouch suspended for the 1st game?

Is he? I don't know :s-smilie:

But I'm questioning the OP's view to want to leave him out.

No one's goal-to-game ratio in the England team comes anywhere near Crouch's, and I just don't know how he could be left out. He's just magnificent for England.

Reply 10

Overmars

17

If England finish 2nd, is it automatically qualification or do they have to go through play-offs?

Reply 11

Ronaldo VII

2

Synergetic

If England finish 2nd, is it automatically qualification or do they have to go through play-offs?

I think its top 2 automatically qualify.

Reply 12

Mischievous Mj

6

No Crouch? Definitely not worth reading.

In short, Crouch doesn't only score when Beckham is playing. He scored many many goals when Beckham wasn't even in the team. And he's England's on form striker.

I think you're more clueless than McClaren.

I'll second that notion, and add in that Crouch is rubbish at finishing from headers anyway, so where is the need for Becks to be there delivering pinpoint crosses? Crouch has the best scoring record of any option available to McClaren, 12 from 20 for England (I think) coupled with his Champions League form last time out of 8 from 10 makes for a pretty hansom return at the elite level of the game. I'll take a striker who nets 2 goals every 3 games any day of the week!!!

Seriously though, Defoe???? Why would you start a player with the same 'game' as Owen minus the ability to put the ball in the back of the net? Crouch can win the ball, control it then distribute and allow Owen to get in behind defences and do what he does best. There's a damn good reason why Sven never picked Defoe for the initial World Cup squad!

At the back, I've never understood how ANYONE in their right mind could favour Rio "I can't pass" Ferdinand over Jamie Carragher, but England's loss is Liverpool's gain now, not that it matters with his busted ribs anyway.

If we can't beat Israel and Russia with a few injuries then we really need to look at ourselves.

Never underestimate the Guus Hiddink factor. It's a shame that England never managed to secure his services, and an even bigger one that my beloved homeland Down Under couldn't afford to keep him on after Germany. By far the best Manager/Coach of the modern era.

Reply 13

chocolatebear

striking with crouch suspended will be a bit of a problem, owen is still not up to form and fitness, and our other strikers are much too average. the problem is where the goals are going to come from. it's pretty much a lose lose situation for england. if we lose we're out of euro 2008 which is obviously terrible. if we win mclaren keeps his job and we embarrass ourselves for a further few years, or however long his contract is.

Reply 14

filastini

14

Peter Crouch
Caps: 20 Goals: 12
Average goals per game: 0.6

Michael Owen
Caps: 83 Goals: 37
Average goals per game: 0.44

Wayne Rooney
Caps: 38 Goals: 12
Average goals per game: 0.3

Jermaine Defoe
Caps: 24 Goals: 3
Average goals per game: 0.12

Alan Smith
Caps: 18 Goals: 1
Average goals per game: 0.05

Andy Johnson
Caps: 7 Goals: 0
Average goals per game: 0

Capiche?

Reply 15

Overmars

17

37927

Peter Crouch
Caps: 20 Goals: 12
Average goals per game: 0.6

Michael Owen
Caps: 83 Goals: 37
Average goals per game: 0.44

Wayne Rooney
Caps: 38 Goals: 12
Average goals per game: 0.3

Jermaine Defoe
Caps: 24 Goals: 3
Average goals per game: 0.12

Alan Smith
Caps: 18 Goals: 1
Average goals per game: 0.05

Andy Johnson
Caps: 7 Goals: 0
Average goals per game: 0

Capiche?

To play devil's advocate, I'm sure I could bring up similar statistics over such a short space of time that'd make Cygan look good. :smile:

Reply 16

ManUtdFanDean

37927

Peter Crouch
Caps: 20 Goals: 12
Average goals per game: 0.6

Michael Owen
Caps: 83 Goals: 37
Average goals per game: 0.44

Wayne Rooney
Caps: 38 Goals: 12
Average goals per game: 0.3

Jermaine Defoe
Caps: 24 Goals: 3
Average goals per game: 0.12

Alan Smith
Caps: 18 Goals: 1
Average goals per game: 0.05

Andy Johnson
Caps: 7 Goals: 0
Average goals per game: 0

Capiche?

Crouch is good for England but how many of those goals were against teams that any1 could of scored against? Jamaica he scored 3 and a few other easy games

Reply 17

filastini

14

Synergetic

To play devil's advocate, I'm sure I could bring up similar statistics over such a short space of time that'd make Cygan look good. :smile:

a) You could say Crouch has done exceptionally well to make such a good impact in a 'short' space of time
b) If you think it's a 'short' space of time, even then, would that be a reason to drop Crouch? Surely any sane manager would let him continue his excellent form.

Reply 18

filastini

14

ManUtdFanDean

Crouch is good for England but how many of those goals were against teams that any1 could of scored against? Jamaica he scored 3 and a few other easy games

Why don't anyone else score [more] against Jamaica or in other easy games.