Let's help out Fabio

[Enfield United]

No not Valenti, I meant Capello.

 

Bring on your opinions on how capello can balance the England team bearing in mind he has injuries to deal with.

 

I'll kick off by saying the starting line up should be Green (cos if you drop him he'd be finished of confidence) Johnson (cos their's no other right back option) Cole, Terry, Upson, Barry, Lampard, Gerrard, Rooney, Crouch and Defoe. We should go long ball to Crouch, Rooney and Defoe feeding off, Lampard and Gerrard supporting with Barry covering, Johnson and Cole can offer width and Upson and Terry stay back except for set pieces, there you go one man's opinion and the World Cup win is back on.

 

England try playing the passing game but it's not in the English culture or upto the continetals level, so stick to the cultural strengths

[Steph]

I have seen the two England games and read many of the comments in the Guardian and Observer newspapers. I have decided to offer my opinion of what is wrong in this forum. Most of you know me and so the chances of flaming are limited and, in any event, I can flame back in the same tone as it is received.

 

Fabio has said that the team is fearlul. Well he has to question where that fear has come from. It is my view that he has been fearful as a coach and when the games matter he cannot find it in his mind to experiment and take a chance on youth.

 

Look at the spine of the team that played against Algeria. James, Terry, Garragher, Lampard and Gerrard. It only needed Beckham and we would have the same geriatrics that failed in the European Nations Cup, failed in the past two world cups so why does anybody think they can do it now when they are 4 years older. At least Sven was confident enough to take Theo Walcot to Japan - Capello picks Mat Dawson but does not even use him as substitute.

 

Brooking writing in the Observer today praises the under 17's for their performance in the European U 17 championship but believes it will take 5 years before they make an impact on the National Squad. Didn't Pele, Best, Charlie George, Osgood etc make an impact when they were teenagers. I am not advocating the inclusion of youth for its own sake but surely we must have some good young players around. Even Rooney was a teenager when he first played for England but looks an old man now.

 

Our premiership is supposed to be the best in the world but it only picks players who have already made a name for themselves elsewhere. Perhaps we should go looking for England players in the lower reaches of the league. After all Algeria have a Wolverhampton Wanderers player in their squad.

 

Hodgson for England Manager anybody?

[Enfield United]

The 'geriatrics' you refer too only failed previously on pen's so thats a bit harsh. The growing problem with Capello is that he is being stubborn leaving out Joe Cole, not playing Gerrard in his strongest position and showed no balls to substitute Rooney when he was having a stinker. I think Heskey is a non starter for the Slovenia game as he was dreadful. I agree that he has chosen a total 28+ age group for his squad and you need some raw hungry youngsters in he team too, Walcot could well have been used now instead of SWP and so far a non productive Lennon (although i do like Lennon). The back four mind looked very solid, though carragher is a worry.

 

 

The line up on weds should read James, jonson, ashley cole, terry, upson, lennon, barry, lampard, joe cole, gerrard + rooney with crouch and defoe being given at least 30mins to effect a game should things be all square or worse.

 

However reading the papers today there seems to be without doubt some arguements and discontent in the camp and the FA playing their part in it too. A win on weds (which I think they will) will settle things down as England are hard to beat. Knockout fixtures offer first Ghana/denmark (as long as germany are avoided) and then uruguay or maybe mexico in the quatres. So who knows, win weds first and the mood could change.

 

 

 

[Bald Fella]

With regard to the keeper, i feel it has to be Hart if only for the fact that England need to find a world class stopper. You could argue that all three in South Africa are similar in ability but Green and James are the finished article, average keepers. Hart on the other hand has had a good season and is developing rapidly, With no obvious No1 in the squad ie Seaman, Shilton, Banks it doesn't seem to me a difficult decision.

[Enfield United]

With regard to the keeper, i feel it has to be Hart if only for the fact that England need to find a world class stopper. You could argue that all three in South Africa are similar in ability but Green and James are the finished article, average keepers. Hart on the other hand has had a good season and is developing rapidly, With no obvious No1 in the squad ie Seaman, Shilton, Banks it doesn't seem to me a difficult decision.

 

 

Yes I agree and hopefully he'll be given the shirt for the Euro Qualifiers, it makes sense. But England need to get their forward play sorted NOW

 

 

 

[andyetfc]

Take 3 keepers to South Africa.

 

1 kept goal for a team which was relegated.

 

1 kept goal for a team which was nearly relegated.

 

1 kept goal for a team which finished quite high in the Premiership.

 

Now the big question is, 'which one would you put in goal'?