09-08-2003, 03:09 PM
Is it me or do England far too often bottle out of football games? Sure we have the odd great performance such as versus Argentina and Germany a few years back - and I'm not expecting 5-0 wins every game - but why do the team vastly underperform so consistently? Goalie is usually fine, no matter who it is. The defense are embarresing - these are some of the best in Europe and they are guaranteed to crap their knickers and screw up. How often do we have to watch Campbell and Ferdinand make a school boy error? The midfield wont try anything except play the David Batty pass it safely style. Beckham is right about England not doing anything versus Brazil - but he forgot to mention it happens in most games.
I can point at-
The Defense - we have some good centre backs, and Rio is potentially one of the best around, but every single international there are enormous cock-ups. And every time Sol Campbell goes near the ball he behaves as if he's got to blast it into row X. We are so shaky at the back, and the wing backs are weak - Ashley Cole cant defend at all and Gary Neville cant do anything except pass to David Beckham.
No Creativity In Midfield - An old but typical one. With a full squad the midfield looks very promising with Gerrard, Beckham and Scholes automatic choices. The left will always be a problem until Sven plays someone there for more than one game - hell the last good left flank performance was Nicky Barmby versus Germany!! The number two players are not great players at international level - Lampard and Butt may be adequate, but they dont DO anything in particular. Danny Murphy was very promising before the World Cup - but he doesnt even get selected. The second string dont excite very much at all - Trevor Sinclair? Kieron Dyer? But most importantly - these players turn it on week in and week out but come internationals they dont take any risks, and play by numbers. Lots of short simple passes, no flair at all. The only player who seems to turn it on is Beckham - leads like a true captain.
Rely Too Much on Owen - Good player but one dimensional for England. Heskey supports him well, but when he isnt fit the reliance on Heskey providing for Owen makes England attack fail. We have some decent strikers in England that are consistently performing - Beattie for one - but they get put into the support-Owen role that doesnt suit them.
Worst Expectations - Wayne Rooney was supposed to score 5 against Macedonia or he was crap. That is how English footy punidts are. It makes me so angry that England battle through games and scrape out wins, and if we beat Turkey 3-1 then we are expected to lift the Euro Cup without scoring less than 4 in a game.
Sven Must Stop Mucking About And Select A Core 15 - yes I know they are practice/friendlies but for God sake what is the point of playing 25 players? Just pick THE starting 11 and a few subs that are musts and go with it. Pick a goalie and a backup. Pick your starting back 4 that will go on the team sheet - decide between Cole and Bridge/Mills and Neville because switching does no one any good. Decice who will be playing the left side with Becks, Gerrard and Scholes. And stick to it. And do something different up front - even a Liverpool fan like me can admit that Heskey heading it down to Owen works once every 4 games. Beattie is scoring consistently, play the man!
I can point at-
The Defense - we have some good centre backs, and Rio is potentially one of the best around, but every single international there are enormous cock-ups. And every time Sol Campbell goes near the ball he behaves as if he's got to blast it into row X. We are so shaky at the back, and the wing backs are weak - Ashley Cole cant defend at all and Gary Neville cant do anything except pass to David Beckham.
No Creativity In Midfield - An old but typical one. With a full squad the midfield looks very promising with Gerrard, Beckham and Scholes automatic choices. The left will always be a problem until Sven plays someone there for more than one game - hell the last good left flank performance was Nicky Barmby versus Germany!! The number two players are not great players at international level - Lampard and Butt may be adequate, but they dont DO anything in particular. Danny Murphy was very promising before the World Cup - but he doesnt even get selected. The second string dont excite very much at all - Trevor Sinclair? Kieron Dyer? But most importantly - these players turn it on week in and week out but come internationals they dont take any risks, and play by numbers. Lots of short simple passes, no flair at all. The only player who seems to turn it on is Beckham - leads like a true captain.
Rely Too Much on Owen - Good player but one dimensional for England. Heskey supports him well, but when he isnt fit the reliance on Heskey providing for Owen makes England attack fail. We have some decent strikers in England that are consistently performing - Beattie for one - but they get put into the support-Owen role that doesnt suit them.
Worst Expectations - Wayne Rooney was supposed to score 5 against Macedonia or he was crap. That is how English footy punidts are. It makes me so angry that England battle through games and scrape out wins, and if we beat Turkey 3-1 then we are expected to lift the Euro Cup without scoring less than 4 in a game.
Sven Must Stop Mucking About And Select A Core 15 - yes I know they are practice/friendlies but for God sake what is the point of playing 25 players? Just pick THE starting 11 and a few subs that are musts and go with it. Pick a goalie and a backup. Pick your starting back 4 that will go on the team sheet - decide between Cole and Bridge/Mills and Neville because switching does no one any good. Decice who will be playing the left side with Becks, Gerrard and Scholes. And stick to it. And do something different up front - even a Liverpool fan like me can admit that Heskey heading it down to Owen works once every 4 games. Beattie is scoring consistently, play the man!