The Premier League Thread

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I guess Shearer hasn't got a big enough ego to be included on more than one list! Le Tiss has got to be number 1 with Di Canio 2. Any other top 2 and I'll be astonished.

Strange though as he should be ahead of both Vardy and Phillips and I doubt anyone would have begrudge him that.


As for Tim Cahill <laugh>
 
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I guess Shearer hasn't got a big enough ego to be included on more than one list! Le Tiss has got to be number 1 with Di Canio 2. Any other top 2 and I'll be astonished.

He's already been included on two lists. Top 10 goalscorers and Top 10 captains.

It's the MOTD commentators who compile the Top 10 lists. How can they include him in the Top 10 captains - when even Shearer himself didn't feel like he should be there, and put himself at no.10 because he had to put himself somewhere - but not this latest Top 10 list, I'm dumb-founded.

Great news for MLT, of course. He has a free run to the title now. But all day long Shearer should have been in it.
 
Strange though as he should be ahead of both Vardy and Phillips and I doubt anyone would have begrudge him that.


As for Tim Cahill <laugh>

I don't have a problem with Tim Cahill. But I do raise an eye brow at David Batty.

Certain players down the years you would at and think "how did you not play for a bigger club". Arguably that is the sort of barometer for getting on this list. And I don't ever recall asking myself that question when it came to David Batty.
 
I don't have a problem with Tim Cahill. But I do raise an eye brow at David Batty.

Certain players down the years you would at and think "how did you not play for a bigger club". Arguably that is the sort of barometer for getting on this list. And I don't ever recall asking myself that question when it came to David Batty.

I stuck him at the bottom. I accept he had a different role to Le Tiss (3 starts, 8 caps) but Batty, 32 England starts, 42 caps in total ffs.
 
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I stuck him at the bottom. I accept he had a different role to Le Tiss (3 starts, 8 caps) but Batty, 32 England starts, 42 caps in total ffs.

22 years on, and I still can't agree with taking Batty and Lee to France 98. (Although to be fair to Batty, I'd have personally left out Lee.)

We already had Ince and Scholes nailed on the team sheet. And Beckham could play central too (as indeed he did for his two starts). When did Hoddle ever expect to be calling upon both of Batty and Lee?

To take Merson as our only 'maverick', with no place for MLT (or Gazza), was so wrong when you see Lee and Batty in the squad. Sure, some of the other 10 outfield players selected in a tournament need to be there in order to provide cover for injury/suspension/form. But I've always believed that a good proportion of them need to be there in order to provide something different from the bench.

To be fair to Hoddle, pretty much every England manager since has also disappointed me with going with a too conservative squad selection. Seemingly preferring that injury etc cover, to the occasional left-field out-of-the-box selection.
 
I don't have a problem with Tim Cahill. But I do raise an eye brow at David Batty.

Certain players down the years you would at and think "how did you not play for a bigger club". Arguably that is the sort of barometer for getting on this list. And I don't ever recall asking myself that question when it came to David Batty.

Out of Speed, Batty, McAllister and Strachan I think he would be my last choice!