Actually Schwan is right. I know your Itlaian Hot head but Gerrard is a MUCH better player than Montolivo, Rooney is better than Cassano and yes Ashley Cole probably is the World best left back.
then they should be vilified. Tournament after tournament they let us down. Abandon Lamps, Gerrard, Rooney, Ferdinand, Terry, Barry, Downing.... develop the new younger lot. Ball control, precise passing, possession, fitness, and using brains...... the latter might be the biggest problem.
Totally agree, time to cut loose the "Golden generation" of players and move on. We should build the side around players like Wilshere and OXO, who have proper talent and drop "talented" younsters Henderson, off a cliff.... Only person i would retain is Rooney, the rest can go to hades....
I don't see anything to get excited about looking at those players. Wilshere, Hart, OXO and Richards YES, Gibbs too if he realises his potential, Sturridge also, but the others don't do anything for me at all.
How do you know they weren't interested? Let's take Goetze for example, he is a young and a very talented player that is being chased by many clubs. We have been after him too, but due to his high price, us being cheapskates and him signing a new contract with Borussia Dortmund stopped all that. Germany have invested heavily in their youth structure and changed a lot of things in their domestic scene. Now it's all paying off, with a number of top quality players coming through. Most of them are around 21-24 and top quality.
The Bear - I am English .. Italy is just my adopted country Not that I live there or anything though, I just have an unhealthy love of the place !! What are we talking, club, county or both ? Gerrard for club walks all over Montolivo but he has been mostly kack for England, Montolivo is quality for Italy. Cassano doesn't score as many goals as Rooney, but I personally think he is a more talented footballer. I know you like to focus on stats, but in this case I think Cassano is the better footballer and able to do more than Rooney.
So what if clubs don't try to buy players, thats proves nothing at all. How many clubs tried to buy Paul Scholes or Ryan Giggs in their prime ? Nobody that I can remember. How many tried to buy Maldini ? Gotze is the hottest property in German football and didn't even kick a ball during in the tournament. Lahm is one of if not the best full backs in the world, I've only ever heard Man U talk about buying him. Stop believing the hype and believe what you see on the pitch.
I would start playing Wilshere (he would have been in but for injury anyway of course), Oxlade-Chamberlain and Adam Johnson - think these are class acts for years to come Kyle Walker should now be the right back Ashley Cole still going to be good enough in 2014 I suspect Thought Welbeck showed enough to stick around - add in Sturridge who I rate Centre backs are tough - we don't seem to have much come through, Micah Richards can do a job there because he's such a beast but needs a positionally brilliant partner... who is there? Oh and Hart is obviously the man for years to come unless he has a mental breakdown But as Hodgson did - if there's any rift in the camp it needs to be sorted, because imagine this England side without their togetherness... they might have not got a point
Shwan, if you agree that Goetze is a very good footballer with great potential but can't get into the German first team, what does that tell you? It tells you that the German team has great quality in midfield, thus keeping him out. A good comparison is Wilshere, who is on a simular standard. He walked into Englands first 11, with minimal experience, whereas Goetze is on the bench and hardly plays for Germany. Wilshere's fate would be simular to Goetze, if he was German....
Guardiola says Barca have 12 (or so) Wilshere's in their B team !! Cassano wasn't 'fresh' if he missed most of the season having had a heart attack/stroke and only played a handful of games before the Euros !! He was tired and got taken off in the first game after 65 minutes !! Fresh is the wrong word to use.
I would say the same thing about the current Italian squad. Aside from Pirlo the team is actually pretty damn average. (on paper inferior to England's even) But as always they were well drilled, tactically astute and highly motivated. England were none of those things. But no Wilshere, Chamberlain, Jones, Walker and Wellbeck will be TOP class. If you look at what Rooney, lTerry, Cole , Gerrard and lampard have achieved for their clubs it's clear they are very good players.
Shwan .. you are a big big big H'eediot (as they say in Jamaica) ! I love killing you (metaphorically). You just jumped up on stage and made a big speech. Good. Now back up your talk you knob. Show me this article from a reputable source (i.e. not a tabloid as you "suggest I read" that claims Real Madrid officially contacted Lahm. Show me this evidence fool or admit you are a punk .. simple. Good luck with that. I am up to page 4 on Google and can't see a reputable link anywhere. Find it fool .. or you just played yourself.
listen shwan - the only person who is allowed to call Hotty 'darling' is Piskie ...... so pack it in, sweet thing.
You make Goetze out to be some sort of maverick, one man band. The fact that the guy is 20, green and has better players infront of him, seems to have somewhat escaped you. As for non dribblers in the German team, what do you think Ozil is, the second coming of Milner? The guy oozes flair and skill. The Germans have a perfect blend of players - power, strength, pace and flair. Thats why they are number 2 in the world, but soon to be number 1 in the next few years, which i predict.
Are you for real ?? This is your come back ? Are you taking the fukkin p!ss ??? You are the STUPIDEST person I have come across on these boards. You "claim" that Real Madrid only recently made official contact with Lahm, you even suggested that I must read tabloid papers only. Excellent. So I ask you to provide me with the proof of this. Instead of finding me this "common knowledge" from a reputable source you provide a list of links from sites I wouldn't even open for fear of getting viruses/malware etc I said: .... and you failed. You are a punk - and that is OFFICIAL. If you can't back up your talk don't open your mouth. Never, ever, argue with me because you do not have the skills or intellect to do so. Stick to arguing with the IQ challenged on the United board.
Looks like Shwan got to page 10 and realised he couldn't find jack from a reputable source. Now, considering I ONLY read reputable news, I wouldn't know about the bullsh!t in the list Shwan posted I read the "big boy papers"
Shows you what a job Terry and Lescott did on Italy.... Germany suckered by the through ball, and Badstubber not even jumping to put Ballotelli off for the first.
