It's such a shame. I still think he's a great player - he played pretty well for us in his few opportunities and every time I've seen him for Mexico he's been very good. I think it must have been an attitude problem - not fancied by 3 successive managers tells a story. Rumour had it he had girlfriend issues early on which stopped him from settling very well, and a few injuries just as he was breaking into the team didn't help either. Plus he liked going out and getting ****faced a little too often.
Didn't listen to a word he was told, the size of his ears may have something to do with it, they're still the same size as when he was born, they haven't grown with the rest of his body. In seriousness the goal wasn't the best hit strike, the keeper nearly saved it, it just crept inside the post, but being a forward, he is bound to score at times or have a good game here and there, but in the main he's average going forward, but to be a success in the PL you can't be as **** as he is defensively, he isn't good enough to be a luxury player the rest can carry. All talking about him now, but how often do you hear about him?
Was reading with interest this morning,that Phil Beal was a regular at GGL, watching Sutton United home games back in the eighties
One of my favorite's to,wish i had known he went to Sutton Games,i could have had a chat and got his autograph.
Anyone else watching MNF? Neville providing fascinating insight as always, this time discussing Luiz and the clash of footballing cultures between ball playing defender that you get in countries like Brazil compared to the English defender which they have with Terry. He's been critical of Luiz before but he was making some very interesting points and saying that it's not necessarily that the English way is correct. For a start it's countries like Brazil and Spain, with the kind of defenders who we often criticise who are winning all the trophies and when paired together they do very well.
What did Carra say??? I take the point. But ball playing defenders in the Beckenbauer mould have always been the blueprint for success in international football In the more agricultural PL, you've always needed the hard nuts prepared to wrestle, scrap and put their bodies on the line like Terry, Vidic, Bruce etc. Every team needs at least one of these.
Carragher was very much representing the English style point of view. Neville was just not picking a side, saying it's possibly not a case of one style being right or wrong. He brought up the trophies and also bringing up his performances alongside fellow Brazilians Dante and Thiago Silva on international duty, particularly the Confederations Cup. I know what you're saying and it's something I've always thought too but Neville put together a compelling argument that it's perhaps as much a clash of footballing cultures more than anything with Luiz and Terry. Sometimes we feel that combination of both Worlds work but it can equally cause problems when you've got a defender like Terry or Cahill that prefer to be a bit deeper and a Luiz type that likes to pinch the ball before it gets to the player.
Meanwhile on SS2, England are in big trouble v the Aussies. Need Morgan and Buttler to play big innings. Where's the rain gone? We've had about a gallon's worth today.
Phil Beal.Became a very reliable defender in the Spurs tradition,so unlike the choppers of the time period. I remember watching him as ayoungster.Always looked the most awkward footballer and threatened to trip over his own feet...but he turned out to be a class act as he got older.My hat goes off to him. He may have got a few caps for England today as caps are handed out to anyone who plays well. Phil always played well and could take care of anyone in the opposition,whoever he was!
It's the usual thing. If you want to be sure of getting to the world cup and getting out of the group stages then you need to pick your good reliable players like John Terry who will never let you down. But if you actually want to try to win the thing you've got to pick someone with better footballing skills who may be less reliable. England always go for the safe option so we are never good enough to win anything.
Terry would be better if he stayed on his feet more,Last couple of thimes i've seen him,he falls over,at vital moments,as for better footballing skills,we don't have enough English players in the P/L,to pick players with better skills
I don't agree. If we were Brazil, our likely centre back pairing would be Huddlestone and Rodwell or something like that
If you go and watch youth football in this country, generally the focus is on results, players that are strong and tough to win results at a level where results mean absolutely nothing. Abroad, youth football is about bringing through players who's skills and ability are nutured so as they reach the professional stage they have the technical ability required to be a success. Its no wonder fans love players like Huddlestone as these players are a rare breed in terms of technique and if our youth system was better,we would produce players like Huddlestone that are also winners. Its going to take a long time, a real change in coaching and mentality at youth level before we ever produce a team of players that have great technical skills and can keep the ball.
As far our International aspirations, I also think its an English culture thing. Brazils young players give the same whether its a club game or a WC, Confed Cup or a friendly, the game the other night v Portugal was a fantastic watch. Could you describe the last England friendly like that? English players only seem interested in games with meaning, and will wriggle out of anything else if they can. The list of 'slight knocks' before a friendly is ridiculous at times, funny you never get that with a derby PL game for example! Its been argued too many games...its the same for the Brazlians in our league!, its just that their attitude is different.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...-by-wearing-rainbow-laces-in-their-boots.html Brings a whole new meaning to 'favourite fruit'.
