Spot on. I've lost pretty much all interest in the media. And not just to do with sport. It's all a load of bollocks designed to distract us from the real issues faced today! probably better suited for the other thread!
I have to say it Munky, it is this type of thinking that has held back English football for so long. Be it wingers or strikers, specialist positions like these are essentially dead amongst theh elite.. You have to be able to do the lot to be the best. Pass, move, and control the ball under pressure. Our lot can't and never have done.
England have always been at their most effective when playing high tempo "long ball" games. We have big, powerful strikers and pacey winger, as Carrabuh says, and I think it's about time the England set up just accepted that and started playing to their obvious strengths. I think our attempts to emulate the Spanish model has hampered us in recent years. While it may not be the most attractive football, we might as well just stick 2 pacey wingers either side of a striker or 2 and play balls behind defences! We have changed our youth set up some what and there is at least starting to be an encouragement to play the ball around more but until we have lots of players coming through with those skill sets it's not worth trying to play that way. Walcott, Welbeck, Ox-Champ, Sturridge, they're all good at getting in behind and beating teams with their pace. I think we should play towards that now if we want any success. That's just the way I see it in the here and now.
That was some result for the u21s and a fine performance. Might have also been Boro's biggest attendance this season too
Or closing his legs! Don't suppose anyone watched the England game. They were pretty poor first half but looked much better in the second. I really don't get what Delph is bringing to that team. Other than a cross in the first half he basically just gave the ball away a few times.
I saw the 2nd half. We looked alright and kept hold of the ball fairly well. Although Italy did seem content to just let us try and break them down and attempt to hit us on the break. I agree with you about Delph. I think he works very hard and has a decent first touch (I was all for him getting a call-up as he's been playing fairly well for Villa recently). However, his passing has been shocking lately!
Why the **** do managers keep trying to turn Phil Jones into a DMC? When United signed him I thought he was going to have a brilliant career as a top centre-half, and would be England captain by the time he's 26. However since then his career has stalled massively, with him used as a utility player and not being given the chance to properly learn his craft as a CB. I fear we'll never see the best of him, and that's a real shame and a waste in my opinion. Why on earth he started last night with Carrick on the bench just makes no sense whatsoever, just don't get it at all.
Carrick might be 33, but I think he should be one of the first names on the team sheet at the moment. Playing Phil Jones in his role was a travesty.
Why do you need to see how Carrick plays? Makes no sense to play him, its a friendly, result completely irrelevant, its for trying new systems and players. Plus, he's hardly the future (not that its particularly bright without him).
Why not play another young midfielder then, rather than continue to ruin the career of what was a very promising centre-half a couple of years ago? Jones has been tried there lots of times and to my mind has never looked comfortable so my point was more about him playing in that position once again rather than a call for Carrick necessarily.
He's 33 and doesn't play a role where speed and physicality are important, he could potentially have 5 years in him. At the very least play him until after 2016. It might be obvious what he brings to a team, but England have been all about the individuals and not the team for far too long. So it isn't about his skills, its about finding which of an average bunch of central midfielders dovetails best with him. Henderson, Wilshere, etc. Once we've a blueprint (or ideally a plan b too) of how England should play, it becomes far easier to bring players through learning that style and mould younger players as a replacement for the older members of the squad. Germany, Spain, Brazil, etc all have a style to their play which shapes the way they bring youngsters through. It doesn't matter how you play, as long as there's some continuity. We might not have a Carrick replacement yet, but if Roy decides that role is crucial, we've at least three years to find one or craft one.
Is Carrick really good enough at the age of 33. He wasn't even good enough in his prime and got found out against quality opposition where he would give the ball away for fun. He's finished and should be back up only. I get so pissed off with the term Plan B like its a magic wand to break any defence. Total guff, concentrate on making Plan A the best as far as I'm concerned. If your skill set is high enough the players will work it out. Don't agree with it not mattering how they play, continuity is important but I wouldn't want us to copy the robotic German side, I still think there is nothing special about them and Brazil made them look like these wonderful attacking superstars. It doesn't really matter who plays to be honest, the next bunch of youngsters are worse than the previous. This country is hopeless and if anything you'd think a blueprint has been in place for the last 20 years as all our players are the same.
Carrick seems to understand his limitations better now and get caught out far less, this allows him to show the areas he is excellent. the player I don't get at all is Delph, fine for villa. Would look industrious in the Scotish squad say but show be no where near a team that wants to get to the thin end of tournaments. I thought mason looked good when he came on and Barkley was excellent.
