Well, Torres has started scoring! Carroll looks like a centre forward, but has yet to find a team that suits him. Also has that silly price on his head. Hodgson has very little to choose from.
So true, he's obviously a good player, just not as good as he thinks he is, having said that now he will probably have a worldy tonight and get a hat trick or something !
Recieved this preview. Sweden looked dodgy in defence in their first match conceding two headed goals both from crosses with one from a corner. The Swedes don’t defend touch tight, they didn’t play a holding MF player against Ukraine and with England having scored from a free kick against France it would be no surprise to see England score again with a headed goal or two. 2. Sweden do have Ibrahimovic, now rejuvenated by playing off the main striker, who is a very good player. However he lacks support and Hodgson will surely have planned to starve him of supply. 3. England will be boosted by their draw against France when they kept their shape and stopped the French going through the middle. However tonight they will have more than the miserable 39% possession they had in the French match, and so can create chances, and [please see pt 1 above] they will also provide an aerial threat. IN SUM - England played Sweden at Wembley seven months ago and beat them 1-0 and another English win looks likely tonight. Let's hope he is right!
Can't get the image of Lambert with a ponytail out of my head. Perhaps with a natty headband. People might take notice of him then.
Johan Elmander will return to Sweden's starting line-up against England and is one of three changes from the Ukraine game, Elmander will replace Markus Rosenberg while, in midfield, Anders Svensson partners Kim Kallstrom in the middle with Rasmus Elm moving out to the left wing and Ola Toivonen dropped to the bench. In defence, Jonas Olsson will play centre-back with Andreas Granqvist moved out to right back in place of Mikael Lustig, who has a hip problem.
I don't think he's selfish, but he is indisciplined. He needs to understand that he serves the team better from a centre-forward position than he does from midfield. He's always going to get frustrated with the lack of service he gets playing for England though and go looking for the ball, which renders him, and the team, far less effective.
It depends whether you think it's selfish or not to get frustrated and to come looking for the ball deep into midfield when you're a striker. And to start making stupid tackles in frustration. Maybe it is just him trying too hard for the team, maybe it's him getting frustrated his name isn't on the scoresheet and he isn't getting chances and the glory. Who knows.
My team: Hart Johnson, Terry, Lescott, Cole Chamberlain, Gerrard, Jones, Downing Carroll, Young Keep the back 5 the same. I like Scott Parker, but I'm not convinced he's fit, so I'd rest him for this one at least. I think we will get some joy out of making the pitch big and putting crosses in for Carroll. Downing being the only left footed winger in the squad is best qualified for this. The right is Chamberlain's better side. I don't get this obsession for putting wingers on the wrong side.
If reports are correct (and they were last time) it's Carroll in for Chamberlain, with Milner on the left and Young on the right. Half expected Chambo to drop out after 80 minutes against France.
If England can't win against Sweden tonight they might never beat Sweden in a big tournament. Fact is Hodgson is the perfect manager on the planet for this game with all his experience in Sweden and Scandinavia. England as players are simply not good enough if they don't win tonight
Yeah, I'm with LeGod, if we can't dispatch Sweden tonight, then theres no point in us progressing anyway. Saying that, I've got faith in Roy, think he's added something already, & given time it could well be a fruitful relationship.
Agreed just wish he'd brought a few more youngsters. Gerrard Cole Terry etc on last legs now. Need to plan for future.
We have a whole two years to plan before the next big tournament, and a bunch of easy qualifiers in which Chamberlain, Wilshere, Cleverley, Rodwell, Jones, Walker, etc. can cement their places. Gerrard and Cole are definitely two of our best players in the meantime, so we might as well use them and try to win something.
