England Team to face Greece

[AndyP]

A real shame about Ashton but still quite a balanced team the stupid grinning ginger's starting his reign with. Hopefully Defoe and Bent have good games after their dissapointment of not going to the world cup.




.........................Robinson...............
Neville.......Ferdinand.....Terry........Cole.
Gerrard.....Hargreaves...Lampard...Downing
..................Crouch......Defoe.............

[thisisgil]

No Rooney?

[paddingtonwolf]

no - left out as he is suspended for the competitive games

[Slip On Shoes]

You just knew he'd pick Downing, who is in my opinion vastly overrated and nowhere near an international player.

[paddingtonwolf]

bit surprised by no lennon

[Markwolf]

SOS, do you not think he is the best judge of that considering how long he's worked with him?

[thisisgil]

SOS, do you not think he is the best judge of that considering how long he's worked with him?

Apparently he was all set to let him go (to Wigan?) for 1 million a couple of seasons back. Gibson refused to sanction the sale, and the rest is history...

[danhlibertine]

Sensible team, with everyone being deployed exactly as they are for their clubs.

[Visage Wolf]

Sensible team, with everyone being deployed exactly as they are for their clubs.

Really? Gerrard on the right wing?

[danhlibertine]

Really? Gerrard on the right wing?

Yes where he has been playing for Liverpool for nearly a year now, and where he came on for them in the Community Shield on Sunday when he replaced Jermaine Pennant.

[Bill McCai]

Robinson plays attacking left back sweeper for Spurs.

All I can say is never trust a Ginger Manager.

[Telford Wolf]

Basically the team I would pick with Wayne Rooney obviously coming in for Defoe and Downing replaced by Joe Cole, I think using Gerrard on right is a great idea, that way if Frank or Owen play poorly in the middle or if McClaren wants more attacking play, he can remove either of the central pair, bring Gerrard in to the centre for drive and attacking runs and bring on SWP or Lennon on the right for pace and attack.

[The Bear]

Looks like poor old Lennon is going to get forgotten about because of Gerrard's switch then.

[thekentwolf]

I quite like the look of the team it has a natural blend.

[paddingtonwolf]

after the world cup, I think Lampard is the one struggling to justify inclusion. Obviously no Joe Cole, who would replace Downing but I like the look of

r-------------------------------------------l
Lennon------Gerrard--------Hargreaves-----Downing

[Slip On Shoes]

I would have had Gerrard and Hargreaves in the centre with Lennon wide right, with no form this season to go on that should have been the midfield from what McLaren saw in the World Cup.

[johnybig32]

after the world cup, I think Lampard is the one struggling to justify inclusion. Obviously no Joe Cole, who would replace Downing but I like the look of

r-------------------------------------------l
Lennon------Gerrard--------Hargreaves-----Downing

Totally agree...Lampard at the moment isnt inspiring the typr of football that had became his trademark a couple of seasons ago. His performance at world cup was average at best. Gerrard should play CM with Lennon/SWP on the wing...We have very talented RW's in England, why not play them....

[wirral_wolf]

is anyone going?

[Visage Wolf]

Totally agree...Lampard at the moment isnt inspiring the typr of football that had became his trademark a couple of seasons ago. His performance at world cup was average at best. Gerrard should play CM with Lennon/SWP on the wing...We have very talented RW's in England, why not play them....

Indeed. I'd say SWP, Lennon, and even Beckham have more of a claim on the RM berth than Gerrard (though for differeing reasons...).

So why is Mclaren picking Gerrard ahead of those three?

[nuno]

Gerrard won't be playing as an out and out right midfielder. Downing will be the only wide player on the pitch.

Hargreaves, Lampard and Gerrard will all be playing central midfield, with Hargreaves holding, Lampard getting forward and Gerrard looking to exploit the right hand side, but they all will line up as central midfielders.

[Visage Wolf]

Gerrard won't be playing as an out and out right midfielder. Downing will be the only wide player on the pitch.

Hargreaves, Lampard and Gerrard will all be playing central midfield, with Hargreaves holding, Lampard getting forward and Gerrard looking to exploit the right hand side, but they all will line up as central midfielders.

Ah...a 4 man midfield with one winger and three CMs?

Since when was Dave Jones in charge of the England team?

[Devil's Slide Wolf]

You just knew he'd pick Downing, who is in my opinion vastly overrated and nowhere near an international player.only when he stands next to 'em

[Devil's Slide Wolf]

Indeed. I'd say SWP, Lennon, and even Beckham have more of a claim on the RM berth than Gerrard (though for differeing reasons...).

So why is Mclaren picking Gerrard ahead of those three?coz he's better than all of the above combined and then some....

[stever]

You just knew he'd pick Downing, who is in my opinion vastly overrated and nowhere near an international player.

agreed with you there slip on.

[Visage Wolf]

coz he's better than all of the above combined and then some....


As an all round player, possibly, but as a right winger? I disagree.

[bod101]

gerrard on the right wing?
and the omission of beckham wasn't political?

tripe.

[nimrod]

I think its the old chestnut of accomodating the players you intend to rely on (ie Lampard and Gerrard) this time at the expense of the more attacking line up of two wingers. He has to stick with Hargreaves in the anchor role given the big improvement in team shape it gave us.

Personally I don't think it matters where Gerrard plays, he'll do a good job wide right and has done for Liverpool many times. He'll certainly look to deliver balls in from wide. First game, it's a friendly, what's the problem....

[danhlibertine]

I really don't see the problem, especially everyone puzzled by Gerrard playing on the right, when he played there nearly all season for Liverpool last season, and basically won the cup final on his own by playing out there.

[ooh la la]

I like Lampard; but think that if his form does not improve he will be the next on the chopping block. He's getting on and McClaren should really be looking at a fast attacking side for 2008. Failure in 2008 will be it for four years. Let's face it, with the WC in South Africa in 2010 were not going to get anywhere near to winning. If the team can't take the heat in Germany, well!

[Deutsch Wolf]

Let's face it, with the WC in South Africa in 2010 were not going to get anywhere near to winning. If the team can't take the heat in Germany, well!

Slight flaw in your argument - it'll be the South African winter and cooler than Britain in June 2010.

[TheDarkside]

We should get rid of McClaren now, and start to build for the future.

[ooh la la]

Slight flaw in your argument - it'll be the South African winter and cooler than Britain in June 2010.

I stand corrected Deutsch Wolf, then bring on 2010...

[Powelly]

is anyone going?

yup, and to andorra and macedonia away for my sins!

gutted that ashton wont get the chance he deserves just yet, lampard should be dropped.. hasnt performed at all in an england shirt for the last 12 months, hargreaves and stevie g should be the miidfield 2, lennon deserves a start in the abscence of beckham....

i think at some point we will see SWP on one wing and Lennon on the other, now is the time for defoe to stake his claim for owen's place on a permanent basis

[Deutsch Wolf]

i think at some point we will see SWP on one wing and Lennon on the other,

Which means that one will be completely out of position.

[Powelly]

Which means that one will be completely out of position.
yup but in fairness id rather have an out of postion lennon or SWP than lost schoolboy downing who my personal opinion should be nowhere near an england side

also think with venables being involved in the fold that england will begin to adapt a 3-5-2 formation at some point in the future- ash cole and lennon/gerrard are perfectly capable of playing that position

[Deutsch Wolf]

Gerrard/Lennon/SWP at right wing back is not a good thing.

[The Bear]

I think Downing will suprise people and do well. He did ok in my eyes last time he came on as sub.