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**Kronik** · 05-16-2004, 09:57 AM

My Team....

GK - James - He's the best we've currently got, yep he makes mistakes (although his concentration has vastly improved over the past few years). He's been terrific for England, he commands the box well and has a presence about him. Big strong athlete. Robinson has been very poor this season, I know the Leeds have a poor defence and have taken all the blame but some of Robinsons goalkeeping has been incredibly poor, plus he lacks experience, and is overweight. If only Kirkland was available, he is a very good prospect, as is Matt Murray of Wolves.

LB - Ashely Cole - Fast & quick on the turn. Usually exposed for England due to lack of midfield cover and thus usually blamed by pundits and commentators for all of England's problem which in my opinion is unfair as when Bridge plays he is usually exposed too, yet this goes unoticed - this problem is down to poor midfield play and bad tactics on behalf of Sven. Bridge is good cover for Cole and I rate him highly, but Cole get the nods. Samuel has improved greatly this year and should be third in line.

RB - G. Neville - Based on experience and his overall awareness, the nod has to go to Neville. Yes, he's not perfect and it would be a lot better if he stopped hoofing long hopeless balls forward for England - again probably down to poor tactics from Sven. Johnson should be taken as a back up to Neville, and be taken for the experience, not quite ready for first choice but he will be Englands future right back in years to come.

CB's - Terry, Campbell - Campbell picks himself, rock solid defender with good pace, his only downfall is his poor ability on the ball, but this is not essentail as long as he does his job well. Terry has to be first choice because there is no one better available, very overrated by the media, he will get better as the years go by but is prone to lapses in concentration and is not as quick as you'd like your centre back to be, but still a good defender. Back up defenders should be Carragher & L.King. Carragher for his versatility and his great defensive ability and King because when used as centre back can be a great defender (as proved against Portugal). Southgate & Gardner shoudl not be taken, Gardner because he's quite simply a terrible defender although he has the ability to improve - he has pace & is big and strong. Southgate shouldnt be taken because all he does in moan, everytime he is not picked for England he runs of to the papers complaining. Face it son, your not as good as you think.

Defensively we have pretty good cover everywhere even with Ferdinand & Woodgate unavilable. Now the midfield and the strikeforce are quite a problem. In all honesty I think Sven should drop his "favourites" and play people who will die for the England shirt. People playing shit should not automatically be first choice. I'm looking at you Scholes & Butt. Scholes has not even played well for England for years, who cares about the lack of goals, if he was trying and playing well I wouldnt be too bothered, but Scholes looks like he'd rather be somewhere else when he plays for England. The diamond will not work in every game and I would say it is alot safer to play a straight 4 accross the midfield, that way, the full back should get appropraite cover.

MC - Gerard - Been brilliant for Liverpool this season, carried them single handidly. England's first choice center midfielder, no doubt. Used to think he was over-rated because all he did was play hopeful long balls and get praised for it, but he's definatly reduced them this season.

MC - Hargreaves - Now this is where Sven has to be brave, he has to ditch the United duo and play someone who can help sit in front of the defence. The Gerard/Scholes partnership will never work, never has, never will. I can see this, why cant Sven? Scholes cant defend and playing them together restricts Gerard's attacking strengths, infact if Gerard try's to attack (see Macadonia) the entire midfield loses shape and the opposition teams can cut through it like a knife through butter (again see Macedonia). Butt wont be match fit and has been terrible since his performance in Japan 2 years ago. Hargreaves is the best option, he can defend and he creative on the ball. Playing Lampard/Gerard/Scholes against France is suicide.

RM - Beckham - The most overrated player in the world, hit his peak a few years ago and I dont think he's been the same since. Although he is the tick of the England team and probably needs to play, if only he'd cut out most of the long balls.

LM - Dyer - Hasnt had his best season but has electric pace, so what if he cant cross with his left foot? England havent got the perfect left sided midfielder and we should quit moaning about it. The best team in the currently Arsenal (Lost-0), they have no left footed left winger, does it bother them? No. Dyer should play like Ljungerg, he has the pace, he's better on the ball then Ljungberg, and can attack with good flair and pace, something which the England midfield currently lack.

FW - Heskey - He's had a poor season, he's got a crap touch and a poor goal scoring record. Unfortunatly England have no one better, Ameobi is the the next best thing in line but lacks the necessery experience. If Newcastle had played him more often this season he could have been in the England squad. Look at the positives, Heskey has pace, strength and is a good team player with a great work rate and played a stormer against Birmingham, now if he could do that in Euro 2004.

AM - Lampard - Just behind Heskey I would play Lampard, he was voted the best English player in the league this season by his fellow professionals, he was only beaten to the best player in the league by the almighty Henry. If Lampard cant get in teh England side, what does that say to other trying to break into the team? That it doesnt matter how well they play because people playing worse then them are first choice? Owen should be dropped because he's lost it. His pace, his ability to dribble - no longer there. Now he's just an average striker that misses too many chances. These days he's so poor you barely notice that he is playing. He's gone stale at Liverpool, leave Owen... before its too late.

05-16-2004, 09:57 AM	#70
Kronik Clubbin' Posts: 112	My Team.... GK - James - He's the best we've currently got, yep he makes mistakes (although his concentration has vastly improved over the past few years). He's been terrific for England, he commands the box well and has a presence about him. Big strong athlete. Robinson has been very poor this season, I know the Leeds have a poor defence and have taken all the blame but some of Robinsons goalkeeping has been incredibly poor, plus he lacks experience, and is overweight. If only Kirkland was available, he is a very good prospect, as is Matt Murray of Wolves. LB - Ashely Cole - Fast & quick on the turn. Usually exposed for England due to lack of midfield cover and thus usually blamed by pundits and commentators for all of England's problem which in my opinion is unfair as when Bridge plays he is usually exposed too, yet this goes unoticed - this problem is down to poor midfield play and bad tactics on behalf of Sven. Bridge is good cover for Cole and I rate him highly, but Cole get the nods. Samuel has improved greatly this year and should be third in line. RB - G. Neville - Based on experience and his overall awareness, the nod has to go to Neville. Yes, he's not perfect and it would be a lot better if he stopped hoofing long hopeless balls forward for England - again probably down to poor tactics from Sven. Johnson should be taken as a back up to Neville, and be taken for the experience, not quite ready for first choice but he will be Englands future right back in years to come. CB's - Terry, Campbell - Campbell picks himself, rock solid defender with good pace, his only downfall is his poor ability on the ball, but this is not essentail as long as he does his job well. Terry has to be first choice because there is no one better available, very overrated by the media, he will get better as the years go by but is prone to lapses in concentration and is not as quick as you'd like your centre back to be, but still a good defender. Back up defenders should be Carragher & L.King. Carragher for his versatility and his great defensive ability and King because when used as centre back can be a great defender (as proved against Portugal). Southgate & Gardner shoudl not be taken, Gardner because he's quite simply a terrible defender although he has the ability to improve - he has pace & is big and strong. Southgate shouldnt be taken because all he does in moan, everytime he is not picked for England he runs of to the papers complaining. Face it son, your not as good as you think. Defensively we have pretty good cover everywhere even with Ferdinand & Woodgate unavilable. Now the midfield and the strikeforce are quite a problem. In all honesty I think Sven should drop his "favourites" and play people who will die for the England shirt. People playing shit should not automatically be first choice. I'm looking at you Scholes & Butt. Scholes has not even played well for England for years, who cares about the lack of goals, if he was trying and playing well I wouldnt be too bothered, but Scholes looks like he'd rather be somewhere else when he plays for England. The diamond will not work in every game and I would say it is alot safer to play a straight 4 accross the midfield, that way, the full back should get appropraite cover. MC - Gerard - Been brilliant for Liverpool this season, carried them single handidly. England's first choice center midfielder, no doubt. Used to think he was over-rated because all he did was play hopeful long balls and get praised for it, but he's definatly reduced them this season. MC - Hargreaves - Now this is where Sven has to be brave, he has to ditch the United duo and play someone who can help sit in front of the defence. The Gerard/Scholes partnership will never work, never has, never will. I can see this, why cant Sven? Scholes cant defend and playing them together restricts Gerard's attacking strengths, infact if Gerard try's to attack (see Macadonia) the entire midfield loses shape and the opposition teams can cut through it like a knife through butter (again see Macedonia). Butt wont be match fit and has been terrible since his performance in Japan 2 years ago. Hargreaves is the best option, he can defend and he creative on the ball. Playing Lampard/Gerard/Scholes against France is suicide. RM - Beckham - The most overrated player in the world, hit his peak a few years ago and I dont think he's been the same since. Although he is the tick of the England team and probably needs to play, if only he'd cut out most of the long balls. LM - Dyer - Hasnt had his best season but has electric pace, so what if he cant cross with his left foot? England havent got the perfect left sided midfielder and we should quit moaning about it. The best team in the currently Arsenal (Lost-0), they have no left footed left winger, does it bother them? No. Dyer should play like Ljungerg, he has the pace, he's better on the ball then Ljungberg, and can attack with good flair and pace, something which the England midfield currently lack. FW - Heskey - He's had a poor season, he's got a crap touch and a poor goal scoring record. Unfortunatly England have no one better, Ameobi is the the next best thing in line but lacks the necessery experience. If Newcastle had played him more often this season he could have been in the England squad. Look at the positives, Heskey has pace, strength and is a good team player with a great work rate and played a stormer against Birmingham, now if he could do that in Euro 2004. AM - Lampard - Just behind Heskey I would play Lampard, he was voted the best English player in the league this season by his fellow professionals, he was only beaten to the best player in the league by the almighty Henry. If Lampard cant get in teh England side, what does that say to other trying to break into the team? That it doesnt matter how well they play because people playing worse then them are first choice? Owen should be dropped because he's lost it. His pace, his ability to dribble - no longer there. Now he's just an average striker that misses too many chances. These days he's so poor you barely notice that he is playing. He's gone stale at Liverpool, leave Owen... before its too late.