Re: World Cup - Group B
Hopes for Paraguay to advance in the tournament ended with this defeat
Re: World Cup - Group B
now if T&T beat paraguay, and england beats sweden, T&T advance.
Re: World Cup - Group B
hopefully, Don Leo’s team will progress :k:
Re: World Cup - Group B
England needs to drop Lampard completely and give Gerrard the freedom to push forward. The former was pathetic and just cannot hack games outside of the Chelsea system that is designed around him. Not only that but he drags the latter down with him. Ditch Lampard and play someone like Carrick with Gerrard and England might just have a chance, providing Rooney is fit.
It was clear who was the best team. Sweden tried everything since the game started, were the best team on the pitch and clearly deserved to win. Paraguay is one of those teams that don't know how to attack, because they are a defensive team, which I don't understand because they have good attackers, in the end they only got what they deserved.
Re: World Cup - Group B
but Lampard almost always comes through, he may not be standout all the time but even his avg performance is pretty good. carrick may be better fit to team with Gerrard, but has not shown to withstand pressure well.
Re: World Cup - Group B
I don't think that would be too simple. What if T&T wins by 1-0 and Sweden lose by 0-1. In that case Sweden will advance because of goal difference
Re: World Cup - Group B
Lampard is generally England’s best player surging forward. He’s good at unlocking defences and helping to create space. Carrick is definately too young to take on the holding role at this stage of the WC.
Nonetheless that was a real gutsy performance by England, they kept on going and didn’t give up. However, like Germany, we still lack a clinical finisher. Crouch and Lampard were guilty of missing good chances, something you’d get punished for in the latter stages.
But once again Liverpool players to England’s rescue :roman:
EN-GA-LAND!
Re: World Cup - Group B
COME ON YOU ENGLAND
Crouchy: You freakish beauty!!!!!
Gerrard: LIVERPOOL!!!! LIVERPOOL!!!!
Re: World Cup - Group B
clap clap clap-clap-clap clap-clap-clap-clap ENGLAND!!!!
clap clap clap-clap-clap clap-clap-clap-clap ENGLAND!!!!
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clap clap clap-clap-clap clap-clap-clap-clap ENGLAND!!!!
clap clap clap-clap-clap clap-clap-clap-clap ENGLAND!!!!
clap clap clap-clap-clap clap-clap-clap-clap ENGLAND!!!!
Re: World Cup - Group B
I would really like to see Carragher playing in holding role, Gerrard in advanced role and Lampard as super sub. This would keep both of them fresh and Lampard will know he is under pressure to deliever and this is gonna put a new sting in his performances. This way Gerrard's incredible talent can be utilized to its fullest. I do believe he has a better allround game than Lampard does. Its best team that should be on the pitch, not best players.
Having said that, Sven does not have the balls to do that :p
Re: World Cup - Group B
I don't agree with those saying Lampard should be out: he is too good to be left out.
england should play differently: 4-5-1
The back four remains the same.
a midfielder in a holding role; the two flanks occupied by Beckham and J Cole and in central midfield Gerrard and Lampard, both without any direct defensive role. And one striker up front: Rooney. This would bring better balance in the team and will allow Lampard and Gerrard to attack more without having to worry about the counter attack. You could see from their positioning on the field that both were worried about a counter attack: and considering that it is good that Lampard managed to get so many chances
Re: World Cup - Group B
Peter Crouch is a cheater and his goal didn't even count. Oh well.. too bad no one can tell England that the goal didn't count.
As for Lampard, he's one of the best midfielders around. Him and Gerrard make quite the team with their attacking style. Frank just had an off day and was very unlucky.
There is no reason for England to drop Owen. He is a star of a different calibre, and has lost lots of confidence due to bad press reports and early substitutions. If there is one guy I would count on to score a goal for me, it would be him.
With Neville coming back in the right fullback position, England should still play 3 defenders. Initially what Arsenal did was set up one striker, then an attacking midfielder behind the striker. Behind the attacking midfielder, should be 4 midfielders, with the left and right wingers able to move about for a counter attack. This leaves 4 defenders in the back. If 4-4-1-1 was used, this would unfortunately give no room for Owen.
Re: World Cup - Group B
Problem with 4-5-1 is that Rooney cannot play on his own. He is not a target man. He is a creator and best bet for him is to link up with Owen/Crouch. He is not a finishier. 4-5-1 has been tried previuosly without much luck and being so stubborn, Sven shifted immediately to tried and tested 4-4-2.
However, with 3-5-2 is a better option than 4-5-1 and considering the result it brought yesterday, Sven can definately use Carragher in holding role with four attacking midfielders in front of him.
Re: World Cup - Group B
The previous suggestion of 4-5-1 is spot on. This is what Gerrard plays at Liverpool with 2 defensive midfielders (Alonso and Sissoko) behind him, giving him a free license-to-kill role. Thats why Gerrard is so succesful at Liverpool, they unleash him, which is hindered at England with Lampard alongside him so he is forced to keep tracking back. Gerrard is the most complete midfielder in the world and to get the best out of him you have to let him loose.
The perfect holding player for England would be Ledley King but that is something Steve Mclaren will have to look at after the WC. But in the meantime Lampard has to play, hes too valuable to be left out leaving Sven to choose either another holding player in midfield to replace Crouch or stick to the original formation in light of Crouch’s recent form. Quite a headache for the manager 
Re: World Cup - Group B
^ Why not carragher? He played well enough in that position in a friendly. And he is from Liverpool too :p
Re: World Cup - Group B
you’re right that Rooney isn’t a target man, but the two target men England have, haven’t impressed me yet. So better option is to got the 4-5-1 and give gerrard and lampard the freedom they enjoy at their club. With two players like these focussed on attacking England can expect more goals than Owen and Crouch together
(look at clublevel: Lampard scored 20 goals this season, gerrard 13. This is many more than Owen and Crouch and Rooney scored together)
You should leave your best players play in their most favorite position and role!
trying to restrict them will worsen their performance a great deal. For example compare:
Ronaldinho at Barca and Brazil
Henry at Arsenal and France
Lampard at Chelsea and England
Re: World Cup - Group B
Out of your list of three players, I agree only with Henry one. Otherwise Lampard and Ronaldinho have repated their club success at international level with some success. I dont have a problem with Lampard playing where he does, the thing is that playing him stifles Gerrard who is pure class. They both are good where they play and sadly Sven isnt brave enough to use 3-5-2 or 4-5-1. Thats why to utilize both of them, I think that one of them should be used at a time. But I also think that both of them can change the course of game any moment so best option is to play both of them somehow in their natural roles rather than box to box midfielders. IMO, England strategies should have been based on Lampard and Gerrard rather than waiting for Rooney to get fit. He is superb no doubt but he can play anywhere. and although I wouldnt like to see but he still can be used as lone striker up front.
Re: World Cup - Group B
I agree, the strategy should have been based on lampard, gerrard and beckham, with rooney as the wild card which may or may not work, but can cause problems for the other team. with him and lennon, they can keep other teams on their toes, while the trio of beckham, lampard and gerrard can be more clinical in their attacks.
Re: World Cup - Group B
I thought someone here was a expert.
*
Jabb poori baat ka pata na ho to bolo mateeeeeeeee, matey* 
Re: World Cup - Group B
abhi tak dil par baat ley kar ro rahay ho. typical khisyaani billi khamba nocchay
here is a fact- technically it is possible for T&T to advance if they beat paraguay, and england beats sweden. I did not have to explain teh goal differential aspect to ppl who know the sport.
Although ppl who tought that a player was still playing after getting 2 yellow cards are def not in the list of ppl who know the sport.
munnay… naqal kay liye bhi aqal ki zaroorat hoti hai…and..and…
jab baat patah na ho toh bolo matt-eeeeeeeeeee