Thought they deserve a thread too.
England at World Cup 2014
- Thread starter gooDevil
- Start date
England have several already
Yes, but not one to discuss the team generally, like most other teams do.
Controversial opinion but England simply have to drop Rooney if they want to get anywhere this WC. With both Sturridge and Wilshere's emergence in recent years there's simply no need for him to be a starter anymore. Not only because it's near impossible to fit him, Sturridge and Wilshere in a balanced team but because he's been shit in every major tournament since EURO 04.
Lampard and Gerrard the majority of the blame for England's failures despite Rooney being easily the worst player for us in each of the last 2 major tournaments we've been in. Time for new ideas.
Lampard and Gerrard the majority of the blame for England's failures despite Rooney being easily the worst player for us in each of the last 2 major tournaments we've been in. Time for new ideas.
England will be out at the group stage. They will be home before their postcards arrive
said everyone in Skirtland in 2012. You just stick to your own countries selection dilemma in the upcoming....errmmm... friendlies???
Disagree. Wilshere's hardly set the world alight recently and for me isn't guaranteed a spot in the XI. Unless they are going to play 3 in midfield, there's not a whole lot to gain in dropping Rooney because England don't have a #10 better than him
We should set up the way Liverpool do. Rodgers has basically laid the blueprint for the only way we can get far this summer. It's up to Roy to take it.
Lallana Sturridge Sterling
Wilshere Gerrard Henderson
Wilshere Gerrard Henderson
Should be our starting front 6. If Sturridge fails to perform then replace him with Rooney, otherwise only play with one of them.
Gerrard shouldn't be starting in my opinion. Just isn't good enough. That's 5 of the 6 I would have if Rooney were to be dropped, with Ox in for Gerrard.
Henderson Wilshere
Sterling Ox Lallana
Sturridge
Lot of pace and energy there. Very fluid.Sterling Ox Lallana
Sturridge
I really hope we win it if not just to piss off the Irish
that's racist mate, they will be all anti English until the start of the next season when they obsess about an English football team, playing in English football, and spend all their time watching English programs.
I would be very tempted to drop Rooney and Gerrard if I was manager considering how poor they've been at major tournament. I didn't put either in my England XI.
Don't turn this into another drop Rooney thread.
He starts. His England scoring record proves it. Yes he needs a good World Cup but who doesn't.
He starts. His England scoring record proves it. Yes he needs a good World Cup but who doesn't.
I can't really agree that Gerrard isn't good enough - he has been England's driving force for a while now and still has this World Cup in him. It would be foolish to think the older players should be completely discarded for youth - they still have a lot to offer in my opinion. He's the captain anyway and will not be dropped. Hodgson isn't stupid - there's a reason Gerrard is captain.
Regarding Rooney, I'd start him - he should have a fire in him as this will possibly be the last world cup in which he can be considered an almost certain starter. At 32 next time around he's gonna be doubtful to start given he's not the paciest even now.
I think he has a lot to prove and after our disasterous season, this is the only chance of international success (in terms of performances by him) that he'll have for a couple of years.
I think he has a lot to prove and after our disasterous season, this is the only chance of international success (in terms of performances by him) that he'll have for a couple of years.
Rooney should, and he will start. He's our best player
I'd like to see the following line up:
Hart
Johnson-Cahill-Jagielka-Baines
Gerrard-Wilshere
Sterling Lallana (on the wings)
Rooney
Sturridge
Hart
Johnson-Cahill-Jagielka-Baines
Gerrard-Wilshere
Sterling Lallana (on the wings)
Rooney
Sturridge
There are drop Rooney threads?
It's easy to say we should drop him on a forum, would be a different thing all together to actually do it.
Messi has been poor for the Argies for as long but no one is going to be saying he should be dropped.
Rooney had a fine season and on form deserves to start.
But to be fair he also creates a positional issue, in their 4231 he's required to drop into midfield on defense and help the two central midfielders, something that isn't his strong suit.
England have come away from too many tournaments with thoughts of what might have been had we taken such and such a course, this needn't be so in Brazil.
As much as the Italy match could be pivotal for the team's further advancement it is also a key proving ground for Rooney, or more broadly the Rooney-Sturridge axis to the side. Wayne may consider himself on probation if you will, should his performance fail to pass muster then i believe that would represent adequate justification for a change ahead of the Uruguay match [one of Wilshere or Danny being brought in].
As much as the Italy match could be pivotal for the team's further advancement it is also a key proving ground for Rooney, or more broadly the Rooney-Sturridge axis to the side. Wayne may consider himself on probation if you will, should his performance fail to pass muster then i believe that would represent adequate justification for a change ahead of the Uruguay match [one of Wilshere or Danny being brought in].
Last edited:
I don't get people calling for Rooney & Gerrard to be dropped, no matter what anyone says they are the two best players in the Squad and both are experienced match winners at one point Gerrard was the best central midfield player in the world and even today he falls into the top 20 in world football & everyone on here knows exactly how good Wayne is when he turns up fit and in a clear frame of mind he is unplayable.
Would love to see this formation
Hart
Jones Jagielka Cahill Baines
Gerrard (Deep Lying)
Henderson(Box to Box) Wilshere (Creator)
Sterling Rooney Lallana
Would love to see this formation
Hart
Jones Jagielka Cahill Baines
Gerrard (Deep Lying)
Henderson(Box to Box) Wilshere (Creator)
Sterling Rooney Lallana
If Cleverley is on standby for the WC, why isnt he with the team in Portugal? I dont get it.
I consider Johnson a liability defensively and opt for Jones. Maybe we should also radically go for youth and bring Stones.
http://sharemytactics.com/11945/
http://sharemytactics.com/11945/
This is silly really but gets rolled out every time he fails to single-handedly take us through a tournament like we seem to expect him to. In 2010 he was far from his best but was still comfortably our most dangerous attacking player with his movement and passing. He played in SWP and Lennon vs USA and the end product let them down and was also was a whisker away with a 30+yard effort. Against Slovenia he put one on a plate for Gerrard, was denied by a wonder-save onto the post after beating the offside trap and caused their back-line plenty of problems with his movement. Not much, but still better than what any of our other attacking players were offering.
Our problem in 2010 was the Terry and Upson partnership which gave Germany a 2 goal headstart in the second round. Firstly, letting a routine goal-kick go over their head and through on goal and for the second goal their positioning was absolutely dreadful as they both found themselves on the left wing.
In 2012 he missed the first two matches, scored the winner in the third and then chased shadows against Italy as we completely surrendered the midfield. I'm not sure how that makes him our worst player.
Last edited:
That seems to be a bit of a white washing, I thought Rooney was quite poor into 2010. Whether others were also terrible it's unimportant to whether Rooney was good enough in that tournament.
He won't be dropped, but I certainly understand those who think he doesn't deserve another chance.
at least there are some young talents in the squad. To be fair, Italy and Uruguay are both favorites against England.
He had been injured for every International tournament you guys have played in recently. He shouldn't even have been there in 2010, his ankle was screwed up, it took him ages into the next season to be fit again. Rooney's shortcomings have been exaggerated by the fact he has had to play these tournaments regardless of his fitness levels. Wasn't fit in 2006 either, scored against Ukraine in 2012 and ended up with a bad performance against Italy but England on a whole were awful that day.
It may sound like excuses for him but he had major injuries and missed games for us leading into these tournaments but for some reason is never given any leeway for this. England's best hope of making it far is having him fully fit and hitting the ground running. He is still the one who can make the biggest difference in the big games.
England should just go with Liverpool's attack, swapping out Rooney for Suarez and Lalana for Coutinho. Gerard, Henderson, and Wilshire in midfield.
Coutinho plays in midfield, it'd be Wilshere taking his place.
Agree though, I think we'll be better off with Rooney wide/ drifting like Suarez has and Sturridge up front on his own against Italy, and other teams that will deny us the ball.
Gerrard
Henderson --- Wilshere
Sterling---Sturridge---Rooney
Then Rooney up front with Welbeck, Lallana or the Ox coming in against Costa-Rica, maybe Uruguay and when we're chasing games.Henderson --- Wilshere
Sterling---Sturridge---Rooney
Getting the excuses ready early I see.
Why are you guys so pessimistic, this is the best squad in years, very balanced with power, but also with skill, there is no pressure, Luis Suarez probably not playing against England, you could really schock the world!
we aren't playing Columbia...we are playing Uruguay...who are anything but mediocre...
---
Italy - all will depend on two men; Hart & Rooney, if both are on form then we can win it, if either or both aren't on form, that task becomes much harder.
Uruguay - people underestimate them at their peril, Uruguay have a very very good team, with or without Suarez, they will almost certainly score against us, the question is whether we can score ourselves, it's more winnable than the Italy game on paper if Suarez is injured.
Costa Rica - if we don't win this game we are gone for sure, they aren't awful but even without some of our key players we would want to be getting 3 points against them to stand any change of going through.
it's a very difficult group for us because of the first two teams, right now I would have to say I remain pessimistic about our chances, if we do get through the group I anticipate it being by luck more than performances, and I find it hard to see this bunch of players taking us much further than that barring some kind of miracle.
1. No way Rooney will be dropped
2. Gerrard cannot play in midfield of 2
3. Will be interesting if Woy puts trust in youth rather then having them rot on the bench
2. Gerrard cannot play in midfield of 2
3. Will be interesting if Woy puts trust in youth rather then having them rot on the bench
Playing against a team like Italy in Manaus will tire England out. They'll be chasing the ball in the Amazonian heat. The following two games are against South American teams, Uruguay and Costa Rica. England will have an extremely hard job just to get out of the group stages.
We could play Columbia in the second round, that's what I was referring to - that we'll scrape through the group stage then getting annihilated by a perceived lesser team. I don't by any means think either Uruguay or Columbia are mediocre, I made that picture to make fun of the English press who always build up our chances.
I think we'll be lucky to qualify from the group but may do at the expense of Italy if we can beat them.
Also, I notice the press here in England saying that 'we're in the same position as Italy who will also struggle with the heat'
...because the temperature in Italy is just like England, right? We have Mediterranean heat all summer long in this country.
...because the temperature in Italy is just like England, right? We have Mediterranean heat all summer long in this country.
Also, I notice the press here in England saying that 'we're in the same position as Italy who will also struggle with the heat'
...because the temperature in Italy is just like England, right? We have Mediterranean heat all summer long in this country.
Perhaps they meant the humidity?
I can't imagine that any team would be thrilled at playing in such conditions. If i recall correctly, a Brazilian medical organisation is petitioning the courts to have earlier kick-off times pushed back, due to fears that a player might fall seriously ill or worse.
Last edited:
Wilshere and Rooney are question marks...I think both are over rated and susceptible to disappointment, but either could surprise.
In their stead I prefer Henderson and Ox. Rooney will start, but if he is not up to task Roy has to be decisive.
In their stead I prefer Henderson and Ox. Rooney will start, but if he is not up to task Roy has to be decisive.
A lot of people seem to think Wilshere should start but I'm not so sure especially considering his injuries. I personally think he would be a fantastic impact substitute with his so called 'burst' and would be great against tired legs.
I'd play:
--------------------Hart--------------------
Johnson-------Jagielka----Cahill-------Baines
-------------------Gerrard------------------
------Henderson--------------Lallana-------
-------------------Sterling-----------------
---------Rooney-----------Sturridge--------
I'd play:
--------------------Hart--------------------
Johnson-------Jagielka----Cahill-------Baines
-------------------Gerrard------------------
------Henderson--------------Lallana-------
-------------------Sterling-----------------
---------Rooney-----------Sturridge--------