Ok, to put it another way, is Rooney willing to sacrifice himself and where he wants to be in order to create space for others. The amount of times that Kagawa and recently Mata come inside they just run into Rooney, who no longer makes an effort to actually create space and occupy other positions. Admittedly, you see him having touches all over the pitch - but it's usually him running over to receive the ball rather than attacking movement.
The England Boom Bust Cycle begins
- Thread starter Ramshock
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Ok, to put it another way, is Rooney willing to sacrifice himself and where he wants to be in order to create space for others. The amount of times that Kagawa and recently Mata come inside they just run into Rooney, who no longer makes an effort to actually create space and occupy other positions. Admittedly, you see him having touches all over the pitch - but it's usually him running over to receive the ball rather than attacking movement.
Well I'm not suggesting that Rooney is exactly the same as Suarez. I'm saying he's similar and part of what makes the Liverpool attack work really well is what Rooney has done in the past, having a frontman who wants to come and get on the ball wherever he can and from having the ball has the ability to play in others. I definitely think it can work. As well as Liverpool? No, probably not. These days Rooney hates the left side and is more inclined to go get himself in the box to try and score than come help the team outside the box. But there's no doubt he can do a variation of what Suarez has been doing, its just a case of mentally making the right choices
As long as the likes of Downing, Carroll, Adam Johnson, Milner don't start we might be ok.
Sterling has some competition for his place with Townsend and Oxlade Chamberlain back from injury, then there's Welbeck
Sterling has some competition for his place with Townsend and Oxlade Chamberlain back from injury, then there's Welbeck
Townsend and Chamberlain really aren't competition, in fact Johnson would be ahead of them on merit.
I wonder how many Utd players you could make a case for getting into the squad on this season's form?
1 because he's good, + 1 because we're desparate.
How the hell is that a story, yet alone a backpage headline? He signed a 4 year deal in 2012, pretty obviously he's going to be manager after the world cup.
He's done a good job too, absolutely terrible conditions to take over in, yet got a respectable final 8 finish in Euro 2012 on a penalty shoot out loss, and won the group unbeaten to qualify, whilst getting a lot of new players to merge into the squad.
He's done a good job too, absolutely terrible conditions to take over in, yet got a respectable final 8 finish in Euro 2012 on a penalty shoot out loss, and won the group unbeaten to qualify, whilst getting a lot of new players to merge into the squad.
We are ranked 15th in the world at the moment. We'll probably finish in that position. England are like Hull City in the Premier League.
Only an idiot thinks we have a good chance of winning it.
Only an idiot thinks we have a good chance of winning it.
Smalling, Jones, Rooney, and Welbeck. Januzaj too, if I'm being overly optimistic. At least with those five in the team we wouldn't have to worry about penalties.
England would do well to adopt Liverpool's tactics and game plan.
I'm not worried about up front, we look like we've got real options this summer, lots of pace as well. I'm worried none of them will perform as well as they have this season in Brazil, in tough climatic conditions and after long seasons, but it's not the forwards I'm worried about. I just wonder how we're going to line up in midfield, and who will play. Our problem in international tournaments has often been that we can't hold onto the ball and spend our times running after it, I really hope we go for a more possession based approach.
Adam Johnson is as flaky as they come. He should not be allowed near the England team regardless of form this season. He is the last man that you want in the trenches. Townsend has proven that he has the temperament for international football.
Sterling on one wing and Townsend on the other would give us an incredible amount of pace both are better technically than the average English winger.
National team players should be picked on merit. Johnson has been outstanding for Sunderland this season. I don't see why Townsend should be picked ahead of him. Townsend is just pacy but his shooting and crossing is average at best. Johnson is having his best ever individual season creating and scoring goals. Playing in a qualifier is completely different to playing at the World Cup. Ashley Young played well in the Euro 2012 qualifiers but was the worst outfield player (imo) at the tournament.
As for United players. Rooney is a no brainer. Smalling and Jones should definately go. I wouldn't mind seeing a Smalling Cahill partnership in the future. The fact that Welbeck is guaranteed to go says a lot about England's strikeforce. Cleverley and Carrick don't deserve to go. Henderson, Wilshere, Barkley, Barry, Gerard have all been better this season. The likes of Morrison and Barkely will prevent Cleverley from getting call-ups. I'm sure by the time Januzaj qualifies to play he will be too good to ignore.
As for United players. Rooney is a no brainer. Smalling and Jones should definately go. I wouldn't mind seeing a Smalling Cahill partnership in the future. The fact that Welbeck is guaranteed to go says a lot about England's strikeforce. Cleverley and Carrick don't deserve to go. Henderson, Wilshere, Barkley, Barry, Gerard have all been better this season. The likes of Morrison and Barkely will prevent Cleverley from getting call-ups. I'm sure by the time Januzaj qualifies to play he will be too good to ignore.
Johnson wasn't even a guaranteed starter for much of the first half of the season, he's just had an exceptionally good month or so. Certainly nothing to take him to a tournament on. Maybe if he keeps it up till the end of the season he'll have a shout, but more than likely he'll go back to his terribly inconsistent self. You can't just pick teams on merit, otherwise we'd be picking the likes of Grant Holt and then dropping them a few months later, people make out like England does this wrong, but you'll be hard pressed to find a national team that picks their sides for competitive games based on mainly club form. Germany for example persisted with Klose in 2010 despite the fact he had a truly dreadful club season with 3 goals in 25 games.
Townsend was excellent for England in the games he played, that counts for a lot, particularly the two crucial qualifiers, showing he can cope with the pressure will put him above someone like Johnson. He'll need to find some form after his injury himself, but if he does he'll be taken no question. I'd say Sterling should be considered ahead of Johnson too.
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He had four or five good games.
From United I'd bring Rooney, Welbeck, Smalling, Jones and Carrick.
Thought for sure I'd posted my updated boom/bust cycle, can't find it in this thread but forgive the repost if I'm being blind:
Correct on both counts.
Adam Johnson should be nowhere near the international set up, particularly when the likes of Oxlade and Sterling can use this tournament as a means of future progress.
I'd take Sterling, Chamberlain and Townsend as our orthodox wide men. Welbeck will obviously play wide left. If Walcott is fit then he should go. There's so much pace in that quintet.
The likes of Lennon, Johnson, Young and Milner have had their time. Of course, Milner will be on the plane regardless of whether he plays another minute or not.
Looking in as an outsider, Hodgson has done a very decent job with England. If he gets them out of the group it would constitute a success in the summer. I don't think any other manager could do more with them right now.