Liverpool FC Forum

by **Cool Hand Luke** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 6:06 pm

4-4-2 is the only way to get the best of the important players and most of team picks itself:

GK: Robinson
RB: Gary Neville
LB: A.Cole (as long as he is able to participate in the first training session for England)
CB: Well we all know it between Terry, Campbell and Ferdinand.

Ferdinand: has had the worst season of his career and you have to question his attitude when he seems more concerned with taking crack, buying new furniture and getting up on stage at G-Unit concerts with Rooney. When he is focused he is one of the best centre backs in the world and is perfectly suited to European and International football, I think he will naturally focus when the World Cup comes along.

Campbell is a big occasion player, if he was injury free, mentally focussed and reasonably weighted, and 5/6 games under his belt he would be the first centre back on my team sheet. Since Euro 2004 he has been carrying to much weight which means that he is slow in the turn and lacks some of his old recovery pace. But when on form is the man to have at back, especially on the big occasions.

Terry is the one that has had the best season, but he had a terrible Euro 2004 and seems to choke in big match occasions. He also lacks the recovery pace of the other 2 and is very slow in the turn, this means the he is exposed by quicker and more dynamic strikers, so he drops deeper and deeper which either ruins the line and offside ploy or forces the team to drop deep and invite pressure.

But overall it’s a good situation.

Midfield:

This is the biggest problem, despite having some very good players there is no balance. Between Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard, Carrick and Joe Cole, Sven needs to get 4 of them working effectively together. I see these options:

1 - Beckham Gerrard Lampard J.Cole: I’m afraid that Sven is most likely to go for this system, it means Gerrard will be restricted to a defensive role.

2 - Beckham Gerrard/Lampard Carrick J.Cole: He can sacrifice one of Gerrard or Lampard in order to have Carrick as the specialist anchor man, this system will mean that you get the best out of EITHER Lampard or Gerrard but leave one out.

3 - Beckham Lampard Carrick Gerrard: Gerrard is so good and so versatile that he could play on the left which would give him more licence to attack then if he play in the centre with Lampard.

4 - Gerrard Lampard Carrick J.Cole: Beckham has been poor for both club and country since that metatarsal injury in 2002, and in reality does not deserve a place in the starting line up. Gerrard has shown he can play excellently out on the right and he would need any time to adjust because he has been doing it all season for Liverpool, and at the same time England would get the best out of Lampard. But we know this will not happen because Beckham is Sven’s blue eyes boy.

I believe the most important thing is to get the balance right, and also England must get the best out of Gerrard if they are to give themselves a chance for success.

Strikers: Owen and Rooney pick themselves. It would have been nice if Owen had got 5/6 games under his belt, but as long as he is fit to participate in the first full training session then that is fine.

So I would go:

Robinson

Neville Ferdinand Campbell* A.Cole

Gerrard Lampard Carrick J.Cole

Owen Rooney

* If Campbell can not get himself injury free, slim and fit, mentally focused and get a few games under his belt then TERRY should come in.

If Beckham must play because of finical reasons and Sven cant bear to be with out him then:

Robinson

Neville Ferdinand Campbell* A.Cole

Beckham Gerrard Carrick J.Cole

Owen Rooney

*If Campbell can not get himself injury free, slim and fit, mentally focused and get a few games under his belt then TERRY should come in.

At the end of the day, England must play a 4-4-2 to get the best out of Rooney and Owen. The England team should be built around Rooney and Gerrard, these 2 players are the ones that will help you win the big games and beat the big team. And somewhere in the midfield a sacrifice will have to be made in order to get the balance. So far Sven has always taken the east option in his England career, anyone can take the easy option, does he get paid £5MIL a year to take the easy option, big manager make big decisions and its time Sven did, even though I know he wont.

by **RichardLFC1** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:30 pm

For me

Robinson

Neville
Carragher
Terry
Ash cole

Becks
Gerrard
Lampard/Carrick
J.cole

Rooney
Owen

by **The Ace1983** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:51 pm

If it were me (and a lot of people are glad it's not) I'd have:

. Robinson
. Neville Cole/Konchesky
. Carragher Terry
. Beckham
. Gerrard Lampard Cole
. Rooney Owen

or

. Robinson
. Carragher Ferdinand Terry
. Carrick
. Gerrard Beckham Lampard Cole
. Rooney Owen

by **66-1112520797** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 12:48 pm

Robinson
GaryScum Terry Ferdinand Bridge

Beckham Gerrard Lampard A.Cole
Rooney
Owen

my two cents.

by **The Ace1983** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 2:58 pm

What I don't get, is that we know who our midfield four are going to be: Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard and Cole. The best players for the job without doubt, but everyone goes on about how Beckham should be replaced on the right and how Gerrard and Lampard don't work together in the centre. Why not swap Gerrard and Beckham? Beckham has played the sitting role for Madrid and Gerrard has been playing most of this season on the right (and done a damn good job). Just an idea...

by **2520years** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 3:03 pm

This would be my choice, but I don't expect it to happen, i.e. Sven loves Beckham too much, so he'll be in and Carrick out.

Robinson
Neville Cole
Carragher Terry
Carrick
Gerrard Lampard Cole
Rooney Owen

...barring the inevitable injuries...

by **The Ace1983** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 4:03 pm

Well here's a Q to think about. Who would be the worst player to have injured before the world cup? I'm thinking Robinson, because James is just a nightmare.

by **Dundalk** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 6:45 pm

The Ace1983 wrote:If it were me (and a lot of people are glad it's not) I'd have:

. Robinson
. Neville Cole/Konchesky
. Carragher Terry
. Beckham
. Gerrard Lampard Cole
. Rooney Owen

Beckham as a holding midfielder, now thats just not going to work

by **The Ace1983** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:14 pm

We've tried it before and it did ok. It meant that Gerrard could get forward more and Sven could keep his precious Becks in the team.

by **Dundalk** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:30 pm

Yeah that was against Wales!! See if it works as well against Brasil!!

by **The Ace1983** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:32 pm

Wales aren't that ba... :laugh:

Sorry. I couldn't get through that without laughing

by **Dundalk** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:33 pm

by **RichardLFC1** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 5:28 pm

Just heared on the radio that Rooney has broken his meatartarcel so looks as if he is OUT

by **dawson99** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 5:35 pm

well that kinda sucks

by **RichardLFC1** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 6:01 pm

He will have a scan tommorow so fingers crossed

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