England v Ecuador

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Go get em jimmy lad

If he's been watching the highlights of Zab then he should be a shoe in at RB for the Italy match as well!

 

[gazinho]

Whilst im 1 of Jimmy's biggest fans, there is absolutely no fucking way we should be using him at right back in the world cup finals, it basically goes to show what a dearth of talent we have as a country in that position.

Now if were talking about playing him as 1 of the 2 sitting midfielders alongside Gerrard that would be different id start him 100 times out of 100 ahead of Wilshire and Henderson, Lampard should be used as a substitue only if were desperate for a goal

I think Milner would do an excellent job as a right back and could make that position his own.

I've said it before but I think Pellegrini should also look at Milner becoming a 2nd right back behind Zaba

I agree he could well do an excellent job but my point still stands he should not be playing at right back in a world cup finals.

I agree with quiet_riot though Jimmy is his own worst enemy with his versatility.

 

[Henkeman]

Whilst im 1 of Jimmy's biggest fans, there is absolutely no fucking way we should be using him at right back in the world cup finals, it basically goes to show what a dearth of talent we have as a country in that position.

Jimmy is his own worst enemy in a way, because he's so good in so many positions, he fails to hold down one as his own.

The Gary Mabbutt conundrum.

 

[supercity88]

Whilst im 1 of Jimmy's biggest fans, there is absolutely no fucking way we should be using him at right back in the world cup finals, it basically goes to show what a dearth of talent we have as a country in that position.

Now if were talking about playing him as 1 of the 2 sitting midfielders alongside Gerrard that would be different id start him 100 times out of 100 ahead of Wilshire and Henderson, Lampard should be used as a substitue only if were desperate for a goal

I think Milner would do an excellent job as a right back and could make that position his own.

I've said it before but I think Pellegrini should also look at Milner becoming a 2nd right back behind Zaba

I agree he could well do an excellent job but my point still stands he should not be playing at right back in a world cup finals.

I agree with quiet_riot though Jimmy is his own worst enemy with his versatility.

It depends on the context. Both Smalling and Jones are likely to cover CB and RB but they offer very little going forward. Should we face the scenario where we need a bit more width then Milner wide right and Baines wide left as wing backs would be useful considering we don't have any out and out wingers in the side - Sterling is the closest we get but even he likes to cut inside. If we use Jones as DM as we may, we can play a kind of 3-5-2 when up against it. Hodgson is testing things out to see his options and to see what alternatives we can throw up. The one things this England side has is versatility and flexibility and therefore we need to use that to beat opponents. If we play too rigidly we will be exposed. I hope that tonight teaches Hodgson some of the pros and cons to different players games.

Personally I would play Hart, Baines, Cahill, Jag, Johnson (best of a bad bunch) Wilshere, Gerrard, Henderson, Sterling, Sturridge, Rooney in a Liverpool style 4-3-3 making sure Rooney and Wilshere do a lot of off the ball work.

 

[stimo]

square pegs in round holes? why wouldnt you play your starting 11 in the 3 friendlies (give or take a couple to get fitness up). the players need to get used to playing with each other and in a specific system!

 

[ell]

The amount of pointless friendlys they fuck about with in the season and they choose the last two before the world cup to start messing around...

 

[sam-caddick]

Absolute joke that he hasn't taken 2 right backs with him, did he think taking 2 'versatile' (not good enough in their proper position) centre halves from the rags would be enough?

Jon Flanagan is on the standy list but should have been in the squad.

He played left back most of the season after Enrique got injured and Rodgers didn't seem to trust Cissokho but I thought whenever I saw him play either side he looked decent, he is very much no nonsense in the way he plays full back and I think England need that.

 

[sh249]

In the two warm up games before the world cup kicks off, in the fact we have had 4 years since the last world cup, why are we still trying players in differing combinations and positions??? shouldn't we by now know?

I was just about to post the same. We've got two games left before we kick-off and we're still fannying around with different players, formations and positions.

I can understand the need to try out realistic combos that may crop up due to injuries/subs/suspensions etc, but this team he's putting out tonight won't play a single minute together as a whole entity during the World Cup so I really can't see the point. These games should be for fine tuning, not giving yourself a headache because a utility midfielder suddenly plays a blinder at right back.

Seems to be a regular failing - was exactly the same in 2010, when Capello was still experimenting with seemingly hundreds of players a couple of weeks before the start. Madness, and serves as a searing indictment of the lack of direction we have.

 

[sh249]

I think Milner would do an excellent job as a right back and could make that position his own.

I've said it before but I think Pellegrini should also look at Milner becoming a 2nd right back behind Zaba

I agree he could well do an excellent job but my point still stands he should not be playing at right back in a world cup finals.

I agree with quiet_riot though Jimmy is his own worst enemy with his versatility.

It depends on the context. Both Smalling and Jones are likely to cover CB and RB but they offer very little going forward. Should we face the scenario where we need a bit more width then Milner wide right and Baines wide left as wing backs would be useful considering we don't have any out and out wingers in the side - Sterling is the closest we get but even he likes to cut inside. If we use Jones as DM as we may, we can play a kind of 3-5-2 when up against it. Hodgson is testing things out to see his options and to see what alternatives we can throw up. The one things this England side has is versatility and flexibility and therefore we need to use that to beat opponents. If we play too rigidly we will be exposed. I hope that tonight teaches Hodgson some of the pros and cons to different players games.

Personally I would play Hart, Baines, Cahill, Jag, Johnson (best of a bad bunch) Wilshere, Gerrard, Henderson, Sterling, Sturridge, Rooney in a Liverpool style 4-3-3 making sure Rooney and Wilshere do a lot of off the ball work.

I'd go very similar, though probably with Barkley or Lallana in place of Sturridge. Alternatively (and depending on the opposition) both instead of Sturridge and Henderson in a 4-2-3-1.

 

[goatersnipple]

i think johnson is my most hated england player right now

Get a grip


have u ever seen Rooney uuuur **** makes me sick