Dio wrote:I'm a bit less sure now. I think part of the logic behind the 3-5-2 was to try to fit Gerrard, Lampard, a holding midfielder and width all in at the same time...
You're probably right and I guess it's less likely with Ferdinand injured too.
I'm not a fan of 3-5-2 anyway, but I would be happier with Cole as a wing-back than Downing as a left-winger (would he really be getting a game without the Boro link?)
Plus 3 in the middle might give Scotty Parker a game although with Newcastles injury record it's probably better if he doesn't play.
I thought Downing had a pretty decent game today. Sure, he's a lot less broadly talented than the rest of the squad, but the way the rest of the squad perform he doesn't look out of place...
Nice header from Peter "Square Bonce" Crouch at the death, too. Though to be fair to the big lad, he might have had a bet on a 0-0 draw.
It was shit today. I ended up making sausages and listening to the radio. That Scotland result cheered me up no end, though, if only because they beat the modest, mild-mannered, self-deprecating French.
Once again, the best keeper in Britain is wearing a Scotland shirt. What's truly unbelievable about this Scotland side is how much better the players are in blue; just look at Fletcher, who was IMMENSE.
Saw the highlights on Sportscene earlier. I was watching the England game, cos I don't have Sky, and when that scoreline came up...
goldfish wrote:More or less a disastrous day for football.
England 0-0 against fucking Macenobody
Scotland win
And worst of all, Forest lose 4-0 at home
If nothing else, it goes some way to proving that the problem with England is seldom the manager, but more often the idiot fucking overpaid players.
Simon (slighyly pissed)
We're always going to get a result like that at home against local opposition who can't believe they are getting a crack at us (despite this being our second season in the third tier). Not that all teams don't relish the opportunity for what is percieved as a big scalp, but Scunny will have been playing out of their skins today as they did last season against us - when the opposition decide it is their cup final and we aren't on tip-top form we can expect a result like this. But we are still top by two points and won't suck this badly all the time.
England though are almost not worht watching these days. I'm losing the excitement that used to be there with internationals. I don't look forward to them anymore. Why he picked an off-form Rooney ahead of SWP or someone I'll never understand. I still think Crouch could turn out to be as successful a striker as we've ever had, due to how he can adapt well to whatever half-arsed attacking schemes England are plying these days.
XBox Gamertag: GovernmentYard
Everything else: governmentyard
goldfish wrote:
If nothing else, it goes some way to proving that the problem with England is seldom the manager, but more often the idiot fucking overpaid players.
Simon (slighyly pissed)
Although they clearly underperformed yesterday, I have to disagree to an extent.
It was common knowledge during Svens reign that McClaren pretty much ran the training sessions and had a big say in team selection and tactics.
Therefore it's hardly surprising things are no better now than for the majority of the previous 5 years.
Do we really think a Ferguson or Wenger couldn't get that bunch of players to perform?
Once again, the best keeper in Britain is wearing a Scotland shirt. What's truly unbelievable about this Scotland side is how much better the players are in blue; just look at Fletcher, who was IMMENSE.
Saw the highlights on Sportscene earlier. I was watching the England game, cos I don't have Sky, and when that scoreline came up...
Walter Smith for First Minister.
I'd also like to point out we're now the unofficial world champions, after France beat Italy in August in the last round of qualifiers.
I've never seen a pub erupt the way it did when that goal went in. After the final whistle it was conga lines and dosey-do's all round for (literally) hours.
mamemeister wrote:Ooo so I'm detecting you'd have been happier had Scotland lost?
If England had won, I wouldn't care one way or the other, but we're going to have to put up with lots of jingoistic nonsense now Scotland have got their one good result of the campaign out've the way early.
Also means we can't take the piss out've the French quite so much.
Simon
"Who put the 'ram' in the 'ram-a-lam-a-ding-dong'?"
although with Newcastles injury record it's probably better if he doesn't play.
