WCQ Results

[Boro]

Good result for England. I think the criticism of Sven and the team has been well over the top, and 4 points from 2 away games is a good return which has them on track to finish as group winners.

I don't understand the Sven hate campaign to tell the truth, and would love Goals or any other critics to explain exactly what he's done wrong or should be doing differently with the quality of players at his disposal?

Andorra 1 - 5 Romania
Kazakhstan 1 - 2 Ukraine
Armenia 0 - 2 Finland
Georgia 2 - 0 Albania
Lithuania 4 - 0 San Marino
Faroe Islands 0 - 2 France
Israel 2 - 1 Cyprus
Luxembourg 3 - 4 Latvia
Norway 1 - 1 Belarus
Bosnia-Herzegovina 1 - 1 Spain
Slovakia 7 - 0 Liechtenstein
Sweden 0 - 1 Croatia
Austria 2 - 0 Azerbaijan
Netherlands 2 - 0 Czech Republic
Poland 1 - 2 England
Switzerland 1 - 1 Ireland
Greece 0 - 0 Turkey
Moldova 0 - 1 Italy
Scotland 0 - 0 Slovenia
Wales 2 - 2 Northern Ireland
Hungary 3 - 2 Iceland
Portugal 4 - 0 Estonia

 

[clucas91]

Only result that matters;

India 0 Japan 4

 

[Swifty4]

What's happened to Spain? They can't take a trick lately, ever since they were robbed at the World Cup...

 

[pinkpanther1586]

Bosnia aren't the easy beats we used to be. Good result for us. From all reports we dominated the match which was played the great town of Zenica.
Can't believe Holland finally beat the Czechs!

 

[Knowledge]

Spain's 1-1 draw leaves Serbia in a good position to go top.

 

[moomba]

What has Sven done wrong.

Basically his team selections have been awful. Apart from his 11 substitutions, 6 captains debacles he hasn't made any attempt to resolve the left hand side problem, and he has refused to experiment in friendlies with the type of players that are likely to bring England forward.

He has proven time and time again he is unable to change the way a game is going, through force of personality on the sidelines, or through shrewd substitutions. Like for like is his motto, and I can't recall one game where a substitution has affected the course of the game.

His teams are inherently conservative, and play a boring style of football. Playing against a 10 man Brazil in the WC for half an hour I am struggling to think of one meaningful attack, playing against Portugal in the Euro's England decided to sit back and defend a 1 goal lead for a large part of the game rather than maintain possession and chew up the clock. Part of Michael Owens problems IMO are related to the fact that his two most recent coaches seem to think attacking football is getting your CB to lump it long so he can run past a defender.

He is starstruck by his more famous squad members, and it has lead them to a status in the team that their form does not deserve. He refuses to sub Beckham (when fit) even though he hasn't played a decent game for England in a long while. He continues to give starts to Owen even when he is terribly out of form. Part of the reason for this is that Sven has done very little toward using his friendlies to find alternatives to Owen.

He is starstruck by the big teams. Alan Smith couldn't get in the squad for Euro2004, a move to Man United and a couple of jollies in America and he is a first choice. He persisted with Heskey for years when he was at Liverpool, he moves and now he can't get a look in.

His loyalty is questionable and I have no doubt that he actively encouraged approaches by both Man United a few years back and Chelsea. They are both welcome to him, I can't see either side winning anything with Sven in charge.

 

[Sammy D]

...he hasn't made any attempt to resolve the left hand side problem

FFS Sven, at least give Gareth a couple of chances at LM and if he plays ********e then ignore him. He could be the answer! Give the boy a go

 

[GoalsFrom50Out]

What I've been saying for ages, moomba. SVEN OUT.

 

[GoalsFrom50Out]

FFS Sven, at least give Gareth a couple of chances at LM and if he plays ********e then ignore him. He could be the answer! Give the boy a go

Why he doesn't let a right footed player on the left side I don't know. I'm sure he's not dumb enough to know that it does work. Robert Pires is right footed, as is Henry and both play on the left hand side.

Unless it's because they're French and are naturally going to be better at it, it would be possible for England. Give SWP a go out there and see how he does.

 

[Tenacious Dees]

We've played right footers on the left for an eternity, hasn't worked. To be a right footer and play on the left I believe you have to be a natural winger first and foremost. Hence guys like Pires, Nedved, Kewell, Arjen Robben, Ronaldo, Duff can be switched from one side to the other with success regardless of their favourite foot. Heck even Jesper Gronkjaer can do it quite sufficiently.

Scholes wasn't a natural winger and looked crap, Joe Cole isn't and has been/will continue to be crap there. In fact as it stands with the current squad SWP is the only right footer I would try in that position. Problem is that we would be terribly small down the left channel and opposing teams would focus on this weakness.

Greece were a prime example back in that WCQ 2-2 draw at Old Trafford. Marked Cole's lack of height as the major English defensive weakness and exploited it in excellent fashion. Their first goal was crafted from this plan.

Cole has improved a hell of a lot of course but I'm not sure if we can afford to play two small men down one flank. OK Bridge isn't the tallest but SWP makes Michael Owen look like a giant.

Anyway, last night against Poland was the best the left side has looked since, well, for a long time. So as it stands I'm personally quite happy.

I'd still prefer Ashley Cole in front of Bridge but given time I think this setup can work. I'd still like Gareth Barry to be given a chance, I have no idea why he hasn't - he performed well as a kid when given a chance in the international arena, it's bizarre why Sven hasn't called him up.

 

[Lowie01]

At least Sven did something right by starting Defoe. It will be interesting to see what happens when Rooney comes back - Owen's starting place could be in jeopardy for the first time in a long time. Also, the England players refused to speak to the press after the game, due to a protest over the coverage of the Austria match - don't know about you, but this doesn't achieve anything IMO. It may encourage the press to only go harder when (not if!) they next stumble.

Watched Holland vs Czechs this morning too - flattering scoreline for the Dutch, but the Czechs' defending was awful on both goals.

Surprise result of the day: Panama 1-1 United States (US only equalised in 90th min)

 

[GoalsFrom50Out]

We've played right footers on the left for an eternity, hasn't worked. To be a right footer and play on the left I believe you have to be a natural winger first and foremost. Hence guys like Pires, Nedved, Kewell, Arjen Robben, Ronaldo, Duff can be switched from one side to the other with success regardless of their favourite foot. Heck even Jesper Gronkjaer can do it quite sufficiently.

Pires isn't a natural winger like a Ryan Giggs. He's more a striker playing a withdrawn role but it's just a system that works for only Arsenal and no one else. The other players aren't there for it to work properly.

 

[Boro]

What has Sven done wrong.

Basically his team selections have been awful.

Apart from Emile Heskey who else?

 

[GoalsFrom50Out]

David James. His team selections are sooo predictable.

 

[Boro]

David James. His team selections are sooo predictable.

Wel we aren't exactly spoilt for choice in the keeping department are we! and he was dropped last night, so he can make some difficult decisions.

 

[GoalsFrom50Out]

Give Robinson the rest of the qualifiers. Anything's an improvement on Calamity.

 

[Ricketts]

Ricketts is the one single answer to England's problems.

 

[Tenacious Dees]

Pires isn't a natural winger like a Ryan Giggs. He's more a striker playing a withdrawn role but it's just a system that works for only Arsenal and no one else. The other players aren't there for it to work properly.

He's not a classic winger like Giggs, but I believe he is a natural winger.

 

[Ricketts]

but I believe he is a natural winger.

like Zenden?

 

[Tenacious Dees]

The way Zenden plays is similar to Pires in reverse. Left footer who prefers to play on the right. Not a classic winger but someone who has the qualities you want in a wingman, pace and the ability to beat a man.

 

[moomba]

Apart from Emile Heskey who else?

It's who he hasn't given an opportunity to. Beattie hasn't had a chance to prove he is up to it or not, Robinson has hardly had a run even in friendlies, now he is dropped into it in the middle of the qualifiers. Beckham and Owen start every game, whether their form warrants it or otherwise. Ricketts has an England cap. Gareth Barry hasn't been given an opportunity, Alan Thompson had one game to prove himself and has disappeared ever since. Jermaine Defoe didn't make the squad, and even though he has been performing at Premier League level for half a year, it has taken until now for him to get a decent shot. SWP exceeds expectations in his 30 minutes on the ground, hasn't had a look in ever since while the likes of Hargreaves are picked in squad after squad, team after team. He picks 3 to 4 central midfielders in the same team causing it to be hugely unbalanced. Michael Ricketts was selected to play for England. Michael Ricketts was selected to play for England. Michael Ricketts was selected to play for England.

 

[Boro]

Ricketts was given one cap because he was a striker in form and was quickly discarded.

Beattie should be picked in front of who? Owen? Rooney? Defoe? Smith? Vassell? I don't think forwards are Englands problem. He has been in squads and been capped and Sven obviously doesn't rate him.

Alan Thompson, not even good enough for the Premiership. Looks good in SPL but who doesn't.

SWP will get his chance if good enough, but the Euro's were too soon for him. Ditto Defoe.

You complain about the players picked but the alternatives aren't that exciting, or just not there. He hasn't failed to qualify for a major tournament, or proceed past the group stages at these tournaments with the players he has picked. Who was the last manager with that much success in the National job? He hasn't been perfect by any stretch but realistically, who are the alternatives? Just like the player stocks, the choices are scarce.

 

[moomba]

Ricketts was given one cap because he was a striker in form and was quickly discarded.

Does that make it a good selection?

Beattie should be picked in front of who? Owen? Rooney? Defoe? Smith? Vassell? I don't think forwards are Englands problem. He has been in squads and been capped and Sven obviously doesn't rate him.

I'm not saying he should be brought into the squad now (although I would rate him higher than Smith and Vassell) but he should have got an opportunity in the past. As for forwards, they have been a problem for years, it is only the emergence of Rooney and now Defoe that has turned that around.

Alan Thompson, not even good enough for the Premiership. Looks good in SPL but who doesn't.

So why bring him in for the one game? 61 minutes of football is not enough to prove anything, either he was good enough and justified his callup or he wasnt and shouldnt have got in the team.

SWP will get his chance if good enough, but the Euro's were too soon for him. Ditto Defoe.

I would say both would have improved Englands chances in the Euro's.

You complain about the players picked but the alternatives aren't that exciting, or just not there.

In your opinion of course. Personally I think the alternatives are there and are jsut as exciting.

He hasn't failed to qualify for a major tournament, or proceed past the group stages at these tournaments with the players he has picked. Who was the last manager with that much success in the National job?

This is the team in a generation, primed to be the best in the world right now. Compare them with any of the elite and they fall well short. They have the players to compete with the best, but whenever they come up against the best they look far inferior.

He hasn't been perfect by any stretch but realistically, who are the alternatives? Just like the player stocks, the choices are scarce.

Don't care about the alternatives, I just as myself the question, will England win anything with Sven in charge. Clear answer to me, no.

 

[moomba]

Give Robinson the rest of the qualifiers. Anything's an improvement on Calamity.

As far as howlers go, Robinson has had more than his share in the past 12 months.

 

[Paris75]

As far as howlers go, Robinson has had more than his share in the past 12 months.

You can't blame the guy, look at the players he had in front of him and how many times the ball was coming down at him. Look at Robinson's form when Leeds were doing OK, or even a few years back when Martyn was injued and you won't see many mistakes. IMHO he's been impressive for Tottenham so far as well.

If anything Robinson should be given a fair go because he's young and if he does settle in, the goalkeeping problem will be solved for many a year to come.