Steve McLaren is LETTING this England disaster happen...

[Easy 10]

As part of his coaching staff, I'm sure Sven will have spoken to Steve McLaren about the disastrous decision to take two injured strikers, a schoolboy reserve, and Peter Crouch as the sum total of our "strike force" to Germany. Now, will McLaren have tried to actively dissuade the deluded swedish simpleton from this horrifying, cataclysmic cock-up ? Or will he have smiled smugly and let Sven walk straight into it ?

Think about it. The LAST thing McLaren wants is to take over an England side that has just been crowned World Champions. If the pressure and expectation of the job wasn't already sky-high, just imagine if England have won the World Cup, how the hell do you follow that ? The only way is DOWN from there. It would be an impossible act to follow.

Naah, what McLaren needs is for England to crash and burn next month. Badly. As assistant to Eriksson, he is detached from the disaster. Ultimately its not him making the decisions, so when the full horror of this striker crisis comes home to roost during the tournament, and we survey the charred and twisted wreckage of Englands utterly botched campaign, Sven will (quite rightly) get absolutely slaughtered by all and sundry from all angles (not that he'll be bothered as he fucks off into the sunset, dragging his enormous, oversized suitcase stuffed to the seams with his ill-gotten cash behind him).

Come August, McLaren comes in with that smug little smile to pick up the pieces. The new man for the job, can't do any worse surely, lets all give him a chance to sort out the shocking mess that Eriksson left behind him. Surely things can only IMPROVE now after that last fucktard.

Taking charge of World Champions ? Thats the last thing McLaren wants or needs. He'll be laughing up his sleeve at this squad.

 

[Vankleek Hill Seagull]

Do I detect a hint of cynicism there old Easy.

 

[Easy 10]

Is it fair to say that you don't really like Sven very much, Easy?

Well, I'm not sure about his bone-headed insistance of not bothering with a holding midfielder, persisting with the Lampard/Gerrard misfunctioning combo for two years, playing the likes of Rooney and Gerrard all over the shop, showering England caps on one-cap wonders, playing 22 players in one match, playing injured players, his non-existant motivation, complete lack of a back-up plan, inability to make effective substitutions or tactical changes, and now taking a player to the World Cup who (a) hasn't played a single match at the top level, and (b) who he hasn't even actually seen play, other than a couple of roundups on Sky Sports News when Wenger bought him. And only taking 3 other strikers with him, one of whom currently has his foot in a cast and sleeps in an oxygen tent, another who has played half an hour in the last 4 months. And Crouch.

Other than that though, don't get me wrong. Svens great.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

But Easy, you are in favour I assume of taking Darren Bent (who looked lost when he played for England), & Defoe (who is a selfish player & is 3rd choice at Tottenham).

Neither of these players are going to win us the World Cup. Walcott is a gamble, but he has the ability to win games - whether this is too early is up for debate - but Brazil took 17 year old Ronaldinho a few years ago as it's good experience for him.

Walcott won't start a game - may not even get on the pitch. If Rooney is out, I think Owen will play with Gerrard behind him

 

[A Melbourne Albion Supporter]

I think next WC, the one after and the one after that we'll be thanking Seven if he bloods Walcott this WC...great IMO.

I'd dump Rooney and bring in "Charlie" Folwer, he's on form and a proven finisher. Rooney IMHO is a waste of space.

 

[GNF on Tour]

Why don't you try drinking a glass of water between schooners?

 

[A Melbourne Albion Supporter]

Mate in Melbourne we have pots, schooners is for Northerners

Speaking of which, it is almost beer o'clock

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

As part of his coaching staff, I'm sure Sven will have spoken to Steve McLaren about the disastrous decision to take two injured strikers, a schoolboy reserve, and Peter Crouch as the sum total of our "strike force" to Germany. Now, will McLaren have tried to actively dissuade the deluded swedish simpleton from this horrifying, cataclysmic cock-up ? Or will he have smiled smugly and let Sven walk straight into it ?

Think about it. The LAST thing McLaren wants is to take over an England side that has just been crowned World Champions. If the pressure and expectation of the job wasn't already sky-high, just imagine if England have won the World Cup, how the hell do you follow that ? The only way is DOWN from there. It would be an impossible act to follow.

Naah, what McLaren needs is for England to crash and burn next month. Badly. As assistant to Eriksson, he is detached from the disaster. Ultimately its not him making the decisions, so when the full horror of this striker crisis comes home to roost during the tournament, and we survey the charred and twisted wreckage of Englands utterly botched campaign, Sven will (quite rightly) get absolutely slaughtered by all and sundry from all angles (not that he'll be bothered as he fucks off into the sunset, dragging his enormous, oversized suitcase stuffed to the seams with his ill-gotten cash behind him).

Come August, McLaren comes in with that smug little smile to pick up the pieces. The new man for the job, can't do any worse surely, lets all give him a chance to sort out the shocking mess that Eriksson left behind him. Surely things can only IMPROVE now after that last fucktard.

Taking charge of World Champions ? Thats the last thing McLaren wants or needs. He'll be laughing up his sleeve at this squad.

Started on the new manager early havent we?

 

[Icy Gull]

Taking charge of World Champions ? Thats the last thing McLaren wants or needs. He'll be laughing up his sleeve at this squad.

Oh dear Easy, go and have a lie down. England World Champions, with no Rooney and a crocked Owen

Even without picking Walcott and Hargreaves, which has you frothing at the mouth, we were NEVER in with a remote chance once Rooney got injured and Owen so injury prone.

 

[Marshy]

Sven is clueless cock end of discussion

 

[Brovion]

But Easy, you are in favour I assume of taking Darren Bent (who looked lost when he played for England), & Defoe (who is a selfish player & is 3rd choice at Tottenham).

Neither of these players are going to win us the World Cup. Walcott is a gamble, but he has the ability to win games - whether this is too early is up for debate - but Brazil took 17 year old Ronaldinho a few years ago as it's good experience for him.

Walcott won't start a game - may not even get on the pitch. If Rooney is out, I think Owen will play with Gerrard behind him

Agreed. We've been watching Bent and Defoe all season in the Premiership and I don't know about the rest of you but I've never watched them and gone "Wow! What great players! No worries there if Rooney or Owen get injured!" Thierry Henry they're not - even Louis Saha has looked a better player.

 

[Easy 10]

Re: Re: Steve McLaren is LETTING this England disaster happen...

Started on the new manager early havent we?

Not at all. I think he's been very clever.
Its not McLarens fault that Sven has completely lost it, but believe me, we'll all be so relieved to see the back of Sven after this World Cup, that McLaren will rightly be welcomed with open arms in August.

Svens the one thats dug this hole, and he's the one that'll be buried in it.

 

[CHAPPERS]

I don't think we look to f***ed to be honest. Yes, we look a tad weak on the striker front but we have the likes of Gerrard and Cole who can play in behind the striker. Personally I'd like us to see us play the little and large combo of Owen and Crouch if Rooney can't get fit. If Owen get's injured you play Crouch up and tell both Cole and Gerrard to get forward as much as possible. Walcott is not there to play a major part in this tournament but can certainly be brought on for 10-15 minutes at the end of games to share the shit out of opposition defenders.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Re: Re: Re: Steve McLaren is LETTING this England disaster happen...

Not at all. I think he's been very clever.
Its not McLarens fault that Sven has completely lost it, but believe me, we'll all be so relieved to see the back of Sven after this World Cup, that McLaren will rightly be welcomed with open arms in August.

Svens the one thats dug this hole, and he's the one that'll be buried in it.

Your dislike of Sven is a predictable as LI's love for McGhee. What ever he did you would have slated.

 

[Easy 10]

But Easy, you are in favour I assume of taking Darren Bent (who looked lost when he played for England), & Defoe (who is a selfish player & is 3rd choice at Tottenham).

Neither of these players are going to win us the World Cup. Walcott is a gamble, but he has the ability to win games - whether this is too early is up for debate - but Brazil took 17 year old Ronaldinho a few years ago as it's good experience for him.

Walcott won't start a game - may not even get on the pitch. If Rooney is out, I think Owen will play with Gerrard behind him

I'm in favour of taking the Premierships top english scorer now that we've lost Rooney and quite possibly Owen. No he won't WIN us the World Cup, but then getting misty-eyed and romantic about a kid who's never even stepped into a 1st team, and expecting him to win the World Cuip for us, is absolute fanciful RUBBISH I'm afraid. Comparing him to Brazilians is ridiculous (you mention Ronaldinho, others have mentioned PELE for christs sake, has everyone gone f***ing MAD in the last 24 hours ??)

Walcott may well HAVE to start a game Stumpy, because we've only got 2 fit strikers at the moment, and he's one of em'. I don't think people are quite appreciating that Walcott isn't just going along to make up the numbers - he's only taking 4 strikers, which means theres a more than decent chance that we will actually be RELYING ON WALCOTT to lead the line in a WOrld Cup finals !

 

[CHAPPERS]

I'm in favour of taking the Premierships top english scorer now that we've lost Rooney and quite possibly Owen. No he won't WIN us the World Cup, but then getting misty-eyed and romantic about a kid who's never even stepped into a 1st team, and expecting him to win the World Cuip for us, is absolute fanciful RUBBISH I'm afraid. Comparing him to Brazilians is ridiculous (you mention Ronaldinho, others have mentioned PELE for christs sake, has everyone gone f***ing MAD in the last 24 hours ??)

Walcott may well HAVE to start a game Stumpy, because we've only got 2 fit strikers at the moment, and he's one of em'. I don't think people are quite appreciating that Walcott isn't just going along to make up the numbers - he's only taking 4 strikers, which means theres a more than decent chance that we will actually be RELYING ON WALCOTT to lead the line in a WOrld Cup finals !

Are you willing to accept that we may only play ONE striker and have a midfielder playing off him? Whether that striker be Owen or Crouch? Do you accept that we have other options that playing two strikers up or not? Joe Cole can slide easily into he Rooney role, let's not forget how well he has been playing this season. f*** SAKE Easy, let's try and be a bit more confident shall we? We still have one of the best sides in the tournament.

It's not all doom and gloom mate.

 

[Easy 10]

Are you willing to accept that we may only play ONE striker and have a midfielder playing off him? Whether that striker be Owen or Crouch? Do you accept that we have other options that playing two strikers up or not? Joe Cole can slide easily into he Rooney role, let's not forget how well he has been playing this season. f*** SAKE Easy, let's try and be a bit more confident shall we? We still have one of the best sides in the tournament.

It's not all doom and gloom mate.

I absolutely think that team HAS to be set up as a 4-5-1, its a no brainer. Ideally Owen up front, Becks/Cole on the flanks, Lampard/Gerrard closely supporting Owen, with Carrick holding. That is the ONLY line-up that will give us any chance whatsoever next month.

But if Owen doesn't make it, or gets injured, we have got NOTHING in the bench. We have got NOTHING in back-up. Crouch can't play on his own up there, so we're left with an inexperienced rookie and, err, thats it. You're then down to jumbling midfielders around trying to make them into auxilliry strikers. I thought Joe Cole had solved our left-sided problem, so once you start moving him around into different roles, you f*** up the one bit of progress this team had made uder Sven.

If Owen is fit, and stays fit, then with a 5 man midfield we *MIGHT* just get away with it. If he's crocked, then with this squad as it stands, forget it. We're stuffed.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Fair enough. I still think Crouch is good enough to play up there with someone off him, just look how well it works at Liverpool with Gerrard playing up with him. You can bemoan the choices all you want but it is very unfortunate that we have lost Rooney, it's akin to Brazil losing Ronaldinho.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

I absolutely think that team HAS to be set up as a 4-5-1, its a no brainer. Ideally Owen up front, Becks/Cole on the flanks, Lampard/Gerrard closely supporting Owen, with Carrick holding. That is the ONLY line-up that will give us any chance whatsoever next month.

I think this is as positive a comment we're going to get from you

I mentioned Ronaldinho because he went with Brazil as a 17 year old, and didn't play a game. It was experience for the goofy Brazilian lad. Nobody thinks Walcott is going to win us the World Cup, but nor is Bent or Defoe. But he might win it for us next time....

In the meantime, I 100% agree with your formation above. It is a no-brainer. I'm not sure Sven will go with it, and that would make him a fool. We shall see.

By the way, I'm not Sven's biggest fan - but I think he's got this right