Sven - will the penny finally DROP now for the Swedish Slap ?

[Easy 10]

Pace, energy, balance, fluency, ideas. England were TRANSFORMED tonight, and you know why ?

Ledley King.

The fella just oozes class. So much composure on the ball, right place at the right time, always in space to receive it, anticipation to intercept and block, exquisite simplicity on the ball, and gives the whole team that balance and shape its been so desperately lacking for so long now. Rooney was superb as well, and for once we finally had a solid platform to see Cole, Rooney, SWP and Lampard at their devastating best.

Its a change that was FORCED onto Sven. This was not the lineup he would have selected if injuries and suspensions had not come into play. But like Bobby in 86', circumstances have conspired to land him with a lineup that AT LAST looked cohesive and fluent. Poland arn't world-beaters, but they're a competant team who were given the absolute runaround tonight - something we've utterly failed to do for, well, quite some time frankly. Probably since Croatia.

So well done SVEN for finally picking a team that can play together. I hope this has, at last, lit a lightbulb in that shiney cranium of his that will tell him that Lampard/Gerrard does not and will not work. Ever. And yes, Golden Boy Beckham, captain or not, might actually have to FIGHT for his place against SWP, who brought so much pace and vibrancy down that side that it makes him difficult to discard.

The biggest factor for me tonight though was King. He was the lynchpin tonight, the hub, and the basis for that whole performance. Even if we HAD failed to win, the performance at last showed some encouraging signs from the GASH we've had over the last couple of years.

I just hope to Christ that Sven (at last) knows what to do with this squad.

 

[brighton2win]

amen

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

Damn straight. It's always going to be hard to leave out one of Gerrard or Lampard, but if that needs to be done to seriously progress in the World Cup, so be it. King is utter class, and adapted superbly - he'll be invaluable against the top sides if he plays. Plus he brought the best out of Lampard.

I do fear Sven will take the easy way out though, and we'll fall short again ...

 

[Del Boy]

[Lampard/Gerrard does not and will not work. Ever.

Its makes me wonder what Jose was planning to do if gerrard had signed!!

A couple of good points there, especially about SWP & Becks!

 

[sir danny cullip]

Totally agree, I (like many) wasn't sure what kind of a job ledley king would do tonight but he was superb, i think i saw him give the ball away once and he made some superb tackles in front of the defence and distributed the ball to relieve pressure. I think it also proved that gerrard and lampard arent the best midfield partnership together, individually theyre both class but together they dont compliment each other....where will sven play them both next game?

 

[y2dave]

Spot on, the golden boys - Becks and Gerrard are great options but do not fit into our best attacking side. Gerrard does not appear to want to play the King role so he better get used to being Lamps understudy.

 

[The British National Party]

Pace, energy, balance, fluency, ideas. England were TRANSFORMED tonight, and you know why ?

Ledley King.

The fella just oozes class. So much composure on the ball, right place at the right time, always in space to receive it, anticipation to intercept and block, exquisite simplicity on the ball, and gives the whole team that balance and shape its been so desperately lacking for so long now. Rooney was superb as well, and for once we finally had a solid platform to see Cole, Rooney, SWP and Lampard at their devastating best.

Its a change that was FORCED onto Sven. This was not the lineup he would have selected if injuries and suspensions had not come into play. But like Bobby in 86', circumstances have conspired to land him with a lineup that AT LAST looked cohesive and fluent. Poland arn't world-beaters, but they're a competant team who were given the absolute runaround tonight - something we've utterly failed to do for, well, quite some time frankly. Probably since Croatia.

So well done SVEN for finally picking a team that can play together. I hope this has, at last, lit a lightbulb in that shiney cranium of his that will tell him that Lampard/Gerrard does not and will not work. Ever. And yes, Golden Boy Beckham, captain or not, might actually have to FIGHT for his place against SWP, who brought so much pace and vibrancy down that side that it makes him difficult to discard.

The biggest factor for me tonight though was King. He was the lynchpin tonight, the hub, and the basis for that whole performance. Even if we HAD failed to win, the performance at last showed some encouraging signs from the GASH we've had over the last couple of years.

I just hope to Christ that Sven (at last) knows what to do with this squad.

Beckham will be back in for the next match and we'll be back to watching the last three matches prior to nights match.

 

[Wilka]

King was class

But no doubt Sven will go back to the usual names when there all available even if they don't fit into the system he wants to play.

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

This may be Sven's making (or otherwise ...)

If we resort to the combinations which have been proven not to work, we'll fail as we normally do ... time for a bit of guts. Gerrard or Lampard, Beckham or Wright-Phillips ... he has to make the choices.

 

[Easy 10]

King was class

But no doubt Sven will go back to the usual names when there all available even if they don't fit into the system he wants to play.

Please, PLEASE don't say that. Not even if you're joking.

Tonight was like a glass of ice cold water on a hot day. Eriksson deployed King in precisely the role he was born to play, and I give him 100% credit tonight for the team he picked and the way they played. OK, it wasn't his first choice, but all managers get a bit of luck on the way and find a system almost by "accident" that seems to click. OK, its one game, in a match where both teams had already qualified. But I believe this is a system that must be nurtured and practiced between now and the World Cup.

If the next England midfield lines up:

Beckham Lampard Gerrard Cole

Then I will utterly dispair. In fact, I will throw a major strop that will show the true meaning of the word FLOUNCE.

 

[chez]

Ledley was class tonight and having him there definately brings the best out of Lampard. The thing I dont agree on though is the Rooney issue, apart from a couple of fancy flicks and turns I dont think he done a lot to be honest. Now, we all know what he is capable of, I just hope he doesnt become another of these players that is assured of a place just because of what he is capable of rather than what he is actually doing.

Well done tonight though lads, both goals were superbly taken.

 

[y2dave]

Ledley was class tonight and having him there definately brings the best out of Lampard. The thing I dont agree on though is the Rooney issue, apart from a couple of fancy flicks and turns I dont think he done a lot to be honest. Now, we all know what he is capable of, I just hope he doesnt become another of these players that is assured of a place just because of what he is capable of rather than what he is actually doing.

Well done tonight though lads, both goals were superbly taken.

Got to disagree. Rooney links everything and brings players into the game through his positioning and demand for the ball. He is our best flair player since Gazza pre 1991. Thats how rare a talent he is.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Spurs alert

 

[Turkey]

His was excellent tonight but when we come up against quick, mobile opposition who attack us he could be exposed big time in terms of his pace. I think Gerrard can do everything he does, they just need to implement the disipline to keep him holding. And besdies, with so many games in such a short time, it'll be great to have the quality to rotate the squad.

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

His was excellent tonight but when we come up against quick, mobile opposition who attack us he could be exposed big time in terms of his pace.

Eh? Ledley King is one of the fastest defenders around. I recall him outpacing Darren Huckerby to prevent a certain goal last year.

 

[Gritt23]

A holding midfielder and SWP in for Beckham. Who would have thought that would make a difference?

 

[Easy 10]

His was excellent tonight but when we come up against quick, mobile opposition who attack us he could be exposed big time in terms of his pace. I think Gerrard can do everything he does, they just need to implement the disipline to keep him holding. And besdies, with so many games in such a short time, it'll be great to have the quality to rotate the squad.

I couldn't disagree more.
Theres no problem with Ledleys pace (he's certainly no slower than Gerrard), and Ledleys far less prone to playing the "hollywood balls" that Beckham and Gerrard look to play from that position.

Ledley does EXACTLY what you need from a player in front of the back 4. He finds space, made himself available, plays it nice and simple, and gives the ball simply to the offensive players who can go and do some damage.

In time, he could become Englands Dunga. Just the unglamerous guy that enables everyone else to play. He's that good.

 

[Pavilionaire]

I thought England would play well tonight because the side that was picked finally had some BALANCE about it. Every man in that team knew EXACTLY what their job was.

I'm not surprised at how well King played - he is a great player.

Another interesting point was the massive cheer when Terry was given the armband. I think the point has been reached when he is now the people's choice for captain.

If Sven had balls he's give the captain's armband to Terry, play Beckham wide right and tell him to stay there and get crosses in, and stick Gerrard on the left to see if he can do a job.

 

[Northstander]

Agree on The Gerrard/Lampard combination, will not ever work, which one do you leave out?

Lampard plays for me.....

Ledley is coming of age and showed that tonight!

 

[Gritt23]

Every man in that team knew EXACTLY what their job was.

That's exactly right, and why even tonight I scream at the telly when he makes substitutions. He never seems to swap like for like, it always involves a re-shuffle, and he clearly struggles to get his message across when he does that.