England v Hungary

[Kinky Gerbil]

Absolutely but now isnt the time to be experimenting sadly.

Agree - O those wasted friendles.

 

[Napper]

Please......Owen could be on one leg and be ahead of Crouch.

Big game player Owen...he will be fine, by far our best forward, another couple of weeks and another game till the World Cup. Im sure his fitness and sharpness are improving all the time.

He really didnt need to be playing up front on his own either in his 2nd game back....

ridiculous ,

Crouch has been excellant for England recently , last night he held the ball up more times in his opening 5 mins than Owen did all night, I would be interested to see Gerrard off Crouch

oh , and Crouch scored . . . again

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

ridiculous ,

Crouch has been excellant for England recently , last night he held the ball up more times in his opening 5 mins than Owen did all night, I would be interested to see Gerrard off Crouch

oh , and Crouch scored . . . again

Owen was shocking last night.

Big game player he is, but he was half fit at Euro 04 and was poor then.

Crouch must be laughing as this squad selection basic means he is the only fit striker.

 

[Napper]

Owen was shocking last night.

Big game player he is, but he was half fit at Euro 04 and was poor then.

Crouch must be laughing as this squad selection basic means he is the only fit striker.

he has produced in his career in big games , but the last 2 tournaments ?? how many did he score in WC02 - 1 ??
Crouch looks hungry and is producing for England ... this is the truth

 

[Marshy]

Owen and Crouch is all im saying.

The first 45 mins as a side we were piss poor to be honest.
Owen simply had nothing to work on, upfront on his own, when Crouch came on the game was far more open, we were goals to the good etc etc.

Having a pop at Owen is just madness, it happens everytime we go into a major tournament and for me he never lets us down.

When the big games come around in this World Cup i know who i will be putting my money on and hoping the chances fall to.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

Owen and Crouch is all im saying.

The first 45 mins as a side we were piss poor to be honest.
Owen simply had nothing to work on, upfront on his own, when Crouch came on the game was far more open, we were goals to the good etc etc.

Having a pop at Owen is just madness, it happens everytime we go into a major tournament and for me he never lets us down.

When the big games come around in this World Cup i know who i will be putting my money on and hoping the chances fall to.

I saw yer oh yes I did

 

[Napper]

Owen and Crouch is all im saying.

The first 45 mins as a side we were piss poor to be honest.
Owen simply had nothing to work on, upfront on his own, when Crouch came on the game was far more open, we were goals to the good etc etc.

Having a pop at Owen is just madness, it happens everytime we go into a major tournament and for me he never lets us down.

When the big games come around in this World Cup i know who i will be putting my money on and hoping the chances fall to.

I hope you are right ,

Baically you need to be right or we are f ed

 

[Brovion]

Please......Owen could be on one leg and be ahead of Crouch.

Big game player Owen...he will be fine, by far our best forward, another couple of weeks and another game till the World Cup. Im sure his fitness and sharpness are improving all the time.

He really didnt need to be playing up front on his own either in his 2nd game back....

I agree with most of that - except the first line. If you're going to play a single striker I'd have Crouch ahead of Owen every time, even if Owen was fully fit. Owen has said he doesn't like the 'lone striker' role and you can see why - friendly match and not 100% fit or not he was pretty annonymous. Horses for courses and all that.


PS - Sorry to bring 1966 into it (again!) but it's a bit of a 'Geoff Hurst or Jimmy Greaves' situation for those of us who are old enough to remember. Greaves was undoubtedly the more talented player, but Hurst suited the system better. There was quite a large body of opinion that thought Ramsey was mad to prefer Hurst to the fit-again Greaves!

 

[Easy 10]

We need to get back to what we know.

Cole Gerrard Lampard Beckham Midfield.

You mean what we know DOESN'T work.
Sorry, but Lampard/Gerrard next to each other in a 4 man midfield with no-one holding hasn't worked for the last 3 years, and I'd be horrified to see us go back to that.

Gerrard didn't play a blinder last night by any means, but he WAS getting the ball in all the dangerous areas we want to see him in. With that role behind Owen he can drop deep to get the ball, as well as drifting around the box waiting to receive it. He was certainly more effective there than he's ever been lining up next to Lampard.

 

[Marshy]

We have to play 2 up front though, so if the holding player of what surely must be Carrick is played, it has to be at the expense of Lampard. Which should release Gerrard to do what he does for Liverpool from MIDFIELD.

I just think its way over hyped that Gerrard and Lampard cant play together in midfield, i really dont think its as bad a s people make out, it might not be brilliant but its not that bad.