Sven is a twat.

[Uncle Buck]

People keep moaning that people can't judge Hargreaves because he has hardly played for England and that others haven't seen him play in the league. Well Bent has only had one chance and having seen him in the league he looks bloody good. Quick, strong, can head and finish. Perhaps he just needed a chance.

Hargreaves is in there as I think they decided that 2 utility players were going to go. Carragher is classed as one of those, King is not fit and then it was Hargreaves or Phil Neville. If he took Phil Neville people bitch if he takes Hargreaves people bitch. The only other alternative was Luke Young, but he only offers defensive cover, where as Hargreaves can cover the right back slot, as well as central and right midfield.

 

[Les Biehn]

Hargreaves is in there as I think they decided that 2 utility players were going to go. Carragher is classed as one of those, King is not fit and then it was Hargreaves or Phil Neville. If he took Phil Neville people bitch if he takes Hargreaves people bitch. The only other alternative was Luke Young, but he only offers defensive cover, where as Hargreaves can cover the right back slot, as well as central and right midfield.

I wasnt really disputing Hargreaves inclusion, I can see why Sven took him as he offers an alternative to Carrick. I don't think he would have gone if Parker ws fit though. My point is Sven taking Walcott over Bent is ridiculous, it has set a president, namely that if Wenger thinks you are worth 12m you will go ahead of the Premiership's top scoroing Englishman.

 

[Easy 10]

My point is Sven taking Walcott over Bent is ridiculous, it has set a president, namely that if Wenger thinks you are worth 12m you will go ahead of the Premiership's top scoroing Englishman.

Thankfully, that precedent will wither and die when this dickhead slings his hook in June (we won't make it to July). McLaren wouldn't have been my choice as a replacement, but he's certainly not a stupid man.

 

[enigma]

I wasnt really disputing Hargreaves inclusion, I can see why Sven took him as he offers an alternative to Carrick. I don't think he would have gone if Parker ws fit though. My point is Sven taking Walcott over Bent is ridiculous, it has set a president, namely that if Wenger thinks you are worth 12m you will go ahead of the Premiership's top scoroing Englishman.

Sven would have taken Hargreaves anyway- as UB says, he is more versatile. How many times has Parker made the squad anyway? Sven doesnt particularly seem to rate him.

 

[Les Biehn]

Thankfully, that precedent will wither and die when this dickhead slings his hook in June (we won't make it to July). McLaren wouldn't have been my choice as a replacement, but he's certainly not a stupid man.

I'm worried that this selection has more to do with McLaren the we think.

 

[Les Biehn]

Sven would have taken Hargreaves anyway- as UB says, he is more versatile. How many times has Parker made the squad anyway? Sven doesnt particularly seem to rate him.

You may be right.

 

[Easy 10]

I'm worried that this selection has more to do with McLaren the we think.

Which fits the conspiarcy theory that McLaren is hoping England are totally shit in this World Cup, so he can put it all right when he gets the job in August. The way its going, he certainly won't have a tough act to follow will he.

 

[Man of Harveys]

The way its going, he certainly won't have a tough act to follow will he.

Interesting (in a very broad definition of the word)...I didn't actually realise the world cup had kicked off yet.

 

[Easy 10]

Interesting (in a very broad definition of the word)...I didn't actually realise the world cup had kicked off yet.

True, true.

But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit alarmed at the squad for the tournament at the moment.

 

[Chesney Christ 1]

Van Persie yes, Toure yes ... and Eboue yes, although he's nothing more than an average defender.

Viera was not exactly an unknown; Henry certainly wasn't - he'd already played in a World Cup winning team, and Lauren was a reknowned full-back for Mallorca and Cameroon. If you reckon La Liga's "total obscurity", it's not me who needs to go away and discover some of the basics of football.

Viera was signed for about half a million and went on to be worth tens of millions within just a few years, same for Petit. Henry was an out of favour right winger at Juventus, Wenger turned him into the best striker on the planet.

Add them to Van Persie, Toure, Eboue, Fabregas and Anelka and how can you possibly deny he has an absolutely incredible gift for discovering young talent?

Take Henry out of that lot and how much did he pay for the lot of them put together? £15 million? And how much are they worth between them now? It would run into the hundreds of millions.

If someone with Wenger's phenomonal track record is willing to pay £12million for a SIXTEEN YEAR OLD, an absolutely mammoth gamble, then he must be some player.

 

[enigma]

Vieira was actually signed for about £3.5 million, and while he was fairly unknown, he was playing at AC Milan.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I wasnt really disputing Hargreaves inclusion, I can see why Sven took him as he offers an alternative to Carrick. I don't think he would have gone if Parker ws fit though. My point is Sven taking Walcott over Bent is ridiculous, it has set a president, namely that if Wenger thinks you are worth 12m you will go ahead of the Premiership's top scoroing Englishman.

But Bent simply is not good enough. He looks a decent club player, but does not seem to offer much at the higher level. I think part of the issue was that Sven did not rate the usual alternatives of Bent, Beattie, Heskey, Defoe etc and so has gone with the unknown. If it works he gets the credit, if it does not, doubt he will care, there is a nice pay cheque waiting in either South Africa or the Bernabau.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Which fits the conspiarcy theory that McLaren is hoping England are totally shit in this World Cup, so he can put it all right when he gets the job in August. The way its going, he certainly won't have a tough act to follow will he.

Where does this theory exist?

 

[Les Biehn]

Viera was signed for about half a million and went on to be worth tens of millions within just a few years, same for Petit. Henry was an out of favour right winger at Juventus, Wenger turned him into the best striker on the planet.

Add them to Van Persie, Toure, Eboue, Fabregas and Anelka and how can you possibly deny he has an absolutely incredible gift for discovering young talent?

Take Henry out of that lot and how much did he pay for the lot of them put together? £15 million? And how much are they worth between them now? It would run into the hundreds of millions.

If someone with Wenger's phenomonal track record is willing to pay £12million for a SIXTEEN YEAR OLD, an absolutely mammoth gamble, then he must be some player.

Ranieri brought Gallas and Cech as relative unknowns, Lampard and Cole for prices that now seem a pitance, Robben and made Terry a first team regular, in less time then Wenger brought all his stars through. Would you trust his judgement this explicitly?

 

[Les Biehn]

But Bent simply is not good enough. He looks a decent club player, but does not seem to offer much at the higher level. I think part of the issue was that Sven did not rate the usual alternatives of Bent, Beattie, Heskey, Defoe etc and so has gone with the unknown. If it works he gets the credit, if it does not, doubt he will care, there is a nice pay cheque waiting in either South Africa or the Bernabau.

For a start how do you know Bent won't work on one England performance. He has been scoring goals in one of the best leagues in the world. Walcott wasn't even scoring that many in the second tier.

 

[Uncle Buck]

For a start how do you know Bent won't work on one England performance. He has been scoring goals in one of the best leagues in the world. Walcott wasn't even scoring that many in the second tier.

He relies in club games on the ball going over the top. In the game he played against Uraguay his movement was poor and the centre backs took him out of the game.

Walcott has explosive pace, which is something SGE has a habit of picking players for, especially forwards. Look at those on stand by, Johnson and Defoe, in theory Ashton had as good a case as those 2 but he was overlooked.

 

[Easy 10]

Where does this theory exist?

I made it up myself.

 

[Les Biehn]

He relies in club games on the ball going over the top. In the game he played against Uraguay his movement was poor and the centre backs took him out of the game.

Walcott has explosive pace, which is something SGE has a habit of picking players for, especially forwards. Look at those on stand by, Johnson and Defoe, in theory Ashton had as good a case as those 2 but he was overlooked.

I agree about Ashton. But I seem to remember Marcus Bignot having Walcott in his back pocket not so long ago. You need experience to play at this level, Bent has Prem experience which at least means he has played against world class defenders. Walcott has no experience of playing at the highest level, Amazing pace or not top international defenders will love playing aginst a lad like that. However they will at least look at Bent's scoring record and feel that there may be a chance he can get the better of them.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I made it up myself.

Fantastic.

Am others to share.

How about that El Presidente is a cleaning living soul that wants all smut banned.

Or that Cardinal Canning has never had a pint of scrumpy?

Or that I am not going to attempt to consume my body weight in beer at Yapton Beer Festival this Saturday?

Note to Easy;

I am fecking bored.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I agree about Ashton. But I seem to remember Marcus Bignot having Walcott in his back pocket not so long ago. You need experience to play at this level, Bent has Prem experience which at least means he has played against world class defenders. Walcott has no experience of playing at the highest level, Amazing pace or not top international defenders will love playing aginst a lad like that. However they will at least look at Bent's scoring record and feel that there may be a chance he can get the better of them.

I think it is the right decision not to take Bent, I think they have looked at him and decided via training and that one game that he is not good enough. Defoe's form this season has been below standard and until he learns to look up, well he does not deserve to play for England. Johnson not leaving Palace has counted against him. Fowler, well read his book to see why he will not be picked. I would have taken Vassell, as he does score for England, but somebody on here was saying he was injured.

So then you are looking elsewhere for a forward, Sven has taken a punt and we shall see. But if he had gone with Bent, who the coaching staff have reservations over and he had played and failed, they would have been slated for that decision.