England/Croatia thread

[Longy]

Wow what a mess, firstly congrats to Croatia came to play, looked good and maybe a good outside bet for the Euros.

Firstly McClaren has to go,simply put no England manager will ever survive not qualifying for a major championship. I was a bit on the fence over McClaren but tonight we were tactically inept and he appears to have failed to motivate the players for a massive match which we were lucky to get in the first place.

Tactics were a shambles playing 1 up was awful as we kept lumping it to Crouch who won most of the balls but had no one to flick/lay it off to a fellow player. Substitutions should have been made to rectify this in the first half, not at half time costing us 15 minutes playing an awful system.

The players have to take responsibility as well, they all play top flight football (apart from Beckham who did until June) and have underperformed massively irrespective of the manager. The only player who can be happy with his performance is Crouch end of.

Oh well at least we now have the opportunity to start again and have a look at ourselves, which we haven't done in recent years with typical semi-glorious failures in major tournaments. My pick for new manager would be Martin O'Neill who i feel will get the players playing for him.

[celtic]

David Beckham, 22 'You know's' in the 1 interview lol

[kinboshi]

Is Steven Gerrard beyond criticism from the media?

He was a disgrace in Russia and he was worse tonight.

Agreed, and what makes it worse is that he's easily the best English player.

Surely the most over-rated player in England.

For England, not in England.  Watch him week in, week out for Liverpool.  He's world class. 

At least he was there though,unlike his pal 'deserter' Carragher.

Yeah, Carragher sitting on the bench would have made a huge difference.  Like it did in the early games in the group when he should have played but was left on the bench only to see Brown or some other sub-standard player take the place he should have had.

No way is Gerrard world class. To be in that bracket surely you need more strings to your bow than a few hopeful 60 yard balls?

Like I said.  Watch him play week in, week out.

Don't you think Carragher would have played in front of both centre backs tonight Kin? Its part of the game waiting for your oppurtunity and taking it when it comes along.

4 years.  4 years of sitting on the bench, travelling all over the world, sitting on the bench, keeping him away from his family.  I don't think he's disappointed that he wasn't involved in that shite tonight.

People can say what they like about Beckham but he didn't quit when he was dropped.
He's also set up more England goals in the past 12 months than SWP will in his career.

You could argue Beckham did quit England when he went to play in America. 

[TightEnd]

FA Won't pick O'Neill

Anything but another "yes" man

I hope they go Scolari/Hiddink/Lippi etc

[kinboshi]

Fat Frank... !!!

Thats where Eng and Gerrards problem is, I seriously dont think they can play together.. I must have watched a different game to everyone else, because I though Gerrard run his bolloxs off tonight, he was here there and everywhere, still does not mean he played great, but its him of Frank for me, Gerrard plays on the right..

Crouch best player on the field tonight, he will probably need a rest for Saturday though !!! 

usual scouse shit!

think you will find for a fat guy he ran further than any other player tonight!


gerrard and lampard both worked there socks off and played there hearts out.

cant nobdy else see that barry was the week link in midfield?

I never said Frank played shit or never run his bolloxs off either, I actually agree with you, i just pointed out Gerrard as he seemed to be getting it all.. I think they can't play together, and that Gerrard is probably better on the right if frank is playing.. The 2 best midfielders in the country..

Read the post, Scouse Shit a bit unfair !!!

starting your post Fat Frank!!!!! a bit unfair imo to

thats fair enough.. truce ..   

truce accepted. 


scousers love gerrard chelsea fans love lampard. both good players in there own right.

just annoys me that lampard seems to be the easy way out when it comes to finding fault.

yes he didnt have his most effective game tonight but had the balls to stick the penalty away and worked his nuts off as gerrard did also.

Disagree.  Lampard has been shocking for England on many occasions.  But tonight he played far better than Gerrard - who was woeful (as he was against Russia).  Not interested in the game, and it was his fault the third goal was scored.  He could have easily stopped the shot. 

Only Bridge and Richards disappointed more than Gerrard tonight.

[Ironside]

People can say what they like about Beckham but he didn't quit when he was dropped.
He's also set up more England goals in the past 12 months than SWP will in his career.

You could argue Beckham did quit England when he went to play in America. 

mclaren made it clear beckham wouldnt play again for england so beckahm didnt quit he went on got on with his life

england called him back after a year out and he jumped at the chance but it was too late to do anything about america

[steeveg]

Is Steven Gerrard beyond criticism from the media?

He was a disgrace in Russia and he was worse tonight.

Surely the most over-rated player in England.

At least he was there though,unlike his pal 'deserter' Carragher.

over rated, never heard anyone ever say that about steven gerrard for good reasons , disgrace to england, anyone who runs there heart out for england should never be called a disgrace, his fault if you can call it a fault is passion, beckham is the same, in fact all great players have it, if the team is not playing well they try to compensate on there own, trying to force things to happen,gerrard overhit a few balls, thats all, i think most of englands players played  poor tonight and i am sick myself, but credit where its due, everyone of them to the man ran there hearts out tonight, weather its the manager or the team they where just not good enough,

[kinboshi]

People can say what they like about Beckham but he didn't quit when he was dropped.
He's also set up more England goals in the past 12 months than SWP will in his career.

You could argue Beckham did quit England when he went to play in America. 

mclaren made it clear beckham wouldnt play again for england so beckahm didnt quit he went on got on with his life

england called him back after a year out and he jumped at the chance but it was too late to do anything about america

...and McClaren and Sven didn't make it clear that Carragher wasn't going to be playing for England over the past 4 years?  Like you said about Beckham, Carragher didn't quit or leave the team in the lurch.  He merely got on with his life.

[turny]

Is Steven Gerrard beyond criticism from the media?

He was a disgrace in Russia and he was worse tonight.

Agreed, and what makes it worse is that he's easily the best English player.

Surely the most over-rated player in England.

For England, not in England.  Watch him week in, week out for Liverpool.  He's world class. 

At least he was there though,unlike his pal 'deserter' Carragher.

Yeah, Carragher sitting on the bench would have made a huge difference.  Like it did in the early games in the group when he should have played but was left on the bench only to see Brown or some other sub-standard player take the place he should have had.

No way is Gerrard world class. To be in that bracket surely you need more strings to your bow than a few hopeful 60 yard balls?

Like I said.  Watch him play week in, week out.

Don't you think Carragher would have played in front of both centre backs tonight Kin? Its part of the game waiting for your oppurtunity and taking it when it comes along.

4 years.  4 years of sitting on the bench, travelling all over the world, sitting on the bench, keeping him away from his family.  I don't think he's disappointed that he wasn't involved in that shite tonight.

People can say what they like about Beckham but he didn't quit when he was dropped.
He's also set up more England goals in the past 12 months than SWP will in his career.

You could argue Beckham did quit England when he went to play in America. 

lampards also been superb for england on many occassions!

check the record books i think you will find he was voted englands player of the year 2 years running not so long ago!

such short memories

[TightEnd]

Paul Scholes? Premature quitter?

[Ironside]

People can say what they like about Beckham but he didn't quit when he was dropped.
He's also set up more England goals in the past 12 months than SWP will in his career.

You could argue Beckham did quit England when he went to play in America. 

mclaren made it clear beckham wouldnt play again for england so beckahm didnt quit he went on got on with his life

england called him back after a year out and he jumped at the chance but it was too late to do anything about america

...and McClaren and Sven didn't make it clear that Carragher wasn't going to be playing for England over the past 4 years?  Like you said about Beckham, Carragher didn't quit or leave the team in the lurch.  He merely got on with his life.

carragher said "I AIN'T AVAILABLE" beckaham never did

[kinboshi]

Is Steven Gerrard beyond criticism from the media?

He was a disgrace in Russia and he was worse tonight.

Agreed, and what makes it worse is that he's easily the best English player.

Surely the most over-rated player in England.

For England, not in England.  Watch him week in, week out for Liverpool.  He's world class. 

At least he was there though,unlike his pal 'deserter' Carragher.

Yeah, Carragher sitting on the bench would have made a huge difference.  Like it did in the early games in the group when he should have played but was left on the bench only to see Brown or some other sub-standard player take the place he should have had.

No way is Gerrard world class. To be in that bracket surely you need more strings to your bow than a few hopeful 60 yard balls?

Like I said.  Watch him play week in, week out.

Don't you think Carragher would have played in front of both centre backs tonight Kin? Its part of the game waiting for your oppurtunity and taking it when it comes along.

4 years.  4 years of sitting on the bench, travelling all over the world, sitting on the bench, keeping him away from his family.  I don't think he's disappointed that he wasn't involved in that shite tonight.

People can say what they like about Beckham but he didn't quit when he was dropped.
He's also set up more England goals in the past 12 months than SWP will in his career.

You could argue Beckham did quit England when he went to play in America. 

lampards also been superb for england on many occassions!

check the record books i think you will find he was voted englands player of the year 2 years running not so long ago!

such short memories

Eh?  I've said that Lampard played OK tonight (one of the few).  I was criticising Gerrard's play for England tonight (and against Russia) when accusations were laid that he's the most over-rated player in England. 

Gerrard is absolutely world class.  Anyone who disagrees doesn't watch him play, or doesn't understand football.

[turny]

tell you one thing if john terry had of played tonight england wouldnt have been allowed to lose !

[Nem]

David Beckham, 22 'You know's' in the 1 interview lol

Ledley King is a 50 "yer knows" per minute man.

[turny]

imo gerrard and lampard are world class and yes england has not seen enough of them being world class for whatever reason.

barry was the weak link tonight gerrard run his self into the ground trying to cover him