[Archived] England's Injury Crisis

[Flopsy]

I'm raising more than an eyebrow to France 0 Scotland 1

I know, bloody bloody hellfire!!!

The sweaties will be insuferable

[ewoodblue]

Another good performance and result, the only thing that makes this a sad affair is that everyone seems to be trying to turn victories against the likes of Russia and Israel at home into amazing results against top quality sides. Don't get me wrong, they are both two good teams and are both difficult away games (although I'd still expect England to get a result in both games), but you would always expect an England team to deal with them at home. An eyebrow would not normally be raised at these results.

At end of day a job well done by England in both games,and yes,Gareth Barry was excellent in both games.

I admit I was a bit narked by Bentley not even getting a spot on the bench,I worry it sends out the wrong message to the boo boys,but end of day they got the results they needed.

Good news is Bentley will be fit and raring to go against Chelsea, with a point to prove.That can only be good news for Rovers.

Also Derbyshire got a good write up in his game for the U-21's,even though he didn't get on the score sheet,he performed well.

[T4E]

I know, bloody bloody hellfire!!!

The sweaties will be insuferable

TOP OF THE LEAGUE, WE'RE HAVING A LAUGH

Absolutely immense.

[Eddie]

I'm raising more than an eyebrow to France 0 Scotland 1

It's great for them.

[Hasta]

Although I'd like to have seen Bentley get more minutes on the pitch it's difficult to knock McLaren after two decent performances. However as Jamie said, SWP was back to being pretty poor again tonight wasting clear crossing chances and having one of the worst first touches going.

What will be interesting is what the team for the next game is.

Barry played very well both games. The team looked better for not having the Gerrard - Lampard central axis.

Owen looked sharp, helped by the ,ermm, impressive Heskey. 3 goals in 2 games once again confirms that even with his pace diminished he will always score goals. IMO Rooney is over-rated and far from the 'golden boy' of English football he is portrayed as. Sure he is a good player but he's no world beater. If the team is performing better with a 'big man' / 'small man' combination then Owen has to be the 'small man'.

Even though I've slagged SWP off a bit above, the team benefits from having mobility on the right side. Sorry Becks. I know you want your 100 caps but you'll have to be content with a squad place. The fact that SWP has been 'on the end' of things in the penalty box makes a refreshing change for a right winger. Regardless of the SWP / Bentley argument, I think if Lennon is fit, well and in form he takes the right wing position.

So basically Stevie Mac. England have played well AS A TEAM. DO NOT try and fit Rooney, Beckham and Lampard back into this team unless performances prove otherwise.

[USABlue]

England have played well AS A TEAM. DO NOT try and fit Rooney, Beckham and Lampard back into this team unless performances prove otherwise.

McClaren saved by injuries to his key players, you know he will go back to them as soon as they are able to lace up their boots. At least the group on the pitch tonight and Saturday looked like they wanted to play for their country. No all that impressed tonight, goos result but way too much lumping the long ball IMHO. Can SWP cross a ball? I don't remember one of his crosses getting over to the box in any sort of worth while fashion.

BTW tip my hat to the Scots, great result.

[Presty On Tour]

I'm raising more than an eyebrow to France 0 Scotland 1

well done to the jocks indeed!!!!

[cletus]

I haven`t read much of this thread, so please forgive me if i cover the same old ground.

The last two England games have saved McClarens job (for the time being) but football fans are a fickle bunch.

For the last two games England have played as a team & have played for the boss. Gareth Barry & Emile Heskey have both played well & deserve to stay in the team. Lampard, Rooney, Hargreaves, G Neville, Beckham etc....can stay on the bench & fight for their places as far as i`m concerned.

If McClaren goes back to using the same old players then i`ve no sympathy for him when it all goes t1ts up.

[Eddie]

Owen looked sharp, helped by the ,ermm, impressive Heskey. 3 goals in 2 games once again confirms that even with his pace diminished he will always score goals. IMO Rooney is over-rated and far from the 'golden boy' of English football he is portrayed as. Sure he is a good player but he's no world beater. If the team is performing better with a 'big man' / 'small man' combination then Owen has to be the 'small man'.

Disagree there. Rooney may not fit into the formation, which is a problem, but that doesn't make him any less of a player. He certainly has all the makings of a world class player and is really already one. Very talented.

[SuperStella]

All Mad Mac's team selection the past 2 games has done is prove him WRONG!

Barry wouldn’t be anywhere near 1st team if Lampard or Hargreaves was fit. In fact, if both of them were fit Barry might not have even made the squad...

Same goes for Dyer – he’d have played instead of Wright-Phillips if he hadn’t got injured AGAIN!!!

Always rated Barry – I was actually calling for him to play left back instead of the well over-rated Ashley Cole (he was a shambles last night).

You just know Barry will have one bad game and be dropped for Lampard, whereas Lampard can have as many sh*t games as he wants and still make starting XI

[thenodrog]

Disagree there. Rooney may not fit into the formation, which is a problem, but that doesn't make him any less of a player. He certainly has all the makings of a world class player and is really already one. Very talented.

A damned useful sub has got to be the only sensible position for him at present.

Maclaren really is a luckybugger. How fortunate for the numpty that Beckham, Lampard (?), Dyer, Hargreaves etc all got injured meaning that he could not pick the little darlings off the never-kicked-a-ball-in-their-born-chuff hacks at Wapping. The know sweet FAs within the press had these two games down as a disaster area last week but now of course they all really knew that the lies of Barry and Heskey were top players all along. This situation although unintentional and in no way credited to McClaren is exactly the scenario I envisaged should Allardyce have been given the England managers job last year.

btw Anybody spotted more irony in the fact that the other press darling / automatic choice / world class / big club billy big time Stephen Gerrard was probaby leading candidate for being the complete opposite of MoM? A damned good Sat afternoon club player yes but an international player of class and vision.... No way. I've no gripe with the lad but he is Englands Robbie Savage! Th difference being that Sav knows his place whereas StevieG prefers to believe the media hype that has built up around him.

[rover6]

These two games just go to highlight the pathetic, supine and short-sighted prior selection policies of Steve McClaren and Sven the Fraud.

Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard together is a bleeping waste of time - everyone was saying it - even Souness pre-Euro Champs.

David Beckham should be kept out of the team because last night showed that England can play an exciting counter-attacking game. Becks with his penchant for long balls does not fit that style of play. As much as people lionise him, what the hell has he done in the big international tournaments? And Gareth Barry's delivery at set-pieces is not to be scoffed at.

Out with the self-obsessed perpetual failures, please. And keep them out.

[thenodrog]

btw.......... Has anybody paused to think that if we sold either MGP or Bents to West Ham we could probably buy the entire Russian Midfield!

[yoda]

btw.......... Has anybody paused to think that if we sold either MGP or Bents to West Ham we could probably buy the entire Russian Midfield!

You mean the one that got stuffed 3-0 last night

[thenodrog]

You mean the one that got stuffed 3-0 last night

I'm still trying to work out how that happened given the quality of their forward play..... but notice that I didn't say anything about wanting their defenders. But even with dodgy officials plainly on our side throughout the match I am still amazed that the Ruski's didn't score.

[3rdpillar]

My thoughts on lastnights McDuff patch up of a team.

Robinson, looked relieved had he had a save to make, but didnt look comfortable or confident.

A Cole, not as good as he thinks he is, by a long way.

Ferdinand, a catalogue of errors.

Terry, a thug, but darned useful one ( hendryesque )

Richards, not alot to do, but if he is going to put himself about in the opposition half, he need to understand what to do when he gets there.

Barry, excellent.

Gerrard, invisible untill he felt England were under the cosh, then tried to take on the world ( works sometimes )

j cole, didnt notice him apart from a shot and a booking.

Heskey, rose for the long ball, but lost confidence in the 2nd half, shoulders dropped, looked the same old cart horse after that. When he takes balls to feet, he need too much time to decide what to do with it.

Owen, Job done.

SWP, starting to believe the hype about himself ( again ) .. v poor, no delivery, cant defend.

What these players did though is play as a team, something they should all and mcduff take some credit for.

no FFS McDuff dont spoil it and put rooney, lampard back in..... leave it!

[Jan]

TOP OF THE LEAGUE, WE'RE HAVING A LAUGH

Absolutely immense.

We're comin, we're comin, we're comin down the road

When you hear the Tartan Army sing, we'll be comin down the road!!!

Can't QUITE believe it, but I saw the highlights on the BBC, and they always tell the truth, so it MUST be right!

[Ronin]

Might have to get my hankie out for fear of getting a nosebleed, as we're that high up

Very good performance all round from the Scots (McClaren take note - THAT is how you play as a team!). Good to do the double over the French too!!!!

[Flopsy]

But even with dodgy officials plainly on our side throughout the match I am still amazed that the Ruski's didn't score.

I thought it was a handball at the time in their defence.

[roversmum]

Was quite surprised that Heskey didn't fall over once! Someone must have had a word in his ear.

Still don't think Rio's good enough for the team - okay he scored a goal but very nearly gave one away at the other end amongst many other mistakes.

Ashley Cole - please pack his boots.

Think 3rd Pillar's post is pretty on the mark.

And Rover6's final comment - yes please!

Oh, and well done Scotland - great stuff!

[b12_simon]

I thought it was a handball at the time in their defence.

As did I and the 3 fellas I watched the game with. We all shouted it at once.

[cletus]

Even though England won 3-0 & Ferdinand scored.....i still think everything wrong with the English game is encapsulated in him. He`s a complete t0sser. Just start counting all the interviews he`ll be doing now bigging himself up. The prat.

BTW.....congrats go out to the Swetties for their impressive win.

[Hughesy]

I decided to wait until the 2nd game was over before I made my comments on the 2 games.

Iv watched both England games and as a rovers fan, interested in Bentleys chances I have closely watched the performance of Shaun Wright Phillips – and also the performance of his Dad in the commentary box.

After the 2 games I have come to the conclusion that Ian Wright needs to go and see X Factor judge Simon Cowell and he would probably tell him that he is a big part of the problem as to why his adopted son believes he is so good, yet he is just average in truth!!

In 2 games, SWP hasn’t put 1 single cross into the box that has been directly onto one of our attackers head! Luckily for SWP though he has his dad singing his praises in front of the world media and that appears to be papering over the cracks for him. Without Micah Richards down the right in the last 2 games, our right side would have looked very poor. David Bentley would of created far more chances for our attackers – FACT!

[thenodrog]

I thought it was a handball at the time in their defence.

Yes but there were a few dodgy offsides against us that were not given too. Definite homers imo..... but given that there is at least £50m at stake if we fail to qualify for Euro 08 its completely understandable that a few decisions should err end up going our way.

[RevidgeBlue]

Yes but there were a few dodgy offsides against us that were not given too. Definite homers imo..... but given that there is at least £50m at stake if we fail to qualify for Euro 08 its completely understandable that a few decisions should err end up going our way.

I thought that about the officials as well.

Apart from the "handball" Cashley was extremely lucky not to concede a penalty at the start of the second half.

Still, it was a much better performance overall. I thought this was down to having a succession of faces in the side who were either new or had a point to prove and actually looked like they WANTED to be playing for England.

Richards (Terry is always dependable) Barry, SWP (although it wasn't his best game) Owen (back from injury and a record to chase) and Heskey.

Keep the likes of Neville (G) Beckham and one of Gerrard or Lampard well away from the starting line up, and find dependable replacements for the other big time charlies Cashley and Rio and we really might start to go places.