[Archived] Bentley

[USRoverME]

Beckham plays in a joke league.

Out of curosity, how much of the "mickey mouse leage" have you seen, or are you just blindly believing the same people who write inches and inches of complete nonsense when it comes to other aspects of the sport (such as transfers and coaching changes)?

I've got no problems with people putting down the MLS as not up to the prem standard, because it certainly isn't at that level. But I always get a kick out of people slagging off an entire league as not up to snuff when they've not watched a bit of it...

[b12_simon]

Out of curosity, how much of the "mickey mouse leage" have you seen, or are you just blindly believing the same people who write inches and inches of complete nonsense when it comes to other aspects of the sport (such as transfers and coaching changes)?

I've got no problems with people putting down the MLS as not up to the prem standard, because it certainly isn't at that level. But I always get a kick out of people slagging off an entire league as not up to snuff when they've not watched a bit of it...

I have watched a bit of it. Not impressed at all. I'm not suggesting I'd walk into an MLS first 11 but it's not even Championship standard.

Without Googling I reckon the last 2 England caps from the lower reaches (before Beckham's 100th cap swan around) were David Nugent last year and Steve Bull (in the 80s). Why would Capello pick a player who's not even playing at Championship level?

Beckham's move to the States marked his retirement from football and that should remain so until he can prove his fitness in one of Europe's (or South America's) top leagues.

Beckham was a great servant of English football but is now past it. Thanks Becks and cheerio!

[Eddie]

Have you ever watched South American football? Most of the time it's on a par with the MLS.

[philipl]

Have you ever watched South American football? Most of the time it's on a par with the MLS.

I've watched both.

There is a vast amount of South American club football so it depends is the answer.

I have been pretty impressed with what I have seen of Doncaster Rovers in the League 1 play-offs and I'd say they'd be a stiff challenge for most MLS teams. On the other hand, they'd get murdered by many Copa Libertadores entrants.

Not for nothing that the Latin American sides have a very decent record against the European Cup Winners in the World Club Championship games.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Tonights Starting XI according to the BBC:

James, Brown, Ferdinand, Terry, A Cole, Hargreaves, Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard, Rooney, Defoe.

Just like old times

[ace]

Beckham starts..Lampard and Gerrard together ..madness!

[philipl]

Saves me from a night out in a bar then.

Come on USA!

So that's two Team Fabio picks, two worldwide TV audience picks- obviously paying for his £6m salary is uppermost in his and FA minds.

[cn_barlow]

Thats made my mind up on what im doing tonight. I'd rather write an essay than watch that team play...

[Bing]

So this is the brave new Fabio era? Fudging the Gerrard/Lampard issue again and playing a completely unbalanced team to accomodate egos?

[RibbleValleyRover]

If England win tonight the England staff and media will say everything is fine, Gerrard and Lampard can play together etc.

Then when we face a real quality side and get beat comprehensibly they will scratch their head wondering why...

It’s like a perpetual cycle...

[cn_barlow]

So this is the brave new Fabio era? Fudging the Gerrard/Lampard issue again and playing a completely unbalanced team to accomodate egos?

Same old story. If the last two selections are a sign of things to come we wont be getting to any finals Fabio...

Edit: I hope we get beat.

[John]

Still interested in seeing Bradley play for the US.

If Hughes stays, we could make a move for him.

[blue phil]

Tonights Starting XI according to the BBC:

James, Brown, Ferdinand, Terry, A Cole, Hargreaves, Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard, Rooney, Defoe.

Just like old times

Give the bloke a chance . He's his own man and has plenty of time to form the right team ....it's not as if we've got to make it work tonight .

Anyway if he does struggle he can always call on our own Philipl - whose phenomenal knowledge of world football (via his TV screen ) will be of enormous benefit !

One thing I do like - if this team does start - he hasn't let himself be pushed into starting the nauseatingly "media savvy" Bentley . Well done . I hope he's given him a right b*llokin for publicly , and embarrassingly , naming himself as Beckham's successor .

[RibbleValleyRover]

Give the bloke a chance . He's his own man and has plenty of time to form the right team ....it's not as if we've got to make it work tonight .

Anyway if he does struggle he can always call on our own Philipl - whose phenomenal knowledge of world football (via his TV screen ) will be of enormous benefit !

One thing I do like - if this team does start - he hasn't let himself be pushed into starting the nauseatingly "media savvy" Bentley . Well done . I hope he's given him a right b*llokin for publicly , and embarrassingly , naming himself as Beckham's successor .

This team hasn't worked under Sven or McClaren so why would it suddenly work under Capello?

I've always been a believer that unless the friendly is just before a qualifier we should be trying out some new options and new talent.

[LeChuck]

Beckham starts..Lampard and Gerrard together ..madness!

They're not going to be playing in the middle together though because Hargreaves is there. A 4-2-3-1 with that team might work quite well, with Beckham playing as one of the defensive two.

[1864roverite]

This team hasn't worked under Sven or McClaren so why would it suddenly work under Capello?

Answer is Capello is far more tactically astute than either of the above.

incidentally, I wonder if Bentley thinks he has just got the biggest kick in the ###### ever for spouting off in the media ?

Silly Silly Little boy

[blue phil]

Well he isn't McLaren or Sven for a start .........

I've just a little more faith in him than those two ; he'll definitely learn and act quicker than either of the above . No need to act like the worst of the hacks out there and get on his back already .

Let's give him another game or two first .....!

[thenodrog]

I hope he's given him a right b*llokin for publicly , and embarrassingly , naming himself as Beckham's successor .

Yeah the silly sod really painted himself into a corner there didn't he? Reminiscent of Ince's ill advised 'Im the guv'nor' statement.

[modes98]

Capello doesn't know the players, he has to give a clean slate to everyone. He will try things out and see how they work and no simply rule out players because previous managers couldn't make them play.

As i said earlier, Beckham is playing football in the USA at the moment when it was the reverse we were screaming for Bentley to get in. He is only being consistent.

[philipl]

Not watching it but just noticed a rhetorical question on the BBC-

anyone spotted why England are not at Euro 08 yet?

Obviously cracking good stuff

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

This could have two effects:

Bentley doesn't play/only plays a small part - decides he needs to be at a bigger club to boost his England chances. On the other hand, his lack of playing time limits the time in the shop window. If he scores every newspaper in the land will be linking him to a "better" club.

Bentley plays a significant part - The reverse.

[OJRovers]

I think the commentators mentioned that Stuart Pearce has been doing a lot of the technical training with the squad this week - my question is WHY. The City team before he left were awful. He only started the U21 job permenantly because he had no other offers, and now he's planning the tactics for the national team! It doesn't make sense to me and doesn't surprise me that England are so bad.

[brfcshabba]

Bentley is on to play with his champions league mates

[Exiled_Rover]

This could have two effects:

Bentley doesn't play/only plays a small part - decides he needs to be at a bigger club to boost his England chances. On the other hand, his lack of playing time limits the time in the shop window. If he scores every newspaper in the land will be linking him to a "better" club.

Bentley plays a significant part - The reverse.

I hope he scores two then. Bump his price up.

[cn_barlow]

well...nobody will want him if he plays like this. Aweful so far