England VS Croatia

What you think?

Do you think we can get a result in this game, i for one know we have the talent too.. i just hope we get it right..

Come on lads..

We can get a result, but it will depend on how the manager sets up the team.

If he does as I think he will do.... bring back Beckham and set up the team with a bank of 4 at the back with 5 in front of them, then he is going for the draw.

If you remember when we went there last time the former manager experimented with 4 3 3 and we was over run in the first half.

There is nothing wrong with 4 5 1 when you are the weaker team and I am pretty certain that by now the new manager has seen its survival mode for him with the poor players he has to pick from.

I might say Gareth Barry is totally the wrong player to play in a game like this. He isn’t mobile enough and I would say Hargreaves is a bigger miss than Gerrard as the boy is superb in defensive games.

I dont think we've got the talent to get a win here, and as said above, I reckon the manager will go for a draw to avoid a media led fans backlash on the manager and the team. I wouldn't mind seeing 2 holding midfielders here, just to give some real presence about ourselves in the midfield, and let Lampard free just above them, I feel Beckham will get called back, though I'm not sure where Joe Cole will fit in, eventhough I want to see him gien an attack minded role.
You have to work around injuries in international football, so with Gerrard and Hargreaves out it will be interesting to see who Capello does play in the middle, and who's ability he forfits because there's no one else to do a proper job.
I guess an easier thing to do is get Rooney to drop back into the midfield and let Heskey or Defoe lead the line, just getting them to pressure the Croatian defence. Its hard in away games at international level, but again there will be an emphasis on keeping the ball, he might even try and slow the tempo of the game down by trying to get the boys into short passing and moving from one side to the other and work openings, eventhough we havent got a midfielder capable of finding (a Deco/Xavi - esque) defence splitting pass.
It will be interesting to see how he sets up and what frame of mind he gears the team into - might give us an insight into what he thinks the capabilities of the England team are.

I wouldnt drop Rooney back.... I think thats asking for trouble the way he tackles.

He wouldnt make my starting 11

Its not something I'm a fan of, but as I sad, that would be the easy thing to do. Alternatively we could show no hope of scoring by letting him lead the attack by himself, however that should give Lampard more room - but then that might not be in line with Capello's thinking.
Rooney does do a lot of work off the ball, something we will need to do as units in Zagreb - if he could control himself, it might make sense - but he cant so we're left with a lot of holes to fill.

TickTok wrote:

We can get a result, but it will depend on how the manager sets up the team.

If he does as I think he will do.... bring back Beckham and set up the team with a bank of 4 at the back with 5 in front of them, then he is going for the draw.

Capello was questioned about the Croatia game.. and he said "Go for a draw against Croatia, no way! we are getting revenge and going for the win!"

That's the fab spirit!

Lets hope Bilic thinks this is true too

Whats up with all this fouling from the Croats? Is this how Billic is going to 'beat' us?
Playing well, James is a bit dodgy - (but then no Liverpool fan would recommend James as a keeper for the national side )
Ok tempo, nice tactics from Capello, possibly too much room in the middle for Modric, one or two mistakes down the left, Barry has got to do better under pressure and Wallcot is always a threat with genuine pace. Rooney doing a lot of running, and Heskey making a nuisance of himself. Croats looking iffy if anything...cant really complain - but to be honest I dont think this is make or break for Capello or England as the press are trying to make it out to be - now look whos putting pressure on the team? the fans or the media?
1-0 at HT
Though as we know - it can all change

So far so good..... watch this space

4-1 England. Surprised me. I just got home from work so have not seen the game and it is not on TV here til Friday night. Must have been a great performance, just reading the reviews hat trick for Walcott, one from Rooney along with a couple of assists and even Lampard played well I here. Will write more once I have seen the game. But I wonder how long before the press claim we are going to win the World Cup now.

Very good.

Looked like a team for a change.

Frank was superb in midfield.... covered 3 times as much of the field than anyone else.... and oh.... that goal..... grrrrrrrrr

Walcott... has no left foot.... but you cant argue with the 3 goals..... the last one Beckham would still be running in from the wing by the time they kicked off again!

Rooney looked a player again..... Heskey although limited.... is the best big front man we have.

Might I also add...... just look how much more room there was for all the middle players without Gerrard getting in the way..... I know... I am wasting my breath..... but you watch it.... with him out the way.... Frank ran the show.....

Frank n Hargreaves in the midfield.... do for me

Threeoooo Threeooo !!!

Great game tonight, we outplayed them totally, and controlled the game.

The thing I loved is, we have a team who the majority are "superstars" its just getting thgem too play great together, well we weren't far off tonight.

What i loved was, we played as a team.. and we were great.

Like I said I have not seen it yet. But regards the space in midfield, with a holding midfielder preferably Hargreaves in my opinion, and two wingers with pace and no desire like Beckham to come inside all the time, there is going to be space for a good a box to box midfielder. Hopefully games like this will finally convince a English manager that there is room for only one of Lampard or Gerrard. One of them has to be on the bench, and come in in second half with fresh legs. Capello can make the decision on which one, but it is a decision that has to be made.

TickTok wrote:

Very good.

Looked like a team for a change.

Frank was superb in midfield.... covered 3 times as much of the field than anyone else.... and oh.... that goal..... grrrrrrrrr

Tell me about it! I jumped up screaming, and felt a tad embarrased when i realised it dint go in! lol


He was great tho Lamps, and if he would of scored what a goal it would of been a top notch goal, great build up etc..

TickTok wrote:

Walcott... has no left foot.... but you cant argue with the 3 goals..... the last one Beckham would still be running in from the wing by the time they kicked off again!

The 3rd goal was took pretty well imo, the whole game he was good Theo, i wouldn't mind him and Beckham being in the team tbh.. I am sooo chufffed about tonight.

Redcanuck wrote:

Hopefully games like this will finally convince a English manager that there is room for only one of Lampard or Gerrard.

I would say this performance against top opposition has shown the manager all he needs to know about who the team should be built around.

Anyone heard if Joe is ok?

JoshBrfc wrote:

The 3rd goal was took pretty well imo, the whole game he was good Theo, i wouldn't mind him and Beckham being in the team tbh.. I am sooo chufffed about tonight.

I agree.... it was a bit of a "swinger" left foot goal as Hoddle would say.... but it hit the target and competed a very good night for the boy.

I hope he goes from strength to strength.

There is no doubt this will make the rest of Europe sit up and think a bit..... but I remember writing the same when we won 5-1 in Germany.

TickTok wrote:

Redcanuck wrote:

Hopefully games like this will finally convince a English manager that there is room for only one of Lampard or Gerrard.

I would say this performance against top opposition has shown the manager all he needs to know about who the team should be built around.

Anyone heard if Joe is ok?

No, but it was bad wernt it, he started walkin off, and the his legs went and blood dripping.. was mad

[quote="TickTok"]

JoshBrfc wrote:

There is no doubt this will make the rest of Europe sit up and think a bit..... but I remember writing the same when we won 5-1 in Germany.

Weird you say that..

This morning, i was asked what my prediction for the game was, I said with the situation and that I can see it being a reminiscence of Germany 5-1..

I wasn't far off was I

well...that was very good indeed.
Firstly I'm happy because that shuts Billic up for good...some of his pre-match comments were disrespectful to say the least from a man in as professional a job as he's in.
It was good to see us be more positive, as it's eay to settle for the 1-0 in a game like this, more so when it was 10 men we played against. Croatia were there for the taking and it looked like they'd set up to play against Beckham - and got one hec of a shock when Theo appeared on the team sheet. For once the England players are looking comfortable on the ball and are looking to move it around quickly, though I'm still concerned about Barry's role in the team. Rooney came alive in the second half, and Heskey was exactly what we needed him to be; a pain in the arse to the Croats, he led the line well and encouraged England forward. James looked in bad touch (but then I dont think he should be there). The second half saw Frank take control of the midfield in attack, and yes, it is fair to say that a decent partner for him (someone to help protect the back for and do some dirty work) would make England balanced. We might have seen why Fabio is reluctant to include Owen in the squad alltogether.
With Khazakstan and Belarus up next in mid October - England can take a commanding lead in this group by the end of the calendar year.
England made a bold statement tonight - I hope that idiot Billic has it shoved up his arse for now.

TickTok wrote:

Anyone heard if Joe is ok?

They did say he didn't have to go to hospital. Just a lot of blood, but I imagine he will have quite the headache.

Well he did come back out to sit on the bench late on in the second half - think he should be ok, but ye probably a bad headdache tomorrow morning

Ahh well I'm glad he's alright..

I hope after tonight, we carry on as we were tonight, and as long as we avoid any embarrassing slip ups

huzup wrote:

well...that was very good indeed.
The second half saw Frank take control of the midfield in attack, and yes, it is fair to say that a decent partner for him (someone to help protect the back for and do some dirty work) would make England balanced.

What about Owen Hargreaves if he's fit?
I too was obviously pleased with the result and the performance. We need not to get carried away about the 4-1 scoreline because it was against ten men, but that said, we had controlled the game up until that point and also lead.
I am not convinced about Barry and James' performance left much to be desired. Lampard did well in the centre as far as controlling the midfield goes, but he could have offered a bit more going forward. That said, he has done enough for me, to ensure he should stay there instead of Gerrard when he's fit. That 11 should remain largely unchanged for now, because of what they have done last evening.
Rooney's performance was the stand out part for me. Obviously as a Utd player getting some stick, for me, its very pleasing to see him give a result. I try to defend him as Tick does Frank and to pick up a man of the match performance (in my opinion, not sure of the official award--tends to go to goalscorers...) was very good. He might not score enough goals, but of the 6 we have scored this week, he scored one and assisted 3. Not bad. And his touch before setting up Theo's 3rd was sublime, Rooney at his best. And since assists arent enough it seems, he got the goal he badly needed to sum up a good week for him personally.

ye, Hargreaves is probably the best around for that job.
I wouldve given MotM to Rooney as well, but you cant deny Theo his claim to fame after a hattrick under the circumstances. Rooney began to show some of his United form in the last couple of games - thats what we want to see.

Time for almost everybody else to follow suit.