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So, we managed to scrape a draw against the Czech Republic, but certainly never deserved it.

When Capello was given the England manager's job I thought we'd at last got a manager who would (quite rightly) burst a few egos, pick players on merit and get us playing decent football again. Sadly this is not the case.

Like SGE and McLaren before him, Capello seems to be going down the route of "these are the best 11 players available to me... now how do I fit them all in?"

This resulted in a midfield of Gerrard, Barry, Lampard and Beckham, with Defoe and Rooney up front.

It shows how poor England were that Wes Brown provided more crosses than anyone else... and most of them of a better quality than Beckham!!

Surely the manager should decide... OK what formation do I play, and what are the best players in those positions? If we play 4-4-2 then Gerrard is wasted on either wing. Given we need a defensive midfielder that means a central partnership of Barry or Hargreaves or Carrick with Gerrard or Lampard.

If we have two forwards then they MUST play together... Rooney seems to want to play as a midfielder. So much so that first Defoe and then Heskey were left isolated. It wasn't until Joe Cole came on for Rooney that Heskey had a partner up front!!!

The last time England had a proper strike partnership up front was when Heskey and Owen were paired together. Neither of them dropped as deep as Rooney does, so one always played off the other. Heskey provided the aerial threat and strength to hold the ball up, while Owen had the deft touches and lethal finishing inside the box that is necessary to score from half chances.

Capello got the starting line up completely wrong tonight, and made the wrong substitutions. Heskey should have come on for Rooney, not as a replacement for Defoe. Beckham should never have started, and should have been substituted long before the 78th minute!

None of the clubs providing the majority of the players in the England squad play 4-4-2 on a regular basis... so why do we persist with this formation at a national level?

Rooney drops deep because he's trying to get the ball and actually do something creative.

Terry looks really slow at the back and twice Rio had to cover for him; and even Woodgate got back to cover on one occasion....also, did Lampard actually play tonight? I swear I never saw him!

Gerrard cannot play in the middle without a solid workhorse behind him (like Mascherano or a younger Makalele) because he leaves big fucking holes in midfield and has no positional sense whatsoever. Why do you think Benitez always played Gerrard on the wing before Mascherano was drafted in?

Beckham's crosses weren't their usual quality today, but he's crossing to two midgets in Defoe and Rooney, isn't he? Lets be fair....... And yet another assist at least, and that's what he's there for.

Joe Cole looked lively when he came on and I thought he's have been a starter.

And I'm still astonished that Stuart Pearce is number two to Capello. He's all fire and guts when we want calm and tactical know-how. My vote would have been Hoddle, or even Platt, who did ok as England under-21 manager.

I don't watch England anymore, because they're always perform the way you'd expect - shite I'm genuinely surprised if they win. Most English players are rubbish, only looking half decent in their club roles because of the support of foreigners.

Sam Slater wrote:

> Rooney drops deep because he's trying to get the ball and
> actually do something creative.



But he does this at Man Utd too!!! You could understand it if he only did it in an England shirt, because apart from Joe Cole, there is little creativity... but at Utd with Ronaldo, Tevez, etc., there's absolutely no need for him to play like that, yet he does.

SAF has actually turned a very promising youngster into a disappointing player, which is unusual. I think Rooney may have done better as a player (if not financially) by staying at Everton.

If Rooney wants to be a Kaka, Zidane, etc, then we need to play 4-3-1-2 with Rooney given freedom to link midfield with attack. He's wasted on the flanks in a 4-3-3 and isn't an ideal target man in that formation, and disappears in a 4-4-2. Several times tonight there were 5, 6 even 7 players ahead of him. Rooney that deep is a waste and it's about time both SAF and Capello taught him (tactical) discipline.



>...also, did Lampard actually play tonight? I swear I never saw him!


As for Lampard, he's making the same sort of runs and passes as he does at Chelsea, but unlike when he's with Chelsea, those around him are not playing with the same sort of skill or vision as Essien, Ballack, Deco or Mikel !wink!

As we've both said before: Rooney runs around tracking back because Ronaldo doesn't Someone has to fill holes in midfield and he obliges. I guess he's used to playing that way now, after two years.

To be fair, when Rooney drops into midfield, Gerrard or Lampard should be making runs to support the striker, as they do for their clubs.

I see your point about Lampard, but he really was anonymous tonight.

To be honest, Lampard has been anonymous in an England shirt for some 15/20 games now. From being voted England player of the year by the supporters a few years ago, the "fat Frank" barracking and boos since have seemingly got to him... and he's not the only one. Why was Downing being booed when he came on? Did he kill a child?

Its time for Becks to finish, a great player but England have to move on and Bentley should be given a chance. Also David James, a good keeper in his time but have we not got better??? It shows how much England have got to do to be a good side. The Czechs are roughly in the same position as England i.e transitional period and new manager and they looked sharper than we did. Why has Capello over looked Agbonlahor and Young in favour of Heskey??? Heskey has had his chance in an england shirt, what next bring back Andy Cole? !laugh!

dimi wrote:

> Its time for Becks to finish, a great player but England have
> to move on and Bentley should be given a chance. Also David
> James, a good keeper in his time but have we not got better???
> It shows how much England have got to do to be a good side. The
> Czechs are roughly in the same position as England i.e
> transitional period and new manager and they looked sharper
> than we did. Why has Capello over looked Agbonlahor and Young
> in favour of Heskey??? Heskey has had his chance in an england
> shirt, what next bring back Andy Cole? !laugh!


There's certainly much to be said for bringing in young, eager talent... they couldn't do much worse than the current lot!

How about this for the line-up against Andorra:

Tate
Richards
Ferdinand
Terry
Cole
Bentley
Gerrard
Hargreaves (if fit, otherwise Barry)
Young
Agbonglahor
Rooney

i would go along with that line up bob althought not sure about rooney up front how about ashton up front also maybe walcott on the bench he is great comng on as impact player we need more width with new faces also i think harry redknapp would of been a far better choice as england manger more passion , more attacking . I worry that we will not qualify yes i think that we will beat andorra but crotia based on last night we will be slaughtered also gerrad is not a winger.