Liverpool FC Forum

by **tommycockles** » Wed May 31, 2006 10:16 am

0asis wrote:

I'm getting increasingly annoyed with Gerrard, he has all the traits of Mourinho's perfect player. He dived against Bolton after he condemned cheating in numerous interviews. He really needs to sort himself out, because I'm starting to dislike him.

Altho saying that Gerrard might not of cheated he might of well just lost balance.[/quote]
So you're starting to dislike Gerrard, and you obviously don't rate England- moan moan moan!!!

Jesus- it was a warm up game!! Firstly no-one wanted to get injured and secondly Hungary just wanted to defend their goal. England weren't great in the first half but they still created chances (and missed them- Lampard). In the end we broke through and won 3-1 (although it could have been more). There'll be a lot of sides defending like that in the World Cup and we'll have to bide our time and hope that we may win a penalty or finaly break them down like we did last night.

This is typical England- for some reason we don't seem play well in qualifiers or friendlies- but when it gets to the tournament we step up a gear. Will we win the World Cup? Who knows- but we have a chance and hopefully we will take it. We don't have a full depth in World class players but we definitely have a good squad who could beat anyone on their day- but as usual because we don't win the game 10-0 people start to moan.

As for the diving- no-one likes it, but if it gets to the World Cup final and Ronaldo goes down in the box when challenged and they beat England (

) everyone will be going on about how good Brazil are and that they played for the penalty and everyone will slate Terry for giving them the opportunity to win a penalty. So Gerrard dived! They had packed their defence all day and whether he had won the penalty or not at least it us that won it and not the opposition. England won- I'm happy! looking forward to the World Cup and even more to next season!!

by **48-1119859832** » Wed May 31, 2006 11:17 am

tommycockles wrote:This is typical England- for some reason we don't seem play well in qualifiers or friendlies- but when it gets to the tournament we step up a gear.

I'd go for the opposite we play our best football in the friendlies and the qualifiers and then fail to step up a level or two in the finals.

by **tommycockles** » Wed May 31, 2006 12:00 pm

0asis wrote:
tommycockles wrote:This is typical England- for some reason we don't seem play well in qualifiers or friendlies- but when it gets to the tournament we step up a gear.

I'd go for the opposite we play our best football in the friendlies and the qualifiers and then fail to step up a level or two in the finals.

Fair enough- that's your opinion.

Personally i don't remember the last time we were completely battered by a side in a major championships (although i'm only thinking back the last 10 years or so). Generally we lose on penalties or have a man sent off and fight back valiantly but just not quite enough. Unlike in friendlies where we play completely :censored:

(Denmark, Northern Ireland etc), when it comes to the big games we tend to get our fighting spirit back and then loose on penalties or due to someone getting sent off and leaving us too much to come back from. but i guess that's football!!

by **RichardLFC1** » Wed May 31, 2006 12:01 pm

I have noticed that england play as good as there opponents i.e if england was to play against australia they would play as good as them which is absolute :censored:

but then played against Germany or Brazil they would play really well

by **tommycockles** » Wed May 31, 2006 12:03 pm

RichardLFC1 wrote:I have noticed that england play as good as there opponents i.e if england was to play against australia they would play as good as them which is absolute but then played against Germany or Brazil they would play really well

yeah - i'd agree with that. But we only play as good as them- hardly ever better!!!

Hopefully we'll do it this year!! (although i say this every year and then get disappointed- is this what it's like to support Everton!!)

by **Judge** » Wed May 31, 2006 12:11 pm

Big Niall wrote:What is our view of cheating on this site ?(drogba , Robben and Maradonna often get slaughtered here for cheating). Is it okay for Stevie G to cheat? or just any England player?

I just want consistency.

well you consistently barrack english players, and rant at the USA and its policies. Is that consistent enough for you

by **Ace Ventura** » Wed May 31, 2006 12:30 pm

I thought England played ok, not brilliant but decent enough.
In the first 35-40 minutes Hungary played with every man behind the ball, and we were far too deep. Gerrard and Owen were isolated and did not get any support when they did have the ball. But bear in mind that this was a warm up game before the world cup, players are worried about injuries and doing too much. especially after the amount of games most of these players have played.
I thought Carragher was great in both positions, ok he will never be pinging 30-40 yard passes like Carrick, but he will protect the back 4 and then give it simple, he is also better in posession than he used to be and is not afriad to carry the ball if the space opens up.
Once England scored and Hungary came out a bit the game was far better to watch and had the score been more than 3-1 i dont think it would of flattered England.
Beckhams deliveries into the box were fantastic and with someone who is more of a threat in the air (Crouch) being on the field i think we would have more of a threat.
Owen looks a little bit rusty and short of fitness, but still nearly scored and provided he stays fit he will score goals at the world cup.
Hargreaves was the weak link and looks more and more out of his depth everytime he plays for England. Last night to me just confirmed he shouldnt be going, Carrick offers far more and if we are facing one of the weaker teams and Sven is going to persist with 1 striker then i would play Carrick as the holding player, just due to the fact that he will give the ball quicker than Carragher and can play killer passes.
Was made up for Stevie getting his goal, he deserved it for his workrate, i did suggest a while ago that he would be the ideal replacement in the Rooney role. While he did a job for the team i dont think it would work totally for England because Beckham and Cole are sometimes not far enough up the pitch to support him, Rooney often doesnt need the support as his use of the ball is better than Gerrards.
I would start Crouch against Paraguay and thats not just because of his goal, there were not enough options for the midfield when we were breaking.
I would go with the standard 4-4-2 with Crouch playing up top with Owen and Gerrard bombing on, i would tell Lampard that he needs to be more disciplined and do a job for the team.
Walcott in the cameos i have seen so far doesnt look ready, he has pace to burn but the games so far have passed him by, and the decison now to take Hargreaves ahead of Defoe gets more baffling with each day.
I hope Lennon gets a chance against Jamaica as i think he could be a real big player to come on late in games over in Germany.
Oasis not sure how you could blame Robinson for there goal, it was curled into the top corner from an unsighted view for him, a fantastic strike that no keeper would of saved.
All in all i think England have a decent chance at going all the way, why not ? We have plenty of options and class players throughout the squad, players who have won the big prizes and been facing the best players in the world almost weekly in the champions league.

by **Lionheart** » Wed May 31, 2006 1:34 pm

I repeat...that team WILL NOT win the World Cup. Even the Aussies thumped Hungary (4 or 5-2 if I remember correctly and that was without the big names). So no solice there lads!!!

Every four years the ever hopeful English trot out the, "this is the best team since '66" and, "if we can't win with this team, we never will" old war horse statements and what do we get 4 weeks later? Eh, tired old excuses of why we didn't win it again. :laugh:

You guy place soooooo much expectation on your players they're shitt ing themselves about not winning rather than concentrating on doing the job.

But hey, what would I know? I'm Australian. :cool:

by **tommycockles** » Wed May 31, 2006 1:36 pm

Lionheart wrote:But hey, what would I know? I'm Australian.

exactly- what do you know!!!

by **Lionheart** » Wed May 31, 2006 1:37 pm

Bamaga man wrote:Tasmania ?

Before you say any more are you sure your Australian ?

Now this demonstrates YOUR level of ignorance, not mine!! :rasp

by **Lionheart** » Wed May 31, 2006 1:39 pm

RichardLFC1 wrote:I have noticed that england play as good as there opponents i.e if england was to play against australia they would play as good as them which is absolute but then played against Germany or Brazil they would play really well

But still lose, just as you did against the Aussies last time we met AND you used TWO teams!!! :eyebrow

by **48-1119859832** » Wed May 31, 2006 1:43 pm

tommycockles wrote:
0asis wrote:
tommycockles wrote:This is typical England- for some reason we don't seem play well in qualifiers or friendlies- but when it gets to the tournament we step up a gear.

I'd go for the opposite we play our best football in the friendlies and the qualifiers and then fail to step up a level or two in the finals.

Fair enough- that's your opinion.

Personally i don't remember the last time we were completely battered by a side in a major championships (although i'm only thinking back the last 10 years or so). Generally we lose on penalties or have a man sent off and fight back valiantly but just not quite enough. Unlike in friendlies where we play completely (Denmark, Northern Ireland etc), when it comes to the big games we tend to get our fighting spirit back and then loose on penalties or due to someone getting sent off and leaving us too much to come back from. but i guess that's football!!

Tommy, that's exactly what I'm talking about, we have players who have played on the big time before, Champions League, UEFA cup, FA Cup and a lot have played in a previous World Cup and previous European Championships. Yet when it comes to dig in a bit deeper, showing bottle, courage, committment and fight we seem to just lose it, give up, throw in the towel and have this weak mentality of "oh well we can try again in four years time". We lack all the mental capabilities to be Champions. Like against Brazil we just gave up in the second half and prayed that we would only lose 2-1 and not 3-1,4-1.5-1 or 6-1.

Teams like Brazil have the right attitudes and mentalities, they will go 4-0 down and fight and claw their way back and they don't stop until the match is finished. We don't do that and that kind of mentality and attitude is what separates the good teams from the great teams. If we can have this attitude and mentality going into this competition then we will have a very good chance, we go into like we have done for the past 36 years and we'll be in for more disappointment.

by **stmichael** » Wed May 31, 2006 1:49 pm

i find it unbelievable that five and a half years after our manager took over, we're still messing about with personnel and formations. last night taught us nothing we didn't already know. peter crouch did superb coming off the bench (again). michael owen is still a major major worry. and frank lampard is completely overrated.

by **48-1119859832** » Wed May 31, 2006 1:54 pm

Ace Ventura wrote:Oasis not sure how you could blame Robinson for there goal, it was curled into the top corner from an unsighted view for him, a fantastic strike that no keeper would of saved.
All in all i think England have a decent chance at going all the way, why not ? We have plenty of options and class players throughout the squad, players who have won the big prizes and been facing the best players in the world almost weekly in the champions league.

Ace,

I agree the goal was unstoppable but had Robinson not been out of position he might well of gotten nearer to the ball. Paul Robinson's major fault is not being in the right position and straying off his line, he reminds me a lot of Seaman and I believe Seaman was lobbed twice, and I don't want to see that happening again. Because someone like Ronaldinho will punish us for that kinda stupidity.

As I said if we go into this world cup with the continental mentality of "Dig in deep, be strong and never say die" like what Benitez has taught Liverpool than we stand a good chance but if we go into this world cup with the traditional, weak English mentality of "We're all in this to take part, it's the participation that counts" We'll be yet again disappointed.

Also maybe if Sven shows some backbone this world cup we might stand a chance. That mean's being prepared to sub players who are his favourites. Also not creating dull, defensive and lifeless tactics. England is made up of much attacking natured players use them to their strengths.

So if Sven is able to show a little bit more tactical know how like Benitez and if he is able to show some back bone like he should of done against Brazil and he instills a mentality that sides like Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Holland and France have then we have a very good chance.

Fingers crossed.

by **stmichael** » Wed May 31, 2006 2:37 pm

Big Niall wrote:What is our view of cheating on this site ?(drogba , Robben and Maradonna often get slaughtered here for cheating). Is it okay for Stevie G to cheat? or just any England player?

anyone who slams stevie g for the dive last night, ask yourself this:

were you complaining in istanbul?

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