Liverpool FC Forum

by **burjennio** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:06 am

The very fact that this has become a "must win game" and the potential health of Englands best player is being jepordised speaks volumes of the capabilities of the current England manager

Bring back Graham taylor

by **burjennio** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:08 am

Anyway if you don't qualify you can cheer on the mighty Norn Iron next summer

by **redmikey** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 2:47 pm

England boss Steve McClaren has confirmed Steven Gerrard and Paul Robinson will start against Israel on Saturday.

However, McClaren will make a late decision on the fitness of Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves who is struggling with a thigh injury.

Gerrard's participation has been in doubt all week as he struggles to recover from a broken toe he picked up last month.

The Liverpool skipper took part in training on Friday and he has been given the all-clear to start at Wembley on Saturday.

"He has trained twice without an injection and if he plays tomorrow like he played this morning in training then everyone will be delighted.

"That's the kind of performance that we need and it's a big boost for everybody, most of all Stevie G because he desperately wants to play in this game. He came through it with no problems whatsoever."

Asked if he was pencilled in for tomorrow's game, McClaren replied: "I can more or less say yes."

It remains to be seen if Gerrard will require a pain-killing injection before the game with Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez raising his concerns over his skipper's fitness.

Hargreaves, who sat out training on Friday, is set to undergo a late fitness test on Saturday before deciding whether or not he can be involved in the crucial Euro 2008 qualifier.

"Owen Hargreaves will have a fitness test tomorrow morning. We are leaving it as late as possible to make a decision after that test to see if he can play in the afternoon," added McClaren.

"He is another one who wants to play every game. He wants to play tomorrow and we will give him every opportunity to do that but we will leave it upto the players and medics to make that decision."

Tottenham goalkeeper Robinson has been handed a vote of confidence by McClaren after his below-par display against Germany recently.

Robinson's place was believed to be under threat after he was substituted for David James in the defeat to Germany.

However, Robinson will remain in goal for the visit of Israel with James providing back-up on the bench.

"Paul Robinson will be in goal," he said. "That was a decision I made two or three days after the game on reflection and on the reaction of Paul Robinson over the last few games and especially this week in training.

"It was just as I expected it to be, very professional this week. He has done very, very well. He has always had my trust and confidence and I'm sticking with him."

McClaren also welcomed the return to fitness of Michael Owen and he has backed his strikers to hit the goal trail.

"All the strikers have done well," continued McClaren.

"The biggest boost we have got is that Michael Owen is fit because he's a big player for us.

"But the main thing is, who is going to supply, get the ball into the key areas where Michael works.

"The big games are when we have to deliver and generally when it comes to the big games, the big games in qualifying, the players have delivered."

the ginger pr!ck

he is fecking useless and has put one of our stars in jeopardy of not recovering from his broken toe in enough time,

i hope SG isn't part of this daft selection but i feel he is as he wants to be a hero, on the global stage like golden balls was, Beware of rafa's displeasure and the fans if he limps off after the first challenge,

i am angry with his choice here as it is only the yids and we shouldn't need players with injuries to get us through a game with a inferior nation football wise that is

by **Lucky** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 2:52 pm

heimdall wrote:Surely England should comfortably beat Israel at home without Gerrard and Lampard, are England really that bad??

I'm afraid it is that bad now, or has been like that for a long time. I guess McClaren is really in a despair now. But that's his own business. If England gets knocked out, so be it.
BUT DON'T RISK OUR CAPTAIN!!!

by **Lucky** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:19 pm

redmikey wrote:the ginger pr!ck

he is fecking useless and has put one of our stars in jeopardy of not recovering from his broken toe in enough time,

i hope SG isn't part of this daft selection but i feel he is as he wants to be a hero, on the global stage like golden balls was, Beware of rafa's displeasure and the fans if he limps off after the first challenge,

i am angry with his choice here as it is only the yids and we shouldn't need players with injuries to get us through a game with a inferior nation football wise that is

Agreed with your anger about MaClaren.
But for Gerrard, I respect his decision. I don't think he chose to play just because he wanted to be a hero or knid of thing. He probably just sees it as a great honour to play for his country, and you can't really blame him for that, can you?
Still concerned about his injury, but just hope he'll be all right and come through these games with really no problems, and come back in full fitness for the Reds games. :buttrock

by **redmikey** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:29 pm

i would have no problem if it was do or die in a tournement and it was him or carrick but it isn't, and the ginger tw@t is taking care of the german canadian with loving devotion, you will not see mclown take fergie on over a player, that is what is boiling my blood

and i just hope SG isn't going against what the lfc medical team are saying to save his useless @rse,

by **muzodziwa** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:31 pm

i respect Gerrard's decision to play against Israel, but there is something that i have noted, Benitez is more team oriented manager and would as much as possible sing praises to the entire team rather than an individual and on the other end we have Mclaren, a mediocre manager who blows trumpets to individual players.

The England scenario offers the stage for individual glory and i hope this will not play tricks to our captain;

by **maypaxvobiscum** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 4:29 pm

reo coker
scott parker
michael carrick
owen hargreaves
frank lampard
joey barton

it doesnt look THAT bad does it? i know some above are injured but come on steve mclaren, stop being sucha pu.ssy.

by **Lucky** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 6:45 pm

Anyone watched the England game?
A little worried about Gerrard's injury, seeing him limping out a couple of minutes before he was substituted down. Is it that serious or just a precaution since England has secured 3 points?

by **ivor_the_injun** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:44 pm

They reckoned it was just cramp - didn't look in too much discomfort, and the TV always make a meal of covering players coming out of tackles when they're coming back from injury. Owen got winded at one point, and the camera barely left him for about 5 minutes purely because he was puffing slightly.

As for Gerrard, he had an okay but not earth-shattering game for me. Did nothing wrong, but he just didn't get massively involved higher up the pitch which is where most of the action was happening. Some good long passes, a couple of good runs, the odd decent set piece delivery, and some decent interplay with Gareth Barry. Looked comfortable, but Israel were pinned so far back that there wasn't a midfield battle, so he had precious little to do.

He'll play against Russia, I reckon. As I said in another post, if Lampard's out, it's a rare chance to show that he's the one that should be leading the midfield, and I'm not surprised he's pushing himself back earlier than some would like to take the opportunity.

by **maypaxvobiscum** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 5:37 am

yeah he limped out and now they are saying he should be fit for the russia game.
its disgusting

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