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2011/2012 Season Thread


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Only 4 strikers is risky when Rooney is out of the first 2 games. Are Welbeck, Carroll and Defoe good enough to get them through the group?

This brings back memories of Sven taking 4 strikers to the World Cup in 06, with Rooney out injured for the first three matches, Walcott being uncapped and then Michael Owen tearing a quad just by walking onto the pitch or whatever he did. Then they had to rely on Peter Crouch and a unfit Wayne Rooney and Walcott never even got a game.

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Rooney and Carroll is a good combination if England are going to go with 4-4-2. That might work in the groups, but if they come up against a very good team and want to see ANY of the ball at the feet of their own players, they can't really do that with a 2 man midfield, as just about every other top team on the continent will have a very clustered and assertive midfield.

I imagine they'll continue with the 4-3-3 with Young and Walcott at either side of a striker. No idea what combo is going to happen in the midfield. I have a feeling we are going to back in time to 2002 and start talking about how Gerrard and Lampard can't play together. I think only one or the other should have gone, definitely not both, and if both play, then England haven't learned anything in exactly 10 years.

No idea how Carrick isn't in there. Gerrard has been toss this season. Lampard has done ok, but a shadow of former form. Parker started off very well, but I'd take him anyway. Barry has had a good season too, but I've never seen him play well for England. Carrick has had his best season in about 3 years.

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Really chuffed for John Ruddy getting the call up since he played his first full season at Cambridge as a 17 year old in our glorious relegations season from the football league in 2004/05. Nice to see one of our own doing well.

Should have gone with 5 strikers though Walcott can play up front can he not if need be? Would have included Crouch over Defoe and also think Holt deserved a call up even though he's knocking on a bit and is uncapped. Downing??? Fucks sake I nearly pished myself at his inclusion!!!

No surprises with ex King Kenny, I mean they have been woeful in the league considering what he's spent. Early favourites for the gig apparently are Robert Martinez and Rafa Benitez... He probably should have been given another season, there is more proof in the pudding that the Carling Cup really does mean bugger all!

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problem with Crouch is he only tends to score against shit teams and there are few if any shit teams in the Euros... would still have taken him though. I could watch that goal against City this season all day... might Grant Holt have been worth a punt? no international experience and plucked out the lower leagues but by jove he banged them in this season for Norwich... I think it's all irrelevant anyway since England will do shit as always... having said that this is the first time I can ever remember little if any expectation on England in a major tournament so it might work in their favour. But you can bet your bottom dollar should they go and beat France the tabloids will just heap pressure on the squad and manager.

I too hope Martinez doesn't go to that poison chalice of managing lolpool but he surely will be poached by a bigger club at some point.

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I said earlier, if we have to take a "big guy" it should surely be Holt. Scored more goals than the other "big guys" and has scored more than anyone else who is English except Rooney. The 3rd highest scorer who is English is Danny Graham. Another newly promoted and inexperienced striker. I wouldn't take him though. He didn't do so well in the second half of the season.

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Only 4 strikers is risky when Rooney is out of the first 2 games. Are Welbeck, Carroll and Defoe good enough to get them through the group?

Ashley Young and Theo Walcott can both play 'up top' too, really, and although Hodgson has never really strayed far from 4-4-2 in his life, I think it's pretty likely that he'll play more of a 4-2-3-1-ish at international level. It's just the way it's done now.

Would be surprised if the opening game didn't look much like this:

Hart

Johnson - Cahill - Terry - Cole

Parker - Barry

Gerrard - Lampard - Young

Carroll

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It'll be interesting to see how Gerrard plays for England now. He's pretty much "done a Scholes" for Liverpool, and he's playing so deep right now, but that might be more because Liverpool don't have anyone who can sit deep in the midfield since Lucas is injured and Spearing is awful. Could get a bit clustered if Barry and Parker are back there. Hopefully he'll stay close to the striker, 'in the hole' as they say.

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problem with Crouch is he only tends to score against shit teams and there are few if any shit teams in the Euros... .

A stats geek has been over all of this. Partly true but heaps of players score the majority of their goals against small teams and he has had very limited opportunities. It's not perfect by any means but it's pretty fun to read anyway! http://ongoalsscored.wordpress.com/2011/08/07/the-peter-crouch-myth/

TL;DR

goals-per-opportunity.png?w=640&h=241

"Once the limited nature of his opportunities has been taken into account, Peter Crouch’s excellent goals per minute record sustains being weighted by quality to still be far and away the best of all the players studied. Peter Crouch is the most prolific England striker of the era and his perceived disproportionate reliance on scoring against football’s weak nations is a myth."

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