Nice save London, nice save.
Kudos for solid wit to you! 
You get special mention for:
LC, the great escape would be ok, as I heard it during the game.
If they were to play “the Bridge over the river quai” thats something sifferent 
I saw last night that Terry Venables – IMHO, the only world-class manager England have had in the past 30 years – was advocating 3 – 5 – 2. I found his variation very interesting:
Central three: (Ferdinand, Judas and Keown)
Midfield:
Hargreaves (old-fashioned right wing-back)
Beckham (wandering from centre to right wing)
Southgate (on Ortega)
Scholes
A. Cole (old-fashioned left wing-back)
In front of that he had Uncle Teddy (linking play) and, alone, up front Owen.
Very interesting – it means the defenders have very specific marking duties (for example, Southgate on Ortega) which is good for the defenders: They have a clear/simple job to do.
It also works (for me) in that the whole formation, going forward, links up with great fluidity and potential for variation: Simple and tight at the back, sophisticated going forward. Nice.
However – rumours out of the England camp this morning are suggesting the manager is going with 4 – 4 – 2: Scholes on the left wing and Hargreaves and Butt inside him (Beckham right wing) – I almost wonder if Butt has been given the job on Ortega ?
The defence will be the same (Mills ??!!) and up front with Owen will be Heskey.
It’s okay, maybe, but the manager is no Venables in my book.
BTW, both Ayala (Captain) and Sorin are injured and won’t play against England.
I should just add that there comes a point when a 4-4-2 can look very much like a 3-5-2…I wonder if this is about as close as this manager will ever get to trying a different formation.
I saw Venables last night offer his England line-up with his reasons why and for the first time found myself really wishing that he was still our manager. I couldn’t fault his team and found it interesting that all the players and ex-players in the studio chimed in that they really liked playing when they knew exactly what their job was, as per Terry’s tactics.
Ah, the Christmas tree. We hardly knew ye.
I also found it interesting that Terry said we should tell Beckham that he has just got 45 mins and let him play his heart out for those 45 mins, rather than saving himself.
Given that he will play 4-4-2, I’d like to see Heskey either play up front or (preferably) not at all. I like him, but prefer Vassell in that position (is it just me, or is he a better international player than a club player?)
We have to get our (actually rather good) midfield playing the ball. I despaired of seeing Seaman HOOF it up the field against Sweden - the defence would knock it about, retain possession, give it back to Seaman and then HOOF - what is the point in that?
Keep the ball on the floor lads - the game is all about possession at this level, so make sure that it is you.
pan
Here’s a novel idea.
Don’t play Beckham. He is a liability and is not at full fitness. put a team of players who can actually play.
It may not be what the public want, but they aren’t picking the team, or playing the match.
kabbes - I also liked the way Venables, at one point, made Barry ‘Venal’ Venison look utterly naive. But that’s another story.
Yes I agree, it would be ‘nice’ to see the ball on the ground occasionally but if the manager says he wants to play a certain way, what’s to be done (why should we care our best asset, the midfield, is largely neutralised) ?
I do suspect there will be pretty fundamental changes in this game – it would be nice to think the manager played the first game in the way he did to confuse the Argentineans…hmmm.
Twisty – kabbes mentions it but to be more precise; Venables was saying; tell Beckham he’s only playing the first 45 and, then, see how he feels at half time. Maybe he’d have an extra 15 in him, maybe not. But I think we all agree that 45 of Beckham full-on is better than 70 with him pacing himself, especially in this game.
I don’t like Vassell being dropped. I understand the decision, since we need a taller front man to intimidate the Argentinian defence, but Vassell was possibly the best English player against Sweden. I would like to see him play on the left instead of Hargreaves, who is surely not a player to take the ball and run at defenders.
I guess my thinking on the second striker (in the managers formation) is that, IIRC, Heskey worried the hell out of the Argentinean defence when last they played and Vassell is a heck of a live wire to throw on with 20-25 minutes to go. I’d imagine the choice is a pretty close call but the previous experience of Heskey with the opposition may have swung it in his favour.
Anyway, we’ll know in less than 12 hours…
In my book, the main error Ericson made was not bringing on Sheringham after the equaliser.
Just watched the scrappy England/Argentina game - at a reasonable hour, here in sunny Japan. Bloody hell, they were lucky to get away with that - youre allowed to attack too, you know. As for Colonel Bogey, they dont know what it is here.
Too right! The scrappy and defensive way in which Sheringham nearly scored with a 20-yard volley after a 17-pass move is just the sort of dull, negative play that puts people off football. And Michael Owen beating two defenders and hitting the post? Cynical time-wasting. How I managed to stay awake during this game, I don’t know.
Man, what a bunch of hand-wringers you Brits are! Take it from an impartial observer, they looked damn good today. As good as any team I’ve seen play in the tournament, thus far.
In addition to some scintillating offensive efforts by Owen and Beckham (I’d say your squad is in good hands for Cups to come, with those youngsters), the defense put a SERIOUS lock-down on a pretty potent Argentina team.
That was brilliant. Just bloody brilliant. I am veh veh happy and more than a little intoxicated. (did I say that that was brilliant?).
Given that we should win the group doesn’t this give us quite an easy ride?
ps: brilliant.
pps: I can’t spell brilliant.
One game doesn’t make him a vegetable, and another doesn’t make him the Messiah.
Beckham said ‘He’s a calming influence, especially since we have a relatively young and inexperienced side.’
Sven is a good manager.
And now the euphoria, expressed via the blues…
Well I woke up this morning
(da da da-da)
I was nowhere near Peckham
(da da da-da)
I switched on the TV
(da da da-da)
To see my man Beckham
(da da da-da)
He was takin’ a penalty…
Whoah! 1-0!
(that’s all she wrote)
:eek: - I think I tend to agree with Usram’s sentiment.
Milo – Just to save your blushes in the future, it’s ‘England’ not ‘Brits’. Scotland and Wales (and even Northern Ireland) didn’t qualify for the Finals.
If a “calming influence” was all you needed to be a good manager, anyone on Valium could do the job. Nor is it, with all respect to Beckham, an “inexperienced side” – the majority have played in the Champion League up to the quarter final stage at least, Owen is Euro Player of the Year, etc, etc…Nice spin by the captain but it’s nonsense, IMHO.
The point is, glee, that England don’t need a “good” manager. The players need one who’s shrewd enough to develop systems and tactics that will serve their abilities and counter the opposition. In other words, they need a world-class manager. Is Sven one ? Time will tell, IMHO.
I think you’re being disingenious. It’s an incredibly demanding job to cope with millionaire players who face enormous media pressure and unrealistic expectations. Yet these players, while physically skilful, are not generally well-educated nor sophisticated.
This is true, but other countries’ players have played in Champions Cup Finals and far more World Cup games. The England team are also fairly young.
Actually England need a lot more world-class players, a less demanding domestic season and far less media pressure.
Despite your shrewd analysis, I think you are in danger of falling into the media hype of either worshipping or demonising the manager.
I think Sven is good for the team and I hope he copes with the pressure.
P.S. 1-0!
Beckham was useless in an otherwise great England performance.
Are you serious? Assuming so, I think you’re wrong. Many players had great games ( I don’t think Nicky Butt will ever play better), but do not underestimate Beckham. He is a talismanic figure, and having the cojones to take that penalty could be the point that galvinises our world cup.
I am far from a Man Ure fan but in this context he is a genuine world class figue.
I second the comment on Nicky Butt - he was marvellous. And have England finally solved their left-midfield problem with Trevor Francis?