England Team Thread

[PaTaito]

Sorry, that's laughable.

Please let's not try to re-write history with Micah Richards. He's great going forward, but he is NOTHING like a remotely good defender. Dreadful positioning.

Maybe some time ago, but in recent games at CB he has been rock solid.....there were a few games when they were injury ridden mid season, where although savic was crap.....richards was solid as a rock.

Even if you discount the CB role, a role which you really would laugh at seeing johnson attempt it, richards is a better RB by a country mile.

But it wouldnt be a modern engalnd team without some laughable ommisions.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Maybe some time ago, but in recent games at CB he has been rock solid.....there were a few games when they were injury ridden mid season, where although savic was crap.....richards was solid as a rock.

Even if you discount the CB role, a role which you really would laugh at seeing johnson attempt it, richards is a better RB by a country mile.

We'll have to agree to diasgree, then.

It's the easy thing to do to slate Glen Johnson over a "perceived' (and somewhat over-exaggerated) inability to defend (although the reality is that he is actually a competent defender. Not great, but competent), But Micah Richards is only a better athlete, if anything. For technical ability, I would argue that Johnson is infact the superior RB.

As for the notion of Johnson of CB, that's highly irrelevant - he's hardly ever played there, save for one or two appearances very early on
his career. Richards has almost always been rubbish as a CB precisely because he has no positional sense whatsoever. Alongside Savic, I would also argue that Johnson would look like a rock solid CB.

[PaTaito]

We'll have to agree to diasgree, then.

It's the easy thing to do to slate Glen Johnson over a "perceived' (and somewhat over-exaggerated) inability to defend (although the reality is that he is actually a competent defender. Not great, but competent), But Micah Richards is only a better athlete, if anything. For technical ability, I would argue that Johnson is infact the superior RB.

As for the notion of Johnson of CB, that's highly irrelevant - he's hardly ever played there, save for one or two appearances very early on
his career. Richards has almost always been rubbish as a CB precisely because he has no positional sense whatsoever. Alongside Savic, I would also argue that Johnson would look like a rock solid CB.

The CB thing is certainly not irrelevant...we are injury ridden and any extra roles players can handle could really help the england team. Also you cannot argue that richards is crap at CB, then tell me with a straight face that johnson is a competent defender.

Purely on a techincal level i will concede that richards could be seen as no better(certainly not worse), but strength, pace, confidence, versatility are all better.

Johnson trying to run round defenders in the norway game was embarrassing really.

I havent been impressed by him in the slightest since he was at portsmouth, where he did well.

[rmoxon]

Richards is the type of player that doesn't need much technical ability. His raw pace, power and determination will allow him to beat players far more often than Johnson ever will. The fact that he can cover at centre back is certainly a plus too, when Johnson covered at CB during the Belgium game I really wondered what the heck was going on. they might as well have stuck Rooney at CB, at least then only one player would have been ridiculously out of position.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Richards is the type of player that doesn't need much technical ability. His raw pace, power and determination ...

Technical ability < Raw pace, power and determination at International level?

Seriously? Have you watched England for the last 10-20 years?

[nakamura]

Very true but at right back, I would have felt Richards attributes would have been perfect. Like a stronger Gary Neville.

[sj33]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18325005

What a complete non-story this is. Did anyone really think Ferdinand would be sat there saying 'boo England, go France!'? Why does the media have to turn this into such a circus?

[PaTaito]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18325005

What a complete non-story this is. Did anyone really think Ferdinand would be sat there saying 'boo England, go France!'? Why does the media have to turn this into such a circus?

I know the way the media try and milk the dramatics is hilarious sometimes.

[Adrock]

Richards is obviously a non starter after he refused to be put on the stand by list for the squad. For that reason the discussions above are academic. The player has issues, much like Michael Carrick who right now must be kicking himself that he refused to be a stand by.

When did players get to pick and choose whether or not they were available. Strange situation.

[EJG1980]

When did players get to pick and choose whether or not they were available. Strange situation.

I'm sure I remember a few years ago a player refusing a call up to the French national team (I think it might have been Anelka) and he was threatened with a domestic ban because of it, as UEFA or FIFA had a rule that you couldn't refuse an international call up. That's the only time I've ever heard of that rule coming up though, so it doesn't seem to be that well enforced.

Anelka ban threat

'Symbolic' ban for Anelka

[MonkeyJuggleDX]

Oh dear. Was that the best you could do against an average Poland? None of those players deserve to wear your national kit.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Oh dear. Was that the best you could do against an average Poland? None of those players deserve to wear your national kit.

Cue the Hodgson Defence Force/Apologists...

[EJG1980]

Not very inspiring stuff. Lump it long to the colossus that is Defoe? Roy Hodgson is a safety first manager and even if we did eventually get better at keeping possession the football will never be that exciting.

Poland have some exciting players but there are a lot of average ones in there too. We could have won this if we'd had a go at them and tried to win the game, instead of sitting back and inviting them on to us.

[Kieran76]

Oh dear. Was that the best you could do against an average Poland? None of those players deserve to wear your national kit.

There are no other players though. Our squad is paper thin, that said Carrick should not be in that squad. All he seems to do is slow things down and give the ball away.

[nakamura]

The manager could be the best in the world but the reality is that our players are not top class. Rooney is the only player who is anywhere near the level of the best players in the world.