Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: exigo on May 16, 2012, 01:13:48 PM
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No Villa players in at all. Part of me is glad that we won't have to see him tapped up by the Sky team's cartel.
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Good
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Good, it ruins them.
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Squad looks pretty shit doen't it?
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Unfair I think. He's better than Defoe, who doesn't always start for Spurs. I know he's been injured, but Bent seemed to do well for England under Capello.
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Bent will say he has to leave for England reasons. and tbh I would not mind too much if we got funds that the new manager could spend
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Not really a surprise Bent's not going.
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Fingers are crossed that he can now focus on getting fit over the summer. That he is looking forward to working with the new manager (who ever it may be) and net us 25 goals next season.
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Although I have to say, seeing Barry, Young, Milner, and Downing in the midfield is pretty sobering.
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He's barely fit though!
Opportunity missed overall here I think for England. He could've taken a young squad without expectation and blooded them in tournament football ahead of the next World Cup, instead, same old same old players that have consistently failed to produce at successive tournaments. Yawn!
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I really thought Milner might not make it.
Not enough strikers in my book. Where will the goals come from when Rooney is out?
Pleased for Ruddy, he has done well.
Be lucky to get past the group stage I reckon.
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Good.
I see Roy has picked the fantastic Downing and Carroll, who have both had amazing seasons.
Should have totally gone for a young squad. We've zero chance of winning this, he could have given more young players massively important big tournament experience.
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Chamberlain and Cahill aside, it's the same old England failures.
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Has anyone got a link to the full squad?
I think Bent would be very much lacking match fitness come the start of the turnament and that's why he's not going.
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Good.
I see Roy has picked the fantastic Downing and Carroll, who have both had amazing seasons.
Should have totally gone for a young squad. We've zero chance of winning this, he could have given more young players massively important big tournament experience.
Can't wait to see Downing providing the ammo for Carroll after the season they've both had. Watch out Europe.
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Jorden Henderson as back up to Parker who is injured ..Carroll ,Downing and Henderson shouldn't be near the squad
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Has anyone got a link to the full squad?
I think Bent would be very much lacking match fitness come the start of the turnament and that's why he's not going.
See the "Other Football" section
http://www.heroesandvillains.info/forumv3/index.php?topic=47074.0
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The Squad
Goalkeepers
Robert Green (West Ham United)
Joe Hart (Manchester City)
John Ruddy (Norwich City)
.Defenders
Leighton Baines (Everton)
Gary Cahill (Chelsea)
Ashley Cole (Chelsea)
Glen Johnson (Liverpool)
Phil Jones (Manchester United)
Joleon Lescott (Manchester City)
John Terry (Chelsea)
.Midfielders
Gareth Barry (Manchester City)
Stewart Downing (Liverpool)
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
James Milner (Manchester City)
Scott Parker (Tottenham Hotspur)
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal)
Theo Walcott (Arsenal)
Ashley Young (Manchester United)
.Forwards
Andy Carroll (Liverpool)
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
Daniel Welbeck (Manchester United)
Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur)
.For further reaction, including words from England Manager Roy Hodgson, please check back at TheFA.com later today..
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No surprise Bent isn't in. With Woy taking Rooney there is no way he could afford to take up another striker slot with a player who won't have played first team football for months due to injury.
Really is a crap squad though, although that reflects more on the quality of English players than Woy IMO.
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He's barely fit though!
Opportunity missed overall here I think for England. He could've taken a young squad without expectation and blooded them in tournament football ahead of the next World Cup, instead, same old same old players that have consistently failed to produce at successive tournaments. Yawn!
That was my thoughts when he said he was going with an experienced squad. Same old players. Same old problems. It makes me wonder if the FA have a hand in who must go to the tournaments. People want to see the likes of Gerrard, lampard and Terry. The world sees them as the superstars of English football.
This was the perfect opportunity to drop the old players who have had their chances and blood in the youngsters. No one is really expective England to do that well in the euros do use the opportunity wisely. Give them valuable tournament experience ready for the world cup in 2 years time. Lampard won't be going to brazil. Probably not Gerrard either, so why persist with picking both of them?
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No surprise Bent isn't in. With Woy taking Rooney there is no way he could afford to take up another striker slot with a player who won't have played first team football for months due to injury.
Really is a crap squad though, although that reflects more on the quality of English players than Woy IMO.
Yes not that much to choose from really , other than Richards and Jonson who else do you have ? :-\
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It's more or less a list of the footballers I least like with the odd exception
Surprised not to see Joey Barton included I must say
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Good.
I see Roy has picked the fantastic Downing and Carroll, who have both had amazing seasons.
Should have totally gone for a young squad. We've zero chance of winning this, he could have given more young players massively important big tournament experience.
I agree, it is the most pandering to the old guard as it could be.
Lampard, Terry, Gerard should all have been left at home. Pick youth, give them experience, and see how they get on. I don't think we will get out of the group anyway, and should be building for the world cup.
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It's a completely bollocks squad and they'll do well to get out of the group. Just a lot of past it players. When you consider that we have a Man U reserve, a Spurs reserve and Liverpool reserve as three of the four forwards, and the other is suspended, it just tells you that England simply does not have the quality at international level anymore.
Another opportunity missed to blood young kids and work towards the World Cup. Same old England.
As for Bent, fucking brilliant for us that he's out. I want him fit and sharp for the start of the season with a new manager that will realise he is amongst the best ever PL forwards and will use him accordingly.
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Chamberlain and Cahill aside, it's the same old England failures.
Carroll, Welbeck, Jones, Ruddy as well. Parker despite his age is a relatively new addition too and Young has only just become a regular. Walker and Smalling would probably have gone if fit.
As for Bent, I don't see how he could expect to have been in the squad given that he hasn't played for months. Rooney you might take a chance on, but Bent? No, not at international level.
I think he's got it pretty much right. The only one I'd really question is Defoe. I'd have taken Sturridge personally.
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Very pleased that there are no Villa players in there.
No injuries, less tapping up.
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There's only one RB in there. Is he doing a MON?
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Exactly TV. I want our new manager to be salivating over the prospect of working with talent such as bent, Ireland, N'Zogbia, Gardner and gabby. Thinking with a few changes and additions this is an exciting squad to get his hands on. I want him to be grateful for the opportunity not thinking we should be grateful to have him as manager.
Anyway I'm going off topic
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There's only one RB in there. Is he doing a MON?
I think Phil Jones would be the cover at RB. He's played there before.
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There's only one RB in there. Is he doing a MON?
Phil Jones is the other Right Back. In fact, he could start ahead of Johnson
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Alvin Martin on Talksport talking complete and utter rubbish, they have some really, really crap pundits.
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It's a completely bollocks squad and they'll do well to get out of the group. Just a lot of past it players. When you consider that we have a Man U reserve, a Spurs reserve and Liverpool reserve as three of the four forwards, and the other is suspended, it just tells you that England simply does not have the quality at international level anymore.
Another opportunity missed to blood young kids and work towards the World Cup. Same old England.
As for Bent, fucking brilliant for us that he's out. I want him fit and sharp for the start of the season with a new manager that will realise he is amongst the best ever PL forwards and will use him accordingly.
Too true, but whilst the top five could barely scrape together an England 11 of any merit between them and Man City have astounded us all by winning the league - I still can't work out how they managed it - it will be ever thus and is getting worse
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There's only one RB in there. Is he doing a MON?
Phil Jones is the other Right Back. In fact, he could start ahead of Johnson
Okay, hadn't thought of that. Still, if I was Micah Richards I'd be pretty pissed off. Glen bloody Johnson! Ha!
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Alvin Martin on Talksport talking complete and utter rubbish, they have some really, really crap pundits.
TalkSport is like a West Ham glue factory
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There's only one RB in there. Is he doing a MON?
Phil Jones is the other Right Back. In fact, he could start ahead of Johnson
Okay, hadn't thought of that. Still, if I was Micah Richards I'd be pretty pissed off. Glen bloody Johnson! Ha!
I would take Richards over Johnson, who is both trouble and poor positionally. I would have taken Carrick over Barry, Lampard and Gerrard, Adam Johnson out wide etc. Just think Roy has missd a trick, OR he is taking them, will play them, they will fail and he will say right, they had a chance, have failed time and again and end them.
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Like I've said to my friends past 3 years is that Gerrard and Lambard should be kicked out of the national team. Everytime I've seen them play they have looked like they couldn't care less.
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Steven Gerrard Captain, FFS!
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This is the squad...
Goalkeepers
Robert Green (West Ham United)
Joe Hart (Manchester City)
John Ruddy (Norwich City)
Defenders
Leighton Baines (Good first name)
Gary Cahill (Ex-Aston Villa)
Ashley Cole (Chelsea)
Glen Johnson (Liverpool)
Phil Jones (Manchester United)
Joleon Lescott (Villa fan)
John Terry (Thug)
Midfielders
Gareth Barry (Ex-Aston Villa)
Stewart Downing (Ex-Aston Villa)
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
James Milner (Ex-Aston Villa)
Scott Parker (Tottenham Hotspur)
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal)
Theo Walcott (Arsenal)
Ashley Young (Ex-Aston Villa)
Forwards
Andy Carroll (Liverpool)
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
Daniel Welbeck (Manchester United)
Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur)
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That's an extremely conservative selection. If every squad he picks is like that, we are back to the days of Ron Greenwood.
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That's an extremely conservative selection.
But he can't lose with that can he? He can blame the old guard if the expected mediocrity follows or point to experinced heads if we go deep.
Let's blood the youngsters during friendlies and qualifying for the next World Cup.
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I'd have taken Sturridge ahead of Defoe. Feel a bit sorry for Crouch too. No matter how well he does he always seems to be on the outside looking in.
Surpised there's no room for Micah Richards with Kyle Walker injured. I rate him higher than Phil Jones personally.
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That's an extremely conservative selection.
But he can't lose with that can he? He can blame the old guard if the expected mediocrity follows or point to experinced heads if we go deep.
Let's blood the youngsters during friendlies and qualifying for the next World Cup.
Well I hope you're right and he suddenly springs into action after this.
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Surpised there's no room for Micah Richards with Kyle Walker injured. I rate him higher than Phil Jones personally.
I feel sorry for Richards as well, but with only 7 defenders, they had to have versatility, and Jones gives you that.
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What a tired old squad, but there aren't a huge amount of alternatives who are fit to go. I'd have had Sturridge, Bent(if fit) and even Crouchy in there ahead of Carrol, Defoe and probably Welbeck. Also Adam Johnson ahead of Downing and one of the Arsenal wide men, and I've have had Micah Richards in as well. God help us if Robert Green has to play. It just shows the paucity of the pool of English talent available.
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We were just comparing that squad to that of Euro 96. Forwards back then were Shearer, Sheringham, Ferdinand and Fowler. Compare that to Rooney, Wellbeck, Defoe and Carroll.
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Surpised there's no room for Micah Richards with Kyle Walker injured. I rate him higher than Phil Jones personally.
I feel sorry for Richards as well, but with only 7 defenders, they had to have versatility, and Jones gives you that.
So does Richards. He can play at RB or CB.
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Good news for our chances of keeping him, but I am gutted for him. There's an interview on the OS with him about it, which seems very positive - sounds like he's staying.
"I am determined to come back stronger like I have the previous two times I have missed out.
"This won't stop me or deter me.
"I now look to the World Cup in two years and will try to be involved in that one. I want to put myself in contention again.
"My total focus is on Villa next season now. I am confident we will improve and have a much better season. The previous one was obviously not great but this is a massive club and we have to make sure that was just a blip.
"We need to get behind the new manager when he comes in and put all our efforts into the new campaign."
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Hodgson handled the press conference very well in fairness, shame about the squad selection though.
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Will Bent go to the Olympics instead then? And what about Gabby, Bannan, Albrighton, Collins, Gardner etc.
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Surpised there's no room for Micah Richards with Kyle Walker injured. I rate him higher than Phil Jones personally.
I feel sorry for Richards as well, but with only 7 defenders, they had to have versatility, and Jones gives you that.
So does Richards. He can play at RB or CB.
But not midfield.
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What a tired old squad, but there aren't a huge amount of alternatives who are fit to go. I'd have had Sturridge, Bent(if fit) and even Crouchy in there ahead of Carrol, Defoe and probably Welbeck. Also Adam Johnson ahead of Downing and one of the Arsenal wide men, and I've have had Micah Richards in as well. God help us if Robert Green has to play. It just shows the paucity of the pool of English talent available.
If I remember rightly, Sheringham had done sod all for England prior to Euro 96. Ferdinand I never rated, terrible first touch and Fowler has been wank for anyone except Liverpool for a few years in the mid-late 90's.
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Can't believe Downing got in ahead of Lennon and Adam Johnson.
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Really underwhelmed!
he wasnt going to take bent as he already has a risk in rooney, and as villa we dont really have any other first team players that deserve to make the england squad after this season...
The squad itself looks predictbale, media appeasing and not cutting like I thought it would...
Ones I am happy with:
Hart,
Cahill, Lescott, Baines, Jones
Barry & Parker
Rooney & Welbeck
rest I am not fussed on!
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What a tired old squad, but there aren't a huge amount of alternatives who are fit to go. I'd have had Sturridge, Bent(if fit) and even Crouchy in there ahead of Carrol, Defoe and probably Welbeck. Also Adam Johnson ahead of Downing and one of the Arsenal wide men, and I've have had Micah Richards in as well. God help us if Robert Green has to play. It just shows the paucity of the pool of English talent available.
If I remember rightly, Sheringham had done sod all for England prior to Euro 96. Ferdinand I never rated, terrible first touch and Fowler has been wank for anyone except Liverpool for a few years in the mid-late 90's.
Les Ferdinand was great! One of the best in the air I've ever seen.
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Was Les a pilot then?
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No Sturridge? Oh well...early exit it is then.
Would rather he went with a much younger squad to give them tournament experience for the World Cup. At least our expectations wont be high so cant be disappointed.
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What a tired old squad, but there aren't a huge amount of alternatives who are fit to go. I'd have had Sturridge, Bent(if fit) and even Crouchy in there ahead of Carrol, Defoe and probably Welbeck. Also Adam Johnson ahead of Downing and one of the Arsenal wide men, and I've have had Micah Richards in as well. God help us if Robert Green has to play. It just shows the paucity of the pool of English talent available.
If I remember rightly, Sheringham had done sod all for England prior to Euro 96. Ferdinand I never rated, terrible first touch and Fowler has been wank for anyone except Liverpool for a few years in the mid-late 90's.
Les Ferdinand was great! One of the best in the air I've ever seen.
Indeed, Ferdinand was great and I often wonder what might have been had he joined us instead of Newcastle. Still one of the all time top 5 scorers in the Premier League.
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How on earth he can justify picking 4 Liverpool players after they have had almost as an uninspiring season as we have is beyond me.
Also to pick Milner to play wide after the limited football he has had is ridiculous.Trully an awful,safe and poor team.
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How on earth he can justify picking 4 Liverpool players after they have had almost as an uninspiring season as we have is beyond me.
Also to pick Milner to play wide after the limited football he has had is ridiculous.Trully an awful,safe and poor team.
Because the top teams are made up of mainly non-English people perhaps?
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How on earth he can justify picking 4 Liverpool players after they have had almost as an uninspiring season as we have is beyond me.
Also to pick Milner to play wide after the limited football he has had is ridiculous.Trully an awful,safe and poor team.
Agree!
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Lucky to get out of the group with that shower.
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How on earth he can justify picking 4 Liverpool players after they have had almost as an uninspiring season as we have is beyond me.
Also to pick Milner to play wide after the limited football he has had is ridiculous.Trully an awful,safe and poor team.
Because the top teams are made up of mainly non-English people perhaps?
How many good games have the four Liverpool players had this season?How many goals has Andy Carroll scored?Just simply baffling.
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I feel very sorry for Darren. He was unlucky to miss out in 2010 and I think he can consider himself so again. The injury must be the reason, at least I hope it is, because he was playing and scoring regularly before it.
The Liverpool thing is bloody ridiculous. If those clowns played for any other club they wouldn't be there.
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How the hell has downing made the squad?
I'm not suprised bent isn't in the squad, not fit enough although he would still do a better Job than Carroll.
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How on earth he can justify picking 4 Liverpool players after they have had almost as an uninspiring season as we have is beyond me.
Also to pick Milner to play wide after the limited football he has had is ridiculous.Trully an awful,safe and poor team.
Because the top teams are made up of mainly non-English people perhaps?
How many good games have the four Liverpool players had this season?How many goals has Andy Carroll scored?Just simply baffling.
I don't disagree with you, but who else is there?
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How on earth he can justify picking 4 Liverpool players after they have had almost as an uninspiring season as we have is beyond me.
Also to pick Milner to play wide after the limited football he has had is ridiculous.Trully an awful,safe and poor team.
Because the top teams are made up of mainly non-English people perhaps?
How many good games have the four Liverpool players had this season?How many goals has Andy Carroll scored?Just simply baffling.
I don't disagree with you, but who else is there?
Sturridge has scored more goals than all four of them combined this season.
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How on earth he can justify picking 4 Liverpool players after they have had almost as an uninspiring season as we have is beyond me.
Also to pick Milner to play wide after the limited football he has had is ridiculous.Trully an awful,safe and poor team.
Because the top teams are made up of mainly non-English people perhaps?
How many good games have the four Liverpool players had this season?How many goals has Andy Carroll scored?Just simply baffling.
I don't disagree with you, but who else is there?
Micah Richards, Adam Johnson/Aaron Lennon, Daniel Sturridge/Peter Crouch/Grant Holt and Michael Carrick?
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Lucky to get out of the group with that shower.
Lucky to get out of the shower with that group..
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Micah Richards, Adam Johnson/Aaron Lennon, Daniel Sturridge/Peter Crouch/Grant Holt and Michael Carrick?
So you want to replace some average plodders with some average plodders?
Richards I already said was unlucky.
Johnson hasn't played much less than Milner - but Milner is more versatile.
Lennon is a headless chicken.
Sturridge could be unlucky
Crouch - do me a favour.
Holt - I would rather have Carroll.
Carrick - over Gerrard? Never.
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Downing gets selected because he is safe. He does what the manager tells him, ie never takes the full back on unless the guy is on his arse and always comes inside with the safe pass. I was in the pub with a couople of Liverpool and they could understand why a winger never takes the man on the outside. They also couldnt understand why he never tackles and wanted to know if he was like that with us. Oh how I laughed! 20 million times in fact.
And as for Carrick - he may look decent playing for the redscum when they are bullying a team and have 60-70% possession but when that figure drops around about 50% and he's under pressure he can't pass for toffee and he cant tackle either. He got found out in europe 3 seasons ago and still tends to be dropped for pressure games - hence Scholes back again. At least that horrible little dwarf isn't back in the squad
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Gerrard is perhaps the only one I will give you, USAV. I would have Richards, Johnson and Sturridge ahead of Glen Johnson, Downing and Carroll, comfortably. And I would argue the merits of Crouch over Carroll too, as of the plan is to lump the ball to someone big up top, I'd go with him. Liverpool have been fucking awful this season.
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Gerrard is perhaps the only one I will give you, USAV. I would have Richards, Johnson and Sturridge ahead of Glen Johnson, Downing and Carroll, comfortably. And I would argue the merits of Crouch over Carroll too, as of the plan is to lump the ball to someone big up top, I'd go with him. Liverpool have been fucking awful this season.
Liverpool have been awful, no doubt about it. But Carroll is better in the air than Crouch (despite being 7'12) - if we need a target man for some games, I would rather it be him. He will put himself about a bit as well.
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blimey what a team of world (euro) beaters, should be a short trip for us then.
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Don't actually have a problem with the Carroll and the Bent decisions - the former will scare the living shite out of some defences; the latter has not got the match fitness. The weird ones for me are Terry, Green and Downing being included and Richards and Johnson being excluded.
Re Green, accepting that we are not blessed with loads of good English keeprs right now, I'd have tried to get Robinson to come out of retirement: I think his last two seasons have been very good.
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Well nice to see a change. Bugger the same old guard. Shame on you Roy. Unless you plan to play the less experienced players and keep the failures on the bench.
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Shame for him but great news for us that Bent isn't selected.
Missed opportunity with the squad though - same old tired names who've flopped before and will most likely flop again. Should have used the opportunity of a new manager to introduce some younger players.
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Gerrard has been shit for 2 years and he goes along as the captain, Defoe barely gets a kick for tottenham but goes along ahead of sturridge because of experience, pretty much sums everything you need to know about the way football works in this country.
The amount of players in that squad who are picked because of who they play for rather than how well they've been playing is scary.
Fundamentally the FA need to look at that squad and realise that the 'England brand' is fucked if they don't take action. What frustrates me the most is that the england football team are on the cusp of a huge problem, much like the england rugby team after 2003 or the aussie cricket team in the last 4-5years or the indian cricket team now, where all the experienced players are retiring together. The difference is the others hit this problem after a period of great success. England have been mediocre for years and have still let the same players and outdated ideas form the team so we don't even have a golden age to look back on when we're struggling to qualify for tournaments in the next 3-4 years.
The RFU saw what was coming in early 2003, realised they were in trouble for the next 4-5 years so instead concentrated on looking beyond that and putting systems in place to make the next generation the best it could be, and then maintaining that. English rugby is now getting to a really strong point because of this where we're 3 or 4 players deep in most positions with international standard players. This being despite the fact that there is nearly as a high a percentage of non-english players in the league as there is in football.
The trick isn't to make foreign players unwelcome but rather to make the english players coming through as good or better than the players that are there so clubs choose to play them on ability not under duress.
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His name is Rio, he watches from the stands
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If Downing plays for England so can I.
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Was Les a pilot then?
Funnilly enough he is a qualified helicopter pilot.
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Dear me that is a dull looking squad, mind you the FA just wanted a yes man and thats what they've got.
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No Villa players in at all. Part of me is glad that we won't have to see him tapped up by the Sky team's cartel.
But 5 ex Villa players, a few of whom Woy will play in the positions they played for us, rather than their new teams.
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No Villa players in at all. Part of me is glad that we won't have to see him tapped up by the Sky team's cartel.
But 5 ex Villa players, a few of whom Woy will play in the positions they played for us, rather than their new teams.
That was my thought!
If we had managed to hold onto out players and still had money to bring in new players oor team would be:
--------------Given-----------------
Lichaj---Cahill---Clarke---Baker
---------Barry-----Milner----------
Young-------Ireland-----Nzogbia
---------------Bent------------------
Assumed we could buy ireland without swapping milner!! lol
Still need more in defence though! ha
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From a purely selfish point of view I'm glad he isn't going as if he was and he has a good tournament we'd have at least Liverpool sniffing around. There's an interview in the Guardian today where he 'pledges his future to the Villa'. I for one hope this isn't a Dowingesque pledge.
Guardian Link (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/may/16/striker-darren-bent-aston-villa)
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Im amazed Downing is in that squad , and what pisses me off , hes a wanker and doesnt deserve it.
I would have loved it , plays for Villa in England team then he moves to Liverpool , plays a season and drops out of the Euro squad completely . I would have loved it , just loved it , ****** ....
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Bent will probably end up the Olympic squad which will be far more detrimental to Villa than him playing at the Euros. It's not good at all.
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Im amazed Downing is in that squad , and what pisses me off , hes a wanker and doesnt deserve it.
I would have loved it , plays for Villa in England team then he moves to Liverpool , plays a season and drops out of the Euro squad completely . I would have loved it , just loved it , c*** ....
and then some ......
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Bent will say he has to leave for England reasons. and tbh I would not mind too much if we got funds that the new manager could spend
Yeah, sell our ONLY goalscorer. Good idea. ::)
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I'm glad he's not playing in the finals. Better chance of him being at Villa next year :)
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I'm glad he's not playing in the finals. Better chance of him being at Villa next year :)
Playing for England in the Euro's this time might actually do your career some harm.
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I'm glad he's not playing in the finals. Better chance of him being at Villa next year :)
Playing for England in the Euro's this time might actually do your career some harm.
You could be right there Brendan. The squad looks very lightweight.
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I'm glad he's not playing in the finals. Better chance of him being at Villa next year :)
Playing for England in the Euro's this time might actually do your career some harm.
I veer between both these opinions. That said, even if England are poor, a few of tap-ins in by Bent in a couple of 3-2 defeats would still put him on a few clubs radars.