The Milner Novela... Final episode page 296

[mshurst]

I think Lennon was a good choice - for what he played last season he did extremely well and showed consistancy.

Young, even though he is clearly better than SWP, didn't show much consistancy. 1 week he'll play out of his skin and show how incredible he can be, the next he'll be losing the ball and running it out of touch.

BUT, as everyone else has said, he is a much better player than SWP. Capello amazed me with that decision.

Diggles, with them all fit and in form I would have chosen the same. Especially Walcott. Walcott is fantastic when he plays well, much like Young, in fact.

Oh, and Troy, thanks for the heads-up :-)

[Concrete John]

The one thing about our Ash is that when he did get into the England side he didn't play well.  Up until this World Cup, Lennon was looking good when chosen has done more with his England chances than Ash has.

[pedro25]

A Young and J Cole should be the two starters out wide imo, both comfortable on either side, can cut in either way, so the full backs can overlap, or go to the by line.  Gerrard, Rooney, Milner and SWP all have played left mid so far, yet none play there for their clubs.  Young, Cole, Johnson and Downing are all better in that position than the 4 above imo.

[MoetVillan]

Pedro.  Your post is right.  Frustratingly Fabio Capelo said he would pick players to play in their club positions, wouldnt select any injured players and would pick players on form.  Three strikes....Thats more than BA cabin staff

[mshurst]

Pedro.  Your post is right.  Frustratingly Fabio Capelo said he would pick players to play in their club positions, wouldnt select any injured players and would pick players on form.  Three strikes....Thats more than BA cabin staff

Snap!

[MoetVillan]

So, do we think the poor performance of England and the playing of Milner when not on form will mean we no longer receive big bids for him or not, and are we happy or not?  I liked the promise of huge money, but I prefer having Milner.  Bird in the hand worth two up the bush and all that...

[pedro25]

Hopefully attention will be turned elsewhere and James will stay.  With the sponsor money and sales of fringe players together with the original transfer kitty which must be a few mill anyway we should be able to buy a class player anyhow.  I would prefer another class creative centre mid and play him with Milner pushed up towards Gab.  Alternatively we buy a deep lying link striker to partner with Gab, either way I think one class signing could make a big difference.

[KevinGage]

I can understand why there might have been question marks over Ash last season re England selection.

Not just based on his club form (which was up and down, possibly his worst since his breakthrough year with us), but a feature of his overall England performances to date are how often he surrenders possession. That would be anathema to most international bosses.

All well and good.

But when you have numbnuts like Lennon and S Wrong fcuking Phillips getting in ahead of you, that argument goes out the window.

In defence of Lennon, I don't think he's ever been picked either for Tottenham or England due to his crossing ability. Which has always been gash. He's a game changer, capable of going on a surging run and opening up gaps in the oppositions back line. SWP is supposed to be similar, I think.  But spends half his time running down blind alleys. For club (except against us of course) and country.

Joe Cole should start for England on the left, as he's generally looked quite effective when selected there by England over the years.  Not a natural left winger by any means, more a midfielder starting wide with licence to drift infield to cause problems. Our Ash should be first change, if a more direct approach is required, or if the opposition fullback looks particularly vulnerable to pace.  The radar can be iffy regarding crosses on occasion, we know that.  But you can guarantee he'll get it right at least 2/3 times (minimum) in any match. Then it's down to the forwards to convert.

I'd probably also argue that part of the reason for his dip in form last year was his frustration regarding England selection. The feeling that he'd have to do something out of the ordinary to even get noticed, when players in his position elsewhere in the country seemingly didn't have the same pressure to contend with.

[JJ-AV]

SWP going ahead of Ash is laughable.

Lennon is worthy of his place though IMO, and I'd say he's better on the right than Ash.

[SoccerHQ]

Capello simply dosen't rate Young, he feels he loses the ball too often going on mazy runs as he prefers possession based wingers.

Which all flys in the face of his sudden obsession with SWP now.

[TheSandman]

I was thinking the same myself watching the Algeria match.

If possession is so important I can think of about 11 players who shouldn't be in the England side. And I mean how does it affect holding possession if a cross hits the first man rather than your striker's head?

[hawkeye]

Pedro.  Your post is right.  Frustratingly Fabio Capelo said he would pick players to play in their club positions, wouldnt select any injured players and would pick players on form.  Three strikes....Thats more than BA cabin staff

er he did mention Downing

[eastie]

The problem for ash is that each time he's been given a chance in the England team he has looked poor and out of his depth-if he'd performed in those chances as he can do I'm sure he would have made the squad.

Next season is a big one for both ash and gabby if they wish to push on with England.

[Concrete John]

The problem for ash is that each time he's been given a chance in the England team he has looked poor and out of his depth-if he'd performed in those chances as he can do I'm sure he would have made the squad.

Next season is a big one for both ash and gabby if they wish to push on with England.

I agree with that and posted something similar, but it also has to be said that other players do seem to have had more chances that Ash has and not done all that much more than him with them.  Maybe his downfall is one of timing in that his club form has been inconsistent the season before the World Cup?

Agree about next year.  Should England fail in this WC, and even if they get through the group one more bad performance and the exit will still be a failiure in most people's eyes, then it will be a 'new broom' philosophy and everyone will have a chance to stake a claim.

[VillaZogmariner]

Shouldn't we just move this thread to the World Cup forum?