Delph for England

[john e]

Fabian Delph's international debut means Aston Villa have produced more England internationals than any other club: 72nd to be capped.

Although, we had done so even before Delph had been picked. And will carry on doing so until Spurs make up about ten or so on us I believe. Presumably Eric Dier will be the next one that starts eating back into our lead.

Plus I think it's 73. The 72 doesn't include Scott Carson who we had on loan when he did his England stuff.

Liverpool are only four behind us I believe.  Lallana will peg us back another as well.

We must have held this record for quite some time I'd have thought

[Lastfootstamper]

Fabian Delph's international debut means Aston Villa have produced more England internationals than any other club: 72nd to be capped.

Although, we had done so even before Delph had been picked. And will carry on doing so until Spurs make up about ten or so on us I believe. Presumably Eric Dier will be the next one that starts eating back into our lead.

Plus I think it's 73. The 72 doesn't include Scott Carson who we had on loan when he did his England stuff.

Liverpool are only four behind us I believe.  Lallana will peg us back another as well.

We must have held this record for quite some time I'd have thought

Probably not far off "forever", I'd think. There weren't that many internationals played prior to us ruling the football world, the odd kickabout with the sweaties was all that went on, wasn't it?

[Dave]

Fabian Delph's international debut means Aston Villa have produced more England internationals than any other club: 72nd to be capped.

Although, we had done so even before Delph had been picked. And will carry on doing so until Spurs make up about ten or so on us I believe. Presumably Eric Dier will be the next one that starts eating back into our lead.

Plus I think it's 73. The 72 doesn't include Scott Carson who we had on loan when he did his England stuff.

Liverpool are only four behind us I believe.  Lallana will peg us back another as well.

Shame, I was clearly looking at something out of date.

[Dave]

Compare this to the Germany team where they always seem to look first to play in a better placed player if possible.  Sturridge wouldn't get near that team.

I generally agree with your criticisms of Sturridge, but I think you've picked a bad example. I think he'd be picked for Germany, as the one thing they are lacking is a selfish striker that all of their great attacking midfielders can create chances for.

Now Klose has retired their first choice is still Mario Gomez who has the knees of a pensioner.

[Legion]

Sturridge has hurt his thigh and is not playing on Monday.

[N'ZMAV]

He'll be fit on sat.

[paul_e]

Compare this to the Germany team where they always seem to look first to play in a better placed player if possible.  Sturridge wouldn't get near that team.

I generally agree with your criticisms of Sturridge, but I think you've picked a bad example. I think he'd be picked for Germany, as the one thing they are lacking is a selfish striker that all of their great attacking midfielders can create chances for.

Now Klose has retired their first choice is still Mario Gomez who has the knees of a pensioner.

If they have any sense it'll be muller before long, he's got everything to be a perfect 9.

[ChicagoLion]

Compare this to the Germany team where they always seem to look first to play in a better placed player if possible.  Sturridge wouldn't get near that team.

I generally agree with your criticisms of Sturridge, but I think you've picked a bad example. I think he'd be picked for Germany, as the one thing they are lacking is a selfish striker that all of their great attacking midfielders can create chances for.

Now Klose has retired their first choice is still Mario Gomez who has the knees of a pensioner.

If they have any sense it'll be muller before long, he's got everything to be a perfect 9.

Except he can not play with his back to goal

[ktvillan]

Compare this to the Germany team where they always seem to look first to play in a better placed player if possible.  Sturridge wouldn't get near that team.

I generally agree with your criticisms of Sturridge, but I think you've picked a bad example. I think he'd be picked for Germany, as the one thing they are lacking is a selfish striker that all of their great attacking midfielders can create chances for.

Now Klose has retired their first choice is still Mario Gomez who has the knees of a pensioner.

There's nothing wrong with being selfish if the circumstances dictate it's the best option.  My problem with Sturridge is that he too often does it when it's clearly not the best option from the team point of view, and his decision making is therefore suspect. There are very small margins between success and failure in top level football and the mental strength I alluded to can and does make all the difference.  The Germans are the best example of a bunch of players that more often than not demonstrate that mental discipline required to succeed.  At least a couple of their goals against Brazil involved passes from players in decent scoring positions who had the intelligence and composure to pass to colleagues in even better positions.  I have little doubt Sturridge would have gone for goal in those situations and a goal would have been less likely.  I think his poor decision making (not to mention an often dreadful first touch) would get him overlooked by the German team.

[ozzjim]

Germany won the world cup by being willing to make another pass when they had a chance to go alone so often. Sturridge would ruin much of their forward play.

[Dave]

Like I said, I don't think you're wrong in your overall assessment of Sturridge and his faults.

But I still think Germany would pick him because in spite of those faults, he's a better striker than their fairly mediocre alternatives in that position.

[ozzjim]

I am surprised they don't just stick Schurle down the middle, he looks capable.

[Monty]

I don't think Germany would pick him because, by and large, they don't need that position. They may well have him in the squad, but he's not getting into the starting line-up ahead of Schuerrle, Goetze, Mueller, any of them.

[Dave]

I don't think Germany would pick him because, by and large, they don't need that position. They may well have him in the squad, but he's not getting into the starting line-up ahead of Schuerrle, Goetze, Mueller, any of them.

Germany don't play any of them in the position that he would be playing though.

I'm sure that if they'd had the choice of starting the current Sturridge or the current Gomez the other night, I think Gomez could have booked a nice Florentine restaurant for the evening.

[Monty]

That was an experiment with a target man, which they do from time to time. In the proper games, they tend to ditch the lump and play the 4-6-0 thing.