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Tietäjä · 20 Mar 2014, 13:00

Yeah, well, Walcott is a massive blow. He's just one of the best inverse/wingers for Premier League right now, and definitely the best England has. I believe his absense is what makes Arsenal not a title candidate.

What comes to the bottom of the midfield: Jordan Henderson and Tom Cleverley are both mediocre all over. They have no particular upsides. There isn't much coming up either, unless Phil Jones magically turns into a ball-playing deep midfielder, or Jack Rodwell starts getting immense game time and develops fast.

What Carrick and Gerrard may lack in pace they make up with intelligence. Defensively, they're of course not energetic pressing players (like Tottenham can field Sandro and Paulinho, or Chelsea can field Ramirez and Matic). There simply isn't material. The fact that you have no material with fitness, energy, and ball control means a pressing-possession game is out of the question.

It then becomes a question of using the strengths you have. We've seen in the past that parking the bus and launching fast attacks can beat strong teams when your group is well organized. Carrick and Gerrard are both disciplined players with good eye for the game and a range of passing. Sure you can't press mad on the bottom of the midfield, but you have your advantages. Carrick is probably interchangeable with Wilshere if you really want a bit more energy, but it doesn't solve the other half of the deep end and it takes away from the range, experience, and vision.

This of course puts a lot of weight on say, wingers (which there are plenty, so it's not a worry if one can't make 90 minutes with high intensity) and the best English holding midfielder, Wayne Rooney. If you can put the wingers and Rooney at work, you can park the bus, sit deep, don't waste energy running after deep midfielders and defenders with ball, plug passing options instead. When you get the ball, look for a long ball forward (this is why I'd love a target man) towards the flanks. There is plenty of pace on the wings.

Rinse, repeat, pray.

You can't just toss a bunch of mediocrities in the center of the park and say "we want to play Spain playing like Spain but with far inferior players".

20 Mar 2014, 13:00	#18
Tietäjä Good Son Join Date: May 2001 Location: Finland Posts: 3,991	Re: England Team for 2014 Yeah, well, Walcott is a massive blow. He's just one of the best inverse/wingers for Premier League right now, and definitely the best England has. I believe his absense is what makes Arsenal not a title candidate. What comes to the bottom of the midfield: Jordan Henderson and Tom Cleverley are both mediocre all over. They have no particular upsides. There isn't much coming up either, unless Phil Jones magically turns into a ball-playing deep midfielder, or Jack Rodwell starts getting immense game time and develops fast. What Carrick and Gerrard may lack in pace they make up with intelligence. Defensively, they're of course not energetic pressing players (like Tottenham can field Sandro and Paulinho, or Chelsea can field Ramirez and Matic). There simply isn't material. The fact that you have no material with fitness, energy, and ball control means a pressing-possession game is out of the question. It then becomes a question of using the strengths you have. We've seen in the past that parking the bus and launching fast attacks can beat strong teams when your group is well organized. Carrick and Gerrard are both disciplined players with good eye for the game and a range of passing. Sure you can't press mad on the bottom of the midfield, but you have your advantages. Carrick is probably interchangeable with Wilshere if you really want a bit more energy, but it doesn't solve the other half of the deep end and it takes away from the range, experience, and vision. This of course puts a lot of weight on say, wingers (which there are plenty, so it's not a worry if one can't make 90 minutes with high intensity) and the best English holding midfielder, Wayne Rooney. If you can put the wingers and Rooney at work, you can park the bus, sit deep, don't waste energy running after deep midfielders and defenders with ball, plug passing options instead. When you get the ball, look for a long ball forward (this is why I'd love a target man) towards the flanks. There is plenty of pace on the wings. Rinse, repeat, pray. You can't just toss a bunch of mediocrities in the center of the park and say "we want to play Spain playing like Spain but with far inferior players".