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Thursday 17 November 2011

End of Year England Assessment...

morning roaders!

slightly delayed in my post due to time constraints, oh and well there is SOD ALL really to write about in any meaningful way. The resumption of domestic action can't come soon enough.


onwards....



Tuesday saw the final chance for England to show their wares for preparation for Ukraine/Poland in June. In fact, there is only one more friendly (due to be Holland) before the Euros start. Food for thought then. What better time for England to inflict a first defeat on world champions Spain in 15 years. Not much of a stat perhaps since the two nations have only met twice before in that period, including the infamous monkey chanting episode at the Bernabeu in 2005. The other friendly included ending a rather more - statistically impressive - 43 year hoodoo against Sweden at Wembley.

so how did everyone do?

We have to begin by commending what was, In my view, the best English defensive performance, perhaps not in my lifetime, but certainly since the turn of the millennium. England, in these recession hit times just don't do defensive performances, mainly due to the Dads Army brigade of Ferdinand, Terry and James.

These boys on the Wembley pitch showed unity, compactness and just good old bulldog spirit the likes of Walker, Parker and Pearce (watching on from the dugout) would have been proud of. Two performances in particular stood out more than others.



Its not often I am able to wax lyrical albeit freely and happily about a Spurs player. But Scotty Parker in the England midfield is just a revelation. Everybody knows he works hard, but what is refreshing to see is he really busts a gut for the shirt; THE ENGLAND SHIRT. messrs Barnes, in fact, most players who have international caps to their name, hang your heads in shame....

During the 85 minutes he played on Saturday evening he kept Xavi and Iniesta always occupied and they were almost never out of his sight. He just gives his all. I want to highlight the last 20 minutes in particular. Spain had finally began to show they cared about losing the game. But whenever Fabregas, Villa, Torres got to the ball in the box, Parker was there as like a reserve defender; a little Berlin wall in NW5. He blocked everything. He was frequently the first man to the ball in the crucial situations. England's victory against the world and european champions was in no small part down to him. When Wilshere returns from injury, he and Parker in midfielder could be nothing short of sensational for England.


One other observation I made. Everyone has always posed the question; Can Lampard and Gerrard operate in the midfield together? Despite Frank Lampards' recent resurgence, for me, he still doesnt belong anywhere near the England shirt. Yes he scored the winner but really didn't do much else except hold. But he did have a greater sense of freedom both in his play and time on the ball. So I think a more pertinent question should be; Can Lampard and Parker play together?

well, maybe.....just maybe......

The centre back pairing of Lescott and Jagielka were excellent. Obviously not unaccustomed to playing together from their Everton days together. Both of these guys and Cahill should be comfortably keeping the only remaining poison from the old England side, John Terry out of the set up, and I don't know why he is still being considered, let alone be allowed to captain the side, particularly with his recent on AND off field transgressions. I digress...

Joleon Lescott in particular, ran Parker very close for MOTM. Since his £20m move to Manchester City in the Summer of 2010, Lescott was yet to hold down a permanent position. And to be honest he was good but I never ever thought of him in an England shirt. But now, with Vincent Kompany by his side at Eastlands, he seems to be learning from the best, molding into one of England's best defenders.
He now is not scared to go aerial and will on most occasions win any of those battles. But generally he is more of a presence and a dominant figure. If he keeps his form up and stays clear of injuries. He could be a shoe-in for a starting 11 berth in the summer.


So whilst a 1 0 victory against Spain was a fantastic result, it would be churlish to suggest England are now world beaters or that they have Spains' number. Particularly in the light of the fact that this was Spain's fourth defeat since winning the World Cup 16 months ago. They have suffered losses to Argentina (4-1), Italy (2-1) and Portugal (4-0). And now a 2 nil defeat the mighty Costa Rica.....Spain are struggling for goals against the big sides with an out of form Torres, who may need to be put out of his misery before next Summer.

They are the Arsenal of the International scene of last year. it would seem....



Moving back to England, there were definitely reasons to be optimistic aside from Parker, Jagielka and Lescott. Rodwell when he came on against the Spaniards looked a live wire running forward but in more close proximity in the Sweden game, where he admittedly missed a sitter of a header, yes. But he looks a very clever operator and is bullish. He's certainly a great card to play off the bench if required.

England's problem lately has been leaking goals down the right due to Glen Johnson's inability to defend. But that now may be solved thanks to Kyle Walker (yes another yid. Ugh) Walker is quicker than Johnson which allows him to track back faster, but also nip down the flanks with relative ease and he can actually make a decent tackle. He fits the bill more effectively than the Liverpool right back.

Also Englands big problem is if Rooney is suspended for the early stages of the tournament, how do England compensate for this? Well I dont think it's too much of a problem. Rooney, temperamentally, is a liability and the facts are that when he plays England rely far too much on him. Welbeck on the break against Spain looked sharp, pacy and he could definitely trouble a few defences. Sturridge didn't really get a chance to shine versus the Swedes. But he definitely adds a dimension to England's play and is quick enough to open large gaps in the middle of the park. With Young to come back also. I'd also like to see Gabby get a decent chance, but sadly he seems to pick injuries up on duty. Bent will continue, but other than the assist for Lampard's goal, I an unsure what he actually brings to the table....

I will finish by showing you the team I predicted earlier this season for the future England line up...


                             HART
 
JONES      CAHILL     TERRY      COLE

                            JONES

  CLEVERLEY   WILSHERE  PARKER

                                         YOUNG
                          ROONEY


I will now give you my updated thoughts...

                            HART

WALKER      CAHILL      LESCOTT   COLE

                           JONES

 WALCOTT     WILSHERE      PARKER
     
            WELBECK      YOUNG  


It will be interesting to see what transpires...


Tuesday 1 November 2011

Weekend Thoughts...Chelsea Ship...Utd Park The Bus... Spurs Sparkle...

greetings roaders..

This blog is slowly turning into a 'what happened at the weekend' type thing. That wasn't the plan but what fits eh?


This past weekend confirmed once again for my money, why the EPL is the best league in the world. Just for the sheer speed and excitement of it. In a matchday that had 35 goals, with Stoke v Newcastle to come. None more spectactular than those of Messrs, Hoilett and Morison for Blackburn and Norwich respectively.

I start, with glee, with events of Saturday lunchtime at the bridge....



As I have written before, Chelsea Football Club's tenure under Andre Vilas Boas, would mean attacking football and lots of it; no sitting back for him. But also it would mean a real lack of defensive nouse, wide gaps opening up and the counter attack a real form of threat for opposing sides. Unfortunately now for AVB and Chelsea, the lack of defence is outweighing the attacking element, or rather the clinical element. But the main problem is that all too often, even at the this early stage, much of the blues' games have descended into playground football games, that most times in the big games, they have been on the wrong end of...

This regime has given certain players new leases of life. Frank Lampard for one. He is rediscovering his ability to be the right place at the right time that have seen him notch up 4 goals and 2 assists in his last 4 games. His hattrick at the Reebok a prime example. Another is Jose Bosingwa. But this is Chelsea's BIG achilles heel. The fact he has began galloping up and down the right wing has horribly exposed Terry and David Luiz at the back. In fact Arsenal's equaliser from Andre Santos, exhibited this with acres of space on the right wing fot the brazilian (not the quickest of players) to run into. 

Then of course there is David Luiz himself and his inability to stay in defence..... 


In my opinion the game against Blackburn at Ewood on Saturday is huge. Chelsea need to stop a run of two successive defeats becoming three, which at a bottom of the table side would, on paper, look unlikely, but after unlucky defeats to in-form Spurs and a VERY unlucky draw with Norwich at Carrow Road, it wouldn't be a massive surprise to see a favorable result for Rovers. Surely Ivanovic will be brought in to paper over cracks on the right wing?

I really like AVB. Hes a great character, great manager. He is the ethos of attacking football, much like Wenger. But if the defensive lapses continue he could be out the door faster than you can say Christmas Turkey...


Arsenal on the other hand, are on the right side of poor defensive displays, or rather defensive lapses. Arsene Wenger seems to be subconsciously adopting the old Real Madrid adage of 'you score, we'll score more'. The 5 3 victory saw the Gunners record their fifth league victory in a row. A far cry from their relegation form of September. Certain players are at the heart of their resurgence more than others.

Robin van Persie continues his startlingly scintillating form having already scored 12 goals this season. But also his creativity is really shining. If anything his first touch and control is getting even better. The man is in the best form of his life and appears to be getting some luck in the injury department. If he signs a new contract at the Emirates he will be pushing Thierry Henry for status as the greatest Premier League player in Arsenal's history. I really hope he continues in this way and with upcoming games with West Brom at home and Norwich away after the international break, he has every chance.


Arsenal's midfield is really now starting to shows its teeth. Mikel Arteta is showing his cards but moreso, the welsh wizard Aaron Ramsey. Ramsey is starting to show traits of Fabregas in his play. He is starting to supply that killer ball into the final third and when he isn't doing that he his getting up the field in positions to score aswell, as his goals against Marseille and Spurs have shown. But where Arsenal have improved in no small way down to Koscielny and Santos. Andre Santos is not the quickest full back in the world, but he is strong and his was excellent against Chelsea, particularly in the second half. he kept their main threat Juan Mata out when in the crucial areas of Arsenal's half. More performances of this ilk will see him as first choice left back ahead of the injury prone Gibbs. Also a big mention for Koscielny who blocked almost everything, where the still slightly questionable Per Mertesacker didn't. When he could. 


Against Everton, we saw a side of Manchester United certainly I had not seen in a long while. They parked the bus. Boy did they park it. Two full double deckers across the penalty area. So scared were Utd of conceding on the counter attack at 1 nil, the defence the, midfield and even Wayne Rooney just consolidated  from the back. In the absence of the broken-toed Ashley Young, SAF elected to leave the other wide wing player, Nani on the bench also and instead opted to play a front three and nothing else. Rooney, Hernandez and Welbeck were always going to be isolated; and it was the way Manchester Utd wanted to play it. Negative? Well, yes but you can understand the managers tentativeness after their worst home defeat in 80 years....


Finally on to the messy stuff. Totnum. Ugh...

I am an honest blogger, first and foremost, so I will do just that, whatever and wherever my allegiances may lie and hatred seep out. Yes, Tottenham were pitted a against a side in QPR who have conceded 14 goals already this season. But noneless the interpassing on show was nothing short of mesmeric. Scott Parker really has been Tottenham's best signing in years - as everyone knew he would be -. Even if he may not be the greatest goalscorer or assist maker, Parker just holds all the pieces together he is the engine room of Spurs and together with the little croatian magician, Modric, they inspire wizardry. Indeed, Scotty Parker appears to be the sorcerer's apprentice. He simply does not get the credit he deserves.


Tottenham's most overrated player of last year Bale, appears to be be finding his killer instinct on the left wing again. Both of his goals were created by Aaron Lennon but finished with aplomb by the welshman. If he continues in his ways this season once again Spurs will be knocking on the top four door. But still for me Spurs' lynchpin in the dutch master Rafael van der Vaart. He scored again on sunday to make it five games in a row he has found the net. After a slow start I and many doubted he could recapture the form that for my money made him Spurs' player of last season. He has scored 6 in the last five games and once the dutch man finds form he really is lethal. If he and Adebayor link up well, with Bale and Lennon on the wings and with Luka Modric in behind, Spurs could yet be a force to be reckoned with.   


But as I say, Spurs will many tougher days at the office.....