The WORLD CUP thread

The Lampard issue is at long last a true test for Sven. Let's not forget that the rest of the team are also conscious of Lampard falling way below expectations. I would have no reservations about leaving him out,if only as a slap. Mourinho at Chelsea would not accept this level of performance from him I can assure you of that!

If we get through to the semi's Lampard could be used again as he may then adopt the "I'll show you" mentality which can only be good.

However we all know,leave him out against Portugal and we lose, then the press and fans then have the perfect noose to hang Sven with. He just cannot win in that situation. It is whether he has the cojones to pro actively decide which sword he is going to fall on. The leave Lampard in, or the sack him and get more out of Gerrard.

For me it is a total no brainer decision.

there's room for both of them i'm sure

midfield of carrick in front of back 4

smokey beckham right, joey cole left, "super" frank middle, gerrard in front of frank just behind rooney

gerrard has more of a roving role, first to support rooney when we have the ball, frank first to support carrick when we don't.

Keith...So you are all for binning Owen Hargreaves then? Odd when the formation you suggest is pretty similar to how Owen acts as a minder for the forward orientated Ballack with Bayern. I am not at all sure that Carrick would perform that role better than Hargreaves who is so used to it?

Originally Posted by Peter Henry

Keith...So you are all for binning Owen Hargreaves then? Odd when the formation you suggest is pretty similar to how Owen acts as a minder for the forward orientated Ballack with Bayern. I am not at all sure that Carrick would perform that role better than Hargreaves who is so used to it?

no, stick him at right back. neville is fit (phwoaar) but has missed 3 matches where we've done all right. hargreaves probably had his best game in an england shirt since 2002 world cup as a right back.

problem is neville and smokey know each other inside out, reckon becks is missing his mate....

Keith, your formation is what I'd play but have Hargreaves, Carrick, Gerrard as the spine of the midfield through the middle behind Rooney. A p*ssed off Lampard on the bench with a point to prove if it doesn't start well...

Neville at right back. Him and Beckham work well together.

Fair point sir. (Keith)

sir keith.

has a certain ring to it.

keithd knighted for his services to ****ing people off.

c'mon your madge, you know you wanna.

Interesting reading...

Originally Posted by Filipe M.

Interesting reading...

Lets hope he can silence his critics Saturday.

Whats the feeling over there? Is the populice confident or not.
What has the press been saying?

is it true Ronaldo is fit to play?