Disillusionment - This Is England's Weakness

[Guest DarkMatchJobber]

Whether it's a World Cup or European Championship tournament we are always listed amongst the favourites to win it along with the likes of Italy,Brazil,Portugal etc... but what has our football team actually done since 1966 that makes us such a great team???

 

We have a manager who is just about qualified to lead a mid-table Premiership team and just like his predecessor has a habit for continuing to select players who continually under-achieve in a three lions jersey,it just really bothers me that people in general have this feeling we are good enough to win these tournaments.

 

Maybe the over-expectations of the nation are what has doomed past England managers who probably realised the moment they took the job on that we were far from favourites to win any tournament regardless of what they may have said in press conferences.

 

What I want to know is do any of you agree with my thread title that disillusionment is the English football team's main weakness?

[Guest Gooneronastick]

The reason England under-achieves at football is simple. The team only knows one way to play and when it doesn't work for them, there is no back-up plan and no ideas, especially against the bigger teams like Brazil, Germany and Argentina.

 

Whether that is an inability of the coach to make the necessary tactical changes or whether the players lack the know-how to change things on the pitch that don't work, I don't know. Maybe it's a mixture of both. And until the mentality of our game changes, England will win nothing.

[Guest FreeSpirit]

Whether it's a World Cup or European Championship tournament we are always listed amongst the favourites to win it along with the likes of Italy,Brazil,Portugal etc... but what has our football team actually done since 1966 that makes us such a great team???[/Quote]

 

To be fair England have gone out of a lot of major tournaments on penalties, if it was a case of luck on our side for a change and a penalty shoot out went their way, then England would've won a major tournament by now. Italia'90 and Euro'96 we came very very close for instance.

 

We have a manager who is just about qualified to lead a mid-table Premiership team and just like his predecessor has a habit for continuing to select players who continually under-achieve in a three lions jersey,it just really bothers me that people in general have this feeling we are good enough to win these tournaments.[/Quote]

 

Never liked Maclaren, never have and never will. Dont think he is the right man for the job, its a shame we couldn't have landed Scolari or even kept Sven.

 

Maybe the over-expectations of the nation are what has doomed past England managers who probably realised the moment they took the job on that we were far from favourites to win any tournament regardless of what they may have said in press conferences.[/Quote]

 

The media put way too much pressure on the England national team, and when they dont perform they are made out to be laughing stocks or a national disgrace. Wish they would fully get behind the team and realise that there will always be setbacks, they are never going to win every game by playing sexy football.

 

What I want to know is do any of you agree with my thread title that disillusionment is the English football team's main weakness?

 

I really dont think the England team are all that bad. We probably have the best defence in International Football, qualify for all the major tournaments and are consistently one of the best teams in the world. Sure there are better, but England could give any one of them a tough challenge on their day.

[Guest DarkMatchJobber]

I think we need a manager who is not afraid of dropping the prima donnas in the current squad who don't bring their 'A' game to internationals and is not afraid to pull swerves during matches that might be risky but can be the difference between victory and defeat.

 

Personally I think that the special one Jose Mourinho would be a better manager and that's coming from a Man U fan.

[Fidel Cashflow 130]

Disallusionment isn't England's problem. Their problem is never having a strong unit at the International level. Teams like Italy, Brazil, and Germany play as outstanding units, whereas the English team too often looks like a mash-up of superstars.

 

Whoever is the next English coach (McLaren can't last long), he needs to decide on a way to play, and a chose a squad to fit that way. Or, even better, design a scheme to fit the talents of your best. Surely a team that plays such a midfeild-dominating game should have a more standard mid-fielder rather than two guys that love to attack.

 

England has the talent to play a devastatiingly offensive style with four "absolutely stunning" goal scorers, yet it seems their hell bent on just playing the ball control, longball style.

 

Judging by the sucess of squads like Manchester United, AC Milan, and Barcelona, football is evolving into a state where constantly moving, pace-based, fluid offenses are shining.

[Guest Marshall Mac D]

I feel that we don't really work alot on being a team and our confidence is at low at the moment but it will be back to normal. mclaren was never the right guy for the job will never be the right man for the job i prefered big sam as he has the flare for england . i do consider us as one of the favourite's

as we do good in the tournament's just that's its penalty's and we don't have our luck with them. problem with england we have the chance's but we don't put them away enough but yeah i do consider us as one the favourite's as we are a good team its just this bad confidence we got right now.

[Guest Jung]

The media is why we won't win anything. The pressure is so utterly ridiculous it just strangles everyone involved, and just makes it impossible.

 

McClaren isn't the right guy for the job, but I don't think anyone will be until the media give the team a break. Whatever they do, win or lose, they go overboard and make news. They'll make you and break you, just look at Beckham. Calls to be dropped for about 2 years, he gets dropped, lets have a go at McClaren for dropping him, hail Beckham as the messiah when he comes back.

 

If we don't qualify, don't be surprised if you hear "its Beckham's fault as well, he was too old and not good enough to play" cause its a headline, and thats all they want.

 

I honestly don't think we havent a chance of ever winning a major football trophy, regardless of how good our players are. The media in this country is just ridiculous. Look at Madeleine McCann for a prime example.

 

Teams who win trophies are rarely the best team in the tournament, they are just one who has some luck, some solidarity and some positive press. Everytime England win, the press have to find something negative, or some scandal to come about to destroy team morale, and then moan when we go out. Just a vicious circle.

 

Basically it doesn't matter who we play, or who manages, we won't win anything cause of the media.

[Guest dpddave]

Englands problem is the players aren't as good as the media makes them out to be and to much is expected of them. The english media is a hype machine and creates a sense of belive that england have a team full of world class players. The fact is 3 maybe 4 english players are world class.

 

The expections placed of these players is too great,add in poor management aswel and it will be a long time before yee get past the 1/4 finals.

 

However with a proper manager who can get the best of players and create a strong bond,england could do a lot better.....

[Guest Marshall Mac D]

I really don't believe the gerrard and lampard thing can work when i watch england the one may have a good game and the other have a bland one. they don't work right together there to similar in way's how they play. one must go and i would rather have gerrard then lampard in the midfield with hargreave's.

[Guest DarkMatchJobber]

Sack McClaren,Sack Venables and hire the best manager in world football today Jose Mourinho.

 

Just look at Jose's accomplishments and the style of football he has his teams play and try to say it's not proven successful both at home and in major European games.

[Guest Jung]

We still won't win anything, unless the media cool it and stop putting so much pressure on anything England team related.

 

Ultimately it doesn't matter who the manager is and who plays, the media will always be on our back.

[Guest big pau hoolinator]

The media is just as fierce in other countries though I think the players learning to ignore it is a more feesible solution and also more likely than the media ever calming down

[Guest dpddave]

England wont win anything because there not GOOD ENOUGH to win anything...the media just adds to it and makes yee think your actually better than you are. Edited June 14, 2007 by dpddave

[Guest Moobs]

I'm with Jungta on this one.

 

We still won't win anything, unless the media cool it and stop putting so much pressure on anything England team related.

 

Ultimately it doesn't matter who the manager is and who plays, the media will always be on our back.

 

So long as the media continues the way thay are, we won't win anything for a long time.

[Guest big pau hoolinator]

Bit of squad depth wouldnt go a miss either I mean I think full backs and also wingers is a bit of a problem area for England

[Guest Steve O]

I think we need a very good manager! I like Steve but I think he isnt a good enough manager for England I think on paper we have one of the best teams in the world but we need to find a manager who is capable of making that team gel and play quality football.

[Guest Danny Styles]

Bit of squad depth wouldnt go a miss either I mean I think full backs and also wingers is a bit of a problem area for England

 

wingers we have: Joe Cole and Downing (who isn't that great) on the left- and if worst came to worst we could put Wayne Bridge on the left wing because he puts in great crosses and gets forward well from left back

 

and SWP, Becks and Lennon and maybe Pennant if he improves a bit more on the right

[Guest big pau hoolinator]

Yeah, there is a cast of players, but then if you compare it with other nations' wide options it is not as good. People like Pennant and Downing I just dont think are good enough and Lennon seems a bit off colour recently to me

[Guest Al Stevens]

The main problem is the Midfield. It really is, right i think i can answer the question which no one can answer.

 

Can Lampard and Gerrard play together in the center? The answer is no. Yes they are both attacking midfield players however if you watch Gerrard play for liverpool he has a defensive midfielder which lets him get forward and hit the goals for liverpool.

 

When he is playing for England other than the Rare times Lampard's arse isnt on the bench or on the pitch he plays alot better because he is either told to defend or attack. Look when England hit five past the Germans who was the center partnership Gerrard and paul S from united and that worked.

 

My answer would be sack Sven mark 2 and drop Lampard. Who is one of these players who doesnt seem to cut it for england but is the best player on the pitch for his club

[Guest Jung]

I've always said if you want a decent team, go the Alf Ramsay way. Find the formation and way you want to play, then pick players that fit that mentality.

 

Don't try and shape a formation around players and ego's it won't ever work.

 

Thus simple fact is if they want to play a 4-4-2, either Gerrard or Lampard has to be dropped, cause we need a holding player.

 

However again media would kill that. We'd drop Lampard, the media would rejoice call McClaren a God. Gerrard has a couple of bad games, the media call to bring back forgotten hero Lampard who was harshly dropped. He gets recalled and its back to square one again. Repeat ad nauseum.

[King 277]

Two problems they have,

 

1)Thet are not good enough IMO,maybe with Owen at full fitness who knows but I dont think so.

 

2)The English Press.They will never let up on them and just let them do their stuff on the pitch.

The WAG talk does not help either.

[Guest The Genetic Jackhammer]

I would put Gerrard (forgetting about Beckham for a second as he wont be long term) on the right wing as he will just drift everywhere anyway and he seemed to prosper there a few times in the champions league, and have good ol Lamps with Hargreaves in the middle. But people wouldnt agree with that as there is a 'love in' with Beckhamat the minute. So as everyone has said (as they wouldnt drop Beckham) drop Lampard in place of Hargreaves.

 

Yes the press plays there part as they are a bunch of idiots but you cant sit here and blame England not being able to win anything simply on the press, yes it contributes but it would help if the players on the pitch did their business.