Euro Division Homepage LXXIV

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Spoiler:

He might be one of the players where his versatility kills him

Milner, Rooney, Jones all spring to mind, even Scholes for England. Never get settled in your best position.

TheSecondComing wrote:Best in the country at dispossessing defenders? Then WHERE THE HELL WAS HE WHEN CANDREVA CROSSED TO BALOTELLI. OH, YEAH, 20 YARDS AWAY WITH HIS HANDS ON HIS HIPS WATCHING POOR LEIGHTON BAINES GET REAMED.

THANKS A BUNCH MR SNIPES. GO BACK TO MANC LAND AND NEVER DARKEN OUR DOOR AGAIN.

/ rant.

THank you. First mention I have seen of how Welbeck was ambling back, whilst Baines was 2 on 1 for the second Italian goal...just after he had been switched flanks to do that very job.

I like Welbeck's attitude and he does have a knack of scoring for England, but he's seems to be picked for his defensive side and you can't pick a forward because of his defensive ability. It's just wrong.

And for me Rooney just doesn't get in the side at CF ahead of Sturridge. Sturridge is the clear choice in that position at the moment.

You Baines homer, you. It wasn't all his fault that they isolated him, there was little help in front.

He did sell himself a bit easily for Candreva to get the cross in though.

Do you know I once scored a goal identical to Cahills.

Unfortunately it was an own goal. I was running back with the forward and trying to get to clear the ball before the forward, who was a good bit quicker than me, so I volleyed it to get it away from him, only to see it thunder over our keeper and in off the cross bar.

It did win our Goal of Season award though

Its the debate about picking players on form, or those with reputations.

Can go either way I suppose, Spains reputations failed to deliver, while RVP is shining after a so so season with injuries.

That said, for Waynes reputation, he has 1 tournament goal since 2004.

sodhat wrote:You Baines homer, you. It wasn't all his fault that they isolated him, there was little help in front.

He did sell himself a bit easily for Candreva to get the cross in though.

 
Baines was terrible for that goal too. I am not defending him at all. He left the winger to challenge the player on the ball, turned his back on the dummied 'cross', sold himself so he couldn't get back. Did all the things he shouldn't. But Welbeck seems to have escaped any blame.

It kinda amused me people saying we should've picked Cole because Baines had a bad game. I mean Ashley was great in his day, but he can do little when the opposition has men over.

Welbeck to Albion on loan for the season. Under the tutelage of the New Arsene Wenger, he would flourish.

It did make me miss Ashley Cole that Italy game.

For all the attacking extras that you get with Baines, he can't match up to Cole defensively, and I don't see a full back in football that really can. Reckon it was a mistake to leave him home, if we need to shut up shop I'd bring him on.

I hate to say this - I really do - but we miss Theo Walcott really badly. Walcott down the right and Sterling down the left would blitz every team in this competition.

sodhat wrote:It did make me miss Ashley Cole that Italy game.

For all the attacking extras that you get with Baines, he can't match up to Cole defensively, and I don't see a full back in football that really can. Reckon it was a mistake to leave him home, if we need to shut up shop I'd bring him on.

Be honest though, even if Cole was in squad, before the game, would most people have selected Baines or Cole at LB?

TheSecondComing wrote:Welbeck to Albion on loan for the season. Under the tutelage of the New Arsene Wenger, he would flourish.

Welbeck
Brunt - Sessegnon - Bilyaletdinov
Grevesen - Mulumbu
Unsworth - Lescott - Weir - Hibbert
Foster

You've got no chance of getting Hibbert. Bily is available, I saw him linked to Palace

Afro wrote:

sodhat wrote:It did make me miss Ashley Cole that Italy game.

For all the attacking extras that you get with Baines, he can't match up to Cole defensively, and I don't see a full back in football that really can. Reckon it was a mistake to leave him home, if we need to shut up shop I'd bring him on.

Be honest though, even if Cole was in squad, before the game, would most people have selected Baines or Cole at LB?

Not at all, but by half time it was clear there were problems there and Hodgson moved Welbeck over. With Cole in the squad, we could at least have considered Cole on, and either Baines off, or moved up to the wing to cover that side off.

I'm not saying that would be what I'd do even if I had Cole in the squad, it's all a bit of hindsight. I probably would have done what Roy did and put Welbeck that side for his work rate...that worked well.

What would you do tonight?

In a very rare moment, I think I would do exactly what I think Roy will do.

Same XI and switch Rooney and Sterling. Whilst I would love to see Barkley play, Rooney is still a better option there for me. In the last 2 years, Rooney still has more goals and more assists for England than anyone else, and justifies his place behind Sturridge

TheSecondComing wrote:I hate to say this - I really do - but we miss Theo Walcott really badly. Walcott down the right and Sterling down the left would blitz every team in this competition.

A thousand times this!!

He'd have been a real difference maker, he's really come on over the past few seasons imo

Ashley Cole for me. Baines has what, 20ish caps for England? He has yet to put in one decent performance. Not one. He's the best LB in the Premier League, but I fear he's another Ian Wright type - great domestically, can't cut it internationally.

Despite his lack of games, Ashley Cole is a much better international footballer than Leighton Baines. I'd have picked Cole and Shaw for the squad, such is my disappointment with Baines in an England shirt.

The guy's a fantastic player, but he's a shadow of his Everton self when he wears the three lions.

I don't disagree with you Azzy. I think it's a confidence problem. Although he was Man of the Match in final qualifying game v Poland

I don't think Hart would be that good upfront GSC

GSC wrote:

Sturridge

Sterling-Rooney-Oxlaide

Henderson-Wilshere

Baines-Jagielka-Cahill-Johnson

Hart

Blasphemy.

Gotta admit I'm pretty excited about where this England team is going for once, hopefully Roy will continue no matter what until Euro 2016, then we need to go deep

So many good talented youngsters, defence could be a problem though, although John Stones ftw

Olly wrote:John Stones ftw

Amen

Sign him in TPs then

Give me another TP and I will

Talking to Olly

Seriously, give me another TP and I would sign him

John Stones is a great talent, he reminds me of a young Phil Jones minus the poor decision making, injury proneness and bad attitude.

And he takes a great Panenka penalty

Where do we stand on Roy if:

- We lose tonight
- We get out of the group but no further

I'd probably keep him regardless. Unless we really look stone age against Uruguay.

sodhat wrote:Where do we stand on Roy if:

- We lose tonight
- We get out of the group but no further

I'd probably keep him regardless. Unless we really look stone age against Uruguay.

I'd keep him regardless, there's been clear progression and changing that would be silly, its not as if we actually were expected to do well here, most had us going out in the groups

Keep Roy. For the first time since El Tel, we have an England manager who is honest, upfront, favours youth, isn't afraid to change a broken system, and who used to manage West Brom.

I still believe we can win the World Cup. Semi finals was my prediction, but if we improve our closing down defensively, we can beat any team going forwards.

I think its a tournament too early tbh

Seems like we're preparing ourselves to unleash a wave of hype at this new generation come 2016...

Maybe throttle back a touch.

I don't see why a semi final at Euro 2016 is unreasonable.

Its making it out of your group and winning a knockout round.

You make it sound simple, but come the time the pressure of expectation won't be a good thing. The British do expectation like no other, and because of that we also do public flogging like no other. I'd be afraid to fail if I was an England player.

You either have expectations, or you aren't good enough to have any. Know which group I'd rather be in. If you can handle playing for United, Chelsea etc you should for England.

Fear of failure has always driven me to success. I'm the best at my job in the whole Museum sector because I push myself. If I see even an inkling of disappointment in the eyes of my boss, I work twice as hard to prove myself.

I'd die to put on an England shirt. So many players don't seem to have that attitude - Hart, Johnson, Lampard, Wilshere, Welbeck - it's like it's a right rather than a privilege and an honour. Kids like Barkley and Sterling, and old hands like Lambert, these guys really care about the shirt.

Did Leeds really hire a guy sacked by a conference club last October?

Straight out of the Alan Irvine playbook.

https://twitter.com/LUFC/status/479575807397220352

A year ago I was crying out for Baines at United, thank god that didn't happen, I reckon Moyes knew Baines is not good enough. I'd have taken Cole still a better defender than Baines.

I feel sorry for Bayern signing Baines this year right Afro?

Thank god Moyes knew Fellaini could make the step up though right Viva

Fellaini is a good player, give him another season with the right players and he'll do well. It's not his fault, United ruined him this season.

Azzy you work the hardest in your office? You're on hereby most of the time playing Mafia stop lying you do the bear minimum.

He's just signed a new contract, so they can buy him if they like, coz it'll cost twice as much as they bid before and three times what United tried to pay for him last year.

No question that Cole is a better defender than Baines, and that is what mid table clubs like United need. Those with European football need the modern full back who is more like a wingback. And we are lucky to have one at LB and one at RB at Goodison.

I don't think they will when better fullback like Shaw are available.

United will be signing Luke Shaw aka "Baines International Career Killer" he can play as a defensive player or a modern day fullback because unlike Baines he does not have limits to his game.

*unless he doesn't sign for United

Didn't Baines miss WC 2010 because he missed his mommy? Never showed the bottle or heart to play at the top level no wonder United first and than Bayern rejected him.

Even if he doesn't sign someone will definitely have him and he must be England number left back in 2016.

Think it was more Everton rejecting United if memory serves Viva

Viva, you'd be surprised. When I'm not ranting and raving on here, I'm doing the best statistical work in the entire museum sector. Trust.

I'd heard that negotiations for Shaw to United had hit a dead end.

Would be a great signing for United if they did sign him, although defensively he does make Baines look like Franco Baresi.

Who wants to play mafia this afternoon?