Mailbox

If you have anything to say on any subject, mail us at theeditor@football365.com

Premier League, You're Really Spoiling Us...
The Premier League has spoilt English fans. I think it's fair to say that every year the quality of football in the Prem gets better and as a result, every year the average English fan expects the national team to be a representaion of the league. However, everybody seems to forget that one of the reasons that most of these English players look so good playing for their clubs is because of the players they are playing with, so when you put all of these English players together then what you get is a very ordinary product. Don't get me wrong, they can play better football but when they do it is through very direct and effective play. I do think that the fans are setting the standards a bit to high expecting sexy, slick and attractive football. The next time you watch an England game ask yourself this question, how many times have an attacking player attempted to take on an opposing defender?
O.J. Gordon


Maybe Capello Was Giving Out Last Chances?
Has it occurred to anyone that Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard were entirely different players before they became mainstays in the England side? Has it occurred to anyone that John Terry was constantly mentioned in the discussion of 'Who is the best center back in the world?' before he because a mainstay in the England side? Has it also occurred to anyone that no matter who we get as a manager, his team will always be chosen based on popularity rather than substance?

The problem here is a simple one - EVERYONE is accountable for England's lack of performance post Euro 2004. Remember that tournament? The one where Wayne Rooney was playing beyond his known capabilities? The one where England actually looked a cohesive unit and were consistently dangers in the attack as well as organized and cut throat at the back?

Post Euro 2004 we have seen a different England - simply because there is a lack of motivation amongst the players - as well as England managers basing their selections solely on perhaps what may sell more tickets, or basing a team sheet with names that carry a reputation strictly by the power of reputation. It is because of this that I hold both players and managers responsible. The only players who actually put in decent/good performances for England (other than the names we all know - Gerrard, Rio) are the players who have something to prove - the players who are not first choice who are dying to get the call-up. Players such as Rooney, Fat Frank, Terry, Cashley, etc. know that no matter how poor their domestic form or past England performances, they will always be selected regardless. And that in a nutshell is the problem to which both players and managers need to be held accountable for. Imagine what would happen if Capello dropped Rooney, Lampard, Terry, Cashley, etc. for a QUALIFIER? I guarantee you that you would see those players play the way we know they can play the next time they got called up. Once players know their selection can come into question - they become more motivated. Do you see Ashley Young, Agbonlahor, Barry, Bentley, Downing, Ashton etc. do nothing but give week in and week out excellent performances for their club sides? Once they get called into the England side they give it their best effort because they know they are not one of the cadre of players who are safe regardless of form. That motivation needs to be instilled into all England players.

As for the managers - I will still give Capello a chance. Sven was a good club level manager but I do not think he was all that great on the international stage. McClaren? That is not even worth mentioning. Capello is a good manager - I do believe he knows that he is doing. When I saw the side he called up for the friendly at first I was pessimistic - and then I realized that not only was this a side that was selected because a few players were unavailable (i.e. Ashton) - but he was simply giving players a chance to fight for consideration. I do not believe Heskey or Beckham will be considered once qualification begins. Not just because they were abysmal, but because Capello gave them one last chance to put their merits on the table, and they failed stunningly. Once qualification begins, look for Young (Ashley), Agbonlahor, Walcott and Crouch to be considered regularly.

All hope is not lost. Yes we were at Wembley, but lets face it - we drew 2-2 against a team that not only was at Euro 2008 and without their most influential player (Rosicky), but they are also higher in the Rankings as well. Not to mention the team that was selected - a real first-choice England side I feel would have carried the day. England did not play that bad considering the side that was present. Give Capello a few qualifiers (by that I mean two-three at most) and we will see if he will continue the habits of the recent managers, or if he will begin something new.
Andrew Thompson


Why Have Becks But No Crouch?
Now, if Sven and I were Carlsberg drinkers, we would probably have discussed the irony of having the greatest crosser of a football in the world in the England team, but, at the time, the combined height of our two best forwards, Owen and Rooney, was still less than one Emile Heskey. Then, if by some outrageous stroke of fortune, someone invented Peter Crouch! Since then, the genius that is Steve McLaren retained Crouch but dropped Beckham. I admit, like many F365ers, I have lost my ardour for this overpaid and underperforming national team, so I may have missed the appropriate team news. Was Crouch injured, or is the new man, like McLaren before him, clear about Gerrard and Lampard's compatibility, but confused about Beckham and Crouch's?

I note that Beckham again invited greatly exaggerated news of his demise, especially since no one at Setanta or in the media noticed he had created yet another of England's scarce goals. If you look back at the last World Cup, empirically, Beckham made or scored more goals than any other England player. Prior to McLaren's apparent PR stunt, despite his advancing years and fading performances, Beckham was our most effective player. It is an indictment of England's attacking prowess that Beckham still is now, although it was heartening to see Bentley make a similar impact at the end. Or at least as heartening as undeserved, fortuitous, scrambled goals can be.

Was anyone else reminded of Tony Adams when John Terry got 'turned' for the first Czech goal? Except it wasn't Marco Van Basten this time, was it? Oops.
Lawrence Tipping


Just Please Sort The Midfield...
For me, it's not rocket science to pick a good midfield. The England team is capable of producing one with it's current crop of players. But for some unknown reason Capello seems to want Beckham, Gerrard and Lampard in there regardless of whether it works or not. Any man on the street can tell you that Gerrard and Lampard don't work together, moving one of them to the left or right does not solve the problem. The midfield needs balance, it's a very important factor of any successful team. We need to pick a midfield of players playing well in their respective positions for their clubs.

For me, if everyone is fit I would play Ashley Young on the left, Gerrard and Hargreaves in the middle and Joe Cole on the right. The midfield last night had no pace whatsoever apart from Gerrard. Even then we couldn't really utilise it as he would drift inside to a crowded area and never wanted to dribble down the left or get crosses into the box from the byline. This was the same for Beckham, who these days doesn't have the legs to play to flight international football. Not once did either of them look like getting beyond the full back and putting a cross in. I

f we had Young on one side and Cole on the other they would pose a big threat. You just have to look at Ashley Young in the Premiership last season, he was brilliant. He's already got off to a great start this seasons, having a hand in 3 of Villa's 4 goals on Sunday against Man City.

Speaking of which, Corluka's their right back and Young tore him to pieces. What country does he play for again? Move on to Joe Cole, this season he is going to have to play out of his skin to keep his place in the Chelsea side. If he does so and I believe he will, he'll be worth his place in the England team. I believe he was Chelsea's player of the year last season. To win this accolade he must be doing something right.

As for central midfield, Gerrard is one of the best in the world. He hasn't fully done it for England but when has he been given a decent run in the side playing centre midfield? Put him alongside Hargreaves who will be his perfect foil. Much like Keane and Scholes were in the Man United team of 1999.

The longer we try and put players in the midfield and shape it round them the longer we will go nowhere. If you're playing 4-4-2, which we should. Then you pick the best left midfielder, right midfielder, defensive midfielder and attacking midfielder. You don't pick the best midfielders and then try and make a midfield out of them.

I'm all for giving Capello a chance and I hope we do well under him. On last night's midfield debacle though i'm not holding my breath.
David O'Dell


Lose Rooney, Lampard, Gerrard...
GK: Someone else
RB: Micah Richards
LB: Ashley Cole
CB: Rio Ferdinand
CB: John Terry
DM: Owen Hargreaves
CM: Gareth Barry
LWF: Joe Cole
RWF: David Bentley
CF: Gabriel Agbonlahor
CF: Theo Walcott

Subs from: Ashley Young (toss up between him and Joe Cole, but Cole gets the nod for me because he is usually just too good), Jermain Defoe, Michael Owen, Nigel Reo-Coker, Wayne Bridge, Steven Taylor, Daniel Sturridge, Dean Ashton, Michael Johnson, Wayne Rooney (as an emergency player), Steven Gerrard (as an emergency player), James Milner, Scott Parker. And anyone else playing well in the U21s.

Say to the likes of Frank Lampard and David James and, I'm sorry to say, for he has been amazing for England for years and years, Sir David Beckham goodbye and play my team. It's obvious Gerrard and Lampard don't work together, so I'm taking them both out completely. With Hargreaves as the key, I think that with Barry's good passing and reading of the game will bring the best out of quick and skillful forwards as that's only what England need to improve their game.

Defensively, we are fine, apart from a goalkeeper. Joe Cole is too skillful to leave out whilst Bentley can provide accuracy and free-kick danger, whilst Agbonlahor and Walcott should have enough pace and skill and movement to worry defenders, certainly given a certain amount of games, which is what England desperately lacked last night.

This brings me onto Wayne Rooney. I have said for a while that he is overrated. Even Fergie admits he's been playing him in the wrong position which is insane really given that bungling Tevez is the man that Rooney is supposedly behind in this order. He runs around like a 6-year-old on speed with no idea of what he wants to do or where to play. No more excuses about his position. His real position is a second striker. Up there all the time, and playing through the middle, not wide. A traditional number 10, rather than numbers 7, 8, and 11 all combined in a hideous jumble.

Fergie has coached the talent out of him and what's more, ruined his career by constantly playing him out of position which has ended up in his not scoring, not creating and wasting too much energy trying to do what others around him are perfectly good at anyway, leaving us with no strikers and nothing to cross at or to aim for. Last night was evidence in abundance. So drop him completely if he refuses to become more tactically disciplined. He should have moved to Newcastle United instead where abundant attacking freedom runs wild and free where he would not have won anything, but would have developed into a world class and feared goalscorer, just like Alan Shearer.

Having said all that, it wasn't too bad last night. Bar James, defensively we were OK as usual and I felt we kept the ball a lot better than in previous years. We don't need Rooney running, we don't need Gerrard hustling and bustling, we don't need Lampard doing, well, nothing. We need calmness, technique and above all, forward options and forward movement which I think these young players will contribute.
Richie, Cambridge


Slag Off Rooney Until He Retires...
On behalf of every Manchester United fan;

Dear England supporters,

Please continue to identify Wayne Rooney as the reason the national team are rubbish. Please continue to classify him as 'crap', and please continue to demonstrate your lack of football knowledge in the process.

We all remember what happened the last time you made a United player the scapegoat, ridiculing his 'supposed technical superiority'. You wanted Frank Lampard at the expense of Paul Scholes, you got him with Scholesy on the left wing. Scholes had enough and you spent the last four years begging for the Ginger Prince back and the last one booing FFL. In the time since, Scholes had barely misplaced a pass for United while Lampard has rarely completed one in the national team. Scholes can still outplay any midfielder in the league, and has just won a European Cup.

I'm sure Wayne himself will be dismayed by the misdirected criticsm, clearly being one of the very few players who actually plays with the heart you want in a 3 lions shirt - almost 20 goals and just as many assists in an injury-ravaged season, despite playing out of position for most of the campaign, and despite not taking any goal-scoring set-piece opportunities, may seem to some as a pretty decent return, but not to all-knowing England fans. We Manchester United fans recognised him as perhaps the most vital component of our successful Premier League and European Cup campaign, and as such, we'd like it if he wasn't taken to World Cups with broken feet then portrayed as costing England the trophy. I'm sure in time young Wayne himself would come to terms with it. And in time, the ones who lose out are the morons who pathetically singled out the most naturally talented domestic footballer since Scholes simply because he plays for United.

In closing, please be satisfied with Joe 'most technically gifted Englishman' Cole, please be satisfied with Stevie 'hero' G (who's going to set up all his shots when the hopelessly un-creative Rooney is forced to retire?), we'll make do with Wayne Rooney scoring those everyday 30-yard chips against David James. Just like every English player can. Oh... wait..

Sincerely,
Manchester United fans.
Wayne (while you're at it, a spot of Rio bashing too wouldn't go amiss) Earth


Have The Gunners Been Written Off Already?
I'm disappointed to see Silvestre leave Old Trafford, he's received a bit of stick in the last few seasons but he's always been a solid and dependable player for us. The sale of him and Pique suggest two interesting theories.

1, The Da Silva twins are going to live up to their hype
2, Fergie no longer rates Arsenal as rivals.

I think Silvestre is a great signing for Arsenal, with his expierence and fact that he is already up to pace with the Premiership, he should be able to slot in instantly. He is going to strengthen Arsenal considerably and shore up their defence. As we saw last season United don't like selling to their rivals (the Heinze to Liverpoo debacle.) Whilst there is more rivalry between ourselves and Liverpool, I would argue Silvestre would make a greater improvement to his new team.

So has Fergie written off The Arse already?
Gareth, Manchester


Not Sure Whether To Be A Happy Hammer...
So Anton Ferdinand is meant to move to Sunderland for £8 million?

I'm slightly confused, is that a bit of good business offloading Anton for a ton of cash, or does that show we have less ambition than Sunderland and are therefore losing a £8 million defender?
Ally 'confused Hammer' Reid


Happy To Sign Cisse...
Djibril Cisse to sunderland will be one of major buys this season and I'm glad that Roy Keane has brought someone who will score us goals. Last season we needed a goalscorer that will get in double figures. Our top scorer was Kenwyne Jones on 7 and we expect miracles from him so maybe this season Kenwyne Jones will get lots goals as well. The Liverpool game we played really well but we need put away the chances we make. Djibril Cisse will be that man, I'm really looking forward to the season now. Bring on the Mags.
Michael Armstrong


When Is It Actually Tapping Up?
Yet again there is a story this morning how a player has agreed personal terms with a club, only for the deal to fall through because the clubs could not agree a fee - this time in the case of Xabi Alonso's move to Arsenal. Could someone please tell me how it ever gets to the stage where players are discussing a contract to play for another club without the clubs agreeing a fee and, if there is an answer to this, what the difference is between that and tapping up? I fail to see the difference between discussing wages and then trying to agree terms with the club who owns the player and meeting a player in some dodgy hotel off the M62 in secrecy and then approaching the club with an offer once the player's head has been turned. This is a genuine question.
Jamie Henderson


Echoing The Thoughts Of F365...
In Thursday's mailbox Mr Derham said, 'So for me I'm walking away from England! At least at club football I can stand/sit away from the w*nkers on the terraces.'

Now, correct me if I'm wroing, but isn't he a Chelsea supporter?
Jim, Wemyss Bay


'Respect'? FA Have To Earn It...
Last month the Football Association launched its new Respect campaign in an effort to address the rising levels of misbehaviour and aggression in the English game, from the top-level playing fields of the Premier League, down to grass roots and Sunday League football. The FA, LMA, PGMO and County Associations are all in sweet agreement that players and staff at all levels of football should be more respectful towards match officials and play nicely together; but whilst it is very neat and tidy for everyone to verbally agree to the blatantly obvious, is a promise to be good boys and girls really the proper way to go about making genuine and sustainable change?

The FA have succeeded in one thing; identifying a problem. Their proposed solution is nothing more than a gimmicky attempt to shout out loud that they are perceptive, pro-active and combatant when it comes to protecting and improving the image and integrity of the sport. Bringing together the captains and managers from Premier League sides and making them promise to be pleasant is a bit like gathering together convicted burglars and making them promise not to steal from folks houses - it's fine in theory and doesn't do any harm, but does it make any tangible and long-term difference?

The FA continues to misunderstand to root cause of the majority of problems in the game of football, which leaves them woefully incapable of implementing any meaningful steps towards a watertight solution. Flimsy verbal rhetoric and self-lauding banners and advertisements do nothing more than create the illusion that the people in charge are 'on the ball'. It does nothing to cut to the core of the problem.

Very often the simplest solution is the most efficient. In all of their distraction and pre-occupation with catchy slogans and expensively elaborate campaigns, the Football Association has neglected the most critical and cost-effective method of improving standards - that is, ensuring that the officials apply the laws of the game. It is that simple, I promise.

If football referees applied the laws of the game stringently and properly, I guarantee that footballers will have cleaned up their act within one weekend. Yes there'd be five penalties a game and 10 or 11 red cards dished out for a couple of Saturdays in a row, and people would get all upset that this new idea of actually applying the rules was ruining the experience for match-goers and half-witted armchair fans alike; but then something wonderful would happen.

Managers will get fed up with losing 6-3 because their ill-disciplined centre-half can't stop pulling shirts at corners, and they'll begin to lament the fact that their £15 million striker doesn't play for weeks on end because he can't help but swear at the referee every time he doesn't get his own way. Before long, petty fouls at corners and casual bad language aimed at match officials simply won't be worth the risk, and it will stop, very quickly indeed, it will stop.

Any side that fails to notice that their insistence on petty fouling and swearing at referees is costing them severely will drop down the league table like a stone; the punishment will be inherent in the crime. The positive effect will inevitably filter down through the entire football pyramid and standards will improve almost instantaneously. Children won't see their favourite player arguing with referees anymore, because if he did then he'd be sat in the stands with all the other 'professionals' who've failed to grasp the cause and affect nature of what they continue to do.

Football doesn't need shortsighted campaigns, agreeable league managers or empty promises from the pros. The answer to this ongoing problem already exists, but what we need is people in charge with a modicum of foresight and backbone, and match officials who are confident and able enough to apply the laws - because at the moment, they are falling hideously short of this and continue to create more problems than they solve. Whether or not the players want to be good or bad is largely irrelevant; if they can't conduct themselves in accordance with the laws, they will have been removed from the field of play, and thus removed from the position of power and influence that they once held. If the FA had the courage to pursue this line then real and long-term progress would be made in half the time it takes to dream up a superfluous campaign about 'respect'.

If respect is to be earned, then he Football Association has a long way to go.
Darren Knowles