Great news that Carlton Cole, Matthew Upson and Rob Green retain their places in the England squad. Quite what Scott Parker needs to do to get a recall is anyone’s guess. Ok, you wouldn’t put him ahead of Gerrard, or even possibly Frank Lampard [battens down hatch] but I’d have thought he was in better form than Gareth Barry at the moment.
Scotty’s got some tough competition for the holding midfielder role. Barry’s not in great form, but has looked good for England (and plays well with Gerrard). Carrick has a passing game that is world-class and we still have Hargreaves to come back (who’s most similar to Scotty in terms of style).
Fat Frank is a different sort of player – he should be back-up th Stevie G and nowhere near the first XI.
Great news for Cole – I couldn’t believe that there was talk of Kevin Davies when we have our own an equally big, clumsy striker with more pace and fewer years on the clock! Go Carlton.
Very pleased for them, although i hope nothing happens to Upson’s injury if he plays!!
Terrible news..dont want another injury.
Iain we should be talking about Dyer coming through 10 mins without an injury Wow!!!!!!!
cole and dyer up front is very exciting.
It’s not really a surprise that Scott Parker hasn’t made the England squad as Capello was always going to pick the four central midfielders he has, as long as they were fit. If Scotty was going to replace any of those it would be Barry but he has played in every one of Capello’s games so far so the chances of him being left out were pretty much nil. It’s probably the hardest part of the squad to break into.
Having West Ham players in the England squad shows the progress we have made in recent months. I have mixed feelings about it though as regards injuries. I am not totally happy that Upson & Collins (Wales) were both called up for international duty when that are both nursing injuries. As for Scotty, he is one of the best holding midfielders, but he has tough competition. I am happy he was not called up, he really gives 110% during each game and he’ll surely welcome this break.
Agree with most of the comments. It will be difficult for Parker to break into the squad, the competition is fierce, but he still has time. CC will surely only be a peripheral player for England, unless he improves his goal scoring, but nice to see him in the squad. England’s ‘No.1′ will surely stake his claim for a permanent place soon, is he the best goalkeeper in England? I think so.
Completely agree. Consistently puts it in for us. Parker at the base of a diamond with Gerrard at the tip would work – brilliantly. I’d have him in ahead of Barry all day long.
Love the new site Iain. News Now isn’t picking up the thread yet though!
It would be great if all three got to play and played well. They will be so buoyed up for the Sunderland game if they do.
Shame that there is no place for Scotty – but his time will come.
Violently agreeing with everyone here, I think: firstly, love the new site – good job; secondly, it can only be good for the morale of those picked for the England squad (plus the U21s etc), thirdly agree it’s a pity about Scotty but do believe his time will come – I’m sure GZ and SC are aware how vital he is to our wellbeing and fourthly, thanks to Chris above who reminds us that Kieron Dyer came on for 10 minutes and he really ought to have won a penalty kick. Great to see – I know he’s as brittle as an icicle, but let’s hope he gets a good run in the last eight games.
Milestone season – at last someone to rival Marco Boogers – Diego!
I agree it’s a pity about Parker but I wonder if Capello thinks he doesn’t have quite enough going forward.
Yes,I would like to see Parker included too,but I am really chuffed for Greeny who has been immense this year.
The way that Green has played,I think he has been worth an extra 10 points for us.
On the subject of players,I would like to know why so many don’t seem to like Lucas Neill?
Zola is alway’s singing his praises so he must have something about him.
I thought he had a good game on Saturday.
Upton Spark… my reason is that he gives away stupid free-kicks and gets into trouble more than he should as skipper, showing a fair degree of immaturity. Sorry, but that’s just the way it seems to me.
I didn’t see all of Saturday’s game so I’m willing to accept other people’s assessments that he and Terror Tomkins had immense games keeping the Blackburn bombardment at bay and would be happy to be won over.
I tend to agree with Upton Spark – Lucas Neill will always be an ex Millwall boy for some, unable to do right. I think his form in the last 6 games or so is as good as anybody else’s and, arguably, he has been our best defender during this period.
As far as Parker goes, I think he is up against some really very good midfield players on the international stage. Maybe his time will come, but I wouldn’t be too sure.
Upton Spark I gave Neill my MOM vote on Saturday and he has been playing very well recently.
I do agree with Graybo though that he is sometimes a liability. He should have received a straight red against Wigan and we were lucky that he didn’t. He tries to get in sneaky fouls which are as obvious as the baddy in a pantomime.
The biggest problem is that he is too slow for a rb. He is playing better because he is in the centre.
I agree with Kim. Neill looks much better in the centre of defence as he doesn’t get exposed to pace as much and can organise better from there. However, when everyone is fit you have to play two out of Upson/Collins/Tomkins in the centre with Neill at right back as he is still the best we’ve got in that position. He gets good protection from Behrami but, of course, he won’t get any of that for a while.
I’m sure that Zola will be looking at the full back situation in the summer as we are short of cover on both sides and have been really fortunate with both Neill and Ilunga staying fit for most of the season.
I see behrami as our future right back.Where else is he going to play when everyones fit?
If Ashton comes back and starts with cole,Dyer or stanislas will play right mid.
Behrami has played well this season,workman like but no wing skills.
On the Tomkins Vs Collins thing,Stick with Tommo,he has been playing well,dropping someone when they have been playing well can be a real kick in the teeth.Tommo has a bit more pace than Collins,but Collins is a bit better in the air,horses for courses I suppose.
I really do hope Carlton scores in this match. If he scores 1 or 2 he’d be hard to leave out of the next game. It’d also be great for the lad’s confidence (which would help us a lot!) if he scored an international goal for england.
I think Behrami would be wasted at right back and, judging from his performances there at the beginning of the season, it’s not his best position.
We’re going to need cover everywhere when (notice I said “when”) we are in Europe. For me, Dyer’s best position is through the middle, either a an orthodox attacking midfielder or as a second striker playing off Cole/Ashton.
Cole and Ashton can’t seem to play together although that was under Curbs. Maybe Zola can sort this one out but they are rather similar for me.
The other positive about Dyer, if he can stay fit, is that he is versatile and can play wide on either side as well. And his debut for England was at right back and he had a stormer.
Whilst for some games playing Parker and Kovac is called for, in others – at home, against teams we should attack and beat – we don’t need two holding players so this is where use of the squad will come in.
Or we could just buy a bus load of giants, lump it forward and play like Blackburn. That would certainly make my decision on next year’s season ticket easier!
It’s good news for the club that we have 3 players in the England squad.
I can’t understand the ommission of Parker. The only player that comes near him in his position is Hargreaves and he is injured! Carrick doesn’t break play up or have his energy and neither does Barry. Both, though, are better offensively and this is what Scotty has to work on, not so many loose balls.
There is no doubt that Neill’s performances have improved recently, but he is a liabilty at RB with his lack of pace. Forever tugging shirts and bodychecking, he’s a penalty waiting to happen. Perhaps we can blood someone like Jordan Spence.
I agree that Curbishley couldn’t get the best out of CC and Ashton up front, but then again we couldn’t string 4 passes together undir him.
We shouldn’t forget that Ashton played successfully alongside Zamora and Cole is a different player to those days now.
If we can get Dyer back injury free and Dixon fulfills his potential, then we be a hell of a lot stronger up front next season.
Back to England; I think Cole has been the best “big” English forward in the last few months and looked a lot sharper than heskey when he came on for his debut. I hope he gets a start and does himself justice, because a confident Cole will make all the difference to us in the run in.
Shows the poor choice there is – when C.C. gets a ‘call up’
Truly a great post there Roymondo, I fully agree with your viewpoint of playing more aggressive games at home, especially early on in the game. (2-0 by half time then a conversion to westham’s normal ‘holding’ playing style would shut down the majority of games).
Also looking forward to see if Dyer can start up front with Carlton in our next game. I can’t see it happening though.
DevoDevo, i think we can conclude that if Scott Parker was a regular player of Man U, he would be in the england line up. (not downing Carrick by this post).
Not remotely interested at all in international football.Zzzzzzzzzz. Wake me when this meaningless disruption to the season is over.
I too am very much looking forward to Kieran getting a run, and with fingers crossed that we can keep him fit- I am quietly optimistic the combination of Pintus and the new medical team will see him come good as he deserves a run after such a torrid time.
On Lucas Neill:
I agree that since he has been with us at RB he has been exposed for pace on occasions but I also believe that has been negated recently by a better playing system with the midfield covering the overlapping opposition which I don’t believe used to happen previously.
I also agree with the criticism levelled at him for sometimes being clumsy/ reckless in his challenges in dangerous areas, though I also feel it unfair to level this criticism solely at him when Collins has cost us goals from silly free kicks on the edge of the box and Ilunga sometimes masquerades as a second keeper with his consistent use of his hands to block the ball.
I firmly believe that his influence as captain is invaluable, Zola has spoken many times already about how much he offers behind the scenes but I also see him galvanising the team every week which is very important especially as the average age of the starting eleven starts to fall- I can only hope that he wins himself a new contract and agrees to a wage cut ;0).
Lastly, good luck to the all the boys on International duty (not just England), and may you come back both unscathed and full of confidence!!
Thanks to everyone who agreed or dissagreed with me.It is alway’s nice to have other’s comments good or bad as this is what makes a good blog in my oppinion.
I also agree that Lucas looks a bit slow at right back and looks better in the centre.
He must be worth another contract if Zola rates him so much,so it’s a fair bet we will be seeing a lot more of our captain in the future.
IF England played Gerrard in the same position (2nd striker)as liverpool I can see a place for scotty next to lampard, works for me ? he is far better in the holding role than hargreaves or barry and with is engine Lampard would find more time to push up when needed.
roymondo completely agree about behrami and dyer.
and mokumhammer many have said and it is true cole could be as good as any up front. he is quick, strong, works hard and can hold up the ball better than most, great in the air and when high on confidence he is a good finisher, thanks to zola i think his finishing has improved.
and on the subject of lucas neil….he is clearly not a right back. he plays poorly there all the time, but at centre back he is solid, consistent and seems to understand better what is needed of him. by what zola says im glad we have him just for what he does for the team spirit
No lets keep all our players away from the England team,I find the whole England thing a joke!!!
this team would win the world cup but..
defoe rooney
walcott gerrard hargreaves lennon
cole ferdinand terry Johnson
green
mokumhammer has it spot on, for me.
CC hugely improved. England class? naah
Vander, at least Tristan has scored a goal for the first team. That is something that Boogers never managed! Boogers is in a category all of his own, a bit like the Hammers legend that is John Radford! lol.
Congratulations to Green, Upson and Cole. Whilst I agree that Cole is no Geoff Hurst, he deserves to be there on merit. If Heskey can be an interntional then Cole certainly can. On Scott Parker, he deserves a place in the squad on current form, no question about it. He just needs to maintain his form for the Hammers and hopefully he will get another chance.
In addition, we also have Noble (U-21s), Tomkins & Sears (U-20s), Spence (U-19s) and Hall (U-16s) representing England at the various levels, so things are looking good at levels.
ps. nice website!
Of course Carlton is England class. He’s as good as anyone else playing that kind of role at the moment. It just so happens that the standard isn’t particularly high, but he’s certainly good enough to play for England right now. Which makes him England class, ie good enough to play football at international level. He indisputably is that.
Given the progress he’s made and his youth, no one really knows whether this is it with him, or whether there are further improvements to come. Regardless of that, he has made himself an essential part of our team and he deserves absolutely the recognition that has gone with that. So to dismiss him so glibly is a a tad ungenerous and a bit hard to understand. The boy has come on so much, give him some proper credit for Gawd’s sake.
I said that Neill was very effective at centre half. He plays there for the Aussies regularly. I have never been one of the anti-Neill fraternity. I understand the critque of his lack of pace and tendency to give away cheap free kicks, but I feel that there is an under-estimation of his leadership and defensive organisational abilities.
Did anyone see Martin Samuels latest column. He really gives it to the FA over their position on the Matthew Spring case. Particularly the fact that the FA refuse to give an on the record explanation of the decision not to pursue the Blades over exerting third party influence over Charlton’s non-selection of Spring! So much for openess, transparency and accountability at the FA! As Samuels said, outside of their favourite show trial (i.e. the Griifhs Tribunal) the FA wish to turn a blind eye of other incidences of rule breaking and maintain the status quo.
remember that Barry has a sweet left foot
Which gives balance to the England team.
He scores more than Parker and us better
In the air . I’m not a Villa fan I’m just thinking
off england . Parker has been very consistent
and had shown great form, at last .
SJ – I know the records say that Tristan has scored a goal but he didn’t really. A shot from Cole hit him and deflected in. I know that they all count but it was more an accident than anything else. If he was quicker he wouldn’t have still be there for the ball to hit him! lol
chris that team is good but what has hargreaves got that parker hasnt? he has been injured for so long now i cant even remember how he plays!
i hope wales dont risk collins, i know tommka has been great since collins got injured but the ginge was as good as anyone, even parker before he got injured. definately deserves to get his place back.
Sadly, Scott Parker had his first “off day” in ages against West Brom and Capello was in the crowd. I hope he doesn’t let his head drop in disappointment. COYI!!
I am not defending Tristan, quite clearly he has lost whatever he once had. That is exactly why I was calling for them to get another sriker in, even before the January window opened. I did not want us to have to rely on him. Zola may make Tristan want to stay a Hammer, but his performance to date dictates otherwise I am afraid.
Having said that amid the ordinariness of his performance against Blackburn he did show some flashes of good technical ability, one being the clever lay off for Noble’s goal. Still that is not nearly enough to warrant another contract.
I think that if we had sold more of the fringe players in January, rather than just loaned them, we would have seen another striker brought in. The mooted Eubanks-Blake deal would have been interesting.
Roymondo, I like the slowness/Tristan joke, very good.
Still, England hotshot, Carlton Cole, is back against Sunderland (Just stay fit, please!). So, Tristan can go back to bench warming duties.
I know I have said it before, but they need to promote Banijer to the bench at some point this season. He is developing nicely based on his performances for the U-18s and reserves. He should be the next one that breaks through after Payne and Stanislaus.
I think Zola is executing a good plan with the youngsters.
1. Takes them with the first team squad
2. Gets them on the bench as a non-playing sub
3. Gives them a couple of 10 minutes at the end of games when the circumstances permit
4. Gives them a bit longer, or a half game
5. Gives them a start.
This, along with what he and Clarke see in training, means that they are not thrown in at the deep end but, when their chance finally comes, they feel part of the team.