Owens Injury......they Say

[blue phil]

Strange business about Walcott . I'm of the opinion , I'm afraid , that SGE has realised now that he's made a big mistake - otherwise he'd have played him by now . What I can't understand is Wenger's role in all this . He must know more than anyone what Walcott is or isn't capable of . I'd have loved to have heard the conversation between the two at the time .

[joey_big_nose]

I have a funny feeling that we may see Walcott yet, but more than likely in the 80th minute when we are two down and it's too late.

Im still of the opinion Defoe's presence in the sqaud would not increase our chances any.

[philipl]

Absolutely jbn, why is everybody pining for a Spuds sub?

At least the barcodes are stuffed for next season.

[grizfoot]

The question is: What will Sven do next?

Instead i'll answer, What I would do next

But I think England's problem lies at right-back. However much I (and most you) utterly hate Gary Neville, he is without doubt the best right-back in the country and the team looks unbalanced without him. But due to his injury Sven has dafted in Carragher at right-back. Don't get me wrong Carragher is a top player (world-class) in his postion. But his postion is centre-back, not right-back. He can play there but he offers little or no attacking threat from the postion what so ever. In effect he's also causing the isolation of Beckham, probably the one player who needs to be in the game most.

So here's my quite wacky solution to the problem. England should play Steven Gerrard at right-back. You might be thininkg what the heck (or sometihng along those lines). But let me explain. Playing Gerrard at right-back would allow him arguably to get foward more than he does when he's in a centre-midfield role and he has to stay back as the 'holding midfielder'. So my plan almost brazilian like is to have Ashley Cole & Gerrard running up and down the wings and attacking as much as possible. They both have the stanmia and pace to do that job and could well give England the extra edge they've been messing.

So this is how my idea would look when defending and attacking:

Attacking

------------------------- Robinson -------------------------

-------------------- Rio --------- Terry --------------------

----------------------- Hargreaves -------------------------

-- Gerrard -------------- Becks --------------- A.Cole ----

------------ Lampard ------------ J.Cole -------------------

------------------------ Rooney -----------------------------

---------------------------- Crouch -------------------------

Defending

------------------------- Robinson ---------------------------

--- Gerrard--------- Rio --------- Terry --------A.Cole-----

------------------------ Hargreaves --------------------------

----Becks ----- Lampard ---------- Rooney------- J..Cole --

---------------------------- Crouch ---------------------------

But will this happen. I very much doubt it.