Drop Fat Frankie?

[50sQuiff]

Every right-thinking England fan knows what needs to happen if we're going to get the best out of our squad.

[Dr.Karl]

In a four man midfield yes. I wouldn't drop him in a five man midfield, who would you replace him with? Jenas? No thank you.

[50sQuiff]

We can't play 4-5-1 and 3-5-2 at this point is far too radical a change. Drop Fat Frankie.

[Dr.Karl]

If we're persisting with this five man midfield then you have to keep him in there, one of his bobbled shots may go in. I agree we should revert back to a 4-4-2 with Hargreaves and Gerrard playing in the centre. Crouch should come instead of Lampard, no questions about it.

[Athers]

You sound like a Liverpool fan Quiff!

I suspect that with Portugal's 4-2-3-1 passing through the middle will be fairly fruitless and so we'll have to get it wide. As Karl says that probably means no place for Lampard, dropping him might wake him up a bit..

[FaninOz]

I voted NO, because he has to score sometime doesn't he? And next Saturday would be a good time. What I don't understand is that he is excellent for Chelsea but NEVER plays the same way for England, similar for Gerrard! It can't just be the formation that England play that makes them so poor.

[communistworkethic]

drop Frank, bring beckham in from the right and put Lennon out there.

[ratbert]

drop Frank, bring beckham in from the right and put Lennon out there.

Agreed, though Lennon seems to work best as a late burst of energy in the second half. Both games he's come on have seem a massive improvement.

[keveh]

I think that Lampard is an amazing player, but him and Gerrard can't play in the same team.

There's no doubt in who I would select to start.

[Raven]

drop Frank, bring beckham in from the right and put Lennon out there.

I agree and if Beckham again does not perform get him off (and not in the lat mins either)

[50sQuiff]

drop Frank, bring beckham in from the right and put Lennon out there.

That in theory is the best possible solution. But to do that would require belief that we are actually a great team capable of playing great football! I'll settle for a 'water-carrier' like Hargreaves.

I think that Lampard is an amazing player, but him and Gerrard can't play in the same team.

There's no doubt in who I would select to start.

I taunt the Chelsea fans I know, half-seriously, that Lampard is a luxury player that flatters to deceive, scores deflections and penalties late on in a game that has already been ground out by the real footballers like Makalele and co. I also suggest to them that Fat Frank goes MIA in any big game, for this very reason. From what I can see, despite Lampard clearly being a superb player, my taunts actually got more accurate over the course of the season, with every game in Europe or for England. This is much to my amusement in the office, but less so when it comes to supporting England.

But most importantly, when you select Fat Frank, you do so at the expense of Gerrard. Which one looks like a World Cup winner to you? Gerrard sometimes exudes the ability to win trophies on his own. We have to give him complete license to play.

[Dormski]

We told you what he was like - did you listen?

His shoot on sight policy will reap it's reward sooner or later and everyone will over him again, yet at the expense of how many better opportunities?

In future you should listen to us - we know what we are on about and Fatty simply aint up to it.

[Zulus Thousand of em]

We told you what he was like - did you listen?

His shoot on sight policy will reap it's reward sooner or later and everyone will over him again, yet at the expense of how many better opportunities?

In future you should listen to us - we know what we are on about and Fatty simply aint up to it.

Who are "we"? Not another clique, surely to God?

[Dormski]

West 'Am mate.

[Montreal Wanderer]

I think this belongs with the poll in the World cup forum.

[Zulus Thousand of em]

West 'Am mate.

You'll be rooting for that ladyboy Etherington presumably?

[Gertie]

I'm not sure about Frank being fat.....

If so then perhaps some folks around here are positively obese???

He looks in good shape to me

[communistworkethic]

drop Frank, bring beckham in from the right and put Lennon out there.

That in theory is the best possible solution. But to do that would require belief that we are actually a great team capable of playing great football! I'll settle for a 'water-carrier' like Hargreaves.

I was assuming the 5 man midfield with Hargreaves in the holding role, which clearly is his strength. I don't want to take anything away from a creditable show at right back on sunday but I'd prefer it if Gary Neville were back there.

Line up as

Robinson
Neville Ferdinand Terry A Cole
Hargreaves
Lennon Beckham Gerrard J Cole
Rooney


I think this would give Gerrard and Cole much more freedom and be a more fluid to support Rooney. I don't think that this gets the best from Rooney, his strength is playing behind a striker with a free role but it's the best formation in the circumstances.

[Soldier_Of_The_White_Army]

drop Frank, bring beckham in from the right and put Lennon out there.

That in theory is the best possible solution. But to do that would require belief that we are actually a great team capable of playing great football! I'll settle for a 'water-carrier' like Hargreaves.

I was assuming the 5 man midfield with Hargreaves in the holding role, which clearly is his strength. I don't want to take anything away from a creditable show at right back on sunday but I'd prefer it if Gary Neville were back there.

Line up as

Robinson
Neville Ferdinand Terry A Cole
Hargreaves
Lennon Beckham Gerrard J Cole
Rooney


I think this would give Gerrard and Cole much more freedom and be a more fluid to support Rooney. I don't think that this gets the best from Rooney, his strength is playing behind a striker with a free role but it's the best formation in the circumstances.

That actually looks quite a balanced side, with Lennon and Cole much more adapted the support Rooney upfront. With Beckham in the middle it gives him the opportunity to use his passing skills to sweep the ball to either wing, instead of everything going straight to Rooney. It also gives Gerrard his chance to really push forward as Lampard took that role against Ecuador leaving Gerrard to play the midfield engine role.

As I stated in another thread, we have without doubt missed Neville at right back, especially when the right back was needed to push forward and overlap (something Neville does very well)

If that side ran out on Saturday, I would be more then happy.

[Crouch > Davies]

drop Frank, bring beckham in from the right and put Lennon out there.

That's what I'd do if I were Sven. Lennon causes a threat, Beckham can't do any worse than Lampard.

But of course, we know that isn't going to happen.