It's all change in the England set-up at the moment; the team is both captainless and managerless, and with Euro 2012 only a few months away, time is running out for the a new manager to come in and put his mark on the team. It's looking increasingly likely that Spurs boss Harry Redknapp will take on the poisoned chalice of the England job, and never one to shy away from offering unsolicited advice, Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson has a team selection tip for Redknapp to consider.
Speaking on Today FM last week, Lawrenson - who formed an imperious defensive partnership with Alan Hansen - argued:
"For me, he [John Terry] is not playing well enough to get into the England Squad at the moment.
"He's looks very old, and very slow, and Rio Ferdinand is another one.
"I don't think I would have either of them in the team for the France game on the 11th of June".
I don't think many people would argue against dropping Terry and Ferdinand; neither player is at the same level as they used to be, and pace is definitely one of the symptoms of their dual-decline.
The bigger issue is whether they could play together effectively in light of the ongoing Terry-Anton Ferdinand race issue. Yes, they're both supposedly professionals, but would Ferdinand be able to put aside his personal feelings and play effectively alongside Terry?
Despite wanting to see Terry dropped, Lawro was full of praise for the Chelsea man's leadership abilities:
"John Terry over the years has always stood up to be counted, and whatever you think about him, he is a leader when he gets on the pitch".
Since Terry is no longer England captain that's probably a moot point.
Being Scottish, I have my fingers crossed that Terry and Ferdinand play every game in Euro 2012. If that happens, then England will probably leak goals and end up on an early plane home ;-D
Jaimie Kanwar
Speaking on Today FM last week, Lawrenson - who formed an imperious defensive partnership with Alan Hansen - argued:
"For me, he [John Terry] is not playing well enough to get into the England Squad at the moment.
"He's looks very old, and very slow, and Rio Ferdinand is another one.
"I don't think I would have either of them in the team for the France game on the 11th of June".
I don't think many people would argue against dropping Terry and Ferdinand; neither player is at the same level as they used to be, and pace is definitely one of the symptoms of their dual-decline.
The bigger issue is whether they could play together effectively in light of the ongoing Terry-Anton Ferdinand race issue. Yes, they're both supposedly professionals, but would Ferdinand be able to put aside his personal feelings and play effectively alongside Terry?
Despite wanting to see Terry dropped, Lawro was full of praise for the Chelsea man's leadership abilities:
"John Terry over the years has always stood up to be counted, and whatever you think about him, he is a leader when he gets on the pitch".
Since Terry is no longer England captain that's probably a moot point.
Being Scottish, I have my fingers crossed that Terry and Ferdinand play every game in Euro 2012. If that happens, then England will probably leak goals and end up on an early plane home ;-D
Jaimie Kanwar
Ferdinand is definitely past his best and doesn't deserves a place for euros. Terry too doesn't look at his best but still he is better than the options England have got like Dawson, Jageilka, Cahill, Jones, Smalling, King.
ReplyDeleteTerry better than King?? you off your rocker - the ONLY reason King is not in the England set-up is cos of his injuries. By far the best centre back in the country.
ReplyDeleteBoth are old war horses, just like old hookers where nobody wants them.
ReplyDeleteTerry and Ferdi are both has beens. Ferdi was always over rated anyway, he was only in England because he plays for United.
ReplyDeleteCahill, Dawson, King, these are all much better defenders that England could be using (Although King is like a one legged pirate these days)
Hope Lampard gets dropped to, he has been a liability at international level for years as we don't play a formation that suits his style of play. He is a great player, but not very adaptable. we are really lacking on decent wingers and forward though.
Totally agree. Neither of them are good enough to be considered anymre and Terry has too much baggage. For me Terry is at the very heart of all the England problems and along with that other waste of space Lamard should be left out for good. Ray Wilkins said England will never win anything without Terry which has simply got to go down as one of the most ludicrous statements about England ever. Ray me old china...we have never won anything wth him!..and worst...we have looked the least effective we have for decades with him playing!
ReplyDeleteTerry was popped up by carvalho and time after time his late headers from corners aside, he like lampard had essien to do his tough work..
ReplyDeleteas a spurs man - it couldnt of happened to a more deserving bunch.
drogba - whacked out - torres lost hid mojo yonks ago...again long may it last. For me harry leaving proves everything the man with sense claimed all allong, no loyalty and he too will be found out at international level. however gave up crying in to my milk for that bunch after my last bout of depression -
spurs for life
we are all that matters - cheers rednap see u on sky news
I wouldn't have Ferdinand, Terry, Lampard, Gerrard and Glen Da Johnson, among a few others, in the squad, especially Lampard and Gerrard. Don't care what excuses people throw Lampard and Gerrard's way in terms of their roles in a England shirt, I have simply had enough of them in a England midfield. Enough is enough.
ReplyDeleteLot of hype that surrounds King, for me anyway. 'Absences' make the heart grow fonder, seems to ring true here with 'King is the best centre back' lot. A Paul McGrath he is not, nowhere near.
Once Cahill and Dawson show their so-called 'better' capabilities on the CL stage, than come back and say they are good and better than the likes of Terry and Ferdinand, who have been a part of formidable defences and been part of CL finals. Dawson had a forgettable time in his sole campaign in CL. Cahill? What the hell has he done.
@ Chan what do you mean Dawson had a forgettable time in his sole CL campaign? He was immense against the milan clubs for spurs! Cahill....well I understand that he is overrated, just a tad. For me the best two (if fit) are King and Jones. But realistically, it will probably be jagielka and lescott. those two aren't bad...but not international quality.
ReplyDeleteWhen Harry gets the job expect to go back in time. terry, ferdinad,lampard and even joe cole will line up. I saw Dawson get a mention..like why? He bloody awful. The two games he had for England were a disaster. He'll get away with giving the ball away and losing his marker (not to mention his inability to read what's infront of him) in the prem. He still plays most of the game on his backside. He's slower than ferdinand and terry and far less talented. How he gets in the spurs team is over my head. Still kaboul and king fit he wont or shouldn't. Be careful what you wish for England. Rednapp without the levy shackles is a worry. Liverpools johnson will get the RB position coz walker is younger and has time to get into the squad. That's how it works with old school.
ReplyDeleteyou having a laugh.. king if he was fit is far better than all those centre backs your talking about
ReplyDeleteI haven't rated King worse than any centre backs I have talked about in my post. People get carried away with King, because of his 'absences' make him seem better than he is. The way people like you go on about him, e.g. 'far better', one would think he is Nesta II...when in fact, he isn't fit to to lace the boots of such a great defender. The last time King started more than 30 league games in a season for Spurs, they finished 9th and that was the only time, I think, he has started at least 30 league games in a season.
ReplyDeleteIts a joke, an absolute joke, that people hype up a player who has rarely started at least 30 league games in a season, who is now 31. Its all 'ifs, maybes, buts', with King.
Jones has been nearly as bad as David Luiz this season at centre back (He was all over the shop when he played CB in CL) but he is English, so not a big thing made out of it. He simply isn't ready to be trusted at centre back regularly at a big club or international level....yet. Too reckless at CB. At right back, Jones has done a solid job for the mancs.
ReplyDeleteI just don't think Dawson was all that for Spurs in CL, he was alright part of a solid team in CL but each to their own, Gallas was brilliant though. Awful captain, great defender though, the Frenchman.
And just to add, if Ledders had a lesser injury record over his career, he'd be in triple figures by now for Caps won playing for England.
ReplyDeleteRemember when they played him as a DM coz they didn't want to break up the preferred CB pairing of Rio & Terry, didn't he get MOTM for that game or at least plenty of plaudits for his performance? If fit, he is without doubt the 1st on the Team sheet at "Spurs", when he plays we don't, (Normally!) lose.........
With that I leave you with this:"Oh Ledley, Ledley, he's Got ONE Knee, but he's better than John Terry ~ Oh Ledley, Ledley"Rpt as many times as you like......C.O.Y.S
Lawrenson, Scottish? I think he played for the Republic of Ireland. Silly Dipper, doesn't even know where he's from. I agree on the Terry and Ferdinand pairing being past it.
ReplyDeleteI am in agreement that King and Jones are indeed the best England has got, which is why they cannot do without Hart.
ReplyDeleteChan, I'm afraid you've got it the wrong way round; its not King's absences that make him seem better than all the other English defenders, but rather his performances when available. Those of us who watch him play know how good he is and that were it not for his recurrent injuries he would be 1st choice for England (and probably Barca too).
ReplyDeleteThe last time King was fully fit, he played the whole season without being cautioned for fouling an opponent (he was booked once, for handball). Name me another centre-back who can read the game and tackle that well? In addition, Ledders is technically excellent, calm on the ball and able to pass long or short.
When asked to name the toughest defensive opponent he had ever played against, Thierry Henry had no hesitation in naming Ledley King. He is world class and were both his knees fully functional he'd be arguably the best in his position in the world (probably not in a Spurs shirt).
Dawson can be majestic at his best, even if he is rarely at his best.
ReplyDeleteFerdinand wouldn't even shake Suarez's hand, what more partner someone who irrefutably racially abused his brother.
ReplyDeleteFerdinand may have been over-rated as this ball playing wizard at the back, but he was never over-rated as a center-back. If anything, overall he was under-rated though, with people always going on about Terry's abilities and ignoring the fact that Ferdinand formed dominant partnerships for club and country from long before Terry came around.
ReplyDeleteThe time has come come to replace all of the old guard though. Even Gerrard should be making way for younger players to break through and start preparing for World Cup 2014.
it seems that defenders reputations automatically get boosted a level or two for playing outside of the premiership...
ReplyDeleteI'd much rather have Dawson than Gallas at the heart of my defence tbh!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree about Jones though - you forgot to mention, his "leadership" when he goes charging about out of position is oh so vital though(!)
Ledley King is amongst the best central defeders I've watched in 40 years of watching and 30 years of playing. He reads the game two moves on, this has only been seen in players thought of as footballing greats, unfortunately through injury the lack of games at club and international level King will only get this recognition from Spurs supporters and ex-professionals. He seems to have lost some of his pace compared to his speed in catching up with Robben in the game against Chelsea a few seasons back, a tackle which is amongst the best ever seen in the Premiership. I also agree that had he kept his fitness he would now be playing for a different and more successful club because Spurs were not doing well during the early parts of his career.
ReplyDeleteKing is the best central defender in the country, if he can play for England in the crunch matches and his knees hold out I'd give him an England squad spot straight away - ahead of both terry and rio. Beside him I'd look at Cahill, Lescott, Jagelka - Smalling and Jones are not quite there yet but should make squad. Although they all need to steady themselves and get some consistency at international level. Terry though is slow and gets turned so easily by good strikers. Nando used to turn him inside out.
ReplyDeleteI also think Cole is looking poor at moment and is a worry. I'd definitely be looking at players like Kelly and Walker as options. Johnson too has to improve defensively but I think if Harry gets the job he'll take him.
Agree to disagree, simply don't agree with the hyping up of King. Both sides of the coin are mostly subjective, so I am not 'factually' wrong.
ReplyDeleteIts all ifs, buts and maybe...and that simply doesn't cut it, for me, as that is so subjective.By the one and only season he started more than 30 league games (04/05), he got 2 yellow cards. Maybe we have different criteria for 'fully fit', a player for me has got to have started at least 30 leagues game in the season to either have been fully fit for the season or been a first team regular.
Not automatically boosted but they get subjected to a different environment of defending and if they do well, of course their reputation gets boosted.
ReplyDeleteEach to their own, I'd rather have Gallas at centre back....without a captain band on his arm though
ReplyDeleteThat doesn't make any sense. Why would being a success in La Liga or Serie A prove a defender is better than somebody with equivalent success in the Premiership??
ReplyDeleteHow about Lescott and Richards??
ReplyDelete