Carragher to play the holding role?

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

From The Times:

Revealed: the Eriksson plan to cope with loss of Rooney

By Matt Dickinson, Chief Football Correspondent

 

Carragher will play in anchor role

Owen upbeat despite injury scare

 

SVEN-GÖRAN Eriksson must prepare for the World Cup finals without Wayne Rooney and, remarkably, his plan promotes Jamie Carragher to the starting XI. The Liverpool defender will be deployed as a defensive midfield player against Hungary this evening to allow the England head coach to throw Steven Gerrard into the attack.

 

It is an unexpected elevation for Carragher but the country will hope that it unlocks the talent of Gerrard and Frank Lampard, two brilliant midfield players who have rarely worked successfully in tandem.

 

If all goes well at Old Trafford — and the plans are not disrupted by Michael Owen’s tight thigh muscle — the Swede will field the same, novel team against Paraguay in England’s first match in Germany on June 10. By then, he should be wiser as to whether Rooney has any chance of coming back into the side.

 

After talks between Eriksson and Sir Alex Ferguson yesterday morning, another scan on the Manchester United forward’s broken foot was, sensibly, scheduled for June 7. Rather than wait another week, it will allow England to assess the speed of Rooney’s recovery before Fifa’s deadline for withdrawing injured players on June 9.

 

“This was at my request and United understood the situation,” Eriksson said. “I can’t change the list after June 9 so it’s good to have a better idea what the future will be.” Coming three days after it was announced that Rooney would definitely be going to Germany and not scanned until June 14, the earlier check-up provoked concerns that there had been a setback. Those fears were exacerbated by a statement from United, which said that the injury “involves the joint” and would take longer to heal than the initial diagnosis.

 

However, Eriksson insisted that he still believed Rooney would play at the World Cup and that there had been “no change” in the assessment of the doctors. Sources with England and United both claimed that the striker, who has begun light running, remained optimistic although he may now stay behind to continue his recuperation when the rest of the squad flies to Germany next Monday. Jermain Defoe and Andrew Johnson remain on standby.

 

The scan on June 7 raises the prospect of England’s preparations for their opening match against Paraguay three days later being overshadowed by the latest, and possibly the definitive, Rooney bulletin and Eriksson said yesterday that he was fed up with talking about the will-he won’t-he saga. “Please,” he said, “let’s talk about a lot of other good football players in the squad.”

 

In Rooney’s absence, there are few more important players than Owen and there was a scare when he pulled up near the end of training yesterday with a tight thigh. He was taken for a precautionary scan but should play unless there is any recurrence overnight. That will not ease the displeasure of his club, Newcastle United, however, who complained last night that they had not been informed of their player’s condition.

 

Owen will be the attacking tip to a new-look England with Carragher in the holding role. Lampard will play close to Carragher, driving forward from midfield as he does for Chelsea. Gerrard will be pushed forward behind Owen in the hope that England can harness his attacking power, with David Beckham and Joe Cole operating on each flank.

 

Eriksson would not discuss his selection yesterday but he did confirm that he would start with the team that he believes will play against Paraguay in Frankfurt. While Carragher, and hopefully Gerrard, should be the beneficiaries, the obvious losers are Michael Carrick and Owen Hargreaves, who had hoped to play the holding role, and Peter Crouch.

 

Eriksson is likely to try more than one formation against Hungary, and against Jamaica in the final warm-up game, also at Old Trafford, on Saturday. If that includes Theo Walcott, the teenager will become the youngest England international, breaking Rooney’s record of 17 years and 111 days.

 

Waddle made the case that Hargreaves plays anchor for Bayern Munich, is a constant in their team and has won the european cup and three doubles in the last four seasons.

 

He reckons the only reason Hargreaves gets a poor reaction in this country is because we don't get to see the german league games and that Sven either plays him in a different position or brings him on as a late sub (he's obviously not an impact player).

 

Carrick would be my first choice and I would play him on tuesday night. But I might be tempted to give Hargreaves a start in his prefered position in the final freindly.

 

This Carragher stuff makes no sense and is another example of a man who has managed more freindlies and made more substitutions than any other England manager getting to the eve of the World cup and making rash, panicky decisions when his favored players and their immediate replacements should have been something he had set in stone months ago.

[GafferTape 0]

Carragher can't pass the fucking ball. What's he going to be doing in midfield?

 

It makes-a a-no sensa.

 

Don't think that tactic is going to work either. Gerrard, as much as a media darling he is, is not a centre-forward. His movement is completely different from a centre-forward and if does play that high upfront, he's going to be lost. If he doesn't want to play that giant fella, stick Carrick infront of the defense, let Lampard and Gerrard waddle around the midfield and get Cole and Beckham/Lennon/Walcott supporting Owen from out wide.

[wacko 0]

Carragher can't pass the fucking ball. What's he going to be doing in midfield?

 

It makes-a a-no sensa.

 

Don't think that tactic is going to work either. Gerrard, as much as a media darling he is, is not a centre-forward. His movement is completely different from a centre-forward and if does play that high upfront, he's going to be lost. If he doesn't want to play that giant fella, stick Carrick infront of the defense, let Lampard and Gerrard waddle around the midfield and get Cole and Beckham/Lennon/Walcott supporting Owen from out wide.

142581[/snapback]

He can pass. At least well enough to give the ball to a more attacking player, as all good defensive midfielders do. What doesn't make sense is that he hasn't played in midfield for, what, 8 years. Play a midfielder, Sven.

 

It really pisses me off that Sven starts by picking his best 11 players regardless of whether they're suited to the position he has them playing in or not.

[Guest alex]

I would say his distribution might not be up to playing there at international level, as with Ledley King who Sven has also played (not saying he can't pass though). Carrick would be my choice for that position.

[David Kelly 1260]

Carrick didn't suggest he was up to it on Thursday. Along with Hargreves he was shite.

He always gives me the impression that he is very inconsistent in games. One moment he picks out a pass that Zidane would be proud of and then next he makes Faye look like a footballer.

[Geordie Boyo 24]

I think all Sven will do is use him for the last 10 minutes or so to defend our lead when the pressures on, not necessarily to contribute to the midfield, but pure defense. If he needed that kind of player then he would have brought Scott Parker, well I would have thought so...! Still, I really don't understand why Hargreaves is there at all, especially if that’s his intention...!

[Geordie Boyo 24]

Carrick didn't suggest he was up to it on Thursday.  Along with Hargreves he was shite.

He always gives me the impression that he is very inconsistent in games.  One moment he picks out a pass that Zidane would be proud of and then next he makes Faye look like a footballer.

142681[/snapback]

 

 

Let’s not exaggerate now

[sweetleftpeg 0]

Unfortunately, I forsee Sven dealing with the Rooney situation by packing his midfield and subjecting us to some pretty awful group stage games of 0-0s and 1-0s.

[Kid Dynamite 7185]

aye but hargreaves was disgraceful last week. at least when he gave the ball away it was on the wing. imagine him giving it away slap bang in the middle, 30 yeards from goal!

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

aye but hargreaves was disgraceful last week. at least when he gave the ball away it was on the wing. imagine him giving it away slap bang in the middle, 30 yeards from goal!

142910[/snapback]

Out of position at right-back. How many times have we seen him play midfield anchor?

 

He has two specialist holding midfielders in his squad, why, if he's going to play a defender out of position in that role. If he's not planning to use Carrick and Hargreaves it makes it even more ridiculous that he's only taking four strikers (one injured, one convalescing, one goal-shy and one unproven).

 

I'd be more than happy to be proved wrong by the way.

[Guest alex]

Got to start the next match with Carrick there tbh.

[Shearergol 0]

Got to start the next match with Carrick there tbh.

143088[/snapback]

 

 

JC at right back, Carrick in midfield.

 

Neville on the bench. He was shite last night.

[TheInspiration 1]

Thought Neville played well tbh. I say drop Lampard and play Carrick.

[Geordie Boyo 24]

It's not going to happen thou is it?

 

Rooney instead of Crouch when fit.

 

............Crouch Owen

....Gerrard Lampard Beckham

................Carrick

A. Cole Ferdinand Terry G. Neville

...............Robinson

 

...........Crouch Owen

J. Cole Gerrard Lampard Beckham

A. Cole Ferdinand Terry G. Neville

..............Robinson

 

subs

Walcott

Lennon

Campbell

Carragher

Bridge

James

[Shearergol 0]

Thought Neville played well tbh. I say drop Lampard and play Carrick.

143173[/snapback]

 

Not sure it was caught on TV, but Beckham had a right go at him because he decided to stop tracking his man and let Beckham do it instead.

 

Every time he got the ball he gave it away. For someone who's crossing is normally good, it was very poor.

 

Beginning to think the BBC showed a different match to the one I saw. Oh, and I'm not biting

[GafferTape 0]

I dunno, Carrick was crap against Belarus, so I'd start with Heargreaves on Saturday, see what he can do. Did ok yesterday.

[Shearergol 0]

I dunno, Carrick was crap against Belarus, so I'd start with Heargreaves on Saturday, see what he can do. Did ok yesterday.

143247[/snapback]

 

[GafferTape 0]

Yep, Hargreaves got crucified by the BBC panel, but Wright and Dixon are shit for brains tossers. Put in a nice couple of challenges and put Walcott through for his chance. Although it's all a bit hazy.

 

edit - no spoiler tags eh? Fine, I'll cut it out meself...

 

Hargreaves was subjected to a hatchet job that surely owed much to the fact that he plies his trade overseas. The Bayern Munich midfielder may not have excelled but he was far from being as poor as the BBC pundits suggested. Given editorial control, the contribution of any player can be devalued by a few suggestive replays. Having refused to acknowledge last week's match, Carrick is clearly the BBC's golden boy despite making twice as many mistakes in the opening half-hour against Belarus as Hargreaves committed on Wednesday.

Edited May 31, 2006 by GafferTape

[Shearergol 0]

Yep, Hargreaves got crucified by the BBC panel, but Wright and Dixon are shit for brains tossers. Put in a nice couple of challenges and put Walcott through for his chance. Although it's all a bit hazy.

 

edit - no spoiler tags eh? Fine, I'll cut it out meself...

 

Hargreaves was subjected to a hatchet job that surely owed much to the fact that he plies his trade overseas. The Bayern Munich midfielder may not have excelled but he was far from being as poor as the BBC pundits suggested. Given editorial control, the contribution of any player can be devalued by a few suggestive replays. Having refused to acknowledge last week's match, Carrick is clearly the BBC's golden boy despite making twice as many mistakes in the opening half-hour against Belarus as Hargreaves committed on Wednesday.

143277[/snapback]

 

To be fair, I've not heard any of the comments from the BBC yet. Just going on what I saw myself, and the reaction from the rest of the crowd for all 2043 freekicks he gave away, and the 490 times he lost the ball.

[Geordie Boyo 24]

Yep, Hargreaves got crucified by the BBC panel, but Wright and Dixon are shit for brains tossers. Put in a nice couple of challenges and put Walcott through for his chance. Although it's all a bit hazy.

 

edit - no spoiler tags eh? Fine, I'll cut it out meself...

 

Hargreaves was subjected to a hatchet job that surely owed much to the fact that he plies his trade overseas. The Bayern Munich midfielder may not have excelled but he was far from being as poor as the BBC pundits suggested. Given editorial control, the contribution of any player can be devalued by a few suggestive replays. Having refused to acknowledge last week's match, Carrick is clearly the BBC's golden boy despite making twice as many mistakes in the opening half-hour against Belarus as Hargreaves committed on Wednesday.

143277[/snapback]

 

Hmmmmmmm, Hargreaves 'is' shit thou.

 

Carrick may well have made just as many mistakes but with the likes of Gerrard, Lampard & Beckham around him instead of Downing, Jenas & Lennon I'm sure the pressure won’t be there to take more or less full responsibility in midfield.

[Guest alex]

I dunno, Carrick was crap against Belarus, so I'd start with Heargreaves on Saturday, see what he can do. Did ok yesterday.

143247[/snapback]

You reckon? What did he do ok exactly?

[Shearergol 0]

I dunno, Carrick was crap against Belarus, so I'd start with Heargreaves on Saturday, see what he can do. Did ok yesterday.

143247[/snapback]

You reckon? What did he do ok exactly?

143299[/snapback]

 

Looked good in the warmup

[GafferTape 0]

I dunno, Carrick was crap against Belarus, so I'd start with Heargreaves on Saturday, see what he can do. Did ok yesterday.

143247[/snapback]

You reckon? What did he do ok exactly?

143299[/snapback]

 

See the post I posted after that. Ta.

[Dr Gloom 22188]

I dunno, Carrick was crap against Belarus, so I'd start with Heargreaves on Saturday, see what he can do. Did ok yesterday.

143247[/snapback]

You reckon? What did he do ok exactly?

143299[/snapback]

 

he did ok at giving the ball away cheaply

[Guest alex]

I dunno, Carrick was crap against Belarus, so I'd start with Heargreaves on Saturday, see what he can do. Did ok yesterday.

143247[/snapback]

You reckon? What did he do ok exactly?

143299[/snapback]

 

See the post I posted after that. Ta.

143309[/snapback]

I turned over straight afterwards so I never saw him getting 'crucified'. He was very ordinary in my view though and I was prepared to give him a chance in his favoured position. He failed to impress and gave the ball away far too cheaply and in dangerous positions. Luckily it was only a friendly against Hungary.