what’s that four on the trot.
With the 3-0 victory making it the fourth last night you’d think I’d have something nice to say about the team and the manager but then it wouldn’t be Toxic would it.
Yes it was a good victory and the last week has shown what can be done when as people have been saying all along you pick the right players not just the big name players. But McClown is still picking the name players and what are the chances that in the next game that if those big names missing this time round are back in the team when not injured?
Those big names that still get picked were the weak link last night, Gerrard went MIA again and as on Saturday totally overshadowed by the excellent Gareth Barry who ran the midfield and yet again McClown couldn’t bring himself to praise Barry after the game. The last week we’ve all heard the ginga grinning twat wank on about Stevie G but when asked about Barry oh he doesn’t like to pick out individuals. Funny when the Beeb were doing their own Gerrard fluff piece before the game they showed a few of his passes against Israel, well the beginning of the passes they cut of the footage before the ball reached it’s destination, I was going to write target but then that would say he was targeting Israeli players and nowhere in particular. It’s time people when talking about Gerrard as an England player forget what he does for his club, the two are totally different, one he turns up and inspires the other he certainly doesn’t.
Barry should also have given a final tap on the nails securing the coffin of Beckham’s international career, Wright-Phillips has driven them in with his wing play over the two games, though not as good last night as he was at the weekend. Barry’s set piece work showed there’s no need for the show donkey, his corners, free kicks along with crosses were more dangerous than the vast majority of chances Beckham insisted on wasting. You could just see the scene in the Hollywood chav palace last night as Beckham sat there watching the game and blubbing as he did at the end of Euro 04 and the last World Cup, not for the team but for himself and his 100 caps.
Cashely Cole played his usual game, ponce around in defence, giving the opposing player all the space and time he wants, being very lucky not to give away penalties and goals. He tries to play football when he’s not that good at it under pressure. Then there’s going forward and the usual Cashley technique run for a bit with the ball, stop for no reason, start to panic, come inside and get his body in such a position that he can only kick it with his right foot which is never going to happen or pass it back with his left play someone else into trouble and stifle another attack.
His main competitor for most frustrating player was his namesake on the left, Joe, who like Cashely likes to stop for no reason and slow down a flowing attack, who when in good areas of the park likes to play the fancy, tricky ball than the simple pass. Why when a striker is free on the edge of the box and could be reached with a nice simple pass would you try to back-heel through the legs of three defenders? He also could do more to track back with the weak link behind him. It’s no coincidence that Hiddink’s substitution just before half time brought on a player to target the England left.
Ferdinand was the other big name weak link that McClown won’t drop, he’s threatened but you know he won’t. He flounced around giving away possession, letting Russians get past him and giving allowing them good chances, he and Terry were lucky that Barry was there to save them on a number of occasions. Yes Rio you play centre half for England and you have for West Ham but they are the only things you have in common with Bobby Moore.
And all of a sudden McClown is a good manager, well he did his Mr. Mogadon act at half time, his substitution were inept – what was the point of Downing coming on when you could try Ashley Young? – he had the team forced on him because the usual suspects were unavailable, do you really want Lumpalard, Beckham, Neville back in the first XI? I bet he does
Just think what a good manager could achieve with these lot if he dropped the likes of Gerrard, the Coles and Ferdinand.