Clarke enjoyed having Elliott up front (1 Viewer)

Dan Griffin said:

We do still hoof it quite a bit TBQH, the edge is most guilty of this

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Don't get me started on the Edj...

SkyBlue_Taylor said:

The best teams in the world don't play 4-4-2 because it's an out-of-date formation, which is easily exploitable and doesn't promote the passing game most teams want to play - that's why, end of discussion.

The only 'big' nations who play 4-4-2 are England, and we aren't really in the Elite anymore, last time we reach a SF was 23 years ago :facepalm: says a lot really, or shall we ignore that!?

There were times yesterday, when, we had the ball out wide, and it looked like we wanted to go back inside, but the absence of the 'middle man' we had to keep it out wide...

AGAIN, WE HAVE LOST MORE GAMES AT HOME PLAYING 4-4-feckING-2 (hilarious Mike Bassett scene!) how many times will you ignore this!? :facepalm:

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Ah - nothing to do with the fact that English players aren't good enough? I will let the FA know that they can shut the newly opened national centre of excellence and just tell all league sides they must play system but 442, that would guarantee us the next world cup.

stupot07 said:

Ah - nothing to do with the fact that English players aren't good enough? I will let the FA know that they can shut the newly opened national centre of excellence and just tell all league sides they must play system but 442, that would guarantee us the next world cup.

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No, we're certainly better than QF and Round of 16, that's a given, we've been a 'backward' power in football for way too long, and I would absolutely put that down to us emphasising 4-4-2 and a more direct game, in 2010 Beckenbauer ripped into our style. Of the 'elite teams' we're a laughing stock. We've played the likes of Scholes and Gerrard on the wings, a crime against football. Until we play 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 and can actually pass a ball - then we'll be ready to challenge.

English football is slowly caving in on itself though - too many foreigners in our game, players and coaches, I'm not xenophobic, and I don't mean to come across as one, but enough is enough and if we can't sort it out without rules in place, we're going to have to put quotas in.

If 4-4-2 as a formation was banned, I'd be a very happy man! (Sarcastic somewhat, but I think you should get my point)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8740637.stm

England would benefit enormously if more of its players went abroad and expanded their game. Less scandalous media coverage and more well rounded footballers anyone?

Brighton Sky Blue said:

England would benefit enormously if more of its players went abroad and expanded their game. Less scandalous media coverage and more well rounded footballers anyone?

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Bang on Brighton.

Brighton Sky Blue said:

England would benefit enormously if more of its players went abroad and expanded their game. Less scandalous media coverage and more well rounded footballers anyone?

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On the money BSB.

Not on here, but to my mates I've said it shows how weak English players are because of the lack of foreign based players, I was faced with a hostile response!

Problem is, everyone here has their head up their arse 'we have he best league in the world' (which isn't true, we'll be 3rd soon) and are forgetting we are backwards as a nation, there're too many foreigners 'clogging' up the system, most teams, in fact, probably all of them, have more foreigners than English players, you know there's a chronic problem when teams like Wigan, Fulham and others have more foreign players than English players, because they arent that good! Look at Wickham, meant to be the next big thing, where is he now?! Reserves for Sunderland.

Doesn't help that mediocre English players sell for 20m...

Just a comparison, many people are hostile to the EU (for other reasons as well) because of 'freedom of movement', but, when it comes to football, we're all happy with out league when it's flooded with foreign players, we'll be picking our reserves and possibly subs from the lower leagues soon. We need direct intervention from the FA, but they won't do anything, they're dinosaurs, as are UEFA and FIFA.

It's what needs to happen for us to be competing at the top level. So many foreign players have experienced English football and learnt how to incorporate a physical side to their game with technique. But could you imagine Rooney ever moving to La Liga, or the likes of Wilshere heading to the Bundesliga? No chance, and until more of our top players bring this to their game we'll always be lagging behind.

Brighton Sky Blue said:

It's what needs to happen for us to be competing at the top level. So many foreign players have experienced English football and learnt how to incorporate a physical side to their game with technique. But could you imagine Rooney ever moving to La Liga, or the likes of Wilshere heading to the Bundesliga? No chance, and until more of our top players bring this to their game we'll always be lagging behind.

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That, and dropping 4-4-2, there's a reason the best teams have dropped it.

Oh, but they're all negative... :facepalm:

If Spain's team jumped off a cliff?