B-Mac wrote:Uruguay have shit midfield and shit defense, people just hyping the Suarez cavani factor, and Uruguay were pretty crap in qualifying as well, even without having to play Brazil

No one is hyping Uruguay especially not on this forum lol

If Uruguay are going to qualify Suarez is going to need help.

As good as he is he's not a one man band, when he was a one man band Liverpool couldn't even get top 6.... it was when he got help it all changed.

Really don't see them qualifying, the rest of the team has nose dived since Copa America win and he can't do it by himself.... unless of course England and Italy perform below expectations which is always possible.

Uruguay defense is actually decent, not shit. Godin was one of the best defenders in Europe this past season. As long as Lugano doesn't get anywhere near the line up they should be alright.

Caceres and Maxi Perreira are warriors at fullbacks. They do their job on both ends of the pitch and never give up. Muslera is a very decent goalkeeper. They just need to get a decent guy next Godin in defense. Coates should've been it if he wasn't injured for a year. 19 year old Jose Maria Gimenez is very highly rated, although I've no idea how good he is. Maybe even Caceres next to Godin and Fucile at fullback.


Their midfield is super shit though

England and Italy to qualify but I hope Uruguay go through somehow at Italy's expense. That's just wishful thinking.

Lot of people underestimating England's midfield. It guess it will also go down to the formations as well. They should have kept Barry instead of Lampard imo.

Our midfield should be very good depending on the set up.... very lightweight though.... Gerrard is the only one who could be called a DM lol.

Can Henderson play DM? Also, isnt Phil Jones familiar with that position?

Uruguay are utter garbage, they wouldn't even qualify for the WC if we had to play qualifiers.If Suarez doesn't play, England are already on the round of 16

Gerrard is definitely going to be the DM, there's no point in debating that. What he needs are two very very hard working agile runners ahead of him in the channels one of whom can be creative. So Hendo/Wilshere/Lallana. Possibly Ox/Milner.

Lampard shouldn't get any sort of game time. Zilch. Barkley only as a sub late on or if you're losing and Wilshere/Lallana aren't providing enough spark.

Also Welbeck shouldn't ever step on the pitch unless Wazza or Studger are being lazy. The wide player or players would have to work the hardest. This is a must. Have to help the fullbacks.

Also you should hope Johnson picks up an injury that rules him out of the world cup other wise, everything I've just said will be moot if he's playing

according to ovacion, Suarez will lose Uruguay's first 2 games, vs Costa Rica and England

McAgger wrote:Gerrard is definitely going to be the DM, there's no point in debating that. What he needs are two very very hard working agile runners ahead of him in the channels one of whom can be creative. So Hendo/Wilshere/Lallana. Possibly Ox/Milner.

Lampard shouldn't get any sort of game time. Zilch. Barkley only as a sub late on or if you're losing and Wilshere/Lallana aren't providing enough spark.

Also Welbeck shouldn't ever step on the pitch unless Wazza or Studger are being lazy. The wide player or players would have to work the hardest. This is a must. Have to help the fullbacks.

Also you should hope Johnson picks up an injury that rules him out of the world cup other wise, everything I've just said will be moot if he's playing  

Barkley will be a substitute, however do you think that maybe if he makes a big impact as a sub (something he is capable of doing considering his play style) he'll force his way into the starting eleven?

Barkley is not so good defensively. Also he's not positionally as aware as, say, Lallana or Henderson, or even Milner.

He's a very good dribbler with great technical ability which is why a substitute impact role is probably best for him at this stage.

Even if he does amazingly great coming off the bench in a 20 minute cameo, I wouldn't start him (not to say Woy wouldn't). The progression of the game play is very different. His positional sense will be put to question from the start up to around 60 minutish or so. Whereas if he came off the bench at around 70th minute mark his job will be completely different. As a sub, he'll mainly have to provide a spark if his team is behind, or use his technical ability to retain possession etc. If he starts, he'll have to do so much more. So much more that his game just doesn't provide yet.

Arsenalfaithfull wrote:Lot of people underestimating England's midfield. It  guess it will also go down to  the formations as well. They should have kept Barry instead of Lampard imo.

Nobody is saying Englands midfield is shit, but a trio of Pirlo DDR and Marchisio is just plain better.

Two of of those three are senior citizens and the other is probably not as good as people think he is though.

Age

Yeah because Englands midfield is clearly twice as good because of young guns like Stevie G

Italy won't be able to handle the pace, skill & power of Sterling, Sturridge, Lallana, Henderson, Barkley and Wilshere if Woy plays his cards right and grew balls.

If he plays Rooney at AM again and allows Pirlo to dictate the game like he did in the Euros I'll lose my shit.

I have a bet in betting thread England won't lose a group game, fairly confident they will draw Italy at worst and win the others

Tom an english who supports Italy ( if I remember well )

Historically we  always tend to suffer the group stages  (but playing well the knock out stages ) but I tihnk we would get first place , althought it   will be not surely easy and  it wouldn't be a scandal if we finish  as second. infact I respect much England , wrongly denigrated. Not much worried about Uruguay instead.
No one rates Costa Rica  I dont know if it ' s the typical NT who concludes with 0 points.

urbaNRoots wrote:England and Italy to qualify but I hope Uruguay go through somehow at Italy's expense. That's just wishful thinking.

why? the Albanians are the most  numerous foreign community in Italy

I do it for my Grandpapa ffs

Englands midfield in theory is weak, I'm not sure why so many on GL are so impressed frankly. Its obviously not a bad midfield but its hardly anything to boast about..

- Wilshere has been off-form for the majority of the season and is making too many poor decisions in - a familiar problem for englands midfield at world cups.
- Lallana although brilliant this season is A) Unproven on the international stage B) Very little exposure to football outside of the UK.
- Stevie G, our strongest at the moment, will also probably attempt a number of 80 yard balls to waz, 20% of which will succeed.
- Henderson - Good season but only new to the international stage.
- Sterling - Untested and inexperienced
- Barkley - Untested and inexperienced
- Ox - Another issue with inexperience.
- Lampard - Arguably shouldnt be there.

Gerrard makes 9/10 of his hollywood balls, gtfo with 20%.

yes this is the reason why I think Italy willl finish as 1st. I respect England as values, it can be also preferred to Italy on paper , but it's a project of NT  unlike of Italy who is a tried team after Euro and Confederations.
And infact I'd play with same midfield of Euro , De Rossi-Pirlo-Marchisio.Well , the first 2 are obvious ( I would have even elected De Rossi as captain , my fav player in this NT ..)  but there is a general debate on third. Marchisio was a back up in Juve this year because Pogba became the starter, while Motta played an excellent season to PSG.
I am a Thiago Motta fan , most underrated player in Inter treble 2010, but I think Marchisio must be the starter . Motta-Pirlo together offers much quality but it static partnership, while the dynamism and ability to insert between spaces by Marchisio is essential and he would make more complete the midfield

Don't get what some England fans are saying about Italy's midfield. Italy surely has one of the best midfields in the world of international football. Spain is obviously superior and Germany is better but I can't think of anyone else that's clearly better than Italy in this regard.

Either way with Prandelli I don't see them going far.

Arsenalfaithfull wrote:Can Henderson play DM? Also, isnt Phil Jones familiar with that position?

No Henderson cant.

England v Italy - GL will explode

I feel like this tournament will suit Italy. If we can scrap a draw against them in Manaus I will be happy.

You are right, Italy have almost your perfect midfield of 3.. I hear what you are saying Robe, I feel like Marchisio offers that balance in the midfield. Motta is certainly a healthy option for defending a lead.
You also have Montolivo on the bench. Great midfield.

Got to say their form leaves much to be desired though. Might tune in for the Ireland game in a few days.