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lovablemum
Joined: 02 Aug 2005
Posts: 4068
Location: Northants
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| Tell a Friend Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 1:25 pm Post subject: England V Austria |
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Sven-Goran Eriksson believes he has identified what went wrong in England’s recent performances and put it right in time for Saturday’s crucial World Cup qualifier against Austria.
England go into the match at Old Trafford re-focused, re-energised and with a new game plan after disappointing performances in recent matches.
Now Head Coach Eriksson has asked his players to leave behind memories of the 1-0 reverse in Belfast and be positive as they bid to reach the World Cup Finals. And he had a long meeting with the players to explain what is required.
He said: "Many times as a manager you don’t need to talk that much to the group especially when you are playing good football and everything is fine.
But of course when we have had three performances like the ones we have had I felt it was necessary to take a long discussion with them. In fact it was not a discussion, it was a monologue. Now I expect a big performance and I’m sure we will do it."
Sven and his coaching staff have analysed the team’s recent displays and opted for a 4-4-2 formation against Austria, and there could be other changes.
He said: "I think I know what went wrong in the last three games, but I will not discuss that publicly with anyone else. I think it’s something I and the players should talk about - I don’t think that should come out."
After much soul-searching the England Head Coach believes he has come up with a winning formula for the next two games and when asked if he had got to the root of the problem the answer was decisive.
"I believe so, very much so," he said. "But the answer to that is coming up very quickly now.
"When things are going wrong, as they did the last time, it’s not one thing, it’s a combination of things going wrong. But I talked to the players about one special thing more than others."
Big matches require big decisions and Sven has a tough call to make in defence tomorrow, with Sol Campbell fit again and ready to challenge Rio Ferdinand and John Terry. It means one of those highly-talented players will miss out.
Eriksson said: "I spoke to the three centre-halves on Wednesday, all three of them together, and told them that one of you will not be happy at the end of the week.
"I said I’m not prepared to change the system, we could play three centre-halves but I don’t think we are prepared for that. We are not used to playing that system and I think you need more than one week of practising to do that.
"So then you have to take a decision. The decision you take is on what you see on the pitch, what you see in the last game, in their clubs and whatever. You take all the information you can get to take a decision. But I am not going to tell you what it is now.
"Whoever is left out will be surprised because they think they should be on the pitch, all three of them. Maybe not together, they understand that, but no-one can expect he is going to sit on the bench. I understand that because we are talking about maybe the three best centre-backs in the world."
There could also be a change of penalty-taker after David Beckham, who has missed his last three spot-kicks for England, approached Eriksson and suggested Frank Lampard should take over the role.
Sven said: "It’s something Beckham took up with me two or three months ago when he came to me and said ‘Do you think I should take the penalties or let Frank take them’ The reason for that of course was he hadn’t taken a penalty since Euro 2004. I want to discuss it with the players before we go out there."
Beckham has been in tremendous form recently and Eriksson says if he does move the midfielder off penalties there is no suggestion it is because he is over-burdened by responsibility.
Sven said: "David is playing very well for Real Madrid in this moment. I think he’s played reasonable for England as well in the last game in a slightly different position. But responsibility for David Beckham, I think he likes to have that.
"I think he’s that kind of person who wants the challenge, he wants that. I was a little surprised when he came to me and talked about the penalties but I think that shows how he wants things for England, he wants the best solution in every way."
With so much hype surrounding the match, England and Beckham are certain to be fired up for the occasion at Old Trafford and determined to take three points. But Sven has also warned players and fans not to expect a walk-over.
He said: "I saw the game Austria played against Poland and I would say they were very unlucky. They didn’t play well first half but second half they played extremely good football and they should have won.
"They dominated everything in the last 30 minutes. So, if we think it’s going to be easy it will not be easy. They have nothing to lose. Whoever these days is playing England they want to win because it makes front pages, back pages all over the world."
Sven also wants to distance himself from suggestions that England must put on a super-show against Austria and then Poland to win over their critics, even though like every fan, he dreams of two wins full of exciting football.
He said: "I think the biggest show you can do is to take the six points and that is what we plan to do, to qualify, to win the group to be sure we don’t play a play-off game. That’s our first target.
"Of course I want to see the team playing good football and scoring a lot of goals but if we are talking about two extremely important qualification games then the aim is to go out and do the job. I’m confident we can do it." |
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~~debbydo~~
Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 20005
Location: Hertfordshire
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| Tell a Friend Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 3:28 pm Post subject: |
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| well i'm home for the second half and caught frankie boy taking the penalty and score .. :smt005 |
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lovablemum
Joined: 02 Aug 2005
Posts: 4068
Location: Northants
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| Tell a Friend Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 4:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Who is winning? |
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~~debbydo~~
Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 20005
Location: Hertfordshire
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| Tell a Friend Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 4:13 pm Post subject: |
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england 1-0
david backham has a red card and is sent off
england are playing with ten men .. :smt011 |
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~~debbydo~~
Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 20005
Location: Hertfordshire
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| Tell a Friend Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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| micheal owen has come off and my hero steven gerrad is now captian .. :-D |
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reddevilleanne
Joined: 20 Oct 2004
Posts: 13228
Location: Nottingham
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| Tell a Friend Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 5:51 pm Post subject: |
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| All I'm gonna say is the Wales match was much better to watch! |
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~~debbydo~~
Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 20005
Location: Hertfordshire
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| Tell a Friend Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 5:52 pm Post subject: |
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| good on ya leanne ..i thought it was crap too |
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reddevilleanne
Joined: 20 Oct 2004
Posts: 13228
Location: Nottingham
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| Tell a Friend Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 6:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Woah there! I never said it was crap! :o Gotta admit though.. it kinda was.. :lol: |
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~~debbydo~~
Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 20005
Location: Hertfordshire
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| Tell a Friend Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 6:07 pm Post subject: |
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| i'm saying its crap leanne :smt011 |
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reddevilleanne
Joined: 20 Oct 2004
Posts: 13228
Location: Nottingham
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| Tell a Friend Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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| It's crap Leanne?! Wtf?! :? :lol: |
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~~debbydo~~
Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 20005
Location: Hertfordshire
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| Tell a Friend Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 6:18 pm Post subject: |
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| the only best player is my hero steven gerrard .. :-D |
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lovablemum
Joined: 02 Aug 2005
Posts: 4068
Location: Northants
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| Tell a Friend Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 6:27 pm Post subject: |
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| What was the scores ladies? |
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reddevilleanne
Joined: 20 Oct 2004
Posts: 13228
Location: Nottingham
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| Tell a Friend Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 6:35 pm Post subject: |
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| 1-0 |
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lovablemum
Joined: 02 Aug 2005
Posts: 4068
Location: Northants
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| Tell a Friend Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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| What about the Wales V Northern Ireland? |
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reddevilleanne
Joined: 20 Oct 2004
Posts: 13228
Location: Nottingham
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| Tell a Friend Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 6:39 pm Post subject: |
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| 3-2 to Wales! Yay! :D |
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