Face Of Cheam

Given how out of date I am normally, thought there's no harm in adding my sixpence to the World Cup and Englands performance. As expected (well by me anyway) European sides dominated and alas we were not one of them. I wouldn't criticise Sven for the squad except maybe Andy Johnson should have gone stead of Jenas. When it was announced I thought at last he's realised Defoe is a selfish little player who is not really premiership level. Theo was a superlative inclusion but Svenns folly was not to play him. As always with England, we are terrible in the group stage. Normally though we improve and Erikssons failure was to give into the media and switch to one up front. 'ooh' the papers said, 'fat frank isn't playing well and can't play with Gerrard. Let's put a holding player in so both attacking midifielders can play'. What they didn't say is let's leave an irratible young thug up front on his own where he will have no support. Rooney, Gerrard and Lampard are three of the world's best players but the latter was off form, and you have to play to Rooneys strentghs which are playing off someone and dropping deap. Had agsint Portugal, Sven had the guts to drop Lampard (tired, too many pies) and play Crouch alongside Rooney we would have won and been a game from the final. Why was Sven reluctant to bring Theo on in any game. Once we went one up against Trinidad or 2-1 up against Sweden when we already qualified, a few minutes would not have hurt. Even Ecuador there may have been an opportunity, he's a forward so unlikely to give away a penalty or do a stupid back pass. I am also sure he would have made a decent impact if given the chance. As for bringing Carragher on for him to take a penalty, perhaps he should have put Le Tissier in the squad for the same reason!
As to McLaren people envisage more of the same. It may well be, but having got to the quarter final this time (which we tend to do anyway) and losing on penalties, it shows being manager is mainly luck and anyone could do it achieving similar results.