Who agrees?

[Dillinja]

Just wondering if anyone else here thinks it is time for Sven to call it a day. The more I think about the way that we played last night the more the tactics that he used infuriate me. He had our players running around like headless chickens, chasing the ball from player to player for 80-odd minutes, trying to hang onto a one goal lead. Yes, I know we were robbed, but even then, did we deserve it? The answer is no. Our tactics were fucked up, the players were knackered, you've just got to look at Vassell at the end of the game to see that, and he wasn't even on the pitch the whole time. Our players were worn down by Sven's dodgy defensive tactics, I'm surprised that they survived the whole 120 minutes, they were physically and mentally drained by the lack of posession and chances aswell, it was plain to see. Sven tends to pick a formation and a tactic and then base players around that. We need a manager who can pick our best players and then base the formation and tactics around their playstyle and their positions.

I think it's time for him to make way for some English blood with a more attacking management style. All that iceman stuff is all well and good but when it starts causing matches like the one witnessed last night you do begin to wonder.

 

[gunner440]

strachan :l

 

[Ch3tan]

No. Give him his due, he has turned the football team of this country into something to be proud of. Portugal were all over us for 60 minutes of that match -but that wasnt all down to tactics, the players just didnt play as hard as the portugese.

Also, who would you replace him with? No one better IMO, and as for attacking management style, Keegan isnt manager anymore for a reason.

 

[throdgrain]

I agree with Ch3tan. You must have someone to blame

 

[Turamber]

I like Sven, I like his cool and calm manner -- much (much) better than the Keegan approach. That said I'm not convinced he knows how to change a match with a substitution ... he also has his favourites and plays them no matter what.

The whole world and his wife could see that Beckham was doing nothing in the tournament (some statistics said he was England's 9th best passer statistically) but he was picked regardless. The same substitutes were brought on in each game, the same tactics used when we went ahead.

England need a coach to believe in them as much as they believe in the coach. Sure our brand of football may not, in Sven's eyes, be as good as continental football. But it's our natural game and surely we have to play to our strengths rather than simply cover our weaknesses?

I'm hoping that Sven will learn and grow in the role. Qualification for the next World Cup seems assured with our weak qualification group, so he has plenty of time to get things right. I just hope he uses it well.

In any case there are no alternative managers.

 

[SilverHood]

Lets be honest - an England side without Rooney and Scholes is just an average England side.

those 2 players have come off in all the games I've watched (didn't see Swiss game).

When those 2 players were off, the magic was gone, and England looked to be struggling. The game against Portugal was no different

 

[Shovel]

I've nothing against Sven really, whatever he does behind the scenes seems to have made a grand improvement to the team and I think I'd support him to carry on until the next world cup, the squad is pretty young and he seems to be going somewhere with it.

The thing that makes me doubt that, is his "defend a one goal lead" habit. It's not just Thursday night, but a regular tactic that he plays. It doesn't work. If he continues to believe that this is the way to play (it is, afterall a rather dull and less-than-entertaining way to play as well) then I think we've got a problem, and probably wont get any better.

Hopefully Rooney's regular spot in the squad will encourage a shift towards a more attacking style of play, and players will be picked on their ability to fit in with that. Maybe.

 

[Clown]

Lets be honest - an England side without Rooney and Scholes is just an average England side.

those 2 players have come off in all the games I've watched (didn't see Swiss game).

When those 2 players were off, the magic was gone, and England looked to be struggling. The game against Portugal was no different

Have you forgotten how Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell played against Portugal? Do you remember how Beckham was playing against Greece that time? People have bad days, teams have bad days. That's football. Football aint about changing manager all the time either
I don't like this trend that's becoming more and more common these days with all the manager swapping.

 

[mank!]

Someone deleted my reply I think. I originally replyed with "Replace him with who?"

There's no one else out there in England who would do a better job that would be willing to take the job. I'd like to see someone like Wenger take over but he's French, so there's no chance of it happening.

 

[GekuL]

I think he's done ok, and the players seem to be happy with him which is a bonus. Why must the manager be English though? Most of the top coaches in the premiership aren't.
About Beckham, he's the captain and does more than statistics can show. While he hasn't played well, it would alter the team if you took him out.

 

[gunner440]

shearer needs to come out of international retirement

he was the only guy that could score on crap days

 

[tRoG]

Ooh, he lost a match! Next manager please!

Pfft. Give the guy a chance. He isn't doing that badly.

 

[Dillinja]

3 matches. 2 in this tournament, both from dodgy tactics.

 

[mank!]

To be fair he's got an excellent record at a competitive level, three losses in 2 years to Brazil, France and Portugal respectively. I think we should give him until at least after the World Cup, we should qualify and if we don't make the semi's then I think it'd be time for a change.

 

[Dillinja]

Brazil was ten men though. The France side we lost to was mediocre for a team that is supposedly one of the best in the world. Plus the Portugal team was hardly brilliant, I think we would've won it if we didn't sit back and desperately hang onto a one goal lead for most of the match.

 

[Krazeh]

I don't think there's justification to replace him yet, altho I think his tactic of defending a one goal lead need to be seriously looked at

 

[Cask]

I blame Referoonaldo™ for the fuckup against Portugal. Dunno if a new manager would help, first thing I'd do is give them more practice with penalties (especially David James).

 

[Gurnox]

I don't think there's justification to replace him yet, altho I think his tactic of defending a one goal lead need to be seriously looked at

And he has to get over his fear of dropping/subbing popular players when they are playing badly. He also needs to rethink his strategy of shoe-horning people into the left of midfield who don't really belong there.

Other than that, he seems to have done pretty well IMHO. Have to agree with everyone else on here by saying that I have no idea who I'd replace him with. Perhaps, if we're just looking at english managers, Allardyce or Curbishly. Not sure they've got the depth of experience to cut it yet though.

Alex Ferguson for England manager