were you? Go watch the match and see who has the ball when he made 3 of the 4 tackles at the top of the Box? You will see it was Kaka. Gerrard also won the free Kick that scored the goal. So while Becks had an Assist and Terry a Goal then you must say that Gerrard had a great match. I was surprissed because MOM ussually goes to the story. Gerrard did cover the most ground make the fewest mistakes and the most tackles. Unfortunately Crouch was on the Bench next to Carrick.

I wasn't surprised Gerrard was MOM, that's probably as well as he's ever played for England (in my opinion) - he was very good, and tracked the runs of Kaka very well. to say he made the fewest mistakes is perhaps inaccurate, I think he gave away a few free kicks in shooting positions (that Ronaldinho went on to waste) apart from that though he was as good as anyone on the pitch.

what edged it towards Beckham for me was his range of passing, and the free kick for the goal. if that hadn't happened no one could argue that Gerrard was the best English player on the pitch.

I still stick by my view that, in the first half especially, England's defence and midfield were chasing shadows for a long time. the movement of the Brazilians bemused what we would call World Class players. if that was a World Cup Quarter Final Brazil would have gone for the jugular (or the juggler, maybe Joe Cole with his bag of 'tricks') and killed us off no problem - England are too flat-footed and static in movement.

I agree with most of what you say. Becks played his best game for England in the last 6 years that is for sure.

As for McClarren I think he has no clue. Crouch has got to play upfront. His record for England is amazing and should not go unnoticed. I think he may be upset that Crouch had surgery and missed England games so he would be fit for CL. McClarren certainly should have played him instead of Smith.

Lampard let's not forget the Lad had more shots than anyone in the entire World Cup and failed to hit the target on 90% of them. last time England played Well, Lampard was sat out with a hurt wrist which never kept him out of the Chelsea team. Gerrard spared Englands blushes on that occassion if I recall. Lampard is not working out for the England Team, and it is because no one is pushing him for his place. Gerrard and Lampard play the same possition so it should be one or the other, thats football. Last time England won anything it was the understudies that got it done.

im afraid i was surprised he got it although the tackle on kaka was right up there with the grea-*test*-('") tackles ever made

well, to be fair to the last England team that won anything - they weren't really understudies were they? apart from Geoff Hurst, and even he could barely be called an 'understudy' - he'd won a European trophy and an FA Cup with West Ham previous to the World Cup. the rest of the team pretty much picked itself - Gordon Banks, Jackie Charlton, Nobby Stiles, Bobby Moore, Bobby Charlton, Martin Peters, Ray Wilson, Roger Hunt - these were the premier footballers around. maybe Jimmy Greaves would have played if he'd been fit, maybe he wouldn't have... there were no real understudies there though.

I'm in agreement with you on the rest though, Lampard must go now but there's very little to excite as a replacement. we could get Michael Carrick, who is very adept at passing the ball sideways and backwards - or we can have Owen 'at least I had a good World Cup' Hargreaves. once you get passed that it's desperation territory with Jermaine Jenas, Joey Barton, Scott Parker fighting it out for the who's the worst central midfielder in English history award.

I still say Crouch's England goal-scoring record is skewered due to his 'heroics' against Jamaica. time will tell how well he'll do long term, he's worth his place in the squad though.

When Rooney is off suspension I would like to see this.

---------------------------Carson

Neville-------------Terry--------Carragher---------Cole

Becks------------Rooney----------Gerrard----------Cole
--------------------Owen---------Crouch

Well Hurst was surely not the first choice at the time.

Rooney's position is just off the striker, in the free space, not in central midfield. He can't play in that position, you might as well just stick him out on the left wing, he'll be as useful there!

Yes Gerrard would play the Holding Role and Rooney the attcking

------------------------------Gerrard
Beckham-----------------------------------------------------J Cole
-----------------------------Rooney
-----------------Crouch--------------------Owen

not first choice, no - Greaves was by far the best striker of that generation. I feel sorry for him that he got ill at the wrong time... but maybe England wouldn't have won if it wasn't for Hurst, who knows now?

when fowler first burst onto the scene many people compared him to greaves...

supreme goalscorers both of them...



KD

Fowler was the most gifted goal-scorer of his generation, a more natural finisher than Alan Shearer - the goals Fowler used to score were superb, a lot of the time with minimum backlift for the strike. quality...

I've said it before, the fact England allowed themselves to waste that talent is the biggest crying shame of the last 20 years for the national team - but no real surprise, I suppose.