World Cup qual. - Parker: Capello's midfield blunder

Eurosport - Fri, 10 Oct 13:37:00 2008

Former England defender Paul Parker does not think Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard should both play Saturday's World Cup qualifier.

2007 England Frank Lampard Steven Gerrard another fine mess - 0

"It is depressing to hear that Fabio Capello is probably going to play both Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in central midfield against Kazakhstan.

As far as I'm concerned, it has to be one or the other. They have played together so many times and it just hasn't happened.

Playing well for your club doesn't mean you will play well for your country, and they just can't seem to get the best out of each other.

It seems that successive England managers simply haven't been able to resist the lure of picking the big-name midfielders; Gerrard, Lampard and David Beckham.

Capello's side played so well in Croatia without the injured Gerrard - why would you drop Gareth Barry, who gives the England midfield so much more balance?

I think the best thing for players' and fans' confidence is to stick with what has worked well rather than tinkering and putting yourself under pressure.

Players like it when the team is settled - more so if they are in the team, obviously! - and they can play a few matches in the same system.

Continuity is a tremendous asset, and when the team are coming off a great performance the manager can afford to keep faith with his players.

I am a huge fan of Gerrard and would normally favour him ahead of Lampard, but on the back of the Croatia result the best thing would be to leave him on the bench.

As I said, it should always be Gerrard or Lampard, not Gerrard and Lampard.

What kind of a message does it send to Barry if he plays brilliantly and then immediately gets axed? It will dishearten him and make him think he can never establish himself.

I would also keep Theo Walcott in after his hat-trick in Zagreb. It is important not to put too much pressure on him, but he is so quick and is one of the few England players that can get in behind defenders.

I don't see Michael Owen's absence as a big factor. He can still contribute and might have been worth a place on the bench, but he doesn't have the electric pace of old.

Compare the work rate and all-around contribution of Emile Heskey with Owen - there's no contest. And with Peter Crouch back in the squad we have a good option in reserve who offers something different.

Heskey has a remarkable ability to help his strike partner flourish - Wayne Rooney looked better against Croatia than he has for years in an England shirt.

I don't think it's any coincidence that he was playing in a front two alongside Heskey.

We might not know much about Kazakhstan, but they will be no pushovers.

They conceded a respectable 21 goals from 14 games in Euro 2008, so we shouldn't expect them to be a San Marino.

They will sit back and make England beat them, and will be delighted to take a 0-0 draw home.

Nevertheless, I think that if England, with their new-found confidence, can make an early breakthrough, they should win comfortably.

My prediction is a 3-0 win at Wembley, with Capello's side able to travel to Belarus in good heart."

Paul Parker was talking to Alex Chick / Eurosport

Comment 66 - 85 of 85

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  1. Best way to resolve this opportunity is to have Lumpy and st Steve start on the bench and put Gareth Barry on to start if it goes pear shaped bring in the cavalry :-)

    From art_tidesco, on Tue 14 Oct 12:17PM

  2. perhaps Capello can make it work - you cannot blame him for trying. We can probably experiment a little and still get through the group. Who knows. Issue here is that there are some good midfielders around. I just do not buy the idea that these 2 are so far ahead of the rest that we have to mess around with a workable system to fit them in. Neither is Pele or Maradonna. just v. good players. Gerrard is definitely ahead. more of a fighter, greater skill and a more rounded game. Italy had to chose between Zola and Del Piero, Brazil would probably have liked to field 4 strikers at times. Linekar always worked better with Beardsley and Shearer with Sheringham. It is a team game. Gascoigne and Platt (both attacking midfielders) managed to make it work in Italia 90. Bizarre that Capello picks Heskey (not the best in the world) presumably due to his ability to get the best out of Rooney. Why not use the same logic in midfield? Clearly in front of Barry, Hargreaves etc, Gerard would play better. lamps in reserve

    From m.git09, on Tue 14 Oct 11:37AM

  3. Simple solution. Let Lampard have the bench while Gerard starts. Lampard only plays well when the team is doing good. Can never win you a game single handedly. Gerard!!! Count on him when the going gets tough. Get rid of OVERATED LAMPARD

    From adewaleadediran2005, on Sun 12 Oct 11:55AM

  4. this is saturday oct.11 england won 5-1,Parker what do you have to say now! Just bug-off Parker!!!!!!Hail the ITALIAN GENERAL........

    From dante, on Sun 12 Oct 1:37AM

  5. both gerrard & lampard are great players, but both play the same position, so one of them as to go on the bench. if cappello plays both of them, we might as well have stuck with ericson, cos nothing would have changed? although these two games we should win easily but will probably make hard work of it. i dont want to be be disrespectful to kazicstan but what the premier based players earn a week compared to their players is astronomical! so they should go out and leather them.

    From ripped of, on Sat 11 Oct 10:18AM

  6. love to see gerrard take a long shoot..haha

    From mean_maroon, on Sat 11 Oct 8:49AM

  7. I think both lamps and G possible play together, very possible !! Lamps become defensive/holding mid and G for breaker or trequista (behind) two or one striker. But if this strategy didnt work well, just exchange their position.
    England's main problems not in both players position while playing together, but mental of it's squad. Need more time to improve england's babe champion mentality. Glory glory three lions !!!

    From angga, on Sat 11 Oct 7:52AM

  8. PaulParker and ART T PISS OFF.

    From joecolecfc@..., on Sat 11 Oct 7:46AM

  9. adam johnson can play left side..

    From mean_maroon, on Sat 11 Oct 7:39AM

  10. i think england should choose the players who are in form rather than big names.
    Defoe in on song he should get a chance.
    Walcott i think is the main man.

    From shizzelez, on Sat 11 Oct 1:17AM

  11. How about having all three with barry and lampard side by side in a deeper role like the one against croatia. And put walcott on the right. heskey up top with gerrard and rooney exchanging between the left and supporting heskey. BUT you give lampard the duty of pulling the strings while gerrard can roam freely and receiving the ball instead of delivering it. However, i thinks when joe cole returns, it has to be a 4-4-2 with one of gerrard lampard and barry missing out.
    Here's a question: Do you think England is good enough on the left? I mean we've got plenty of options the right with walcott, beckham, SWR, and bentley. But what about the left? Joe Cole is not a winger he comes inside a lot and he's right footed. Downing is not the answer. Ashley Young could be good but again do u think we need a pure left sided winger with a genuine left foot?

    From etu, on Fri 10 Oct 10:16PM

  12. This story is ongoing, when will it stop? If everyone can remember, STEVIE and FRANK have been playing for England for a long time, and yet, THEY DID NOT MAKE IT TO THE EURO). Why you ask, because they are 2 **STARS** and they both ALWAYS want the ball. Anyway, Capello knows best, he sees the players day in day out. Everybody out there saying that they know better are lying; Otherwise, why are they just sitting at home e-mailing this article when they could be guiding England to WORLD CUP GLORY? Think about that.

    From pimpmunguia1984, on Fri 10 Oct 8:51PM

  13. wait and see tomorrow because Peter Crouch will score..hahaha

    From mean_maroon, on Fri 10 Oct 8:39PM

  14. don't like it, Shin, and here's why... who's your lone striker? you mention Rooney, but the Roon plays his absolute worst by himself, you need a 2 strike system if you are going to play Rooney (which I assume you must). Crouch could play the lone role, but Heskey can't either. And lets face it, Rooney will not start on the bench unless he's hurt. Its the same old problem with lamps and stevie G: they play identical roles. you can't have them both on the pitch without problems. you can't have two field generals and expect it to work. If there were 2 match balls on the field, sure. I say rotate them so you keep them both healthy.

    From shoo, on Fri 10 Oct 7:46PM

  15. Use both of them. Lamps will do a good job in the midfield holding roll, whilst Gerrard is better at going forward and opening up the oppositions defence

    From Suzy, on Fri 10 Oct 5:29PM

  16. parker get a job and leave reporting to clark kent.

    From nevilltate, on Fri 10 Oct 5:02PM

  17. don't you guys GET IT!Parker has to write his bloody columm. That's is JOB! Let's critisise or hail Capello after the game.........

    From dante, on Fri 10 Oct 3:53PM

  18. don't you guys GET IT!Parker has to write his bloody columm. That's is JOB! Let's critisise or hail Capello after the game.........

    From dante, on Fri 10 Oct 3:51PM

  19. It is so pretty obvious that the two cannot play together, its the best team that wins not the best individual midfield player, look at Greece in the Euros not a name of the stature of Lamps or Gers among them. Look how much better Arsenal played when they got rid of Henri, the other players were just giving him the ball and not taking creative responsibility themselves, when they did they all started scoring to their potential. Gerrard now has that aura, captain fantastic, well I want team fantastic, and I agree totally - leave Gerrard on the bench unless Lampard gets injured or in the future loses form. Same for Crouch - if hes on the pitch everybody punts long balls at him even tho most of hte time they shouldnt, a complete waste of possession when we've some good passers along the ground. Heskey doesnt attract the long ball quite so much. Before Croatia I would have said Gerrard before lampard, now the other way.

    From fitgames@..., on Fri 10 Oct 3:44PM

  20. john g., you are 100% correct...lampard must lay back when gerrard advances...simple!!!!!!

    From Matt, on Fri 10 Oct 2:59PM
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