http://cvilleworldcup.com IT'S FOOTBALL NOT SOCCER ;) Sun, 21 Nov 2010 19:34:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/so-thats-it-then/ http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/so-thats-it-then/#comments Sat, 17 Jul 2010 12:39:18 +0000 Charlie http://cvilleworldcup.com/?p=8635 The end of another World Cup and dissapointment as per usual from the England camp and lot’s of shockingly bad displays overall from the FIFA Officials in most of the games. Was proud to see the US team do so well and for the fans to give so much effort and enthusiasm, however it will be [...]]]> http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/so-thats-it-then/feed/ 0 http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/england-climb-to-seventh-in-world-rankings/ http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/england-climb-to-seventh-in-world-rankings/#comments Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:55:18 +0000 Charlie http://cvilleworldcup.com/?p=8489 England have risen a place in the FIFA world rankings despite their woeful showing in the World Cup finals in South Africa...]]> http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/england-climb-to-seventh-in-world-rankings/feed/ 1 http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/five-steps-forward-for-england-part-five%e2%80%a6of-five-2/ http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/five-steps-forward-for-england-part-five%e2%80%a6of-five-2/#comments Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:52:43 +0000 Charlie http://cvilleworldcup.com/?p=8918 How can we get success like this? Tradition dictates that all value judgements made before an England World Cup exit be immediately reformed in the weeks and days that elapse following it. The regularity of the clamber has undoubtedly dampened its effect over the years and, as such, scepticism about the extent to which anything [...]]]> http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/five-steps-forward-for-england-part-five%e2%80%a6of-five-2/feed/ 2 http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/england-in-the-final/ http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/england-in-the-final/#comments Thu, 08 Jul 2010 22:45:47 +0000 Charlie http://cvilleworldcup.com/?p=7979 England's Howard Webb will be the referee for the World Cup final...]]> http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/england-in-the-final/feed/ 2 http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/five-steps-forward-for-england-part-four%e2%80%a6of-five/ http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/five-steps-forward-for-england-part-four%e2%80%a6of-five/#comments Thu, 08 Jul 2010 22:37:57 +0000 Charlie http://cvilleworldcup.com/?p=7973 How can we get success like this? Tradition dictates that all value judgements made before an England World Cup exit be immediately reformed in the weeks and days that elapse following it. The regularity of the clamber has undoubtedly dampened its effect over the years and, as such, scepticism about the extent to which anything England will change after the latest knockout is justifiable: therefore for suggestions to be anything but fantastical they’re going to have to be minimal. Here are five that fit the bill (over the course of five posts): 4.) Try five men in midfield – and make sure you do it early No formation is innately good or bad. Once this is established a fixation with 4-5-1 begins to appear as out-dated as 4-4-2 did against Germany, yet placing five men in England’s midfield is certainly justifiable. Put simply: we have the personnel likely to fill the roles. English players, largely, remain technically less proficient than many of their rivals. Switching formation doesn’t change that, but playing with five midfielders is conducive to holding possession and could therefore go at least some way towards negating the technical deficiency shown by the England team in South Africa. The case for five in midfield is solidified by the movement of others: Spain, Germany and Holland all carry three men in the middle. 4-5-1 or similar regularly trumps 4-4-2 Will Capello make the change? England’s manager moved from pragmatist to stubborn old fool in the eyes of the English public, but in reality he has not changed his willingness to change, when necessary. His last Real Madrid side operated using several different formations before he found that which would win him another La Liga title, thereby offering hope that he will initiate a shift to five in midfield if  he sees it paying dividends in the coming months of qualifying.   Should he have changed things earlier? In a show of solidarity which proved that English fans will unite behind any cause when things begin to go wrong, 4-5-1 – a former nemesis – became the saviour of English football following two disappointing friendly victories in late May. Only Capello dissented.  And he was right to – again. Beyond its provision of another subsection of the ‘what if clause', discussion over alterations to the fabric of English football mid-way-through a World Cup campaign meant little. Tactical changes, like young players, require a bedding-in period if they are to be anything but a brief and wasted excursion into footballing failure. Capello, as the World Cup loomed large and the form of potential lone-striker Wayne Rooney dipped alarmingly, had no real choice but to stick with the old ‘two up top' and two banks of four.  That situation can be avoided next time if alternative systems are tried early. In his first two years in charge Capello, understandably given the success he had with his original effort, stuck rigidly to 4-4-2, but at the World Cup, where games and draws change quickly, this proved limiting in the extreme. * Please try the links – they take ages to find and usually (except for the odd self-indulgent one) enhance the ideas put forward ]]> http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/five-steps-forward-for-england-part-four%e2%80%a6of-five/feed/ 0 http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/carles-puyol-and-howard-marks/ http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/carles-puyol-and-howard-marks/#comments Thu, 08 Jul 2010 11:53:33 +0000 Charlie http://cvilleworldcup.com/?p=7949 Need I say more ?]]> http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/carles-puyol-and-howard-marks/feed/ 0 http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/five-steps-forward-for-england-part-three%e2%80%a6of-five/ http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/five-steps-forward-for-england-part-three%e2%80%a6of-five/#comments Thu, 08 Jul 2010 11:50:21 +0000 Charlie http://cvilleworldcup.com/?p=6662 How can we get success like this? Tradition dictates that all value judgements made before an England World Cup exit be immediately reformed in the weeks and days that elapse following it. The regularity of the clamber has undoubtedly dampened its effect over the years and, as such, scepticism about the extent to which anything England will change after the latest knockout is justifiable: therefore for suggestions to be anything but fantastical they’re going to have to be minimal. Here are five that fit the bill (over the course of five posts): 3.) Do try out some young players over the next couple of years Seemingly in spite of FA policy, England’s Under-21 team reached the final of their European Championships last year and the Under-17s won their equivalent of the same tournament earlier in the summer. These players are worthy of consideration on their own merit, but with a longer-term vision in mind, thrusting them into the team early could create an unrivalled consistency of squad selection in which a team can grow organically. Nevertheless, integration of the new guard will, rightly, progress slowly under Fabio Capello, a conservative coach not known for his development of young players. The old guard continue to offer experience and expertise that, if not worth anything in terms of winning World Cups directly, can at least be passed on to the likes of Jack Wilshere and Joe Hart.       A new generation is ready, but it must be nurtured with care.     Here are a few of them (33 ’23s and under’):  Goalkeepers: Scott Loach (Watford), Joe Hart (Man City); Defenders: Micah Richards (Man City), Nathaniel Clyne (Crystal Palace), Kyle Naughton (Tottenham Hotspur), Chris Smalling (Man Utd), Phil Jones (Blackburn Rovers), Michael Mancienne (Chelsea), James Tomkins (West Ham), Nedum Onouha (Man City), Ryan Shawcross (Stoke City), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur); Midfielders: Fabian Delph (Aston Villa), Jack Rodwell (Everton), Lee Cattermole (Sunderland), Jordan Henderson (Sunderland), Mark Noble (West Ham), Junior Stanislas (West Ham), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal), Adam Johnson (Man City), Victor Moses (Wigan Athletic); Strikers:  Nathan Delfouneso (Aston Villa), Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa), Connor Wickham (Ipswich Town), James Vaughan (Everton), Fraizer Campbell (Sunderland), Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea), Danny Welbeck (Man Utd), Zavon Hines (West Ham), Andy Carroll (Newcastle) *Please try the links – they take ages to find and usually (except for the odd self-indulgent one) enhance the ideas put forward ]]> http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/five-steps-forward-for-england-part-three%e2%80%a6of-five/feed/ 0 http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/five-steps-forward-for-england-part-two%e2%80%a6of-five/ http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/five-steps-forward-for-england-part-two%e2%80%a6of-five/#comments Wed, 07 Jul 2010 11:49:20 +0000 Charlie http://cvilleworldcup.com/?p=6633 How can we get success like this? Tradition dictates that all value judgements made before an England World Cup exit be immediately reformed in the weeks and days that elapse following it. The regularity of the clamber has undoubtedly dampened its effect over the years and, as such, scepticism about the extent to which anything England will change after the latest knockout is justifiable: therefore for suggestions to be anything but fantastical they’re going to have to be minimal. Here are five that fit the bill (over the course of five posts): 2.) Offer incentives for English clubs to provide players for the national team The impression that England have been unlucky in international tournaments is comforting, though ultimately illusionary. Injuries to Rio Ferdinand and Owen Hargreaves this time out added to a linesman’s decision to perpetuate the myth, but poor decisions and injuries afflict all teams to an (almost) equal degree, only their impact varies. The Three Lions remain vulnerable to injuries because England, the country, does not produce enough top-class players. Germany’s manager, Joachim Low, was able to bring Sami Khedira into his team for South Africa when his captain, Michael Ballack, sustained an injury whilst playing for Chelsea; Fabio Capello was eventually forced to bring in hapless Matthew Upson for his captain. One injury usually costs us , it does not cost them . How can the talent pool be increased? The general secretary of the German Football Association, Wolfgang Niersbach, points to their investment of “an annual €20m £16.5m earmarked for talent promotion in the widest sense of the word. At grassroots level, a nationwide network of 366 training centres has been set up, mostly using the infrastructure of local clubs with above-average facilities, where 14,000 youngsters aged 11-14 receive extra tuition by way of a weekly two-hour training session imparted by a DFB-appointed coach. This is in addition to the training they do with their respective clubs”.  Relatively insubstantial figures – around that paid to Fabio Capello over the course of his proposed four year tenure - can reliably and efficiently generate talent if targeted correctly. Yet root-and-branch reform remains difficult to imagine with the same people who invested over a billion pounds into Wembley stadium still in charge of the FA. Instead, reform may have to be led by clubs. Premier League chairmen have fought off various threats to their sovereignty – FIFA’s 6+5 rule was  quietly abandoned  around the beginning of the World Cup - ensuring that it remains their prerogative whether or - usually - not to bring young English players through their academies. They have at least agreed new rules on the number of “home-grown” players in their squads as an indication of willingness to preserve some kind of link to the fundamental aims of their national association, yet the commitment remains shallow and for progress to be made  it appears frustratingly inevitable that incentives must be put in place. This could involve grants for clubs that supply England internationals and the transferal of the burden that is insurance liability whilst on international duty to the FA. It must also involve an improved dialogue between the clubs and those in charge of the national team – concessions on friendly appearances may have to form a part of that dialogue. There is no  stick (how we wish there was) ,  so the carrot will have to do - clubs will have to have it all their own way again. * Please try the links – they take ages to find and usually (except for the odd self-indulgent one) enhance the ideas put forward ]]> http://cvilleworldcup.com/world-cup-news-england/five-steps-forward-for-england-part-two%e2%80%a6of-five/feed/ 0