Alan Pardew: Why we have to drop Lampard and bring in Carric

cockney hammer · Post by **cockney hammer** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 2:54 am

Alan Pardew: Why we have to drop Lampard and bring in Carrick
England had gone stale and the substitutions certainly brought freshness
Published: 17 June 2006
Sometimes you have to make a big call. A difficult call. And maybe it's time that England gave Frank Lampard, who's a great player, a little rest. Before the tournament started, I said I had no worries over him and Steven Gerrard as the central midfield pairing but now, after the first two games, I'm not so sure. I think we have to make adjustments.

That means bringing in Michael Carrick. There are other options but I feel that our best team includes him. If we want to win the World Cup, and win it with a bit of style, he needs to play. I know he's not featured in many games for England and this is the World Cup but he's been doing it all season for Tottenham Hotspur. I would entrust him and he would improve us because we have lost our way a little.

Carrick keeps the ball and keeps the ball moving. It's not a job that Gerrard does for Liverpool, that's Xabi Alonso's role, but Carrick can do it for England and sometimes, as tournaments progress, you have to go with your instincts.

Listening to the interviews after the Trinidad & Tobago match gave a little insight into how the players are. I don't think I've heard Michael Owen go to that extent to defend himself. It was unusual. But then no one was smiling and, as a team, we just don't look right. You can see the players are not totally happy with the way things are going either and it was the same after Paraguay.

Getting the six points may relieve some of the tension, because, more than the fans or the reporters, the players know they have had some disappointing showings. But the results have been good and they should hold on to that. They also remained patient. It was a point made by Sven Goran Eriksson while Leo Beenhakker, Trinidad & Tobago's coach, admitted his team lost their patience. That was good.

Eriksson doesn't have to leave Lampard out. Plan A was to play Wayne Rooney and Owen together and it might be an idea to give Rooney an hour against Sweden. I don't expect him to be sharp, or to play that well, but he will then be ready for the knock-out stages. That would mean omitting Peter Crouch and I think, psychologically, he might accept that more easily than Owen. Alternatively either one of the strikers could play up there on his own although I don't think that is really natural to them. That would mean, however, that you could play Carrick behind Lampard and Gerrard. Suddenly the problem of not taking Jermain Defoe is all too apparent while the effect of including Theo Walcott has become so crucial.

Nevertheless, the substitutions against T&T were terrific. We had gone stale and they certainly brought freshness. Sometimes you have to go with what you feel on the day. No one could say that part of any team-play England have worked on included having David Beckham at right-back with Aaron Lennon outside him.

Lennon also took some of the emphasis away from Rooney. He was brilliant and gave us a major boost. He made a real difference and is a lovely option to have. At the end you could see Gerrard going up to him and saying something like "son, you made it happen" and that will have given Lennon a lift. I have to say that Beckham was very diligent at right-back and he and Lennon together gives the opposition some big problems. It gives Beckham time to deliver those crosses. But England really missed Gary Neville and his continued absence is a concern, especially offensively.

One massive thing we have going for us is the two clean sheets. Forget about everything else for a minute. That is our strength. Now we have two I would be challenging the back four and say "go on and get five more" and go through the tournament without conceding. If we are to let a goal in let it be a 25-yard screamer or a brilliant piece of skill. Let's not give anything away.

The challenges are to come and we are going up a level now. The real test is about to start. We can still win it. But we need to make some big decisions.

Alan Pardew will be writing for The Independent throughout the World Cup. The fee for his column is being donated to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.

Sometimes you have to make a big call. A difficult call. And maybe it's time that England gave Frank Lampard, who's a great player, a little rest. Before the tournament started, I said I had no worries over him and Steven Gerrard as the central midfield pairing but now, after the first two games, I'm not so sure. I think we have to make adjustments.

That means bringing in Michael Carrick. There are other options but I feel that our best team includes him. If we want to win the World Cup, and win it with a bit of style, he needs to play. I know he's not featured in many games for England and this is the World Cup but he's been doing it all season for Tottenham Hotspur. I would entrust him and he would improve us because we have lost our way a little.

Carrick keeps the ball and keeps the ball moving. It's not a job that Gerrard does for Liverpool, that's Xabi Alonso's role, but Carrick can do it for England and sometimes, as tournaments progress, you have to go with your instincts.

Listening to the interviews after the Trinidad & Tobago match gave a little insight into how the players are. I don't think I've heard Michael Owen go to that extent to defend himself. It was unusual. But then no one was smiling and, as a team, we just don't look right. You can see the players are not totally happy with the way things are going either and it was the same after Paraguay.

Getting the six points may relieve some of the tension, because, more than the fans or the reporters, the players know they have had some disappointing showings. But the results have been good and they should hold on to that. They also remained patient. It was a point made by Sven Goran Eriksson while Leo Beenhakker, Trinidad & Tobago's coach, admitted his team lost their patience. That was good.

Eriksson doesn't have to leave Lampard out. Plan A was to play Wayne Rooney and Owen together and it might be an idea to give Rooney an hour against Sweden. I don't expect him to be sharp, or to play that well, but he will then be ready for the knock-out stages. That would mean omitting Peter Crouch and I think, psychologically, he might accept that more easily than Owen. Alternatively either one of the strikers could play up there on his own although I don't think that is really natural to them. That would mean, however, that you could play Carrick behind Lampard and Gerrard. Suddenly the problem of not taking Jermain Defoe is all too apparent while the effect of including Theo Walcott has become so crucial.

Coley · Post by **Coley** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 3:11 am

Well said Alan, lets hope Sven takes note, Maybe Alan can use some of the fee he is donating for this colum, to fly out there and give Sven a good kick in the arse, then maybe we might get out of the group of 16

Belgian Iron · Post by **Belgian Iron** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 8:51 am

Cab only say Prads is right about that,I'm saying this stuff for 3 months now.
But I'm sure prick Sven won't do it.
As long as he's your coach,you won't win the WC,or even come close to it

Bishops Finger · Post by **Bishops Finger** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 10:30 am

I feel that it is time to 'rest' Lampard and give Gerrard the freedom to do what he does best. Carrick would be the ideal candidate to provide stability in the midfield and his passing ability can help Owen.

A good plan would be to use Lennon and Crouch as substitutes late in the match, moving Beckham to right back to accomodate Lennon and keeping Beckham for his dead-ball ability. Crouch only to be used late on in the game just to mix things up.

Boogers Caravan Blues · Sat Jun 17, 2006 10:44 am

Bishops Finger wrote:I feel that it is time to 'rest' Lampard and give Gerrard the freedom to do what he does best. Carrick would be the ideal candidate to provide stability in the midfield and his passing ability can help Owen.

A good plan would be to use Lennon and Crouch as substitutes late in the match, moving Beckham to right back to accomodate Lennon and keeping Beckham for his dead-ball ability. Crouch only to be used late on in the game just to mix things up.

Pard's - You are a God!

westlondonhammer · Post by **westlondonhammer** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 2:11 pm

I wouldnt rest fat frank, I'd shoot the knob!

Carrick or Hargreaves would be better option so we could allow Gerrard to play his natural game! I have always been abit abrehensive about Carrick in the role due to him not exactlly being the best defensivley, but it will deinately be an improvement on the **** displays so far! But I guess the defensive play isnt as important now considering we have had 2 clean sheets so far and apart from a few self inflicted problems on thursday t&t wouldnt have had many opportunities!

Carrick for Fat Frank (no more greedy twat who shoots every time he gets the ball)
Rooney for Couch (stop us playing like everton in their big dunc days!)
Would definately be more exciting to watch

oh yeah, and pards is definately god, officially now..........

big fat hammer · Post by **big fat hammer** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 2:52 pm

if pardew didn't manage west ham i would definately want him to be the england manager

FloridaHammer · Post by **FloridaHammer** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 3:39 pm

You would think that with Sven leaving after the Cup he wouldn't care about politics and play the team he thinks can win. Sadly however he seems paralysed by favouratism.

I am law · Post by **I am law** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 5:42 pm

Coley wrote:Maybe Alan can use some of the fee he is donating for this colum, to fly out there and give Sven a good kick in the arse

Why use the fee?

If we started a whip now, by midnight we'd have enough for the flight and the cab to the airport.

westlondonhammer · Post by **westlondonhammer** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 7:52 pm

I am law wrote: Why use the fee?

If we started a whip now, by midnight we'd have enough for the flight and the cab to the airport.

I can provide the cricket bat so that he can do some permanent damage!

I am law · Post by **I am law** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 7:59 pm

I'll drive us

with

Ashton

some stilts, a "clueless mask", a Sven mask and...

...A Crouch-sized net

The Great Escape is on!

westlondonhammer · Post by **westlondonhammer** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 8:12 pm

I am law wrote:I'll drive us

with

Ashton

some stilts, a "clueless mask", a Sven mask and...

...A Crouch-sized net

The Great Escape is on!

must be a bloody big net............................ have you got one big enough for fat frank aswell!

madrid-hammer · Post by **madrid-hammer** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 11:03 pm

2014 World Cup

Manager Alan Pardew
Captain Nigel Reo Coker
Strikers Marlon Harewood, Dean Ashton
Central defence includes Anton

Can't you just see it? Hope I live that long.... :cry:

Zman39 · Post by **Zman39** » Sun Jun 18, 2006 1:34 am

[quote="madrid-hammer"]2014 World Cup

Manager Alan Pardew
Captain Nigel Reo Coker
Strikers Marlon Harewood, Dean Ashton
Central defence includes Anton

2010? mate- Harewood will be 34 by then!!
Mcclaren should manage the friendlies and easy qualifiers, then they should send Pardew out there just to manage the big games while staying at West Ham!

Zman39 · Post by **Zman39** » Sun Jun 18, 2006 1:35 am

How do you feel about putting Beckham in the middle and sticking Lennon out on right for matches?

Philosophical Dan · Post by **Philosophical Dan** » Sun Jun 18, 2006 12:48 pm

Hargreaves is current favourite to replace Gerrard, with Carrick also in contention. Not read anything to suggest Lennon will start or Beckham will be dropped.