Saturday's Team ??

[Dave]

Jenas???

Who's that?

[Lord Zola]

Dave is it hot in your office this afternoon? The biggest game this country has had for four years and you would drop the top goalscoring midfielder in the premiership.

Air con is cooling me nicely. Its a tough decision for Sven to make but how long can you keep playing someone who is consistently missing chances. I rate Lampard a lot but wouldn't Stevie G play better alongside Becks in the middle???

Nonsense. Beckham can't play there simple as that. Last time he did for England, we lost 1-0 to Northern Ireland. He hasn't got near the energy levels of Lampard or Gerrard. Your advocating dropping one of the best goalscoring midfielders in Europe, to play a player who rarely scores from open play. Another aspect to consider is what a poor tackler Beckham is.

When exactly did Beckham become a center midfileder? I must have missed it!

[paghamjon]

All this talk of dropping Lampard surely masks the real problem midfielder...I think we really should consider dropping Beckham. He hasn't had a good world cup, is only really there for his crossing (which Lennon can do, and he's quicker than Beckham - a bonus against Portugal), and his dead-ball accuracy (which Gerrard can do).

Give the captain's armband to John Terry, drop Beckham, bring in Lennon from the start, play 4-4-2 with Rooney playing alongside Crouch (lets face it, if we INSIST on playing high balls into the area, we ought to have someone there to get to them...)

[sugar ray]

All this talk of dropping Lampard surely masks the real problem midfielder...I think we really should consider dropping Beckham. He hasn't had a good world cup, is only really there for his crossing (which Lennon can do, and he's quicker than Beckham - a bonus against Portugal), and his dead-ball accuracy (which Gerrard can do).

Give the captain's armband to John Terry, drop Beckham, bring in Lennon from the start, play 4-4-2 with Rooney playing alongside Crouch (lets face it, if we INSIST on playing high balls into the area, we ought to have someone there to get to them...)

Yes Mate - I'll go along with that, Good Idea.

[Rusty G]

Rubbish - Get off Beckham's Back

Has played a huge part so far, and will continue to do so, Lennon is an impact player and that is exactly why he is on the bench.

Beckham's work rate is second to none, and you can cry Gerrard and Lampard as much as you like, but from a dead ball situation Beckham is the best in the world.

[A.L.B]

Was it me, or were there calls for Ronaldo to be dropped from the Brazil side, or for Hargreaves to never pull on an England shirt??? Look what happens if people stick by you and have faith. You simply cant drop Lampard, his goals, WILL prove vital for the rest of the tournament. Bring it on!!!

[Fingers]

It annoys me that people and spouting on about dropping Lampard or Beckham

Beckham has scored a winning goal in the 2nd round - arguably the winning goal against Paraguay and set up Crouchs goal against Trinidad. get off his back - he deserves to be playing. Lennon is an inexperienced kid and cant be expected to perform in a quarter final of a world cup from the start. He can come on when we're winning or losing when less is expected of him. Beckham is vastly experienced and will be key to us winning the competition.

Lampard is a centre midfielder - why do we expect him to score every game he plays, he's not a centre forward and shouldnt be judged on goals. If he scores then its a bonus. Fact is Lampard has had more shots at goal than any other midfielder in the competition. If he wasnt getting into the goalscoring position then there would be voice for concern. His duties as a midfielder are to pass/tackle and track back and get forward in support as much as possible, if he scores then its a bonus. For people to say he shouldnt play because he's not scoring is ridiculous.

Our midfield picks itself with the exception of the holding player. I feel Hargreaves energy levels will be key against Portugal and he deserves to play going by his performances so far in the competition. I think I said at the start he deserves a chance and he's taken it.

[Dean Bradford]

Fingers - spot on!!

At this stage of the World Cup experience is everything. This is the side for Saturday -

------------------------------Robinson---------------------------
Neville/Carragher-----Terry---------Ferdinand-------Cole---
Beckham-----Gerrard-----Hargreaves------Lampard----Cole
------------------------------Rooney------------------------------

Although a Spurs fan, Hargreaves has the experience, pace, and tackling abilities to do that job. Bit of a worry about his leg but he is quoted in the papers today as being ok.

You will definitely see a performance on Saturday. Portugal will be the 1st side we have played who wont put 10 behind the ball.

The conditions are getting cooler and the stadium has a roof so if Sven and the boys are worried about the heat, they will request it gets shut.

Unlike the Dutch fans, there are hardly any Portuguese out there so we will outnumber them 10 fold!!

Time to get behind the boys and secure a famous win!!!

[****]

All this talk of dropping Lampard surely masks the real problem midfielder...I think we really should consider dropping Beckham. He hasn't had a good world cup, is only really there for his crossing (which Lennon can do, and he's quicker than Beckham - a bonus against Portugal), and his dead-ball accuracy (which Gerrard can do).

Give the captain's armband to John Terry, drop Beckham, bring in Lennon from the start, play 4-4-2 with Rooney playing alongside Crouch (lets face it, if we INSIST on playing high balls into the area, we ought to have someone there to get to them...)

what a load of bollocks. if beckham is that bad and doesnt do much then why do we need 3players to do his job?(terry gerrard lennon)
and lennon hasnt crossed 1 good ball this world cup so how u can say he can take over crossing from the best crosser of a ball in the world i dont know. gerrard yeh hes good from dead balls but beckham is outstanding from dead balls. and how cn u just change captain for a world cup quater final. just dont think it should be done myself. y would you want to replace 1 of out best players for an inexperienced player who cant even replace all of beckham duties. and no point putting crouch up top against portugal, everytime crouch has come up against carvalho this season carvalho has had crouch in his back pocket. sorry i know its all about opinions and u have yours and i have mine but tht is the biggest load of bollocks ive read.

[Dave]

Beckham will play on Saturday and I expect Lampard will as well. I just hope Sven has the balls to make the right substiutions at the right times, if Beckham is playing like a retard then bring on Lennon and likewise with Lampard as I think its this which could win or lose the game.

Against Brazil last world cup he went defensive when perhaps he shouldn't have, with a similar error being made against Sweden (although what did he expect bringing Sol Campbell on).

I think we can do it this year! COME ON ENGLAND!!!

[Geoff]

I wonder who is next on the sceptics chopping block ... first Beckham now Lampard... lets takes bets for the next scapegoat.

[Dave]

Hargreaves?

[****]

we've had hargreaves but now he's doing a decent job every1s shut up and is putting them in their england line ups. next it was beckham, scored a free kick answered his critics and so people are starting to lay off now. next up, lampard, yet to score so everyone thinks he is having a abd world cup. far from it. im betting on him scoring saturday so no doubt the critics will move on to robin son maybe? if he lets in a dodgy goal? or even rooney if he doesnt score? could be anyone

[Dave]

If Neville plays then he will be the perfect scape goat!

[Fingers]

If Neville plays then he will be the perfect scape goat!

Why do you dislike Gary Neville so much? Is it because he plays for Manchester Uited and doesnt hide the fact he loves United and is very passionate about the club he plays for.

Just because you have a hatred towards United (like many other neutrals supporters of unsuccessful teams) you shouldnt let it cloud your judgment on how good a player is. Gary Neville has won every domestic trophy thats available to him, has been an England international for 10 years and has been at the heart of one of Englands most successful clubs sides in recent years. Bad players dont play for their country for 10 years under 4 different managers.