Arteta for England?

[EastStandBlue]

I'd be very interested to see some opinions on this subject, as with the complete lack of creativity from our midfield, Arteta would be a very astute addition to England's midfield, and it's only because of Xavi and Iniesta, two of the finest central midfielders in the world, that he hasn't played for Spain before.

I can see why some people would never like to see this happen... An International squad should consist of players born in that nation and the fact we're considering to rely on nationalised foreign players only adds further weight to our shortfallings at a grass roots level.

That said, it's nothing that hasn't happened before, with considerably decent results. The French squad in '98 mainly consisted of French-speaking Africans (Zidane, Vieira, Desailly, Henry, Thuram, Karembeu) and the Germany team that tore us to bits in South Africa was built around Turks and Poles.

So, would you welcome a nationalised player as talented as Arteta?

 

[Grayson]

Everyone else does it, and we're not good enough to take the moral high ground.

Get him in the team.

 

[Pubey]

Apparently Mark Lawrenson was moaning about this. This is the Republic of Ireland international Mark Lawrenson, who was born in Preston.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Apparently Mark Lawrenson was moaning about this. This is the Republic of Ireland international Mark Lawrenson, who was born in Preston.

I usually just zone out when Lawro speaks, to be honest...

 

[BrettieAngell]

Yeah why not, can't do any worse than our own players!

 

[Rob Noxious]

So, would you welcome a nationalised player as talented as Arteta?

Nationalised or naturalised? I certainly hope that there is a Clause IV in his contract that allows this as his delivery is superb. Now that Becks has finally gone - unless Capello goes - we are crying out for someone who can make a dead ball live like this guy can.

 

[canveyshrimper]

England have done this in the past, the last player I can think of was Colin Viljoen, so why not Arteta?

 

[EastStandBlue]

Nationalised or naturalised? I certainly hope that there is a Clause IV in his contract that allows this as his delivery is superb. Now that Becks has finally gone - unless Capello goes - we are crying out for someone who can make a dead ball live like this guy can.

Naturalised, of course... I had the word in my head, but the two bottles of red wine consumed last night as a feeble effort to eradicate yesterday's performance from my memory prohibitied it from coming out.

Arteta would be perfect for us not just for his dead-ball delivery, but also his ability to play across the midfield. I think the 4-2-3-1 system suits us perfectly, and a trio of Adam Johnson, Steven Gerrard and Mikel Arteta supporting Rooney would certainly be feasible on paper.

 

[Rob Noxious]

England have done this in the past, the last player I can think of was Colin Viljoen, so why not Arteta?

What about John Barnes (Ja) and Tony Dorigo (Oz)?

 

[Rob Noxious]

Naturalised, of course... I had the word in my head, but the two bottles of red wine consumed last night as a feeble effort to eradicate yesterday's performance from my memory prohibitied it from coming out.

:stunned: Now I certainly didn't see them featured in your recent (insightful) contributions to Tommy's weight loss and fitness regime thread the other day! When I was killing myself dragging my vast corpulence around a footy pitch yesterday afternoon, the only thing that kept me going was thinking about all the work you'd probably done in the gym yesterday morning. :)

 

[canveyshrimper]

What about John Barnes (Ja) and Tony Dorigo (Oz)?

Good call mate, completely forgot Dorigo.

 

[Rob Noxious]

Good call mate, completely forgot Dorigo.

So did I :Harry:* - see how long after the edit was! All I put down originally was 'that left-back who played in the 3rd place Play-Off in Italia '90' ... :doh:

*Love your smiley! :clap:

 

[canveyshrimper]

So did I :Harry:* - see how long after the edit was! All I put down originally was 'that left-back who played in the 3rd place Play-Off in Italia '90' ... :doh:

*Love your smiley! :clap:

:D Fair play mate, didn't spot the edit.

 

[Heskey]

Naturalised, of course... I had the word in my head, but the two bottles of red wine consumed last night as a feeble effort to eradicate yesterday's performance from my memory prohibitied it from coming out.

Arteta would be perfect for us not just for his dead-ball delivery, but also his ability to play across the midfield. I think the 4-2-3-1 system suits us perfectly, and a trio of Adam Johnson, Steven Gerrard and Mikel Arteta supporting Rooney would certainly be feasible on paper.

Compared to Iniesta , Xavi and Pedro , with Villa or Torres up front?

I can't help but think English players are overrated and Arteta isn't that much better.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Compared to Iniesta , Xavi and Pedro , with Villa or Torres up front?

I can't help but think English players are overrated and Arteta isn't that much better.

No one is saying they aren't.... Merely that Arteta is better than what we currently have in midfield.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Arteta is a great player.Sign him up before Spain do.Surely Xavi can't last forever?:unsure:

 

[leeblue]

this would be a fu****g disgrace, it still makes me sick that we have got an italian in charge, maybe if the italian **** played one of the best centre midfielders in football in the centre instead of the left F***ing wing we could make a start, if arteta gets picked for england that will be it for me, I will have nothing to do with that shower of 5hite, oh and frank lampard should not be in the team either, in the prem he gets to pick off the neat work of drogba and anelka, but in the last couple of years he has been seriously lacking for england

 

[EastStandBlue]

this would be a fu****g disgrace, it still makes me sick that we have got an italian in charge, maybe if the italian **** played one of the best centre midfielders in football in the centre instead of the left F***ing wing we could make a start, if arteta gets picked for england that will be it for me, I will have nothing to do with that shower of 5hite, oh and frank lampard should not be in the team either, in the prem he gets to pick off the neat work of drogba and anelka, but in the last couple of years he has been seriously lacking for england

Was it also a disgrace when, as has already been mentioned, John Barnes was selected?

 

[Rob Noxious]

Was it also a disgrace when, as has already been mentioned, John Barnes was selected?

Most of the time - apart from 'that' goal at the Maracana in '84 and the crosses against Argentina in '86.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Most of the time - apart from 'that' goal at the Maracana in '84 and the crosses against Argentina in '86.

True enough... Although I think feelings might have been different had Ryan Giggs decided to defect from his Taff heritage and solve England's chronic left-wing problem.