Estonia v England

[Jacko51]

Fairynuff but what did he get wrong at Euro 96? Unbeaten, hammered Holland, should have beaten Germany (if only Gazza had been wearing his long studs), tactical changes made during the match to beat Scotland (you don't see such a thing very often during a match).

 

We did have some luck v Spain (you have to have some luck) but apart from that? He was bold with his selections (Southgate, playing McManaman and Anderton with Shearer, Sheringham and Gascoigne), kept faith with Shearer.

 

The only criticism is that he had everything needed to win the thing but didn't but I don't think it was down to him that we didn't win it

 

But each to their own :)

 

His reputation is largely based on that 4-1 against Holland. He played virtually every game as manager at home and still won less than half of them. In '96 his team drew against Switzerland who didn't qualify from the group, had a win against Scotland which could have been oh so different if McAllister hadn't missed that penalty then only got through against Spain because of a disallowed goal that shouldn't have been disallowed. His record in club football is considerably less than stellar and he was probably a crook but other than that, you're probably right! :D

[kevin_struggles]

I agree about Hoddle but I think Venables was very over-rated as England manager.

 

I disagree,

 

venables knew how to put a team together as opposed to just picking the best players available and hoping they will gel. England played well in every game and were very unlucky not to win it. Although we cant measure how much playing in England made a difference I am of the opinion that Venables did a decent job.

[kevin_struggles]

England are forever passing the ball lazily across the back four and better teams will put those defenders under pressure and when they do we will lose the ball and we will pay for it.

 

When we eventually get the ball to the edge of the box, we stop, turn back, play it out wide, stop again, turn back and play it back. Thats against the poor teams we are facing now, we will get murdered if we play like that in a tournament because the better palyers will be looking to intercept that ball played back and they will attack us with pace. We are doing everything far too slowly and giving teams time to organise at the back so we end up facing two walls of defenders. We have pace in the side we have to use it. Either run at the defence and make them turn or get it out wide quickly, get behind them and put the crosses in from there.

 

We are doing some of the right things but much too slowly.

[Guppy 4 England]

Sorry, I forgot the six smileys at the end of my post!

 

With all due respect, Italy are crap, they have possibly the worst of their international sides they have had for years. Balotelli is their best forward, he couldnt lace Del Piero, Baggio, Totti, Inzaghi, Vieri, Zola, Ravanelli, Vialli and co;s boots. We even managed to make them look good!

[Guppy 4 England]

England are forever passing the ball lazily across the back four and better teams will put those defenders under pressure and when they do we will lose the ball and we will pay for it.

 

When we eventually get the ball to the edge of the box, we stop, turn back, play it out wide, stop again, turn back and play it back. Thats against the poor teams we are facing now, we will get murdered if we play like that in a tournament because the better palyers will be looking to intercept that ball played back and they will attack us with pace. We are doing everything far too slowly and giving teams time to organise at the back so we end up facing two walls of defenders. We have pace in the side we have to use it. Either run at the defence and make them turn or get it out wide quickly, get behind them and put the crosses in from there.

 

We are doing some of the right things but much too slowly.

 

When teams sit with 10 men behind the ball, you need to exploit space and quickly, hence why Sterling, Chamberlain and Townsend should all have started.

[Jacko51]

When teams sit with 10 men behind the ball, you need to exploit space and quickly, hence why Sterling, Chamberlain and Townsend should all have started.

 

But Sterling didn't want to start because he was tired. Or at least that's what Rodgers told him to say! ;)

[Houston Valiant]

How can Sterling be tired when it's only October already. Maybe it's all that flapping of his arms when he's running.

I wouldn't be too hard on England though. A good win in Switzerland , and an even better win in Estonia, a very difficult place to get anything. San Marino and Gibraltar aside, there are no easy games anymore. So it's a very good start by England imo.

[Guppy 4 England]

But Sterling didn't want to start because he was tired. Or at least that's what Rodgers told him to say! ;)

 

Tell me about it, 8 games into the season and a 19 year old is tired. You never hear messi, ronaldo, suarez saying they are tired!

[Paul6754]

Rooney isn't good enough to make Ronaldo a cheese sandwich. Or whatever Portuguese people actually eat.

 

Estonia are a **** side that were made to look better than they are by an inept display from England. To think that Roy was pleased with that performance and a 1-0 victory against 10 men, I think the retirement home beckons.

 

Ronaldo is a "flat track bully" and over rated, he's an immensely talented athlete but rarely does he perform when needed especially in the crucial games. Rooney has lost the explosive pace he had as a 17/18 year old but he more than makes up for it with tremendous vision, passing ability, footballing brain, appetite for the game and still has top class goal scoring instincts although the Estonia game was a total aberration. The goal he scored for Man U last time out vs Everton (?) from da Silva's (?) cross was a prime example.

[For Us All]

But Sterling didn't want to start because he was tired. Or at least that's what Rodgers told him to say! ;)

 

Apparently,he hadn't had enough time to recover?

[Jacko51]

Ronaldo is a "flat track bully" and over rated, he's an immensely talented athlete but rarely does he perform when needed especially in the crucial games.

 

v Sweden in the WC Play-Off?

[valiant_593]

Ronaldo is a "flat track bully" and over rated, he's an immensely talented athlete but rarely does he perform when needed especially in the crucial games. Rooney has lost the explosive pace he had as a 17/18 year old but he more than makes up for it with tremendous vision, passing ability, footballing brain, appetite for the game and still has top class goal scoring instincts although the Estonia game was a total aberration. The goal he scored for Man U last time out vs Everton (?) from da Silva's (?) cross was a prime example.

 

Ronaldo is overrated must be one of the stupidest lines I've seen on this site. Ridiculous.

[Paul6754]

v Sweden in the WC Play-Off?

 

Why I used the word rarely. I could quote Man U vs Barca CL final, most competitive Portuguese national games, even RM vs Bayern in last years CL semi final (?) he was absent til late on the the game with RM winning 2-0 etc, think he missed a few chances in that game to.

[Paul6754]

Ronaldo is overrated must be one of the stupidest lines I've seen on this site. Ridiculous.

 

It's not a line, its an opinion given in a sentence to which I'm entitled, bit like your 200k for Pope.

[Paul6754]

Stupid assumption to make without watching the match. We've seen all the England games and we look a poor side with the wrong players playing with a weak manager. Just because an average Italy side only won 1-0 dosent mean there crap as well!

 

A few games ago England beat a team 2-0 ranked 10th in the World on their own patch containing one of Europe's most highly rated players.:)