Euro 2016

[TylerB]

You do realize that we battered Wales for large parts of 90 minutes recently in a game where even there manager admitted they didn't deserve anything from?

 

Funny how you weren't here praising Wales whatsoever after they were largely outplayed and ultimately lost the game against England...

[Bea Smith]

You do realize that we battered Wales for large parts of 90 minutes recently in a game where even there manager admitted they didn't deserve anything from?

 

Funny how you weren't here praising Wales whatsoever after they were largely outplayed and ultimately lost the game against England...

 

 

Your view of that game differs greatly from most of the press and many other peoples. That isn't such a surprise coming from someone who was willing to bet £500 that Liverpool would beat Real Madrid if I remember correctly.

See it as you will, but most people agree England actually played much better against Russia and should have won that game, but were less creative against Wales.

My main praise for Wales was for the amazing performance tonight against Russia, but that doesn't mean I am taking sides with them or writing England off. I have already said England could come good, but for the moment we should not deny Wales a long-awaited moment of glory, luckily most people wont as they are not as churlish and bias as you.

You only see things in a strident black and white gobby attitude-based view, as I said it is a long tournament. It's dark now, shouldn't you be out dipping a bin ?

[The Kalamazoo Kid]

****. So slow getting the ball forward. And then a hundred sideways passes while we wait for them to set up their stall with 5 centre halves and 4 full backs...Yes we 'dominated' but so what.

 

Nail on the head! The build-up play and attacking was all so slow and ponderous, taking seconds to make a pass or lining up a shot. I just had to laugh (the alternative was crying!) right at the end when, with seconds left, Henderson slowly moved forward with the ball and then turned and passed backwards - that just summed it up!

 

Other than moves involving our right-back (both Walker and Clyne) we have shown very little creativity and nous to break teams down, despite completely dominating in 3 games.

 

Lightweight Lallana has had two golden chances in the last two games, and put them both straight at the keeper - no goal in 26 England games is it now for him?! Despite being skilful those figures just show that he's not a real international-class attacking option.

 

Our set-pieces, particularly corners, are dreadful - whoever takes them, as we don't look threatening from them whatsoever. We barely win a header when it gets into the box.

 

Wilshere plays like he thinks he is Gazza - standing and strutting on the ball, then attempting to twist and turn and glide past players, all the while holding onto the ball for too long and then losing it.......he needs telling that he certainly AIN'T Gazza!

 

Did I hear that Rooney has said he thinks Smalling is one of the 3 best centre-backs in the world?! Even though he's improved I'd say that he's barely in the top 3 centre-backs in our group.....let alone the tournament.....let alone the world!

 

Having said all of that I still think we'll get through the next round (even if its against Portugal), but will now have to meet France in the Quarters, whereas if we'd won the group and been in the other half of the draw (away from France, Italy, Germany) our Quarters opponents would have been Portugal or Belgium - much more preferable to France.

[TylerB]

You only see things in a strident black and white gobby attitude-based view,

 

That's the most ironic thing I've ever actually read on this forum.

 

At worst you're a waste of oxygen. At best you're an absolute weapon. Either way, it sucks to be you.

[TylerB]

Belguim would be every bit as difficult as France. Against France they would be favourites and have the pressure of a whole nation behind them. Take Payet out of the equation and they really haven't been impressive at all, and are definitely a side England can beat if we play well and show a bit more up front.

[TheSage]

We've made it a lot harder for ourselves although we are a team that no-one will want to play.

 

My problem with the manager is that he is welded to this 4.2.3.1 system and has taken the players to play that way - and when it doesn't work we struggle.

 

We don't have any wingers in the squad and we don't have a big lump up front if we go more direct.

 

It's all back and square and back, I agree, one-paced, walking football.

 

It was surely crying out for a winger, to go at the full back and get to the byline but we haven't got one. It was a full back Clyne who was often left one on one.

And then he brings on Ali and plays him down the left.

 

We have to be more tactically astute.

 

Playing four midfielders who don't score goals was daft. Dier, Wilshere, Henderson and Lallana are not up to it, collectively. Two of them are not fully match fit which doesn't help. I can't understand what he's doing.

[Bea Smith]

That's the most ironic thing I've ever actually read on this forum.

 

At worst you're a waste of oxygen. At best you're an absolute weapon. Either way, it sucks to be you.

 

Oh really, is that the best you can manage ? Weapon was last years' insult, you'll be telling me to 'jog on' in retro insult style next. Bin and gone.

[valiant_593]

England have not played as well as Wales, and were lucky to beat Wales when they met.

 

That may change though - and all those who rant and rave and even laugh at Roy H may still look very silly, or in one or two cases I should say sillier.

It's a long tournament - but we should congratulate WALES on a magnificent group win, that had nothing to do with England not playing well and everytyhing to do with the scintillating football they played, particularly tonight.

 

I'm really glad I chose to watch the Wales match tonight, from the bits I saw of E-S it was nowhere near as good. It's lucky for England that Wales did not turn on today's show against them, at times the way they ran at the defence was quite astonishing and terrific to watch after most teams slow build-up.

 

England got through - and may well have Iceland or Hungary next, it's a C+ on Roy's end-of-term report for the group stage, and a 'can do better' and whilst there was little excitement in England's show, there was little to really worry about either.

 

Good luck to NI tomorrow - at least to get through in third if not better.

 

Lucky to beat Wales? That's just not true. We outplayed them Russia and Slovakia for 90minutes. Looking back it's been 3 dire teams to play as all 3 have just sat back and defended from the first to the last whistle. I look forward to playing a side that attacks us.

[beasty77]

Were simply just not good enough. We wouldn't score if we were still playing now. Spain and Germany will destroy us. Wilshere and Henderson were truly out their depth, Lallana does nothing (even though Beechy says he could be world class, lol) Rooney was shocking when he came on. Our best attacking player was Clyne, which says it all. That game last night was crying out for Andy Carroll.

I think its France in 1/4's and Italy in semis now if manage win Monday..

[TylerB]

Were simply just not good enough. We wouldn't score if we were still playing now. Spain and Germany will destroy us. Wilshere and Henderson were truly out their depth, Lallana does nothing (even though Beechy says he could be world class, lol) Rooney was shocking when he came on. Our best attacking player was Clyne, which says it all. That game last night was crying out for Andy Carroll.

I think its France in 1/4's and Italy in semis now if manage win Monday..

 

My Lallana comment was said tongue in cheek, but to say he does nothing is nonsense. He's been one of England better players this tournament after Walker and Dier, and would have had at least a couple of assists had the likes of Sterling not missed sitters. His shooting leaves a lot to be desired but other parts of his game are excellent.

 

At least you finally admitted than Wilshere is out of his depth instead of trying to convince me and others that he's world-class and a future Ballon D'or winner, so that's something to take from your post at least!

[Howjy04]

That game was crying out for Rooney to start and Rashford ,who would have taken their defence apart.Was Sturridge injured?,I noticed his socks rolled down and his reluctance to track back.Clyne did very well.

[TylerB]

That game was crying out for Rooney to start and Rashford ,who would have taken their defence apart.Was Sturridge injured?,I noticed his socks rolled down and his reluctance to track back.Clyne did very well.

 

If you're going to play Sturridge then he has to be played as a striker, or nothing. He makes a better fist of it out wide than Vardy would as he can beat players one on one, but you're taking away a lot of what he's actually good at. Leaving Vardy on yesterday in a game where there was absolutely no space in behind was crazy, and it's the little things like this that make me questions Hodgson's sanity at times. With the correct substitutions and selections England would have won all three games comfortably.

[Howjy04]

I agree Beechy.Sturridge has to play further forward.It became increasing difficult for Vardy.Apart from a couple over the top balls to him to run onto he didn't have a lot of joy.Thats why I mentioned Rashford who has a great first touch can run at defenders and play inside the box.

[TylerB]

I agree Beechy.Sturridge has to play further forward.It became increasing difficult for Vardy.Apart from a couple over the top balls to him to run onto he didn't have a lot of joy.Thats why I mentioned Rashford who has a great first touch can run at defenders and play inside the box.

 

For me Vardy should be used as an impact sub or against teams that will have more of the ball than England and play with a high line. Completely agree about Rashford, he should have been used last night but yet again the wrong subs were brought on and the wrong players taken off.

 

Performance wise I think we've done more than alright over the three games and at times have played some really good stuff. We've got out of the group stage without finding a cutting edge yet that will hopefully come. What I don't understand is those people criticising now for England keeping possession much better and not trying to play the game at 100mph, not when they most likely were the same one's moaning for years that we couldn't keep the ball and were too reliant on lumping the ball forward towards a big target man! Crazy.

[beasty77]

That game was crying out for Rooney to start and Rashford ,who would have taken their defence apart.Was Sturridge injured?,I noticed his socks rolled down and his reluctance to track back.Clyne did very well.

 

I like Rooney but he was woeful when he came on last night.