Slovakia v England

[SuperValiant1876]

Rooney, England's highest EVER goalscorer and a Liverpool fan argues he was never that good in the first place. Hmm.

[JOHNNYAITCH]

But has he scored those goals in the big games against the best opposition?

 

1 world cup finals goal

6 Euro finals but 4 of those in 2004

 

For England he does not do it against the best when it really matters and never has

[TheSage]

We simply don't have any truly world class players. End of.

Some of the current crop are talented and have potential but we've said that before for the past 30 years and not won anything.

They are no better than the likes of Seaman, Terry, Ferdinand, Gascoigne, Beckham, Lampard, Gerrard & Shearer. They were all better than what we've got at the moment - so I think you'll be waiting a very long time before you witness a world class England national team.

I agree that Rooney has been our best player of late but he's now clearly past his best and lost his pace. And we he ever that good when it really mattered?

 

Some of Sam's team on Sunday were not remotely top international class and never will be.

[beasty77]

We simply don't have any truly world class players. End of.

Some of the current crop are talented and have potential but we've said that before for the past 30 years and not won anything.

They are no better than the likes of Seaman, Terry, Ferdinand, Gascoigne, Beckham, Lampard, Gerrard & Shearer. They were all better than what we've got at the moment - so I think you'll be waiting a very long time before you witness a world class England national team.

I agree that Rooney has been our best player of late but he's now clearly past his best and lost his pace. And we he ever that good when it really mattered?

 

Some of Sam's team on Sunday were not remotely top international class and never will be.

 

Bang on. When you look at recent England sides from the past where we did ok, in 1990 and 1996, not one player at present, would get in any of them 2 sides.

[SuperValiant1876]

But has he scored those goals in the big games against the best opposition?

 

1 world cup finals goal

6 Euro finals but 4 of those in 2004

 

For England he does not do it against the best when it really matters and never has

 

Which England players have? Have you seen how many of Charltons goals came in 8-0 or 10-0 wins in friendlies?

[philpvfc]

Big Sam has come in and changed absolutely nothing. He was happy with a draw and that's what it would have been had Slovakia not been reduced to 10 men. Half the England squad can't be assed they just want their 100k a week. The match was almost identical to the game against them in the euros we have no one who can create a bit of magic from nothing hence the very few chances for the forwards. How long will it take Sam to realise that Henderson is ***** and should not be in any international squad.

[beasty77]

Rashford scores hat trick for u21s today too.

[TheSage]

Which England players have? Have you seen how many of Charltons goals came in 8-0 or 10-0 wins in friendlies?

 

Do you mean the Bobby Charlton who has a 1966 World Cup winners medal and scored 3 goals in the tournament?

 

Geoff Hurst got a hat-trick in the final.

[For Us All]

Do you mean the Bobby Charlton who has a 1966 World Cup winners medal and scored 3 goals in the tournament?

 

Geoff Hurst got a hat-trick in the final.

 

Sir Bobby and Sir Geoff,now you are talking about real footballers.

Show 'em your medals lads.😁

[Paul6754]

Slovakia set out their stall to play defensively (4-5-1) against England even though they were playing at home, Sam took the same line not wanting to get beat so he played 2 defensive midfield players (Dier and Henderson) and 3 further forward any of which could support Kane, a different formation to that used by Hodgson in the Euros.

 

Slovakia sat back with two banks of 4 or 5 and which ever formation/players England may have used it is difficult to break down such an organized defensive formation unless the likes of Xavi, Iniesta and/or Messi are in the line up. Rooney, Sterling and Llalana are the players there to play the ""killer" ball and Rooney did play one brilliant pass to Walcott but Walcott went to early and was caught offside.

 

The 2014 WC and the 2016 Euros and tournaments before have shown how difficult it is to break down defenses organized in banks of 4 or 5, this is the nature of International football at that level, organized defense with fast (if possible) counter attack. Hence whyhaving a plan B of if you can't get through on the floor use the air but unfortunately Carroll was injured. Everything changes once a goal is scored.

[JOHNNYAITCH]

Which England players have? Have you seen how many of Charltons goals came in 8-0 or 10-0 wins in friendlies?

 

 

I'm not the one judging by goals scored. Mentioning charlton proves the point that its not about how many goals..much more to it than that

[Paul6754]

People tend to forget the major part played by Rooney in qualification for World Cups and Euros, we've made every major tournament apart from the 2008 Euros whist Rooney has been on the scene. We stood every chance of winning the 2004 Euros if the Portughese RB hadn't broken Rooney's foot, Rooney was in tremendoes form and player of that tournament until then.

 

Compare Rooney to Ibrahimovic, whose often considered a World Class player in the above regard, whilst Ibra has been around Sweden have failed to qualify for the last two WC's and their record in the Euros is much worse than England's having only got out of the group stages in 2004.

 

Rooney is currently England's best player, a world class player, he's versitile can score goals, play forward and his range of passing enables him to play midfield as well, he's a football guy, rugged and competitive, he adapted his game on Sunday to what England needed.

[SuperValiant1876]

I wonder if Charlton played in a team managed by Owl face or sven of mcclaren whether he'd have that medal. That's it then you won me over, the highest ever England goal scorer was never any good

[philpvfc]

If Rooney is now our best player we've had it. Admittedly he's been our best player over the last 7 or 8 years without producing a good tournament but it's time he hung up his England boots, he is past his sell buy date.

[colin]

People tend to forget the major part played by Rooney in qualification for World Cups and Euros, we've made every major tournament apart from the 2008 Euros whist Rooney has been on the scene. We stood every chance of winning the 2004 Euros if the Portughese RB hadn't broken Rooney's foot, Rooney was in tremendoes form and player of that tournament until then.

 

Compare Rooney to Ibrahimovic, whose often considered a World Class player in the above regard, whilst Ibra has been around Sweden have failed to qualify for the last two WC's and their record in the Euros is much worse than England's having only got out of the group stages in 2004.

 

Rooney is currently England's best player, a world class player, he's versitile can score goals, play forward and his range of passing enables him to play midfield as well, he's a football guy, rugged and competitive, he adapted his game on Sunday to what England needed.

Rooney is definitely not currently out best player. And he is not world class. He's an average player and past his best. His passing was not great against slovakia and he was playing way too deep sometimes deeper than stones leaving kane isolated. Football is an 11 man game and Sweden can't rely solely on zlatan for them to qualify so i dont understand how you can compare the two players on whether their national sides are any good. Apart from zlatan their crop of players isn't that great. I think it's time for wayne to concentrate on club football.