World Cup!

[ICTDirect_Dave]

You know, I was just thinking, it must be very embarrassing for Spain to be beaten by 2 countries they used to own...

 

It's too early for us to be taking the mick out of other nations yet especially Spain. Let's win the next three major tournaments and sweep all before us before we comment?

[elsiegee40]

I went bowling with colleagues this evening. The roads were deserted, the fun fair in the field near Bowlplex was like a ghost town and I had a great time, getting back just in time to see Rooney score. Unfortunately that wasn't the last goal of the match.

[Alkaline]

Its not over yet........

[featured_spectre]

It's too early for us to be taking the mick out of other nations yet especially Spain. Let's win the next three major tournaments and sweep all before us before we comment?

 

Not too much of an issue for me....I'm more German than English (1/2 German, 1/4 Scottish, 1/4 English)

[CAM]

It's too early for us to be taking the mick out of other nations yet especially Spain. Let's win the next three major tournaments and sweep all before us before we comment?

 

No-one expected much from England in the first place, especially if the pre-tournament friendlies were anything to go by. Spain on the other hand...

[SiliconAlley_Sam]

Time to get myself an Italy shirt and start praying.

[rickjames]

We're not qualifying out of this group.

 

Time for the finer things in life like cycling and Netflix.

[Earthling]

Predictable result, really.

 

......and if my memory serves me right, @SiliconAlley_Sam, I correctly predicted the result yesterday.

 

Not that I'm in the slightest bit chuffed over it, I'd rather have got it wildly wrong.

 

48 years of hurt, and counting.

[Tesla]

Not too much of an issue for me....I'm more German than English (1/2 German, 1/4 Scottish, 1/4 English)

 

ewww, Germs.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Tesla

[sparkeh]

I'm 1/2 whatever team looks like winning the competition.

[featured_spectre]

ewww, Germs.

 

Nothing wrong with being German...I have 3 passports (I have UK, German and US)

[Tesla]

Nothing wrong with being German...I have 3 passports (I have UK, German and US)

 

i know, i know, i meant it in a jokey manner (i realise now that's not how it came across, i still haven't had my coffee yet!)

[aworkc]

We didn't play well last night, it's standard England reverting back to playing boring football when the pressures on. Until that mentality goes we would get anywhere in major tournaments.

 

After all the critcism and stick he got I'm really happy that Rooney scored and was without doubt our best player. As I have said on this forum a few times if you play him in his correct position he will get goals and he will be a threat and that's exactly what happened. Sterling didn't turn up, sturridge didn't do much. The whole back 4 looked shakey the whole way through the game. Gerrard was the worst player on the pitch and I think it's time for him to retire from international football.

[featured_spectre]

Gerrard was the worst player on the pitch and I think it's time for him to retire from international football.

 

He should never have been picked. And the back 4 should have had John Terry and Ashley Cole with them, just for the experience factor and that they are very very good internationally.

[SiliconAlley_Sam]

Anyone else think that Sterling runs a bit like Phoebe from Friends?

[Tesla]

Gerrard was awful, doesn't have the energy (who would at his age?) that he used to as a player, and that was a lot of his game, yes he can pass a good ball, but on the international stage he was not good enough this year.

[aworkc]

Ashley Cole should have gone, leighton Baines not good enough at this level which has been proven in both games and Luke Shaw too inexperienced.

[sparkeh]

To be honest I don't think we deserve to go through if we defend the way we did. Both goals were gifted to them.

 

Goal 1: Why was Cavani allowed to so much time and space to put in that cross and not pushed out toward the byline? Jagielka had no idea where Suárez when that cross came in. On the flip side though, the cross was perfect and it wasn't an easy header, it was a great goal.

 

Goal 2: A Sunday League manager would be furious at that happening, its Defending 101. Jagielka had two options: attack the ball or drop back and cover. He did neither and ended up in No Man's Land, he couldn't have picked a worse place to stand if he tried.

 

Its apparent that we don't have a world class player who can make things happen when we need it. We need a Pirlo or a Suárez figure but just don't have one.

[Tesla]

Cahill could of done a bit better with the 2nd goal too, he kinda gave up before Suarez had even shot, should of thrown himself infront of it.

 

Neither of our central defenders are "leaders" like John Terry, Ferdinand Et al. both of them get commanded for their teams (distin commands the line for everton, Terry for chelsea)

[Earthling]

None of the English players are good enough at this level, maybe Rooney at a push. Perhaps Joe Hart......anyone hear Glenn Hoddle refer to him as 'Head and Shoulders above the rest' last night? I wonder how much they paid him for that.

 

Listening to 606 after the game, someone made a really salient point. 'How many of the England players are the best players at their club?'

 

None, I would say, and that's not going to win us anything. Most of the best players at the top half PL clubs are foreign. Brazil the other night, for example, took a Chelsea player off and put another Chelsea player on. To join the other Chelsea player who was already on the pitch. Belgium sounded like a PL club side. Vertonghen, Kompany, Hazard, Lukaku, Dembele.

 

We have a choice. Either we enjoy the spectacle of the Premier League every week and disregard the national side, or we do the other thing, but realistically, how many Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal and Liverpool fans would gladly give up their van Persie's, Aguerro's, Suarez's etc. to see England win the Euros, let alone the World Cup?

[Tesla]

None of the English players are good enough at this level, maybe Rooney at a push. Perhaps Joe Hart......anyone hear Glenn Hoddle refer to him as 'Head and Shoulders above the rest' last night? I wonder how much they paid him for that.

 

Did not notice, am now laughing to myself, quality.

[Earthling]

Did not notice, am now laughing to myself, quality.

 

During the pre-match 'analysis', cracked me up when I heard it.

[CAM]

To be honest I don't think we deserve to go through if we defend the way we did. Both goals were gifted to them.

 

Goal 1: Why was Cavani allowed to so much time and space to put in that cross and not pushed out toward the byline? Jagielka had no idea where Suárez when that cross came in. On the flip side though, the cross was perfect and it wasn't an easy header, it was a great goal.

 

Goal 2: A Sunday League manager would be furious at that happening, its Defending 101. Jagielka had two options: attack the ball or drop back and cover. He did neither and ended up in No Man's Land, he couldn't have picked a worse place to stand if he tried.

 

Its apparent that we don't have a world class player who can make things happen when we need it. We need a Pirlo or a Suárez figure but just don't have one.

 

Frankly I think England have fallen to the status of filler team. We came close in '96 but since then it has been downhill. We used to expect to at least leave the group stages and crash out on penalties but that just doesn't happen anymore. What makes it worse? The UK has 4 (5 if you count Gibraltar) teams on the World Stage and not one of them are vaguely good enough to get anywhere.

[Theblacksheep]

'How many of the England players are the best players at their club?'

 

In addition, what % of England players play at the top level of club competition, the Champions League?

 

English national players have dipped to around 35% in the EPL.

 

 

How many English players play outside of England in the top division of other leagues?

 

How many English managers have won the EPL? (none)

How many English managers have won the Champions League? (none)

Edited June 20, 2014 by Theblacksheep

[aworkc]

The top teams build a team around their best players. Uruguay build their team around Suarez so that he has the freedom to play his game. Think of it in the same way as the tour de france all these players do all the hard work around the pitch so that Suarez can get all the plaudits. Italy do the same thing with Pirlo, Portugal will do the same with Ronaldo Argentina Messi etc..... England need to do that with Rooney, there is no point in having a team with a load of flair players, it doesn't work as we've just found out. If we do build a team around Rooney and give him the freedom to play and make things happen, he will score goals and he will create goals.

 

Instead of doing this he's been played out of position, been slated in the press, had the majority of 'fans' calling for him to be dropped for Sterling (who didn't turn up last night after all the talk about him). After all that he still turned up last night, was our best player and scored a goal.