World Cup!

[foofighterjim]

We need the injection of some South American Flair / Spanish League Flair (Not Spanish National Team), less route 1/long balls that don't come off, more quick & short passes to build up the play with good movement, English football should be exciting not dull !

 

Watching the Germans this week they play more long ball than we do, it comes down to quality of the pass and the run. IE they do it with purpose, we do it because we run out of talent.

[foofighterjim]

Nope, Italy need to beat Uruguay by 2 goals to ensure that their GD is -3 so England don't finish bottom of the table, and England need a 3 goal margin to ensure they finish above Costa Rica on goal difference by +1

 

We have -2 if we win we will have -1 at least. Uruguay have -1 if they lose they have -2 at best, therefore we would be above them. If Costa Rica lose by 3 tonight we just need to win to put them on -2.

[JB7]

Watching the Germans this week they play more long ball than we do, it comes down to quality of the pass and the run. IE they do it with purpose, we do it because we run out of talent.

I think with the players we have, the quick pass game would suit our style as our average player age is dropping and we have a lot of players that are young and quick.

However we are still a team of individuals; when these players go back to their clubs this season the majority will play great it's frustrating to see the lack of cohesion when they pull on the 3 lions shirt.

 

I was gutted to read a few weeks back about José Mourinho not going for the England job due to his wife's advice !

Yes he is not everything but that is a major figure to have in your dressing room/training pitch and on the sidelines

[featured_spectre]

The trouble is, unlike the German Squad or the Spanish Squad or any other squad, England don't train enough together. The Germans and Spanish do 1 friendly a month in the down time (year after world cup or euros), England doesn't. In the run up, along side the qualifying games, they'll also throw friendlies into the mix. England rarely does.

[sparkeh]

Nope, Italy need to beat Uruguay by 2 goals to ensure that their GD is -3 so England don't finish bottom of the table, and England need a 3 goal margin to ensure they finish above Costa Rica on goal difference by +1

Confused now.

 

GD: Uruguay -1, England, -2, Costa Rica + 2

 

If Italy beat Uruguay by one goal then Uruguay GD = -2. Therefore if we win against Costa Rica we won't be bottom (as we would have to score one more than we let in so England GD = -1). However to progress we need Costa Rica's GD over the Italy and England to be worse than ours, so what we need to win buy would depend on what Italy do tonight.

 

But its pretty far fetched anyway.

 

Edit: @foofighterjim posted the same while I was figuring it out

Edited June 20, 2014 by sparkeh

[foofighterjim]

I think with the players we have, the quick pass game would suit our style as our average player age is dropping and we have a lot of players that are young and quick.

 

As my beloved Villa have proved, having young and quick players means nothing if they can't pass (or anything else) to the required standard in the first place. I fear this is the case with too many England plays too (albeit playing at a higher level).

Edited June 20, 2014 by foofighterjim

[JB7]

The trouble is, unlike the German Squad or the Spanish Squad or any other squad, England don't train enough together. The Germans and Spanish do 1 friendly a month in the down time (year after world cup or euros), England doesn't. In the run up, along side the qualifying games, they'll also throw friendlies into the mix. England rarely does.

We have a fair few friendlies right before a big tournament which imo is way too late because look at the teams he fielded in our last few friendly games - lots of those players sat on the bench in our World Cup games

 

As my beloved Villa have proved, having young and quick players means nothing if they can't pass (or anything else) to the required standard in the first place. I fear this is the case with too many England plays too (albeit playing at a higher level).

 

Yeah that's true, Villa did struggle last season I expected them to finish higher than 15th to be honest

We need to find a style that works for us but once we have that style, it needs to be something diverse so a team can't just set their team out to defend against the way we play and cancel us out the game

 

We show sparks every now and then but nowhere near a class 90 minute performance

[Earthling]

The FA don't put enough money into grass-roots football. Our qualified coaching numbers and infrastructure is laughable compared to the the Dutch, Spanish and German models.

 

When I was refereeing, how many times did I hear well-meaning Dads on the touchline screaming at their kids to 'Get rid of it' or to 'Work harder'. Hardly conducive to anything more than long-ball-over-the-top or run-around-like-a-headless-chicken.

 

I looked at tickets for the Peru friendly just before all this kicked-off. I'd guess prices were (on average) £60. Times that by 80,000 and you get full-house receipts of £4.8million. I know these figures are very approximate, but they can't be that far from the real thing. Add in the gate receipts from every whipstitch little final and semi final (Autoglass Front Bumper and Headlights or Johnson's Paint Sample or whatever) and the FA start to make quite a bit of money. Where does it all go?

[featured_spectre]

Where does it all go?

 

25% will go to the stadium owners for use of the stadium (it has to be cleaned, maintained, staff paid etc)

20% going to the away team coffers to pay for flights or transport etc

45% then goes to the home team for transport, facilities, payment of officials etc

Remaining 10% goes to the FA to cover "costs" of the administration of any cards or fines that need to be levied.

[featured_spectre]

Have a listen to this...BBC Radio 5 live - In Short, Waddle on England: 'We never ever, ever learn' Hammer on Head of Nail.

[superatticman]

Don't think whether we play the long ball game or passing matters. Its all about nous, being able to think on your feet and remain cool under pressure. England teams were often out played in the past but got through mainly due to the above. Cameroon and Belgium in 1990, Spain in 1996 immediately spring to mind. Even qualifying for 1990 was no mean feat as we were totally outplayed in Poland but held our nerve and had self belief that we would prevail. England's footballers and recently cricketers have become like robots. And robots win nothing.

[featured_spectre]

As I have said before, England is not a place for footballing talent anymore. Look at Nottingham Forest, they wont the CL (or back them the UEFA Cup Winners Cup) more times than any other English team and it was at a time when the League only allowed 3 foreign players. The English players back then were sought after in other nations like Germany, France, Belgium, Holland and Sweden. Now, how many english players play outside of England full time?

 

36 (excluding players playing in scotland, where the number goes up to 70ish)...compare this to France who have over 200 players abroad, Spain who have over 150 players abroad, Germany who have over 150 players abroad, Italy who have over 120 players abroad.

 

Of the 36 players abroad, only 7 players play for a top 3 side of the respective lead they are in.

[alttab]

...compare this to France who have over 200 players abroad, Spain who have over 150 players abroad, Germany who have over 150 players abroad, Italy who have over 120 players abroad.

 

Of the 36 players abroad, only 7 players play for a top 3 side of the respective lead they are in.

 

and yet this France team is the worst I've seen in the last 20 years. They'll only progress because they're in a stupendously weak group. Also, what use is strength of the Spanish squad when they don't offer the variety needed to affect the course of a match as substitutes.

 

this really is about England not having the right type of players in the starting XI, who can perform a function suited to modern international football. England playing Gerrard is akin to Spain relying on Alonso - they're neither out and out playmakers nor true defensive midfielders, they're style of play which is long range passes and shots outside the box is a luxury few sides can afford. Henderson is a far better fit for his versatility. England should have gone with a 5-3-3, with Johnson and Baines as advanced wingbacks Henderson and Wiltshire in midfield, Barclay behind a front two of Rooney and Sturridge.

[featured_spectre]

I agree that France and Spain are both weak this year but they are on a par with England in terms of team strength this year.

 

England lacks diversity where as the other nations have the choice of players to pick from

 

As for the game just played...wow...Costa Rica could well go far with how they're playing. Beating Italy and Uruguay who were both expected to go through.

[Seb1780]

and yet this France team is the worst I've seen in the last 20 years

 

I agree that France and Spain are both weak this year

 

I'd take 8 goals in two games quite happily

 

I'll be over the water for the knockout rounds - allez les bleus

Edited June 20, 2014 by Seb1780

[elsiegee40]

Oh for goodness sake! According to Clive Tyldesley "Many of the Iranian players have their Christian name on their shirt"

 

I very much doubt it; I suspect the Iranian team are Muslims to a man!

Edited June 21, 2014 by elsiegee40

[featured_spectre]

I am sure he means their forename...lol

[elsiegee40]

I am sure he means their forename...lol

 

I'm sure Mr Tyldesley meant forename too.... using Christian in conjunction with Iran is the kind of thing that starts wars!

[featured_spectre]

Have to say...so far...Iran have played a blinding game. They've neutralised Argentina perfectly.

[elsiegee40]

The Iranians have never had so many fans around the world. Sadly, Argentina (Messi) has just scored. Iran don't deserve to lose Edited June 21, 2014 by elsiegee40

[featured_spectre]

Agreed. They've played very very well and can hold their heads high. Their striker has been amazing as well...Deserved one of his attempts at least.

[featured_spectre]

Now to watch the Germans be ruthlessly efficient.

[elsiegee40]

Have to say...so far...Iran have played a blinding game. They've neutralised Argentina perfectly.

 

 

Is 0-0 at half time "ruthlessly efficient"?!

 

It's starting to look like the Argentina match

[featured_spectre]

Yeh...I regret saying that. Lol. This world cup is nothing but surprises.

 

Costa Rica remind me of Rorschach in Watchmen with the prison fight scene where he shouts "You guys are mistaken. I'm not locked in here with you....you're all locked in here with me."

 

Edit

 

Found image...

http://i.imgur.com/sLR1TIX.gif

Edited June 21, 2014 by featured_spectre

[featured_spectre]

you know what, I said to the mrs (and she was surprised at me saying this)...all bets are off. I am not making another bet this world cup. She was shocked considering how well I've done over the last 5 major international competitions.