England National football team thread

[MasterBlaster76]

That was possibly the worst minute of 'silence' I've ever experienced - perhaps the minute of applause is the way to go, that way anyone who wants to behave like a moron can't be heard. Celebrate their lives, instead of mourn their deaths.

 

[Skater]

That was possibly the worst minute of 'silence' I've ever experienced - perhaps the minute of applause is the way to go, that way anyone who wants to behave like a moron can't be heard. Celebrate their lives, instead of mourn their deaths.

The minute of applause is appropriate for someone who has died at an old age, who had a full career. I don't think a minute's applause would have been right when they were marking the deaths of people in the nightclub fire and at Munich.

 

[barmyarmy]

Why play someone on the left who is totally unwilling or unable to use his left foot?

 

[Epic]

Cahill.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

The minute of applause is appropriate for someone who has died at an old age, who had a full career. I don't think a minute's applause would have been right when they were marking the deaths of people in the nightclub fire and at Munich.

Of course; good point. Shame people can't shut their gobs for sixty seconds though, eh?

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Cahill.

If it wasn't for that, we'd now be 2-0 up. Against Brazil.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

OK, that was just a friendly, but that was a bloody good performance with a brilliant and well deserved result! Well done, lads and what a goal from Lampard! Had that come from Neymar or Ronaldinho, we'd never hear the end of it.

Just shows we can do it - why can't we do that when it really matters?

 

[barmyarmy]

Definitely a good performance. Wilshire was impressive. I still think Milner shouldn't be near the team though.
Well played lads.

 

[War]

Hmm that was encouraging. The Italy friendly win was vs a makeshift italy team, but this is close to brazil's best team. Only Thiago Silva, Sandro, Marcelo would obviously play if they were fit.

But although this was a friendly, i would be tempted to say this was easily the best passing mid-field display from england vs one of the big nations that have won a world cup, since probably the 2005, 3-2 friendly win vs argentina. This for me is the key area of encouragement from this match, since everyone knows this is england's historical achillies heel.


- Loved the formation today for one. Rooney essentially played as a "false 9" like messi @ barca. When he dropped back into mid-field alongside gerrard, lamps, wilshire, cleverley - the movement was superb.

- Wilshire further enhanced his reputation. Walcott had his best game for england probably since the croatia 2008 encounter. Clearly the his new found life @ arsenal rubbed off.

- For the second game in row, two young, but talented central defenders played well but made bad communication blunders. This is where playing either one of cahill, smalling (richards or caulkner) next to experience head in Rio Ferdinand come the qualifiers will certainly make this team better when all players are fit.

With a performance like this, i don't think it would be unfair to expect england to dominate the remaining qualifiers this year & qualify for the world-cup without having to face the play-off's. Add Carrick, Ferdinand, Defoe or Sturridge to this team & its a nice mix.


Hart

Johnson Smalling Ferdinand Cole/Baines

Gerrard Carrick Wilshire

Walcott Rooney Stirridge/Defoe

 

[MasterBlaster76]

That's the thing, isn't it? Can we wheel out a performance like that when it's Poland or someone at Wembley? So many times, we've seen England put on a great show (5-1 in Munich, anyone) and then the very next game, put on a distinctly average performance (Albania, I think it was on that occasion). And can we pull that performance out of the bag when it really matters - if we bump into Brazil in the Quarters, or Second Round, or even the Group Stage next year?

 

[War]

That's the thing, isn't it? Can we wheel out a performance like that when it's Poland or someone at Wembley? So many times, we've seen England put on a great show (5-1 in Munich, anyone) and then the very next game, put on a distinctly average performance (Albania, I think it was on that occasion). And can we pull that performance out of the bag when it really matters - if we bump into Brazil in the Quarters, or Second Round, or even the Group Stage next year?

Yea of course its all about doing it in a competitive qualifier or world cup.

However the encouraging part for me as i mentioned before was the mid-field movement & domination of the area of the park. In all of england competitive/friendly wins vs big nations since 2000 (not disrespect to the croatia tea we beat 4-1 win in 2008). Germany 5-1, argentina 1-0 & 3-2 - 2002 & 2005, germany 2-1 - 2007, 1-0 vs spain - 2011, sweden 3-2 @ euro 2012 - this is was the best passing display.

All those others wins i can't say we dominated the mid-field, but we won due to other factors.

Not since that famous 0-0 1998 world cup qualifier draw vs Italy in rome or vs holland at euro 96 have i seen england dominate the mid-field in game like last night.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

That 0-0 in Italy was one of my favourite England games ever - why don't ESPN Classic show it occasionally? Who cares that there were no goals - it was an action packed match! Show that and stop showing England v Scotland 1977 over and over and over again.

 

[War]

Ye that Italy game was full of quality. Key to that mid-field then was gazza, who had a unique ability to run at defenders, hold them off with his strength & pass the pall exquisitely like a xavi.

Something that wilshire show last night, which pretty much shows as most already have been saying since he broke onto the scene - he is the mid-field key for us to maintain & challenge top teams in the mid-field battle en route to the world cup.

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Wilshere the beauty and beast England have craved - ESPN FC

While there remains a part of me that fears Wilshere's destiny is to be sent off early in a crucial World Cup match for some form of unnecessary bodily contact, his aggression is just what Roy Hodgson needs at the heart of his midfield. With Steven Gerrard by his side, a man who made more than his fair share of reckless challenges as a youngster, Wilshere has an excellent in-game mentor.

haha yep, i think this all the time while watching him since his return from injury this season. Hopefully he doesn't do a beckham 98 ever however..

 

[puddleduck]

Considering he's alleged to have beaten up a cabbie because he was wearing a Spurs hat I'd say he's definitely got it him. Supposed to be absolute scum off the pitch is Jack.

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Also I hate it when a commentator says things after Cahill's mistake along the lines of "he should have cleared it into row Z." The decision to move infield and keep possession was entirely the correct one, it was the execution that was wrong. Also as much as he was at fault for that, he had an excellent game in terms of getting his foot in to prevent shooting opportunities in and around the box.

Cracking finish from Lampard, although when the initial change was made to take off Cleverly the midfield was suddenly very overrun with both Gerrard and Lampard in it. The balance of Cleverly and Wilshere's mobility with Gerrard sitting deep worked nicely. Meant there was always someone to give the ball to and find space. Nothing wrong with Lampard being an option off the bench though.

We also looked a lot better when Wellbeck went off, I like him, but he's not good enough and I'd like to see Lennon and Walcott swapping wing positions in behind Rooney as the front striker. That kind of sheer pace will force a lot of teams to sit quite deep against England which makes a lot more space to play in the midfield with. It also means Rooney doesn't get crowded out anywhere near as often, and gives him players he can look to slide in.

 

[War]

Stamps to mark 150 year anniversary of Association Football released by Royal Mail, including Bobby Moore, Denis Law and George Best | Mail Online

Hmm nice team, admittedly i've never heard of dave mackay before though. Honorable mentions to Ryan Giggs, Sir Stan Matthews, Bale, Scholes, Haynes, Hansen.

England plan to stay at Rio's Copacabana beach in 2014 World Cup finals - Telegraph

Well done FA, couldn't have gotten a more perfect spot in Rio.

 

[War]

While i would start either Sturridge, Defoe or Lennon ahead of Welbeck once all are fit, i think its unfair to say he is "not good enough" or that England looked better when he came off.

Welbeck's pace while running back defensively certainly backed up cole & baines @ left-back & prevented danny alves from making any notable booming forward runs that he does weekly for barcelona.

Overall though i'd say Welbeck this season especially at united is becoming a victim of his own perceived versatility. His best role is clearly centrally, but many times he has been sacrificed out wide right & left @ united.

He has scored some good goals for england recently playing centrally & i can see why ferguson & hodgson like having him around.