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The England Thread

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
We were pretty terrible. Here's what I wrote in the other thread last night:

BBC seemed to be blinded by us looking dangerous on about 4 or 5 occasions and then Italy just dropping off and seeing out their lead, but lets talk about...

- Closing down the opposition. This was absolute dog shit from us. I don't care what the conditions were like, you cannot just give a team that much time and space to stroll up the pitch and decide what they want to do with it. Sterling, for all he has been raved about tonight it seems, led the way in this total lack of getting in and about their deep midfielders. Rooney and Sturridge were also pretty abysmal in their efforts. Welbeck hit and miss, but tried a bit more to put some pressure on. You cannot let them stroll up the pitch at walking space, leaving 4 men ahead of the ball, and drag our centre mids out repeatedly because it leaves space in front of the defence. I don't think Henderson and Gerrard had good games, but they didn't get much help from those in front of them. Likewise with Baines. Was far, far too easy to play through us.

- 1st goal. How fucking basic was that? Didn't even get enough markers out to the Italian players hovering on the edge of the box. At what age do you get taught to pick up every man at corners... 6 years old? We deserved to concede for such amateurish stupidity. Another case where I have to ask what exactly we are doing during the week and on the training pitch and tactical team meetings.

- Tactically schooled. Outnumbered in the centre of the pitch yet Italy still found ways to target us down one flank through clever positioning and movement. We never looked like getting to grips with it. Combine this with piss poor pressing and it really was too easy.

- Fitness. I only saw one team with people getting cramp...

This wasn't a good performance. We had a few lively moments, mostly down to individual skill. As a team we were all over the place and sorely lacking in most departments, especially when we didn't have the ball.
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
The Daily Mail (no surprise) are a disgrace. They are acting like the players were a disappointment when they couldn't be further from the truth, for the most part.

Sensationalist crap, nothing to see there.
 

nailsy

SC Supporter
Jul 24, 2005
30,536
46,628
I thought we did OK for the most part. I can't say I was too impressed with our tactics though. I think Hodgson might have been too worried about the conditions and let them dictate our game plan too much. Going forward we looked good at times, but we left massive holes at the back. People say Baines didn't play well but any defender left marking two players is going to struggle, and going forward he looked a threat and even set up Rooney for the chance that he should have scored. Overall I thought we deserved a draw from the game and there were quite a few positives.
 

Led's Zeppelin

Can't Re Member
May 28, 2013
7,333
20,178
It looked like we had a bunch of individually talented players (some more so than others) who had no idea how to play against a proper team performance.

And then, on a level beyond the reach of everyone else, there was Pirlo.
 

nailsy

SC Supporter
Jul 24, 2005
30,536
46,628
Part of the problem was that we went behind. That side was set up for counter attacking but once we went behind Italy obviously sat back. It's a shame one of our early chances didn't go in.
 

riggi

Well-Known Member
Jun 24, 2008
48,486
104,718
Part of the problem was that we went behind. That side was set up for counter attacking but once we went behind Italy obviously sat back. It's a shame one of our early chances didn't go in.

Ye I agree, conceding a goal is kinda ruins it...:D

I know what your saying though.
 

MaccSpurs

Well-Known Member
Jul 24, 2013
783
1,513
If Danny Welbeck was not at Manchester United he would never have seen an England cap. He never delivers when it really counts and yesterday was a prime example when he couldn't even hit the target when closer to the goal than Marchisio was when he scored for Italy.

Not only that, Welbeck is a striker and there was only one striking position available and that went to Sturridge. So why was he even on the pitch?

Then we have Sterling who had a great game but probably would have been just as good playing on the right and allowing Rooney to play in his natural position just behind the main striker. I'm not saying Rooney is perfect but on his day he can deliver but to be fair to him you have to play him where he plays best and that is not the left wing ffs.

As for Jordan Henderson I'm amazed this player even plays at a professional level at all. He was so out of depth it was untrue.

Where was Gerrard? Where was he taking the game by the scruff of the neck and leading us? He was just another player on the pitch doing very little.

The simple fact is we have seen this all before. It's the same old England. All talk and little action.

That was not a very good Italian side who as usual we gave far too much space to and we ended up losing. I said it before in another thread that two years ago Pirlo alone made us look crap and you'd think we would have adapted for it but nope....we still just give him all the room he wants.
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
As I tried to explain to my mate last night during an argument... Gerrard and Henderson were screening the back four and should have been dealing with Candreva and Marchisio. However when the front four for us are offering very little in terms of closing down, and allowing themselves to get wrong side of the ball, this then dragged out our central midfielders towards Pirlo and Verratti, and the gaps in front of our defence emerge for the likes of Candreva to exploit. I felt quite sorry for Henderson and Gerrard. They were completely over-run but largely due to the fact they didn't get any help from those in front of them.
 

Gbspurs

Gatekeeper for debates, King of the plonkers
Jan 27, 2011
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61,824
I didn't think we were that bad. Still a lot of football to play and a good chance of getting out of the group.
 

markiespurs

SC Supporter
Jul 9, 2008
11,899
15,576
I think we didn't do to badly last night.

Surely it's time to drop Rooney though, apart from the assist, he offered very little else and constantly left Baines exposed at LB.
 

SteveH

BSoDL candidate for SW London
Jul 21, 2003
8,642
9,313
I think we didn't do to badly last night.

Surely it's time to drop Rooney though, apart from the assist, he offered very little else and constantly left Baines exposed at LB.

Rooney was the only question mark for me but I would still play him. Liked the lineup for the first half.

Wilshere was poor IMHO
 

thinktank

Hmmm...
Sep 28, 2004
45,893
68,893
v.Uruguay...​

Hart

Jones Cahill Jags Baines

Henderson Barkley

Ox Sterling Lallana

Sturridge

Would definitely play ox if fit. If not, then...

Sterling Sturridge Lallana

Lambert​
 

dannythomas

Well-Known Member
May 17, 2004
3,757
2,813
Such a shame Walker and Naughton were not there .... Mind you, they couldnt have done any worse than the 2 clowns who played last night. In fact I would have gone with Walker, Fryers, Dawson and Naughton.
 

haxman

Well-Known Member
Jan 14, 2007
16,911
8,146
From a neutral's point of view, England didn't do badly. At the 70 minute mark I said to my brother that 2-2 would be a fair scoreline. But England tired badly after that point.

Every chance that they can beat Uruguay.
 

nailsy

SC Supporter
Jul 24, 2005
30,536
46,628
From a neutral's point of view, England didn't do badly. At the 70 minute mark I said to my brother that 2-2 would be a fair scoreline. But England tired badly after that point.

Every chance that they can beat Uruguay.

They didn't have the official water break in the end did they?
 

Gbspurs

Gatekeeper for debates, King of the plonkers
Jan 27, 2011
26,945
61,824
Don't even need to beat Uruguay though in all likelihood which is brilliant news. Draw and a win against Costa Rica should do it.
 

Mr Pink

SC Supporter
Aug 25, 2010
54,770
99,329
England were over run in midfield, but that was always likely opting for that set up and the pace options Woy went for.

He could of played Wilshere in a three which would of seen us have more of the ball but we probably would of done a lot less with it - but might have a point to show for it.

I think his selection was good the only problem being Rooney. Sterling excelled in his position obviously and Rooney made the goal so its not all clear cut but what's critical for the next game is that Woy either plays Rooney in the number ten position or not at all.

I'm not sure how strong Uruguay are down their right but they'll surely be targeting our left hand side if we go the same way.

If the Ox is fit I would definitely go for him on the left. Both teams need the win really so its going to be open which suits the pace options England have.

He can offer more defensive cover for Baines, and of course he;ll be more natural in that position than Rooney.

Start Rooney in his favoured position and if its not happening for him after an hour get Barkley on. Sterling will still get space playing down the right and I still expect him to make a real impact.

The most important thing is the team has the correct natural balance. If Ox isn't fit to start I'd give Welbeck another go. Keep the defense together.

So team for Uruguay:

Hart

Johnson
Cahill
Jagielka
Baines

Gerrard
Henderson

Sterling
Rooney
Ox/Welbeck

Sturridge
 

WalkerboyUK

Well-Known Member
Jun 8, 2009
21,658
23,476
I went to bed instead of watching the game (I actually fell asleep before the Uruguay game kicked off!), but having seen Balotelli's goal, I really still don't understand why Welbeck is selected. Our flanks are currently a major weakness because they don't help the defenders. We mirror Brazil in that aspect!
I hope a few people had a go at Welbeck in the dressing room for just dawdling instead of closing down.
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
It doesn't matter who we pick to be honest. If we don't put any effort into closing the opposition down and giving them all the time in the world on the ball we will come unstuck. The plan seems to have become to play Redknapp football; do fuck all work when we haven't got the ball, very little structure, and just back individuals to come up with moments of magic. May as well have actually picked the man himself as boss if we were going to play this way.
 
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