Poland v England Unofficial Match Thread

[crodonilson]

One word I would use to describe the performance tonight, disciplined.

Had Hart not made a major error with 20 minutes to go we'd have been likely celebrating a great victory that puts us haf way to the promised land of Brazil 2014. Still it's a very decent point and it puts us in pole position going into the next games next spring.

 

[BensGrandad]

Generally poor performance but decent result which is more important than the actual performance or how it was achieved..

 

[fleet]

Trying to feel good about the result, but how far are we away from proper teams in terms of quality and performance

 

[Huple]

I don't understand football, why don't they just 'kick it in the goal'

 

[Icy Gull]

Had Hart not made a major error with 20 minutes to go [/QUO

I haven't seen this "error" but for a very very highly rated keeper he does seem to make a lot o f*** ups. Is he really potentially world class or is he just very good by English standards?

Genuine question as I don't have too much interest in watching England or Man City but whenever I read about him it seems he's made some blinding saves and then screwed up on a simple one

 

[GingerBeerMan]

Had Hart not made a major error with 20 minutes to go [/QUO

I haven't seen this "error" but for a very very highly rated keeper he does seem to make a lot of f*** ups. Is he really potentially world class or is he just very good by English standards ?

Against Dortmund and Madrid he was outstanding. I'll allow him a few f*** ups because he's only behind Casillas and Valdes for the worlds best 'keeper IMO. Neuer is also decent but he's prone to some howlers too.

 

[JetsetJimbo]

I haven't seen this "error" but for a very very highly rated keeper he does seem to make a lot of f*** ups,

I know what you mean, but every time I see him play (and I didn't see tonight's game either) he pulls off at least one or two stunning saves that leave me staring at the telly in slack-jawed disbelief.

 

[The Hon Sec]

How is it that the referree has chosen to wear the England colours (albeit with shorts and shirt reversed)? Seems ridiculous to me.

Surely the referee should have worn colours that identified him easily from one of the sides. I kept expecting him to go for the ball!

 

[WhingForPresident]

Decent result considering how badly we played. My prediction was spot on for the first time in many a year, which I'm happy about, despite the fact the draw was an obvious outcome.

Just a few observations:

Schoolboy error from Hart for the goal, but he knows that. Shame, but Poland deserved a point, if not three.
Rooney worked well defensively but offered little in an attacking sense. Maybe it's time to start playing him as a CM?
Carrick was woeful, Cleverley was playing too central and Lescott looked very nervous at the back. Don't like his "get the ball, smash it into row z" approach.
There was no leader on the pitch tonight. Much as I dislike JT as a person, we have lost an inspirational captain and our best CB by a mile.
I'm not a fan of Milner but he actually played quite well tonight, he just had no-one to aim for with his crosses.
Gerrard just doesn't have that driving force in the middle that he used to. Think it's about time we started blooding the youngsters that will be key players in 2014/16 like Rodwell, Henderson, Shelvey etc.
Ref gave England a lot of dubious decisions, which was nice of him.

It's not all doom and gloom though; our starting 11 in 2 or 3 years should look something along the lines of:

--------------------Hart----------------------
----Walker----Jones----Smalling----Baines----
------------------Rodwell---------------------
---Chamberlain--------------------Sterling?---
------------------Wilshere--------------------
--------Rooney-------------------------------
--------------------------Welbeck------------


This side could probably compete at international level at the moment, but should be class by 2016. Then again, we could just end up with a new "golden generation"

 

[Pavilionaire]

This has got 1-1 written all over it.

That match was a fair reflection of where we are. We always have a goal in us but always likely to concede one too. More minuses than plusses, there's a case for starting Baines ahead of Cole as Poland's threat came from down our left. Cleverley out wide left didn't work either.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Good point.

We will top the group, lots of sides taking points off each other in this group.

 

[Husty]

I don't understand football, why don't they just 'kick it in the goal'

You really are a shocking windup account, over 600 posts of utter tripe and not one bite that I've witnessed.

 

[perseus]

Not that I like him, but we need a replacement for John Terry.

Corners lumped to the penalty spot produced both goals. Bit basic.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Before the game i would have taken 1-1 just a shame i watched it. Well the second half anyway. Wasted 45mins there.

 

[Mancgull]

It has nothing to do with the player passing it, or the direction of the ball.

A player is in an offside position if he is ahead of the ball and there are fewer than two opposing players between him and his opponents' goal. Being in an offside position isn't an offence unless, in the opinion of the referee he is involved in active play (by interfering with play, interfering with an opponent or gaining an advantage by being in the position).

In this instance, he is not offside because he was judged to be behind the ball when it was played (looking at the goal on youtube, you can't really see him until the ball has been played, even so, looking at where he appears from on the video it does look marginal - otherwise he would have been because there was only one opposing player closer to the goal than him).

That's pretty much what I said, isn't it.

 

[Acker79]

That's pretty much what I said, isn't it.

Not exactly. You said behind the passing player, but it's about the ball. Admittedly the passing player needs to be with the ball to pass it, but I was being a pedant.

 

[Mancgull]

Not exactly. You said behind the passing player, but it's about the ball. Admittedly the passing player needs to be with the ball to pass it, but I was being a pedant.

Fair enough...good to know someone knows the offside rule