England National Team

[Sheebo]

Did they? Must have missed that.

One thing that did strike me last night was the horrible quality of our passing at time, especially out from the back four. They really don't know how to do it. That, combined with the lack of ability to control the ball, made for a horrible watch.

Yep - Gerrard and Lamps combined really well at times. Agree re back 4 passing tho - as Mr Blobby said, it will take time but it looked like we were trying somethnig different. Some of Gerrard's balls were quality last night. As a football player you should appreciate how hard it is to hit a first time guided sidefoot pass at such pace - somethnig he does as well as anyone in the world.

 

[El Presidente]

France was good

We had two shots in 90 minutes.

 

[Sheebo]

We had two shots in 90 minutes.

Does that constitute a bad performance then? Shit Albion were awful last year in majority of games then.

 

[El Presidente]

Not a clue. Really don't get it. If I gave an honest answer to that i'd prob offend many so wont bother.

I won't be offended if you do give an honest answer. The Olympics surely showed that people want to get behind the flag, so it's not a case of being unpatriotic. It's not a case of expecting to see them win either, I live in Manchester, if I wanted to see a team win every week I don't have to go far, but instead follow the Albion, and most Albion fans are the same (although there are some complete delusional idiots on here, but they are in the minority).

 

[CHAPPERS]

Yep - Gerrard and Lamps combined really well at times. Agree re back 4 passing tho - as Mr Blobby said, it will take time but it looked like we were trying somethnig different. Some of Gerrard's balls were quality last night. As a football player you should appreciate how hard it is to hit a first time guided sidefoot pass at such pace - somethnig he does as well as anyone in the world.

Some of his passing is excellent, yes. Some. It's the first thing he looks for though.

I appreciate it's a long road ahead and finally we might have a manager who will look to play the game properly but whilst we have these players that are 32, 33 and 34 in the side and aren't programmed to play differently we won't get anywhere.

 

[El Presidente]

Does that constitute a bad performance then? Shit Albion were awful last year in majority of games then.

You said it was a good performance though. I'm not trying to pick an argument with you, and admire your England blinkers in a way, but to call two shots and 35% possession in 90 minutes 'Good' seems a bit generous.

 

[Sheebo]

Some of his passing is excellent, yes. Some. It's the first thing he looks for though.

I appreciate it's a long road ahead and finally we might have a manager who will look to play the game properly but whilst we have these players that are 32, 33 and 34 in the side and aren't programmed to play differently we won't get anywhere.

I agree mate.

 

[Camicus]

For me the final straw was the World Cup in South Africa, and one particular moment.

Mr Rooney, "It's nice to hear your own fans booing you"

Well f*** right off Rooney, those fans spent thousands of pounds travelling to South Africa and buying tickets out of a sense of pride and honour regarding the England team, the England team YOU were an abject member of and failed dismally to reciprocate this feeling, I imagine these fans, that YOU had the f***ing nerve to criticise DO NOT earn upwards of £200,000 per week and the expenditure will be in many cases still being paid for 2 years later.

I hope one day you lose ALL your money and reminded what it's like to be a normal human being, and if that happens I would wager my Mortgage that YOU wouldn't spend thousands going to far off lands to support a team that is full of over paid, over hyped, over sexed, prim a donas who don't seem to think that pulling on an England jersey is worthy of putting in just a little bit of extra effort.

So very very much this.

 

[Puppet Master]

I agree with Sheebo. I'm English, therefore I'll always support them no matter what - same as I wouldn't turn my back on Brighton.

The better England are, the better our whole country looks therefore it makes Brighton more esteemed. Otherwise it'd just be like celebrating being champions of the Cypriot Second Tier or whatever.

 

[Sheebo]

You said it was a good performance though. I'm not trying to pick an argument with you, and admire your England blinkers in a way, but to call two shots and 35% possession in 90 minutes 'Good' seems a bit generous.

I remember on here about 50% were calling it a good performance. And using the anti NSC formula 2X - 5Y = 3XY2 I'd call that about 70% of the nation

No in all seriousness I thoughtit was a good performance. In terms of England blinkers - maybe it's the same blinkers 90% of us have with the Albion?
I personally feel that every football supporter should automatically support their country as a given. That's just my opininon.

 

[Gullys Cats]

Piss poor again, they can do better

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

I always 'follow' England and hope they win, even went to a couple of games last year.

Last night I was thoroughly fed up when we were losing, so I must care. There are a number of things for me.....

1. Foreign managers, as soon as Sven came along I lost a bit of enthusiasm.
2. Style of football, ok, but we're trying to be something we're not (a neat passing team like Barcelona and Brighton ;- )).
3. Football coverage. ITV are just dreadful, it turns people off, why we have to have two ROI pundits I really don't know, even the Beeb have Lawron and Hansen. Townsends footballing knowledge is so limited it defies belief.
4. Brighton over England every time - I don't like international breaks and that alienates me further.

 

[El Presidente]

maybe it's the same blinkers 90% of us have with the Albion?
I personally feel that every football supporter should automatically support their country as a given. That's just my opininon.

I grew up in the 60's and 70's, every football supporter did support their country as a given. I think you will find kids all support their country too. It's too easy to oversimplify though. England (and the Albion) should not be immune from criticism, and if you do criticise it does not make you a 'hater' or a 'Plastic Man U wannabe', or do you disagree?

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Yep - Gerrard and Lamps combined really well at times. Agree re back 4 passing tho - as Mr Blobby said, it will take time but it looked like we were trying somethnig different. Some of Gerrard's balls were quality last night. As a football player you should appreciate how hard it is to hit a first time guided sidefoot pass at such pace - somethnig he does as well as anyone in the world.

Gerrard's passing was quality. But Lampard MoM and even a mention for Johnson, I really didn't see it. Johnson does a lot of good things going forward, the trouble is he loses possession a similar number of times. Lampard I thought was quiet.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

I grew up in the 60's and 70's, every football supporter did support their country as a given. I think you will find kids all support their country too. It's too easy to oversimplify though. England (and the Albion) should not be immune from criticism, and if you do criticise it does not make you a 'hater' or a 'Plastic Man U wannabe', or do you disagree?

Absolutely right! We criticise sometimes because we care.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Townsend was clearly struggling for a MOM because he picked Lampard as he took the penno (one thing he definitely can do). In my opinion, of a poor bunch the only player that stood out due to genuine hard work and commitment was Milner. His covering work was excellent (as it has to be with Johnson bombing forward and constantly losing the ball) and although he didn't have a great game he deserved it last night.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Thing is I want England FC to do well, of course I do, but unfortunately like many I feel disenfranchised at the moment. Have been since 2010 really. Its got to the stage where I dont even know when an England game is on and like El Pres says England games were always a big deal back in the day.

 

[Sheebo]

I grew up in the 60's and 70's, every football supporter did support their country as a given. I think you will find kids all support their country too. It's too easy to oversimplify though. England (and the Albion) should not be immune from criticism, and if you do criticise it does not make you a 'hater' or a 'Plastic Man U wannabe', or do you disagree?

Of course. But i'm not getting at the odd bit of criticism (I sometimes do it for both Albion & England but like to think i'm positive overall too). It's the constant undeserving criticism that gets my back up. It seems people are waiting for anything to go wrong just to jump on England's back. The Media do it - and it's now infiltrating its way to the 'fans'. I wasn't having a pop at anyone who dares to criticise as it's a good thing if done constructively.

 

[Sheebo]

I grew up in the 60's and 70's, every football supporter did support their country as a given. I think you will find kids all support their country too. It's too easy to oversimplify though. England (and the Albion) should not be immune from criticism, and if you do criticise it does not make you a 'hater' or a 'Plastic Man U wannabe', or do you disagree?

No i agree entirely. I criticise myself with both Albino and Englandbut at the moment i don't feel like criticising England because I feel they're getting unwarrented criticism elswhere!!!!

I wasn't having a pop at those who constructively criticise atall. It's the constant unwarrented criticism and the need to express how people 'don't care' about England (usually the same people on every bvloody thread) that annoys me. And it seems many expect us to win every major or else it's a failing - it isn't!

 

[Monsieur Le Plonk]

There, for me at least, is the problem.

I know longer consider myself a football fan, and haven't for many many years.

My love for the Albion goes far beyond fandom, the Albion is a part of me, and will always be a part, no matter what.
It has managed through good times and bad, to be one of the few constants in my life, for that I'm a very proud to be Albion.

Football has had fleeting moments of this, mainly centred around success, 1990 springs to mind as an emotional summer.

But the further removed football has become.
With all it's failure, embarrassment, excuses, the opulence, the wall to wall coverage, being 'more important than life a death', the less I want to be involved, and that all comes out at the England team.

Good post.
....and yet I can't help being morally hypocritical by wanting half the premiership to be signed by us every transfer window as we battle our way to the promised land that I tell myself I so despise.