Pavilionaire
Well-known member
- Jul 7, 2003
- 31,262
- Thread starter
- #81
WTF has happened to Ross Barkley? Not getting a sniff despite the fact Lallane is goalless, Sterling is clueless, Wilshere lacks fitness and Henderson is a donkey.
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England - press reporting 6 changes vs Slovakia
- Thread starter Pavilionaire
- Start date
He's been shit all season. Leaving him out is one thing Hodgson has got right. Personally I wouldn't have brought him at all.
For all the criticism he's received (over the top game 1, justified game 2) Sterling was missed tonight. He's the only one (actually Alli a bit) who is unpredictable - the one who would run at them and maybe break through the massed ranks. The rest of them are competent, comfortable with ball, but play by numbers.
Who would you have played up front then?
Easy 10
Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Spot.
On.
As soon as I caught wind in the media that Roy was making wholesale changes, it completely deflated me. As I've said elsewhere, he treated this game like a 2nd round League Cup tie against lower league opposition. Play the strongest XI and THEN make changes if/when we're in a comfortable position, ie a couple of goals to the good. Instead he did it the other way round - played a scratch XI, and then when it became apparent we couldn't break them down, tried reverting back to what had worked v Wales for the last half an hour. Except he didn't even do that, by deploying Rooney further forward down the middle again (after he'd been excellent playing deeper), which just forced Alli out wide.
It was a dogs dinner. Loads of possession, against a shit team not interested in coming forward, but precious little cutting edge. And god help us if that Smalling chest-down had actually been tucked away. Jesus.
I think England have looked good when their best team was on the pitch and I have always said, if they didn't have Joe Hart in goal they could potentially win it. Hart is hopeless and I saw uncertainty in him tonight again. You need an excellent goalkeeper to win tournaments and Joe Hart in NOT EXCELLENT.
Not taking Andy Carroll was a mistake because Sturridge, Kane and Vardy are similar in stature and occasionally their styles of play and not having a different way of playing doesn't give you a plan B if teams dig in against you.
That said. Not topping the group could be a bonus. Conceivably they could have played Croatia, (who will probably be third in that group now), by winning the group. Now they are potentially going to get Hungary or Poland or Northern Ireland, which is a better proposition.
Not taking Andy Carroll was a mistake because Sturridge, Kane and Vardy are similar in stature and occasionally their styles of play and not having a different way of playing doesn't give you a plan B if teams dig in against you.
That said. Not topping the group could be a bonus. Conceivably they could have played Croatia, (who will probably be third in that group now), by winning the group. Now they are potentially going to get Hungary or Poland or Northern Ireland, which is a better proposition.
Easy 10
Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Except when you factor in that we're now in the QF side of France, Germany and Italy...and any one of those is game over.
I don't know . I think I would rather play one of them than play Spain. France and Italy are beatable if you play well against them - Germany can step up a gear but I don't know that the other two can and I was only really thinking of the last 16 stage at the moment
HastingsSeagull
Well-known member
If we get an injury later in the tournament I expect he wants to give the replacement some experience of the tournament and so they're not bricking it when come on first time, in a tense moment
So the 6 changes.
Clyne for walker - Clyne was arguably our MOM, plus walker needed a rest
Bertrand For Rose - as above Rose needed a rest - his replacement didn't play well
Henderson for Rooney - Rooney shouldn't have even been in France according to some
Alli - Wilshire - Alli has looked tired
Vardy - Sterling - Sterling has been poor so far, Vardy scored from the bench last against Wales and missed a sitter last night
Sterling - Kane - Kane has looked half the player he is and again Sterling scored in previous games.
I can't see anything in those changes that would have made a difference - in face some are changes people had been calling for.
We take the numerous chances we had nothing is mentioned
Clyne for walker - Clyne was arguably our MOM, plus walker needed a rest
Bertrand For Rose - as above Rose needed a rest - his replacement didn't play well
Henderson for Rooney - Rooney shouldn't have even been in France according to some
Alli - Wilshire - Alli has looked tired
Vardy - Sterling - Sterling has been poor so far, Vardy scored from the bench last against Wales and missed a sitter last night
Sterling - Kane - Kane has looked half the player he is and again Sterling scored in previous games.
I can't see anything in those changes that would have made a difference - in face some are changes people had been calling for.
We take the numerous chances we had nothing is mentioned
Why are you worried about France?
Iggle Piggle
Well-known member
- Sep 3, 2010
- 5,950
The percentages say our route to the final is Hungary, France, Germany as opposed to Albania, Belgium, Spain. Whilst the 1st path is harder it's only marginal and England have always been capable of losing to their last 8 or 4 opponents in either half of the draw.
The fun really starts if Crotia turn Spain over putting the top 5 of the betting in the lower half of the draw. That would then have opportunity missed written all over it and quite why there was the need to rest players when we now have potentially 2 games in 2 weeks is bizarre.
The flip side is if Croatia lose to Spain it means Wales will more than likely play them.
Then who has the harder route?
Medwayseagull
JCB
Aren't you confusing Sterling and Sturbridge in one of your changes ?
Fixed
Bladders
Twats everywhere
Iggle Piggle
Well-known member
- Sep 3, 2010
- 5,950
20% chance ish of us landing Portugal, Wales Crotia
Attachments
Medwayseagull
JCB
Who's STURBRIDGE
Sent by 2 old baked bean cans and a piece of string
With your transfer sauces I thought you would have heard of him.
Worried Man Blues
Well-known member
The whole point of a competition is to beat the best teams not avoid them.