England v Germany (and then v Holland)

[Stat Brother]

We have a winner!

When you've never been wrong as many times as BG has never been wrong, picking the correct weaselly excuse is like shooting fish in a barrel.

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

Well I certainly enjoyed it. Friendlies are normally such dull affairs and having a young team against a decent opposition made this one good to watch.

I don't have any expectations at all. Like many here I used to have high hopes for England as we've had some of the best players in the world. We don't anymore, so I have low hopes, even though we might end up with a decent team.

It might also be affected by how well Brighton are doing. A couple of decades ago I'd just be hoping our club didn't go bust or out of the football league, I can enjoy our club's progress much more now and perhaps my sporting needs have become less dependent on England.

The Brighton aspect is a good point, I've never thought of it that way. With a fair bit of positivity around the Albion now (unless you come on here after a loss) sporting hope can be placed a bit closer to home.

Maybe I didn't think of that due to age, I don't have the decades (and decades) spent following football you seem to...

 

[Stat Brother]

Talking of the game last night and the Albion.

Did anyone else think Gomez' goal was a textbook Hemed header?


Somewhat pleasing to have such thoughts instead of 'I wish the Albion could have a striker that could do that'.

 

[atfc village]

I just remember that night England beat Germany 5-1 in a world cup qualifier.

Everybody thought this team was destined for greatness.

As it turned out both teams qualified for the finals. England disappointed as usual, Germany got to the final, though they lost this time I think.

Both England and Germany were beaten by an inspired Ronaldo led Brazil side.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Not that you will admit it but the 2 outfield substitutions made the difference and changed the game. Nobody knows for sure but had the team that finished started, basically as I said in the OP, the win may have been more emphatic. The plus is that yet agajn Roy was able to see Welbeck and Lallana are only squad players and not good enough to be certain starters.

Just in case you hadn't noticed we had already pulled a goal back before the subs and had been looking threatening ...that's fact.. the rest is all ifs and buts

 

[Triggaaar]

I don't have the decades (and decades) spent following football you seem to...

Alright, alright, I'm not that old.

Aside from the Brighton effect, I think age has an effect on optimism with England. In late teens and early 20s everything seems possible. Losing in tournaments time after time wears you down after a while.

 

[Triggaaar]

Both England and Germany were beaten by an inspired Ronaldo led Brazil side.

Actually I think we lost it by drawing against Nigeria. We knew that finishing second in the group would mean playing Brazil in the afternoon sun, whereas winning the group would have seen us face Turkey, and then a Semi-final against Brazil in the evening, which we could have won.

 

[Easy 10]

I'm not generally a Lallana fan, but thought he was excellent last night. Him and Wellbeck didn't give ze Germans a moments peace on the ball at the back, that was proper harrying from the front. That front three with Kane weaved some lovely patterns going forward and had them all over the place at times. Also thought Danny Rose was absolute quality at LB, speedy and tenacious at the back, and a great outlet coming forward, put in some very decent balls. Kane and Vardy's finishes were world class.

The one drawback - Smalling and Cahill are just not good enough, they will get found out time and again by the better teams. I hope Stones can step up to the plate in the summer, because CB is blatantly our achilles heel in this side.

Overall though, a great positive youthful lineup that did themselves proud from start to finish. Now I'm getting dangerously optimistic again.

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

Alright, alright, I'm not that old.

Aside from the Brighton effect, I think age has an effect on optimism with England. In late teens and early 20s everything seems possible. Losing in tournaments time after time wears you down after a while.

I'll have to take your word for that!

It might do, I was 10 during '98 so I've never really had much in the way of national success (or late runs into tournaments) to hold onto. After the tournaments I've seen in my lifetime I'm honestly happy to just see us turn up and at least try now.

Still, I'll remain realistically optimistic, what's the point otherwise?

 

[BensGrandad]

Henderson you say was not good enough as he missed a couple of good chances yet Ali was your man of the match by a mile and he missed an absolute sitter ?

Perhaps I should have said AND he missed rather than it sound like that was my reason for saying he wasnt good enough
I would like to see a midfield of Walcott Barkley and Ali with Dier holding.

 

[Easy 10]

The rest played better than I expected but the 2 substitutions changed the complex of the game but basically Welbeck Lallana were poor also dont think Clyne or Cahill are now good enough nor Henderson as an attacking force as hd missed a couple of good chances that he shoulc hzvd done better with. I was impressed with Rose a good debut I thought and also Dier. For me Ali was MOM by a mile.

Cobblers. We were playing with energy and purpose throughout that game from the start and had them on the back foot for long spells in the 1st half before any changes were made. Lallana, Wellbeck and Kane kept that German back 4 fully occupied through. Our vulnerability at CB was there for all to see, but as an overall performance that was as good as I've seen from an England team against top class opposition for a long time. Even if we hadn't pulled that scoreline round, there was still plenty to be encouraged with.

Dier, Ali and Rose were all very good, I agree with you on that at least.

 

[Triggaaar]

After the tournaments I've seen in my lifetime I'm honestly happy to just see us turn up and at least try now.

Still, I'll remain realistically optimistic, what's the point otherwise?

Maybe we're just talking about the difference between optimism and hope/belief. If you're happy ti just see us turn up and try, that's probably where many of us are now.

Not that long ago many of us thought we had a decent chance. We were close in '90 and '96, had a good team in '98, should have done better in 2002 (as I posted above) and were excellent in 2004, where we lost out due to Rooney getting his foot broken (he really was bloody good then). Not doing as well as we could have in those years, and being forgettable ever since, makes me less hopeful.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Cobblers. We were playing with energy and purpose throughout that game from the start and had them on the back foot for long spells in the 1st half before any changes were made. Lallana, Wellbeck and Kane kept that German back 4 fully occupied through. Our vulnerability at CB was there for all to see, but as an overall performance that was as good as I've seen from an England team against top class opposition for a long time. Even if we hadn't pulled that scoreline round, there was still plenty to be encouraged with.

Dier, Ali and Rose were all very good, I agree with you on that at least.

''Cobblers'' is very restrained of you ...I think he was trying to covers his arse from the opening post on this thread

 

[Triggaaar]

I would like to see a midfield of Walcott Barkley and Ali with Dier holding.

Hands up who cares what you think.

 

[BensGrandad]

Hands up who cares what you think.

Wouldnt football be boring if we were all like sheep and didnt have an opinion.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Wouldnt football be boring if we were all like sheep and didnt have an opinion.

Would u say u are more like an orangutan?

 

[BensGrandad]

Cobblers. We were playing with energy and purpose throughout that game from the start and had them on the back foot for long spells in the 1st half before any changes were made. Lallana, Wellbeck and Kane kept that German back 4 fully occupied through. Our vulnerability at CB was there for all to see, but as an overall performance that was as good as I've seen from an England team against top class opposition for a long time. Even if we hadn't pulled that scoreline round, there was still plenty to be encouraged with.

Dier, Ali and Rose were all very good, I agree with you on that at least.

Sorry I disagree with your assessment of the 1st half and Lallana and Welbeck. I thought Germany looked comfortable and it was only a matter of time as to when they would take the lead.

 

[Triggaaar]

Wouldnt football be boring if we were all like sheep and didnt have an opinion.

Yes, but there aren't just the two options: be a sheep or be mad.

It's fair enough that you thought the starting line up was very poor, but having been proved totally wrong, most of us would hold our hands up and say 'wow, delighted to see I got it completely wrong'. But not you, oh no, far too much pride and stubbornness to admit you made a mistake.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I hope we go into the Summer know the only way we will do well is to out score the opponents, lets stick to an attacking line up

 

[Phat Baz 68]

very poor and untried england team tonight

butland
clyne.. Smalling....cahill,.... Rose
henderson...dier
wellbeck....alli...lallana
kane​

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha !!!