Mr Smggles
Well-known member
I agree. There were multiple times where you counted all 10 Portuguese behind the ball with 6 or more on the 18 yard box. Thats ALWAYS going to be hard to break down. We did well to do that.
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England v Portugal
- Thread starter crodonilson
- Start date
I agree. There were multiple times where you counted all 10 Portuguese behind the ball with 6 or more on the 18 yard box. Thats ALWAYS going to be hard to break down. We did well to do that.
JC Footy Genius
Bringer of TRUTH
- Jun 9, 2015
- 10,568
Too lazy to read through the thread but can anyone explain why the Premier League top scorer was taking corners and wide free kicks?
Most interesting moment, someone getting a red card in a friendly.
Most interesting moment, someone getting a red card in a friendly.
Pavilionaire
Well-known member
- Jul 7, 2003
- 31,263
Logic dictates that when your full-backs are Walker and Rose, plus Dier, Alli and Kane then you follow the Spurs formation of 4-2-3-1. Having Vardy, Townsend and Wilshere make up the attack makes sense but Roy seems to be hell bent on shaping his system to accommodate Rooney. The diamond he picked had no width; against top quality the fullbacks will have their hands full defending. Oh for a Beckham or a Chris Waddle!
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
He's done very well for a fraud. Results are what matters.
It was a friendly. A workout. A training exercise.
Hodgson's interview afterwards explained he was playing a defensive formation which threw the team when Portugal went down to 10 men.
He said he needed to play both formations in the tournament. He knows a bit more than the bloke down the pub.
Milano
Well-known member
So change the formation then!!!!
How the guy is still in this job after the car crash that was Brazil is beyond me. The qualifying group was the eqivilent Barcelona needing to get out the conference.
Set up like that and put that mentality into the team for the tournament and we're not getting past the group stage.
He's great at it though, he is brilliant at reducing expectation, thus glossing over failure. The scousers sussed him out in 6 months.
1066familyman
Radio User
- Jan 15, 2008
- 15,233
Normal Rob
Well-known member
Please, for the sake of everyone, just shut up now. We get your point - you don't like Roy.
Are you suggesting that since Oct 12th when we beat Lithuania 3-0 we shouldn't bother playing any friendlies and our next game would be against Russia on 11th June!
The point of playing Portugal was that we were hoping Ronaldo would be playing and we could set up how we would play against Wales who have Bale. It didn't work out.
With regard to friendlies, do you think Brighton should not bother with a pre season friendlies then either?
atfc village
Well-known member
Bobby Robson survived a car crash of a Euro 88 and escaped the sack and look what happened 2 years later with a touch of luck.
Plake
Unregistered User
Hodgson/Rooney. Depressing.
crodonilson
He/Him
- Thread starter
- #51
Lets take friendlies with a pinch of salt. Fact is it wasn't a good performance but we found enough to win the game and we go to France with morale high and spirit good after 3 wins on the spin.
The biggest worry for me is we should now have the starting 11 nailed for next Saturday, but we don't really seem close to it. You could name about 5 maybe 6 definite starters and then it's anyones guess plus we don't know what formation we'll play.
On last nights evidence I'd also say it was a mistake dropping Townsend. As much of an absolute superstar Marcus Rashford is going to be it's doubtful he'll play much if anything in this tournament and Townsend gives us width we don't have anywhere else in the squad and offers something different.
The biggest worry for me is we should now have the starting 11 nailed for next Saturday, but we don't really seem close to it. You could name about 5 maybe 6 definite starters and then it's anyones guess plus we don't know what formation we'll play.
On last nights evidence I'd also say it was a mistake dropping Townsend. As much of an absolute superstar Marcus Rashford is going to be it's doubtful he'll play much if anything in this tournament and Townsend gives us width we don't have anywhere else in the squad and offers something different.
RandyWanger
Je suis rôti de boeuf
No one looked up for this, the players or the crowd, I got bored and switched it off.
Phil & Kirsty #LIOLI was much more entertaining.
Phil & Kirsty #LIOLI was much more entertaining.
Herne Hill Seagull
Well-known member
Hodgson's actually a tactical genius. Recognising that expectations of the England team are now lower than they've been for many years, he's found a way to lower them still further by coming up with a system which entirely blunts such weaponry as we have by accommodating Rooney at all costs.
I heard a discussion about the starting eleven during the week, before this game, during which one former pro contended that Rooney starts because he's an intimidating figure for opposition players. What utter, utter rubbish. A full international playing a finals tournament isn't going to be intimidated by too many names in an opposition line-up, still less an ageing striker who has, like so many English internationals, always been well short of his hype yet seems to be picked regardless of form or effect.
I recognise that Rooney is not responsible for the hype around him when he was younger, and is far from our only problem - playing Vardy and Kane in their natural roles wouldn't do anything about the fact that we don't defend anywhere near well enough to threaten at a major tournament, for example. But successive managers' accommodation of him is symptomatic of the malaise that afflicts the England team and has done since just before the turn of the century. When we start picking the best players, and not the names supposed to be the best (c.f. Wilshere's inclusion and Drinkwater's exclusion), we might make some progress.
I heard a discussion about the starting eleven during the week, before this game, during which one former pro contended that Rooney starts because he's an intimidating figure for opposition players. What utter, utter rubbish. A full international playing a finals tournament isn't going to be intimidated by too many names in an opposition line-up, still less an ageing striker who has, like so many English internationals, always been well short of his hype yet seems to be picked regardless of form or effect.
I recognise that Rooney is not responsible for the hype around him when he was younger, and is far from our only problem - playing Vardy and Kane in their natural roles wouldn't do anything about the fact that we don't defend anywhere near well enough to threaten at a major tournament, for example. But successive managers' accommodation of him is symptomatic of the malaise that afflicts the England team and has done since just before the turn of the century. When we start picking the best players, and not the names supposed to be the best (c.f. Wilshere's inclusion and Drinkwater's exclusion), we might make some progress.
Machiavelli
Well-known member
While I agree with your overall thrust, I thought last night and the formation really showed up Vardy's limitations. Hodgson is highly unlikely to drop Rooney, despite a growing demand to do so, but the key is far more to make the most of that Spurs contingent that you identify and I actually think that it's Rooney rather than Vardy that will assist in that, as he is a more multi-dimensional player and will be able to play to the strengths of Alli and Kane. As a consequence, I've shifted my starting line-up, taking into account the formation suggested by Jermaine Jenas (who seems to be one of the most astute of analysts):
----------------- Hart ------------------
Walker -- Cahill -- Smalling -- Rose
---------------- Dier ---------------------
- Henderson - Rooney - Wilshere -
------------- Alli --------------------------
---------------- Kane --------------------
AmexRuislip
Retired Spy 🕵️♂️
Roy Hodgson has picked the best young players, he thinks that could do us well in France.
On last night's evidence they are playing to his instructions.
Can you imagine if Jose Mourinho was the coach, would he play the youngsters?
I think not.
As stated before, it's not Rooneys fault about the hype surrounding him or even being picked. I think we should play our young talented players.
On last night's evidence they are playing to his instructions.
Can you imagine if Jose Mourinho was the coach, would he play the youngsters?
I think not.
As stated before, it's not Rooneys fault about the hype surrounding him or even being picked. I think we should play our young talented players.
mejonaNO12 aka riskit
Well-known member
My god, I hope Wilshire starts.
Him and Lallana are the street footballers in our midfield. By that, I mean the players who will try something, run at people, dare to drop a shoulder.
Wilshire actually breaks through the lines which is so vital at international level. Sure, he'll give the ball away every now and then but it's because he dares to actually try something.
Him and Lallana are the street footballers in our midfield. By that, I mean the players who will try something, run at people, dare to drop a shoulder.
Wilshire actually breaks through the lines which is so vital at international level. Sure, he'll give the ball away every now and then but it's because he dares to actually try something.
I going to presume that you actually meant 'form players' rather than 'best players'. Appreciate all the arguments about Wilshere's lack of games / fitness record, etc, but anyone actually claiming that Drinkwater is the BETTER player, hasn't a clue.
Marshy
Well-known member
Spot on... i would pick both in a 4-2-3-1
My starting 11 would be
Hart
Clyne
Smalling
Stones
Rose
Dier
Wilshere
Llalana
Alli
Rooney
Kane
I love Vardy, but against sides that will defend deep he is not worth a starting 11 place.
Against better opposition weirdly and hopefully later in the tournament where we wont have the ball and hit on the break Vardy starts in a 2 up top for me with Kane.