England v Scotland: Do you care?

[Sheebo]

Frustratingly meaningless how good we can look in friendlies and qualifiers. This same fixture in Euro 2016 would probably see us nervously drawing 1-1 at the moment.

Yep that's been out downfall... As you know we qualify superbly on the whole and don't lose many games. We just seem to perform quite poorly in major tournos and draw a lot or lose on pens!

 

[Insel affe]

£10 at 18/1 for another 3-1 was a good bet tonight, Shame the £5 Rooney 1st goal and 3-1 did not come off that was 60/1 still great to see England players and fans have a great night putting the Ol enemy in thier place twice in a year...... Scotland you belong to the English.....

 

[Insel affe]

Yep that's been out downfall... As you know we qualify superbly on the whole and don't lose many games. We just seem to perform quite poorly in major tournos and draw a lot or lose on pens!

Many would normally agree with you, but there is something refreshing about the average age and way we have played since the World Cup, it's almost as if Roy knew it was a waste of time going to Brazil, but this seems like his project his youth..... I feel positive about the euros

 

[banjo]

Friendly or not the build up for the third goal was class.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

£10 at 18/1 for another 3-1 was a good bet tonight, Shame the £5 Rooney 1st goal and 3-1 did not come off that was 60/1 still great to see England players and fans have a great night putting the Ol enemy in thier place twice in a year...... Scotland you belong to the English.....

Tildesley thought your bet had come through, yelling "Rooney!!!" as the rather different looking Oxlade Chamberlain headed in.

And Townsend thought Smalling played well, with players "in and around him".

It was a good game to watch tonight, and I enjoyed seeing the England team playing with some verve and passion. But please, let's take the rights to England games (or any football, come to think of it) away from ITV.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Wayne Rooney looks like he's got his mojo back. Whether it's the captaincy, going for the goals record, 100 caps or getting away from the pressures of Old Trafford he's looking dangerous and effective. You can see how he has a positive effect on the rest of the team, it really is good to see.

I still feel he's carrying the load himself though, we need the likes of Barkley, Wilshere and Lallana to start making a real difference too.

 

[Surf's Up]

That's the first time in years that I can say I actually enjoyed watching England play.

 

[Spun Cuppa]

I agree with other posters who say it was a breathe of fresh air, our fluid 'play without fear' attitude. Now the old guard have gone and the youngsters are being given free reign, things are looking good. The big IF is of course will we revert to our usual 'rabbits caught in headlights' default tourney mode? Fingers crossed not

 

[Brovion]

Well I really enjoyed it. I'm sure all the people who watched repeats of Gardeners' Question Time or whatever it is people proudly announce they've done whenever England play also enjoyed their evenings.

 

[jimhigham]

I have to eat great chunks of humble pie. I have been very anti-Rooney and opposed his becoming captain so much that I even tried starting a petition against it on change.org. It bombed massively and I got a fair few thumbs down to boot. Since taking up the captaincy he seems to be rediscovering not only his form but apparently also his enjoyment of the game. I particularly like the fact that in the last two matches we have scored more or less immediately after conceding. That sort of never-say-die-fire-in-the-belly-how-bloody-dare-you-score attitude is priceless.

It's great to be wrong. Keep it up Wayne.

 

[Napier's Knee]

Wth the way they were set up, Scotland reminded me a lot of how we've been organised tactically over me past three or so games.

 

[Mellotron]

Many would normally agree with you, but there is something refreshing about the average age and way we have played since the World Cup, it's almost as if Roy knew it was a waste of time going to Brazil, but this seems like his project his youth..... I feel positive about the euros

But we've performed like this before leading into tournaments. We looked fantastic going into 2010, with a much better squad than we have now.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Yep that's been out downfall... As you know we qualify superbly on the whole and don't lose many games. We just seem to perform quite poorly in major tournos and draw a lot or lose on pens!

A perfect example of flat-track bullying. England are capable performers when playing in the qualifying stages and where the seeding keeps them apart from the big guns. When they get to finals they are playing against nations who are there on merit which is a huge difference. Whatever you think about certain nations they will be at the finals because they have hit form and were the best in their group/confederation at that moment in time. Big big difference.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

But we've performed like this before leading into tournaments. We looked fantastic going into 2010, with a much better squad than we have now.

True. See my post above.

 

[Simster]

I found myself caring more than I thought I would, to be honest.

Mind you, as much as England are much improved in recent months, [MENTION=409]Herr Tubthumper[/MENTION] is right in that the proof will be in producing the goods at the big tournaments. Personally, I feel there is too much wrong with the whole FA set up for this to be signs of a real long-term improvement.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I found myself caring more than I thought I would, to be honest.

Mind you, as much as England are much improved in recent months, [MENTION=409]Herr Tubthumper[/MENTION] is right in that the proof will be in producing the goods at the big tournaments. Personally, I feel there is too much wrong with the whole FA set up for this to be signs of a real long-term improvement.

It will be interesting if the UK leaves the EU as, I presume, the vast majority of the foreign Prem players will have to go back to their EU countries. This will mean more English players getting coaching and game time at the highest level. It might even mean Scudamore's power base erodes as he will not be able to command such huge tv fees if he only has a sprinkling of stars in his league; my point being that their focus might change from money-making to something more beneficial to the national team.

 

[Bwian]

Absolutely - many other refs could adopt the same policy.

Sadly it won't happen because Blatter and Platini don't like robust football so between them they keep sissyfying football which encourages and rewards cheating. Last night's game was one of two teams trying to play good football, challenges were tough but nobody limped off or got carried off on a stretcher-players just got on with it once they realised diving was being ignored by the ref.

 

[BigGully]

Sorry, are you GENUINELY trying to suggest that the players you've listed above are better than modern top level footballers?

Glen Johnson has scored better goals than anyone on your list. That's GLEN JOHNSON, a very average prem player nowadays. Football is lightyears ahead of 40 years ago. Ronaldo and Messi can do things that no one could dream of even 15-20 years ago, let alone 30 or 40!!

Someone posted Hungary v England from the 50s a while back (I think it was) and I couldn't stop laughing at any point, the football was utterly shocking. Would be below League Two standard nowadays.

I used to share your view, but changed in recent years after watching an old guy join in a warm up with a top Bundesliga team, only the grid style 5 versus 2 or 8 versus 3 or whatever it was.

He was different class, flicking it here and there and showing some true class and he must have been in his 70's, was later told he was the ex captain of Poland and had been invited in to be around the training area.

How good must he of been in his pomp ??

I also remember watching a documentary film on Englands warm up to the World Cup 1966 or was it the 1970 world cup anyway, Bobby Charlton took of his training shirt and was absolutely shockingly ripped, to the point that I have yet to see in the Premier League years.

My point being that accepting the pitches, equipment and style have completely changed, yet my two examples perhaps offer an insight to some really gifted players with genuine class and skill and a fitness level higher than we ever give them credit for.

When watching grainy footage, it is nearly impossible to see the silky touches that we so often see with the help of 50 sky camera's in todays game with feather light footballs, but how good must have been that ex captain of Poland and how fit must have Charlton been, both perhaps worth a multi million pound contract in todays game ??

 

[Brovion]

A perfect example of flat-track bullying. England are capable performers when playing in the qualifying stages and where the seeding keeps them apart from the big guns. When they get to finals they are playing against nations who are there on merit which is a huge difference. Whatever you think about certain nations they will be at the finals because they have hit form and were the best in their group/confederation at that moment in time. Big big difference.

Quite often we're not even flat-track bullies. We play these weaker teams and although we win the performances rarely satisfy. That was a good England performance last night. I know it was 'only' Scotland and their team of largely Championship-standard players and anybody who reads too much into it is deluded, but even so .... we beat Scotland 3-1 on their own turf and played pretty well. And the Scots NEVER like losing to the English at anything so they're hurting which is the icing on the cake.

I'll enjoy the moment and move on.

 

[jimbob5]

What did we learn? Nothing really. It just reaffirmed the fact that England have got potential and are not as bad as some make out. It also told us that Scotland still are not that good despite the little rusty haired chap doing quite a good job.