England v Slovakia

[One Teddy Maybank]

Alli had a poor game tonight, and can play much better. We've also got Vardy.

He did. Beginning to wonder if he's going to fall into the ever growing club of brilliant club player, who rarely produces internationally.

Other than his debut has he shone since for England?


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[Herr Tubthumper]

True, and it may well help England. Effectively a lot of England games are meaningless. Pressure on every game would be a good thing.

I really don't know what the answer is. All I know is that European nations who have done well, have or have had a very clear strategy from bottom up and all the different elite footballing bodies (the national association, the league etc) pulling in the same direction. England has none of this. I also don't think Englands footballers have the variety of skills required for the elite international game. Some certainly bring something to the game but this is often a synergy created from dove tailing with imported talent. Remove this other talent and replace it with more English style and you get, well, the current England team.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

That all England have is Alli and Kane is rubbish.

I saw an imaginary comma after Alli, there, momentarily. Bit harsh about Kane, I thought.

 

[drew]

The seeding system helps England finish first. The minute this ever goes, and there's a big team in the group, qualification will change dramatically.

Of course it helps but surely there is an element of luck in the draw. France have Netherlands in their group, Spain have Italy, etc

 

[Thunder Bolt]

England players are great players. It's failing to not lose games which let them down. You can win matches in a two minute spell. You don't need to win games by miles. That's what the Press want don't play to appease them. Just win at all costs.

Sir Alf Ramsey had this attitude. The press slated him, but he ignored them and played his way. It took years for him to be knighted, despite the achievement of winning the World Cup.

 

[Icy Gull]

Sir Alf Ramsey had this attitude. The press slated him, but he ignored them and played his way. It took years for him to be knighted, despite the achievement of winning the World Cup.

I suggest that it was much more difficult to get knighted back then, especially for football achievements. Although I'm not sure there are many football knights today, fortunately. For reasons, not clear to me, Brooking was the last one in 2004 it seems. Maybe you have to be incredibly dull to get one as a footballer

 

[Commander]

The seeding system helps England finish first. The minute this ever goes, and there's a big team in the group, qualification will change dramatically.

I actually think that might help us in some ways. Perhaps not at first, but at least we'd get the experience of playing top sides in games that matter, rather than beating them in friendlies in the run up to a tournament and then getting taken apart when we face them in the real thing.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I suggest that it was much more difficult to get knighted back then, especially for football achievements. Although I'm not sure there are many football knights today, fortunately.

Sir Stanley Matthews would disagree.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Of course it helps but surely there is an element of luck in the draw. France have Netherlands in their group, Spain have Italy, etc

To balance that out, we do have Scotland...

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Of course it helps but surely there is an element of luck in the draw. France have Netherlands in their group, Spain have Italy, etc

Fair point.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

The reason England don't succeed at major Championships seems to me to be two-fold.

They don't target '' the opposition''. They play thinking that if we play to our players strengths then man for man we are better. That's an Arsenal mentality - First you have to nullify the opposition and then go for the game. That's what Portugal did in the Euros. Croatia were one of the best teams when you watched then at that tournament but Portugal just nullified them in the quarter finals or whenever they came up against them and then took their opportunity.

Play the percentages game by game. Then when the opportunity arises then you go for it. Italy did it against France and Holland in past tournaments. They win things by making sure that others don't.- They go out to win every match but if they did a Stoke City and said ''if you can't win it, make sure you don't lose it '' then they would fare better.

Qualification is almost done now. Start preparing how not to lose matches instead of winning them and forget about what the Press report about you. That's where they fall down. Preparing to win is not the same thing as preparing to look good or entertain. Good Managers know that but in England they try to appease the press too much every game instead of appeasing them in the games which matter.

Allardyce would have sorted then out. Ah well.

 

[Simster]

We always finish first in qualifiers. Other than that McClaren fvck-up when we missed out on Euro 2008, we have qualified for every tournament TOP of every single group since Euro 2000 (when we finished behind Sweden and had to piss about with the scotch for a couple of games to get there).

England are classic flat track bullies. We always find a way against the Moldova's, Lidls, Mordor's and Narnia's of this world. But as soon as an Italy comes along, we fold faster than Superman on laundry day. We're basically the current Arsenal.

The seeding system helps England finish first. The minute this ever goes, and there's a big team in the group, qualification will change dramatically.

Not true at all in England's case, we'll still win the group! For 1998, we beat Italy to top spot, Italy had to qualify via the play offs. Then for 2002, we slaughtered Germany 5-1 in Munich to top that group (although Beckham playing Greece on his own in the last game also helped).

 

[Ron Manager]

......although Beckham playing Greece on his own in the last game also helped.

Who could forget that momentous home draw? Or the 10 or so free kicks that Becks wasted before eventually hitting the target.

 

[Simster]

Who could forget that momentous home draw? Or the 10 or so free kicks that Becks wasted before eventually hitting the target.

I don't recall him wasting free kicks. He was immense that day.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Not true at all in England's case, we'll still win the group! For 1998, we beat Italy to top spot, Italy had to qualify via the play offs. Then for 2002, we slaughtered Germany 5-1 in Munich to top that group (although Beckham playing Greece on his own in the last game also helped).

In the past, yes. Now? I'm not to sure.

 

[Triggaaar]

The seeding system helps England finish first. The minute this ever goes, and there's a big team in the group, qualification will change dramatically.

What, like when we had Germany in our group to qualify for the 2002 WC, we finished top and Germany second?
Or when we had Italy in our group to qualify for the 1998 WC, and we finished 1st, them 2nd?
We've finished top of every WC qualifying group since then too.

 

[Simster]

What, like when we had Germany in our group to qualify for the 2002 WC, we finished top and Germany second?
Or when we had Italy in our group to qualify for the 1998 WC, and we finished 1st, them 2nd?
We've finished top of every WC qualifying group since then too.

And just 3 hours after I said exactly the same thing five posts up. Well done.

 

[W.C.]

I don't recall him wasting free kicks. He was immense that day.

He was incredible. Only position he didn't cover was keeper.

 

[BensGrandad]

Best said the result was better and more important than the performance.

 

[Triggaaar]

And just 3 hours after I said exactly the same thing five posts up. Well done.