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***** Official England v France Thread *****







Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
32,468
Brighton
Really? We didn't look too penetrating up front and it only needs a lapse in concentration or a moment of brilliance to concede. No way on earth? YOu are being very naive (or maybe ironic, if I missed the joke).

I thought we looked very very solid at the back. Sweden are nowhere near as good going forward as France, and France only just managed to sneak one goal past us with a very good shot. I'm not saying we'll destroy Sweden by any stretch, but I can see us not giving them a sniff if the defence are as good as yesterday.
 


Sheebo

Well-known member
Jul 13, 2003
29,319
Great tactics used - exactly the way you should play against a team with better individuals. Every player gave a great effort in what seemed awfully hot conditions. The amount of times we shut Ribery / Benz / Nasri out was brilliant. We're def hard to beat now even though individually we're nowhere near as strong as previous years. Def a work in progress but a great start against a good team. Well done lads.
 


Sheebo

Well-known member
Jul 13, 2003
29,319
Was Benzema playing? Still firmly wedged in JT's back pocket. Brilliant performance by the back 4 I thought.

:clap: and don't forget Joe Hart - when called upon, he did very well (apart from that drop at the start :lol:)
 


daveinprague

New member
Oct 1, 2009
12,572
Prague, Czech Republic
Opinion in my office thats of many nationalities... that was the most boring match of the tournement so far.

I found it hard to watch myself....plus it started pissing down with rain.
Realise that maybe we are re-building?.. Ive no idea, but I found it frustrating that we managed only a couple of shots on goal compared to Frances 15...
Every time they had the ball in the second half, we could have 2, 3 or even four players try to tackle the guy with the ball, and he still seemed to come away with the ball..
Found it vvery frustrating.
 




Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
53,135
Goldstone
I thought we looked very very solid at the back. Sweden are nowhere near as good going forward as France, and France only just managed to sneak one goal past us with a very good shot.
They had opportunities to score more, and Hart made one great save from a header before the equaliser. With the players we have and the time we've had to prepare, we did a good job, but if you let teams have enough long range shots they will score. I didn't enjoy the game at all, I just wanted it to be over so we could get a draw. Not exactly what you want from the beautiful game.

Great tactics used - exactly the way you should play against a team with better individuals. Every player gave a great effort in what seemed awfully hot conditions. The amount of times we shut Ribery / Benz / Nasri out was brilliant. We're def hard to beat now even though individually we're nowhere near as strong as previous years. Def a work in progress but a great start against a good team. Well done lads.
Indeed. I don't think we're ready to play exciting football.
 


Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
32,468
Brighton
They had opportunities to score more, and Hart made one great save from a header before the equaliser.

So did we. Milner's chance was arguably a better one, shot on target and it's a goal.
Ultimately it took a very, very good shot from France to get past us.
 


Seagull58

In the Algarve
Jan 31, 2012
8,505
Vilamoura, Portugal
Anyone who had noticed this unknown Hodgson name pop up in the strangest (and most respected) places across Europe over the last 20 yrs or so would know he is the only Englishman for this job in truth. At last things look sensible and hopefully in time he will have drilled it into them that they are shit and that their only hope is to play his boring sensible way. Long live Roy!

Exactly! Roy will make the best out of what he's got, which isn't a lot.
 




Munkfish

Well-known member
May 1, 2006
12,089
I loved it last night, we played like a team which was brilliant to see.

I think we set up fairly similar to the Albion (Brighton) to be fair and it worked well.

We need to hold onto the ball a little longer and take the ball from hart and the defence.

I thought Parker and Gerrard broke up the play very well in the midfield and look much better than Gerrard and Lampard ever have, although it was a concern when Henderson made it onto the pitch.
 


deletebeepbeepbeep

Well-known member
May 12, 2009
21,794
He was right to take Parker off though, for someone that's a 'grafter' he didn't half give up when he lost the ball, and then casually sauntered back to his position without trying to get it back. It might be discipline with Hodgson wanting them to get back their positions/stay rigid but still.

Not arguing about Henderson being brought on though, never before has a played so successfully built a career on being completely anonymous. I'm not site why he wouldn't bring Barry on, was Barry on the bench?
 


Acker79

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Nov 15, 2008
31,921
Brighton
Not arguing about Henderson being brought on though, never before has a played so successfully built a career on being completely anonymous. I'm not site why he wouldn't bring Barry on, was Barry on the bench?

Barry isn't in the squad, he was replace by phil jagielka due to injury.
 








Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
32,468
Brighton
He could have moved Milner into the centre, and brought Walcott on wide.

That's what I was hoping for.

One thing me and a mate noticed during the first is that, for the first time in a long, long time, we were playing like a club side. Was encouraging to see.
 




deletebeepbeepbeep

Well-known member
May 12, 2009
21,794
Probably wanted to rest Milner as realistically Milner, Parker and Gerrard will be mainstays of this team with little backup ie Henderson. I doubt we'll ever play from the start with Walcott and Chamberlain and only two centre mids.
 


SK1NT

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2003
8,762
Thames Ditton
Makes you wonder what Roy could have done with the squad Sven had...

I knew that this would be one of the most boring games on the competition however a draw is a good result against a decent french team and i think we will get better... They have only played a 3 games under Roy...
 


Kinky Gerbil

Im The Scatman
NSC Patron
Jul 16, 2003
58,792
hassocks
The Arsenal game was hilarious. :lolol: But that's not Harry's fault. Walcott and Van Persie were inspired, that's football. I wouldn't blame him for that. Especially not against Man City either, considering it was a game lost in the minute only seconds after a glorious chance to win the game, no? And Man Utd was right at the start of the season, but it's a fair example.


Man City at home, 5-2

Arsenal was Harrys fault, 442? Tough Tackling Niko... hmm
 




Austrian Gull

Well-known member
Feb 5, 2009
2,497
Linz, Austria
I thought we looked very very solid at the back. Sweden are nowhere near as good going forward as France, and France only just managed to sneak one goal past us with a very good shot. I'm not saying we'll destroy Sweden by any stretch, but I can see us not giving them a sniff if the defence are as good as yesterday.

Think you're too easily discounting Sweden. Ibrahimovic, if motivated, is capable of causing problems for any defence in the world.

Opinion in my office thats of many nationalities... that was the most boring match of the tournement so far.

That was the general opinion here as well. Along with Germany-Portugal.
 


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