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Post by sox on Jun 8, 2014 9:00:13 GMT
I thought we looked a good side. Exciting going forward! Didn't put the ball in the net but I'd rather us save that for next few weeks! Defence looked ok and I thought Johnson got better as game went on. I'd live to see Barclay starting... COY...E!
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Post by Common Villager on Jun 8, 2014 9:31:06 GMT
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Post by bazzer9461 on Jun 8, 2014 9:45:28 GMT
I thought we looked a good side. Exciting going forward! Didn't put the ball in the net but I'd rather us save that for next few weeks! Defence looked ok and I thought Johnson got better as game went on. I'd live to see Barclay starting... COY...E! Johnson definite weak link, Barclay should start either alongside Lallana or lampard, Not to sure about Gerrard, Maybe play Gerrard for the Italy game and then decide. Concerned about our strikers after watching last nights performnces.
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Post by Common Villager on Jun 8, 2014 9:59:37 GMT
I actually thought we looked alright going forward. For once we have a few players that are comfortable receiving the ball to feet and that has made such a big difference to our style of play.
I'm a closet fan of Welbeck, but I don't think he should start. He's not a winger, but he's not a good enough finisher to play the lone striker role imo. I would like to see Sterling get a start ahead of him. His raw pace will draw more opposition players across to him and hopefully leave more room for Lallana, Rooney and co to exploit.
Speaking of Rooney, I think he needs to step it up a gear once the finals start. He just doesn't do enough in an England Shirt for me. I know he's a talented player but I do prefer to see him as an out-and-out striker. Maybe that's something to consider if Sturridge continues to miss chances?
A front four of Rooney, Sterling, Lallana and Oxlade-Chamberlain would be an exciting prospect.
Also, despite Hodgson trying to lessen expectations on Barkley, I do think he has to feature a lot in this tournament. I know we tend to get ahead of ourselves with young English players, but I do believe he can go on to be a genuine world class player. He is exciting almost every time he gets on the ball. He should feature heavily in Brazil.
Relatively optimistic about our chances of progressing through the group and perhaps on to the quarters. At least the younger players don't have previous failures at major tournaments resting on their shoulders. If they play with freedom, it could turn out to be the most enjoyable World Cups from an England perspective in recent years.
On a slightly downbeat note, our defence does look very shaky. I like Cahill and Baines is decent enough. But Jagielka struggles sometimes and Johnson is not a very good defender. Oh to have Neville, Ferdinand, Terry and Cole all at their best backing up the young forward players!
Whatever happens, I'm looking forward to it. Come on England!!!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 8, 2014 10:27:02 GMT
I actually thought we looked alright going forward. For once we have a few players that are comfortable receiving the ball to feet and that has made such a big difference to our style of play. I'm a closet fan of Welbeck, but I don't think he should start. He's not a winger, but he's not a good enough finisher to play the lone striker role imo. I would like to see Sterling get a start ahead of him. His raw pace will draw more opposition players across to him and hopefully leave more room for Lallana, Rooney and co to exploit. Speaking of Rooney, I think he needs to step it up a gear once the finals start. He just doesn't do enough in an England Shirt for me. I know he's a talented player but I do prefer to see him as an out-and-out striker. Maybe that's something to consider if Sturridge continues to miss chances? A front four of Rooney, Sterling, Lallana and Oxlade-Chamberlain would be an exciting prospect. Also, despite Hodgson trying to lessen expectations on Barkley, I do think he has to feature a lot in this tournament. I know we tend to get ahead of ourselves with young English players, but I do believe he can go on to be a genuine world class player. He is exciting almost every time he gets on the ball. He should feature heavily in Brazil. Relatively optimistic about our chances of progressing through the group and perhaps on to the quarters. At least the younger players don't have previous failures at major tournaments resting on their shoulders. If they play with freedom, it could turn out to be the most enjoyable World Cups from an England perspective in recent years. On a slightly downbeat note, our defence does look very shaky. I like Cahill and Baines is decent enough. But Jagielka struggles sometimes and Johnson is not a very good defender. Oh to have Neville, Ferdinand, Terry and Cole all at their best backing up the young forward players! Whatever happens, I'm looking forward to it. Come on England!!! Agree with all of that. Welbeck's pace and strength can be useful in the latter stages of games, as a hold up player or as a winger. Rooney as we all know hasn't done it for England for quite a while now. I disagree that Sturridge should be dropped, but I'd like to see Hodgson put Rooney up alongside him, maybe not in the Italy game, but in the Costa Rica game where they will sit back (don't think Rooney will be effective in an open game) In Euro 2012 he was suspended for the first 2 games and came back v Ukraine and was probably our MOTM. I wonder if a statement of intent from Hodgson and putting him on the bench will gee him up for the latter stages (should we get there)
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Post by Junior on Jun 8, 2014 15:47:22 GMT
Top scorer in qualifying with 7 goals suggests he has.
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Post by scotchegg on Jun 8, 2014 18:26:38 GMT
Rooney is at his best against weaker teams where he can drop deep, disrupt the defensive line and then find space as a result. The better teams hold a better line and just pass him off. He hasn't got the pace or trickery to go through the defence and is reliant on others creating the space for him. Sturridge or Sterling can do this work for him, but I'd be more inclined to play them both with Rooney in a wider role.
It looks as if Gerrard and Henderson will be doing the engine work in the middle, and the defence is solid if not totally dominant. That should allow the rest of the team to play fast with freedom, something we rarely do at international level. If Rooney isn't at the top of his game then I'd go with Sturridge, Sterling, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lalana as the front four.
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Post by sihath on Jun 9, 2014 11:45:11 GMT
Top scorer in qualifying with 7 goals suggests he has. His goalscoring record for England at recent tournaments is awful. 2004 he was outstanding. 4 goals. Since then 1 goal in the 2012 Euro's. No World Cup goals. He's great in qualifiers, there's absolutely no argument with his form in the qualifiers. He just doesn't seem to be able to do it at tournaments (2004 aside)
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Post by tonyw on Jun 9, 2014 12:25:13 GMT
Reckon we'll score a few goals this tournament - there's a lot of attacking talent in this England side, and they will create chances.
This should also be enough to get us out of the group which, although tough, doesn't contain any truly scary sides. And then the Last 16 game will be tough but winnable.
But I'm very concerned about our defensive ability if and when we come up against a genuinely World Class attacking side. Johnson & Jagielka are not top class international defenders, our back-up defenders haven't looked up to the task and we don't have a single combative defensive midfielder in the squad. The draw will probably keep us away from them for as long as we're in the tournament, but I shudder to think what Brazil or Argentina would do to our backline. Would probably be 2010 revisited.
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Post by pottersrightboot on Jun 9, 2014 16:03:46 GMT
Reckon we'll score a few goals this tournament - there's a lot of attacking talent in this England side, and they will create chances. This should also be enough to get us out of the group which, although tough, doesn't contain any truly scary sides. And then the Last 16 game will be tough but winnable. But I'm very concerned about our defensive ability if and when we come up against a genuinely World Class attacking side. Johnson & Jagielka are not top class international defenders, our back-up defenders haven't looked up to the task and we don't have a single combative defensive midfielder in the squad. The draw will probably keep us away from them for as long as we're in the tournament, but I shudder to think what Brazil or Argentina would do to our backline. Would probably be 2010 revisited. Brazil couldn't beat us last year though. Both the sides you mention have less than watertight defences. I reckon the South Americans above would be gung ho against England. We'd have a chance then as there is some decent counter attacking ability in the England ranks. I'd fancy us much less against the Germans. Or the Spanish. They would aim to stifle us and then out pass us. Anyway, reckon we have got a chance of going a long way.If we have some luck that is, because it is a tough group.
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Post by tonyw on Jun 9, 2014 21:51:51 GMT
Brazil couldn't beat us last year though. Both the sides you mention have less than watertight defences. I reckon the South Americans above would be gung ho against England. We'd have a chance then as there is some decent counter attacking ability in the England ranks. I'd fancy us much less against the Germans. Or the Spanish. They would aim to stifle us and then out pass us. Anyway, reckon we have got a chance of going a long way.If we have some luck that is, because it is a tough group. Hmmmm......firstly I would argue that Brazil's defense is better than ours. Unless they employ David Luiz as a CB and then he has one of those days. I'd take Thiago Silva ahead of any of our defenders in a heartbeat. And then that we did get a draw out of Brazil, but if I remember correctly that was mainly thanks to Joe Hart having a worldy (stats show that Brazil had 29 shots to our 8, with a whopping 20 on target!). This was despite playing two holding midfielders (Jones & Carrick) in front of our back four and Milner. Not saying that can't happen again.......but we would be distant second favourites if we played them, and with good cause. I'm still positive about our chances of reaching the quarters. Beyond that, we'll need a lot of luck on our side to beat the big sides. This year at least - you've got to be excited at the potential the younger generation is showing.......
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