It wasn't a penalty and we got away with one there, and that's what has changed this season, bloody lucky bastards. and some fighting spirit, it was a risk so late in the game taking Andrews off, because he's the beef, but oh well the blind ref assisted us instead.
To be fair in real time it looked a penalty. Does my head in when keepers come out for those. Didn’t watch it all but liked the look of the left-back and their big centre-half who I’ve seen before.
Walsall won so no sour grapes but that referee today was appalling, no way should it be a sending off,the first yellow was a great tackle, no foul let alone a booking,second one he dived over his foot. Same with the right back later in the game. He books one of theirs for diving, then later in the game he did a more blatant dive and nothing. Lots of very weird decisions too many to go into. The worst one being the Walsall player had the ball on the byline, their defender just ran into him, 2 hands pushed him into the hoardings and gave them a throw in.
Thankfully missed the latest (rather preductable) England **** show as we're down in South Wales for the mother-in-laws birthday weekend ... Won't be in a rush to watch another England game unless there is a radical rethink ... the likes of Kane, Rashford and Henderson need to be put out to pasture ...
Have absolutely no interest in watching them whatsoever, caught a couple of halves in Tuchel's first games and that was enough to convince me not to bother, we thought it was a borfest under Gareth, this guy is a whole new level
The stark reality is that we could likely have fielded a team from the National League that could have achieved the same result against Andorra... seriously...
Andorra at home was always going to be dull. Serbia away is a proper test. It does feel like a lot of these guys see it as a bit of a chore. Tuchel is in a no-lose situation- he’d happily get the boot and the money that comes with it. He’d happily bow out the World Cup at any stage and if by some fluke we do well he’ll be a hero and **** off to a nice life with the money he’s made for doing very little.
Didn't watch yesterday but not arsed in the slightest how we play in these games. Whether we win 2-0 or 10-0 is irrelevant frankly. Qualifying is a formality ultimately and the only thing that matters is how we do next summer.
Can you imagine what Spain or France would have done to Andorra? ... the gulf in terms of creativity and mobility is huge ... "... but they set up to be difficult to break down"
The last time France played them it was 3-0 in a qualifier 2019 The last and only time Spain played them at home, in 2004, it was 4-0 in a friendly. So yes, sort of. You just trudge through these games and hope to not get an injury. If they **** up midweek it’s a problem but playing sparkling football and beating Andorra 8-0 wouldn’t change anything.
The scoreline may be irrelevant - but the style of play and building a bespoke identity is - these games should be used as a planning template for the actual tournament campaign - instead we still roll out the same underperformers, even against the minnows, seemingly with a cunning plan to arrive at the finals and then work out our best team during the group games ...
Not sure how you build a bespoke identity when having 80% plus of the possession and playing against a defence of 9 men. would have preferred to have seen more squad players start, what benefit did Pickford have playing? A great game for Trafford to get a cap. Anderson in MF was a good thing to see etc.
He started Lewis-Skelly, Burn, Andersen, Eze and Madueke which ticks that box surely. He would’ve probably played Wharton. There’s no serious alternative to Kane. Rice is a given and was probably the best player on the day. Rashford I don’t really get apart from him trusting experience and again no one is exactly hammering the door down.
We all know what Tuchel's style of play/identity is already. Lots of possession with a focus on defensive solidity. Largely very dull. That style often tends to do well in tournaments so we'll see how it goes. Playing Andorra is nothing like any game we'll face in the tournament either so trying certain things is irrelevant imo. Like I say I just struggle to care even remotely about qualifiers as it's such a formality.
Rashford looked to be finding some for while on loan at Villa. Let’s see how it goes for him in Spain. He is talented, quick and if TT wants to play on the break, he is perfect for running past Kane.
You didn't watch it but spent three posts moaning about it. Please don't watch on Tuesday, this place will be flooded.
