First half performance - looked good, looked passionate and as if we wanted it! Second half performance - gareth barry came on, we looked deflated and as if we couldnt care, then he went off and henderson came on and we started getting a few more attacks Thought it was a good first match for Hodgson though
About what Id expected, Roy didnt have a lot of time for this one, first half, ok, excellent goal. But the next few weeks we are going to be severly tested. and quite possibly thumped.
I'll be shouting England on as loudly as the next man, but they have to show a bit more passion and urgency. The wingers left a lot to be desired, how Adam Johnson doesn't play I'll never know.
Think Sombrero & Bill have summed it up. There was a lack of urgency, to be expected to an extent, and there were sure signs that we will struggle to create. I don't blame Roy, he picked the right team, IMO, but taking into account this is the poorest Norway side for a very long time, the lack of cutting edge and creativity was worrying. Another thing I noticed, credit to Roy, was that he'd clearly told the lads to ping a few one touch passes about. Sadly, a few players didn't look at all natural doing this. A win, is a win, is a win, as they say, but nothing has moved my sadly rather bleak outlook on the Euro's.
btw, there is a massive thing with England fans complaining because we played horrible football Just Wondering, would you rather play beautiful football and be knocked out early on, or play horrible football (like stoke-esque) and win the Euros/World Cup?
Trophy everytime mate I'm sure the Greeks didn't pause the party and say '****, we were dull to watch mind...'
Works for me, bypass the ****ing classless midfield (Ashley Young excused, although Gerrard was half decent in patches..)
Well he can knock the ball down for Young and Gerrard, but we need to just miss out that ****e defensive midfield and even the wide players, absolute gash. You could tell tonight, every time we tried to play decent football, it was like a fish out of water, we simply aren't good enough to do it. Next 2 years can be spent trying to bring through midfielders comfortable on the ball (I'm excited about Cleverley and Wilshere as a centre mid partnership) but until then, we need to bypass them.
Absolutely agree mate, I only hope that Wilshire fully recovers, and that Cleverley develops. Oxlade-Chamberlain could offer something, but it's too early to know, IMO. We are just so weak in centre-mid, what we wouldn't give for a Gazza.
Exactly what we need at the minute. Could make such a difference. I hope I'm wrong, but I just think too much pressure has gone on to Chamberlain already (well done English media) and he's gonna be one of those players in 5 years time where everyone says "hey, remember when everyone used to be excited about that Oxlade-Chamberlain guy?" whilst he slogs it out in Arsenal reserves.
They'll be ready though mate, and they have options to change it, many, many options. Well, he faded away after 6-7 outstanding games, but it's his first year, so lets hope he can go on. I'm staggered that Walcott went over Lennon, same player, except Lennon is capable of finding a team mate with a cross. I withdraw this if he's injured, but i'm pretty sure he ain't.
Fookin Norway looked the better team (only saw last 20 mins). I'll be mainly supporting Oireland and Sveeeeden. ****ing bang drumming flag wearing 'proud to be English' types are normally the people I cross the road to avoid, the 'Love to Haters'. We live in a sealed unit(the world), I support Sunderland and their current players and I like a good game of footy. However the trash that bang on about Great Britain, a country that pillaged the world for 'goodies' that we currently live off, well......... I'm proud to be English in so far as we (have done and do) embrace influences and multiculturalism but the flag wavers generally stand against this IMO, I don't like the idiosyncratic entrenched idyll of Great Britain (it's been corrupted by the knuckle draggers). Wish Roy all the best though, seems like a nice bloke
