agreed, confused to the max about Adam Johnson not being featured, his omission along with that of Micah Richards are two huge mysteries to me. Lennon, Walcott and Milner can go bowlocks, thought the Ox did well, bright and confident. Him on one wing with A Johnson on the other then Young/Rooney behind Wellbeck and there's goals in that there squad!
Completely agree. Sadly people are so anti-England now that even a win isn't good enough, 5live's phone in were going on about not keeping hold of the ball enough and saying that in tournaments you have to keep it for ages like Spain. For ****s sake we scored a goal and they didn't! This new style of football everyone is ****ing over where you just pass it about in your own half all game and rack up massive possession stats only results in success for two teams: Spain and Barca. I don't see the problem with us playing more attacking and just getting the ball wide and forward when we have it. What's achieved by keeping hold of the ball in defence? I also totally agree with the subs thing, these games are never as entertaining as they should be with so many subs.
Adam Johnson should definately have gone. Maybe this is a wake up call that he needs to be at a club where he plays more games. He's far better than Clowning, Milner or Walcott.
I'm not sure I agree with all the criticism Milner gets. To me he seems to be a bit different to our other wingers; not just another whippet who can't kick but someone who can actually put a decent ball in. I can't remember us having a winger like that since Beckham played regularly! Not saying he's amazing but he gives us another option to just pure speed.
He's a solid bloke, relies on strength and power rather than pace (which he also has), has a decent cross, you can tell he played centre mid
I remain unimpressed by England at the moment. It's probably our worst squad of players since the early 90s. But we do have some impressive younger players, so I remain hopeful this is a transitional period.
I have. In Spain a couple of years ago when they demolished Arsenal in the Champions league and Messi scored 4. If England were playing in our backyard I would pull the blinds down- and the same for Australia!
It's true that England aren't playing exciting football, but it's typical British style to call us **** and uninteresting. The score was 1-0 England. As it was the game before. While both games failed to serve up much excitement, they did in fact both point the way to one thing; two wins, two clean sheets. You can criticise the opposition all you like, but Belgium are a solid unit, as are Norway and to beat both with a lot of ease (bar Gillet hitting the post for Belgium) shows character. It was the same when Megson was in charge at West Brom. The fans actually got irate, almost to the point that we are with this lack of news of a manager, that they were only winning games 1-0 and only doing 'just enough'. They were winning games, they were holding their own in the Premier League, but still the fans were unhappy. For ****s sake, we won both games didn't we? I'm not overly optimisitc, if we were to play Spain or Italy like that we would lose, but honestly, even with a full strength side, even with all the usual red top newspaper heroes, do you really think we would outplay Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal...
Didnt do much good for Barca this season did it? I'd suggest teams have figured it out - let them have the ball as much as they want, dont chase them as to do so would stretch you and leave big gaps, hit them on the break as their 'passing' defence is ****e. Job done.
To me, he's a CM, he played CM for Villa in his best Premier League season. When he joined Man City, he played on the wing and has hardly had any impact on the team what so ever.
I'd play Milner in the middle with Parker, with Gerrard ahead of them, Walcott and Young out wide and Rooney up top(Wellbeck for Rooney in the first too games obviously). Young is too light weight to play the second striker role(he spends too much time sitting down and whining at the ref) and I'd rather have Lennon than Walcott, I think we've selected fairly poor wingers, but we're stuck with what we've got now. The same is true of the right back position, Walker is a massive miss and not taking Richards is a mistake, so from what we've got I'd be tempted to play Jones ahead of Johnson. I thought Defeo looked sharp when he came on, if we're going to play two up top, he should be one of them. There was a great atmosphere in the ground at the start of the game, but by mid way through the second half it had died completely. Half the crowd ignoring the game and making paper aeroplanes out of the red and white cards that we held up at the start didn't help, too many pathetic, juvenile ****ers at England games nowadays. There was loads of trouble outside too, not helped by over zealous coppers making things worse, charging around shouting for no good reason and closing roads that didn't need to be closed. Some fat spotty oik decided to close the road to the executive car park, despite the fact that there was nobody on it and we had to walk a mile in the wrong direction to get back round to the car. Knobheads.
The Golden Generation of England players failed miserably everytime they took to the field in tournaments, so rebuilding is needed and this is the start of it. I agree about the likes of Walcott being there. He impressed me once when he scored that hattrick in Croatia, but since then he's done nowt. It's a pitty about Lampard- an extra stalwart would have been nice to have in the team. Just hope we don;t lose Parker and Hart- for me the best players in the team. Welbeck took his goal well and England closed the friendly out. It wasn't going to be a great performance- it never is in warm up matches. Anyone else think Beckham looks like a stereotype villian from a film with that haircut and the thick tash?
I agree with your football ideas. England managers don't like playing settle sides before tournaments. How can they expect it to gel in a few days? I don't understand the need to "have a look" at every Tom, Dick and Harry. If you don't know your best players you shouldn't be in the job. Give the best players time to work well together. If somebody gets injured play the reserve in that position. Don't change the system totally. Didn't Khrushchev say "All executives are thieves"? or something like that. Anyway, come the revolution ......
He's not a winger for me at all, unfortunately he is a bit of a spare part on the flank, I can't see Evra/Clichy worrying too much about him, it's a big mistake not taking Adam Johnson who is our best winger
Managers will make out that he's the type that'll run through a brick wall for the team, ie limited ability but full on passion. So far i've not seen much of this. I can't remember him having many good games for Man City (not like i watch them).
David James, on a 5live debate said.that milner should be captain and will be the best player at the euros. I personally think.milner is under rated but i think that's stretching it a bit
Having just found out that Crouch and Richards declined the opportunity to be on the standby list, I'd like to withdraw my comment that Richards should be involved, he's a penis.
If I was Hodgson I'd tell any bell end who wouldn't go on the standby list to forget playing for England whilst I was in charge. It takes the piss.
