World Cup: England vs Italy: Match Thread

So how rubbish England are when a 19 year old is our best hope.

 

He also missed a tap in from 3 yards.

 

Chill fella it was a valid point.

 

Michael Owen?

 

Bit harsh on Johnson I thought.

Didn't think any of our defenders had a bad game. Baines was a bit suspect but didn't get any help to be fair to him.

Johnson didn't get beaten once in the first half and again only really once or twice was out of position when we were pushing for the equaliser.


Rio saying if you want the best out of Rooney, play him in hi best position. Problem is, he's not the best player in that central striker position as proven today.

Sturridge 1 chance, 1 goal.

Rooney 2 chances, 0 goals.

Sums it up really.

 

I would start rooney on the bench next game. Might do him some good. Bring him on around the hour.

 

Owen was 18

 

I know. Reductio ad absurdum.

 

Think Italy are semi-finalists at least. **** or bust now - we've got to win both games, We can. Would have taken Rooney off rather than wellbeck, but let's no have any witch hunts. We had chances to win that, but now Italy only have to stuff Costa Rica (and they will) and they'll be taking it easy against Uruguay in the last game, so we need to stuff Uruguay ourselves.

C'mon England!

 

That's a quality point. If Serious . . .

 

Honest answer? The best players are foreign. the players that are technically and naturally gifted to dictate the tempo of the game are all foreign. Gerrard, Rooney, Henderson, Wilshire, Lampard, none of them dictate the play so none of them can do it for England.

Cazorla/Arteta do it for Arsenal.
Ballack did it for Chelsea not Lampard. Matic has taken over that role now.
United have no midfield so they fail anyway.
Silva does it for City.
Eriksen does it for Spurs.

We only play at one tempo which is our downfall, we don't have an Alonso to do it like he did back in 05-09.

 

It might give him the kick in the arse that is needed. Barkley and Sterling want this, you can see it in their game drop Rooney and you might not see him again in this cup but if needed he might have a point to prove and turn up.

 

Eh...?

 

Murphy: "Enland had five players go down with cramp. Italy only had one. Why was that?"

Wild guess Danny, but I'd put it down to possession and us chasing the ball.

 

Think about it. Failing that, use Google!

 

They play in a hot Country, we don't?
They're fitter than us?

Take your pick, plus your point

 

Fair result IMO.

Pleasure to watch PIrlo doing his thing.

Makes the Uruguay game a tad more interesting

 

And the temperature . . . and sweating out their electrolytes.

 

How many of those players are England players though... even when they are England players they're surrounded by tons of foreign players so it's no surprise it isn't replicated in the national side.