I'm actually with you on this Wiz I voiced this opinion before we got to Brazil, after watching 2 of the warm up games. Gerrard is too easy to read for international football. His long Hollywood passes slow our game down to ultimate predictability, whereas Wilshere is a genuine playmaker. Not a Gazza exactly, but capable of knitting it all together and getting the team to play. Wilshere's biggest frailty has always been injury, so now he isn't injured we should maximise the player because he actually gives us something we have been lacking since the mid-nineties - that Barca factor. If Wilshere had been at our hub from the off, Italy would not have had things quite as much their own way in midfield, and not having to chase shadows would have resulted in our players not falling like flies and petering out in the last 20 minutes. We still need to study ball retention. That is my learning experience from the first game, and now we don't have long for the lesson to sink in
I"m with the majority here thought we played well at times, and if gerrard was a little less honest and had gone down like a shot dog, like a few players would have, could easily have salvaged a point,still plenty to play for,come on England!
Sort of knew I would get a blistering from most on my comments but come on. How many more years are we going to hear that our national side is being rebuilt and improving match by match. I will agree with those who saw some positives out of yesterday's game and it was only the young guns who showed some class and came out to play their best game. Both Rooney and Gerrard are after their best before date and how many more years will we keep sending out the old guard who have consistently failed to produce? So what changes would you make for the Uruguay game remembering that they will be hungry as well and I sure a fit Suarez will have something to prove. One of my biggest criticisms of yesterday's match was our ongoing insistence to pass the ball backwards so many times when a forward thrust would have been better because when we finally did regroup and go forward we had the entire Italian team in front of us again. We seem to have this lack of ability to command the midfield and push forward from a point of advantage rather than constantly having to build our renewed attack from a position further back than where we were 6 or 7 moves ago. The substitutes did nothing to offer a better chance of scoring and all the usual hype offered from the England camp prior to the game offered no result on the pitch against what I considered a poor Italian squad. England doesn't expect anymore!
For the first time in a long time though mike we have a LOAD of youngsters coming through. It seemed like for the past 10-12 years we have only been having dribs and drabs but in the last 2/3 years quite a number of talented players have come on through. Shaw Caulker Stones Flanagan Sterling OX Wilshere Henderson Sturridge
I see what you are saying and I agree that we do have some excellent young talent coming through the ranks and some of them were on show yesterday. Seeing as most England supporters aren't expecting anything other than an exit before the semis don't you think this is exactly the right time to play these new players? As the commentator stated several times during the game the young ones have no fear and are prepared to shoot from all angles which in my opinion is far better than having to watch Rooney not show up again. Yes I know we need experienced players out on the pitch but how many of the so called greats of the England team showed up yesterday and gave their all for the shirt? Not many I'm afraid, so give the youngsters the chance and I feel they won't let us down because if we should lose to Uruguay using the same old players then public opinion will fall to down to a sad level. Yes there were some positives but I wrote the script during the game and saw both goals coming for Italy just moments before the ball hit the back of the net. Trying some more young blood might confuse our opponents because with the same old same old we are so predictable and beatable.
Wasn't it the same old England story? Hyped to death by the journos and TV who need to sell it for commercial reasons. Yes the youngsters add some excitement for us but basically our defending is carp and we don't take our chances. Roy won't drop Gerrard or Rooney now but may move on next year. I am expecting Uruguay to play much better on Thursday and frankly it will be an early exit and lots of 'if only' for us yet again
What happens if Italy beat both Uruguay and Costa Rica 2-1. Uruguay beat England 3-1 and England beat Costa Rica 3-1. England, Uruguay and Costa Rica finish on 3 points scoring 5 conceding 6? Also just wondering who are these old guards still playing for England? Apart from Gerrard, Rooney and Johnson? Most of the others didn't really feature in the previous tournament's so basically a young new team is there. I just think typically English fans, don't appreciate that Italy are a good side and was always going to be a tough ask to get a result. Get behind your team, you could be Welsh and never get to see your national team in a major tournament, and probably never will.
There is absolutely no point in saying lets go in to this tournament, unleash the kids and let them learn a bit and then turning on them after 1 game is there. The Italy manager was impressed with the technical football we played, we passed the ball quite well when we had it and more importantly we were positive as an attacking force. It is improving slowly but I would say we need a young hungry manager who understands modern football and will play without regrets.
Barkley Walcott Rodriguez Townsend Walker Lallana We could maybe do with a young front 2 wizkid to come through also, although that could be Walcott
