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Nothing from that game will be of any relevance in any future England game. Easy to forget that was even a 'competitive' match.
On the BBC text commentary someone was suggesting that Townsend's goal might re-ignite his Spurs career. Was he good or is it just the old hype come back to haunt us? I didn't see it as I was watching Slovakia and Spain. Spain were pretty poor but they did have to play against 12. Awful refereeing.
He's a good player and were that performance against a proper side it would be very impressive, as it is you can only really call it "good". The trouble with Townsend is that he's far too predictable, more often than not Premier League sides know his game and marshall him better than at international level where he's a bit of an unknown still. He could be a really great player, he's fast, strikes the ball very well and can take the ball past a man but a lot of his shots are predictable, as is a lot of his play. If he stays injury-free and gets a run of games I can see this being a big season for him. Thought we were really average in the first half tonight, Henderson had one to forget and Hodgson still seems intent on making him and Wilshere in the same team work. Our group's so easy I get the feeling Hodgson is going to take false confidence from the results, keeping his trust in regulars that don't work well together and youngsters that shouldn't be in the squad.
Good point. Chambers was second choice RB behind Clyne, last season. But of course, he now plays for Arsenal!
It is a good deal for them, I guess that's the main thing. It would be like me getting to play Rafa Nadal. I'd be bound to win a point or five, which I'd remember forever and lose 50, which I'd instantly forget. It bothers me that our best dribblers, Townsend, Lennon and Dembele were all doing what they should do in preseason, which is dribbling well into the box, then cutting it back, but not a single time that I can think of since.
Why is it that England struggle against San Marino? Other teams put 9 an 10 into their net but England need help to score 5. Yes, a good goal was disallowed making it 5 of theirs and one by SM but still that's total rubbish. Long periods without scoring says a lot and it was only because SM were tiring that England scored fairly late on.
Townsend's form has been gradually improving for us as he reaches full match fitness. Scoring against part-timers means virtually nothing, though. He missed a big chunk of last season through injury, which people seem to have forgotten. The same is true of Vertonghen, Chiriches and others. The Romanian looks like he hasn't played for years though, rather worryingly.
England U21s are 1 down to Croatia, playing at Wolves. Carroll and Kane are starting, Dier on the bench (for some reason, I don't think either of the players starting have played anything like as much top level football as him). We conceded at a corner, Shaw lost his man at the back post. Carroll is having a reasonable game and is passing well. Kane had a free kick deflected over a few minutes ago. Pritchard, unfortunately, hasn't made the bench.
We're at half time, still 0-1. Shaw has looked decent enough going forward, maybe a little shaky defensively and did lose his man for the Croatian goal. Hughes of Derby looks good too for England, but Redmond has been England's best player this half. On the Croatian side, Rebic, Livaja and Coric (who is only 17) look good going forward and at the back, Mitrovic (a CB) looks assured and the GK Livakovic, who is also only 17 I think looks very competent for his age. I don't think there is actually a big technical gap between the English and Croatian players. The Croats are playing in a way that allows them to perform and look better than their English counterparts - they are giving up the lion's share of possession and playing quickly on the counter, whereas England are playing like a Pochettino nightmare - slow buildup (when the play is quickened they actually threaten a bit) and a severe lack of pressing as a team, although some individual players, such as Hughes, are trying.
Full time in a match I'm sure we were all engrossed in! England U21s won 2-1. Didn't watch much of the second half, but Dier came on at half time as a RB and looked reasonably comfortable. Kane got the equaliser, Carroll played 90 mins and always looked to get on the ball and play, which was encouraging from a Spurs point of view. Owen Hargreaves was busy on the BT Sport commentary working himself up into a serious tizz over Luke Shaw who did look good going forwards but was responsible for the goal England conceded. Overall an encouraging evening for the young Spurs players who played.
Southgate changed things up at half-time and it worked in England's favour. Dier was introduced for Keane and Ince came on early for Hughes. Kane scored the leveler and Berahino won it from the spot. Nice to see some Spurs players featuring at this level again, with all of them having an impact on the game. Carroll showed some nice touches, including a fantastic 50 yard pass to Redmond, Kane got his goal and Dier made a fantastic tackle late on, though he was miles out of position in the first place. Picked up a necessary if cynical yellow to break up a Croatian attack, too.
I've got no idea what he was frothing about, as Shaw's final ball was appalling and he simply didn't do any defending. He seemed to be trying too hard to make up for his mistake for the goal, constantly trying to play as a winger, but not hitting anyone with his crosses. Fair play to him, he put a lot of effort in and was always looking to get in round the back, but the quality wasn't there and he was absent in defence completely.
Exactly. He covered a lot of ground with Berahino coming in off the left in front of him - you'd think that LVG's concerns about fitness are behind him - but his best attacking moment was hitting the post when a cut back to Kane might even have been the better option. He's a good LB already with a hell of a lot of potential there too, and it is easy to forget that he is so young still at times, but he is a long long way off being the finished article and justifying his United fee. I think he will do it eventually, and will remain a good LB in the meantime, but it'll be a good few years.
Thought all 3 of our players did well tonight. Berahino really has gone under the radar, probably for the best that he's avoided all the pressure of being one of "England's next superstars". Looks a great player though, full of end product.
