It was difficult for Vardy to make much of an impact against San Marino. They had 7 or 8 lined up on the edge of their own box so he had no chance to use his pace to get behind them. When he did get the chance to run from deep he was hauled back. I've just seen the BBC assessment of the players' performance and was disappointed (but not surprised) to see that Vardy was given 6 while Rooney got 7. Obviously slotting home a penalty counts for 2 points. I thought Rooney made no real impact on the game at all and was probably our worst performer. I can't see Vardy starting, or perhaps featuring at all, against Switzerland even though a more open game would suit his attributes.
.. spot on .. 2 points for equalling Sir Bobby's reord .. guess who he has got most aainst? ... yes San Marino... truly 'world class' ...
Vards might have taken some stick from the odd turd .. but at least his sole contribution wasn't providing crossing practice for the San Marino keeper like the woeful Milner
The three players hauled off - Rooney, Milner and Oxlade-Chamberlain - were dreadful. So Vardy was better than those three at least! I thought Vardy did well in the first half, Shelvey playing some nice through-balls to him, then he always had his man on toast. He won a couple of corners and might have become the first England player to assist a player to his 50 England goal (a well sought-after accolade! ) if the ball hadn't bobbled up on that crappy pitch - personally though, I'd have liked to have seen Vardy shoot from there. In the second half, the midfield opted to distribute to Walcott instead - and rightly so considering his impact - so a tiring Vardy was frozen out somewhat - to the point where I wondered where he was on some attacks. I don't believe his fitness levels were an issue (we all know he can run forever for us), so perhaps Hodgson instructed him to lay the ball on for Shaw on the few times we attacked down the left. Overall, not scoring against one of the worst defences in the world won't increase his stock, but then it has to be considered that he was played out of position and he was the only player to get behind them in the first half. Besides, if he's being picked for his goal-scoring, Hodgson may need to think again- five goals last season was hardly impressive. But like Heskey back in his day, he offers much more than potent finishing. I'd love to see him as part of a two with Kane.
Vardy will do better against better opposition where there not going to have 6 players camped on their penalty area. Vardy isn't the type of player thats going to play through people. He wants balls behind the backline that he can run on to
This is the problem, as soon as we won the ball back from San Marino, Vardy was off ready for a through ball or a ball over the top, but we slow the play down sooo much that it wasn't just the San Marino back line stopping Vardy playing well.
Unsurprisingly Vardy isn't in the first team against Switzerland. Am in two minds about watching it though as it looks like it is going to be a really boring game - we will be playing with Delph and Shelvy as DMs and Rooney as a lone striker.
Well if your not playing him as a striker he isn't good enough and Rooney is a better striker so rightly so he isn't in the team.
... never thought I'd be saying this but The Sun's match ratings for the San Marion game just about got it right for me ... Walcott got a 7 everyone else (including Captain Fantastic ) a 6 ... with Milner the sole 5 ... now I'll predict that he will continually look for Rooney but the majority of his passes will be caught by the keeper ...
Gokhan Inler is absolutely bossing the midfield though, looking forward to seeing some of his passes out to Jamie Vardy this season.
What does everyone see in Sterling!!! Has he had the ball without losing it once! He is so overrated as he's English but isn't a patch on Mahrez
Vardy; Atleast he´ll be fresh for the live game v Villa on Sunday. Sterling; Ask me if I rate him in a couple of seasons. He´s looking to be a top player, I´ll just wait & see where his head is & feet are in that time. "Roll on real football"
... best England player? Luke Shaw for me ... also think Chris Smalling is starting to look the part ... .. if James Milner is a first choice for the middle then we won't progress beyond the group stages ... if the Swiss had better strikers we would probably have lost last night.
I really rate Oxlade-Chamberlain. Hard working, and the one England player who will try and get past an opponent to create space and chances for others. Without that kind of player we just end up passing the ball without any penetration. Walcott, if his confidence is high, can do the same but his final ball can be woeful at times. Sterling on his day can be effective. He does try to do what attackers should do, get into the box and go past opponents and dare them to commit. It doesn't work every time, but it does put pressure on defenders and causes them problems. He needs to keep doing that. Shaw had a solid game. He eventually showed the confidence to use his speed to go past players. It's what he does best for his club, but so often at international level he, like many other players, seem to lack the confidence to do what needs to be done. It took two and a half games at the World Cup for Leighton Baines to take on and beat his opponent, something he was doing every week for Everton, by which time it was too late. If England are going to be a serious force in European or World football we have to encourage players to want the ball and play without fear, often like they do for their clubs, even develop a bit of a swagger - good individual performances are down to confidence, and a confident team is more dangerous than a timid one. If a player loses the ball or something doesn't quite come off while trying to do the right thing then no matter. Next time it might. If we don't, then we will end up with more of what we have now, and England at the moment are a tough team to watch.
I got the opposite opinion, with England going down the flanks with Clyne and Shaw, i feel he didn't really get in the game, especially second half.
I thought Inler passed the ball very well. There was one 40 yard pass towards the right corner flag in the 2nd half that was top class.
I genuinely don't think it's Leicester bias but from a Swiss point of view, Inlers name was heard the most I think but it could be that as City fans, we watch deliberately for him. I think he had a great match and probably played as well as any of the England players considering they lost
