So Spurs1-0 Spurs? Excellent strike from Alli, playing like an experienced player at the peak of his powers, scary that he's only 19. Really good performance so far, especially after the goal. Rooney, for all the flack I give him, really looks sharp and was for me the best player on the pitch up until Alli's goal edged him ahead. I don't think the French have their heads in the right place at the moment, which is understandable. Hopefully they'll come out better in the second half because after the goal went in they looked in danger of being on the end of a bad scoreline, which I don't think anyone wants to see.
After Rooney's goal (good work from Alli again) it does look a bit one sided. I agree a thrashing is not needed in the circumstances.
This is all we've wanted, Roy! Sure we might not have won against a fully focused French side but it's much more fun to watch us go out and entertain than sit back and play long balls, hoping for the best. I think having injuries actually has helped us because we've finally had a balanced team. Had the likes of Sturridge, Wheelchair, Welbeck, Henderson, Carrick and Delph been fit would we have got to see the Alli-Dier partnership given a go, or Sterling and Rooney down the flanks, or Kane's allround approach to play? We might not be good enough to go into tournaments as favourites but I refuse to believe we haven't got an awful lot of talented players and a variety of options within that pool of players. It's a case of putting matching pieces together and not trying to force pieces that don't fit together.
Wheelchair -. In my view, we have a good crop of young players currently. Luckily for us, three of those are current Spurs players. But there are,others too. Barkley is still 21, I believe, Clyne is 24. What Woy should be doing is building for the future around these youngsters. Let them learn and grow together. It's too early for Euro 2016, and we would have to accept that. But I see no reason why we couldn't be competitive at WC 2018 if this current bunch of talented youngsters are persisted with. Unfortunately, I doubt that's what Hodgson will do. At the first opportunity it will be back to the usual suspects.
Good English style players - lots of power, running, commitment and attitude - but do we have the skill levels to compete against the top 4 or 5 countries? Do we have players who can retain possession for long periods, especially under pressure in tight areas such as in and around the opposition penalty area? Or pass accurately and effectively short and long? I've yet to see any evidence that England have moved on from the usual tactics of frenzied running around and hit and hope passing, mirroring what often works in the PL, albeit many clubs have better players. When it comes to international tournaments, often played in the heat, it's more important to be competent at keeping the ball from the opposition for sustained periods (make them do the running) and be able to work openings through shifting the ball around effectively. Alli looks talented, but he's only a few months out of League One and it remains to be seen how he would fare against Spain or Germany with little of the ball (he was peripheral in the few minutes he got v Spain last week). The rest look like typical English huff and puff players. Barkley occasionally muscles his way past players, but I can't see him controlling midfield.
I agree with you...however Woy might be thinking he isn't going to be here to see this team blossom to its peak and in the meantime will be judged on his immediate success or failures. so he is just going for the short term and what he thinks will work best now. therefore should he be given next few world cups? I doubt we want that too. im probably totally off the mark and the truth is more likely to be that as usual...The England manager is always rigid with his selections so we can get bored the **** out of.
Slightly surprised at the pessimism about using young players at tournaments. History points at it being exactly what is needed and Roy must know that. He used a number of such players in 2014. 1966 saw Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters and Alan Ball as real stars and they were absolute novices. 1990 gave us Gazza and David Platt. Michael Owen in 1998 and Rooney in 2004. Most of our standout players in tournaments have been young and untested at international level. I'm not suggesting we chuck in the kitchen sink but Stones, Luke Shaw (if fit), Alli and Dier alongside Kane could raise our existing options to a whole new level. It gives us pace, power and that youthful fearlessness. If Roy wants to go down as anything but a failure he has to take what is a calculated gamble and go with the young, fit and in form. As Spurs fans we regret Sir Alf not choosing Greavesie but history says Hurst was the right choice. In the run up to 1990 Kenny Dalglish said Sir Bobby Robson was wrong not to pick Steve McMahon ahead of Gazza. Glen Hoddle tried not to pick Owen but everything points at the young players being our best option. I think Roy sees that now and will pick those that are doing it come May. It's not like the alternatives have done anything of note is it?
They're young players, still learning. No, their ball control skills in most cases probably aren't up to the level of the Spanish, but we're a lot better than we used to be, and we have other attributes. Alli is 19, and only just 19 at that. Let's give him a chance, eh? Yes, he looked a bit lost at times against Spain, but so did several others. It was a massive step up in class for the lad, and would have been a bit of an eye opener. But he's learning and learning fast! A Team will beat eleven supposedly more talented individuals most of the time. Hodgson has at his disposal some of the best young English players we've seen for some time. He'd be a doing Englands future a great disservice by not developing them into a solid team, IMO. Having said that, England expects at Euro 2016 so I've no doubt he'll go back to the usual suspects.
