Interesting thread on SaintsWeb: Would Saints beat England? Having thought about it and watched the Chile game, I think Saints would beat England because we play the same style as Chile (and I think we'd have finished better) and we are far better organised than England. Would also help because we would have Lallana back (one of the best England players from that game). It was also asked if England could play in this style...I would say no because they don't have the right personnel and how could an England manager train the team to play in this style in a couple of training sessions.
Think most top club sides would beat the vast majority of International teams. They are just better drilled.
Not sure about the better finishing. Sanchez was top class. BTW, don't worry about lifting topics from Saintsweb. We exchange them all the time. -DTLW is usually our conduit.
I think Saints would definitely beat England and I also think we wouldn't lose to Chile. Not saying we would beat Chile because I haven't seen how well they defend and because we don't exactly score a high precentage of the 'less chances at international level away (Sorry couldn't help put a typical pundit cliche in about the difference between international and league football. I would go as far as to say that thinking neutrally rather than as a Saints fan, that if MP was England Manager he would have Lallana, Clyne and Lambert in the squad. He would also have said thanks for your service but we have to move on to Gerrard and Lampard. I think Wilshere would be out of the squad from now unless the potential he has/had reaches a higher level. Could go on but I don't think the England 24 would have many faces that we see there at the moment!! Rooney, Hart, Forster, Baines, Cole, Jagielka, Cahill would all be in the 24 but how many in the first 11? MP would also be looking at Andros Townsend in much the same way as Collymore stated the other day. I do think Townsend could work in an MP team though. He would have to tune his game similar to how Adam has though. Sturridge would probably be in trouble too because he isn't a team player. I think England is mostly about the midfield. Meaning we haven't got one. If we could get that right (I mean in the centre) rather than trying to play all 10 of our 'have potential' wide players then we could do quite well. We used to have a fixation of the 4-4-2 either flat or as diamond with one CM being a destructive player (Ince/Batty/Parker/Barry) and the other being an attacking CM (Scholes, Gerrard, Lampard) Shows how far behind the rest of the world our international team is because nowadays most teams are having 2 DMs not 1 and they are more cultured too. That's why I never understood the criticism of Barry. He should have been a mainstay of the England setup years before when he was at Villa. Cant put 2 out of Lampard, Milner or Gerrard in there long term though. those days are gone. At the moment we would probably be better off 'sufficing' with Milner or Barry in front of the defence and then we have the multitude of 'cultured young players' including Rooney to make the front 4 with. If Gerrard is going to get in the team he would have to give it a 'last hurrah' and motor around in the No 10 area. I would like to see: -------------Hart----------------- Clyne---Cahill---- Jagielka-- Baines ----------Barry--Milner------------ --Walcott--- Lallana-----Welbeck-- --------------Rooney-------------- Like I say can't think of any younger English DMs and of course There is Chamberlain who could (and probably should) replace Welbeck if he recovers to the same level he was at.
As far as beating that England side is concerned, yes I think we probably would. They may have all the hi-profile players but we have the unit, which is exactly what Chile had as well. Chile's defensive record isn't that brilliant, as one of their CB's is something like 5'9", and they play the press and squeeze style, getting caught when balls are put over the top. Saints don't seem to suffer from this, mainly because our CB's are so bloody good, which contributes to our Scrooge like tendency as far as goals conceded is concerned. Which means, as I said on the match thread, that I think we'd probably give Chile a bloody good match as well. Possibly beating them, though Sanchez was mightily impressive.
Easy. We are everything that England are not. Even discounting the 'hard work beats talent' quote, the England team is very poor & Roy really is rather outdated in his approach. Harsh? Maybe, but I'm expecting a very quick return form Brazil....who-ever we get drawn against in the group stage.
You're all ****ing deluded we would get smashed by atleast 2-3 goals. I think the good run of form and easy fixtures have gone to everyones head.
I think England could play that style. Remember how well Saints played in Poch's first game? I actually think that it is a natural progression for English football - which has always been high on work rate. Would Love to see this approach from England. But, are our players willing to adapt?
A new crop perhaps, but that won't happen, we need to keep the old lot happy & rack up a few more caps.
We are also forgetting that the manager has to fully understand our system. Hodgson may understand the principles and be able to utilise it in part, but that's not the same as having it embedded in your psyche. I believe that Mauricio has taken the system and then adjusted it to make the defence stronger. It was noticeable that towards the end of last season we calmed down a bit as he became used to the PL and the players we have.
Well, unfortunately the tone was instantly lowered by NLS's 3rd word. We don't hear from him from one month to the next, and then all he can manage is to come on here and damn people for putting forward reasonably optimistic viewpoints. Knowing TSW from ages past, I think L#7's response was quite restrained and understandable. Even if I can't condone it.
On paper they'd have us, but in reality we'd keep a clean sheet and score a goal or two. Notice how I refer to England as they!
Watching the game on Friday, I was so frustrated by the lack of tracking back and defending from the front...except from Lallana & Jay Rod. It is now in their makeup to do this - but no one else (except maybe Rooney), seemed to get it. My thought about 30 mins in was that Saints are better than this. Yes, we have played teams below us (17 teams are currently below us), but I am beginning to believe that maybe, just maybe we are the real deal. Would we have won? I believe so. But I do wear red and white glasses... I don't want to get carried away as over the last 35 years I have always been let down with false dawns. But maybe, just maybe..... No 7
