Funny how we didn't need a playoff like two of those teams. Some embarrassing posts on here tonight. We lose a game we're expected to lose and everyone goes mental. If City lose two games in a row the reaction is totally different. Some people even refuse to support the team when we lose, but would never admit to doing this with City. England were poor up front tonight but fair play to the German defence they gave us no time in and around the area. We didn't cope with it well and seemed a bit panicky when we got a yard of space. If that's the best side in the world though as many people seem to think, we clearly aren't far off. They beat us on a set piece and hardly had another chance. We hardly had a chance either which was disappointing but there was nothing in that game to suggest they were miles better than us. People just over-react to a scoreline. It's embarrassing. This is a good point and this is why I want to see us play our best team in more games and not using friendlies as trial matches for fringe players, then making 15 subs staggered across the second half for maximium disruption.
I'm grumpy after our loss tonight, but.... There's no way that you guys would beat Spain in the group stage (thereof France needing to go through the play-offs, although they are over-rated) Portugal just always seem to struggle in the group stage before finding their level in the playoff. It depends so much on the seeding. I can't see England go further then 1/16 or a quarter final (absolute max) Not saying that we would do better though, just what I believe. Our defence nowadays is a joke. We had Germany in our group this time. We got Portugal in the playoff. There's no team in the world that wouldn't struggle. We had Holland/The Netherlands the qualifier before that. I believe we had Spain before Holland. Give us a break! You guys had a decent Ukraine and a mediocre Montenegro before that. The wind is always coming toward you as an "underdog", both in football and society. Just gotta find a way to come out of it
I used to think Sturridge was better than Welbeck but I don't think he links up half as well with the other team mates as Welbeck does with let's say Rooney . They're both clumsy ****s tbh. We won't go very far this year.
For those saying that we won't beat the likes of Belgium, quite possible, but ultimately Belgium's last 3 games have been home games, 1-1 v Wales, 0-2 v Columbia & 2-3 v Japan. Not exactly rosy days for them when most people fancy them & their "golden generation," I don't know whether they put out their best team & I haven't seen England's games but I know we didn't put out our best team so their is some hope. The main thing is we qualified for this tournament & i'm sure weeks before we are due to kick off in the opening games the British press will find some way to try & disrupt the team. I didn't give us a hope in the Euros last year but we made it through the group & lost on penalties to Italy, yes we played piss poor & Italy should have battered us, but they didn't. Yes it would be nice to see England play flowing fast attacking football, but realistically it's not going to happen, we'll have to try our usual approach to games of getting set pieces & catching teams on the break with a bit of pace, unless Roy has some secret plan up his sleeve that he's not showing in the friendlies. Just found out as well that Spain lost to South Africa too.
The last time we beat a major team at a major tournament was Argentina in the 2002 World Cup. Surely that gives an indicator as to where we are in World football and is one of the reasons why we are no longer a seeded team.
Really? Cleverley had a good game. Hell of a pass to set Sturridge free, that chance should have resulted with a goal, but Sturridge decided to dance around with the ball at the edge of the box until Germany managed to get their entire defence and midfield back in the box then got tackled. Can't think of anything he did wrong. Thought Gerrard had a poor game though, way off his usual self, misplacing passes, overhitting crosses and everything, not like him.
Unlike Cleverley and Smalling at Man Utd though, Henderson has actually played alright for Liverpool as of late, but last night he was certainly very poor.
