I must have watched a different game from most of you. I thought Tiddler Sterling had an (unexpectedly) excellent game, apart from a short spell early in the second half in which he reverted to character. We all agree about HurryCaine taking corners, etc., leaving Tiddler and a few other little 'uns in the box. Overall, I was encouraged by most of the performance but, having watched England for decades, and after the usual quota of near misses, the drama of the final seconds was pretty much predictable. All the foreplay, but no climax. Maybe they should have Viagra as their next sponsor. I'm surprised no-one has mentioned the howler by Hart, right near the end, which could have cost us that single point which could prove to be vital. As many of us have been saying for ages, fielding a defensive pairing of Smalling and Cahill is courting disaster, even against an aging and ho-hum team. But let's now go on to crush the Taffs, which we should do quite easily if our defence can cope with G. Bale ... but that's a gigantic, upper-case IF with those two clod-hoppers apparently wearing Evo Stik on their wellies.
"English fans started the fight by attacking our fans, but 250 Russians from different corners of our country did not flinch and repulsed the attack of the heavily drunken islanders." https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jun/11/euro-2016-england-russia-fans-clash-marseille Quite incredible reporting from one of the Russian newspapers, it really is a ****ed up, paranoid country.
It was an excellent first half performance, we just didn't capitalise on it. Second half was much flatter, the substitutions were late and poor. Sterling was dreadful. Kane taking corners is ridiculous. Hodgson's clueless. We'll still win the group.
I thought Kane was poor and shouldn't start the next game. Sterling's been gash for months. The full backs played well and the Rooney thing seemed to work OK. Alli and Dier looks promising and Lallana didn't do a lot wrong. Bottom line, we weren't clinical enough in the final third. Their last minute goal shouldn't have mattered a toss 'cos we should have been 3 up at that point.
Does Kane take corners for Spurs? Just baffled me, highest goalscorer this season, and he's...not waiting in the penalty box. Stirling reminds me of a **** Aaron McLean. Runs around a lot, loses the ball a lot, seems to forget what he's doing when he gets near the penalty area. Why is he even there ffs?
We'll get through but somehow **** it up and end up playing Germany. I've not looked at the groups so dunno if thats possible, but it'll happen
Cruel game. First half as good as it gets. Media having field day,bit like Saturday night stay at home poodles on here. Scotland OUT
Rooney played well in midfield, but I would have preferred him as a striker. Sterling has no end product. Poor substitutions. Scoring was the problem, the defence generally did okay. That was a good early tournament warning for Hart, get it sorted quick - he looked a right twat. Wrong striker starting.
If France are currently at their highest security level, how are people getting into stadiums with flare guns?
Why? - why? - do certain managers with a slender lead retreat into their shells? Taking off Sterling and bringing on Milner just gives Russia an invitation to throw people forward to attack. Vardy on for the last 10 keeps them penned back, with his pace they would always keep 2 back to cover him alone. It was the first game and goal difference may prove crucial come the end of the group stage, they wouldn't have been able to risk throwing men forward. And who was it who was massively outjumped for their headed goal? I was pretty drunk but I think it was a little black fella who was simply outmuscled. It was ****. Edit - just looked and Sterling wasn't on so it must've been Rose. Not sure why he was on a massive salmon.
