We feel asleep and lost concentration for those two Dutch goals failed to keep possession teams like the Netherlands will punish you for that. Some good performances not bad for playing against who I regard as the 2nd best team in the World at the moment.
Really odd game that England looked disjointed, The Dutch looked at time like they were bored apart from robben who looked like Steve jobs
My Analysis: Welbeck: over-rated, Sturridge must start he is much more of a threat Downing: SERIOUSLY WHY THE **** DO ENGLAND PICK HIM, HE IS AWFUL Milner: thought was distinctly average tonight Cahill: crap apart from the goal, responsible for Robben's 3rd goal, play Jones Campbell: anonymous, guarantee that Grant Holt would have been noticed by all, with his work-rate even if it was for 15 minutes, and he would also have stopped Arjen Robben's goal FACT and scored any of those piss-easy chances that the scum Welbeck was offered Positives: Jones, Sturridge, Hart Sack Pierce now, we have no hope at the euros otherwise.
Pierce effectively sacked himself in the post match interview Also, what a waste of time for Green and Carson, neither played a single second Call-ups should be issued to Holt (no big man today, it showed, welbeck is a lightweight despite his height), Oxlade-Chamberlain to replace that parasite-of-an-england-shirt Downing, and Ruddy instead of Carson.
I can understand picking three keepers for a tournament or qualifying matches as an injury or sending off means you may actually utilise them all, but I've never understood picking three for a one off friendly. At best you're going to use one keeper in each half, at worst you'll use one and have one on stand by just in case. So why bother with the third? Everyone knew today that Hart would start and Carson or Green would only get on if Hart was injured or sent off so why pick both? Why not pick Carson and Green and play one in each half? Or just pick one and play Hart all game and use the extra slot created for another outfield option?
And why bother flying one of them all the way from Turkey just for the priviledge? Bonkers, absolutely bonkers.
Not one person has mentioned that Ince was calling for Holt! Disappointed. In summary: We looked less disciplined, Richards was nervous, Parker wasn't strong enough... but there were some very encouraging signs. This was not the slow boring, football to fall asleep to England of Capello's reign. There were some very positive and heartening signs. Cahill, Richards and Baines were bombing forward and i thought to myself: England are finally waking up! A bit more confidence, shape and discipline and this will mutate into the most exciting England line up since Euro 96. As for Pearce... you can't sack an Acting Manager. He is holding the fort for 'Arry and good luck to him!
Has anyone read Graham Taylor's post match analysis?... "But let's be honest. What we saw at Wembley was nothing more than an England reserve side." So safe to assume if Taylor was still at the helm it's an auto pick for the has-beens "For England, the real test will come against the likes of France, Sweden and Ukraine in Donetsk and Kiev because it's all about what you do in the tournament." You can't argue his point I suppose. Don't forget our tax is paying this man for his "insight". "What about Pearce? Well, I personally can see him going to the Euro's if no-one is appointed beforehand." Brilliant!
i think you must have watched a different game to me yorkie. there were hardly any positives to take. i thought adam johnson did pretty well and also sturridge did well and he should start for england up front on that evidence. meanwhile, welbeck was chasing shadows all game and looked miles out of his depth, baines was all over the place and kept pushing robben, one of the most renowned left footers in european football, on to his left foot , cahill was poor positionally, his goal was about 3 yards offside (loved the fact itv didn't even mention it ), parker let their midfield run past him too often, barry was his usual anonymous self, richards struggled, gerrard didn't touch the ball, stewart downing is the worst player to play for england in a generation or ten, even joe hart looked a bit shaky. best moment of the game was phil jones sublime pass for the equaliser. lets face it, england played a dutch team who were cruising in 2nd gear throughout, and when they stepped up a gear england couldn't cope. how they got back in the game at all i will never know - it certainly wasn't justified. pearce got so much wrong on the night and in the build up re: the captain and picking the damn squad that i wasn't exactly surprised that we looked so poor. we passed the ball about at the back slowly with no momentum, when we got it into the midfield we looked a bit better but generally they ran out of options and patience and launched it forward towards welbecks head. it was dire at times, so much so that i was considering changing channel. paul ince called for grant holt - i will continue to call for him too while he is playing out of his skin. get some fresh players involved. they don't have to be young, they don't have to play for the big teams, they just need to have desire and be playing at the top of their game. get in britton, get in dyer, get in holt, get in ruddy, get graham in, get pilkington in, get fox in, get in caulker... problem is, its too late to do so now. should have been done last night. yet another wasted opportunity. ps. hope smalling and huntelaar are ok. sickening clash
i think you must have watched a different game to me yorkie. there were hardly any positives to take. i thought adam johnson did pretty well and also sturridge did well and he should start for england up front on that evidence I'm surprised you thought Adam Johnson did pretty well. Sturridge was the only player to come out of the game with any real credit.
overall, i felt johnson was worthy of praise simply because he got his head down and ran at people. he makes things happen
Yeah, Sturridge did play well, he still missed an absolute sitter that Cody McDonald would have buried though And Superman ITV did mention Cahill's goal being offside a lot, Andy Townsend certainly picked up on it as did the guys in the studio. Yes he was offside (maybe by a yard, certainly not three) but the way everyone was moving at speed I can see why the lino didn't stick his flag up. Great finish though I thought Ashley Young was woeful, aside from his goal of course and I don't understand how Smalling gets the nod ahead of Phil Jones. Phil Jones is the obvious choice for long-term captain, though I personally thought Parker a very good choice for the time being and thought he did ok last night.
That's a Dutch side who've been playing together for years. I said that our shape and organisation was all wrong but it was nice to see some energy, movement and one touch passing instead of playing chess on a football pitch which is what weve all become accustomed to. I think you were watching a different game because ITV did talk about the offside, albeit marginal and not three yards!
fair enough, must have missed that bit making coffee. i heard them mention it after the game but not during it. i stand corrected but he was well offside! certainly not marginal agree about young - he was woeful.
Yep straight after it went in. I think he got away with it because a split second after the ball was played and before it got to him he was standing in an onside position.
And he was kind of running along the line as the defender moved out, very easy to spot with the beauty of replays but no where near as simple in real time with a split second to make the call
